cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A rest period before agitation may improve some in vitro apheresis platelet parameters during storage

BACKGROUND: Whole blood-derived platelets (PLTs) prepared by the PLT-rich plasma method are subjected to a recommended 1-hour rest period after the second centrifugation to avoid excessive PLT activation. Different apheresis PLT preparation methods demonstrate different levels of PLT activation and ability to form macroscopic aggregates immediately after collection. PLT collections are lost on Day 1 of storage if aggregates are not dispersed. It is possible that a rest period may help to disperse PLT aggregates. It is not established whether apheresis PLTs require a rest period before agitation and what the length of this period should be. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Apheresis PLTs (Amicus, Fenwal, Inc.) were divided into five identical aliquots. One aliquot was placed on the flatbed agitator immediately after division. The other aliquots were subjected to agitation after 1, 2, 4, and 6 hours of rest. Samples were taken on Days 1, 5, and 7 for standard PLT assays. RESULTS: No differences during 7-day storage were observed in PLT content, mean PLT volume, pH levels, bicarbonate, glucose, lactate, oxygen and carbon dioxide levels, hypotonic shock response, aggregation, and activation markers in PLT aliquots subjected to different rest periods or without a rest period. In contrast, values of extent of shape change, percentage of discoid PLTs, and expression of GP1b-α were greater in aliquots subjected to different periods of rest compared to those of PLTs without a rest period. CONCLUSION: A rest period from 1 to 6 hours may improve some but not all in vitro PLT storage parameters.
BRCA2 and homologous recombination.

Two recent papers provide new evidence relevant to the role of the breast cancer susceptibility gene BRCA2 in DNA repair. Moynahan et al provide genetic data indicating a requirement for BRCA2 in homology-dependent (recombinational) repair of DNA double-strand breaks. The second paper, by Davies et al, begins to address the mechanism through which BRCA2 makes its contribution to recombinational repair. BRCA2 appears to function in recombination via interactions with the major eukaryotic recombinase RAD51 [1,2,3]. We briefly review the context in which the two studies were carried out, we comment on the results presented, and we discuss models designed to account for the role of BRCA2 in RAD51–mediated repair.
Abstract 232: Studies of Cardiac transcriptome and Dilated Cardiomyopathy-causative genes in zebrafish

Background: Rapid advance of genome technologies accelerate the discovery of genetic basis of cardiomyopathy and heart failure and also enable system biology studies to pinpoint underlying mechanism. However, the limited throughput of mammalian models restricted the number of genes that can be studied in a particular lab. Adult zebrafish has been recently pursued as a new model with higher throughput. However, as a non-mammalian model, its conservation is not tested. Objective: To assess the conservation of zebrafish for genetic studies of human dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) via transcriptome analysis of 51 known DCM-causative genes. Methods and Results: By conducting RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis of larva and adult zebrafish, we identified genes with high expression level in the heart and fetal gene program using differential expression between embryonic and adult stages. We then searched zebrafish orthologues for 51 reported human DCM-causative or associated genes and identified zebrafish orthologues for 49 of them. While 30 genes have a single orthologue, 14 genes have two homologues and the remaining 5 genes have more than three. We then applied the transcriptome data to prioritize these homologues for the 19 DCM causative genes with more than one homologue. Based on the cardiac abundance and cardiac enrichment hypothesis, we are able to recommend a single zebrafish homologue of high priority for 12 out of 19 DCM genes, 2 zebrafish homologues of high priority for ACTC1. Interestingly, our expressional data suggested zebrafish othologues for human MYH6 and MYH7 , respectively. Similar to that in mammals, these two zebrafish othologues are oppositely expressed during zebrafish embryonic and adult stage. Conclusions: Orthologues for the majority of DCM causative genes can be found in Zebrafish, supporting its usage as a conserved vertebrate model for studying DCM. The definition of cardiac transcriptome in zebrafish will facilitate the future system biology studies. This vertebrate model with higher throughput can be further leveraged to validate the novel variants identified from human patients, to understand underlying signaling pathways and to develop novel therapeutics.
Field Studies on Eimeria Species in Iowa Chickens

Abstract THE yearly losses due to avian coccidiosis have been estimated from $10 million to $40 million. Because of the importance of these protozoan parasites, a great deal of research has been carried out in such areas as therapeutics, pathogenicity, host-parasite relationships, and species differentiation. An inordinate proportion of the research has been done on laboratory infections, while infections contracted under field conditions have not been subjected to such intensive study. Since marked differences often occur between laboratory and field results, a field study was initiated in 1952, using a single farm as an area for a thorough study of the epizootiology of coccidial infection during the outdoor poultry season. The study was expanded to include another farm in 1953. Two studies have been carried out in the United States to determine the coccidian species in an area. Levine (1940), in New York, examined 39 chickens from 33 farms during 1937– …
Pierce's Disease Bacterium: Mechanism of Transmission by Leafhopper Vectors.

