cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
PROTOPLASMIC REORGANISATION AND ANIMAL LIFE CYCLES

Summary. Comparisons of the Protozoa and Metazoa have emphasised their structure-function relationships without due regard to their historical relationships. Thus cellularity has been a common basis for this comparison as applied to unicellular organisms on the one hand and multicellular organisms on the other, equating in each group the cell as the unit of structure and function; or, on the contrary, denying that this comparison holds since Protozoa are to be regarded as non-cellular organisms. It is proposed that genetic history, including both ontogeny and phylogeny, is the essential basis for this comparison. Since organic differentiation is the process by which the cell originated in phylogeny and each organism develops in ontogeny, maintaining its organismal unity throughout, it is suggested that primarily this process, protoplasmic differentiation, and secondarily its product, the primordial cell, should be given first importance in fundamental considerations of both protozoan and metazoan genetic history. Protozoa as well as Metazoa begin their life cycle as a primordial cell which is the stage of minimal protoplasmic differentiation. From this primordial stage comes to be differentiated epigenetically diverse organs with specific functions, derived for the Metazoa during numberless mitotic divisions but for the Protozoa during one mitotic division and are rederived during each succeeding division. Thus, Protozoa retain the capacity to reorganise, that is, to dedifferentiate and redifferen-tiate, which they tend to do during fission, conjugation, endomixis, cystment, and regeneration; and are accordingly potentially immortal. Metazoan ontogeny, however, proceeds toward a fixed and irreversible state of differentiation which eventuates in disintegration and death. It is postulated further that protoplasmic reorganisation involves both cytoplasmic and nuclear structures which alike undergo a redifferentiation following dedifferentiation toward a primordial stage which represents the initial stage of the life cycle. While these changes may differ, with respect to the cytoplasm and nucleus, in the time, manner, or completeness of their occurrence; it is suggested that their visible manifestations have to do with dynamic processes which are fundamentally the same.
Distal Femoral Replacement in Complex Total Knee Arthroplasty Revisions

Revision knee arthroplasty can be challenging in the face of bone loss and joint instability. Modular endoprostheses are a limb salvage option in these situations. Design changes have led to second and third generation prostheses that are significantly improved. This has resulted in part from increased freedom of rotation that decreases stresses at the cement interface. These implants serve a different clinical niche than traditional condylar components. The modular rotating hinge knee prosthesis is a useful adjunct for knee arthroplasty revision for patients with inadequate bone stock, ligamentous instability, or difficult supracondylar femur nonunions, especially in low-demand elderly patients.
The New Russian Vocative: Synchrony, Diachrony, Typology

1. Since the 1800s some proper and some common nouns of the Russian 2nd (-a) declension are attested with innovated vocative forms, apparently formed from nominatives by truncation. 2. Current usage is somewhat heterogeneous, and speakers differ markedly in their evaluation of new vocative forms depending on phonological, morphological, and semantic features. Here it is shown that the state of variation these differences reflect is a synchronic projection of the orderly progression of a gradual change. 3. The change is one of two renewals of the vocative in the history of the language, each of which calls for an interpretation. 4. They also raise the general question of the place of the vocative in grammar. Their functions and idiosyncratic conditions of use indicate that vocatives are lexico-pragmatic derivatives. 5. A rudimentary typology of vocative expressions reveals a possibly universal correlation between prosodic contours and types of vocative expression. 6. A final synthesis draws on the precedin...
X-ray Reflectivity Study of Self-Assembled Thin Films of Macrocycles and Macromolecules

The layer-by-layer growth of film structures consisting of sequential depositions of oppositely charged macromolecules (polymers) and macrocycles (ring-shaped molecules) has been carried out using the self-assembly technique. These self-assembled structures were characterized with X-ray reflectometry, results from which indicate (1) the average electron density of the sample measured after a sequential deposition of macromolecules followed by macrocycles remained the same regardless of the number of depositions made, while (2) the average thicknesses of alternately deposited macromolecules and macrocycles deposited at the beginning of the fabrication were larger than those deposited after many depositions and (3) the roughness of the growth surface generally increased with each deposition. These observations suggest that inorganic−organic interactions play an important role during the initial stages of thin-film growth, but less so as the thin film becomes thicker.
The Importance of Friendship for Youth with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

It is well-established that youth with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are often peer-rejected and rated by parents, teachers, and observers to have poor social skills, when compared to typically developing peers. Significantly less research, however, has been devoted to the experiences youth with ADHD have in their close friendships. The aim of this article is to draw attention to friendship as a distinct construct from peer rejection and social skills and to summarize what is known about youth with ADHD in their friendships. The potential for stable, high-quality friendships to buffer the negative outcomes typically conferred by peer rejection in this population is discussed. This article concludes with recommendations for interventions that specifically target improving the close friendships of youth with ADHD as a treatment strategy.
Cops and crooks Images of minorities on primetime television

