cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
eBP: A Wearable System For Frequent and Comfortable Blood Pressure Monitoring From User's Ear

Frequent blood pressure (BP) assessment is key to the diagnosis and treatment of many severe diseases, such as heart failure, kidney failure, hypertension, and hemodialysis. Current "gold-standard'' BP measurement techniques require the complete blockage of blood flow, which causes discomfort and disruption to normal activity when the assessment is done repetitively and frequently. Unfortunately, patients with hypertension or hemodialysis often have to get their BP measured every 15 minutes for a duration of 4-5 hours or more. The discomfort of wearing a cumbersome and limited mobility device affects their normal activities. In this work, we propose a device called eBP to measure BP from inside the user's ear aiming to minimize the measurement's impact on users' normal activities while maximizing its comfort level. eBP has 3 key components: (1) a light-based pulse sensor attached on an inflatable pipe that goes inside the ear, (2) a digital air pump with a fine controller, and (3) a BP estimation algorithm. In contrast to existing devices, eBP introduces a novel technique that eliminates the need to block the blood flow inside the ear, which alleviates the user's discomfort. We prototyped eBP custom hardware and software and evaluated the system through a comparative study on 35 subjects. The study shows that eBP obtains the average error of 1.8 mmHg and -3.1 mmHg and a standard deviation error of 7.2 mmHg and 7.9 mmHg for systolic (high-pressure value) and diastolic (low-pressure value), respectively. These errors are around the acceptable margins regulated by the FDA's AAMI protocol, which allows mean errors of up to 5 mmHg and a standard deviation of up to 8 mmHg.
Methanol Synthesis from CO2 Hydrogenation over a Potassium-Promoted CuxO/Cu(111) (x ≤ 2) Model Surface: Rationalizing the Potential of Potassium in Catalysis

Alkalis have been reported as a promotor in the heterogeneous catalysis, being able to enhance the activity and selectivity of catalysts. The effective utilization of alkalis in catalyst optimizati...
Deviceless cement-based structures as energy sources that enable structural self-powering

Abstract The use of large deviceless structures present in the civil infrastructure of any city to generate electricity is revolutionary. Cement-based structures are dominant in the civil infrastructure. This paper addresses the feasibility of using cement-based structures without poling or any particular admixture as energy sources. This enables structural self-powering, with applicability to existing and new structures. This performance of the basic cement-based material (cement paste) is reported. It is a true electret (a permanent electric dipole requiring no poling). The DC electric field E in the electret increases with inter-electrode distance l, thus larger structures are more effective. For l = 20 mm, E = 1.4 V/m and the electret discharges upon short-circuiting and charges upon open-circuiting, giving power density 1.9 × 10−4 W/m3, energy density 3.7 × 10−3 J/m3, current density 1.4 × 10−4 A/m2, participating carrier density 4.5 × 1017 m−3 and discharge time 570 s. For large l, large volume, and 72 discharge-charge cycles per day, the energy from a cement-based slab is estimated to be high enough to power dozens of households. With the start of discharge occurring at different times for different parts of a structure, energy can be provided continuously. Pyropermittivity and pyroelectret (effects of temperature on permittivity and E, respectively) enable thermal energy harvesting. Per heating cycle (20–70 °C), the pyropermittivity-based and pyroelectret-based energy densities are 7.9 × 10−7 and 2.5 × 10−8 J/m3, respectively. Pyropermittivity, pyroelectret and pyroresistivity enable temperature self-sensing, with pyroelectret being most sensitive. Upon heating, the 2-kHz permittivity and E increase reversibly by 20% and 120%, respectively, while the DC resistivity decreases reversibly by 80%.
Are Space-making Robots, Agents? Investigations on User Perception of an Embedded Robotic Surface

Novel, "space-making" robots have potential to redefine physical space and the human activities occurring in it. Categorically distinct from many robots and far removed from humanoids, space-making robots are not objects in space, not anthropomorphic, not animal-like, not mobile, but instead, integral with the physical environment, embedded in or forming walls, ceilings, floors, partitions, vehicle interiors, and building envelopes. Given their distinctiveness, space-making robots offer a novel human-machine interaction. This paper investigates whether users perceive space-making robots as agents— artificial social actors characterized by the capacity for intelligence, recognition, and intention. Results of an in-lab experiment with 11 participants and an online, between-group experiment with 120 participants show that people attribute agency metrics of intelligence, intention, recognition, cooperation, collaboration, friendliness, and welcome to our reconfigurable robotic surface embedded in a wall partition. While space-making robots may become numerous in the built environment, our results are significant, moreover, for their broader implications for conceptualizing and designing human-machine interactions.
Predictive Factors of Extended Length of Hospital Stay Following Total Joint Arthroplasty in a Veterans Affairs Hospital Population.

