cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Thermal Impact of Cosmic Ray Interaction with an X-Ray Microcalorimeter Array

The X-ray Integral Field Unit (X-IFU) instrument on the Athena mission will be positioned at the Lagrangian point L2 and be subject to cosmic rays generated by astrophysics sources, primarily relativistic protons. Previous simulations have shown that particles of energy higher than 150 MeV will make it through the outer layers of the satellite. They will reach the detector wafer with a rate of 3 cts cm−2 s−1 and a most probable energy deposited in the Si frame supporting the array at 150 keV. These events can affect the energy resolution of the detectors through the thermal fluctuations that they produce. This study assesses this potential problem and discusses two suggested design approaches to decrease the impact of cosmic ray in order to limit their effect to their allocation of 0.2 eV within the Athena/X-IFU energy-resolution budget. The first is the addition of a coating layer of high heat capacity material (e.g., Pd) and the second is the splitting of this coating into two thermal regions near the TES array to keep the heat away from the array. Implementing these two features is predicted to cause a decrease in the number of events above 1 µK by more than a factor 10 to ~ 1.5 cps when compared to an equivalent design without these features.
Leveraging the Dynamic Blood-Brain Barrier for Central Nervous System Nanoparticle-based Drug Delivery Applications.

Abstract Neurological diseases and injuries have profound impact on a patient's lifespan and functional capabilities, but often lack effective intervention strategies to address the underlying neuropathology. The blood–brain barrier is a major hurdle in the effective delivery of therapeutics to the brain. Recent discoveries in blood–brain barrier maintenance reveal a dynamic system where time of day, disease progression, and even biological variables all strongly influence its permeability and flux of molecules. Nanoparticles can be used to improve the efficacy of therapeutics by increasing circulation time, bioavailability, selectivity, and controlling the rate of payload release. Considering these recent findings, the next generation of pharmacological paradigms are evolving to leverage nanotechnology to turn therapeutic intervention to meet the needs of a specific patient (i.e. personalized medicine).
Characterizing the general chelating affinity of serum protein fetuin for lanthanides

Fetuin is an abundant blood protein that participates in multiple biological processes, including the transport and regulation of calcium. Fetuin is also known to have a high affinity for uranium (as the uranyl dioxo cation) and plutonium, thus it has been suggested as one of the main endogenous chelating biomolecules involved in the transport of actinides following an internal uptake event. Nevertheless, no direct measurements of its affinity for f-elements beside these two actinides have been reported. Here, we investigate the interaction between fetuin and trivalent lanthanides, such as samarium, europium, terbium, and dysprosium, by mass spectrometry and fluorescence spectroscopy. Mass spectrometry results indicated that fetuin has four metal binding sites for the metal ions studied. Upon formation, the metal-protein complexes showed luminescence emission as a result of antenna sensitization of the metal ions, whose photophysics were characterized and exploited to perform direct spectrofluorimetric titrations. Furthermore, the thermodynamic constants were calculated for all complexes, confirming the formation of stable complexes with log [Formula: see text] values between 26 and 27. In characterizing the affinity of the serum protein fetuin for several f-elements, this study expands upon the initial findings focused on uranyl and plutonium, and contributes to a better understanding of the internal distribution and deposition of lanthanides, potentially representative of trivalent actinides.
Acoustic measures of glottalization in native and nonnative English connected speech

Using perceptual coding methods, previous research on English connected speech by late-onset second language speakers (L2ers) found that L2ers produced unstressed vowel-to-vowel word junctures (e.g., go head) as “delinked” (i.e., glottalized) at significantly higher rates than native speakers (L1ers), which could not be explained by cross-linguistic influence (CLI) from the L2ers' native language (L1). In the present study, we examined whether L2ers differed from L1ers also in degree of glottalization. Comparing high-proficiency L2ers from an L1 Mandarin background (N = 5) with L1ers (N = 5), we collected four measures of spectral tilt (H 1–H 2, H 1–A 1, H 1–A 2, H 1–A 3) at vowel-to-vowel word junctures spontaneously produced in interview speech (N = 615 for L1ers, N = 841 for L2ers). Results showed that although junctures coded as glottalized tended to show more negative H 1–H 2 values (indicative of creaky phonation) than did junctures coded as not glottalized, there were no significant differences between L1ers and L2ers in any of the spectral tilt measures examined, for either glottalized or non-glottalized junctures. These findings thus suggest that although high-proficiency L2ers may glottalize vowel-to-vowel junctures at higher rates than L1ers, when they do glottalize they do so to a similar degree as L1ers, with no apparent CLI from the L1.
Formal and Informal Constitutional Amendment

