cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Temperature and metabolism in Leishmania. II. Aldolase in L. adleri, L. donovani, L. mexicana, and L. tarentolae.

Leptomonads of Leishmania adleri, L. donovani, L. mexicana, and L. tarentolae were grown in a blood-agar-Locke's overlay medium, harvested by centrifugation, homogenized in a mortar with quartz abrasive, and examined for fructose 1,6-diphosphate aldolase activity using colorimetric determinations incorporating 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine. Effects of elevated temperature, pH, enzyme concentration, substrate concentration, and reaction time were employed to characterize the enzymes partially, and these results were used for the comparative evaluation of the four species studied. Present findings are consistant with the accepted classification of the genus, which places L. adleri (the only species of Leishmania known which is capable of parasitizing both lizards and mammals) between the relatively primitive obligate lizard parasite, L. tarentolae, and the relatively specialized obligate mammal parasites, L. donovani and L. mexicana. The investigations revealed a number of significant differences among the aldolases of the four species. Leishmania adleri and L. tarentolae have an aldolase temperature optimum of 45 °C while the temperature optimum of the aldolase of L. donovani and L. mexicana is 32 °C. The Km values for the aldolases of L. adleri and L. tarentolae are 0.6 and 0.2 × 10−3, respectively, which indicates they have a greater substrate affinity than the aldolases of L. donovani (Km 1.2 × 10−3) or L. mexicana (Km 1.1 × 10−3). The specific activity of L. tarentolae aldolase is considerably higher than those exhibited by the other three species. All of the data were in general agreement with previously published reports of aldolases from a variety of sources and were in close agreement with certain aspects of the aldolases (i.e., optimum temperature and Km values) of their vertebrate hosts. This study has extended to the enzyme-level the investigation of Leishmania species differences which are, in part, associated with temperature.
Morphoscopic trait expressions used to identify Southwest Hispanics.

: Hispanics represent the largest and fastest growing minority in the United States. It is increasingly important to understand the skeletal morphology and regional variation within this diverse group. This research focuses on the eight cranial morphoscopic traits of Southwest Hispanics from Birkby et al. (J Forensic Sci 2008;53(1):29–33) and 18 additional traits. Frequency distributions assessed the prevalence of trait expressions in Southwest Hispanic, African-American, and European-American samples. Forward stepwise discriminant function analysis indicated the best traits for differentiating these three groups. Six of the Birkby et al.’s traits are prevalent in the Southwest Hispanic sample and the best traits to distinguish the three groups are as follows: incisor shoveling, anterior malar projection, nasal sill, oval window visualization, enamel extensions, anterior nasal spine, nasal aperture width, and alveolar prognathism. This research demonstrates the efficacy of morphoscopic traits in ancestry determinations and the utility of the aforementioned traits in discriminating Southwest Hispanics, African Americans, and European Americans.
Assessment of clonality and serotypes of Streptococcus mutans among children by multilocus sequence typing

Studies using multilocus sequence typing (MLST) have demonstrated that Streptococcus mutans isolates are genetically diverse. Our laboratory previously demonstrated clonality of S. mutans using MLST but could not discount the possibility of sampling bias. In this study, the clonality of randomly selected S. mutans plaque isolates from African-American children was examined using MLST. Serotype and the presence of collagen-binding proteins (CBPs) encoded by cnm/cbm were also assessed. One-hundred S. mutans isolates were randomly selected for MLST analysis. Sequence analysis was performed and phylogenetic trees were generated using start2 and mega. Thirty-four sequence types were identified, of which 27 were unique to this population. Seventy-five per cent of the isolates clustered into 16 clonal groups. The serotypes observed were c (n = 84), e (n = 3), and k (n = 11). The prevalence of S. mutans isolates of serotype k was notably high, at 17.5%. All isolates were cnm/cbm negative. The clonality of S. mutans demonstrated in this study illustrates the importance of localized population studies and are consistent with transmission. The prevalence of serotype k, a recently proposed systemic pathogen, observed in this study, is higher than reported in most populations and is the first report of S. mutans serotype k in a United States population.
Microcavities, photonic bandgaps and applications to lasers and optical communications

Structures with periodically modulated refractive index are frequently discussed under the classification of photonic crystals. Recently, much attention has been paid to these types of structures for a large variety of applications such as the inhibition or enhancement of spontaneous emission, ultra-low threshold lasers, compact optical circuits, light-emitting diodes with increased efficiency and novel optical waveguides. Using structures that exhibit a photonic bandgap (PBG), it has been shown that high-Q, small modal volume microcavities can be created. Advances in semiconductor fabrication technology have made it possible to make semiconductor PBG microcavities for optical wavelengths.
Characterisation of macrolide-non-susceptible Streptococcus pneumoniae colonising children attending day-care centres in Athens, Greece during 2000 and 2003