BACKGROUND Improved perioperative care for total joint arthroplasty (TJA) procedures has resulted in decreased hospital length of stay (LOS), including effective discharge on postoperative day (POD) 1 in many patients. It remains unclear what contributes to discharge delay in patients that are not discharged on POD 1. This study investigated factors associated with delayed discharge in patients whose original planned discharge was on POD 1. METHODS A retrospective cohort of 451 patients who underwent a hip or knee TJA procedure from April 2015 to March 2018 with planned discharge on POD 1 was analyzed. Patient characteristics included demographics, lab values, course of treatment, procedure, Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), complications, and other factors. Statistical regression was used to identify factors associated with delayed discharge; odds ratios (OR) were calculated for significant factors (α = 0.05). RESULTS Of those studied, 70/451 (15.5%) experienced a delay from the planned POD 1 discharge. An increased likelihood of delayed discharge was associated with a nonhome discharge (P < .001, OR = 8.72 [95% CI: 4.22-18.06]) and higher CCI (P = .034, OR = 1.16 [95% CI: 1.01-1.32]). Inpatient physical therapy on the day of surgery was found to significantly correlate with successful discharge on POD 1 (P = .004, OR = 0.44 [95% CI: 0.25-0.77]). CONCLUSION Most patients can be discharged on POD 1 after TJA. Physical therapy on the day of surgery increased the likelihood of patients being discharged on POD 1. Those with a higher CCI and a nonhome discharge were more likely to have a discharge delay. This information can help surgeons counsel patients and prepare for postoperative care.
Decreased adipose tissue oxygenation associates with insulin resistance in individuals with obesity

BACKGROUNDData from studies conducted in rodent models have shown that decreased adipose tissue (AT) oxygenation is involved in the pathogenesis of obesity-induced insulin resistance. Here, we evaluated the potential influence of AT oxygenation on AT biology and insulin sensitivity in people.METHODSWe evaluated subcutaneous AT oxygen partial pressure (pO2); liver and whole-body insulin sensitivity; AT expression of genes and pathways involved in inflammation, fibrosis, and branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) catabolism; systemic markers of inflammation; and plasma BCAA concentrations, in 3 groups of participants that were rigorously stratified by adiposity and insulin sensitivity: metabolically healthy lean (MHL; n = 11), metabolically healthy obese (MHO; n = 15), and metabolically unhealthy obese (MUO; n = 20).RESULTSAT pO2 progressively declined from the MHL to the MHO to the MUO group, and was positively associated with hepatic and whole-body insulin sensitivity. AT pO2 was positively associated with the expression of genes involved in BCAA catabolism, in conjunction with an inverse relationship between AT pO2 and plasma BCAA concentrations. AT pO2 was negatively associated with AT gene expression of markers of inflammation and fibrosis. Plasma PAI-1 increased from the MHL to the MHO to the MUO group and was negatively correlated with AT pO2, whereas the plasma concentrations of other cytokines and chemokines were not different among the MHL and MUO groups.CONCLUSIONThese results support the notion that reduced AT oxygenation in individuals with obesity contributes to insulin resistance by increasing plasma PAI-1 concentrations and decreasing AT BCAA catabolism and thereby increasing plasma BCAA concentrations.TRIAL REGISTRATIONClinicalTrials.gov NCT02706262.FUNDINGThis study was supported by NIH grants K01DK109119, T32HL130357, K01DK116917, R01ES027595, P42ES010337, DK56341 (Nutrition Obesity Research Center), DK20579 (Diabetes Research Center), DK052574 (Digestive Disease Research Center), and UL1TR002345 (Clinical and Translational Science Award); NIH Shared Instrumentation Grants S10RR0227552, S10OD020025, and S10OD026929; and the Foundation for Barnes-Jewish Hospital.
Current Recommendations, Controversies, and Potential Novel Approaches in the Treatment of Wilms Tumor

Wilms tumor (WT) is one of the most common renal malignancies in children, comprising about 5% of all childhood cancers. If diagnosed early, WT responds well to appropriate interventions such as surgical resection, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, with a 5 year survival higher than 85%. In this review, we will describe the first-line treatment options for WT, discuss controversies related to particular modes of therapy, and highlight promising advances in molecular biology that may serve as effective therapeutics in the near future. Current treatment protocols for WT include nephrectomy followed by postoperative chemotherapy with or without preoperative chemotherapy. Though both are acceptable forms of treatment, preoperative chemotherapy prior to tumor resection has been shown to reduce tumor size and decrease the risk of intraoperative tumor rupture. Preoperative transcatheter arterial chemoembolization has also been shown to improve tumor resections and relapse-free survival rates, potentially providing an additive method to improve WT outcomes. Radical nephrectomy is the mainstay surgical treatment for WT, however evidence suggests that partial nephrectomies may be an equally viable option. Radiotherapy traditionally utilizes the anteroposterior-posteroanterior field technique, but recent advances have allowed for tumor-specific targeting and sparing of non-neoplastic tissues using intensity-modulated radiation therapy and volumetric-modulated arc therapy. Lastly, potential targets for future therapy include the β-catenin pathway, which has been found to be important in the development of WT, in addition to advances in applying microRNA, M6620, and stem cell therapy.
Outcomes of Total Hip Arthroplasty Via the Direct Anterior vs Alternative Approaches for Acute Femoral Neck Fractures

