cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fabrication of subwavelength aluminum wire grating using nanoimprint lithography and reactive ion etching

We have demonstrated subwavelength aluminum (Al) gratings with a period of 200nm using nanoimprint lithography (NIL) and reactive ion etching (RIE). Al dry etching was attempted using the etch mask formed by NIL. The SiO"2 stamp with a size of 5x5cm^2 was fabricated using laser interference lithography and RIE. The NIL process was optimized on Al/glass substrate and various imprint resists were tested for the Al etching. We could obtain a vertical etching profile and an etch selectivity of 2 with mrI-8020 imprint resist. The Al RIE combined with NIL will be useful for the realization of subwavelength Al gratings with a high aspect ratio.
The historical record in the Scaglia limestone at Gubbio: magnetic reversals and the Cretaceous‐Tertiary mass extinction

The Scaglia limestone in the Umbria-Marche Apennines, well-exposed in the Gubbio area, offered an unusual opportunity to stratigraphers. It is a deepwater limestone carrying an unparalleled historical record of the Late Cretaceous and Palaeogene, undisturbed by erosional gaps. The Scaglia is a pelagic sediment largely composed of calcareous plankton (calcareous nannofossils and planktonic foraminifera), the best available tool for dating and long-distance correlation. In the 1970s it was recognized that these pelagic limestones carry a record of the reversals of the magnetic field. Abundant planktonic foraminifera made it possible to date the reversals from 80 to 50 Ma, and subsequent studies of related pelagic limestones allowed the micropalaeontological calibration of more than 100 Myr of geomagnetic polarity stratigraphy, from ca 137 to ca 23 Ma. Some parts of the section also contain datable volcanic ash layers, allowing numerical age calibration of the reversal and micropalaeontological time scales. The reversal sequence determined from the Italian pelagic limestones was used to date the marine magnetic anomaly sequence, thus putting ages on the reconstructed maps of continental positions since the breakup of Pangaea. The Gubbio Scaglia also contains an apparently continuous record across the Cretaceous—Tertiary boundary, which was thought in the 1970s to be marked everywhere in the world by a hiatus. A geochemical study of the Gubbio Cretaceous—Tertiary boundary accidentally uncovered an unexpectedly large concentration of iridium in the boundary clay, providing the first evidence for a large comet or asteroid impact at the time of the Cretaceous—Tertiary mass extinction. The sudden foraminiferal extinction in the essentially complete Gubbio Scaglia showed that the Cretaceous—Tertiary extinction was a catastrophic event. After publication of the Gubbio Cretaceous—Tertiary iridium anomaly in 1980, a decade followed in which more and more evidence for a catastrophic impact challenged the traditional uniformitarian viewpoint of geologists. In 1991, the impact site was discovered at Chicxulub, in the Yucata «n Peninsula of Mexico. The Gubbio area has thus emerged as a classical geological locality. It has been critical in the development of geomagnetic reversal stratigraphy, a third system for dating Earth history, complementing biostratigraphy and radiometric age dating. Gubbio was also central to the recognition that occasional catastrophic events like great impacts require a rejection of strict uniformitarianism.
Microwave spectroscopy of chemical warfare agents: prospects for remote sensing

The high level of interest in the sensor development community in millimeter wave technology development demonstrates the potential for several multipurpose applications of millimeter wave sensors. The potential for remote sensing of hazardous chemical materials based on their millimeter wave rotational signatures is yet another possible applications, offering certain distinct advantages over FTIR remote sensing. The high specificity of the rotational spectra to the molecular structures affords the capability of detecting chemical warfare (CW) agents and degradation products in complex mixtures including water vapor and smoke, an important consideration in military applications. Furthermore, the rotational modes are not complicated by electronic or vibrational transitions, reducing the potential for false alarms. We have conducted microwave spectroscopic measurements on two CW nerve agents (sarin and soman) and one blister agent (H-mustard). The assignment of the observed band furnishes us with an extremely accurate tool for predicting the rotational spectrum of these agents at any arbitrary frequency. By factoring in the effects of pressure (Lorentzian broadening and intensity reduction), we present the predicted spectral signatures of the CW agents in the 80 - 300 GHz region. This frequency regime is important for atmospheric monitoring as it exploits the wide bandwidth capability of millimeter wave sensors as well as the atmospheric windows that occur in this region.© (1999) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Influence of the Package on Temperature of Cottage Cheese in Retail Marketing Channels

Summary Experiments concerning the effect of package on the temperature of Cottage Cheese have been made. Two basic types of conditions were used; when the product was in thermal equilibrium with an open-top retail display cabinet, and when the product was subjected to warming and cooling conditions. The packages used included foil-surfaced and flber-surfaced cups and boxes. It was found that foil surfaces will keep the product an average of 3.3°C. colder in warmer regions of a display cabinet than will fiber surfaces, regardless of package shape. The exchange of radiant heat between a stack of fiber cups and a stack of foil cups in the display cabinet resulted in an 0.6°C. increase in the temperature of the cheese in the foil cups, while not affecting the temperature in the fiber cups. Under warming and cooling conditions, the over-all coefficient of heat transfer, the degree of curvature of a time-temperature plot, and the f time (time in minutes required to reduce a temperature difference to 1/10th the original value) were found to be more dependent upon package shape than upon the packaging material.
Reflections on Teaching Social Violence in an Age of Genocide and a Time of War

