cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Retrospective Review on the Safety and Efficacy of Direct Oral Anticoagulants Compared With Warfarin in Patients With Cirrhosis.

Purpose Patients with cirrhosis needing anticoagulation therapy have historically been prescribed warfarin. New retrospective research has concluded that in patients with cirrhosis direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) have similar or lower bleeding rates compared with that of warfarin. This study compares the safety and efficacy of DOACs with that of warfarin in patients with cirrhosis. Methods A retrospective chart review was conducted in adult patients with cirrhosis taking either apixaban, dabigatran, edoxaban, rivaroxaban, or warfarin. Exclusion criteria consisted of patients prescribed triple antithrombotic therapy (dual antiplatelet therapy plus an anticoagulant) and indications other than nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) and venous thromboembolism (VTE). The primary endpoint was all-cause bleeding, and the secondary endpoints were failed efficacy and major bleeding as defined by the International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis in 2005. Failed efficacy was a combination endpoint including the development of VTE, stroke, myocardial infarction and/or death. Patient data were collected from the Computerized Patient Record System from October 31, 2014 to October 31, 2018. Results The study included 42 patients in the DOAC group and 37 patients in the warfarin group. Baseline characteristics were not significantly different between groups except for the Child-Turcotte-Pugh score, Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score, international normalized ratio, and number of days on anticoagulation therapy. The rate of all-cause bleeding in the DOAC group was 16.7% (n = 7) vs 21.6% (n = 8) in the warfarin group (P = .7). The rate of major bleeding in the DOAC group was 2.4% (n = 1) vs 5.4% (n = 2) in the warfarin group (P = .6). The rate of failed efficacy in the DOAC group was 7.1% (n = 3) compared with 8.1% (n = 3) in the warfarin group (P = .9). Subgroup analysis of allcause bleeding did not identify any significant trends between groups. Conclusions There were no statistically significant differences identified between the rates of all-cause bleeding, major bleeding, and failed efficacy between the DOACs and warfarin groups. DOACs may be a safe alternative to warfarin in patients with cirrhosis requiring anticoagulation for NVAF or VTE, but large randomized trials are required to confirm these results.
β-Pix-dependent cellular protrusions propel collective mesoderm migration in the mouse embryo.

Coordinated directional migration of cells in the mesoderm layer of the early embryo is essential for organization of the body plan. Here we show that mesoderm organization in mouse embryos depends on β-Pix (Arhgef7), a guanine nucleotide exchange factor for Rac1 and Cdc42. As early as E7.5, β-Pix mutants have an abnormally thick mesoderm layer; later, paraxial mesoderm fails to organize into somites. To define the mechanism of action of β-Pix in vivo, we optimize single-cell live-embryo imaging, cell tracking, and volumetric analysis of individual and groups of mesoderm cells. Use of these methods shows that wild-type cells move in the same direction as their neighbors, whereas adjacent β-Pix mutant cells move in random directions. Wild-type mesoderm cells have long polarized filopodia-like protrusions, which are absent in β-Pix mutants. The data indicate that β-Pix-dependent cellular protrusions drive and coordinate collective migration of the mesoderm in vivo. Mesodermal directional cell migration is needed to establish body plan but how this is regulated is unclear. Here, the authors show that loss of the guanine nucleotide exchange factor for Rac1 and Cdc42, β-Pix, at mouse gastrulation disrupts the orderly, collective anterior migration of mesoderm cells due to defective cell protrusions.
Effects of hypercapnia in sepsis: A scoping review of clinical and pre-clinical data.

Background Perform a scoping review of (1) pre-clinical studies testing the physiological effects of higher PaCO2 levels in the setting of sepsis models and (2) clinical investigations testing the effects of hypercapnia on clinical outcomes in mechanically ventilated patients with sepsis. Methods We performed a search of CENTRAL, PUBMED, CINAHL, and EMBASE. Study inclusion criteria for pre-clinical studies were: (1) bacterial sepsis model (2) measurement of PaCO2 , and (3) comparison of outcome measure between different PaCO2 levels. Inclusion criteria for clinical studies were: (1) diagnosis of sepsis, (2) receiving invasive mechanical ventilation, (3) measurement of PaCO2 , and (4) comparison of outcomes between different PaCO2 levels. We performed a qualitative analysis to collate and summarize the physiological and clinical effects of hypercapnia according to the recommended methodology from the Cochrane Handbook. Results Fifteen pre-clinical and nine clinical studies were included. Among pre-clinical studies, the individual studies found higher PaCO2 augments tissue blood flow and oxygenation, and attenuates inflammation and lung injury; however, all pre-clinical studies were found to have some degree of risk of bias. Six of the nine clinical studies were deemed to be good quality. Among clinical studies hypercapnia was associated with increased cerebral perfusion and oxygenation; however, there were conflicting results testing the association between hypercapnia and mortality. Conclusion While individual pre-clinical studies identified potential mechanisms by which changes in PaCO2 levels could affect pathophysiology in sepsis, there is a paucity of clinical data as to the optimal PaCO2 range, demonstrating a need for future research. Registration PROSPERO number CRD42018086703.
Aortic Neck IFU Violations During EVAR for Ruptured Infrarenal Aortic Aneurysms are Associated with Increased In-Hospital Mortality.