Nasopharyngeal Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates colonising young children are representative of isolates causing clinical disease. This study determined the frequency of macrolide-non-susceptible pneumococci, as well as their phenotypic and genotypic characteristics, among pneumococci collected during two cross-sectional surveillance studies of the nasopharynx of 2847 children attending day-care centres in the Athens metropolitan area during 2000 and 2003. In total, 227 macrolide-non-susceptible pneumococcal isolates were studied. Increases in macrolide non-susceptibility, from 23% to 30.3% (p <0.05), and in macrolide and penicillin co-resistance, from 3.4% to 48.6% (p <0.001), were identified during the study period. The M resistance phenotype, associated with the presence of the mef(A)/(E) gene, predominated in both surveys, and isolates carrying both mef(A)/(E) and erm(AM) were identified, for the first time in Greece, among the isolates from the 2003 survey. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis analysis of the isolates from the 2000 survey indicated the spread of a macrolide- and penicillin-resistant clone among day-care centres. The serogroups identified most commonly in the study were 19F, 6A, 6B, 14 and 23F, suggesting that the theoretical protection of the seven-valent conjugate vaccine against macrolide-non-susceptible isolates was c. 85% during both study periods.
Impact-induced deformation fields in 2D and 3D woven composites

Abstract The deformation fields and kinematics of woven composite material systems, due to impact loads, were analyzed and characterized for various structural and load parameters. Target plates comprising of woven composites with 3D and 2D preforms were considered. Kinetic energies in the range of 18–39,000 J, due to projectile velocities in the range of 2–1000 m/s, were investigated. The impact problem model accounts for geometrical details of the flat target plates and the hemispherical projectile. Contact solutions at dissimilar surfaces were modeled with gap elements, and the solution of the nonlinear dynamic problem was obtained by the finite element method. In the present study, we investigated wave propagation effects, and how their spatial and temporal distribution is related to the evolution of multi-dimensional elastic fields and potential damage modes. Unit cells representative of the 2D and 3D woven composites were used to obtain estimates of the overall elastic moduli. It was found that the compression wave induced by impact reflected several times between the free surfaces of the target plate before fiber failure initiated, and that this was one of the major mechanisms leading to penetration. At low velocity impact, the deformations were similar to quasi-static bending deformation modes, and failure is predicted to be due to fiber breakage at the backside of the target plate. At higher impact velocities, wave propagation effects are more significant and lead to penetration at the impact face. For all material systems, localized shear damage in 3D woven systems and extensive shear delamination in 2D woven systems preceded complete penetration.
LANDAU-GINZBURG ORBIFOLDS

We investigate the structure of N = 2 Landau-Ginzburg orbifolds for arbitrary superpotentials. In particular we analyze the structure of chiral rings in such theories. We also show how to construct left-right asymmetric Landau-Ginzburg orbifolds using discrete torsion. This construction generalizes toroidal orbifolds to the Landau-Ginzburg setting.
Measurement of the energy of grain boundary geometrically-necessary dislocations in copper

Measurements of the stored energy of cold work and recrystallization temperature of polycrystalline copper of a variety of grain sizes as a function of strain have been performed and it has been shown that: (1) The increase of stored energy with increasing strain falls into three distinct regimes as noted previously. (2) The total stored energy can be divided into two components: the stored energy from statistically-stored dislocations, which increases with increasing strain, and the stored energy from geometrically-necessary dislocation which increases sharply to a strain of {approximately}10%, at which point it saturates. (3) The saturation value of the stored energy from geometrically-necessary dislocations is inversely proportional to the grain size.
Recall of Social Events with the Passage of Time

Husbands and wives were interviewed separately and asked specific questions about social events experienced together in years past, e.g., occasions that they had celebrated and trips that they had taken. 7hese couples, to a reasonable degree, remembered and agreed about events occurring within 12 months of the interview, but their performance deteriorated sharply when the events occurred earlier in time. Findings are discussed in terms of the role that recall (or the lack of it)plays in the distortion of "remembrances of things past."
A precise inter-procedural data flow algorithm

Data flow analysis is well understood at the intra-procedural level and efficient algorithms are available. When inter-procedural mechanisms such as recursion, procedure nesting, and pass-by-reference aliasing are introduced, the data flow problems become much more difficult. The avail, live, and must-summary data flow problems are shown to be NP-complete in the presence of aliasing. However, an algorithm is presented with O(SET*EDGE) time performance where EDGE is the size of the program's flow graph and SET is a possible exponential number which reflects the number of aliasing patterns of the program. It is argued that in practice SET is small and on the order of the number of variables of the program.
Intrahypothalamic effects of progestin agonists on estrous behavior and progestin receptor binding.