This article is a reflection by a teacher and a student on “structural-violence pedagogy,” the process of teaching and learning about the structures of inequality implicated in various forms of social violence, including those of everyday life, massacre, and genocide. Using a case study of an undergraduate course in anthropology, we explore the complexity and emotionally charged nature of this field, some innovative teaching strategies, and contributions of anthropology to understanding a world marked and marred by war, genocide, racialization, and structural poverty. The teacher shapes a course of study informed by critical pedagogy and theories about violence and power. The student draws on her personal experiences, her intellectual interests, and her yearning for fuller answers to deeper questions as she seeks to reciprocate what is being taught to her. Together, teacher and student explore the promise in the power of teaching for understanding the world as it does exist.
Passage of selected heavy metals from Sphaerotilus (bacteria: chlamydobacteriales) to Paramecium caudatum (protozoa: ciliata)

Abstract Sphaerotilus , a bacterium occurring in polluted waters, was found to take up Zn, Pb, Ni and Mn. Metal-containing cultures of this bacterium were employed to feed the protozoan Paramecium caudatum , and analytical results revealed the accumulation of Zn, Pb and Ni. Since Sphaerotilus was the only food source for paramecia during this study, the results indicate that trace amounts of metals were passed from bacteria to protozoa in a predator-prey relationship.
Comparison processes in task perceptions, evaluations, and reactions

Abstract The primary objective of this article is to present a social comparison model of how employees perceive, evaluate, and react to tasks. The model represents a synthesis of recent findings in the task design area and three social comparison theories. A three-stage process is described which suggests that employees first understand their tasks at an informational level, then understand their tasks at an evaluative level, and finally react to their tasks both affectively and behaviorally. Managerial implications and future research directions are discussed.
Dreaming the New Atlantis: Science and the Planning of Technopolis, 1955-1985

This paper examines the relationship between science and the design of French research park initiatives during the mid to late twentieth century. The new technopolis, as created in cities such as Grenoble, Toulouse, and Sophia-Antipolis, functioned as an iconographic map of modern scientific endeavor. Its uniform composition, its rational analysis and arrangement of space, and its symbolic architectural form located scientific practices within the cultural and territorial orbit of provincial utopia. Technopolis offered the scientific community as the ideal of modern life and the scientist as the archetypical "modern man."
Bacterial decontamination of liquids with pulsed electric fields

The effect of pulsed electric fields on the viability of microorganisms, mainly bacteria, in liquids has been studied since the 1960's. Experimental results obtained over a large range of electrical and microbiological parameters, point towards an irreversible formation of pores in the cell membrane as the mechanism for lysing. The model of membrane pore formation seems to fail only for ultrashort electrical pulses, where intracellular effects, and possibly resonant effects, might dominate. This paper presents an overview of the effect of pulsed electric fields on the viability of microorganisms in liquids, In particular, the lytic effect of variations in the electrical pulse parameters, such as pulse shape, amplitude, duration, and single shot vs. repetitive operation, is described, A major application of the pulsed electric field method is 'cold' bacterial decontamination of liquid food and drinking water. The energy consumption for complete bacterial decontamination is presently 100 to 400 kJ/l. A possible reduction of the required energy by utilizing intracellular electric field interactions and resonance effects is discussed.
DNA sequence assembly and genetic algorithms new results and puzzling insights.

Applying genetic algorithms to DNA sequence assembly is not a straightforward process. Significantly improved results in terms of performance, quality of results, and the scaling of applicability have been realized through non-standard and even counter-intuitive parameter settings. Specifically, the solution time for a 10kb data set was reduced by an order of magnitude, and a 20kb data set that was previously unsolved by the genetic algorithm was solved in a time that represents only a linear increase from the 10kb data set. Additionally, significant progress has been made on a 35kb data set representing real biological data. A single contig solution was found for a 752 fragment subset of the data set, and a 15 contig solution was found for the full data set. This paper discusses the new results, the modifications to the previous genetic algorithm used in this study, the experimental design process by which the new results were obtained, the questions raised by these results, and some preliminaxy attempts to explain these results.
Application of syndrome pattern-matching approach to fault isolation in avionic systems

The authors examine several attributes of a fault detection, isolation, and reconfiguration (FDIR) approach that is categorized as syndrome pattern matching. This approach is based on the premise that effective fault isolation algorithms must possess the capability of identifying patterns in the results of many fault detection tests, i.e., the fault syndrome. Examples of tests that constitute the syndrome are comparisons of redundant signals, hardware built-in test results and status indication from other systems or equipment. The syndrome pattern-matching method outlined presents a simple approach to implementing efficient and effective FDIR logic. Performance issues discussed include intermittent fault, multiple sequential failures, and unanticipated syndromes. >
The apparent dependence of the diffusion coefficient of N-acetylaspartate upon magnetic field strength: evidence of an interaction with NMR methodology.

