cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Disruption of the hippocampal and hypothalamic blood-brain barrier in a diet-induced obese model of type II diabetes: prevention and treatment by the mitochondrial carbonic anhydrase inhibitor, topiramate.

Type II diabetes is a vascular risk factor for cognitive impairment and increased risk of dementia. Disruption of the blood–retinal barrier (BRB) and blood–brain barrier (BBB) are hallmarks of subsequent retinal edema and central nervous system dysfunction. However, the mechanisms by which diet or metabolic syndrome induces dysfunction are not understood. A proposed mechanism is an increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) and oxidative stress. Inhibition of mitochondrial carbonic anhydrase (mCA) decreases ROS and oxidative stress. In this study, topiramate, a mCA inhibitor, was examined for its ability to protect the BRB and BBB in diet-induced obese type II diabetic mice. BBB and BRB permeability were assessed using 14C-sucrose and 99mTc-albumin in CD-1 mice fed a low-fat (control) or a high-fat diet. Topiramate administration was compared to saline controls in both preventative and efficacy arms examining BRB and BBB disruption. Body weight and blood glucose were measured weekly and body composition was assessed using EchoMRI. Metabolic activity was measured using a comprehensive laboratory animal monitoring system. Brain tissues collected from the mice were assessed for changes in oxidative stress and tight junction proteins. High-fat feeding caused increased entry of 14C-sucrose and 99mTc-albumin into the brains of diet-induced obese type II diabetic mice. Increased permeability to 14C-sucrose was observed in the hypothalamus and hippocampus, and attenuated by topiramate treatment, while increased permeability to 99mTc-albumin occurred in the whole brain and was also attenuated by topiramate. Treatment with topiramate decreased measures of oxidative stress and increased expression of the tight junction proteins ZO-1 and claudin-12. In the retina, we observed increased entry of 99mTc-albumin simultaneously with increased entry into the whole brain during the preventative arm. This occurred prior to increased entry to the retina for 14C-sucrose which occurred during the efficacy arm. Treatment with topiramate had no effect on the retina. Blood–brain barrier and blood–retinal barrier dysfunction were examined in a mouse model of diet-induced obese type II diabetes. These studies demonstrate that there are spatial and temporal differences in 14C-sucrose and 99mTc-albumin permeability in the brain and retina of diet-induced obese type II diabetic mice. Topiramate, a mitochondrial carbonic anhydrase inhibitor, is efficacious at both preventing and treating BBB disruption in this diet-induced obese type II diabetic mouse model.
Development and Validation of an Instrument to Measure Student Perceived E-Learning Service Quality

While universities have been trying to focus their resources and attention on improving e-learning, many universities seem to be lagging behind students' increasing demands and expectations. In ord...
The ubiquitin ligase PHR promotes directional regrowth of spinal zebrafish axons

To reconnect with their synaptic targets, severed axons need to regrow robustly and directionally along the pre-lesional trajectory. While mechanisms directing axonal regrowth are poorly understood, several proteins direct developmental axon outgrowth, including the ubiquitin ligase PHR (Mycbp2). Invertebrate PHR also limits regrowth of injured axons, whereas its role in vertebrate axonal regrowth remains elusive. Here we took advantage of the high regrowth capacity of spinal zebrafish axons and observed robust and directional regrowth following laser transection of spinal Mauthner axons. We found that PHR directs regrowing axons along the pre-lesional trajectory and across the transection site. At the transection site, initial regrowth of wild-type axons was multidirectional. Over time, misdirected sprouts were corrected in a PHR-dependent manner. Ablation of cyfip2, known to promote F-actin-polymerization and pharmacological inhibition of JNK reduced misdirected regrowth of PHR-deficient axons, suggesting that PHR controls directional Mauthner axonal regrowth through cyfip2- and JNK-dependent pathways. Juliane Bremer et al. show that ubiquitin ligase PHR directs the regrowth of zebrafish Mauthner axons after transection. Misdirected axonal regrowth caused by the lack of PHR can be reversed by pharmacological inhibition of JNK or genetic ablation of cyfip2, suggesting an important role for these signaling pathways in spinal axonal regrowth.
Knowledge, attitude and practice in cancer pain management: A survey study among attending physicians, residents and nurses.

e18278Background: Our study used KAP model to evaluate differences of Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice regarding cancer pain management among care providers in a community teaching hospital. Metho...
"I think people are powerful": The Sociality of Individuals Managing Depression

Millions of Americans struggle with depression, a condition characterized by feelings of sadness and motivation loss. To understand how individuals managing depression conceptualize their self-management activities, we conducted visual elicitations and semi-structured interviews with 30 participants managing depression in a large city in the U.S. Midwest. Many depression support tools are focused on the individual user and do not often incorporate social features. However, our analysis showed the key importance of sociality for self-management of depression. We describe how individuals connect with specific others to achieve expected support and how these interactions are mediated through locations and communication channels. We discuss factors influencing participants' sociality including relationship roles and expectations, mood state and communication channels, location and privacy, and culture and society. We broaden our understanding of sociality in CSCW through discussing diffuse sociality (being proximate to others but not interacting directly) as an important activity to support depression self-management.
Multiplexed single-cell autism modeling reveals convergent mechanisms altering neuronal differentiation