Abstract To investigate whether metabolism of progesterone (P) to other progestins is necessary for the facilitation of estrous behavior in estrogen-primed rats, we evaluated the behavioral effectiveness of intrahypothalamic implants of two P metabolites, 5α-dihydroprogesterone (DHP) and 20α-hydroxyprogesterone (20HP), and of desoxycorticosterone (DOC). We also determined whether the progestin receptor binding capacity of the steroids correlated with their behavioral efficacy. Implants of DHP and 20HP into the ventromedial hypothalamus were considerably less effective than P in activating estrous behavior; in contrast, the mineralocorticoid DOC was nearly as effective as P. Binding studies showed that P had the highest affinity for brain progestin receptors followed by DHP, DOC and 20HP. Thus there was a poor correlation between the behavioral efficacy and the progestin receptor binding properties of the steroids tested. These data suggest (1) that neither 5α-reduction nor 20α-hydroxylation are necessary for P activation of estrous responsiveness and (2) that the structural features required for the behavior promoting effects of P may not be identical to those required for binding to brain progestin receptors.
Characterization of Calibration Standards by Physical Measurements

Many modern day automatic network analyzers support a variety of calibration techniques for accuracy enhancement. These techniques offer different levels of calibration accuracy. Even within the same technique, the accuracy level is a function of the quality of the calibration standards used, the accuracy of the assumed model of the calibration standards, or both. The quality and accuracy of these calibration standards have reached a level that no microwave measurement system alone can guarantee their performance specifications. This paper presents an approach that pushes microwave metrology to the physical level.
Duality and representation mixing in the non-chiral U(6) × U(6)

Using a classification of baryons and mesons in mixed representations of the non-chiral U(6) × U(6), it is shown that a simple construction analogous to duality diagrams reproduces all of the predictions of the duality diagrams for MM, MB and BB reactions (with some additional weakly allowed inelastic MB processes), but provides predictions for the energy dependence of BB amplitudes as well. The U(6) × U(6) formulation provides a natural interpretation for the application of “annihilation” criteria, accounting, for example, for stronger energy dependence in π-p than in π+p total cross sections, and predicting stronger energy dependence in pΣ+ (10 + 27) than in pΞ+ (27). Results are also given for multiparticle processes.
Specific ion effects on the solution conformation of poly‐L‐proline

The effects of various electrolytes on the conformation of poly-L-proline II in aqueous and nonaqueous solution have been investigated by optical rotatory techniques. It is shown that these agents induce a linear decrease in the corrected specific levorotaton of poly-L-proline with increasing salt concentration, with a molar effectiveness which varies from one salt to another. The salt-induced rotatory changes may be divided into anion and cation components, and it is shown that the major specific affectors are the anions, which increase in effectiveness in reducing the corrected specific levorotation in the following sequence: Cl− Ac− > Cl− > Br− > SCN− > I− > ClO4−; and K+ ≃ Na+ > Li+ > Ca++. These rankings follow the usual Hofmeister or lyotropic series, and are quite different from hose which apply to the effects on solution conformation of poly-L-proline.
Studies of low molecular weight polyethylene single crystals by differential scanning calorimetry

Fusion behaviour of solution-grown low molecular weight polyethylene single crystals was studied by differential scanning calorimetry at different heating rates. The results were correlated to the polymer chain conformation in the crystal. It was found that in the molecular weight range studied, crystals of shorter chain length and fewer foldings per chain are less stable and more susceptible to heat annealing. Melting endotherms of the crystals of the lowest molecular weight fraction grown at various temperatures indicate that during crystallization, a fractional stem at the end of a folding chain will be rejected outside the lamellae of the crystal.
The second coming of flow-injection analysis

Abstract The state of art of the flow-injection technique is reviewed and its future development is outlined by emphasizing the importance of stopped-flow and sequential injection methodologies and by discussing common aspects of flow injection and chromatographic techniques.
New properties of a class of generalized kinetic equations

We give some properties of a new class of hard-sphere kinetic equations of great generality, introduced earlier by Polewczak. The assumptions used to obtain the general class are very weak, and the equations include not only the standard and revised Enskog equations, but also generalizations thereof that can be expected to yield essentially exact transport coefficients. In particular, there is a natural two-particle realization that is obtained from maximizing the information entropy subject to prescribed two-particle and one-particle probability distribution functions;k-particle analogs fork > 2 also naturally follow. We obtain Liapunov functionals for the whole class of equations under consideration and discuss the question of which of these functionals can be expected to play the role ofH-functions. We also obtain several more special results that include new lower bounds on the potential part of theH-function for the revised Enskog equation. The bounds are instrumental in obtaining global existence theorems and also imply that the necessary condition for invertibility of the nonequilibrium extension of local activity as a functional of local density is satisfied.
Stability of vacancy defects in MgO: The role of charge neutrality