An inverse relationship between applied magnetic field strength and the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) of several important brain metabolites including N-acetyl-l-aspartate (NAA), choline and creatine, measured in vivo using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), has been reported. In this investigation, using phantom studies of NAA at magnetic field strengths of 3 and 7 T, these observations have been verified under controlled MRS conditions in vitro, and the ADC of NAA has been found to vary inversely with magnetic field strength, decreasing at a rate of 2.5%/T at 20 degrees C. We have also assessed whether the effect is a function of a systemic bias in methodology, or if the effect is actually on the rate of molecular diffusion. This was done using an MRS-independent method for measurement of molecular diffusion in NAA phantoms at 0, 0.025 and 7 T applied magnetic field strengths. As a result, it has been demonstrated that the observed apparent magnetic field dependence of the ADC of NAA is a consequence of the NMR measurement and is apparently not a real effect on molecular diffusion.
Certification of Compiler Optimizations using Kleene Algebra with Tests

We use Kleene algebra with tests to verify a wide assortment of common compiler optimizations, including dead code elimination, common subexpression elimination, copy propagation, loop hoisting, induction variable elimination, instruction scheduling, algebraic simplification, loop unrolling, elimination of redundant instructions, array bounds check elimination, and introduction of sentinels. In each of these cases, we give a formal equational proof of the correctness of the optimizing transformation.
The Role of Angiogenic Factors in the Prediction and Diagnosis of Preeclampsia Superimposed on Chronic Hypertension

See related article, pp 740–746 Hypertension in pregnancy covers a spectrum of conditions, including preeclampsia, gestational hypertension, chronic hypertension, and preeclampsia superimposed on chronic hypertension (Figure).1 Preeclampsia, unlike other hypertensive pregnancy disorders, is associated with proteinuria and affects 3% to 5% of all pregnancies and remains a leading cause of both maternal and fetal mortality worldwide. It may occur both in previously healthy women (de novo preeclampsia) and in those with a history of chronic hypertension before their pregnancies (superimposed preeclampsia). Figure. Hypertensive pregnancy disorders: classification and diagnostic criteria. Superimposed preeclampsia affects ≤30% of pregnancies in women with chronic hypertension and is heralded by either the new onset of proteinuria or increase in preexisting proteinuria, worsening of blood pressure control, and/or laboratory abnormalities consistent with HELLP syndrome (Hemolysis, Elevated Liver enzymes, Low Platelet count), which represents a deceptive, albeit severe, form of preeclampsia. Compared with women with preeclampsia who are normotensive at the time of conception, women with superimposed preeclampsia are at greater risk for peripartum complications, such as placental abruption and maternal cerebrovascular incidents. The only tool currently available for the prediction of superimposed preeclampsia is a previously validated clinical prediction model, consisting of serum uric acid (>3.6 mg/dL), plasma renin activity ( 140 mm Hg), measured at 20 weeks of gestation.2 Few biological markers have been validated to date.3 In this issue, Perni et al4 present results from a carefully performed longitudinal prospective study as to the role of angiogenic markers in the prediction and diagnosis of superimposed preeclampsia in 109 women with chronic hypertension that predated their pregnancies. Seminal studies of these markers have indicated that preeclampsia is associated with elevated levels of the soluble receptor for vascular endothelial …
Reduced field of view MRI with rapid, B1-robust outer volume suppression.

MRI scans are inefficient when the size of the anatomy under investigation is small relative to the subject’s full extent. The field of view must be expanded, and acquisition times accordingly prolonged. Shorter scans are feasible with reduced field of view imaging (rFOV) using outer volume suppression (OVS), a magnetization preparation sequence that attenuates signal outside a region of interest (ROI). This work presents a new OVS sequence with a cylindrical ROI, short duration, and improved tolerance for B þ inhomogeneity. The sequence consists of a nonselective adiabatic tipdown pulse, which provides B þ -robust signal suppression, and a fast 2D spiral cylindrical tipback pulse. Analysis of the Bloch equations with transverse initial magnetization reveals a conjugate symmetric constraint for tipback pulses with small flip angles. This property is exploited to achieve two-shot performance from the single-shot tipback pulse. The OVS sequence is validated in phantoms and in vivo with multislice spiral imaging at 3 T. The relative signal-to-noise ratio efficiency of the proposed sequence was 98% in a phantom and 75–90% in vivo. The effectiveness is demonstrated with cardiovascular rFOV imaging, which exhibits improved resolution and reduced artifacts compared to conventional, full field of view imaging. Magn Reson Med 000:000–000, 2011. V C 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Co-Training and Expansion: Towards Bridging Theory and Practice