Objective Vascular surgeons treating patients with ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm must make rapid treatment decisions and sometimes lack immediate access to endovascular devices meeting the anatomic specifications of the patient at hand. We hypothesized that endovascular treatment of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (rEVAR) outside manufacturer instructions-for-use (IFU) guidelines would have similar in-hospital mortality compared to patients treated on-IFU or with an infrarenal clamp during open repair (ruptured open aortic aneurysm repair [rOAR]). Methods Vascular Quality Initiative datasets for endovascular and open aortic repair were queried for patients presenting with ruptured infrarenal AAA between 2013–2018. Graft-specific IFU criteria were correlated with case-specific proximal neck dimension data to classify rEVAR cases as on- or off-IFU. Univariate comparisons between the on- and off-IFU groups were performed for demographic, operative and in-hospital outcome variables. To investigate mortality differences between rEVAR and rOAR approaches, coarsened exact matching was used to match patients receiving off-IFU rEVAR with those receiving complex rEVAR (requiring at least one visceral stent or scallop) or rOAR with infrarenal, suprarenal or supraceliac clamps. A multivariable logistic regression was used to identify factors independently associated with in-hospital mortality. Results 621 patients were treated with rEVAR, with 65% classified as on-IFU and 35% off-IFU. The off-IFU group was more frequently female (25% vs. 18%, P = 0.05) and had larger aneurysms (76 vs. 72 mm, P= 0.01) but otherwise was not statistically different from the on-IFU cohort. In-hospital mortality was significantly higher in patients treated off-IFU vs. on-IFU (22% vs. 14%, P= 0.02). Off-IFU rEVAR was associated with longer operative times (135 min vs. 120 min, P= 0.004) and increased intraoperative blood product utilization (2 units vs. 1 unit, P= 0.002). When off-IFU patients were matched to complex rEVAR and rOAR patients, no baseline differences were found between the groups. Overall in-hospital complications associated with off-IFU were reduced compared to more complex strategies (43% vs. 60–81%, P 0.05). This finding persisted in a multivariate logistic regression. Conclusions Off-IFU rEVAR yields inferior in-hospital survival compared to on-IFU rEVAR but remains associated with reduced in-hospital complications when compared with more complex repair strategies. When compared with matched patients undergoing rOAR with an infrarenal or suprarenal clamp, survival was no different from off-IFU rEVAR. Taken together with the growing available evidence suggesting reduced long-term durability of off-IFU EVAR, these data suggest that a patient's comorbidity burden should be key in making the decision to pursue off-IFU rEVAR over a more complex repair when proximal neck violations are anticipated preoperatively.
Physiologic Response to the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine Measured Using Wearable Devices: Prospective Observational Study.

Background: The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine uses a novel messenger RNA technology to elicit a protective immune response. Short-term physiologic responses to the vaccine have not been studied using wearable devices. Objective: We aim to characterize physiologic changes in response to COVID-19 vaccination in a small cohort of participants using a wearable device (WHOOP Strap 3.0). This is a proof of concept for using consumer-grade wearable devices to monitor response to COVID-19 vaccines. Methods: In this prospective observational study, physiologic data from 19 internal medicine residents at a single institution that received both doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine was collected using the WHOOP Strap 3.0. The primary outcomes were percent change from baseline in heart rate variability (HRV), resting heart rate (RHR), and respiratory rate (RR). Secondary outcomes were percent change from baseline in total, rapid eye movement, and deep sleep. Exploratory outcomes included local and systemic reactogenicity following each dose and prophylactic analgesic use. Results: In 19 individuals (mean age 28.8, SD 2.2 years; n=10, 53% female), HRV was decreased on day 1 following administration of the first vaccine dose (mean –13.44%, SD 13.62%) and second vaccine dose (mean –9.25%, SD 22.6%). RHR and RR showed no change from baseline after either vaccine dose. Sleep duration was increased up to 4 days post vaccination, after an initial decrease on day 1. Increased sleep duration prior to vaccination was associated with a greater change in HRV. Local and systemic reactogenicity was more severe after dose two. Conclusions: This is the first observational study of the physiologic response to any of the novel COVID-19 vaccines as measured using wearable devices. Using this relatively small healthy cohort, we provide evidence that HRV decreases in response to both vaccine doses, with no significant changes in RHR or RR. Sleep duration initially decreased following each dose with a subsequent increase thereafter. Future studies with a larger sample size and comparison to other inflammatory and immune biomarkers such as antibody response will be needed to determine the true utility of this type of continuous wearable monitoring in regards to vaccine responses. Our data raises the possibility that increased sleep prior to vaccination may impact physiologic responses and may be a modifiable way to increase vaccine response. These results may inform future studies using wearables for monitoring vaccine responses. Clinical Trial: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04304703; https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04304703
Broadening the scope of uranyl photoreactivity: The oxidation of a uranyl complex anion in solid-state materials