Research regarding the portrayals of minority groups on television has repeatedly indicated that these depictions emphasize negative and stereotypical images. The potential impact of such representations is of singular concern when the characterizations revolve around issues related to crime and violence. To assess the prevalence of this conceivably detrimental relationship, this study provides the findings from a systematic, content analysis of primetime television. A two-week sample of primetime television was constructed for the Fall 1997 season. Police officers and perpetrators appearing on all fictional programs were examined, with specific attention paid to the race of the character and the aggression involved in the interaction. Multinomial Logit regression analyses were performed to determine which variables significantly predicted televised police use of force. Police were significantly more likely to use excessive force when perpetrators were young racial minorities. Implications regarding the portrayals of minority groups on crime shows are discussed.
Allograft rejection in Xenopus laevis following larval thymectomy

Abstract Xenopus laevis thymectomized at stages 41 through 49 accept first set allografts, while animals thymectomized at stage 51 or older reject allografts in times similar to intact animals. However, thymectomy at progressively earlier stages results in a greater proportion of animals unable to reject second set grafts. In some animals, the allograft response remains deficient even after multiple challenges. The results indicate that alloreactive cells are thymus dependent, and suggest that the thymus processes precursor thymocytes starting upon its formation at around stage 41. The processed cells, competent to respond to alloantigens, are released to the periphery almost immediately. While an increasing pool of processed T cells accumulates during stages 41–49, the persistent defective allograft response displayed by animals thymectomized during these stages suggests that early thymectomy may leave a population of alloreactive cells qualitatively defective in some subpopulation necessary for normal allograft responses, or that any residual cells processed prior to thymectomy are capable of only limited clonal expansion.
Water and chloride fluxes in estuarine nereid polychaetes

1. 1. Fluxes of chloride and water in Nereis succinea and N. vexillosa have been studied by measuring changes in weight and body chloride concentration following the sudden osmotic stress of transfer from one salinity to another. 2. 2. When animals are transferred within the salinity range of osmotic conformity, there is an immediate change in the body chloride concentration due both to a rapid flux of water and to a rapid flux of chloride, in the directions of the imposed concentration gradients. In the range of osmotic regulation, chloride flux is delayed for over an hour. 3. 3. Using the radio-isotope tracer Cl36, chloride exchange has been studied in N. limnicola, N. succinea and N. vexillosa adapted to various salinities. 4. 4. In N. succinea and N. vexillosa chloride exchange is directly proportional to the external chloride concentration over the entire salinity range. The total chloride exchanged is independent of the internal and external chloride concentrations in high salinities, but is much reduced in external concentrations lower than 200 mM Cl/l. At all salinities chloride exchange is lower in N. limnicola than in the other two species, and in low salinities there was no chloride exchange at all in 4 hr. 5. 5. These results do not support the hypothesis that active uptake of salts from the medium across the body surface is a major factor in the maintenance of hyperosmotic body fluids in low salinities. They indicate that there may be a reduction of body surface permeability to salts in low salinities, and that N. limnicola is either less permeable to salts than N. succinea and N. vexillosa, or that its permeable surface area is relatively less. 6. 6. These brackish-water nereids may approach semi-permeability as an adaptation to low salinities. 7. 7. It is suggested that the source of salts may be the food, that salts may be conserved by the production of a hypo-osmotic urine, and that the three species differ in their abilities to produce hypo-osmotic urine.
Binding of [3H]prazosin and [3H]p-aminoclonidine to α-adrenoceptors in rat spinal cord

Abstract α-Adrenoceptors in spinal cord appear to play a role in a number of physiologic processes including the control of blood pressure, pain and motor function. In order to evaluate more clearly these potential roles, the characteristics of binding of [3H]prazosin ([3H]PRZ) to spinal α1 adrenoceptors and [ 3 H ]p- aminoclonidine ([3H]PAC) to spinal α2 adrenoceptors were determined. Binding of each ligand to their respective adrenoceptors was saturable and Scatchard analysis revealed binding of each to a single class of adrenoceptors with characteristics of [3H]PRZ binding of Bmax = 78 fmol/mg protein and Kd = 0.75 nM and [3H]PAC binding Bmax = 70 fmol/mg protein and Kd = 1.39 nM. Whereas [3H]PRZ specific binding (Bmax) was unaltered by guanine nucleotides, [3H]PAC binding was increased with addition of 10 μM guanosine triphosphate (GTP) (P
LOCAL POLITICAL PRACTICE IN RESPONSE TO A MANUFACTURING PLANT CLOSURE: HOW GEOGRAPHY COMPLICATES CLASS ANALYSIS