The bacterium that causes Pierce's disease of grapevines is isolated most consistently from the foregut of its leafhopper vector Graphocephala atropunctata. As seen in light and scanning electron microscopy of infective leafhoppers, the bacteria are attached to the cibarial pump and the lining of the esophagus in the foregut where they appear to multiply. These findings suggest that the bacterium is transmitted from the foregut by egestion during feeding by infective leafloppers .
Modifications in Freestall Housing for Dairy Cows During the Summer

Abstract Modifications in freestall housing were tested over three summers in three-treatment switchback trials with 10 lactating dairy cows per treatment group. Modifications were 1) overhead insulation, 2) overhead insulation plus roof sprinkling, 3) roof sprinkling, 4) inspired-air-cooling, and 5) no cross ventilation. Freestall areas were cross ventilated except 5). Compared with unmodified control, roof sprinkling plus insulation and inspired-air-cooling reduced body temperature and respiration rate while roof sprinkling lowered body temperature. No cross ventilation elevated body temperature and respiration rate. Roof sprinkling resulted in higher milk production. The inconsistent response of milk production to modification apparently was related to nutritional management. In blood samples drawn at 1500 h, urea nitrogen was higher in the controls during the second summer. In plasma of samples taken at 0800 h during the third summer, cows under roof sprinkling had higher concentrations of calcium, cholesterol, and protein than controls. No cross ventilation lowered protein in plasma. As indicated by reductions in body temperature and respiration rate, roof sprinkling, roof sprinkling plus insulation, and inspired-air-cooling improved the comfort of lactating cows during the summer and provided potential for higher milk production while no cross ventilation reduced animal comfort.
The Strain Distribution and Force Transmission Path Through Pubic Rami During Lateral Pelvic Impacts

The pubic rami fracture is a common pelvic injury for vehicle occupants as well as for pedestrians struck during side impacts. While many studies have investigated the structural properties of the pelvis in lateral loading, relatively few investigations have compared the applied loads with local response of the pubic rami. The aims of this study are to investigate the force transmission paths and strain distribution for the anterior (i.e., rami) and posterior (i.e., sacrum) regions of the pelvis under acetabular impact loading. Eight male postmortem human surrogate pelves were tested to failure in quasi-static (n = 2) and dynamic (n = 6) conditions using an Instron test machine and a drop-tower, respectively. The denuded pelves were potted and then cut along a line connecting the greater sciatic notch and the middle of anterior iliac spine. Lateral loading was applied at the site of the acetabulum using a custom-fit femoral head surrogate made of steel. An acoustic emission (AE) sensor and uniaxial strain gages were affixed to the four rami (anterior and posterior) to assess the time of fracture as well as the regional strain distribution. In addition to measuring the impacting force, the loads transmitted through the pelvis were recorded on the non-struck side using load cells at the inferior and superior potting attachment points. To better understand the load path and strain distribution through the rami a finite element model of a human pelvis was developed from computer tomography data and validated based on available published test data. Then, the lateral impact test was numerically simulated and the model responses were mostly within the min-max ranges of the test data. The test data and FE simulations showed that prior to the fracture the pubic symphysis joint transmitted the higher percentage of load (about 66% in dynamic tests). The strain distribution analysis of the impact pelvic tests showed that the pubic rami are subjected predominantly to compressive stress on the anterior side and tensile stress on the posterior side. While the anterior pubic side of the non-impact part of the pelvis was always subjected to compressive stress, some test variability was observed on other regions of the non-impact sides. In addition to providing validation data for computational models, the results highlight the vulnerability of pubic rami structure in carrying lateral load in acetabular impacts and may lend insight into the development of injury countermeasures.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
A commentary: the impact of the IEEE Transactions on rehabilitation engineering on the field of rehabilitation engineering and science

The IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON REHABILITATION ENGINEERING, founded 8.5 years ago, has survived, thrived, been of high quality, attracted the best authors in its field and related fields, been the publication of choice for manuscript submission in the rehabilitation engineering and related science area, possessed a wide and international distribution and loyal readership, been oft-cited, been financially sound, and made a marked impact on the field of Rehabilitation Engineering.
Hydrogen fluoride saccharification of cellulose and xylan: Isolation of α-d-glucopyranosyl fluoride and α-d-xylopyranosyl fluoride intermed

Abstract Termination of the hydrogen fluoride solvolysis of cellulose and of xylan by instantaneous neu- tralization enabled the identification of the solvolysi
Desmod - A discrete event simulation kernel

Discrete event simulation (DES) is an important performance analysis method for a broad category of systems. Various high-level languages have been elaborated for supporting DES. These languages usually differ from the widely used programming languages. This paper describes an extension to Modula-2, which provides high-level concepts and run-time support for the design and implementation of DES. The method may serve as a model for embedding DES concepts in other high-level languages as well.
Planar cubics through a point in a direction