Reported are the syntheses, structural characterizations and luminescence properties of three novel [UO2Cl4]2 bearing compounds containing substituted 1,1’-dialkyl-4,4’-bipyridinum dications (i.e. viologens). These compounds undergo photoinduced luminescence quenching upon exposure to UV radiation. Kinetic analyses indicate the degree of quenching follows a second-order rate law with a rate constant dependent on viologen substituent. This phenomenon is proposed to involve the formal transfer of one electron from the [UO2Cl4]2- to the viologen species. This proposed mechanism is supported through a series of calculations and computational work including Rehm-Weller analysis, time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT), and density of states (DOS). This work constitutes the first study of an oxidized uranyl complex anion which expands the conventional understanding of uranyl photoreactivity.
Detection of γH2AX foci as a marker for repair of radiation-induced DNA damage in vitro and in vivo

1660 H2AX is a member of the H2 histone protein family that is known to be rapidly phosphorylated following ionizing radiation (γH2AX). Several candidate kinases including ATM and ATR as well as PI3K have been suggested as involved in this phosphorylation process. Binding of γH2AX precedes the recruitment of repair proteins like Rad51 and the Mre11 complex, which form foci at the sites of DNA double-strand breaks. This study addresses whether γH2AX foci might be used as a marker for radiation damage in tumor cell lines and mouse tumor models. Using FACS the half-life of γH2AX foci was evaluated in a panel of six cell lines that vary in radiosensitivity. The foci were quantified as a function of time and delivered radiation dose. We found that H2AX was rapidly phosphorylated and incorporated into foci in vitro following ionizing radiation. The half-life of γH2AX foci correlated strongly with the SF2 (r2 = 0.8947), the D0 (r2 = 0.8696) and the Dq (r2 = 0.9842), as assessed by clonogenic survival assays. No good correlation was found for parameters like the alpha/beta ratio or N. We then developed a staining protocol to quantify γH2AX foci in paraffin-embedded tumor tissue using confocal microscopy. We were able to detect γH2AX foci in MCA129 mouse fibrosarcomas as early as 30 minutes after irradiation. The Abercrombie-corrected half-life in vivo was comparable to the in vitro data. We have previously shown that the ASM genotype of the tumor vasculature affects tumor growth (Garcia-Barros et al., Science, 2003). We are currently testing whether the ASM status of the tumor vasculature influences the repair efficiency of the tumor cells and thus mediates tumor growth delay and regression. We will further attempt to investigate with this technology the role of other proteins like Rad51, Mre 11 and Rad 17 in irradiation-induced foci as markers for repair and radiosensitivity.
Computerized Laboratory Alerting System

A program that uses the HELP system to screen laboratory data automatically for potentially life-threatening situations has been developed, implemented, and evaluated at LDS Hospital. The CLAS program uses decision logic to screen automatically laboratory data being stored to the patient database for the presence of life-threatening conditions. If such a condition is detected, a message is stored in a computerized file. The message is displayed the next time the HELP system is used to review the alerting patient’s laboratory data.
ICE: An Integrated Configuration Engine for Interference Mitigation in Cloud Services

Performance degradation due to imperfect isolation of hardware resources such as cache, network, and I/O has been a frequent occurrence in public cloud platforms. A web server that is suffering from performance interference degrades interactive user experience and results in lost revenues. Existing work on interference mitigation tries to address this problem by intrusive changes to the hyper visor, e.g., Using intelligent schedulers or live migration, many of which are available only to infrastructure providers and not end consumers. In this paper, we present a framework for administering web server clusters where effects of interference can be reduced by intelligent reconfiguration. Our controller, ICE, improves web server performance during interference by performing two-fold autonomous reconfigurations. First, it reconfigures the load balancer at the ingress point of the server cluster and thus reduces load on the impacted server. ICE then reconfigures the middleware at the impacted server to reduce its load even further. We implement and evaluate ICE on Cloud Suite, a popular web application benchmark, and with two popular load balancers - HA Proxy and LVS. Our experiments in a private cloud test bed show that ICE can improve median response time of web servers by up to 94% compared to astatically configured server cluster. ICE also outperforms an adaptive load balancer (using least connection scheduling) by up to 39%.
Enhanced refocusing of fat signals using optimized multipulse echo sequences.

Endogenous magnetic resonance contrast based on the localized composition of fat in vivo can provide functional information. We found that the unequal pulse timings of the Uhrig’s dynamical decoupling multipulse echo sequences significantly alter the signal intensity compared to conventional, equalspaced Carr–Purcell–Meiboom–Gill sequences. The signal increases and decreases depending on the tissue and sequence parameters, as well as on the interpulse spacings; particularly strong differences were observed in fatty tissues, which have a highly structured morphology and a wide range of chemical shifts and J-couplings. We found that the predominant mechanism for fat refocusing under multipulse echo sequences is the chemical structure, with stimulated echoes playing a pivotal role. As a result, specialized pulse sequences can be designed to optimize refocusing of the fat chemical shifts and J-couplings, where the degree of refocusing can be tailored to specific types of fats. To determine the optimal time delays, we simulated various Uhrig dynamical decoupling and Carr–Purcell–Meiboom–Gill pulse sequence timings, and these results are compared to experimental results obtained on excised and in vivo fatty tissue. Applications to intermolecular multiple quantum coherence imaging, where the improved echo refocusing translates directly into signal enhancements, are presented as well. Magn Reson Med 69:1044–1055, 2013. V C 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Minimally Symptomatic Atrial Fibrillation Patients Derive Significant Symptom Relief Following Rate Control or Rhythm Control Therapy