Abstract Background Total hip arthroplasty (THA) performed for displaced femoral neck fractures (FNF) is becoming a more frequent treatment in the active elderly population. The complication profiles associated with THA surgical approaches in the fracture setting are unclear. The purpose of this study was to compare a series of THA for FNF performed via the direct anterior (DA) approach vs alternative approaches (anterolateral and posterolateral). Methods A retrospective review identified 52 patients who underwent primary THA for FNF between 2009 and 2018, including 20 via the DA approach and 32 by alternative approaches. All procedures were exclusively performed by high-volume arthroplasty surgeons. Perioperative results, complications, and clinical outcomes were compared with those of routine statistical methods. Mean follow-up duration was 3 years (range, 1-8). Results The average age was 74 years (range, 57-92) with similar baseline characteristics between the 2 groups (P = .09). The DA cohort demonstrated significantly shorter length of stay (3 days vs 5 days, P Conclusion The DA approach to THA performed for FNF appears safe with improved outcomes compared with alternative approaches. Larger studies are needed to verify these results.
Predictors and Outcomes of U.S. Quality Maternity Leave: A Review and Conceptual Framework:

Maternity leave includes the time that mothers take off from work to care for their baby and heal after childbirth. The United States’ maternity leave provisions lag behind other industrialized cou...
PV in the Circular Economy, A Dynamic Framework Analyzing Technology Evolution and Reliability Impacts

Summary Rapid, terawatt-scale deployment of photovoltaic (PV) modules is required to decarbonize the energy sector. Despite efficiency and manufacturing improvements, material demand will increase, eventually resulting in waste as deployed modules reach end of life. Circular choices for decommissioned modules could reduce waste and offset virgin materials. We present PV ICE, an open-source python framework using modern reliability data which tracks module material flows throughout PV lifecycles. We provide dynamic baselines capturing PV module and material evolution. PV ICE includes multimodal end of life, circular pathways, and manufacturing losses. We present a validation of the framework and a sensitivity analysis. Results show that manufacturing efficiencies strongly affect material demand, representing >20% of the 9 million tonnes of waste cumulatively expected by 2050. Reliability and circular pathways represent the best opportunities to reduce waste by 56% while maintaining installed capacity. Shorter-lived modules generate 81% more waste and reduce 2050 capacity by 6%.
Private Sector Corruption

What is private sector corruption? A flippant answer would be anything that the losing party in a job or tender selection process says it is, since there is that old saying that one person's corruption (or patronage, nepotism) is another's rightful meritocracy! This column explores how the definition of private sector corruption should be rethought.
Fast Atom Bombardment Mass Spectrometry: Application to Peptide Structural Analysis

Study of structure-function relationships for biological molecules is a central theme of contemporary biomedical research. Once isolated and purified, these molecules require structural characterization before they can be used effectively to study their function in the living organism. One important subset, polypeptides, are often only available in picomole quantities. To structurally analyze these small quantities has been one goal of protein chemistry. Several methods have been developed to determine the amino acid composition, amino, acid sequence, and covalent chemical structure of polypeptides. Amino acid analysis requires only picomoles of polypeptide 1. The amino acid sequence for a polypeptide can be determined from picomole amounts by automated sequential Edman degradation followed by high performance liquid chromatographic identification of the resulting phenylthiohydantoin amino acids 2. The molecular weight and other covalent structures can be inferred from the mass spectrum of picomoles of the polypeptide. Integration of these technologies is useful in providing structural information about these small quantities.
k-Transition Solutions for k > 2

The methods of Chap. 7 can be extended to construct multitransition solutions of (PDE) fork > 2. These solutions will be heteroclinic in x1 from v0 to w 0 (or from w0 to v0) and periodic in x2,..., xn if k is odd while if k is even, they will be homoclinic to v0 (or to w0) in x1 and periodic in x2,..., xn.
Aesthetic Vision and German Romanticism: Writing Images

The work of the groundbreaking writers and artists of German Romanticism -- including the writers Tieck, Brentano, and Eichendorff and the artists Caspar David Friedrich and Philipp Otto Runge -- followed from the philosophical arguments of the German Idealists, who placed emphasis on exploring the subjective space of the imagination. The Romantic perspective was a form of engagement with Idealist discourses, especially Kant's Critique of Pure Reason and Fichte's Science of Knowledge. Through an aggressive, speculative reading of Kant, the Romantics abandoned the binary distinction between the palpable outer world and the ungraspable space of the mind's eye and were therefore compelled to develop new terms for understanding the distinction between "internal" and "external." In this light, Brad Prager urges a reassessment of some of Romanticism's major oppositional tropes, contending that binaries such as "self and other," "symbol and allegory," and "light and dark," should be understood as alternatives to Lessing's distinction between interior and exterior worlds. Prager thus crosses the boundaries between philosophy, literature, and art history to explore German Romantic writing about visual experience, examining the interplay of text and image in the formulation of Romantic epistemology. Brad Prager is Associate Professor of German at the University of Missouri, Columbia.
Optimum Customer Based Specification: Part of DFSS Case Study