The constitutional search for greater justice is the animating principle that guides or should guide constitutional amendment and constitutional change whenever and wherever it occurs. Almost all states and governments formally declare their constitutional commitment to justice, liberty, and the rule of law. Yet reports on constitutional amendment from nations throughout the world remind us that we live at a moment of constitutional peril. The general trend of constitutional government in many states has been towards greater corruption, violence, and arbitrary action. This illustrates the dual and parallel importance of constitutional principles and constitutional structures in securing the rule of law. Constitutional principles animate the constitutional structures that apply our constitutional principles in practice. Constitutional amendment and constitutional change can be formal, informal, cultural, and even at times, illegal. Which techniques are appropriate will vary according to the circumstances. The failure of widely shared and well-developed formal or structural constitutional arrangements to prevent the decline of the rule of law in the early twenty-first century confirms the important role that informal and cultural constitutional change have always played in the development of constitutional justice. While constitutions can declare the importance of liberty, justice, and the public welfare, and establish constitutional checks and balances to protect them, they cannot guarantee good faith. That depends on the lawyers, judges, and scholars who make the constitution real.
In Celebration of the Life and Contributions of Paul G. Barash.

Abstract Dr. Paul G Barash, former Chair of the Department Of Anesthesiology at the Yale University School of Medicine, died on June 8, 2020 at the age of 78. He was one of the giants in anesthesiology: a notable clinician, investigator, teacher, and founding editor of his internationally renowned textbook Clinical Anesthesia. However, he was in particular a pioneer and leader in the subspecialty of cardiac anesthesia. In this review, we summarize his career, the contributions he made to the practice of anesthesiology in general and to cardiac anesthesia in particular and provide comments from his colleagues and friends. We summarize the attributes of this man that made him a model of our profession that we can all strive to emulate.
Does Hosting a Professional Sports Team Benefit the Local Community? Evidence From Property Assessments

Local governments often justify subsidizing sports stadiums as economic development projects that have positive returns on investment. If this is true, economic and quality-of-life spillovers that are capitalized in local property values ought to generate additional tax revenue for host municipalities through increased property assessments. This analysis uses the synthetic control method to estimate the effect of a new publicly-funded professional baseball stadium and team relocation on property assessments in Cobb County, Georgia. Cobb assessment values did not increase relative to other metro-Atlanta counties following the stadiums' announcement or opening, which is inconsistent with the stadium having a positive fiscal impact, even with its desirable location and accompanying mixed-used development. The findings are consistent with past economic studies and are likely generalizable to other stadium projects.
MeCP2 for sustained antidepressant effects

Ketamine has transformed the treatment of depression by providing rapid relief from depressive symptoms, but the mechanisms mediating its long-term effects are unclear. Kim et al. show that MeCP2 signaling in the hippocampus is critical for supporting sustained antidepressant effects.
The Gentle Quest: 200 Years in Search of North American Mayflies

The first 200 years of mayfly faunistics in North America are reviewed. After meager beginnings for most of the Nineteenth Century, a burst of descriptive activity occurred in the 1920’s and 1930’s, the Golden Age of ephemeropterology, when over half of the currently known valid species were described, mainly by John McDunnough and Jay Traver. Thirteen of the 77 authors of North American mayflies species in the past 200 years have contributed over 80% of the known fauna, and represent all time periods and regions. The North American fauna currently consists of close to 700 species, with only moderate increases expected in the next century. Growth of the known fauna over time, contributions by decade, changes in family and generic classification, regional inventories, pertinent revisions, and major researchers are reviewed. Current status and recommendations for future research are also outlined.
The FAA Triumphal: A Modest Opinion