It is shown that the planar cubics through three points and the associated tangent directions can be found by solving a cubic equation and a 2 x 2 system of linear equations. The result is combined with a previous published scheme to produce a better curve-fitting method.
Towards the Unity of the Human Behavioral Sciences

Despite their distinct objects of study, the human behavioral sciences all include models of individual human behavior. Unity in the behavioral sciences requires that there be a common underlying model of individual human behavior, specialized and enriched to meet the particular needs of each discipline. Such unity does not exist, and cannot be easily attained, since the various disciplines have incompatible models and disparate research methodologies. Yet recent theoretical and empirical developments have created the conditions for unity in the behavioral sciences, incorporating core principles from all fields, and based upon theoretical tools (game theory and the rational actor model) and data gathering techniques (experimental games in the laboratory and field) that transcend disciplinary boundaries. This article sketches a set of principles aimed at fostering such a unity.
Comparison of Four Water Quality Models (STEPL, PLOAD, L-THIA, and AVSWAT-X) in Simulating Sediment and Nutrient Dynamics in a Watershed

Watershed water-quality models are essential for evaluating the natural processes that lead to waterbody impairments. Selection of the most suitable model for a given watershed and target pollutant is critical to modeling success, but few studies provide the comparisons needed to allow this evaluation. This study will compare utility and results of four watershed models that include water-quality constituents: Spreadsheet Tool for Estimating Pollutant Load (STEPL), GIS Pollutant Load (PLOAD), Long-Term Hydrologic Impact Assessment (L-THIA), and ArcView Soil and Water Assessment Tool (AVSWAT-X). Flow rates and sediment, nitrogen and phosphorus yields were measured over 16 years in the Pomona Lake watershed in North-east Kansas. Each model was setup using the methods recommended by each model. The modeling efforts showed that effective stakeholder involvement provides the reality check for scientific efforts. The results of this study also showed that in the quest to efficiently allocate resources, states should recognize that simpler analyses can often support informed decision-making and that complex modeling studies should be pursued only if warranted by the complexity of the analytical problem.
Infrared Spectroscopic Studies of Wind-Tunnel Contamination

Three infrared techniques are developed and tested to characterize chemical contamination in wind tunnels and shock tubes which can affect the reliability of infrared sensor and imaging system tests. The techniques are based on mid-infrared spectroscopy, since the interest is in contaminants with infrared emission or absorption spectra overlapping spectral windows of HgCdTe and InSb detectors. The first technique consists of analyzing the pre-expansion windtunnel or shock-tube gas using long-optical-pathlength, high-spectral-resolution, Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The technique gives a broad survey of chemical contaminates in the flow stream, but suffers from the inability to characterize contaminates which form during the blow-down process. The second technique captures a sample of the blow-down gas stream for analysis by FTIR spectroscopy. This technique gives more detailed information about the contamination than the pre-samphng technique, but does not have the ability to detect highly reactive or unstable contaminants. Also, little information is obtained about the temporal profile of the contaminants during the blow-down process. The third technique uses a rapid-scan mid-infrared diode-laser spectrometer to record the in situ absorption spectrum of a specific chemical contaminant in the flow, at a time resolution of as little as 100(j.s.
Presence of a transcriptionally active glucocorticoid receptor alpha in lens epithelial cells.

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to determine whether lens epithelial cells (LECs) contain a glucocorticoid receptor (GR) that is transcriptionally active and that is able to induce production of known glucocorticoid-inducible proteins. METHODS Protein and mRNA were obtained from human, rabbit, and bovine lens epithelia and from cultured human lens epithelial cells (B3, hLECs) and rabbit lens epithelial cells (N/N1003A, rLECs). Paraffin-embedded sections were prepared from human lenses for immunohistochemical localization of GR. RT-PCR was performed to amplify portions of GR, and the products were sequenced. Protein samples were analyzed by Western blot. hLECs and rLECs were transfected with pTAT3-luc and assayed for luciferase activity after treatment with dexamethasone (Dex) and/or RU486. Dex-treated LECs were also analyzed by quantitative real-time PCR and by Western blot for expression of specific mRNA and proteins. RESULTS By PCR and sequencing, products consistent with GR sequences were obtained from human, rabbit, and bovine lenses and from hLECs and rLECs. The complete GRalpha sequence was obtained from rLECs and was found to be 89% identical with human GR. A 1757-bp 3' fragment of bovine GRalpha cDNA was also amplified from bovine lens. By Western blot, bands of approximately 94 kDa, the expected size of GR, were identified from human, rabbit, and bovine lens samples and from hLECs and rLECs, using anti-GR antibodies. Anti-GR antisera localized GR to both the cytosol of anterior and bow region LECs and to the nuclei of epithelial and early-differentiating lens fiber cells. Luciferase expression was induced in pTAT3-luc-transfected rLECs and hLECs by Dex treatment and this expression was partially (rLECs) or completely (hLECs) blocked by pretreatment with RU486. mRNA levels for type-1 glucocorticoid-induced target genes and also mRNA and protein levels for type-2 genes were upregulated after Dex exposure. CONCLUSIONS The data confirm the existence of GR in hLECs, indicate that GR is present in rLECs, and resolve the controversy over the presence of GR in bovine lens. The GRalpha in hLECs and rLECs was shown to be transcriptionally active and the expression levels in hLECs of mRNAs and proteins known to be regulated by glucocorticoids were modified in these cells by glucocorticoid treatment.
The general factor of personality: What lies beyond?