This paper analyzes the responses to two separate closures of a large glass manufacturing plant in Clarksburg, West Virginia, to examine how geography has been integral to the conduct of local political practice in this community. When the plant, by far the local area's largest manufacturing employer, first closed in 1979 the state and local government put together a considerable package of incentives to attract a purchaser for the facility. However, although glass production continued, the plant was again closed in 1987 after a corporate takeover. In response to this second closure the characteristically pro-business Governor of West Virginia initiated an almost $650 million lawsuit against the plant's new owners. The plant's union leaders on the other hand collaborated with city government officials and local business interests to constrain community opposition to the closure. The paper argues that this paradoxical situation, of actors taking up positions contrary to those which an ageographical class analysis would have predicted, was the result precisely of their locality dependence in the face of mobile capital.
Sustainable development and environmental protection: A perspective on current trends and future options for universities

Problems of sustainable development and environmental protection pose a challenge to humanity unprecedented in scope and complexity. Whether and how the problems are resolved have significant implications for human and ecological well-being. In this paper, I discuss briefly recent international recommendations to promote sustainable development and environmental protection. I then offer a perspective on the roles and prospects of the university in promoting sustainable development and environmental protection.
Alterations in acid phosphatase bodies (lysosomes) in cat motoneurons after asphyxiation of the spinal cord.

Abstract The acid phosphatase activity of motoneurons of normal and asphyxiated spinal cords of cats was studied both by light and electron microscopy. Gomori technique was used to detect the phosphatase activity. Phosphatase bodies (lysosomes) increased in number and size in motoneurons fixed 30 min after 50 min of asphyxiation, as compared with those in normal motoneurons. This increase was even more pronounced in material fixed 60 min after 50 min of asphyxiation. In the latter case the lysosomes had lost their membranes and seemed to pour their contents into the surrounding cytoplasm. Glycogen granules were found in the neighborhood of the disintegrating lysosomes.
Free-carrier absorption modulation in silicon nanocrystal slot waveguides.

Free-carrier absorption (FCA) has proven to be an important obstacle in the development of a silicon-based laser; however, FCA may serve as a potential advantage in active silicon-based switches or modulators. In this work, we present FCA modulation in slot waveguides with silicon nanocrystals (Si-ncs) embedded in SiO2 as the low-index slot material. Slot waveguides were fabricated with and without Si-ncs, and the presence of Si-ncs was shown to increase the pump-induced FCA loss in the waveguides by a factor of 4.5. We modeled the Si-nc material using a four-level rate equation analysis to estimate the excited population of Si-ncs, allowing us to extract a value of 2.6×10−17cm2 for the FCA cross section of the Si-nc material.
Spatially distributed cortical excitation patterns of auditory processing during contralateral and ipsilateral stimulation

Utilizing the high spatial and temporal resolution of magnetoencephalography in conjunction with magnetic resonance images, the current study explored the underlying electrical patterns of cortical excitation during both contralateral and ipsilateral auditory stimulation. Instead of studying only the peaks of the N100 component of the evoked magnetic field, a 30-msec window was chosen about the area where the peaks occurred and the intracranial sources generating that component were estimated at successive 5-msec intervals. Results indicated that the sources for both contralateral and ipsilateral conditions were best represented as a continuous movement of activation in an anterior--inferior direction along the superior surface of the temporal lobe. Although the peak magnetic fields of the N100 to contralateral stimulation were of shorter latency and higher amplitude, the generating sources of both had very similar time-dependent movement patterns, and comparisons of source localizations were dependent on the latency at which they were contrasted.
Effect of precursory solution anion and non-stoichiometry on the properties of yttrium gadolinium iron garnet

Experimental data for the Y2.01 Gd0.99Fe5O12 system indicates that addition of sulphate anion to the Fe(NO3)3 solutions increases sintered density of the garnet made by spray drying precursory solutions followed by rotary calcining. A smaller particle size and a higher green density of calcined powders obtained from solutions with sulphate added, provide a higher sinterability compared to the powders obtained from nitrate solutions. Conventional ball-milling of calcined powders is eliminated. Sintered density of more than 99% theoretical can be obtained. Data for the Y2.01(1−x) Gd0.99(1−x) Fe5(1−y)O12 system indicates that a second phase of (Y, Gd) FeO3 decreases the sintered density of iron deficient garnet. A second phase of (Y, Gd) FeO3 also accounts for lower dielectric loss tangent for these compositions.
The Effect of Acceleration on Composite Propellant Combustion

Abstract The effects or burn time (web thickness) and acceleration on the weight, form and chemical composition of the molten metallic material on or adjacent to the burning surface of aluminized composite solid propellants, and the relative importance of the AP crystals, binder and the aluminum on burning rate acceleration sensitivity were experimentally determined. The experimental data were used to evaluate existing analytical models for the acceleration induced burning rate augmentation of composite propellants.
Hydrogenation of CO to methane: kinetic studies on polycrystalline nickel foils