The energetics and electronic structure of a series of neutral and charged oxygen and magnesium vacancy defects ([ital F], [ital F][sup +], [ital F][sup 2+], [ital V], [ital V][sup [minus]], [ital V][sup 2[minus]], and [ital P] centers) in MgO have been computed using the stationary total-energy functional. We find that contrary to the charge-compensation model for anion-cation defect pairs in ionic materials it is energetically unfavorable for an isolated neutral oxygen vacancy ([ital F] center) to transfer electrons to an isolated neutral magnesium vacancy ([ital V] center), and form isolated [ital F][sup 2+] and [ital V][sup 2[minus]] centers. Charge compensation is unfavorable because additional electrons at the [ital V] center induce new occupied states in the gap, which increase the energy of the defect. This result is consistent with the interpretation of spectroscopic experiments on MgO, in which the ground-state defects are either neutral or singly charged. The computed formation energies of both the [ital F] and [ital V] centers are larger than the cohesive energy of MgO per formula unit, but the binding energy of the defects in the [ital P] center configuration is 12.16 eV. This attraction between the [ital F] and [ital V] centers is enhanced whenmore » the defects carry a net charge. The position of the vacancy defect state in the fundamental energy gap of MgO is found to be in qualitative agreement with a model for optical absorption and emission, and is used as a simple model for the formation energies of the defects. The contribution of the band-structure energy to the stationary functional is found to account for more than 90% of the defect energies. This component of the defect formation energy is computed directly, using the recursion method, rather than as the difference between the total energies of our 8000-atom cluster with and without the defect.« less
Prolactin Induction of Enzymes Controlling Luteal Cholesterol Ester Turnover

An enzyme in extracts of luteinized rat ovaries was found which catalyzed the synthesis of cholesterol esters from palmitic acid-l-14C and cholesterol and required ATP, Mg++ and Coenzyme A for expression of activity. This enzyme, sterol acyl transferase, was associated predominantly with the 100,000 ×g pellet fraction obtained from 10,000 ×g supernatant fractions of homogenized ovaries. The enzyme which hydrolyzes cholesterol esters, sterol esterase, was assayed simultaneously in 100,000 ×g supernatant fractions. Transferase and esterase levels were both markedly reduced (p <.01) when assayed 3 days after hypophysectomy (90 and 70%, respectively). Administration of rat prolactin (2 IU; sc; b.i.d.) was completely effective in preventing the decline of both enzymes after hypophysectomy, whereas LH (NIH-LH-S14; 50 μg daily in sesame oil+5% beeswax) was without effect. In hypophysectomized animals, LH and prolactin combined were less effective in maintaining transferase activity than prolactin treatment alone...
Scale positions and “power” in the senate†

When you hear people say “Senator Claghorn wields a lot of power in the government,” just what is meant by this assertion? Can power be quantitatively defined and measured? The concept of power, explored by Robert Dahl in this journal in 1957, is here reviewed with emphasis on the difficulties of defining power operationally.
Discrimination of field components in optical probe microscopy

We demonstrate that the conventional optical signal in near-field scanning optical microscopy and the optical force induced topography contain complementary information about the complex three-dimensional field distribution. Crucially, the additional information about the field distribution can be retrieved without increasing the measurement complexity.
Semipreparative Chromatographic Method to Purify the Normal Cellular Isoform of the Prion Protein in Nondenatured Form

A fundamental step in the pathogenesis of spongiform encephalopathies (prion diseases) is the conversion of the cellular isoform of prion protein (PrPC) into the infectious form (scrapie isoform, PrPSc), apparently by a conformational mechanism. Comparison of the native secondary and tertiary structures of both proteins is essential to elucidate the molecular basis of this transformation. To obtain sufficient quantities of native-like PrPC, we have developed a semipreparative method to purify PrPC from hamster brains. PrPC was solubilized from purified synaptosomal and microsomal membranes by the nonionic detergent n-octyl- beta-glucopyranoside; the soluble fraction was loaded at pH 7.5 onto a semipreparative cation-exchange TSK-SP-5PW (HPLC) column. The fractions eluted by linear NaCl gradient and enriched for PrPC were sequentially purified using an immobilized ion-affinity HPLC column charged by Co2+, followed by wheat germ agglutinin (WGA)-affinity HPLC or size-exclusion HPLC (SE-HPLC) using a TSK G3000SW column. More than 95% purity was achieved after SE-HPLC as estimated by quantitative densitometry of the silver-stained SDS-PAGE gel; the recovery of total brain PrPC was >/=8%. The purified PrPC was a monomer with an intact N-terminus, and with a Stoke's radius of 26 A, corresponding to that expected from the molecular weight for a native protein. The presence of the native-like conformation was further verified by peptide mapping after limited trypsin proteolysis, and by the apparent unfolding in guanidine hydrochloride, as detected by SE-HPLC.
Portasystemic venous shunts (first of two parts).