The residual structure after removing a general factor of personality (GFP) was studied using 77 scales from 8 personality inventories completed by the Eugene-Springfield Community Sample. The GFP itself loaded scales consistent with social effectiveness, such as confidence, self-directedness, empathy, achievement, and low emotional distress. Five remaining factors were rotated orthogonally. They resembled several of the so-called Big Five dimensions, including Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, and Openness to experience. Both the GFP and the supplemental factors were related to others’ ratings of the respondents, participation in specific activities, and several demographic variables.
Are Researchers Ethically Obligated to Report Suspected Child Maltreatment? A Critical Analysis of Opposing Perspectives

A number of authors have commented on the topic of mandated reporting in cases of suspected child maltreatment and the application of this requirement to researchers. Most of these commentaries focus on the interpretation of current legal standards and offer opinions for or against the imposition of mandated reporting laws on research activities. Authors on both sides of the issue offer ethical arguments, although a direct comparison and analysis of these opposing arguments is rare. This article critically examines the ethical arguments made by authors on both sides of the debate. The conclusion is reached that researchers should be mandated reporters of child maltreatment because the current arguments do not justify their exclusion from current ethical and legal standards. The author makes recommendations for the ethically responsible conduct of research in regard to this topic and legal implications are discussed.
A role for K268 in V2R folding

The V2 vasopressin receptor, a member of the rhodopsin subfamily of GPCRs, mediates arginine vasopressin control of water reabsorption in the kidney by activating Gs. Requirement of the third intracellular loop of the V2R for Gs activation was identified by introducing V2R segments into the Gq coupled V1aR [Liu, J. and Wess, J. (1996) J. Biol. Chem. 271, 8772–8778]; the same approach recognized glutamate 231 and glutamine 225 at the amino terminus of loop 3i as being needed for signal transduction. Site-directed mutagenesis of the V2R confirmed their observations. Recently, we found that a positively charged amino acid at codon 268 is essential for V2R expression, although a double-mutant bearing lysine at position 231 and glutamic acid at position 268 was expressed at higher levels than the wild type V2R and displayed unchanged ligand-binding affinity. Ligand-induced internalization and phosphorylation of the double-mutant receptor was indistinguishable from that observed with the wild type protein but signaling activity was greatly diminished. The data suggested these two amino acids might interact with each other and might play a role in promoting GDP/GTP exchange.
F2-isoprostane and neuron-specific enolase in cerebrospinal fluid after severe traumatic brain injury in infants and children.

It has been hypothesized that oxidative stress plays an important role in mediating secondary damage after traumatic brain injury (TBI). To study the relationship between lipid peroxidation, clinic...
Length distributions of single-stranded DNA in Chinese hamster ovary cells

Abstract The distribution of lengths of single-strand DNA in Chinese hamster ovary cells in the G1 phase of the cell cycle has been observed for various conditions of cell lysis and incubation of the lysates. The method of analysis was band sedimentation through a self-generating density gradient, a technique developed originally for the analytical ultracentrifuge, but modified here for the preparative ultracentrifuge so that measurements of sedimentation coefficients could be made under conditions that minimize shearing of the single-stranded DNA. The effect of rotor speed dependence of the sedimentation coefficient is considered in developing the relation between the sedimentation coefficient and molecular weight for this technique. Special precautions were taken to ensure that complete separation of long single strands took place upon alkaline denaturation, to preclude the possibility of anomalous sedimentation due to interstrand entanglement. Bromodeoxyuridine was incorporated into the DNA in the last round of replication. Advantage was taken of the increased sensitivity to ultraviolet irradiation for the production of single-strand breaks in DNA strands substituted with bromodeoxyuridine. After irradiation the bromodeoxyuridine-substituted strand could be completely separated from the complementary strand in alkaline sedimentation profiles without any apparent breakage in the unsubstituted strand. The conditions of lysis, chosen to minimize the degradation of DNA in the lysates, included lysis at pH 9.3 with Pronase and lysis at high pH (10.8 and 12.0). Sedimentation analysis was performed at various time intervals after incubation at 4 °C or 37 °C. Lysis and incubation at pH 12.0 produced a continuous single-strand breakdown of the DNA in the lysate. Analysis of the sedimentation profiles indicates that these alkaline-induced breaks are randomly distributed. However, lysis and incubation at pH 10.8 and at pH 9.3 with Pronase produced stable sedimentation profiles with number-average molecular weights of 1.7 × 108 and 6.0 × 107, respectively. Analysis of the single-strand DNA sedimentation profiles for these lysates indicates that the distribution of lengths of single-stranded DNA is non-random, i.e. that the distributions may represent regular subunits of chromosomal DNA structure. Suggestive evidence is presented that the approximately 60-μm units are structurally alternated in the two chains. The possible origin of the discontinuities between the subunits is also discussed.
Roles of Recurrence in Neural Control Architectures