Abstract The existence of a transition in the activation energy of the methanation reaction, a decrease in the activation energy with increasing H 2 /CO ratio below the transition, a shift of the transition to lower temperature with increasing H 2 /CO ratio, and the existence of a kinetic isotope effect for the reaction at low pressure and high H 2 /CO ratio have been shown. This kinetic behavior can be understood in terms of the temperature and partial-pressure dependence of the hydrogen adatom surface concentration. The observation of a kinetic isotope effect and the correlation between the kinetic behavior of the calculated hydrogen adatom surface concentration and the observed kinetics of the methanation reaction suggest that the methanation reaction over nickel is a hydrogen adatom surface concentration-limited reaction.
NADPH Oxidase Mediates Lipopolysaccharide-induced Neurotoxicity and Proinflammatory Gene Expression in Activated Microglia

Parkinson's disease is characterized by the progressive degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. We have previously reported that lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced degeneration of dopaminergic neurons is mediated by the release of proinflammatory factors from activated microglia. Here, we report the pivotal role of NADPH oxidase in inflammation-mediated neurotoxicity, where the LPS-induced loss of nigral dopaminergic neurons in vivo was significantly less pronounced in NADPH oxidase-deficient (PHOX-/-) mice when compared with control (PHOX+/+) mice. Dopaminergic neurons in primary mensencephalic neuron-glia cultures from PHOX+/+ mice were significantly more sensitive to LPS-induced neurotoxicity in vitro when compared with PHOX-/- mice. Further, PHOX+/+ neuron-glia cultures chemically depleted of microglia failed to show dopaminergic neurotoxicity with the addition of LPS. Neuron-enriched cultures from both PHOX+/+ mice and PHOX-/- mice also failed to show any direct LPS-induced dopaminergic neurotoxicity. However, the addition of PHOX+/+ microglia to neuron-enriched cultures from either strain resulted in reinstatement of LPS-induced dopaminergic neurotoxicity, supporting the role of microglia as the primary source of NADPH oxidase-generated insult and neurotoxicity. Immunostaining for F4/80 in mensencephalic neuron-glia cultures revealed that PHOX-/- microglia failed to show activated morphology at 10 h, suggesting an important role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated from NADPH oxidase in the early activation of microglia. LPS also failed to elicit extracellular superoxide and produced low levels of intracellular ROS in microglia-enriched cultures from PHOX-/- mice. Gene expression and release of tumor necrosis factor alpha was much lower in PHOX-/- mice than in control PHOX+/+ mice. Together, these results demonstrate the dual neurotoxic functions of microglial NADPH oxidase: 1) the production of extracellular ROS that is toxic to dopamine neurons and 2) the amplification of proinflammatory gene expression and associated neurotoxicity.
Effects of electrical stimulation of efferent olivocochlear neurons on cat auditory-nerve fibers. III. Tuning curves and thresholds at CF.

In order to study the effects of efferent activity, olivocochlear efferents were stimulated with an electrode in the fourth ventricle at the decussation of the crossed olivocochlear bundle (midline-OCB stimulation) or with an electrode at the brainstem origin of medial efferents (MOC stimulation). Tuning curves, or similar measures of threshold, were obtained from auditory-nerve fibers in the presence or absence of efferent stimulation. Efferent stimulation raised the thresholds of fibers for tones at the characteristic frequency (CF) by an amount which varied with the spontaneous rate (SR) of the auditory-nerve fiber. On the average, high-SR fibers had the smallest threshold shifts, and low-SR fibers had the largest threshold shifts. The distribution of threshold shifts as a function of CF peaked at CFs of 3-8 kHz for high-SR and medium-SR fibers but appeared to peak at higher CFs for low-SR fibers. Within the high-SR or medium-SR groups, the fibers with the lowest thresholds had the largest threshold shifts. Efferent stimulation decreased the Q20 of the tuning curves from most fibers (i.e. it made the tuning curves wider), but increased the Q20 from some fibers with CFs below 2 kHz. For fibers with CFs above 4 kHz, efferent stimulation shifted the tuning-curve tails to higher sound levels by about 1 dB on the average. The qualitative patterns of the effects due to midline-OCB stimulation or to MOC stimulation were similar. The distribution of high-SR threshold shifts vs. CF appears to be displaced apically in the cochlea compared to the distribution of MOC endings on outer hair cells. This can be understood in terms of efferent activity depressing basilar membrane motion and affecting regions at, and apical to, the activated efferent synapses. To explain the low-SR threshold shifts, an additional way in which efferent activity inhibits responses appears to be required. The data are consistent with one function of the medial efferents being to raise the thresholds of auditory-nerve fibers and thereby adjust the effective range of the auditory system.
In situ FTIR investigations of reverse water gas shift reaction activity at supercritical conditions