Maximizing customer satisfaction is one key factor for marketing success. It is crucial to have engineering specifications reflecting customer expectations. This paper describes the strategy and methodologies used to generate optimum engineering specification in a case study. This study is part of the DFSS project, which focused on electrical delay time prior to engine crank.
The Roles of MHC Class II, CD40, and B7 Costimulation in CTL Induction by Plasmid DNA

DNA-based vaccines generate potent CTL responses. The mechanism of T cell stimulation has been attributed to plasmid-transfected dendritic cells. These cells have also been shown to express plasmid-encoded proteins and to become activated by surface marker up-regulation. However, the increased surface expression of CD40 and B7 on these dendritic cells is insufficient to overcome the need for MHC class II-restricted CD4(+) T cell help in the priming of a CTL response. In this study, MHC class II(-/-) mice were unable to generate a CTL response following DNA immunization. This deficit in CTL stimulation by MHC class II-deficient mice was only modestly restored with CD40-activating Ab, suggesting that there were other elements provided by MHC class II-restricted T cell help for CTL induction. CTL activity was also augmented by coinjection with a vector encoding the costimulatory ligand B7.1, but not B7.2. These data indicate that dendritic cells in plasmid DNA-injected mice require conditioning signals from MHC class II-restricted T cells that are both CD40 dependent and independent and that there are different roles for costimulatory molecules that may be involved in inducing optimal CTL activity.
Oral tolerance: mechanisms and therapeutic applications.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the mechanisms and therapeutic applications of oral tolerance. The most striking characteristic of the gut mucosa is the abundance of the lymphoid tissue associated with it. There are 10 12 lymphoid cells per meter of human small intestine. Cell surface molecules and cytokines associated with inductive events in the gut that generate and modulate oral tolerance are not completely understood. Three major immunological consequences of oral antigen administration are described in the chapter—namely, (1) a local (noninflammatory) immune response resulting in the production of secretory immunoglobulin A (IgA), (2) a systemic inflammatory response with the generation of serum-specific antibodies, and (3) a systemic state of hyporesponsiveness to the antigen, termed “oral tolerance.” The first two outcomes are often referred to as “oral immunization,” although represent distinct phenomena. It appears that the clinical applications of oral antigen for the treatment of human conditions depend on the specific disease and the nature and dosages of proteins administered and might be benefitted from the use of synergists or mucosal adjuvants to enhance biologic effects.
Electronic states of PCl2 and PCl2

Abstract Spectroscopic constants and potential energy curves of several electronic states of PCl 2 (X 2 B 1 , 2 A 1 (I), 2 A 1 (II), 2 A 2 , 2 Pg, 4 Pg, 2 B 2 4 Σ g − , 4 B 1 , 2 B 1 (II)), 2 B 1 (III)) and PCl 2 + ( 1 A 1 , 3 B 1 and 1 B 1 ) have been investigated using the complete active space self-consistent field (CASSCF) followed by multi-reference singles and doubles configuration interaction (MRSDCI) methods that included up to 1.2 million configurations. The bond dissociation energies of PCl and PCl 2 as well as the adiabatic ionization energy of PCl 2 are computed. The observed A−X system is reassigned to the A 2 B 2 −X 2 B 1 transition.
Identifying facile and accurate methods to measure the thickness of the active layers of thin-film composite membranes – A comparison of seven characterization techniques

Abstract Despite the important role played by active layer thickness in the performance of thin-film composite (TFC) membranes, and in the understanding of the intrinsic transport properties (i.e., permeability, and water and solute partition and diffusion coefficients) of active layers, there is no study in the peer-reviewed literature evaluating whether existing measurement techniques provide consistent results among each other. Thus, we compared active layer thickness results obtained for each of six commercial TFC membranes with seven measurement techniques, including four techniques commonly used in the literature (scanning electron microscopy – SEM, transmission electron microscopy – TEM, atomic force microscopy – AFM, Rutherford backscattering spectrometry – RBS) and three non-commonly used techniques (quartz crystal microbalance – QCM, profilometry and ellipsometry). The six membranes tested covered performance levels ranging from nanofiltration to seawater reverse osmosis. Our results showed that AFM, RBS, QCM, profilometry and ellipsometry produced consistent results among each other, and thus likely provide the most accurate thickness results. SEM and TEM produced thickness results that were greater than those obtained with the five non-electron microscopy techniques, thus suggesting that SEM and TEM should only be used for rough estimates of active layer thickness. On the basis of nine different factors used to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of the measurement techniques, ellipsometry was found to be the most advantageous technique for measuring active layer thickness. Results for active layer thickness and mass were used to obtain experimental estimates of the density of polyamide active layers, which for uncoated polyamide layers was found to be 1.26±0.21 g cm−3.
Comparison of laparoendoscopic single site (LESS) and conventional laparoscopic donor nephrectomy at a single institution