ABSTRACT In this paper we discuss the means by which recurrent connections are used in neural control system architectures. Wefirst consider the state feedback approach to control and the role of recurrent neural networks for plant modeling andcontrol. In this context, we provide an explicit formulation for the computation of dynamic derivatives in recurrent neural network architectures as required for training by the dynamic gradient method. For ifiustration, we applydynamic gradient methods to train recurrent neural network controllers for a series of cart-pole problems with the simultaneous objectives of pole balancing and cart centering. 1 Introduction The application of &tIfiCIal neural networks to problems in the control of nonlinear dynamical y8tems has beendominated largely by static neural architectures trained by gradient descent. These neural control architectures canroughly be categorized as belonging to one of two classee. The most common architecture considered is the multilayerperceptron architecture (or simply MLP network), consisting oflayers of nodes arranged in a feedforward fashion, suchthat the outputs of nod in a layer form the inputs to nodes in succeeding layers. These architectures are consideredto encode global
Art at the Mall: A Look at the Aesthetics of Popular Mall Art Culture

Currently there is a scarcity of information in the art education literature about purchasing art. This article examines how art acquires economic and social value, as well as how consumers make decisions when purchasing a piece of art. Where does an art student, or the general public learn about buying art? How much, if any, of this process is happening in the art class? There is an assumption art educators make, that raising some invisible standards of taste leads to greater awareness of art consumption. In this article, the author visits four mall stores to study the aesthetics of art purchase to discuss a number of implications for art teaching. Elitist views of the contemporary art world regarding popular culture and the purchase of art frame the debate. As art educators we ask art students to look at the world as critical consumers; this article then, offers practical approaches for classroom discussions surrounding the purchase of art.
Focal application of hypertonic solutions of sodium chloride on impulse formation in the heart of the dog.

Abstract Focal application of a hypertonic solution of sodium chloride to the atria or ventricles of the exposed heart of the dog leads to the appearance of coupled extrasystoles or short bouts of ectopic paroxysmal tachycardia 5 . When 0.05 c.c. of a 20 per cent solution of sodium chloride is injected into the taenia terminalis, in which the sinus node is situated, and one of the vagus nerves is stimulated in the neck with a faradic current, atrial flutter, atrial fibrillation, or a paroxysmal atrial tachycardia appears 11 . These effects are fleeting, and are observed for 4 to 5 minutes immediately following the injection. This investigation was continued and the effect of injections of the hypertonic solution in two other areas was studied: these areas were the atrioventricular node and the appendix of the left atrium, which is supposedly devoid of specialized automatic fibers.
The impact of red light cameras on crashes within Miami-Dade County, Florida

Objective: To determine the safety effect of red light camera (RLC) programs, this study attempted to estimate its impact on collisions within Miami–Dade County, FloridaMethods: A before–after evaluation using a comparison group along with traffic control correction was employed. Twenty signalized intersections with RLCs that began enforcement on January 1, 2011, were matched to 2 comparison sites located at least 2 miles from camera sites to minimize spillover effect. An empirical Bayes analysis was used to account for potential regression to the mean effects. An index of effectiveness along with 95% confidence intervals were calculated based on the comparison between the estimated and actual number of crashes in the after period.Results: During the first year, RLC sites experienced a marginal decrease in right angle/turn collisions (−3%), a significant increase in rear-end collisions (+40%), and significant decreases in all injury (−19%) and RLR-related injury collisions (−24%). An increase in right ang...
Application of independent component analysis with mixture density model to localize brain alpha activity in fMRI and EEG

Independent component analysis (ICA) is an approach to solve the blind source separation problem. In the original and extended versions of ICA, nonlinearity functions are fixed to have specific density forms such as super-Gaussian or sub-Gaussian, thereby limiting their performance when sources with different classes of densities are mixed in multichannel data. In this article, we have incorporated a mixture density model such that no assumption about source density would be required. We show that this leads to better source separation due to increased flexibility in handling source- densities with flexible parametric nonlinearity. The algorithm was validated through simulation studies and its performance was compared to other versions of ICA. The modified mixture density ICA was then applied to functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and electroencephalography (EEG) data to localize independent sources of alpha activity in the human brain. A good spatial correlation was found in the spatial distribution of alpha sources derived independently from fMRI and EEG, suggesting that spontaneous alpha rhythm can be imaged by fMRI using ICA without concurrent acquisition of EEG. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Imaging Syst Technol 14, 170–180, 2004; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/ima.20021
Quem tem medo de eletrochoque: identidade, terapias convulsivas e mudança organizacional