Background: It can be challenging to convince asymptomatic to minimally symptomatic patients to pursue treatment of their atrial fibrillation (AF). We hypothesized that once in sinus rhythm, asymptomatic to minimally symptomatic patients would realize they were compensating for moderate symptoms, and that we could quantify this via the Canadian Cardiovascular Society Severity of AF (CCSSAF) score. Methods: All patients in our study come from the Symptom Mitigation in Atrial Fibrillation (SMART) study. Upon enrollment all patients were assigned a CCS-SAF score. Patients receiving a CCS-SAF score of 0 or 1 that elected to pursue intervention were contacted by phone and asked about their symptoms post-intervention as compared to pre-intervention. Paired t-test was used for analysis. Results: Out of 800 patients in the SMART study to date, 48 patients have qualified for our phone survey and presented for follow-up in our clinic. In our cohort, the revised pre-intervention CCS-SAF score was 1.69 ± 1.36 and the post-intervention CCS-SAF score was 0.52 ± 0.80. Thirty-seven patients reported symptom improvement; those who improved were on average 72.4% improved from baseline.
Bernstein’s Problem on Weighted Polynomial Approximation

We formulate a necessary and sufficient condition for polynomials to be dense in a space of continuous functions on the real line, with respect to Bernstein’s weighted uniform norm. Equivalently, for a positive finite measure μ on the real line we give a criterion for density of polynomials in L p (μ).
Regulation of gene expression by light

The past year has seen significant advances in the biochemical, genetic and molecular dissection of the light signal transduction and developmental pathways that lead to photoregulated gene expression in higher plants. A major part of recent research has focused on the assignment of biological functions to the various photoreceptors, the genetic dissection of the photoreceptor action pathways, and the identification of the cis-acting sequences and trans-acting factors that regulate the downstream light-regulated genes.
An overview of the current NASA operational AMSR-E/AMSR2 snow science team activities

The knowledge of snow depth (SD) and snow water equivalent (SWE) is fundamental for water resources management and weather and flashflood forecast, among other things. Snow also strongly influences the global energy balance because of its high reflectivity, insulation properties, and the amount of latent heat consumed during melting. Data collected at global scale by space-borne passive microwave sensors have been used to estimate SWE and SD at operational level. In particular, data collected by the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer 2 (AMSR2) and by the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer for EOS (AMSR-E) are routinely used to generate global maps of SWE and SD. In this paper, we provide a brief overview of selected activities of the NASA operational AMSR-E/AMSR2 snow science team. In particular, we provide specific details on the results dealing with AMSr-E/AMSR2 cross-calibration, the validation of a research prototype algorithm for re-processing historical AMSR-E data and the assessment of an approach for producing enhanced spatial resolution maps (7.5 km) at global scale for the AMSR-E period.
Reconstitution of iron-sulfur center FB results in complete restoration of NADP (+) photoreduction in Hg-treated Photosystem I complexes from Synechococcus sp. PCC 6301.

The FB iron-sulfur cluster is destroyed preferentially by treating Photosystem I complexes with HgCl2(Kojima Y, Niinomi Y, Tsuboi S, Hiyama T and Sakurai H (1987) Bot Mag 100: 243–53). When FB is 95% depleted but FAis quantitatively retained in cyanobacterial PS I complexes, the reduction potential of FA remains highly electronegative (Em=−530 mV, n=1), the EPR spectral and spin relaxation properties of FA and FXremain unchanged, but NADP+ photoreduction rates decline from 552 to 72 μmol mg Chl−1 h−1.When FB is reconstituted with FeCl3, Na2S and β-mercaptoethanol, NADP+photoreduction rates recover to 528 μmol mg Chl−1 h−1. The correlation between the presence of FBand NADP+ photoreduction provides direct experimental evidence that this iron-sulfur cluster is required for electron throughput from cytochromec6 to flavodoxin or ferredoxin in Photosystem I.
Becoming DACAmented Assessing the Short-Term Benefits of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)

In response to political pressure, President Obama authorized the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program in 2012, giving qualified undocumented young people access to relief from dep...
Thermally induced laser interference and birefringence in a metal-coated optical plate

Time-dependent interference and stress birefringent patterns have been observed when a laser beam was incident upon a metal-coated optical plate (beam splitter). These effects are caused by the spatially nonuniform and time-dependent temperature distribution in the plate as the result of the laser-light absorption. A detailed description of the observed phenomena is presented.
Biological effects of plant lectins on the cowpea weevil.