What's known on the subject? and What does the study add? Most transplant centres harvest living donor kidneys via a conventional laparoscopic surgical approach. Laparoendoscopic single-site donor nephrectomy (LESS-DN) is a relatively novel minimally invasive approach that allows the surgery to be performed via a single incision. This technique may be advantageous in decreasing surgical morbidity and improving cosmetic outcomes, thus plausibly reducing the barriers to kidney donation. The study demonstrates the safety and feasibility of LESS-DN in a large consecutive series of kidney donors. Comparative analysis between LDN and LESS-DN showed that there was a significant decrease in intra-operative blood loss and allograft warm ischaemia time in the LESS-DN group, but also a significant increase in operating time. Other peri-operative outcomes were similar between the two approaches. Evaluation of the LESS-DN cases alone revealed that, the operating times did not significantly change through the course of the series. Using this outcome as a surrogate for technical difficulty suggests a relatively shallow learning curve for LESS-DN. Objective To present a comparative analysis of peri-operative outcomes for >200 cases of conventional laparoscopic donor nephrectomy (LDN) and laparoendoscopic single site donor nephrectomy (LESS-DN). Patients and Methods From 2006 to 2011, 213 donor nephrectomies were performed by two surgeons (R.E.L and W.A.M.) at a tertiary transplant centre. The approach changed from conventional LDN to LESS-DN over the course of the series. The two approaches were compared retrospectively and evaluated for differences in peri-operative outcomes. Statistical significance was assessed using Student's t-test and chi-squared analysis. Results A total of 111 patients underwent LDN and 102 patients underwent LESS-DN. Total operating time was significantly longer in the LESS-DN group (206.1 vs 181.9 min, P < 0.001), but LESS-DN resulted in less intra-operative blood loss (61.5 mL vs 85.9 mL, P < 0.001) and shorter warm ischaemia times (4.4 vs 5.0 min, P = 0.01). There were no significant differences in analgesic requirements, subjective pain scores, length of hospital stay, postoperative graft function, or donor's postoperative glomerular filtration rate between the two approaches. Complication rates were low regardless of the approach, and there were no major complications (>grade II) in the LESS-DN group. Conclusions In experienced hands, LESS-DN results in peri-operative outcomes similar to those of conventional LDN without compromising donor safety, while providing a desirable cosmetic result. For surgeons familiar with LDN, transitioning to the LESS approach using this technique appears to have a relatively short learning curve.
Relating linearity test results to design flaws of pipelined analog to digital converters

This paper is an analysis of linearity errors inherent in pipelined analog to digital converter (ADC) architectures. We explain the architecture, demonstrate the error mechanisms affecting linearity test results, and compare the behavioral DC model linearity data to actual test data. Design and process shortcomings are illustrated in a "cause and effect" fashion. The goal is to help "design debug" by relating the ATE generated integral nonlinearity plots to actual design flaws of the converter.
Larval Brachyuran Crab Timing and Distribution in Relation to Water Properties and Flow in a High-Latitude Estuary

Crab larval dispersal and, thus, adult population size can be influenced by oceanographic conditions, especially in highly dynamic and variable environments such as high-latitude estuaries. This study's primary goal was to understand larval timing, abundance, and distribution in relation to oceanographic effects between the more estuarine inner and more oceanic outer part of the subarctic estuary of Kachemak Bay (south-central Alaska, USA). Temperature and salinity measurements and plankton tows were taken along the boundary between the two bay parts from 31 March to 28 October 2008 on spring and neap tides. Summer water flow and stratification in Kachemak Bay were chiefly buoyancy driven, and predominant flow patterns were not affected by the large tidal range in the region. Larvae of seven brachyuran species were found over the sampling period, with seasonally different peak abundances. Larval spatial distribution patterns, presence of most larval stages for each species, and their seasonal timing and persistence within the water column suggest that most species are locally transported within or close to Kachemak Bay. The larval assemblage was correlated with seasonal changes in water temperature, and peak abundances of some species coincided with spring tides and/or frontal systems between the in- and outflow regions of the bay. The strong influence of freshwater on the local circulation pattern in the summer indicates that larval transport will likely be strongly affected by future changes in glacial melt and precipitation.
JIT and supply chain management: an information processing perspective

Recently, as part of the restructuration of the global economy, new technologies and new consumer trends have led to changes in markets around the world. Based on this restructuration, some markets have faced extremely high degrees of competition, which led to the emergence of new concepts in the productive sector. One of the most important concepts was the spread of JIT systems outside Japan in the early 80s. Currently, another prominent concept, named supply-chain management is emerging In this paper, I take an information processing perspective to analyze both and conclude that, although complementary in dealing with uncertainties, both use different information processing strategies. Understanding the concepts and the relationship between them is important to their further development and diffusion among practioners and scholars' communities.
In-beam gamma-ray spectroscopy with exotic beams at the NSCL