The opinion reproduced below was delivered to us anonymously, with a cover note stating that it had been found on a photocopy machine in the Supreme Court of the United States. Efforts to identify the source of the note have been unsuccessful; further, we have been unable to confirm that a case denominated Pasquinade v. Quillet Enterprises, Inc., was ever filed in that Court or in any other federal court. In light of its unverified origins, the Pasquinade opinion should not be cited as authority. Nevertheless, it contains a few points of interest, and, who knows, could represent a kind of trial run by the Justice who supposedly authored it, complete with reaction to anticipated dissent. We express no opinion on the matter and merely offer Pasquinade “for what it’s worth.”
Gender-Based Communication Styles, Trust, and Satisfaction in Virtual Teams

Previous studies have identified the difficulty of communicating in virtual teams. The lack of media richness, or opportunity for using non-verbal cues, leads to misunderstood communications and may limit the development of trust. Studies have also shown that males and females are socialized to communicate differently. Males use communication in teams to establish dominance and position while females use it to establish relationships and gain trust. In this study, we analyzed whether the gender of individual team members or the gender composition of the team impacted trust and satisfaction in short-duration virtual teams. Expectedly, females reported higher trust than males. However, team gender composition did not impact trust or satisfaction. The findings also indicate that males had less ability to dominate team interaction and that asynchronous computer mediated communication could equalize interactions among male and female team members.
Studies on Sperm Chromatin Structure Alterations and Cytogenetic Damage of Mouse Sperm Following In Vitro Incubation. Studies on In Vitro-Incubated Mouse Sperm

: Mouse epididymal sperm incubated in Tyrode's T6 fertilization media were analyzed over time for chromosome damage by two methods. First, cytogenetic analysis was done on paternal pronuclei metaphase chromosomes. After 6 hours incubation 11% of the cells demonstrated chromosome structural abnormalities. Secondly, sperm nuclei were measured by the sperm chromatin structure assay, which is a measure of the susceptibility of sperm DNA to the nuclei demonstrated an increased susceptibility to DNA denaturation, reaching near 100% by 48 hours. Changes in chromatin structure at the molecular level may lead to chromosome breaks seen in pronuclear chromosomes.
A Moment Outside

In the Stedelijk Museum of Modern Art in Amsterdam in 1997, Alexander Brener defaced one of the art world's greatest treasuers. The target was Kazimir Malevich's Supremetism which in great part marked the birth of the Russian Avant-garde. Immediately after being apprehended by security guards, he loudly proclaimed that what he had done was performance art and a dialogue with Malevich about corruption in the commercial art world. Unlike Tony Shafrazi, Brener was not opportunistic about his vandalism and remains an elusive figure in the Russian art scene—managing to pen his manifesto while imprisoned for modifying Malevich's masterpiece valued at $7.5 million. What most critics overlook are the complexities of the context within which Brener and Malevich are embedded. The trajectory of a former Soviet Peoples' art object to proprietary traded commodity leaves much to be explored. This paper identifies and explores three concepts central to developing a nuanced understanding of Brener's work as art: The legal response to art vandalism; a qualitative comparison between Brener and Malevich; And Brener's situation within contemporary art context with an emphasis on post-Soviet culture and the international political economy.
Survey of the States: Special Education Knowledge Requirements for School Administrators:

Regular education administrators must possess a knowledge of special education to effectively implement P. L. 94-142, and to experiment with and accomplish many of the proposed objectives of the regular education initiative. To determine the existing knowledge base of school administrators in special education and special education law, we surveyed state directors of special education. This article reports the results of the survey, discusses implications, and offers suggestions for improvement.
The PD-1 pathway in tolerance and autoimmunity