(Second of Two Parts) [Emergency end-to-side portacaval shunt.] For dependable relief of portal hypertension, emergency shunts for bleeding varices must decompress the splanchnic system immediately draining into the portal vein; in practice, the options for gaining this goal are overwhelmingly the portacaval and H-graft mesocaval shunts. Peripheral splanchnic shunts are considerably less effective. Although the quality of life after an emergency shunt compared with life after an elective shunt has not been scrutinized, it seems reasonable to recommend an urgent end-to-side portacaval shunt (within 18 hours of the bleeding episode) for Child's class A patients who would otherwise be offered . . .
Dynamic infrared spectroscopy in tension and shear

The utility of polarized infrared spectroscopy for the study of polymeric systems undergoing dynamic deformation has been established by several groups following the pioneering work of Noda and Marcott. All previous studies have utilized tensile deformation, and tensile experiments are complicated by sample thinning. One must also rely on the assumption of transverse isotropy to determine the three elements of the dynamic absorption tensor. An alternative approach involves the use of shear rather than tensile deformation. Experimentally, two different shear geometries are readily achievable. In one, the IR beam is passed normal to the shear plane and the polarizers must be set at +/- 45 to the flow direction. Since no sample thinning is involved with no net flow of material in or out of the sampling volume, the trace of the dynamic absorption matrix must be zero, and all three elements of the dynamic absorption tensor can be obtained in a single experiment. In the second geometry, the IR beam is passed parallel to the shear plane. In this configuration, the optical signals are modulated at twice the deformation frequency, and the magnitude of the dynamic dichroism scales with the square of the shear strain. Since the shear strains are usually quite small, severe sensitivity problems can arise with this second configuration.
Possible Genetic Predisposition to Idiopathic Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis

HLA-A, B, and DR antigen frequencies were studied in a group of 57 patients to determine possible inborn susceptibility to idiopathic focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). There were 34 white patients and 23 black patients, most of whom had nephrotic syndrome and later developed renal failure. HLA-DR4 was significantly increased. in both patient groups when compared with their respective control groups. This association has not been previously reported. Of note, the association with DR4 was most striking in patients with adult onset disease (in blacks, relative risk equals 5.2; in whites, relative risk equals 5.8). No other antigen was increased in both patient groups but HLA-A28 was increased in blacks. These data support the notion of genetic predisposition to focal segmental glomerulosclerosis in two different ethnic groups.
The use of ficoll-hypaque double density gradients in the separation of avian granulocytes from other cell types for the purpose of cell flow cytometric analysis

Avian peripheral blood and embryonic spleen cells were prepared for cell flow cytometry. The Ortho Spectrum III was the flow cytometer used in these experiments. The major objectives were to identify the location of lymphocytes and granulocytes in the cytogram displayed by flow cytometry, to develop a technique which would allow the collection of granulocytes relatively free of other cell types and to characterize the cell cycle within these cell populations. The cytogram of fresh avian cells developed in the Ortho Spectrum III revealed three characteristic cell clusters. Peripheral blood or embryonic spleen cells were separated on a Ficoll-Hypaque double density gradients into two distinct layers and a pellet. Light microscopic examination revealed the top layer of cells to be primarily lymphocytes while the middle layer of cells was granulocytes. Presentation of the cells from these layers to the Ortho Spectrum III revealed that granulocytes made up Cluster 3 while lymphocytes were included in the other clusters. The Ortho Spectrum III was employed to determine the presence of G1 (pre-DNA synthesis), S (DNA synthesis), and G2/M (post-DNA synthesis and mitosis) phases of cells in Clusters 1 and 2 and Cluster 3. While all the cells from peripheral blood were in G1, the embryonic spleen revealed cells in G1, S and G2/M in both Clusters 1 and 2 and Cluster 3.
Relativistic electron drift shell splitting

[1] A survey of equatorial outer radiation belt relativistic electron pitch angle distributions measured on the Polar satellite shows anisotropies that are consistent with the effects of drift shell splitting. Simulations based on the observed radial intensity gradients and on drift shell calculations in a magnetospheric field model show that for low geomagnetic activity levels, the measured average anisotropies are similar to those predicted. With increasing geomagnetic activity the anisotropies do not change as much as is predicted, particularly on the nightside where the pitch angle distributions have local minima in the direction perpendicular to the magnetic field. At a given location and activity level there is substantial variability in the measured anisotropies about their long-term averages.
Simulation of Massive Periretinal Proliferation by Autotransplantation of Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells in Rabbits

We compared the clinical pattern, the histologic findings, and the electron microscopic appearance of lesions produced by the autotransplantation into rabbit vitreous of freshly harvested and tissue-cultured (250,000) retinal pigment epithelial cells. Both harvested and cultured cells formed intravitreal strands, traction detachments, and retinal puckers, resembling the most prominent features of massive periretinal proliferation in humans. Strands produced by both types of retinal pigment epithelial cells contained cells resembling myofibroblasts which may explain the contractability of the strand. The clinical, histologic, and electron microscopic observations were similar to those found in eyes injected with tissue-cultured skin fibroblasts.
Preferential retention of human chromosome 14 in mouse × human B cell hybrids

Loss of human chromosomes from mouse × human hybridomas is not random. Human chromosomes 14, 5 and 22 are preferentially retained, while chromosomes 2 and 1 are preferentially lost. Interestingly, human chromosome 14, which carries the genes for human immunoglobulin heavy chains, appears to be retained by almost all the hybrid clones and subclones.
Ambulatory-force measurement using an instrumented-shoe system: Lower-leg loading envelopes occurring during common activities in nonlaboratory situations can be determined by using a shoe-mounted force and position-measuring system