Abstract Plant lectins have been implicated as antibiosis factors against insects, particularly the cowpea weevil, Callosobruchus maculatus . In the present investigation, 17 plant lectins were screened in an artificial seed system to determine if biological activity toward C. maculatus is widespread among lectins. Five of the 17 plant lectins screened caused a significant delay in C. maculatus developmental time at dietary levels of 0.2 and 1.0% (w/w). These lectins could be classed into one of two groups: lectins with specificity for N -acetylgalactosamine/galactose (GalNAc/Gal) and lectins with specificity for N -acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc). The GalNAc/Gal lectins included osage orange lectin and peanut agglutinin. A dose-response analysis of peanut agglutinin indicated that for every 0.1% increase in dose there was a 0.49 day delay in developmental time. The GlcNAc lectins included potato lectin, jimson weed lectin and wheat germ agglutinin (WGA). The most potent lectin was WGA; the dose-response analysis indicated that for every 0.1% increase in dose there was a 1.47 day delay in developmental time. Additionally, for every 0.1% increase in WGA there was a 2.79% increase in mortality. The results of this investigation indicate that there exists in C. maculatus physiological/biochemical systems vulnerable to selected plant lectins. The genes coding for the effective plant lectins could, in principle, serve as antibiosis factors to use in host plant resistance programs designed to bring resistance into cowpea through recombinant DNA technologies.
Estrogen-modulated frontal cortical CaMKII activity and behavioral supersensitization induced by prolonged cocaine treatment in female rats

Rationale Females have been demonstrated repeatedly to be more sensitive to cocaine. The role of the frontal cortex (FCX) in mediating behavioral sensitization and the underlying signaling pathways are unclear.
Plaque fissures in human coronary thrombosis

Summary Complete serial section study of the thrombosed segments of the coronary arteries from 20 consecutive cases of fatal coronary thrombosis revealed that in each instance the thrombus was anchored in fissures of the surrounding atheromatous plaques. Most of the accompanying plaque hemorrhages could be traced to an entry of blood from the lumen through the same or other cracks in the atherosclerotic artery wall, although some of them also resulted from the rupture of plaque capillaries. There were no cracks in the wall of 16 atherosclerotic coronaries without thrombosis that were studied in the same manner. These findings suggest that the sudden break of the brittle lining of atherosclerotic coronary arteries represents a major factor in the causation of human coronary thrombosis.
Pretreatment plasma homovanillic acid in schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder: the influence of demographic variables and the inpatient drug-free period.

Abstract Background: The relationship between plasma homovanillic acid (pHVA) and schizophrenic symptoms has not been conclusively determined. We reexamine pHVA levels in a new sample of patients with emphasis on demographic variables and the drug-free period. Methods: Plasma HVA levels were studied in 54 schizophrenic and schizoaffective-disordered, drug-free inpatients suffering from a psychotic exacerbation. Results: A significant correlation was observed between pHVA levels and the number of inpatient drug-free days in the total sample, as well as the schizophrenic patient subsample. Further, pHVA was significantly and positively correlated with the duration of illness in the schizophrenic patient subsample. Plasma HVA correlations with behavior, as measured by Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale factors (anxiety/depression and hostility/suspiciousness), emerged only when considering schizophrenic patients drug-free for more than 2 weeks. No correlation was found between pHVA and the age of illness onset or the duration of the delay of treatment of the first psychotic episode. Conclusions: The effects of antipsychotic withdrawal on levels of pHVA in clinical populations may have to be examined and controlled for in future studies attempting to study the relationship between this metabolite and behavior in acutely ill, drug-free schizophrenic patients.
A highly selective method for α-alkylation of ketones via potassium enoxytrialkylborates

Aus Cyclohexanon (I) entsteht das Kaliumenolat (II), das mit Triethylbor ein Addukt (III) gibt.
Encapsulated Nanoparticles Produced by Pulsed Laser Ablation of MoS2-Te Composite Target

Encapsulated nanoparticles were produced by the pulsed laser ablation of MoS2−Te composite targets in a high vacuum chamber. Transmission electron microscope and X-ray energy dispersive spectrometer measurements showed that core-like Mo-rich nanoparticles were encapsulated with shell-like Te-rich materials. Layer structures of the hexagonal MoTe2 phase were formed on the nanoparticle surface that was linked to the diffusion-controlled migration and crystallization. The mechanism of nanoparticle syntheses was discussed in relationship with the pulsed laser ablation of MoS2−Te target materials, the formation of Mo-rich cores, and the growth of layer-structured MoTe2 shells.
Electron Paramagnetic Resonance in Spinach Chloroplasts at Low Temperature

PHOTO-induced electron paramagnetic resonance signals in green plant material have been investigated for many years1–4. The description of the parts played by these unpaired electrons in the energy conversion processes of photosynthesis still remains a challenge. This communication describes the initial results of an approach based on the examination of the electron paramagnetic resonance signals at low temperature. It is hoped that the interpretation of the results is simplified in frozen systems by the possibility of excluding mechanisms that proceed with negligible rate in this state, for example, enzymatically catalysed reactions. Thus the observed changes in electron paramagnetic resonance signal intensity are expected to occur near the beginning of the energy conversion sequence in photosynthesis.
Transient osteoporosis of the hip, foot and knee