Co-training is a method for combining labeled and unlabeled data when examples can be thought of as containing two distinct sets of features. It has had a number of practical successes, yet previous theoretical analyses have needed very strong assumptions on the data that are unlikely to be satisfied in practice. In this paper, we propose a much weaker "expansion" assumption on the underlying data distribution, that we prove is sufficient for iterative co-training to succeed given appropriately strong PAC-learning algorithms on each feature set, and that to some extent is necessary as well. This expansion assumption in fact motivates the iterative nature of the original co-training algorithm, unlike stronger assumptions (such as independence given the label) that allow a simpler one-shot co-training to succeed. We also heuristically analyze the effect on performance of noise in the data. Predicted behavior is qualitatively matched in synthetic experiments on expander graphs.
Glycosylation of the laminin receptor (α3β1) regulates its association with tetraspanin CD151: Impact on cell spreading, motility, degradation and invasion of basement membrane by tumor cells

Invasion is the key requirement for cancer metastasis. Expression of β1,6 branched N-oligosaccharides associated with invasiveness, has been shown to promote adhesion to most Extra Cellular Matrix (ECM) and basement membrane (BM) components and haptotactic motility on ECM (fibronectin) but attenuate it on BM (laminin/matrigel) components. To explore the mechanism and to evaluate the significance of these observations in terms of invasion, highly invasive B16BL6 cells were compared with the parent (B16F10) cells or B16BL6 cells in which glycosylation was inhibited. We demonstrate that increased adhesion to matrix components induced secretion of MMP-9, important for invasion. Further, both the subunits of integrin receptors for fibronectin (α5β1) and laminin (α3β1) on B16BL6 cells were shown to carry these oligosaccharides. Although, glycosylation of receptors had no effect on their surface expression, it had same differential effect on cell spreading as haptotactic motility. Absence of correlation between invasiveness and expression of most tetraspanins (major regulators of integrin function) hints at an alternate mechanism. Here we show that glycosylation on α3β1 impedes its association with CD151 and modulates spreading and motility of cells apparently to reach an optimum required for invasion of BM. These studies demonstrate the complex mechanisms used by cancer cells to be invasive.
Long-Term Results of Calcium Hydroxylapatite for Vocal Fold Augmentation

Objectives/Hypothesis: Studies have shown excellent results for 12-month post–injection augmentation data for calcium hydroxylapatite (CaHA) for glottal incompetence; however, the longevity of the material past one year was unknown. Our objective was to report the long-term effectiveness of CaHA as a vocal fold injectable by assessing data from a cohort of patients who underwent injection for glottal insufficiency. Study Design: Retrospective chart review. Methods: Patients who underwent CaHA injection for glottal insufficiency of any etiology were considered for inclusion in the study. The change in Voice Handicap Index (VHI)-10 scores between preinjection scores and best postinjection scores as well as between the preinjection and the most recent VHI-10 scores were used as primary outcome measures to determine the persistence of benefit or the time to loss of benefit. Complications among the cohort were identified. Results: Ninety patients who underwent 108 vocal fold injections with CaHA were evaluated for inclusion. Twenty patients with 22 injections met the criteria for inclusion. Fourteen of 22 (64%) subjects showed loss of benefit of the CaHA material. The average length of benefit was 18.6 months, with a range of 8 to 36 months. Three complications were identified among the original cohort of 108 injections. Conclusions: CaHA remains a safe and effective long-term vocal fold injectable with an average length of benefit of 18.6 months. Three complications were seen among 108 CaHA injections. CaHA is a long-term injectable with an excellent track record that does not appear to warrant concern for permanent or late complications.
Host preference, seasonality, and community interactions of zooplankton epibionts

We examined host preference, seasonality, and zooplankton-epibiont community interactions of three phototrophic epibionts: Colacium calvum, Colacium vesiculosum, and Synedra cyclopum on pelagic crustacean zooplankton over a 4-yr period in Oneida Lake, New York. The three epibionts were most common from midspring to early summer. Colacium calvum and S. cyclopum preferred Daphnia as a host over all other taxa and C. vesiculosum preferred cyclopoids followed by Daphnia. The prevalence of all three epibionts was directly correlated to the density of Daphnia, and no zooplankton were observed with these epibionts when Daphnia was absent from the zooplankton community. Predation on Daphnia by age-0 fish indirectly limited the seasonal presence of both Colacium spp. Synedra cyclopum was abundant in years when water transparency and Daphnia pulex abundance were highest, and rare in years when transparency was low and Daphnia galeata was the most abundant Daphnia. Lake nutrient concentrations had no discernible effect on epibiont abundance. Crustacean zooplankton often have protozoans, rotifers, algae, and (or) bacteria on their exoskeletons. These epibionts may impede movement and reduce buoyancy of zooplankton, making it more difficult for zooplankton to maintain their position in the water column, avoid and escape predators, and obtain food (Green 1974; Evans et al. 1979; Kankaala and Eloranta 1987; Wahl1989). Epibionts may also reduce the reproductive rate of zooplankton (Green 1974; Henebry and Ridgeway 1979; Threlkeld and Willey 199 3) and increase their vulnerability to planktivorous fish (Willey et al. 1990). In Oneida Lake, a large, shallow, eutrophic lake in central New York State, zooplankton and their relationship to planktivorous fish abundance have been studied since the early 196Os, and over this period epibionts have often been noticed on the zooplankton. These observations prompted a study of three of the
Hierarchical Package Bidding: A Paper & Pencil Combinatorial Auction