Regulatory T cells (Tregs) and the PD-1: PD-ligand (PD-L) pathway are both critical to terminating immune responses. Elimination of either can result in the breakdown of tolerance and the development of autoimmunity. The PD-1: PD-L pathway can thwart self-reactive T cells and protect against autoimmunity in many ways. In this review, we highlight how PD-1 and its ligands defend against potentially pathogenic self-reactive effector T cells by simultaneously harnessing two mechanisms of peripheral tolerance: (i) the promotion of Treg development and function and (ii) the direct inhibition of potentially pathogenic self-reactive T cells that have escaped into the periphery. Treg cells induced by the PD-1 pathway may also assist in maintaining immune homeostasis, keeping the threshold for T-cell activation high enough to safeguard against autoimmunity. PD-L1 expression on non-hematopoietic cells as well as hematopoietic cells endows PD-L1 with the capacity to promote Treg development and enhance Treg function in lymphoid organs and tissues that are targets of autoimmune attack. At sites where transforming growth factor-beta is present (e.g. sites of immune privilege or inflammation), PD-L1 may promote the de novo generation of Tregs. When considering the consequences of uncontrolled immunity, it would be therapeutically advantageous to manipulate Treg development and sustain Treg function. Thus, this review also discusses how the PD-1 pathway regulates a number of autoimmune diseases and the therapeutic potential of PD-1: PD-L modulation.
Identification and Characterization of a 47 Base Pair Activity-Dependent Enhancer of the Rat Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor δ-Subunit Promoter

Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) genes are regulated by muscle electrical activity. E-box sequences found in their promoters are necessary for this regulation. However, many muscle genes contain E-boxes, yet are not regulated by muscle depolarization. This suggests that other elements are necessary, perhaps working in conjunction with E-boxes, to confer depolarization-dependent control onto promoter activity. We have used direct DNA injection into muscle as an in vivo assay to identify and characterize these additional elements. Mutagenesis and expression assays identified multiple elements within the first 81 base pairs (bp) of the nAChR delta-subunit promoter that contribute to its regulation by muscle electrical activity. Within this 81 bp sequence, two regions of DNA were identified that were capable of conferring activity-dependent regulation onto a heterologous promoter. The stronger of these two putative enhancers was characterized further. It is a 47 bp sequence that contains an E-box along with sequences similar to the SV40 core enhancer and an SP1 site. Site-directed mutagenesis identified residues within each of these sequences that were necessary for enhancer activity. Furthermore, methylation interference DNA footprinting assays showed increased nuclear protein binding to sequences within both these enhancers after muscle denervation, and this pattern of binding was very similar to that observed with nuclear protein isolated from myotube extracts. These latter results suggest that similar mechanisms may mediate increased nAChR expression during muscle development and after muscle denervation.
Tier Adaptive Body Biasing: A Post-Silicon Tuning Method to Minimize Clock Skew Variations in 3-D ICs

In this paper, we analyze the variability in a 3-D clock network designed with single and multiple through-silicon vias and present a post-silicon tuning methodology, called tier adaptive body biasing (TABB), to reduce skew and data path variability in 3-D clock trees. TABB uses specialized on-die sensors to independently detect the process corners of n-channel metal-oxide-semiconductor (nMOS) and p-channel metal-oxide-semiconductor (pMOS) devices and accordingly tune the body biases of nMOS/pMOS devices to reduce the clock skew variability. We also present the system architecture of TABB and circuit techniques for the on-die sensors. Circuit-level simulation and statistical analysis of the TABB architecture in a predictive 45-nm technology demonstrate the effectiveness of TABB in reducing the clock skew variability considering the data path variability in 3-D ICs.
Calcium supplementation lowers serum parathyroid hormone levels in elderly subjects.