A 54-year-old man with a migrating localized osteoporosis of a foot, hip, and knee over the course of two years is described. The differential diagnosis is considered in detail. Evidence of an intense uptake of 85Sr by the right femoral head suggested diffuse osteoblastic activity in the osteoporotic area. Eight reported cases, including the present case of recurrent osteolysis of the hip, knee, or foot, suggest that transient osteoporosis of the hip and migrating osteolysis of the lower extremity are variations of the same apparent neurovascular disorder.
Increasing the use of evidence-based strategies by special education teachers: A collaborative approach

Abstract This article describes a process developed to increase the use of evidence-based instructional strategies by teachers of students in special education programs in a middle school and high school. The project developed a working partnership between university researchers and parents, teachers and administrators of students in special education programs. The partnership produced manuals for the teachers that outlined effective strategies for teaching reading, encouraging family involvement, providing academic feedback, and engaging in positive behavior support in the classroom. The results of assessing implementation fidelity, implications of the study, and future research issues are presented.
Osmium-zinc iodide reactivity in human blood and bone marrow cells.

Buffy coats from blood and bone marrow were fixed in phosphate-buffered glutaraldehyde, exposed to the osmium-zinc iodide (OZI) reagent for 24 hours, dehydrated and embedded in Epon 812. OZI reactivity of blood and bone marrow cells was selectively confined to the cisternae of the rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER), Golgi complex, nuclear envelope and to the mito-chondrial matrices; membranes and other organelles were non-reactive. Some variation in intensity and distribution of OZI reactivity was evident within individual cells and organelles. Continuities between the cisternae of the nuclear envelope and RER as well as between these cisternae and those of the Golgi complex were more conspicuous in OZI preparations than in specimens prepared for routine electron microscopy. The amount and distribution of the cisternal elements and mitochondria within the developing leukocytes and erythrocytes of the bone marrow were evaluated using the OZI technique. All leukocyte granules and their precursor forms fail to stain with the OZI reagent; portions of the Golgi complex most closely associated with the packaging of the cytoplasmic granules also are non-reactive following exposure to the OZI reagent. Reactivity is absent in mature erythrocytes while mitochondria and cisternal components of immature erythroid cells yield positive OZI reactions. Heat, methanol and cyanide inhibit OZI reactivity while a dimorphism of OZI staining is induced between mitochondria and cisternal components by N-ethylmaleimide.
Total energy expenditure in adults with cerebral palsy as assessed by doubly labeled water

Abstract Objectives To characterize total energy expenditure (TEE) in free-living adults with cerebral palsy (CP) using the doubly labeled water technique, and to determine those physiologic variables and characteristics of CP that were markers of TEE in adults with CP. Design TEE was measured using the doubly labeled water technique in 30 free-living adults with CP (12 women, 18 men). To determine the best markers of TEE, the following factors were examined: CP status, resting metabolic rate (RMR), anthropomet-ric characteristics and body composition by means of dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and skinfold thickness measurements, energy cost of leisure-time activities, and oral-motor impairment. Statistical analysis Means±standard deviations, t tests, Pearson product-moment correlation coefficients, Spearman rank correlation coefficients, χ 2 , stepwise multiple-correlation regression analysis, and analysis of covariance were used to examine the relationships among variables of interest. Results TEE was highly variable in the sample (mean=2,455±622kcal/day for men and 1,986±363kcal/day for women). Stepwise regression analysis showed that TEE was best predicted in the sample by RMR, percentage body fat determined by DXA, ambulation status, and sex (multiple R =.68, P =.003). When practical, easily measured variables were used, TEE was best predicted by height, ambulation status, percentage body fat by skinfold thickness measurements, and sex (multiple R =.61, P .=018). The contribution of energy expended in physical activity to TEE was significantly higher in the ambulatory subjects than the nonambulatory subjects (25% vs 16%, respectively; P =.009). Applications The high degree of variability in TEE, largely attributable to high interindividual variation in energy expended in physical activity, makes it difficult to provide general guidelines for energy requirements for adults with CP. Because ambulation status was an important predictor of TEE, it must be accounted for in estimating energy requirements in this population.
SU‐D‐144‐06: Dosimetric Characterization of a Prototype Nanotechnology Microbeam Radiation Therapy Device Using Gafchromic EBT2 Film