We introduce a new combinatorial auction format based on a simple, trans- parent pricing mechanism tailored for the hierarchical package structure proposed by Rothkopf, Pekec, and Harstad (1998) to avoid computational complexity. This combination provides the feedback necessary for bidders in multi-round auctions to discern winning bidding strategies for subsequent rounds and to coordinate re- sponses to aggressive package bids. The resulting mechanism is compared to two leading alternatives in a series of laboratory experiments involving varying degrees of value synergies. Based on these \wind tunnel" tests the FCC has decided to use hierarchical package bidding in the major upcoming 700MHz auction.
Collaborative knowledge building: Ethnographic insights from Geni.com

This article provides an ethnographic case study of a Web 2.0 genealogy and social media site, Geni.com, that provides the structure and tools for collaborative knowledge building as six million users contribute to and construct the largest interconnected genealogical database in human history. The author examines this process as part of a new Web 2.0 paradigm for cultural, educational and business practices.
Status Perceptions of Management “Peers”

It is often said that management people at the same official level on the organizational chart often do not consider themselves as equal in status. This reports an investigation of perceived status...
Effects of adhesive thickness on global and local Mode-I interfacial fracture of bonded joints

The interfacial fracture of adhesively bonded structures is a critical issue for the extensive applications to a variety of modern industries. In the recent two decades, cohesive zone models (CZMs) have been receiving intensive attentions for fracture problems of adhesively bonded joints. Numerous global tests have been conducted to measure the interfacial toughness of adhesive joints. Limited local tests have also been conducted to determine the interface traction-separation laws in adhesive joints. However, very few studies focused on the local test of effects of adhesive thickness on the interfacial traction-separation laws. Interfacial toughness and interfacial strength, as two critical parameters in an interfacial traction-separation law, have important effect on the fracture behaviors of bonded joints. In this work, the global and local tests are employed to investigate the effect of adhesive thickness on interfacial energy release rate, interfacial strength, and shapes of the interfacial traction-separation laws. Basically, the measured laws in this work reflect the equivalent and lumped interfacial fracture behaviors which include the cohesive fracture, damage and plasticity. The experimentally determined interfacial traction-separation laws may provide valuable baseline data for the parameter calibrations in numerical models. The current experimental results may also facilitate the understanding of adhesive thickness-dependent interface fracture of bonded joints.
Fine-needle aspiration of renal angiomyolipoma: cytological findings and diagnostic pitfalls in a series of five cases.

Diagnosis of renal angiomyolipoma (AML) by fine-needle aspiration (FNA) may be difficult because cytological and radiological findings sometimes overlap with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and liposarcoma. Five FNAs of AMLs were studied. Epithelioid and spindle stromal cells were arranged in loosely cohesive clusters and singly. The chromatin was evenly distributed and bland. Occasionally nuclear atypia was identified. Nuclei were oval to elongated, nucleoli were inconspicuous or absent, naked nuclei were present in three specimens, and intranuclear inclusions were present in two specimens. The cytoplasm was delicate and sometimes finely vacuolated. Adipose tissue was observed in two specimens. Thick-walled vessels, mitoses, and necrosis were absent. Corresponding surgical material showed typical features of AML. In FNA, bland chromatin and inconspicuous nucleoli distinguish renal AML from RCC and liposarcoma. Adipose tissue is not universally present. Cellular atypia in conjunction with overlapping radiological findings with RCC and liposarcoma are potential diagnostic pitfalls. Immunocytochemical (ICC) stains may elucidate the correct diagnosis. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2005;32:53–57. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
The Physics and Chemistry of Personality

Physics and chemistry, two basic natural sciences, are today seamlessly integrated, but for much of their history they were separate enterprises with distinct methods and goals. Physicists have con...
Organic Anion Transporting Polypeptide Mediates Organic Anion/HCO3 − Exchange

Organic anion transporting polypeptide (oatp) is an integral membrane protein cloned from rat liver that mediates Na+-independent transport of organic anions such as sulfobromophthalein and taurocholic acid. Previous studies in rat hepatocytes suggested that organic anion uptake is associated with base exchange. To better characterize the mechanism of oatp-mediated organic anion uptake, we examined transport of taurocholate in a HeLa cell line stably transfected with oatp under the regulation of a zinc-inducible promoter (Shi, X., Bai, S., Ford, A. C., Burk, R. D., Jacquemin, E., Hagenbuch, B., Meier, P. J., and Wolkoff, A. W. (1995) J. Biol. Chem. 270, 25591-25595). Whereas noninduced transfected cells showed virtually no uptake of [3H]taurocholate, taurocholate uptake by induced cells was Na+-independent and saturable (Km = 19.4 +/- 3.3 microM; Vmax = 62.2 +/- 1.4 pmol/min/mg protein; n = 3). To test whether organic anion transport is coupled to HCO3- extrusion, we compared the rates of taurocholate-dependent HCO3- efflux from alkali-loaded noninduced and induced cells. Monolayers grown on glass coverslips were loaded with the pH-sensitive dye 2', 7'-bis(carboxyethyl)-5(6)-carboxyfluorescein; intracellular pH (pHi) was measured by excitation ratio fluorometry. Noninduced and induced cells were alkalinized to an equivalent pHi ( approximately 7.7) by transient exposure to a 50 mM HCO3-, Cl--free solution. In the absence of extracellular Cl- and taurocholate, isohydric reduction of superfusate HCO3- concentration from 50 to 25 mM resulted in an insignificant change in pHi over time (dpHi/dt) in both groups. Addition of 25 microM taurocholate to the superfusate led to a rapid fall in pHi in induced (-0.037 +/- 0.011 pH units/min to pHi of 7.41 +/- 0.14) but not in noninduced (0.003 +/- 0.006 pH units/min to pHi of 7.61 +/- 0.08) cells (p < 0.03). These data indicate that oatp-mediated taurocholate transport is Na+-independent, saturable, and accompanied by HCO3- exchange. We conclude that organic anion/base exchange is an important, potentially regulatable component of oatp function.
Determinants of Patient Satisfaction After Severe Lower-Extremity Injuries