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are phenotypically and genetically diverse, which complicates our understanding and ability to develop treatments. If subsets of the genetically diverse forms of ASD were to converge on downstream cellular consequences, as has been suggested by Gene Ontology and co-expression analysis, then each subset might be amenable to a common treatment strategy. To find such convergent molecular mechanisms across diverse ASD-associated genes, we applied multiplexed transcriptional repression coupled to single-cell RNA sequencing in a model of human neuron differentiation and uncovered two functionally convergent modules of ASD genes: one that delays neuron differentiation and one that accelerates it. Five genes that delay neuron differentiation (ADNP, ARID1B, ASH1L, CHD2, and DYRK1A) mechanistically converge, as they all dysregulate genes involved in cell-cycle and progenitor cell proliferation. Live-cell imaging after individual ASD gene repression validated this functional module, confirming that these genes reduce neural progenitor cell proliferation and neurite growth. Finally, these functionally convergent ASD gene modules predicted shared clinical phenotypes among individuals with mutations in these genes.
Short-term very low caloric intake causes endothelial dysfunction and increased susceptibility to cardiac arrhythmias and pathology in male rats

NEW FINDINGS What is the central question of this study? What are the effects of a 2 week period of severe food restriction on vascular reactivity of resistance arteries and on cardiac structure and function? What is the main finding and its importance? This study showed, for the first time, that a 2 week period of severe food restriction in adult male Fischer rats caused endothelial dysfunction in mesenteric arteries and increased the susceptibility to ischaemia-reperfusion-induced arrhythmias and cardiac pathology. Our findings might have ramifications for cardiovascular risk in people who experience periods of inadequate caloric intake. ABSTRACT Severe food restriction (sFR) is a common dieting strategy for rapid weight loss. Male Fischer rats were maintained on a control (CT) or sFR (40% of CT food intake) diet for 14 days to mimic low-calorie crash diets. The sFR diet reduced body weight by 16%. Haematocrits were elevated by 10% in the sFR rats, which was consistent with the reduced plasma volume. Mesenteric arteries from sFR rats had increased sensitivity to vasoconstrictors, including angiotensin II [maximum (%): CT, 1.30 ± 0.46 versus sFR, 11.5 ± 1.6; P < 0.0001; n = 7] and phenylephrine [maximum (%): CT, 78.5 ± 2.8 versus sFR, 94.5 ± 1.7; P < 0.001; n = 7] and reduced sensitivity to the vasodilator acetylcholine [EC50 (nm): CT, 49.2 ± 5.2 versus sFR, 71.6 ± 6.8; P < 0.05; n = 7]. Isolated hearts from sFR rats had a 1.7-fold increase in the rate of cardiac arrhythmias in response to ischaemia-reperfusion and more cardiac pathology, including myofibrillar disarray with contractions and cardiomyocyte lysis, than hearts from CT rats. The sFR dietary regimen is similar to very low-calorie commercial and self-help weight-loss programmes, which provide ∼800-1000 kcal day-1 . Therefore, these findings in rats warrant the study of cardiovascular function in individuals who engage in extreme dieting or are subjected to bouts of very low caloric intake for other reasons, such as socioeconomic factors and natural disasters.
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Regulatory Compliance

While federal and state compliance with laws, regulations, and standards is mandatory, it also provides the perfect foundation for building occupational health and safety programs for infectious disease. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) sets minimum safety requirements, but employers may (and should) apply more protective requirements for their workplaces. In this chapter, these minimum safety requirements from OSHA are laid out for you so that you can effectively build or expand on existing programs or even start a new one from scratch.
Ar-40/Ar-39 ages of six Apollo 15 impact melt rocks by laser step heating

Fifteen high resolution (21-51 step) Ar-40/Ar-39 age spectra are obtained for six Apollo 15 impact melt rocks of different compositions, using a continuous laser system on submilligram subsamples and on single crystal plagioclase clasts. Four of the six samples gave reproducible age spectra with well-defined intermediate temperature plateaus over 48 percent or more of the Ar-39 released; the plateaus are interpreted as crystallization ages. Samples 15304,7,69, 15294,6,21 and 15314,26,156 gave virtually identical plateau ages whose weighted mean is 3870 + or - 6 Ma. These three melt rocks differ in composition and likely formed in three separate impact events.
Additive Manufacturing of a Wideband Capable W -Band Packaging Strategy

In this letter, we demonstrate a fully additively manufactured packaged $W$ -band amplifier with integrated bypass capacitors. This package was fabricated using a chip-first approach and aerosol jet printing (AJP). Package substrates (dielectrics), conductors, and interconnects are printed around a bare die attached to a carrier. This package uses shaped ramp interconnects, allowing for frequency agnostic performance of the interconnect with no impedance discontinuity, within the physical limits of the printer. High dielectric constant thin films of a polymer-matrix nanocomposite for bypass capacitors were printed using multimaterial AJP. The maximum measured packaged gain is 14.9 dB in the $W$ -band compared to the maximum bare die gain of 15.5 dB in the same frequency range. From 75 to 92 GHz, the average package loss is 1.1 dB including 3-mm transmission line, interconnects, and a ground-signal-ground (GSG) launch structure correlating to an average loss of 0.37 dB/mm.
How I became a biochemist.