The faddism of Radical Change Processes (RCP) through the organizationaI identity metaphor and the analogy with Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT).
Photoacoustic detection of breast cancer cells in human blood

ABSTRACT Detection of breast cancer cells in human blood may provide early determination of metastasis, enabling aggres-sive treatment prior to detection by conventional radiographic methods. We developed a photoacoustic owmetrysystem in which we irradiated breast cancer cells in suspension to simulate metastatic breast cancer cells derivedfrom human blood. In order to provide optical discrimination between the breast cancer cells and lymphocytes,we attached antibody labeled latex microspheres and gold nanoparticles to breast cancer cells. The breast cancercells were derived from an estrogen receptor (ER) positive cell line, MCF-7. The particles were conjugated toER antibodies. We irradiated the cell suspension using the photoacoustic owmeter consisting of a glass owchamber with a piezoelectric sensor. We irradiated the suspension at 422 and 530nm and solved a linear systemof equations in two variables to separate the contribution of the photoacoustic wave from the breast cancer cellsand possible erythrocytes that may be present in a patient blood draw. We found a detection threshold of 10breast cancer cells using this owmeter. Future optimization of the system may decrease the detection thresholdto single breast cancer cells.Keywords: antibody, antigen, owmetry, estrogen receptor, optoacoustic
Calibration of VG ESCALAB MkII spectrometer for XPS quantitative analysis

Abstract Calibration of the VG ESCALAB MkII for different operating conditions has been performed. Two behaviours of the transmission function in the CAE mode were deduced using peak intensities of a pure Pt sample. The transmission factor can either be constant or proportional to E −n , where n = 0.65, depending on the experimental conditions.
Targeting parents for the treatment of pediatric obesity in boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy: A case series

Obesity is a major public health concern in children. Obesity occurs frequently in boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), complicating treatment and impairing functioning. Parent-focused interventions to facilitate weight loss have been successful in other pediatric samples but have not been studied with this population. The current investigation examined the feasibility and potential efficacy of parent-focused treatment to improve healthy eating and physical activity of parents and eating and weight in their sons with DMD. Three families participated in this case series. Resulting changes in body weight among boys with DMD were an outcome variable. Findings indicate inconsistent changes in boys’ weight, decreases in parent weight, increases in healthy foods available in the home, and increases in children’s perceived quality of life. Participant ratings of treatment suitability and satisfaction were generally favorable. These preliminary findings support the use of parent-focused psychoeducation for the treatment of obesity in children with DMD.
The future of critical care

Critical care has become an important part of the health care system; however, it still is provided in a heterogeneous, and likely suboptimal, fashion. Future challenges will include providing an adequate workforce; ensuring critical care is delivered to the right patients at the right time; converting advances in our understanding of the biology of critical illness into improved care and outcomes; and partnering successfully with patients, families, and society in forging the critical care of the future.
Reliability Estimation for the Generalized Gamma Distribution and Robustness of the Weibull Model

Two test statistics are suggested for discriminating between the exponential model and the more general Weibull or gamma models, and these are compared to some previously used test statistics by Monte Carlo methods. The results of estimating reliability under an exponential assumption when the true model is Weibull is also investigated. These results as well as the tests mentioned above indicate that the exponential model is often not adequate when the more general models hold. In contrast to this result it was found that the Weibull model was quite robust relative to the generalized gamma distribution with regard to reliability estimation. Some general pivotal function properties are presented for the maximum likelihood estimator of reliability for the generalized gamma distribution and similar results also hold for the Weibull procedure under a generalized gamma assumption. These results made a Monte Carlo study of this problem feasible. Since the maximum likelihood estimators are apparently ill-behaved...
Methods for Study of Neuronal Morphogenesis: Ex vivo RNAi Electroporation in Embryonic Murine Cerebral Cortex

The cerebral cortex directs higher cognitive functions. This six layered structure is generated in an inside-first, outside-last manner, in which the first born neurons remain closer to the ventricle while the last born neurons migrate past the first born neurons towards the surface of the brain1. In addition to neuronal migration2, a key process for normal cortical function is the regulation of neuronal morphogenesis3. While neuronal morphogenesis can be studied in vitro in primary cultures, there is much to be learned from how these processes are regulated in tissue environments. We describe techniques to analyze neuronal migration and/or morphogenesis in organotypic slices of the cerebral cortex4,6. A pSilencer modified vector is used which contains both a U6 promoter that drives the double stranded hairpin RNA and a separate expression cassette that encodes GFP protein driven by a CMV promoter7-9. Our approach allows for the rapid assessment of defects in neurite outgrowth upon specific knockdown of candidate genes and has been successfully used in a screen for regulators of neurite outgrowth8. Because only a subset of cells will express the RNAi constructs, the organotypic slices allow for a mosaic analysis of the potential phenotypes. Moreover, because this analysis is done in a near approximation of the in vivo environment, it provides a low cost and rapid alternative to the generation of transgenic or knockout animals for genes of unknown cortical function. Finally, in comparison with in vivo electroporation technology, the success of ex vivo electroporation experiments is not dependant upon proficient surgery skill development and can be performed with a shorter training time and skill.
Web on the wall: insights from a multimodal interaction elicitation study