Background: In health care, increased emphasis has been placed on patient-centered care, but to our knowledge little work has been conducted to understand the influences on patient satisfaction after surgery for the treatment of severe lower-extremity injury. Our purpose was to analyze how the patient's satisfaction with the outcome correlates with other measures of outcome (clinical, functional, physical impairment, psychological impairment, and pain) and with the sociodemographic characteristics of the patient, the nature of the injury, and the treatment decisions. Methods: Four hundred and sixty-three patients treated for limb-threatening lower-extremity injuries at eight level-I trauma centers were followed prospectively. Multivariate regression techniques were used to identify factors correlating with variation in patient self-reported satisfaction at two years after the injury. The outcomes that were tested in the model were pain, range of motion, muscle strength, self-selected walking speed, depression, anxiety, the physical and psychosocial scores of the Sickness Impact Profile (SIP), return to work, and the number of major complications. The patient characteristics that were tested in the model were age, sex, education, poverty status, insurance status, occupation, race, personality profile, and medical comorbidities. Injury severity was tested in the model with use of both the Injury Severity Score and a score reflecting the probability of amputation. The treatment decisions that were tested were amputation versus reconstruction and time to treatment. Results: No patient demographic, treatment, or injury characteristics were found to correlate with patient satisfaction. Only measures of physical function, psychological distress, clinical recovery, and return to work correlated with patient satisfaction at two years. Five of these outcome measures accounted for >35% of the overall variation in patient satisfaction; these were return to work (p < 0.05), depression (p < 0.05), the physical functioning component of the SIP (p < 0.01), self-selected walking speed (p < 0.001), and pain intensity (p < 0.001). The absence of major complications and less anxiety were marginally significant (p < 0.1). Conclusions: Patient satisfaction after surgical treatment of lower-extremity injury is predicted more by function, pain, and the presence of depression at two years than by any underlying characteristic of the patient, injury, or treatment. Level of Evidence: Prognostic Level I. See Instructions to Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Social Influence Effects in Online Product Ratings

Abstract Websites prominently display consumers' product ratings, which influence consumers' buying decisions and willingness to pay. Few insights exist regarding whether a consumer's online product rating is prone to social influence from others' online ratings. Examining this issue, the authors hypothesize that other consumers' online ratings moderate the effects of positive and regular negative features of product experience, product failure, and product recovery (to address product failure) on the reviewer's online product rating. The results from a model using 7499 consumers' online ratings of 114 hotels support the hypotheses. Other consumers' online ratings weaken the effects of positive and regular negative features of product experience but can either exacerbate or overturn the negative effect of product failure, depending on the quality of product recovery. For marketing theory, the findings indicate that consumers who influence others are themselves influenced by other consumers and that this i...
Simulated Aeromedical Evacuation Does Not Affect Systemic Inflammation or Organ Injury in a Murine Model of Hemorrhagic Shock

ABSTRACTHemorrhagic shock is a primary injury amongst combat casualties. Aeromedical evacuation (AE) of casualties exposes patients to a hypobaric, hypoxic environment. The effect of this environment on the host response to hemorrhagic shock is unknown. In the present study, we sought to determine the effect of simulated AE on systemic inflammation and organ injury using a murine model of hemorrhagic shock. Mice underwent femoral artery cannulation and were hemorrhaged for 60 minutes. Mice were then resuscitated with a 1:1 ratio of plasma:packed red blood cells. At 1 or 24 hours after resuscitation, mice were exposed to a 5-hour simulated AE or remained at ground level (control). Serum was analyzed for cytokine concentrations and organs were assessed for neutrophil accumulation and vascular permeability. Mice in the simulated AE groups demonstrated reduced arterial oxygen saturation compared to ground controls. Serum cytokine concentrations, neutrophil recruitment, and vascular permeability in the lung, i...
Modelling of piezoelectric actuator dynamics for active structural control

The paper models the effects of dynamic coupling between a structure and an electrical network through the piezoelectric effect. The coupled equations of motion of an arbitrary elastic structure with piezoelectric elements and passive electronics are derived. State space models are developed for three important cases: direct voltage driven electrodes, direct charge driven electrodes, and an indirect drive case where the piezoelectric electrodes are connected to an arbitrary electrical circuit with embedded voltage and current sources. The equations are applied to the case of a cantilevered beam with surface mounted piezoceramics and indirect voltage and current drive. The theoretical derivations are validated experimentally on an actively controlled cantilevered beam test article with indirect voltage drive.
How fissors works: observing vibrationally adiabatic conformational change through femtosecond stimulated Raman spectroscopy.