To determine the effect of calcium supplementation on parathyroid hormone levels (PTH) in a group of elderly subjects at risk for developing Type II (senile) osteoporosis, 40 healthy volunteers participated in a randomized double-blind crossover study. Calcium carbonate or placebo was administered for 4 weeks, followed by a 4-week administration of the alternative intervention. Fasting blood samples and 24-hour urine collections were obtained at baseline, and at the end of each intervention period. Calcium supplementation (1000 mg/day) decreased serum PTH levels from a mean of 50.1 +/- 3.0 pg/ml to 41.9 +/- 2.4 pg/ml (p less than .001). Additionally, urine calcium excretion significantly increased during calcium administration (from 3.64 mmol/mmol creatinine at baseline to 4.28 mmol/mmol creatinine), but creatinine clearances and serum calcium levels remained unchanged. Type II osteoporosis has been associated with age-related increases in PTH levels. We have demonstrated the ability of increased calcium intake to decrease these levels, which may have implications for the management of a subset of patients with involutional osteoporosis.
Seven kinds of monotone maps

Known as well as new types of monotone and generalized monotone maps are considered. For gradient maps, these generalized monotonicity properties can be related to generalized convexity properties of the underlying function. In this way, pure first-order characterizations of various types of generalized convex functions are obtained.
Chloride Transport in Porous Lipid Bilayer Membranes

This paper describes dissipative Cl- transport in "porous" lipid bilayer membranes, i.e., cholesterol-containing membranes exposed to 1–3 x 10-7 M amphotericin B. PDCl (cm·s-1), the diffusional permeability coefficient for Cl-, estimated from unidirectional 36Cl- fluxes at zero volume flow, varied linearly with the membrane conductance (Gm, Ω-1·cm-2) when the contributions of unstirred layers to the resistance to tracer diffusion were relatively small with respect to the membranes; in 0.05 M NaCl, PDCl was 1.36 x 10-4 cm·s-1 when Gm was 0.02 Ω-1·cm-2. Net chloride fluxes were measured either in the presence of imposed concentration gradients or electrical potential differences. Under both sets of conditions: the values of PDCl computed from zero volume flow experiments described net chloride fluxes; the net chloride fluxes accounted for ∼90–95% of the membrane current density; and, the chloride flux ratio conformed to the Ussing independence relationship. Thus, it is likely that Cl- traversed aqueous pores in these anion-permselective membranes via a simple diffusion process. The zero current membrane potentials measured when the aqueous phases contained asymmetrical NaCl solutions could be expressed in terms of the Goldman-Hodgkin-Katz constant field equation, assuming that the PDNa/PDCl ratio was 0.05. In symmetrical salt solutions, the current-voltage properties of these membranes were linear; in asymmetrical NaCl solutions, the membranes exhibited electrical rectification consistent with constant-field theory. It seems likely that the space charge density in these porous membranes is sufficiently low that the potential gradient within the membranes is approximately linear; and, that the pores are not electrically neutral, presumably because the Debye length within the membrane phase approximates the membrane thickness.
Rapid Diagnosis of Nocardiosis with an Enzyme Immunoassay

Diagnosis of nocardiosis is often delayed because of the frequently nonspecific nature of the illness and because of the long incubation period required to isolate the organism in the microbiology laboratory. Past experience with serological methods for diagnosing nocardiosis have met with little success, primarily because there was no suitable antigen. Using a previously identified Nocardia asteroides-specific protein, we developed an enzyme immunoassay for the rapid diagnosis of nocardiosis. We evaluated sera from 22 patients with nocardiosis, 83 hospitalized controls, and 21 patients with tuberculosis. Twenty (91%) of the sera from patients with nocardiosis had titers of antibody greater than or equal to 1:256, whereas all of the sera from controls and from patients with tuberculosis had titers less than 1:256. This assay represents a highly sensitive and specific serodiagnostic tool for evaluating patients with possible nocardiosis.
Your next step registration

Engineering, along with medicine and law, is a profession entrusted primarily with responsibilities incident to activities dealing with the protection of life, health, rights, and property. Registration of all eligible engineers as Professional Engineers is important not only to the individual engineer, but also to the prestige of the profession.
Reliability of performance on standardized patient cases: A comparison of consistency measures based on generalizability theory

Standardized patient cases have assumed an important role in the assessment of clinical competence in recent years. The reliability (consistency) of performance across standardized patient cases has been determined with consistency measures derived from generalizability theory—namely, the generalizability coefficient, Ep2; the dependability index, ; and the dependability index with cutoff, ϕ(C). These three consistency measures can be computed for quantitatively scored cases and for dichotomously scored cases; hence, six consistency measures could be computed for a given examination. Our purpose was to draw attention to the sizable differences among the computed values of these consistency measures for a new set of clinical competence examination data and to provide a review of the interpretations of the different measures. The findings showed considerable differences among the consistency measures, the number of cases needed to achieve the 0.80 reliability level, and the time required to administer th...
Transitional Editor's Message