A knowledge of the external forces acting on the human lower limbs is necessary for the effective formulation of safety precautions. A new approach of determining lower-leg forces that is more portable than existing measurement systems has been developed. Shoe-mounted load cells measure the orthogonal components of foot-to-ground forces and moments while goniometers continuously monitor the position of the lower leg. The output signals are transposed to a system of loads acting at the lower leg. The axial torque calculated to occur during common turning maneuvers under various conditions is presented and discussed.
Nanowire Grid Polarizers Integrated into Flexible, Gas Permeable, Biocompatible Materials and Contact Lenses

The integration of optical components directly into contact lens materials permits the realization of advanced display technologies and integrated medical instruments. A process is developed for the fabrication of aluminium nanowire grid polarizers encapsulated in a flexible, gas permeable, and biocompatible material for integration onto rigid, gas-permeable contact lenses. Gas permeability values an order of magnitude higher than the minimum to prevent eye damage are measured while maintaining strong polarization performance. Further, the methods developed in this work can readily be applied to various optical and electronic technologies, allowing standard fabrication processes on rigid substrates and subsequent transfer to flexible, gas permeable, and biocompatible materials.
Predicting Adherence to Colonoscopy or Flexible Sigmoidoscopy on the Basis of Physician Appointment–Keeping Behavior

No-show rates for physician appointments predicted attendance at colorectal endoscopic studies. High no-show rates for appointments with physicians may signify patients who need special reminders a...
The “anathema” of arbitrary categorization of continuous predictors

In medicine in general, and in obstetrics in particular, it is common practice to use arbitrary cutoffs in expressing continuous variables. However, the dichotomy of continuous data is associated with loss of statistical power, which may result in inaccurate estimates in clinical prognosis or prediction of outcomes and, consequently, may lead to incorrect inferences. If the predictor is a continuous variable, arbitrary percentile-based categorizations without clinical justification is an anathema (Greek word meaning "curse") and should be discouraged. Instead, the clinical outcome of interest should be defined first and then a receiver operating characteristic curve analysis or other appropriate statistical techniques should be employed to determine the most optimal cutoff of the predictor. The next step should be to validate the cutoff in a different population before introducing it to clinical use or interventional trials.
Development of impact assessment methodologies for environmental sustainability

Despite years of discussion on the merits of sustainability, there is still no consensus on how to determine if environmental sustainability is achieved or even if progress is made. The Brundtland Commission statement that sustainability “meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs (World Commission on Environment and Development, Our common future, Oxford University Press, New York, 1987)” establishes the long-term focus of sustainability goals. Impact categories, such as land and water use, that can cause large spatial and long-temporal scale impacts are important for sustainability assessments, and may require detailed spatial analysis to capture all the important input parameters. Environmental sustainability impact assessments can use life cycle impact assessment methodologies, but can also be supplemented with impact assessments conducted from a variety of perspectives. Having this flexibility of perspective can allow more detailed site-specific assessments that may represent unsustainable situations. While it is necessary to provide decision support with a comprehensive assessment, aggregation of impact categories has the disadvantage of obscuring the individual vulnerabilities of each impact category, which can be critically important to the overall sustainability picture. An outline of a sustainability assessment case study focused on biomass-based alternatives required under the renewable fuel standard will be provided to demonstrate a more comprehensive view of sustainability.
Cardiac tamponade by loculated pericardial hematoma: Limitations of m-mode echocardiography

Three patients developed cardiac tamponade after heart surgery. Pericardial effusion was not identified by M-mode echocardiography. Two patients underwent two-dimensional echocardiography which showed compression of the right atrium by a localized mass. At reoperation, atrial compression by a loculated effusion or hematoma was found and successfully relieved. When cardiac tamponade is suggested by the clinical setting, but not supported by M-mode echocardiography, the presence of a loculated effusion should be considered and evaluated by a two-dimensional echocardiographic study.
The effects of viewing axis on laparoscopic performance: a comparison of non-expert and expert laparoscopic surgeons

Background While the ideal relationship of telescope viewing axis and instrument working axis in laparoscopic surgery is co-axial, it is often necessary to deviate view of the surgical field from the direction of working instruments with potentially negative implications to performance. The objectives of this study are to (1) characterize performance effects of working progressively further off telescope viewing axis and (2) compare the ability of expert laparoscopic surgeons and non-expert surgeons to compensate for the psychomotor problems imposed by off-axis viewing.
Advanced secure information retrieval technology for multilayer information extraction