Projectile fragmentation provides radioactive beams at intermediate velocities (v/c = 0.3-0.5) by physical means of fragment separation. With the development of position-sensitive photon detectors it has become possible to measure the energies and directions of photons emitted in-flight from such fast-moving exotic beams. This allows the reconstruction of the photons' energies emitted from an exotic projectile with high accuracy. It can be advantageous to employ photon detection in experiments with exotic beams since photons can traverse matter easily and their attenuation can be calculated. Experiments with standard luminosities can be carried out at intermediate beam energies with thick secondary targets (order of g/cm2) and very low incident beam rates (order of particle/s or less). Experimental success in this field is strongly correlated with the development of photon detectors such as position-sensitive scintillation detectors or segmented germanium detectors. In-beam gamma-ray spectroscopy of fast exotic beams has been successfully used at all projectile fragmentation facilities in intermediate-energy heavy-ion inelastic scattering experiments, knockout reactions and fragmentation reactions. Here, we focus on experimental results for neutron-rich exotic nuclei in the π(sd )-shell. Measurements and detector developments carried out at the NSCL at Michigan State University during the last four years are discussed.
Abstract PD02-07: Impact of Mesenchymal Stem Cells on Radiation Therapy Response

Background: Radiation increases engraftment of human bone-marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) in tumors and this effect is augmented following repeated doses of radiation. We have recently demonstrated that MSC increase formation of mammospheres, which are enriched with radiation resistant tumor-initiating cells. Thus, we hypothesized that MSC may impact radiation therapy response through enhanced survival of tumor-initiating cells. Materials & Methods: To evaluate the impact of MSC on radiation response we performed in vitro clonogenic survival assays using 2D and 3D clonogenic assays. Colony (2D) and sphere (3D) formation was quantified following irradiation of different cell lines (breast, lung, head and neck and cervix) at 2, 4 and 6 Gy in the presence of MSC conditioned media. In vivo, MSC were co-injected subcutaneously at increasing percentages with 4T1 murine breast cancer cells in BALB/c mice. The effects of MSC on radiation response were evaluated by examination of tumor size and weight following tumor irradiation at 2 and 5 Gy. Results: In vitro 2D clonogenic cell survival assays demonstrated that MSC conditioned media increased survival of breast (MDA231), lung (H460), head and neck (HN5), and cervical (SiHa) cancer cells following irradiation with 2 and 4 Gy as compared to control fibroblast conditioned media. Moreover, MSC conditioned media increased the number of HMLE (breast normal ephitelial cells) and SUM149 (breast cancer cells) mammospheres formed (55 vs 195and 263 vs 1054, respectively) and increased clonogenic survival of mammospheres after 2, 4 and 6 Gy compared to serum-free media. In vivo, irradiation with 5 Gy reduced murine breast 4T1tumors weight by 75% as compared to control untreated tumors. However, tumors co-injected with MSC did not significantly respond to 5 Gy. Discussion: MSC increase tumor resistance to radiation therapy in vivo and in vitro in 2D and 3D cultures. This effect is mediated at least in part by paracrine factors secreted by MSC. Our results here described suggest that MSC secrete factors which activate survival pathways on cancer cells exposed to sub-lethal radiation doses. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2010;70(24 Suppl):Abstract nr PD02-07.
Characterization of transmitter release as a response of vertebrate neural tissue to erythrosin B.

Abstract A rat cerebral cortical slice preparation was used to study the response of transmitter release to the application of the food dye, Erythrosin B, a tetraiodinated derivative of fluorescein. Erythrosin B (100 μM) stimulated net release of previously taken up [ 3 H]norepinephrine and [ 3 H]γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA). The Erythrosin-induced release of GABA (the only transmitter studied) occured in the absence of added Ca 2+ , and in the presence of tetrodotoxin (TTX). Ultrastructural analysis of the vesicle content of frog neuromuscular junctions treated with Erythrosin B revealed a diminution in the number of synaptic vesicles present in the nerve terminal. By using fluorescein and some halogen-substituted derivatives including Erythrosin B, it was found that incubation with the unhalogenated compound caused no net release, whereas incubation with the iodine-, chlorine- or bromine-substituted compound did cause release. It was found that somewhat greater release induced by Erythrosin B (at 100 μM) occurred in the light than in the dark. That Erythrosin B inhibits the Na + , K + , Mg 2+ -ATPase was confirmed in this preparation; it did so in both light and dark. The discrepancy between release and Na + , K + , Mg 2+ -ATPase blockade in the dark suggests that release either occurs by some other mechanism than by Na + , K + , Mg 2+ -ATPase blockade, or that an additional light-dependent process contributes to the release. We conclude that Erythrosin B can presumably induce net release of transmitters generally, that release does not occur via the TTX-sensitive Na + channel, that release via vesicles does occur, and that light somewhat enhances the release.
Rebound excitation (Off-responses) following non-neural suppression in the cochleas of echolocating bats