With the help of a two-dimensional model system comprising a slow conformational degree of freedom and a higher-frequency vibration, we investigate the molecular-level origin and dynamical information content of femtosecond stimulated Raman spectroscopy (fissors) signals. Our treatment avails itself of the time scale separation between conformational and vibrational modes by incorporating a vibrationally adiabatic approximation to the conformational dynamics. We derive an expression for the fissors signal without resort to the macroscopic concepts of light- and phonon-wave propagation employed in prior coupled-wave analyses. Numerical calculations of fissors spectra illustrate the case of relatively small conformational mass (still large enough that conformational motion does not induce any change in the vibrational quantum number) in which conformational sidebands accompany a central peak in the Raman gain at a conformationally averaged vibrational transition frequency, and the case of a larger conformat...
Symmetric Diblock Copolymers Confined by Two Nanopatterned Surfaces

Using Monte Carlo simulations of a coarse-grained model, we explore the equilibrium morphologies of symmetric diblock copolymers between two chemically patterned surfaces. The chemical patterns on the surfaces consist of periodic stripes of width W with a periodicity Ls. The stripes on the two chemical patterns are oriented orthogonally. By systematically varying the width of the stripes, the interaction strength between the patterns and block copolymers, and the thickness of the block copolymer films, we investigate complex three-dimensional morphologies that are not available in the bulk and that could be useful in a wide array of applications. The results of simulations are shown to be in quantitative agreement with experimental observations.
Analysis of serum concentration of antiepileptics in pediatric section in our hospital

Objective: In order to have a more reasonable clinical drug application, a retrospective analyse was done on the result of the tests of the serum concentration after antiepileptics applied in 182 cases in pediatric section in our hospital during the period from Jun 2003 to Jan 2004. Methods: The results of phenobarbital and sodium valproate et al in our hospital were analysed. Results: The percentage of phenobarbital in effective serum concentration was 51.7%, that of sodium valproate was 55.5%, and that of carbamazepine was 37.5%. Conclusion: The tests showed that percentage of the results with TDM, not in the range of effective serum concentration was a little too high in our hospital.
Global ischemia in the immature canine ventricle: Enhanced protective effect of verapamil and potassium

The efficacy of the addition of verapamil to a cardioplegic solution was evaluated in immature canine hearts subjected to normothermic global ischemia. Two groups of mongrel puppies less than 10 weeks old were subjected to 30 minutes of global myocardial ischemia while on cardiopulmonary bypass. One group (Group K) was arrested with cardioplegic solution containing 20 mEq/L of KCl; the other group (Group K + V) was arrested with the same solution containing 0.2 mg/kg of verapamil. Ultrasonic crystals were placed for measurement of left ventricular dimensions, and micromanometers measured left ventricular pressures. Functional measurements included left ventricular strain, first derivative of left ventricular pressure (dP/dt), and the end-systolic pressure/volume ratio (Emax). Metabolic recovery was assessed by measuring myocardial adenosine triphosphate (ATP) content. Ninety minutes following ischemia, Group K + V exhibited greater minor axis strain at a left ventricular end-diastolic pressure of 15 and 20 mm Hg (p
Real time hybrid simulation with online model updating: An analysis of accuracy

Abstract In conventional hybrid simulation (HS) and real time hybrid simulation (RTHS) applications, the information exchanged between the experimental substructure and numerical substructure is typically restricted to the interface boundary conditions (force, displacement, acceleration, etc.). With additional demands being placed on RTHS and recent advances in recursive system identification techniques, an opportunity arises to improve the fidelity by extracting information from the experimental substructure. Online model updating algorithms enable the numerical model of components (herein named the target model), that are similar to the physical specimen to be modified accordingly. This manuscript demonstrates the power of integrating a model updating algorithm into RTHS (RTHSMU) and explores the possible challenges of this approach through a practical simulation. Two Bouc–Wen models with varying levels of complexity are used as target models to validate the concept and evaluate the performance of this approach. The constrained unscented Kalman filter (CUKF) is selected for using in the model updating algorithm. The accuracy of RTHSMU is evaluated through an estimation output error indicator, a model updating output error indicator, and a system identification error indicator. The results illustrate that, under applicable constraints, by integrating model updating into RTHS, the global response accuracy can be improved when the target model is unknown. A discussion on model updating parameter sensitivity to updating accuracy is also presented to provide guidance for potential users.
Biomolecular Materials Based on Sol-Gel Encapsulated Proteins