Purpose: Currently there is lack of dosimetry technology for the compact microbeam radiation therapy device we recently developed using field emission based carbon nanotube cathode technology. This is due to the fact that our beam width can be as small as 250μm, restricting the use of normal characterization methods. We demonstrate that with proper calibration and analysis that Gafchromic EBT2 film can be used to characterize our microbeam irradiator for radiobiological mechanistic studies in mice. Methods: Our compact microbeam radiation therapy device employs a 160mm × 160um focal line and collimator to deliver an orthovoltage microplanar beam. Specialized phantoms were created to properly measure typical dosimetric quantities including PDD and TMR in addition to other quantities specific to microbeam dose distributions and our source. Gafchromic EBT2 film, cross calibrated earlier to a conventional ion chamber in the uncollimated beam, was used for all measurements. Results: While TMR and PDD results for this study were fairly typical, measurements more specific to our source and beam geometry showed unique results. The beam width as a function of distance from the source displayed a steeper increase than would be expected from strictly geometric considerations, probably due to collimator scatter. In addition, the decline in dose with distance from the source was much less severe than expected, as displayed by a linear fit in the tested domain. Conclusion: Gafchromic EBT2 film was an excellent choice for the initial characterization of our experimental microbeam device, as shown by the expected forms of the PDD and TMR curves. In addition, the slower drop in dose with distance from the source is consistent with the fact that our device uses a focal line and not a point. Finally, data gathered here will provide a good starting point for a customized treatment planning system specific to our irradiator.
6Li-salicylate neutron detectors with pulse shape discrimination

Abstract Crystals of 6 Li-salicylate used alone or suspended in various plastics and liquids make excellent neutron detectors with high light output, low gamma sensitivity, and pulse shape discrimination.
Effects of Cable Dynamics in the Modeling of Cable-Stayed Bridges Under Seismic Excitation

New longer and bigger cable-stayed bridges are planned for the future, increasing the necessity of improving the way bridge models are used, especially when the models are used for dynamic behavior. This paper studies how the dynamic behavior of the deck and towers of a particular structure are affected when the cables are modeled with three different cable models. A finite element model of the Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge is used to compare the different methodologies. Three cable models are used in this study including the equivalent Young's modulus, the elastic catenary and the elastic isoparametric formulation. Results show that in the case of the Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge the tower behaves differently depending on the cable model used while the deck has a similar behavior independent on the cable model used.
Nuclear magnetic resonance studies of amphiphile hydration

Abstract The nuclear magnetic resonance signal of water which remains unfrozen at −25 °C in the presence of phosphatidylcholine has been used to determine the hydration of this amphiphile. The effects of cholesterol and sodium dodecylsulfate on both the area and linewidth of this signal indicate that these molecules cause significant changes in the structure of phosphatidylcholine vesicles in solution. Studies on other amphiphiles indicate that, whereas phosphatidylethanolamine has a hydration similar to phosphatidylcholine, species with just one hydrocarbon chain such as sodium dodecylsulfate and dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide have little, if any, hydration when assayed via the nuclear magnetic resonance experiment.
Studies directed toward synthesis of quassinoids VIII1 synthesis and X-ray structure of 3α-acetoxy 7α,15α-oxido-16-oxa-5β,14β-androstan-17-one.

Abstract Synthesis, spectroscopic measurements and X-ray structure determination of a new 16-oxa-5β-14β-steroid is presented, and its use in a plausible approach to the synthesis of eurycomalactone is discussed.
A Noether Skolem theorem for group-graded rings

Abstract The classical Noether Skolem theorem gives conditions to determine if an automorphism or a derivation of a finite-dimensional central simple algebra is inner. The definition of inner has been extended to more general Hopf algebra actions. In this paper, we study group-gradings of central simple algebras and we give sufficient conditions for the grading to be inner. This provides a partial answer to a question of J. Bergen and S. Montgomery.
Portable cell for simultaneously measuring the coefficients of light scattering and extinction for ambient aerosols.

A portable multipass cell is described in which optical transmittance and scattering measurements are made simultaneously on the same volume of aerosol. The cell is filled with ambient aerosol in which the dispersed phase has been concentrated centrifugally by more than 1 order of magnitude. The cell was tested on board a ship for a wide variety of sea and atmospheric conditions. Measurement errors were identified and evaluated. The mean resolution of the transmittances was ±0.16%, and the mean resolution of the scattering coefficients was ±5 × 10−6 m−1. Their combination gives the bulk single scattering albedo, which was resolved by ±0.1 for atmospheres with a visual range of ≈50 km and by rapidly increasing accuracy for shorter ranges. Concentrating the dispersed phase was not essential for the scattering measurements and, with achievable improvements in the cell, would not be necessary for the transmittance measurements.
Delayed contrast enhanced MRI of meniscus with ionic and non-ionic agents.

Purpose: To evaluate the potential difference in post-contrast T1 relaxation time of the meniscus (T1Gd) between osteoarthritic patients (OA) and healthy subjects (HS), and to verify if charge density has any influence on meniscal T1Gd. Materials and Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of meniscal T1 relaxation time on data previously acquired for studying articular cartilage with both ionic and non-ionic contrast media. MR imaging was performed in 10 OA and 8 HS at 120 min following administration of double-dose ionic Gd-DTPA2− on one day and non-ionic Gd-DTPA-BMA on a different day. A three-dimensional Look-Locker sequence with echo time of 2 ms was used for data acquisition to allow T1 mapping of the meniscus. Results: Compared with HS, significantly lower meniscal T1Gd was observed in OA with either ionic Gd-DTPA2− (P < 0.01) or non-ionic Gd-DTPA-BMA (P < 0.001) contrast agent. There was a correlation between meniscal T1(Gd-DTPA2−) versus T1(Gd-DTPA-BMA). Meniscal T1(Gd-DTPA-BMA) showed a larger difference and smaller overlap between OA and HS. No significant differences in either pre-contrast T1 or post-contrast T1Gd were observed between inner and outer zones of the meniscus with either agent. Conclusion: Significant differences in meniscal T1Gd between OA and HS were observed with both ionic and non-ionic contrast agents, suggesting that charge density is not responsible for the observed differences. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2011;33:731–735. © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
An investigation of 2D and 3D spatial and mathematical abilities