Auditory nerve evoked potential responses (N1) occur at the termination of tone pips as well as the onset in several species of bats that emit orientation sounds having a constant frequency component of several msec duration. 2. These “off”-responses are present only in a narrow band of frequencies around the emitted constant frequency. The “on”-response is most sensitive at slightly lower or higher frequencies and shows a relative null at the best frequency for the “off” (Fig. 2). 3. The “off”-response is similar in waveform to the “on” response, and follows the termination of a tone pip with a latency (0.9 ±0.1 msec) indistinguishable from that with which the “on”-response follows the onset of the signal (Fig. 1). 4. “Off”-responses are seen at signal durations as short as 0.5msec and are typically maximal with a signal duration of only 2 msec. Summation of “on” and “off” responses at durations shorter than 1.5 msec suggests that separate populations of units are contributing to the two responses. 5. Many single units at higher neural levels respond only to the “off ” of a signal of the frequency that produces an N1 “off ” evoked potential, and only to the onset of a slightly lower frequency that produces a maximal “on” evoked potential (Fig. 3). 6. A frequency that produces “off”-responses can either suppress or enhance the “on”-response to a lower frequency tone pip, depending on the relative intensity of the two sounds (Fig. 4). The suppression probably represents a form of two-tone inhibition comparable to that seen in other mammals. Similar enhancement has not been reported in other mammals, however. The “off”-response appears to represent rebound excitation of cells tuned to slightly lower frequencies than the suppressant tone. 7. The “off”-response is most sensitive to masking by frequencies that elicit maximal “on”-responses, well below those that produce a maximal “off”-response (Fig. 5). 8. It is concluded that the suppression is unlikely to be mediated by chemical neural inhibition. The properties of the “off” response appear compatible with a mechanism whereby vibration of a certain part of the basilar partition causes an electrical or mechanical bias that reduces spontaneous activity in a population of primary fibers innervating an adjacent part of the partition, possibly by reducing tonic hair cell transmitter release, with termination of this suppression resulting in synchonous resumption of spontaneous firing at normal or greater than normal rate. 9. The apparent function of this interaction in the constant frequency emitting bats is a peripheral sharpening of frequency resolution, and a “sensitization” of primary afferent pathways to the lower frequencies of the downward sweep at the end of the emitted pulses.
Determination of disodium edetate dihydrate in streptomycin by atomic absorption spectrophotometry

An atomic absorption method was developed for determining disodium edetate dihydrate (I) in the antibiotic streptomycin. It is free of phosphate interference and has a reproducibility of ±1.3 μg/g and a limit of detection near 4 μg/g. Quantitation involves the formation of a nickel-I complex, release of the complexed nickel by pH adjustment, and the determination of nickel by atomic absorption. The amount of nickel determined is directly proportional to the amount of I.
Patients Seeking Alternatives to the Long Waiting List: A Reality Faced by Transplant Physicians:

The need for deceased donor organs for kidney transplantation in the United States continues to increase. The increasing demand has fueled desperate attempts by patients to circumvent the long waiting list of the United Network for Organ Sharing. We report 4 patients with end-stage kidney disease who sought and obtained a live donor kidney transplant outside the United States. In each case, a nephrologist was following up with the patient regularly. Each patient experienced significant unexpected adverse events after the transplant surgery. Desperate attempts to obtain an organ are common and are likely to continue. Although patients with end-stage renal disease who obtain an organ transplant at an unregulated transplant center can have successful outcomes, transplant physicians should be aware of the common practice and should advise their patients of potential complications associated with acquisition of organs through means that circumvent standard oversight by the United Network for Organ Sharing and ...
ON THE NEED FOR CONVERSATION IN THE FAMILY THERAPY FIELD

It is argued that the field of family therapy has entered a period which is characterized by a considerable absence of conversation. Such a lack hinders the field's development and increasingly saps its vitality. It is proposed that there be an annual working conference, founded on conversation and dialogue, which would rigorously examine (one at a time) the core issues of the field. It is further proposed that the papers and discussions at each conference be published as an annual monograph.
Decomposition Cascades of Dicoordinate Copper(I) Chalcogenides

Cu–E, Si–E, and Cu–P bond energies of R3PCuESiR3 and CuESiR3 complexes (E = O, S, Se) have been investigated using PBE density-functional calculations, and including empirical corrections for dispersive interactions (DFT-D). The bond energies have been used to investigate likely pathways of molecular decomposition. The energy profile for thermal decomposition is to a large degree independent of the nature of the phosphane ligands and silyl groups. Oxides, sulfides, and selenides have qualitatively the same thermal decomposition profile. Thermal decomposition is not likely to produce copper chalcogenide units CuE, but elemental copper Cu instead. Consideration of intermolecular van der Waals attraction suggests that the linear geometry of system tBu3PCuOSiPh3 as found in the crystal is most likely due to crystal packing and intermolecular forces.(© Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2007)
Conformation of comb-like liquid crystal polymers in isotropic solution probed by small-angle neutron scattering

The conformational characteristics of a comb-like side-chain liquid crystal polysiloxane (SCLCP), dissolved in deuterated chloroform, were evaluated by small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) measurements over a wide q range. SANS studies were carried out on specimens with constant backbone length (DP = 198) and variable spacer length (n = 3, 5, and 11), and with constant spacer length (n = 5) and variable DP (45, 72, 127, and 198). The form factor P(q) at high q was analyzed using the wormlike chain model with finite cross-sectional thickness (Rc) and taking into account the molecular weight polydispersity. The analysis generated values of persistence length in the range lp = 28–32 A, considerably larger than that of the unsubstituted polysiloxane chain (lp = 5.8 A), with contour lengths per monomer comparable to the fully-extended polysiloxane backbone (lm = 2.9 A). This indicates a relatively rigid SCLCP chain due to the influence of the densely attached mesogenic groups. The SCLCP with n = 11 is more flexible (lp = 28 A) than those with n = 3 and n = 5 (lp = 32 A). The cross-sectional thickness increases with spacer length, Rc ∼ n0.21±0.02 (3 ≤ n ≤ 11), and the contour length per monomer decreases with increasing spacer length, lm ∼ n−0.35±0.01. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 44: 2412–2424, 2006
pH dependence of the active site of horseradish peroxidase compound II