New sensing technologies like Microsoft's Kinect provide a low-cost way to add interactivity to large display surfaces, such as TVs. In this paper, we interview 25 participants to learn about scenarios in which they would like to use a web browser on their living room TV. We then conduct an interaction-elicitation study in which users suggested speech and gesture interactions for fifteen common web browser functions. We present the most popular suggested interactions, and supplement these findings with observational analyses of common gesture and speech conventions adopted by our participants. We also reflect on the design of multimodal, multi-user interaction-elicitation studies, and introduce new metrics for interpreting user-elicitation study findings.
Remote, Long-Pathlength Cell for High-Sensitivity Raman Spectroscopy

Fiber optics were used to interface a Raman spectrometer to a long (1 m) sample tube, with the objective being increased sensitivity. Internal reflection of the laser light and the Raman scatter within the sample tube permitted a long solution length to be sampled, increasing the Raman sensitivity by factors of 30-50 over conventional capillary tube sampling systems. In addition, the sample was subjected to much lower power densities than with systems employing a focused beam, thus minimizing radiation damage. Detection limits of 10−9 to 10−8 M were achieved for resonance Raman scatterers, and normal Raman scatterers could be detected at the 1 × 10−5 M level.
Factor VIII polypeptide specificity of monoclonal anti-factor VIII antibodies

Four monoclonal antibodies against factor VIII, NMC-VIII/1, NMC-VIII/2, NMC-VIII/3 and NMC-VIII/4, were produced. The first three antibodies were of the IgG1 immunoglobulin subclass, while the fourth was IgM. The affinity of each antibody for factor VIII was high and antifactor VIII clotting activity was detected in NMC-VIII/2, NMC-VIII/3 and NMC-VIII/4. NMC-VIII/1 had no inhibitory effect on factor VIII clotting activity. Immunoblotting using purified intact and thrombin-treated factor VIII identified the antibodies’factor VIII polypeptide specificities. With thrombin-treated factor VIII the factor VIII fragments for NMC-VIII/1 and NMC-VIII/2 were 80 kDa and 54 kDa, respectively, while both NMC-VIII/3 and NMC-VIII/4 recognised a 44 kDa fragment. With intact factor VIII, antibodies NMC-VIII/2-4 bound to polypeptides larger than 90 kDa, especially NMC-VIII/2, which reacted with a chain of 330 kDa thought to be a mature form of factor VIII protein. We also detected a mature form of factor VIII in hepatic sinusoidal endothelial cells by immunoperoxidase staining. Identification of the factor VIII polypeptides bearing these fragments enabled us to clarify the localization of the factor VIII thrombin cleavage site, and suggested the existence of factor VIII in hepatic sinusoidal endothelial cells.
Structure and Bonding between an Aryl Group and Metal Surfaces

Modifying solid surfaces with aryl groups has many potential applications. Using first principles density functional theory methods, we investigated the trend of the structure and bonding of the phenyl group (C6H5, the simplest aryl group) on selected transition metals across the periodic table. We found that the bond between C6H5 and metal surfaces is chemical in nature. Decreasing bond strength is found from left to right, concurrent with a switching of the preferred orientation for C6H5 from the flat-lying configuration to the upright configuration. This switching is attributed to the increasing of d-electrons; that is, early transition metals, lacking d-electrons, favor the carbon−metal π-bond and therefore the flat-lying configuration, while late transition metals rich in d-electrons prefer the carbon−metal σ-bond and thus the upright fashion. C6H5 is also found to undergo β-dehydrogenation on early transition metals. This work invites further theoretical and experimental research on the aryl−solid i...
Induction of photorespiration by light in the centric diatom Thalassiosira weissflogii (Bacillariophyceae): Molecular characterization and physiological consequences

Glycine decarboxylase (GDC) is a multi-subunitenzyme that plays a key role in the photorespiratorypathway. A cDNA (GDCT) with a deduced aminoacid sequence sharing up to 64% homology and50% identity with the T-protein subunit of GDCfrom land plants was identiﬁed from the centricdiatom Thalassiosira weissﬂogii (Grun.) Fryxell etHasle. The effect of light on transcript abundancewas determined using competitive RT-PCR. GDCTmRNA per cell decreased during prolonged darkincubations and was higher in cells grown at higherlight intensities, independent of growth rate. Cellsacclimated to a 12:12-h light:dark cycle maintainedthe same amount of GDCT transcripts before andafter the dark phase, but rapidly increased transcriptlevels in the light with a peak ‘‘mid-day.’’ RapidincreasesinGDCT messageabundancealsooccurredin response to an increase in irradiance. Transcriptabundance of twca1, the gene for carbonic anhy-drase,wasalsomeasuredanddisplayedaslowerandmuch less pronounced response to changes in lightintensity. An HPLC-based method was used to mea-sure the concentration of the photorespiratory-spe-ciﬁc compound glycolate in the culture media. Onlycultures shifted from low subsaturating irradiancesto the highest light intensity released signiﬁcantamounts of glycolate. Our results suggest that quan-tifying GDCT mRNA in conjunction with measure-ments of glycolate will allow us to monitor both theinitiation of photorespiration and its physiologicalconsequences in the marine environment.Key index words: diatom; glycine decarboxylase;glycolate; photorespiration; Thalassiosira weissﬂo-gii; transcriptAbbreviations: CCM, carbon-concentrating mechan-ism; DOC, dissolved organic carbon; GDC, glycinedecarboxylase; GDCT, cDNA for GDC T-protein;RACE, rapid ampliﬁcation of cDNA endsPhotorespiration occurs when O
Stereoscopic display of 3D models for design visualization