The proteins copper-zinc superoxide dismutase (CuZnSOD), cytochrome c, myoglobin, hemoglobin, and bacterio-rhodopsin are encapsulated in stable, optically transparent, porous, silica glass matrices prepared by the sol-gel method such that the biomolecules retain their characteristic reactivities and spectroscopic properties. The resulting glasses allow transport of small molecules into and out of the glasses at reasonable rates but retain the protein molecules within their pores. The transparency of the glasses enables the chemical reactions of the immobilized proteins to be monitored by means of changes in their visible absorption spectra. Silica glasses containing the immobilized proteins have similar reactivities and spectroscopic properties to those found for the proteins in solution. The enzymes glucose oxidase and peroxidase were also encapsulated in transparent silica glass matrices. Upon exposure to glucose solutions, a colored glass is formed that can be used as the active element in a solid state optically based glucose sensor.
Over 4100 protein identifications from a Xenopus laevis fertilized egg digest using reversed-phase chromatographic prefractionation followed by capillary zone electrophoresis-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry analysis.

A tryptic digest generated from Xenopus laevis fertilized embryos was fractionated by RPLC. One set of 30 fractions was analyzed by 100-min CZE-ESI-MS/MS separations (50 h total instrument time), and a second set of 15 fractions was analyzed by 3-h UPLC-ESI-MS/MS separations (45 h total instrument time). CZE-MS/MS produced 70% as many protein IDs (4134 versus 5787) and 60% as many peptide IDs (22 535 versus 36 848) as UPLC-MS/MS with similar instrument time (50 h versus 45 h) but with 50 times smaller total consumed sample amount (1.5 μg versus 75 μg). Surprisingly, CZE generated peaks that were 25% more intense than UPLC for peptides that were identified by both techniques, despite the 50-fold lower loading amount; this high sensitivity reflects the efficient ionization produced by the electrokinetically pumped nanospray interface used in CZE. This report is the first comparison of CZE-MS/MS and UPLC-MS/MS for large-scale eukaryotic proteomic analysis. The numbers of protein and peptide identifications produced by CZE-ESI-MS/MS approach those produced by UPLC-MS/MS, but with nearly two orders of magnitude lower sample amounts.
Contamination by an Active Control Condition in a Randomized Exercise Trial.

Contamination is commonly overlooked in randomized trials. The present study examined contamination (minutes of aerobic activity outside of exercise sessions) within an active control condition in a 6-month randomized exercise trial for older adults. We hypothesized that outside aerobic activity would be greater in the control condition compared to the intervention conditions. Participants (mean age = 65.06 years, 66.2% female) were randomly assigned to: Dance (n = 50), Walking, (n = 108), or Strength/Stretching/Stability (SSS; n = 48). Dance and Walking represented the experimental conditions and SSS the control condition. Participants attended exercise sessions three times weekly for 24 weeks. Participants recorded their physical activity outside of class on a weekly home log. Group assignment and covariates (age, gender, body mass index, exercise session intensity and enjoyment, and program adherence) were examined as predictors of weekly aerobic activity outside of exercise sessions. Participants who returned zero home logs were removed from the dataset (final N = 195). Out-of-class aerobic activity was lowest in the Walking group. Significant effects of gender, group, enjoyment, and intensity on out-of-class weekly aerobic activity were observed, all p<0.003. Higher perceived enjoyment of exercise sessions was associated with more out-of-class aerobic activity, while higher perceived intensity was associated with less out-of-class aerobic activity. A group x intensity interaction, p = 0.002, indicated that group differences in out-of-class aerobic activity were evident only among those with lower intensity perceptions. Walkers may have perceived exercise sessions as sufficient weekly exercise, while the Dance and SSS groups may have perceived the sessions as necessary, but insufficient. The lower aerobic intensity Dancers attributed to exercise sessions and non-aerobic nature of SSS may partially explain contamination observed in this study. Further examination of contamination in randomized controlled exercise trials is critically needed. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01472744
A new side to an old coin: dynamin related protein-1 with benefits in the heart

This editorial refers to ‘A novel fission-independent role of dynamin-related protein 1 in cardiac mitochondrial respiration’ by Zhang et al ., pp. 160–170. Mitochondria are the powerhouse and a major constituent of cardiac myocytes with >40% of the cytoplasmic space occupied by mitochondria. The last few years, it has become evident that mitochondrial function and shape are closely interrelated.1 Mitochondrial shape is determined by two dynamic processes, fusion and fission. Mitochondrial fusion, mainly regulated by the outer mitochondrial membrane proteins mitofusin 1 and 2 (MFN1 and 2) and the inner mitochondrial membrane protein optic atrophy 1 (OPA1), leads to fused, elongated mitochondria. In contrast, fission results in fragmented, less filamentous mitochondria. The main regulator of fission is dynamin related protein-1 (DRP1), a member of the dynamin family of GTPases. DRP1 is a cytosolic protein which, upon post-translational modifications (phosphorylation, oxidation), translocates to the mitochondria where by oligomerization and constriction leads to mitochondrial fission. Non-cardiomyocyte cells with more filamentous mitochondrial networks exhibit a dynamic state of mitochondrial fusion and fission with remarkable changes in mitochondrial shape when the equilibrium is shifted towards the favour of either process. Adult cardiomyocytes, however, are inherently fragmented and exhibit far …