Using X-ray absorption spectroscopy, we investigated the active site of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) compound II at two different pH values. The results indicate that the bond length of the sixth coordinated ligand of the active site was 1.90 +/- 0.02 A at pH 7, decreasing to 1.72 +/- 0.02 A at pH 10. The average iron-to-pyrrole nitrogen and the proximal ligand bond lengths showed no significant changes. The position of higher coordination shells around the iron center changed, implying that some movement or deformation of nearby amino acid residues and/or of the heme occurred. Results of this study suggest that the decrease of the Fe-O bond length of HRP compound II at the higher pH might be attributed to the loss of a hydrogen bond which is present between the oxygen ligand and an amino acid residue in the heme pocket at pH 7.
Echocardiographic study of the cardiac involvement in rheumatoid arthritis.

Echocardiograms of high quality were obtained in 26 patients with classic or definite rheumatoid arthritis by the criteria of the American Rheumatism Association, but with no evidence of overt heart disease. The echocardiograms were analyzed for evidence of pericardial disease. The E-to-F slope was determined to assess the mitral valve, and multiple indices of left ventricular performance were determined. Only four patients with rheumatoid arthritis (15 percent) had evidence compatible with pericardial thickening or small effusion. None had significant abnormality of the E-to-F slope; the mean values of the E-to-F slope were not different from controls (101±28 vs 100±22 mm/sec). The mean velocity of circumferential fiber shortening (Vcf) was lower in the patients with rheumatoid arthritis as a group (1.13±0.17 vs 1.34±0.17 circumferences per second in controls; P
Far-infrared studies of induced superconductivity in quantum wells

Recent work on peridic SNS microstructures, in which a superconductor grating contacts an underlying InAs quantum well, has demonstrated that supercurrents can flow across the strips of quasi-two-dimensional electron gas between the superconductor grating lines. Here we show that the loss of DC resistance is accompanied by the emergence of striking features in the samples' excitation spectra, for energies below ∼ 2†. Although such series weak-link structures may display a Josephson plasmon resonance, the changes in the samples' far-infrared transmission in an applied H field appear to be inconsistent with the behavior expected for this mode. The transmission spectra also differ from the form expected for an energy gap in the quantum well strips between adjacent superconductor lines. We speculate that the observed absorption features instead arise from transitions between quasi-particle states produced by Andreev reflections at the superconductor/InAs interfaces.
Security Analysis of Selected AMI Failure Scenarios Using Agent Based Game Theoretic Simulation

Information security analysis can be performed using game theory implemented in dynamic Agent Based Game Theoretic (ABGT) simulations. Such simulations can be verified with the results from game theory analysis and further used to explore larger scale, real world scenarios involving multiple attackers, defenders, and information assets. We concentrated our analysis on the Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) functional domain which the National Electric Sector Cyber security Organization Resource (NESCOR) working group has currently documented 29 failure scenarios. The strategy for the game was developed by analyzing five electric sector representative failure scenarios contained in the AMI functional domain. From these five selected scenarios, we characterize them into three specific threat categories affecting confidentiality, integrity and availability (CIA). The analysis using our ABGT simulation demonstrates how to model the AMI functional domain using a set of rationalized game theoretic rules decomposed from the failure scenarios in terms of how those scenarios might impact the AMI network with respect to CIA.
Trimming creates a new self-image

Loss of the aminopeptidase ERAAP produces a distinct repertoire of peptide–major histocompatibility complex class I complexes. That difference elicits frequencies of immune recognition in congenic mice similar to those in allogeneic immune responses.
Influence of sodium benzoate by ingestion upon urinary excretion of streptomycin.

SummaryThe results indicate, therefore, that the oral administration of sodium benzoate in tablets in dose of 10 to 20 grains (0.65 to 1.3 g) every 4 hours for 6 doses totalling 60 to 120 grains (3.9 to 7.8 g) along with single intramuscular injections of 0.25 and 0.5 g (250,000 and 500,000 units) of streptomycin does not appear to reduce materially the urinary excretion of streptomycin, and does not enhance or prolong the maintenance of the serum levels of the compound. It is to be emphasized, however, that these preliminary results are inconclusive and, in view of the clinical importance of the subject in relation to the administration of streptomycin, additional investigations are being conducted.
Student preferences toward microcomputer user interfaces

Abstract Microcomputer software technology in recent years has provided a different way to approach computing by means of a Graphical User Interface as compared to the traditional Command Line Interface. This study was conducted to analyze student preference toward word processing software running under two different operating systems. Previous experience, comfort level, performance scores, and student attitudes were considered and compared in relation to the microcomputer operating environment.