(2000). Transitional Editor's Message. Action in Teacher Education: Vol. 22, No. sup2, pp. vii-vii.
Alterations of p16INK4a and p14ARF in Patients with Severe Oral Epithelial Dysplasia

A number of genetic aberrations have been reported in end-stage squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck, including p16INK4a and p14ARF (INK4a/ARF) inactivation rates of 70–85%. Still, the cell cycle-regulatory genes p16INK4a and p14ARF remain poorly understood in oral cavity premalignant lesions. This study evaluated INK4a/ARF locus alterations in 26 patients (28 samples) deemed to be at increased risk for malignant transformation to squamous cell carcinoma due to the diagnosis of severe oral epithelial dysplasia. Microscopically confirmed dysplastic oral epithelium and matching normal tissue were laser capture-microdissected from paraffin sections, DNA was isolated, and molecular techniques were used to evaluate p16INK4a and p14ARF gene deletion, mutation, loss of heterozygosity (LOH), and hypermethylation events. Deletion of exon 1β, 1α, or 2 was detected in 3.8%, 11.5%, and 7.7% of patients, respectively. INK4a and ARF mutations were detected in 15.4% and 11.5% of patients with severe dysplasia of the oral epithelium. All identified mutations occurred in the INK4a/ARF conserved exon 2. Allelic imbalance was assessed using three markers previously reported to show high LOH rates in head and neck tumors. LOH was found in 42.1%, 35.0%, and 82.4% of patients for the markers IFNα, D9S1748, and D9S171, respectively. Hypermethylation of p16INK4a and p14ARF was detected in 57.7% and 3.8% of patients, respectively, using nested, two-stage methylation-specific PCR. The highest rates of p16INK4a hypermethylation occurred in lesions of the tongue and floor of the mouth. In addition, p16INK4a hypermethylation was significantly linked to LOH in two or more markers. These data support that INK4a/ARF locus alterations are frequent events preceding the development of oral cancer and that p16INK4a inactivation occurs to a greater extent in oral dysplasia than does p14ARF inactivation.
UAVs in Urban Operations: Target Interception and Containment

In future urban warfare scenarios, the expectations placed on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in terms of autonomy, reliability and cooperation will be significantly increased. In this paper, a novel algorithm is developed which enables a swarm UAVs to contain and intercept multiple evading targets. In particular, the algorithm allows a swarm of UAVs to intercept significantly faster evading targets if there are more UAVs than targets. Several numerical experiments are conducted, in which four pursuers attempt to intercept one or two faster evaders. The algorithm is very effective at containing the targets; however, as the number of evading targets increases the speed of the evaders must be reduced to ensure capture. Finally, a scenario in which there are more evading targets than pursuers is considered, and, given that the evaders were slower than the pursers, containment and capture was successfully accomplished.
Motivating Knowledge Sharing in Engineering and Construction Organizations: Power of Social Motivations

AbstractKnowledge management initiatives have proliferated in recent years because of the desire to have employees share their knowledge throughout the organization. However, in practice, many of these initiatives fail to achieve their initial goals. Because knowledge fundamentally resides with people, knowledge management research and initiatives must move from a focus on macrolevel variables at the organizational level to include an understanding of microlevel variables at the individual level of why employees engage in these knowledge management initiatives. This research aims to understand participation in organizational knowledge sharing by identifying and exploring the reasons why employees share their knowledge. This is done through qualitative case studies with 48 employees in 13 multinational engineering, construction, and real estate development firms. Using an embedded unit of analysis of knowledge sharing motivations of employees, a qualitative analysis revealed four primary factors related to...
An Esophageal Multiprobe for Temperature, Electrocardiogram, and Heart and Lung Sounds Measurements