Abstract In situ Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was employed to investigate the formation of CO and other adsorbed species on Al 2 O 3 -supported catalysts exposed to a supercritical mixture of CO 2 and H 2 ( P = 138 bar ; T = 342 K ; molar CO 2 / H 2 = 19 ). On just the Al 2 O 3 support, surface carbonates are observed consistent with literature reports with some evidence of surface formates. On Pd / Al 2 O 3 , however, several surface species including carbonates, formates, and CO are unambiguously observed. On Pd / Al 2 O 3 , a peak at 1900 – 1920 cm - 1 corresponds to adsorbed CO. Based on the presence of water peaks at reaction conditions, the reverse water gas shift reaction is the most plausible mechanism for CO formation. The CO peak evolves with time on stream, gradually increasing in intensity from ∼ 20 min to 5 h. This suggests that short-residence time continuous reactors are preferred over batch reactors to minimize the effects of possible catalyst deactivation by CO. Interestingly, the CO peak was not observed on either Ru / Al 2 O 3 or Ni / Al 2 O 3 catalysts suggesting that either of these catalysts may be better suited than Pt- or Pd-based catalysts for hydrogenation in supercritical CO 2 .
Self-organizing neural network architectures for computing visual depth from motion parallax

The analysis describes some of the issues involved in constructing a self-organizing neural network that can learn to perform a high-level vision task, depth perception from motion parallax, without guidance from an external teacher. An examination is made of how motion parallax conveys depth information. A network structure is presented for detecting and representing depth from motion parallax. How a depth-sensitive network can self-organize is also examined. >
Endometrial cells derived from donor stem cells in bone marrow transplant recipients.

ContextRegeneration of the endometrium in each menstrual cycle is required for reproduction. Endogenous endometrial stem cells reside in the basalis layer and serve as a source of cells that differentiate to form the endometrium. Bone marrow–derived cells have been shown to take on functions outside the hematopoietic system.ObjectiveTo investigate the possibility that cells of extrauterine origin could repopulate the endometrium.Design, Setting, and PatientsEndometrium from 4 HLA-mismatched bone marrow transplant recipients (1998-2002) was evaluated for donor HLA expression. Each recipient had a bone marrow donor with an HLA type that enabled determination of the origin of any cell. Endometrial biopsies also were obtained from 4 healthy control women.Main Outcome MeasureHLA type was determined by immunohistochemistry and by reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction.ResultsDonor-derived endometrial cells were detected in endometrial biopsy samples from all bone marrow recipients and accounted for 0.2% to 48% of epithelial cells and 0.3% to 52% of stromal cells. None of the controls demonstrated HLA mismatch in endometrial samples.ConclusionThese findings demonstrate that endometrial cells can originate from donor-derived bone marrow cells and suggest that nonuterine stem cells contribute to the regeneration of endometrial tissue.
Forced cooling of a nuclear waste repository mine drift—A scoping analysis☆

Abstract Nuclear waste repositories, with decay heat generation beneath the mine drift floors, are force-cooled with air so that re-entrance is possible many years after the waste has been buried. A numerical model has been developed which uses heat transfer coefficients as input. It has been demonstrated that mixed (forced and free) convective and surface roughness effects are significant and must be included in future experiments if reliable predictions are to be made of the time required to cool the repository. For example, when repository mine drifts in volcanic tuff are force-cooled, with forced convection being the only energy transport mechanism, it takes ≈ 0.1 year to cool the mine surface to a safe temperature. However, when mixed convection is the primary transport mechanism it takes ≈ 1.0 year to cool the mine. In addition to mixed convection, other effects are delineated.
IN VITRO INHIBITION OF ENDOMETRIAL CANCER GROWTH BY A NEONATAL RAT TESTICULAR SECRETORY PRODUCT

The ability of a neonatal testicular product to inhibit cancer cell line growth of Mullerian origin was tested increasing concentration of cancer (HEC-l) cell growth ture, similarly, inhibited tes elaborated a substance neonatal testicular product to inhibit cancer cell line growth of in an “in vitro” system. Preliminary experiments indicated that neonatal rat testicular homogenates showed increasing endometrial inhibition. Further investigation revealed that testes organ culture, similarly, inhibited HEC-1 cell growth. It is, therefore, concluded that neonatal rat testes elaborated a substance (or substances) which may be effective as an anti-tumor agent.
The SpmA/B and DacF proteins of Clostridium perfringens play important roles in spore heat resistance

Strains of Clostridium perfringens that cause acute food poisoning have been shown to produce spores that are significantly more heat resistant than those of other strains. Previous studies demonstrated that the spore core density and the ratio of spore cortex peptidoglycan relative to the germ cell wall were factors that correlated with the heat resistance of a C. perfringens spore. To further evaluate these relationships, mutant strains of C. perfringens SM101 were constructed with null mutations in dacF, encoding a d,d-carboxypeptidase, and in the spmA–spmB operon, which is involved in spore core dehydration. The dacF mutant was shown to produce less spore cortex peptidoglycan and had a corresponding decrease in spore heat resistance. The spmA–spmB strain produced highly unstable spores with significantly lower core densities and increased heat sensitivity, which were easily destroyed during treatments affecting the spore coat layers. These results support the previous assertion that a threshold core density as well as a high ratio of cortex peptidoglycan relative to the germ cell wall contribute to the formation of a more heat-resistant spore in this species.
Eine starke Wasserstoffbrücke zu einem Amid-Stickstoffatom in einem „Amid-Protonenschwamm”: Konsequenzen für Struktur und Reaktivität