After receiving his Ph.D. from George Washington University (GW) and spending a postdoctoral period at the University of California at Berkeley, Weissbach returned to the National Heart Institute of the National Institutes of Health. In 1967 he and Udenfriend helped establish the Roche Institute of Molecular Biology (RIMB) and in 1969 he officially joined the RIMB as Associate Director. In 1983 he became Director of the RIMB and a Vice President of Research at Hoffmann LaRoche. After retiring from Hoffmann LaRoche in 1996, he accepted a position as Distinguished Research Professor and Director of the Center for Molecular Biology and Biotechnology at Florida Atlantic University. Included among his honors and awards are the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare Superior Service Award, American Chemical Society Enzyme Award, 300 most cited authors, 1961–1976, City College of New York Townsend Harris Medal, GW Distinguished Alumni Award, Member of the National Academy of Sciences and Fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology. I was born within walking distance of Yankee Stadium and in some strange way, at a very young age the “Bronx Bombers” became an important part of my life. Growing up in an apartment without TV and the multitude of games now available to children made the city streets my playroom. Your imagination filled in the gaps from the radio broadcasts of the baseball games. The summers were the most wonderful of times, for I belonged to the Police Athletic League, which sponsored trips to see ball games at Yankee Stadium. The seats were in the bleachers, but at some point during the game I would move into a much better seat in the grandstands. By the time I was 13 and thinking of going to High School my dream was to be a professional ball player. From my sandlot games I already had earned a reputation as a pitcher and wanted to make certain that I could play baseball in high school. Most of my friends applied to DeWitt Clinton, a high school in the northern Bronx, which was known more for its athletics than its scholastics. But I was more interested in the very competitive Bronx High School of Science. My 5-yearolder brother Arthur had gone there and did well, it was within walking distance and had a national reputation for excellence. Despite these attributes, the most important factor for me was that I would have a better chance to make the baseball team at Bronx Science, because this school bred scientists, not athletes. It turned out to be a wise decision, although for the wrong reason. I passed the entrance exam and in 1946 I entered high school and began my abbreviated baseball career as well as my lifelong love of science. At the time I did not fully appreciate the high quality of education I received at that most prestigious school, for in my case, science took a back seat to baseball. Although I did pitch for the Bronx Science team and later in my freshman
ARE SPORTS INJURIES THE MOST COMMON CAUSE OF MOREL-LAVALLEE LESIONS IN THE PEDIATRIC POPULATION?:

Background:Traumatic internal degloving injury i.e. Morel-Lavallee lesion (MLL) develops as a result of blunt trauma with tangential shear forces. In the pediatric population, these have been descr...
Closed-Loop Neuromodulation and Self-Perception in Clinical Treatment of Refractory Epilepsy

Newer “closed-loop” neurostimulation devices in development could, in theory, induce changes to patients’ personalities and self-perceptions. Empirically, however, only limited data of patient and ...
Star-shaped Poly(hydroxybutyrate)s from bio-based polyol cores via zinc catalyzed ring-opening polymerization of β-Butyrolactone

Abstract The ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of cyclic esters using multifunctional initiators is an efficient methodology that allows the preparation of polyesters with well-defined architectures. Here a series of star-shaped poly(β-hydroxybutyrates) (PHBs) has been synthesized by ROP of β-butyrolactone (BBL) with an amido-oxazolinate zinc catalyst. The star-shaped structure is constructed via a core-first approach, in which several bio-based multifunctional alcohols serve as the initiator for ROP. Specifically, three-, four-, and multi-armed star polymers are obtained and characterized by various techniques including NMR, GPC, TGA, and DSC, and the incorporation of the core structure in the star-shaped PHBs has been confirmed. The thermal properties can be modified by changing the arm number and arm length of PHBs, and the thermal stability decreases as the number of arms increases when they have the same arm lengths. The wetting behavior determined from AFM studies demonstrates a minimum in the macroscopic contact angle as a function of the number of arms of a star-shaped PHB.
Coherent Anti-Stokes Resonance Raman Spectra of Highly Fluorescent Compounds

Coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy (CARS) has recently emerged as a highly efficient technique for obtaining Raman spectra of molecular species. Resonance enhanced CARS has further broadened the applicability of this experiment in analytical and structural investigations.
A 2-GHz CMOS variable gain amplifier optimized for low noise