Abstract Product design involves many dimensions, requiring designers to work with different types of representations. The power of different representations varies not only according to the types of representation but their power also varies from person to person. Some important design representations, including spatial and mathematical, were investigated in this study. Four different puzzles in mathematical and spatial problem domains were employed to investigate the correlation between mathematical and spatial abilities. It was found that mathematical and spatial abilities were independent, while performance on 2D and 3D spatial tasks were consistently correlated. Some people seemed to demonstrate low spatial aptitude because they were biased by the representation and adopted more difficult strategies.
SERUM HCG β-CORE FRAGMENT IS MASKED BY ASSOCIATED MACROMOLECULES

To determine if beta-core fragment is present in serum from individuals with pregnancy and choriocarcinoma, samples were analyzed by gel filtration and fractions assessed by immunoassays (Mr = 15,000). In agreement with published reports, only minute amounts of beta-core fragment were detected (less than 0.1% of hCG level). A small amount of beta-core fragment activity was identified near the void volume of the column (Mr greater than 60,000). This high molecular weight material was pooled and dissociated with 3M ammonium thiocyanate, and gel filtration repeated. A much more significant beta-core fragment peak was then detected (Mr = 15,000). After dissociation, beta-core fragment was 18% (mol/mol) of the hCG level in early pregnancy serum, 91% in mid-pregnancy serum, 50% in term pregnancy serum, but only 1.3% in choriocarcinoma serum, pre-therapy. We conclude that the major form of beta-core fragment found in serum is associated with other macromolecules, which mask the beta-core fragment epitope to existing hCG beta antibodies. Measurements made on the dissociated beta-core fragment complex are much more in keeping with pregnancy levels found in urine.
Cueing kitchen: A smart cooking assistant

Due to problems with attention, cognition, memory, and executive functions people with Cognitive Impairments face difficulties in independently completing certain instrumental activities of daily living such as meal preparation. The purpose of this research study was to understand specific problems people with cognitive impairments face in their activities around their kitchen, specifically focusing on meal preparation tasks. Ethnographic interviews were conducted with people with Traumatic Brain Injury and specific unmet needs were identified. The Smart Cueing Kitchen, a cognitive orthosis with advanced sensing and prompting tools was designed to satisfy some of these unmet needs. This paper reports the design rationale for deployment of different system technologies in the kitchen and proposed future developments are discussed.
Fishery Production and the Mississippi River Discharge

Abstract There is strong circumstantial evidence worldwide that nutrient enriched riverine discharge enhances fishery production on adjacent continental shelves, and this appears to be the case with the Mississippi River where 70–80% of Gulf of Mexico fishery landings come from waters surrounding the Mississippi delta. Two major species groupings, estuarine dependent species (e.g., red drum, Sciaenops ocellatus; spot, Leiostomus xanthurus; and Atlantic croaker, Micropogonias undulatus) and coastal species, (e.g., king mackerel, Scomberomorus calvalla; Spanish mackerel, Scomberomorus maculatus; and bluefish, Pomatomus saltatrix) are most likely to be influenced by riverine discharge. While riverine enhancement of fishery production seems clear, the exact mechanisms through which this occurs are not. Because recruitment makes the greatest contribution to fish stock biomass, it is by enhancing recruitment that fishery production is influenced most. Waters influenced by the river discharge are a rich environm...
Assessment of PCR-based simple sequence repeats to fingerprint North American potato cultivars

Seven primer pairs flanking di- and tri-nucleotide repeat sequences, identified from previously sequenced regions of the potato genome, were examined for their potential use in DNA-fingerprinting of thirty-nineSolanum tuberosum subsp. tuberosum cultivars (released between 1861 and 1988) and one diploidS. phureja breeding line. Of the simple sequence repeats (SSRs), the primers for six SSRs amplified DNA sequences within the potato genome between cultivars for a total of 14 bands. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR)based amplification products generated from each primer pair consisted of 1 to 2 bands per cultivar but band variation among cultivars demonstrated up to 4 bands per SSR. A similarity matrix generated from five SSRs was able to distinguish 24 of the 40 cultivars. However, when the potato cultivars were grouped by tuber type (round white-skinned, long white-skinned, russetskinned, red-skinned, and yellow flesh) only five pairs of cultivars remained indistinguishable: Atlantic/Katahdin, Belchip/Wauseon, Red LaSoda/Bliss Triumph, Red Pontiac/Norland, and Burbank/Spunta. Although SSRs did not generate unique fingerprints for all of the North American genotypes examined, the potential to discriminate most cultivars should increase as additional SSRs are identified in potato.