N-protonierte Amide wurden als Zwischenstufen in biologisch wichtigen Reaktionen vorgeschlagen, ihr spektroskopischer Nachweis steht allerdings noch aus. Der erste Schritt auf dem Weg zu diesem Ziel wurde nun mit dem spektroskopischen und kristallographischen Nachweis einer starken, intramolekularen H-Brucke zwischen einem geladenen Donor und einem Amid-N-Atom in „Protonenschwamm”-Derivaten 1 vollzogen; diese Wechselwirkung hat eine neuartige Reaktivitat zur Folge. TfO− = Trifluormethansulfonat.
Theobald Palm and His Remarkable Observation: How the Sunshine Vitamin Came to Be Recognized

The seminal discovery that sunlight was important in the prevention of nutritional rickets was made in 1890 by Theobald A. Palm, a medical missionary who contrasted the prevalence of rickets in northern European urban areas with similar areas in Japan and other tropical countries. He surmised that exposure to sunlight prevented rickets. Over the next 40 years his observation led to an understanding of ultraviolet irradiation and its role in vitamin D synthesis. This opened a new era of appreciation for the curative powers of the sun and "the sunshine vitamin". While Palm's observations were in some ways obscure, they had a potent effect on the development of photobiology.
Energy of an electrorheological solid calculated with inclusion of higher multipoles.

We have investigated the contributions of higher multipoles to the energy of an electrorheological solid. We find that, with the dipole and octupole moments taken into account, the fcc structure becomes almost degenerate in energy with the bct: Favoring of the latter is only by 1/10 to 1/4 of its dipole value. The thirty-two-pole effect is opposite to that of the octupole so that, when it is also added, the energy by which the bct structure is favored is restored to about 1/2 to 4/5 of its dipole value.
Isolation of bovine polymorphonuclear leukocytes by density gradient centrifugation

Abstract A method for the isolation of an enriched population (> 95%) of bovine polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) was developed using density gradient centrifugation. Leukocytes were isolated from peripheral blood by centrifugation in a density gradient medium (Percoll) of specific gravity 1.092. Viability was ≥95% and the isolated PMNs were functional in migration inhibition and chemiluminescense assays. This has proved to be a simple effective method for obtaining bovine PMNs and yields cell populations that can be utilized for a variety of measures of PMN function.
Evaluation of the anti-endotoxin effects of polymyxin B in a feline model of endotoxemia

Directed, effective therapies for feline sepsis are needed to reduce the high morbidity and mortality associated with this disease. We investigated the anti-endotoxin effects of polymyxin B (PMB) in a blinded, placebo controlled fashion, both ex vivo in a feline whole blood culture system and in vivo, using a low-dose endotoxin infusion in cats. Serial measures of systemic inflammation, and hemodynamic stability, were compared between groups. Ex vivo, PMB significantly decreased lipopolysaccharide-induced tumor necrosis factor (TNF) production from whole blood. PMB (1mg/kg over 30min) demonstrated anti-endotoxin effects in vivo, including decreased peak plasma TNF activity (P<0.001) and increased white blood cell count (P=0.019), with no adverse effects. Given the apparent safety and anti-endotoxin effects of PMB in this endotoxemia model, a carefully designed, randomized, blinded, placebo controlled clinical trial evaluating the use of PMB in naturally occurring Gram-negative feline sepsis should be considered.
Demineralized bone matrix as a vehicle for delivering endogenous and exogenous therapeutics in bone repair

As a unique human bone extract approved for implant use, demineralized bone matrix (DBM) retains substantial amounts of endogenous osteoconductive and osteoinductive proteins. Commercial preparations of DBM represent a clinically accessible, familiar, widely used and degradable bone-filling device, available in composite solid, strip/piece, and semi-solid paste forms. Surgically placed and/or injected, DBM releases its constituent compounds to bone sites with some evidence for inducing new bone formation and accelerating healing. Significantly, DBM also has preclinical history as a drug carrier by direct loading and delivery of several important classes of therapeutics. Exogenous bioactive agents, including small molecule drugs, protein and peptide drugs, nucleic acid drugs and transgenes and therapeutic cells have been formulated within DBM and released to bone sites to enhance DBM's intrinsic biological activity. Local release of these agents from DBM directly to surgical sites in bone provides improved control of dosing and targeting of both endogenous and exogenous bioactivity in the context of bone healing using a clinically familiar product. Given DBM's long clinical track record and commercial accessibility in standard forms and sources, opportunities to formulate DBM as a versatile matrix to deliver therapeutic agents locally to bone sites in orthopedic repair and regenerative medicine contexts are attractive.
Do Verbal Interactions with Infants During Electronic Media Exposure Mitigate Adverse Impacts on their Language Development as Toddlers