An analysis of the noise performances of the current steering and simple cascode variable gain amplifier topologies is presented. Simulation results are used to determine the dominant noise sources at reduced gain levels, and analytical techniques are used to obtain a sizing strategy for minimizing the overall noise figure. The optimum configuration is shown to be a current steering topology with unequal sizing for the current steering transistors. Using simulations for the final sizing optimization, a current steering variable gain amplifier has been designed in 0.18 /spl mu/m CMOS technology. The amplifier consumes 8 mW of power, has a maximum S21 of 20.6 dB, a noise figure of 1.47 dB at the maximum gain, and a noise figure of 8.8 dB when the gain is reduced by 20 dB.
J. D. Otis, Managing Chronic Pain: A Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Approach

Chronic pain may develop as a result of injury or accompany a multitude of diseases and neuropathic conditions. When employees develop chronic pain, it presents a major challenge to all stakeholders involved such as patients, families, co-workers, employers, healthcare providers, insurance companies, and government programs. In particular, state workers’ compensation programs and the Social Security Administration have experienced significant increases in the frequency of chronic musculoskeletal conditions during the last several decades. Cognitivebehavioral therapy (CBT) has been shown to be effective in managing several chronic pain conditions including chronic back pain, tension/migraine headache, and some types of arthritis. Measurable end-points to the therapy have included improved physical and psychosocial functioning. Managing Chronic Pain: A Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Approach was published to assist readers in the implementation of CBT in a step-wise fashion. Managing Chronic Pain: A Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Approach consists of 13 chapters that are logically organized and sequenced. Chapters 3 through 13 provide session outlines, CBT interventions, sample dialogues, and homework assignments for each technique. The author provides sessions on chronic pain, diaphragmatic breathing, progressive muscle relaxation and visual imagery, automatic thoughts and pain, cognitive restructuring, stress management, time-based pacing, pleasant activity scheduling, anger management, sleep hygiene, and relapse prevention and flare-up planning. The techniques are written in an easy to understand style that facilitates skill learning, practice, and development. Managing Chronic Pain: A Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Approach, in conjunction with its corresponding workbook, portrays the positive attributes of being authoritative, succinct, and user friendly. Although stated to be evidence-based, actual research outcomes of the various techniques discussed were lacking but would have added substantial value to the book. Overall, the author has published an excellent introductory guide on CBT for healthcare providers of any discipline who are treating patients having chronic pain that are seeking to improve their function and quality of life.
Isolation and partial characterization of the exocellular polysaccharides of Penicillium charlesii: III. Heterogeneity in size and composition of high molecular weight exocellular polysaccharides☆

Abstract Extracellular polysaccharides of the fungus Penicillium charlesii G. Smith, fractionated on DEAE-Sephadex and Sephadex G-50, were further resolved on Sephadex G-100. Specific enzyme assays for glucose, galactose, and mannose and analysis using gas-liquid chromatography revealed that the most highly resolved preparations contained only these three hexoses in significant amounts and were continuously heterogeneous with respect to size and composition. The highest molecular weight portion was shown to be a phosphopolysaccharide. The ratio of anhydrohexose:P decreased as the particle size decreased. Sedimentation-rate studies supported gel-filtration experiments in demonstrating gross differences in size within a single fraction isolated from DEAE-Sephadex.
GABAergic control of the firing pattern of substantia nigra dopaminergic neurons.

Publisher Summary Excitatory amino acid afferents originating in the frontal cortex, subthalamic nucleus, and pedunculopontine nucleus play an important role in the modulation of dopaminergic neuron firing pattern, although these inputs may not be the only ones important for the control of the firing pattern in vivo. The predominant inputs to dopamine neurons in the substantia nigra are GABAergic, the best characterized of which originate from the neostriatum and globus pallidus. Studies show that substantia nigra dopaminergic neurons also receive a significant input from the axon collaterals of substantia nigra pars reticulata projection neurons. Dopaminergic neurons have been shown to exhibit both GABAA and GABAB responses in vitro. In vivo extracellular recordings from dopaminergic neurons in urethane-anesthetized rats following direct stimulation of striatum, globus pallidus, or antidromic stimulation of substantia nigra pars reticulata projection neurons revealed that all three afferents produce inhibition of dopaminergic neurons. Data from experiments using minute local pressure application of GABAA and GABAB antagonists show that the inhibition arising from each of the principal GABAergic inputs is completely and reversibly blocked by the GABAA antagonist. Local application of GABAA and GABAB antagonists differentially affect the firing pattern of dopaminergic neurons. The pattern of activity of substantia nigra dopaminergic neurons was quantified by computing autocorrelograms, coefficients of variation, and the percentage of spikes fired in bursts. Local nigral application of the GABAA antagonist, bicuculline, through the recording pipette markedly increases the proportion of neurons that fire in the bursty mode, or shifts single dopaminergic neurons firing in the pacemaker or random modes to bursty firing when applied by local pressure injection. Conversely, local application of the GABA, antagonist, saclofen, through the recording pipette (or excitotoxic lesion of globus pallidus) decreases bursty firing and produces a modest increase in the proportion of neurons that fire in a pacemaker-like mode.
ATP-dependent cadmium transport by the cadA cadmium resistance determinant in everted membrane vesicles of Bacillus subtilis.