Secure information retrieval technology aims at status identification and documentation authentication. Ideally, materials or devices used in these technologies should be hard to find, difficult to counterfeit, and as simple as possible. This manuscript addresses a novel information retrieval technology, with photoluminescent (PL) semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) synthesized via wet chemistry approaches used as its coding materials. Conceptually, these QDs are designed to exhibit emission at Fraunhofer line positions, namely, black lines in the solar spectrum; thus, the retrieval system can extract useful information under sunshine covering areas. Furthermore, multiphoton excitation (MPE) technology enables the retrieval system to be multilayer information extraction, with thin films consisting of QDs applied to various substrates, such as military helmets and vehicle and fingernails. Anticipated applications include security, military, and law enforcement. QD-based security information can be easily destroyed by preset expiration in the presence of timing agents.
Obesity and metabolic inflammation

Obesity epidemics affect 35.7% of adults and approximately 17% of children in the United States. Obesity has been associated with several health disorders such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, fatty liver disease, and certain forms of cancer. Medical costs associated with obesity were estimated at $147 billion in 2008. Chronic tissue inflammation, particularly in adipose tissue, has been considered as a key underlying mechanism for the development of obesity-related metabolic syndrome. In this review, we discuss the recent progress in the field of metabolic inflammation and the potential implication of anti-inflammation approaches as therapeutic interventions for treating obesity-related metabolic disorders.
Proliferation of Estrogen Receptor-α-Positive Mammary Epithelial Cells Is Restrained by Transforming Growth Factor-β1 in Adult Mice

Transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 is a potent inhibitor of mammary epithelial proliferation. In human breast, estrogen receptor (ER)-α cells rarely co-localize with markers of proliferation, but their increased frequency correlates with breast cancer risk. To determine whether TGF-β1 is necessary for the quiescence of ER-α-positive populations, we examined mouse mammary epithelial glands at estrus. Approximately 35% of epithelial cells showed TGF-β1 activation, which co-localized with nuclear receptor-phosphorylated Smad 2/3, indicating that TGF-β signaling is autocrine. Nuclear Smad co-localized with nuclear ER-α. To test whether TGF-β inhibits proliferation, we examined genetically engineered mice with different levels of TGF-β1. ER-α co-localization with markers of proliferation (ie, Ki-67 or bromodeoxyuridine) at estrus was significantly increased in the mammary glands of Tgfβ1 C57/bl/129SV heterozygote mice. This relationship was maintained after pregnancy but was absent at puberty. Conversely, mammary epithelial expression of constitutively active TGF-β1 via the MMTV promoter suppressed proliferation of ER-α-positive cells. Thus, TGF-β1 activation functionally restrains ER-α-positive cells from proliferating in adult mammary gland. Accordingly, we propose that TGF-β1 dysregulation may promote proliferation of ER-α-positive cells associated with breast cancer risk in humans.
Evidence for oxygen-island formation on Al(111): Cluster-model theory and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

The O 1s x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy spectrum for Al(111)/O at 300 K shows two components whose behavior as a function of time and variation of detection angle are consistent with either (a) a surface species represented by the higher binding-energy (BE) component and a subsurface species represented by the lower BE component, or (b) small close-packed oxygen islands with the interior atoms represented by the lower BE component and the perimeter atoms by the higher BE component. We have modeled both situations using ab initio Hartree-Fock wave functions for clusters of Al and O atoms. For an O atom in a threefold site, it was found that a below-surface position gave a higher O 1s BE than an above-surface position, incompatible with interpretation (a). This change in the O 1s BE could arise because the bond for O to Al may have a more covalent character when the O is below the surface than when it is above the surface. We present evidence consistent with this view. An O adatom island with all the O atoms in threefold sites gives calculated O 1s BE's which are significantly higher for the perimeter O atoms. Further, the results for an isolated O island without the Al substrate present also give higher BE's for the perimeter atoms. Both these results are consistent with interpretation (b). Published scanning-tunneling-microscopy data supports the suggestion that the chemisorbed state consists of small, close-packed islands, whereas the presence of two vibrational modes in high-resolution electron-energy-loss spectroscopy data has been interpreted as representing surface and subsurface oxygen atoms. In light of the present results, we suggest that a vibrational interpretation in terms of interior and perimeter adatoms should be considered.
Launchable and retrievable tetherbot exploration system

A launchable and retrievable tetherbot exploration system for low-gravity environments is proposed where a small, tethered robot is launched from a base lander or vehicle to a desired position up to 50 m away. When its exploration mission is complete, it hops vertically above the surface and is simultaneously reeled back in by the base vehicle while still above ground. Benefits include the ability to traverse long distances in short amounts of time and minimal energy expense independent of terrain roughness. This technique has the capability to reach locations too difficult, too dangerous, or unreachable by the base vehicle. Prototypes of a steerable six-legged hopping robot and electric reel were developed. A dynamic simulation demonstrated the capabilities of launching and tether retrieval.
Corporate body name changes: Helping the user search efficiently and effectively