The goal of this study was to determine whether verbal interactions between mothers and their 6-month-old infants during media exposure ('media verbal interactions') might have direct positive impacts, or mitigate any potential adverse impacts of media exposure, on language development at 14 months. For 253 low-income mother-infant dyads participating in a longitudinal study, media exposure and media verbal interactions were assessed using 24-hour recall diaries. Additionally, general level of cognitive stimulation in the home [StimQ] was assessed at 6 months and language development [Preschool Language Scale-4] was assessed at 14 months. Results suggest that media verbal interactions play a role in the language development of infants from low-income, immigrant families. Evidence showed that media verbal interactions moderated adverse impacts of media exposure found on 14-month language development, with adverse associations found only in the absence the these interactions. Findings also suggest that media verbal interactions may have some direct positive impacts on language development, in that media verbal interactions during the co-viewing of media with educational content (but not other content) were predictive of 14-month language independently of overall level of cognitive stimulation in the home.
An accurate and efficient analysis method for multi-Gb/s chip-to-chip signaling schemes

This paper introduces an accurate method of modeling the performance of high-speed chip-to-chip signaling systems. Implemented in a simulation tool, it precisely accounts for intersymbol interference, cross-talk and echos as well as circuit related effects such as thermal noise, power supply noise and receiver jitter. We correlated the simulation tool to actual measurements of a high-speed signaling system and then used this tool to make tradeoffs between different methods of chip-to-chip signaling with and without equalization.
Reading Strategies for Secondary Students with Mild Disabilities

General and special education teachers often are faced with the question of how to provide reading instruction that meets the needs of middle and high school students with mild disabilities. In this article, we describe seven learning strategies that are designed to promote word recognition, vocabulary development, and reading comprehension. We provide an instructional sequence for each of the strategies, briefly report research findings, and include a checklist that teachers can use to evaluate learning strategies.
Human drivers of national greenhouse-gas emissions

Human stress on the environment has long been debated and different views about the human drivers of greenhouse-gas emissions have emerged. Now research synthesizes the debate by looking at empirical evidence and offers new insights on the role of human population, affluence, urbanization, trade, culture and institutions on greenhouse-gas emissions trends. Centuries of speculation about the causes of human stress on the environment is now being disciplined with empirical evidence, including analyses of differences in greenhouse-gas emissions across contemporary nation states. The cumulative results can provide useful guidance for both climate projections and for policy design. Growing human population and affluence clearly contribute to enhanced environmental stress. Evidence does not support the argument for amelioration of greenhouse-gas emissions at the highest levels of affluence. However, the role of other factors, such as urbanization, trade, culture and institutions remains ambiguous.
Beyond Just Data Privacy

We argue that designing a system that “guarantees” the privacy of its information may not be enough. One must also consider the price for providing that protection: For example, is the information preserved adequately? Does the system perform well? We illustrate this point by presenting the concept of a configuration that can capture the security, longevity and performance aspects of managing information. Configurations can be useful for describing the policies used to safeguard information, as well as in selecting the right mix of security, longevity and performance levels.
Quality Improvement in Neonatal Digital Radiography: Implementing the Basic Quality Improvement Tools

A quality improvement (QI) program may be implemented using the plan-do-study-act cycle (as a model for making improvements) and the basic QI tools (used to visually display and analyze variation in data). Managing radiation dose has come to the forefront as a safety goal for radiology departments. This is especially true in the pediatric population, which is more radiosensitive than the adult population. In this article, we use neonatal digital radiography to discuss developing a QI program with the principle goals of decreasing the radiation dose, decreasing variation in radiation dose, and optimizing image quality.
Placement and routing of RF embedded passive designs in LCP substrate

Physical layout generation of RF embedded passive design is not an easy task since the response of a given layout is tightly coupled with the response of the individual components and the effect of interconnect parasitics. In this paper we propose a methodology for automatic layout generation of embedded passive RF circuits. We make use of circuit models to represent and optimize a given layout and use non-linear optimization at various stages of the methodology to obtain the desired goals. Full-wave EM simulations is completely out of the design loop, so our methodology significantly reduces the design time for RF embedded passive circuits. The proposed approach has been used successfully to generate layout for band-pass filters of varying sizes.
Decalogue of Catatonia in Autism Spectrum Disorders

From the book “Pensees” by BlaisePascal (1623–1662)French mathematician, physicist,inventor, writer, and philosopher.This article is an unabashed drumroll forincreased recognition and treatment ofcatatonia in autism spectrum disorders(ASD). This new diagnostic and treat-mentparadigmhasemergedduringthelastdecade (1,2) and is supported by changesin catatonia classiﬁcation in DSM-5 (3)purporting to boost recognition of pedi-atric catatonia and catatonia in ASD (4).Findings are summarized,a vignette is pre-sented,andaDecalogue(or“10command-ments”) is offered covering rules for assess-ment, diagnosis, treatment, and researchin the ﬁeld of catatonia in ASD. Unlikethe biblical Decalogue handed to Moses onMount Sinai, these rules are hardly divine,do not mark universal truths, are mainlybasedonclinicalexperience,andneedtobecalibrated further as knowledge increases.They do represent the best available rec-ommendations, at least in my opinion, forfutureresearchandinordertoachievepos-itive outcomes that are equally rewardingfor the patients and their families, and fortheir physicians.
Niche width collapse in a resilient top predator following ecosystem fragmentation