Abstract Resistance to cadmium conferred by the staphylococcal plasmid pI258 occurs by means of energy-dependent efflux, resulting in decreased intracellular accumulation of cadmium. Recent sequence information suggested that efflux is mediated by a P-type ATPase. The cadA gene was previously expressed in Bacillus subtilis, conferring resistance to cadmium. Everted membrane vesicles were prepared from B. subtilis cells harboring either a plasmid containing the cadA system or the vector plasmid alone. 109Cd2+ transport into the everted membranes was measured in the presence of various energy sources. Cadmium transport was detected only in the presence of ATP as an energy source. The production of an electrochemical proton gradient (delta mu H+) by using NADH or phenazine methosulfate plus ascorbate was not able to drive transport. Reagents which dissipate delta pH abolished calcium transport due to the Ca2+/H+ antiporter but only partially inhibited cadmium transport. Inhibition of transport by the antibiotic bafilomycin A1 occurred at concentrations comparable to those which inhibit P-type ATPases. A band corresponding to the cadA gene product was identified on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and antibodies to the protein were prepared.
Emergency relief supply chain design and trade-off analysis

Purpose – Emergency relief supply chain (ERSC) design is an important strategic decision that significantly affects the overall performance of emergency management activities. The performance of an ERSC can be measured by several performance measures some of which may conflict with each other. The purpose of this paper is to propose an ERSC design framework by simultaneously taking total logistics cost (TLC), risk level, and amount of demands covered in an ERSC into consideration. Design/methodology/approach – The study considers TLC of an ERSC as the sum of logistics cost from distribution warehouses (DWHs) to Break of Bulbs (BOBs) and from BOBs to affected neighborhoods. The risk level of an ERSC is measured by estimating the expected number of disrupted relief items (EDI) distributed from DWHs through BOBs to neighborhoods. The covered demand (CDM) is defined as total populations that are supported in case of an emergency, the populations within the maximal coverage distance (MCD) from relief facilitie...
Gene profiling in partially resistant and susceptible near-isogenic tomatoes in response to late blight in the field

Summary In order to better understand resistance to Phytophthora infestans in tomato, we compared the global gene expression of the susceptible tomato, M82, with its more resistant near-isogenic line, 6-2 (IL6-2), under field conditions using a microarray with more than 12 800 tomato expressed sequence tags (ESTs). Because variance in the field was a major concern, we investigated the likelihood of false positives or false negatives and demonstrated that either probability was very low. The two isolines had indistinguishable constitutive gene expressions prior to inoculation. However, a few genes were particularly prone to variation in both isolines in the absence of P. infestans. Included among these genes were catalase, genes coding for pathogenesis-related proteins, endochitinase and cytochrome P450. In response to inoculation with P. infestans, a time course of gene expression identified 1248 transcripts that were similarly induced or repressed in each line, and 991 that were differentially expressed between the two lines. These differences provide hypotheses to explain the difference in resistance between the two isolines. For example, one hypothesis is that genes up-regulated in IL6-2 in response to inoculation with P. infestans, but not up-regulated in M82, contribute to the resistance in IL6-2. Using virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS), we were able to partially silence two such genes—one encoded a protein with homology to an R gene with the Toll/interleukin-1 receptor–nucleotide-binding site–leucine-rich repeat (TIR-NBS-LRR) motif (37O19) and the other encoded a peroxisomal membrane protein (35P7). Partial silencing of 37O19 reduced the resistance in IL6-2 (P = 0.001), but had no effect on the response of M82. Partial silencing of 35P7 reduced the resistance in IL6-2 moderately significantly (P = 0.067), but had no effect in M82. We expect that hypotheses developed from this gene expression study performed under field conditions will provide an important avenue to an accurate understanding of the genes involved in resistance.
Simulation of Vortex-Dominated Flows Using the FLASH Code

We compare the results of two-dimensional simulations to experimental data obtained at Los Alamos National Laboratory in order to validate the FLASH code. FLASH is a multi-physics, block-structured adaptive mesh refinement code for studying compressible, reactive flows in various astrophysical environments. The experiment involves the lateral interaction between a planar Ma=1.2 shock wave with a cylinder of gaseous sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) in air. The development of primary and secondary flow instabilities after the passage of the shock, as observed in the experiments and numerical simulations, are reviewed and compared. The sensitivity of numerical results to several simulation parameters are examined. Computed and experimentally measured velocity fields are compared. Motivation for experimental data in planes parallel to the cylinder axis is provided by a speculative three-dimensional simulation.
Ruth Landes: A Life in Anthropology

Ruth Landes:. Life in Anthropology. Sally Cole. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 2004. 299 pp.
A re‐evaluation of subspecific variation and canine dimorphism in woolly spider monkeys (Brachyteles arachnoides)