The Library of Congress Subject Cataloging Manual: Subject Headings (H460 Name Changes in Non-Jurisdictional Corporate Bodies) instructs catalogers to assign the heading for the name used by the body during the latest period covered by the work being cataloged. If users want to find resources about corporate bodies that have changed names over time in the OPAC, they will often have to find them through “see also” references linking corporate names from earlier names to later names in the OPAC, which may be hard for users to understand. This paper aims to find a way to help users efficiently access works through the OPAC about corporate bodies that have changed names over time.
Darstellungen in The Principles of Mechanics and the Tractatus : The Representation of Objects in Relation in Hertz and Wittgenstein

Ludwig Wittgenstein's conception of the role of objects in our philosophical understanding of the logic of our language is critical for his early philosophy in the Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus. While the important connections between Heinrich Hertz's Principles of Mechanics and Wittgenstein's Tractatus have long been recognized, recent work by Jed Buchwald has deepened our knowledge of the importance of the object-orientation of Hertz's scientiac work in a manner that should also deepen our understanding of the nature of objects in the Tractatus. I will argue that there are important ontological links, involving “a certain physical scheme, one that had powerful implications for thinking as well as doing”, between Hertz's work and Wittgenstein's early philosophy.
Oxygen and carbon dioxide transfer in membrane oxygenators

Gas transfer in membrane oxygenators can be limited by the liquid dispersion or the membrane diffusion. If limited by liquid dispersion, the increase in average oxygen saturation of blood flowing in straight gas-permeable tubes is dependent upon the flow rate, the tube length, and the diffusion coefficient and independent of the tube diameter. The mathematical solution is surprisingly insensitive to shifts of the oxyhemoglobin dissociation curve. The assumptions utilized in the model and the analytic solution were verified by a series of experiments using cattle blood. Tube staging, turbulence, and tube coiling bring about mixing and significantly improve the oxygenation rate. For coiled tubes, the oxygenation efficiency depends on the Reynolds number, the Schmidt number, and the tightness of the coil. The limit on the rate of oxygen addition and carbon dioxide removal might be imposed, for thick-walled tubes, by the diffusion through the tube wall. The wall-limited case is governed by CO2 removal.
Echeloned Series Processor (ESP)

An Echeloned Series Processor (ESP) has been implemented on a computer. The processor has certain similarities with MAO (MAO is a processor for Poisson series). Echeloned Series contain divisors in literal form. List processing and dynamic storage techniques are used to handle Echeloned Series by computer.
HYPERLIPIDAEMIA: A CAUSE OF DECREASED OXYGEN SATURATION.

THE induction of hyperlipidaemia by the intravenous infusion of a fat emulsion in human beings produces a fall in arterial oxygen saturation. While the phenomena were observed earlier by Kuo1 in human beings and in dogs by Stutman2 and Cain3, the observations have not been extremely pursued nor has the mechanism of such a decrease in arterial oxygen saturation been fully explained.
Environmentally sensitive areas: a template for developing greenway corridors

Abstract Environmentally sensitive areas (ESAs) are landscape elements or places which are vital to the long-term maintenance of biological diversity, soil, water or other natural resources both on the site and in a regional context. They include wildlife habitat areas, steep slopes, wetlands, and prime agricultural lands. When ESAs are interconnected, they could form greenway corridors consisting of networks of linked landscape elements that provide ecological, recreational, and cultural benefits to a community. By implication, the planning process which communities use in protecting ESAs could serve as a template for developing greenway corridors. Many communities faced with the pressures of balancing economic development with environmental protection recognize that uncontrolled development may lead to an irreversible loss of ESAs. Communities, therefore, develop local comprehensive plans that identify the geographical distribution of ESAs, and specify land-use strategies and regulations for protecting them. However, this traditional form of identifying and protecting ESAs inhibits the potential for connecting them into a greenway corridor for many reasons: (1) the rationale for identifying and protecting ESAs is based on an exclusionary process that designates areas not appropriate for development; (2) the procedures for assessing ESAs are based predominantly on their geographical distribution, with little consideration of their functioning or the flow of nutrients, species, and energy between the landscape elements; (3) the identification and protection of ESAs focus on individual landscape elements such as flood plains and steep slopes, resulting in habitat fragmentation. Fragmentation is perpetuated further by the implementation of land-use controls such as conventional zoning, which focuses predominantly on protecting individual landscape elements rather than integrating them with adjacent landscape elements and land uses. Moreover, communities vary in their capacity to develop and implement appropriate land-use controls that would minimize further fragmentation. This paper documents a pilot study that demonstrates the application of a modified abiotic-biotic-cultural (ABC) strategy for assessing ESAs and connecting them into greenway corridors in Wallon County, Georgia. The ABC method permits assessment of the structure (descriptive) and function (relational) characteristics of the landscape for relative ecological values, which become the basis for designing greenways that serve specific ecological functions. Application of the method reveals that assessing ESAs and the interconnected landscape elements provides a vehicle for developing greenway corridors that serve primarily as a conduit for the movement of animals and secondarily as areas for the protection of water quality. To provide for the sustained management of the proposed greenway corridors, procedural guidelines are prescribed for integrating the resultant greenway plan into Walton County's comprehensive plan.