Much research has focused on identifying species that are susceptible to extinction following ecosystem fragmentation, yet even those species that persist in fragmented habitats may have fundamentally different ecological roles than conspecifics in unimpacted areas. Shifts in trophic role induced by fragmentation, especially of abundant top predators, could have transcendent impacts on food web architecture and stability, as well as ecosystem function. Here we use a novel measure of trophic niche width, based on stable isotope ratios, to assess effects of aquatic ecosystem fragmentation on trophic ecology of a resilient, dominant, top predator. We demonstrate collapse in trophic niche width of the predator in fragmented systems, a phenomenon related to significant reductions in diversity of potential prey taxa. Collapsed niche width reflects a homogenization of energy flow pathways to top predators, likely serving to destabilize remnant food webs and render apparently resilient top predators more susceptible to extinction through time.
Batteries and charge storage devices based on electronically conducting polymers

Strong interest in energy generation and storage has yielded excellent progress on organic based solar cells, and there is also a strong desire for equivalent advancement in polymer-based charge storage devices such as batteries and super-capacitors. Despite extensive research on electronically conducting polymers including polypyrrole, polythiophene, and polyaniline, limitations to the maximum doping density and chemical stability had been considered a significant restriction on the development of polymer batteries. Recent work appears to show a meaningful increase in the upper bound of the maximum density from 0.5 to 1.0 electrons per monomer depending on the structure, processing, and ionic species used in charging and discharging of the polymers. Several recent examples have also implied that more stable, reversible charge-discharge cycling is being observed in n-doped polymers. These observations suggest that the performance metrics of this class of electronically conducting polymer may ultimately reach the levels required for practical battery applications. Further efforts are essential to perfect practical large-scale electrode fabrication to move toward greater compatibility in the methods used for solar cells and those used in producing batteries. A better understanding must also be developed to elucidate the effects of molecular structure and polymer architecture on these materials.
Leveraging typing phenomena to design one-handed wearable keyboards

Design practice in the HCI tradition often focuses on developing requirements from a task-based model of behavior. Touch typing is a complex task involving the translation of language into psychomotor rhythms acting on a spatial topology. An accurate model with appropriate emphases is difficult to construct; however, we may not need to construct the model if we can directly leverage the patterns of language and the innate tendencies of the human typist. This paper describes a design approach that leverages the phenomena of typing to inform the design of one-handed keyboards for wearable use. A reconfigurable keyboard is constructed and used in conjunction with a phrase set representative of the English language in a user study. The study resulted in various keyboard topologies and information about one-handed keyboarding relevant to design.
Aprotinin use in cardiac surgery patients at low risk for requiring blood transfusion.

Study Objectives. To determine if aprotinin is safe and effective in patients at low risk for requiring blood transfusion after cardiac surgery by evaluating whether there is any significant difference in blood product use or other significant clinical outcomes between patients who received aprotinin versus those who did not. Design. Retrospective review. Setting. Inpatient community nonteaching hospital. Patients. Three hundred thirty-five patients who underwent primary cardiac surgery involving cardiopulmonary bypass between November 1, 2003, and December 31, 2005, and were considered at low risk for requiring postoperative blood transfusion; 162 patients received aprotinin and 173 patients received aminocaproic acid (control). Measurements and Main Results. Comparison of patients in the aprotinin group versus those in the aminocaproic acid group revealed no difference in total donor exposures to blood products (1.86 vs 1.16 units/patient, p=0.07), total packed red blood cells (PRBCs) received (1.25 vs 0.86 units/patient, p=0.09), postoperative donor exposures to blood products (0.91 vs 0.48 unit/patient, p=0.13), or postoperative PRBCs received (0.61 vs 0.40 unit/patient, p=0.23). No difference was noted in any other clinical outcome in the aprotinin group versus the aminocaproic acid group, including postoperative azotemia (13.0% vs 10.4%, p=0.46), new onset of atrial fibrillation (14.8% vs 15.0%, p=0.95), myocardial infarction, stroke, or death. Mean ± SD total hospital length of stay was similar in the aprotinin group versus the aminocaproic acid group (8.1 ± 3.8 vs 7.4 ± 2.8 days, p=0.08), but length of stay from surgery to discharge was longer in the aprotinin group than in the aminocaproic acid group (5.9 ± 0.17 vs 5.4 ± 0.12 days, p=0.032). Conclusion. Although aprotinin appeared to be safe in this low-risk patient population, it was not more effective than aminocaproic acid in reducing blood product use after cardiac surgery. More robust evidence is needed from a controlled randomized trial to demonstrate the safety, efficacy, and pharmacoeconomic benefit of aprotinin.