A recent study suggests that differing populations of woolly spider monkeys exhibit a substantial degree of morphological, cytogenetic, and behavioral variation. We re-evaluate the differences between populations in the degree of canine tooth height sexual dimorphism and in the frequency of thumbs. Statistical analysis of variation in the degree of canine sexual dimorphism between these populations fails to provide strong evidence for subspecific variation: differences in the degree of canine dimorphism cannot be considered statistically significant. Differences between populations in the frequency of thumbs are, however, statistically significant. The lack of clear distinctions between populations in the degree of canine dimorphism complicates assessments of behavioral variation between these populations. We suggest that the level of geographic variation in woolly spider monkey canine dimorphism is not consistent with subspecific status. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Growth by molecular beam epitaxy of indium antimonide on cleaved and on polished barium fluoride

Abstract Indium antimonide has been grown on the (111) face of cleaved and of polished BaF2 by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). X-ray and Nomarski microscopic examination indicate high quality films. Films were doped n and p type with silicon and beryllium. The dopant incorporation is close to that established for MBE GaAs growth. Hall and resistivity measurements indicate a low temperature conversion to p-type conduction which is attributed to the strain arising from the difference between the thermal expansions of the film and the substrate. This effect imposes severe limitations on practical applications of this film-substrate system. The existence of this effect on other substrates is discussed.
Hydraulic Fracturing in Tight, Fissured Media

Large volumes of natural gas are found in tight, fissured reservoirs. Hydraulic fracturing can enhance recovery, but many complications, such as pressure-sensitive or accelerated leakoff, damage, and complex fracturing, arise during treatment of such reservoirs. This paper reports that special procedures generally should be considered during breakdown and fracturing of these reservoirs. In addition, the use of alternative stimulation strategies may be beneficial.
Time domain modeling of damping using anelastic displacement fields and fractional calculus

Abstract A fractional derivative model of linear viscoelasticity based on the decomposition of the displacement field into an anelastic part and elastic part is developed. The evolution equation for the anelastic part is then a differential equation of fractional order in time. By using a fractional order evolution equation for the anelastic strain the present model becomes very flexible for describing the weak frequency dependence of damping characteristics. To illustrate the modeling capability, the model parameters are fit to available frequency domain data for a high damping polymer. By studying the relaxation modulus and the relaxation spectrum the material parameters of the present viscoelastic model are given physical meaning. The use of this viscoelastic model in structural modeling is discussed and the corresponding finite element equations are outlined, including the treatment of boundary conditions. The anelastic displacement field is mathematically coupled to the total displacement field through a convolution integral with a kernel of Mittag–Leffler function type. Finally a time step algorithm for solving the finite element equations are developed and some numerical examples are presented.
Evidence of a sclerotized collagen from the skeleton of a gorgonian coral.

Abstract 1. 1. Electron microscopic observation and amino acid analysis have shown that the axial skeleton of a gorgonian coral is composed primarily of a collagen. 2. 2. The skeletal protein is separable into a minor autoclave-soluble fraction, and a major autoclave-insoluble fraction characterized by a high pyrrolidine, glycine and tyrosine content. 3. 3. The remarkable chemical stability of the insoluble material is explained by tests which indicate the presence of sclerotizing cross-linkages.
Magneto-optical Kerr effect spectroscopy--a sensitive tool for investigating the molecular orientation in organic semiconductor films.

The detection and control of the molecular growth mode is a key prerequisite for fabricating opto-electronic devices. In this work we present the magneto-optical Kerr effect (MOKE) spectroscopy to be a highly sensitive method for the detection of the molecular orientation. On the example of metal free phthalocyanine (H2Pc) in thin films, it will be shown that also for diamagnetic molecules a strong magneto-optical response can be expected. The growth mode and thus the intensity of the MOKE signal of H2Pc is strongly influenced by a templating effect using ultrathin layers of 3,4,9,10-perylenetetracarboxylic dianhydride (PTCDA). From the MOKE spectra in the energy range from 1.5 to 5.0 eV and the optical constants, the Voigt constant of thin organic films was determined. From the strong in-plane/out-of-plane anisotropy of the optical constants and the value of the Voigt constant the average molecular tilt angle of H2Pc molecules with respect to the substrate plane can be obtained.
TOPSIS for MODM

Abstract In this study, we extend TOPSIS to solve a multiple objective decision making problem. The principle of compromise (of TOPSIS) for multiple criteria decision making is that the chosen solution should have the shortest distance from the positive ideal solution as well as the longest distance from the negative ideal solution. Thus, we reduce a k -dimensional objective space to a two-dimensional objective space by a first-order compromise procedure. We then use membership functions of fuzzy set theory to represent the satisfaction level for both criteria. We obtain a single-objective programming problem by using the max-min operator for the second-order compromise operation. To illustrate the procedure, the Bow River Valley water quality management problem is solved by use of TOPSIS.
Internet ethnography: A review of methodological considerations for studying online illness blogs