Advances in display technology and 3D design visualization applications have made real-time stereoscopic visualization of architectural and engineering projects a reality. Parsons Brinkerhoff (PB) is a transportation consulting firm that has used digital visualization tools from their inception and has helped pioneer the application of those tools to large scale infrastructure projects. PB is one of the first Architecture/Engineering/Construction (AEC) firms to implement a CAVE- an immersive presentation environment that includes stereoscopic rear-projection capability. The firm also employs a portable stereoscopic front-projection system, and shutter-glass systems for smaller groups. PB is using commercial real-time 3D applications in combination with traditional 3D modeling programs to visualize and present large AEC projects to planners, clients and decision makers in stereo. These presentations create more immersive and spatially realistic presentations of the proposed designs. This paper will present the basic display tools and applications, and the 3D modeling techniques PB is using to produce interactive stereoscopic content. The paper will discuss several architectural and engineering design visualizations we have produced.
Numerical study of the velocity effects on the impingement of an acetone droplet on a high-temperature surface

Abstract The process of impact of an acetone droplet upon a hot flat surface is analyzed based on a 3D numerical simulation which considers the evaporation behavior. The 3D level‐set method is utilized to track the droplet surface variation during its deformation. The flow field within the droplet and the surrounding gas phase are solved using the finite volume method with the ALE (Arbitrary Lagrangian Eulerian) technique. The dynamic characteristics of the vapor flow are solved by a vapor flow model that accounts for the lubrication resistant effect of the vapor cushion formed by the film‐boiling evaporation. The heat flux across the vapor layer and the temperature fields in all phases are determined by using a full field heat transfer model. The effects of the impact velocity are illustrated in this study. The spreading and recoiling motions of the impacting droplets are compared at different impact velocities. As the impact velocity increases, the extent of the droplet spreading increases, but the resi...
The Albuquerque, Bernalillo County, New Mexico, Siderite (ECN =+ 1068,350)

In this paper are given details concerning the acquisition of an iron meteorite (siderite) found approximately 13 miles west-southwest of Albuquerque, in Bernalillo County, New Mexico (equatorial coordinate number (ECN) = + 1068,350). The total mass recovered to date is a single specimen weighing 157.3 gm. Mineralogical, chemical, and radiochemical studies have been made, and, on the basis of these investigations, the meteorite is classified as a medium octahedrite (Om). The original belief that this meteorite might be a stray specimen of the Canyon Diablo, Arizona, fall is refuted by the mineralogical, chemical, and radiochemical findings, especially the last two.
The ACPI Climate Change Simulations

The Parallel Climate Model (PCM) has been used in the Accelerated ClimatePrediction Initiative (ACPI) Program to simulate the global climateresponse to projected CO2, sulfate, and other greenhouse gasforcingunder a business-as-usual emissions scenario during the 21st century. In these runs, the oceans were initialized to 1995 conditions by a group from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and other institutions. An ensemble of three model runs was then carried out to the year 2099 using the projected forcing. Atmospheric data fromthese runs were saved at 6-hourly intervals (hourly for certain criticalfields) to support the ACPI objective of accurately modeling hydrologicalcycles over the western U.S. It is shown that the initialization to1995 conditions partly removes the un-forced oceanic temperature and salinity drifts that occurred in the standard 20th century integration. The ACPI runs show a global surface temperature increase of 3–8 °C over northern high-latitudes by the end of the 21st century, and 1–2 °C over the oceans. This is generally within ±0.1°Cof model runs without the 1995 ocean initialization. The exception is in theAntarctic circumpolar ocean where surface air temperature is cooler in theACPI run; however the ensemble scatter is large in this region. Althoughthe difference in climate at the end of the 21st century is minimalbetween the ACPI runs and traditionally spun up runs, it might be largerfor CGCMs with higher climate sensitivity or larger ocean drifts. Ourresults suggest that the effect of small errors in the oceans (such asthose associated with climate drifts) on CGCM-simulated climate changesfor the next 50–100 years may be negligible.