Abstract Background In recent history, the Internet has emerged as a wealth of archived, ongoing, interactive, and socially mediated data. Conducting Internet ethnography is a fairly new methodological approach, however, it has been previously described as a valid form of inquiry. Illness blogs, in particular, have great implications for nurse researchers, as they are able to study the experience of illness in a naturalistic and longitudinal manner, often with greater detail than data relying solely on participant recall. Participants are able to produce online illness blogs as a way to share their own illness narratives and connect with others going through similar processes. Objectives The purpose of this paper is to discuss methodological considerations in studying online illness blogs through Internet ethnography. Methods This article provides an overview of Internet ethnography as an emerging qualitative method and an introduction to research using illness blogs. Through use of this method in an exemplar study of young women with cancer, key decision points are highlighted along with the study team's field experiences. Conclusion Issues pertaining to method applicability, active vs. passive involvement as a researcher, ethical considerations, what constitutes data, sampling approach, procedural and analytic decisions, and thoughts regarding reflexivity and voice of the research participants' are addressed. Strengths and limitations of the study of online illness blogs through Internet ethnography in nursing science are also discussed.
Immunotherapy of malignancy by in vivo gene transfer into tumors

Abstract The immune system confers protection against a variety of pathogens and contributes to the surveillance and destruction of neoplastic cells. Several cell types participate in the recognition and lysis of tumors, and appropriate immune stimulation provides therapeutic effects in malignancy. Foreign major histocompatibility complex (MHC) proteins also serve as a potent stimulus to the immune system. In this report, a foreign MHC gene was introduced directly into malignant tumors in vivo in an effort to stimulate tumor rejection. In contrast to previous attempts to induce tumor immunity by cell-mediated gene transfer, the recombinant gene was introduced directly into tumors in vivo. Expression of the murine class I H-2Ks gene within the CT26 mouse colon adenocarcinoma (H-2Kd) or the MCA 106 fibrosarcoma (H-2Kb) induced a cytotoxic T-cell response to H-2Ks and, more importantly, to other antigens present on unmodified tumor cells. This immune response attenuated tumor growth and caused complete tumor regression in many cases. Direct gene transfer in vivo can therefore induce cell-mediated immunity against specific gene products, which provides an immunotherapeutic effect for malignancy, and potentially can be applied to the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases in man.
New Procedure for Calculating Parametric Values for Evaluating Cooling Treatments Applied to Fresh Foods

Abstract An improved procedure was developed for calculating parametric values which are named as Quality Destruction Values (QDV's). These values are used to predict the influence of cooling treatments on the quality of fresh foods. The developed procedure utilizes empirical formulas for calculating the transient temperature of food. Two numerical tables were prepared in order to simplify the computations required. Resume Nous avons mis au point une methode de calcul amelioree pour la valeur des parametres designes sous le nom de Valeurs de Destruction de Qualite (QDV: Quality Destruction Values). Ces valeurs peuvent servir pour predire l’effet des traitements de refroidissement sur la qualite des aliments frais. La methode s’appuie sur des formules empiriques pour calculer la temperature transitoire de l’aliment. Deux tables numeriques ont ete preparees dans le but de simplifier les calculs.
Maintenance of skeletal growth and maturation in thyroidectomized rats by injection of iodide.

Female rats of the Long-Evans strain were thyroidectomized when 26 days of age by a combination of surgery and I131. Injection of iodide (5 mg/day, as KI) was started immediately, and its effect on skeletal growth and maturation was compared simultaneously with that achieved by L-thyroxine replacement therapy (0.25 μg/day) during and at the end of 2 months of injection. Growth was measured by increases in body and tibia length, as shown in roentgenograms taken at intervals during the experiment, and by the width and histology of the proximal epiphysial plate of the tibia at autopsy. Increase in body weight gave additional confirmatory evidence. Maturation was evaluated by examination of selected ossification centers shown in the roentgenograms. The terminal skeletal age assigned each rat on this basis was verified by study of dissected bones. Vigorous and identical growth, at a nearly normal rate, was maintained in both treated groups throughout the experimental period, as contrasted with the severe retar...
Environmentally benign hardness removal using ion-exchange fibers and snowmelt.

Many industrial unit operations and unit processes require near-complete removal of hardness to avoid scaling in heat-transfer equipment, fouling in membranes, and high consumption of detergents and sequestering chemicals in cooling and wash water. Lime softening and cation exchange are the most commonly used processes practiced to date for hardness removal. Herein, we report and discuss the results and attributes of a new hardness removal process using ion-exchange fibers (IX-fibers). Most importantly, the process uses harvested snowmelt (or rainwater) as the regenerant chemical along with sparged carbon dioxide. Consequently, the spent regenerant does not contain a high concentration of aggressive chemicals such as sodium chloride or acid like traditional ion-exchange processes nor does the process produce voluminous sludges similar to lime softening. The bulk of carbon dioxide consumed during regeneration remains sequestered in the aqueous phase as alkalinity. IX-fibers form the heart of the process. T...
Dispenser Printed Microscale Thermoelectric Generators for Powering Wireless Sensor Networks

Wireless sensor networks (WSN) are a promising technology for ubiquitous, active monitoring in residential, industrial and medical applications. These nodes combine a radio transceiver, microcontroller and sensors into a low power package. A current bottleneck for widespread adoption of WSN’s is the power supplies. While the power demands can be somewhat alleviated through novel electronics, any primary battery will have a finite lifetime. Energy harvesting, from ambient vibration, light, and heat sources, offers an opportunity to significantly extend the lifetime of the nodes and possibly provide perpetual power. Thermal energy is an ideal source for WSNs due to the availability of low-grade ambient waste heat sources. Thermoelectric devices convert temperature gradients into DC electric power in compact form factors. Efficient device designs require hundreds of high-aspect ratio semi-conductor microelements fabricated electrically in series and thermally in parallel. This design requirement presents problems for standard microfabrication techniques due to thickness limitations of standard semiconductor processes. We present a new method of contact dispenser printing, specifically developed to additively create microscale generators. Initial materials performance results show promising results and are further detailed in this work.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Interdisciplinary question generation: Synthesis and validity analysis of the 1993–1997 bovine mastitis-related literature

Interdisciplinary synthesis and validity analysis (ISVA), a structured learning approach which integrates learning and communication theories, meta-analytic evaluation methods, and literature management-related technologies was applied in the context of the 1993–1997 bovine mastitis research literature. This study investigated whether ISVA could: 1) facilitate the analysis and synthesis of interdisciplinary knowledge claims, and 2) generate projects or research questions. The bovine mastitis-related literature was conceptualized as composed of microbiological, immunological, and epidemiological dimensions. Keywords involving these dimensions were searched in theMedline andAgricola databases. A final list of 148 articles were retrieved, analyzed, synthesized into fifteen information sub-sets, and evaluated for construct, internal, external and statistical validity through an interdisciplinary iterative dialogical process. Validity threats were re-phrased as new research or educational projects.
Involvement of spinal cord δ opiate receptors in the antinociception of gestation and its hormonal simulation

Physiological as well as hormone-simulated pregnancy (HSP) is associated with opioid-mediated elevations in maternal nociceptive thresholds. Previous reports from this laboratory have demonstrated the involvement of spinal cord κ opiate receptors in this phenomenon. The present study was undertaken in order to determine the exclusivity of this mediation. Intrathecal (i.t.) administration of the δ opiate receptor-selective antagonists naltrindole (NTI), 7-benzylidenenaltrexone (BNTX) or naltriben (NTB) substantially reduces nociceptive thresholds of gestation (day 20) and HSP (day 19). Hyperalgesic actions of these compounds following i.t. administration are not observed in non-pregnant or vehicle-treated control animals. These data indicate that δ opiate receptor activity is a prerequisite for the manifestation of a substantial portion of gestational and HSP analgesia. In contrast, i.t. application of the μ-selective antagonist d-Phe-Cys-Tyr-d-Trp-Arg-Thr-Pen-Thr-NH2 (CTAP) has no effect on nociceptive thresholds of gestational day 20, as was previously demonstrated for HSP-induced antinociception. Thus, the potent spinal μ analgesic system does not participate in gestational or HSP analgesia. During physiological pregnancy, less robust constituents of intrinsic opioid pain-attenuating systems in the spinal cord (δ and κ opioid systems) are recruited to mediate the maternal antinociception of gestation. Furthermore, the ability of estrogen and progesterone to modulate spinal opioid antinociceptive activity emphasizes potential differences between men and women in their response to pain medication.
AMBER force-field parameters for guanosine triphosphate and its imido and methylene analogs

Parameters were derived for guanosine triphosphate (GTP) and GTP analogs suitable for the AMBER force field. Electrostatically derived net atomic charges and force parameters were extracted from MNDO semiempirical calculations. The later parameters came from fitting MNDO and AMBER atom–atom forces in a manner that is extensible to other compounds that lack sufficient vibrational spectral data. The geometric parameters for these compounds were obtained from model compounds in the Cambridge crystallographic data base. Dynamic simulations of Na4 GTP and Na2 Mg GTP of 140 and 100 ps, respectively, indicated a strong preference for a syn C2′ exo conformation in solution. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Cystitis with ureteral reflux caused by ureaplasma urealyticum

The authors present a case of a fifteen-year-old boy with urgency, suprapubic pain, hematuria, and pyuria with negative routine urine cultures. Cystoscopy revealed gross cystitis, and VCUG showed bilateral reflux and ureteral dilatation. Renal arteriograms, percutaneous renal biopsy, and bladder biopsy also were performed. After finding a positive culture for Ureaplasma, therapy with doxycycline rendered the patient asymptomatic and reflux improved on follow-up VCUG. Ureaplasma urealyticum should be considered in patients with symptomatic pyuria and negative routine cultures. Ureteral reflux, reversible with appropriate therapy, may be part of the infectious process.
The Use of General Circulation Models to Predict Regional Climatic Change

Abstract Equilibrium simulations using the best-available general circulation models to estimate the sensitivity of the climate to a doubling of the atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration are in broad general agreement that the global annual average surface air temperature would increase 2.5 to 4.5 K. However, at finer spatial scales, the range of changes in temperature and precipitation predicted by different computer models is much broader. Many shortcomings are also apparent in the model simulations of the present climate, indicating that further model improvements are needed to achieve reliable regional and seasonal projections of the future climatic conditions.