An esophageal multiprobe capable of continuous monitoring of body core temperature, heart and lung sounds, and ECG during surgery was constructed using tubing having integral conductive plastic strips. A temperature readout instrument was designed for compatibility with this device. Clinical testing indicates promise for the development of an inexpensive disposable device for use with patients under general anesthesia.
Vascular tortuosity: a mathematical modeling perspective

Although vascular tortuosity is a ubiquitous phenomenon, almost no mathematical models exist to describe its shape. Given that the shape of tortuous vessel curves seems fairly uniform across orders of magnitude of vessel size and across vast differences in anatomic substrata, it is hypothesized that the shape of tortuosity is not purely random but rather is governed by physical principles. We present a mathematical model of tortuosity based on optimality principles, and show how this model can potentially be used to distinguish physiologic tortuosity from abnormal tortuosity which may exist in disease states. Using the calculus of variations, a model of tortuosity has been developed which minimizes average curvature per unit length. The model is tested against curves in normal vessels and in diseased vessels in a case of Fabry’s disease. It is found that the theoretical model provides a good fit for normal vessel tortuosity. This suggests that blood vessels obey optimality principles, and curve in such a way as to minimize average curvature. The model may also be able to distinguish physiologic tortuosity from abnormal tortuosity found in disease states.
Thermal conductivity of single crystal 1-alanine

Abstract The speed of sound and thermal conductivity of 1-alanine single crystals have been measured. The longitudinal speed of sound was measured by a pulse echo technique and the thermal conductivity by a steady-state linear haet-flow method. The long mean free path at low temperatures indicate that the specimen under study is relatively clean. The thermal conductivity drops exponentially to a minimum at room temperature without displaying any 1/T dependence suggesting that the lattice modes are strongly anharmonic.
Post Myocardial Infarction Cardiogenic Shock A Review of Current Therapies

Cardiogenic shock is often a devastating consequence of acute myocardial infarction (MI) and portends to significant mortality and morbidity. Despite improvements in expediting the time to treatment and enhancements in available medical therapy and reperfusion techniques, cardiogenic shock remains the most common cause of mortality following MI. Post-MI cardiogenic shock most commonly occurs as a consequence of severe left ventricular dysfunction. Right ventricular (RV) MI must also be considered. Mechanical complications including acute mitral regurgitation, ventricular septal rupture, and ventricular free-wall rupture can also lead to cardiogenic shock. Rapid diagnosis of cardiogenic shock and its underlying cause is pivotal to delivering definitive therapy. Intravenous vasoactive agents and mechanical support devices may temporize the patient's hemodynamic status until definitive therapy by percutaneous or surgical intervention can be performed. Despite prompt management, post-MI cardiogenic shock mortality remains high.
Clutter and Display Conformality: Changes in Cognitive Capture

HUD technology has provided pilots with a variety of performance advantages over traditional head-down cockpit displays. Reduced visual switching times, increased situational awareness, and a variety of flight performance improvements have all been associated with HUDs. Despite these advantages, research has identified some possible HUD shortcomings. Objective and subjective data suggest HUDs increase the difficulty associated with switching one's attention among stimuli within the same visual space, causing pilots to inappropriately fixate on the display, a state termed cognitive capture. Possible factors that might affect cognitive capture include display conformality, clutter, and perceptual separation. The present research used reaction time data to assess the effects of these factors on cognitive capture. Sixty participants completed a simulated ship navigation task using either a conformal or non-conformal HUD. Each of four trials was factorial for display clutter (low, high) and obstacle probabilit...
Substance-use disorders in adolescents and adults with ADHD: focus on treatment

A high prevalence of comorbidity of ADHD and substance-use disorders (SUDs) has been shown in the literature. In this article, the literature for the treatment of adolescents and adults with co-occurring ADHD and SUD is examined. Findings from pharmacotherapy suggest mild improvement in ADHD without demonstrable changes in SUD unless the addiction was stabilized prior to treating the ADHD. No unique adverse effects, worsening of SUD, misuse or diversion of stimulants are reported in the included studies. Treating ADHD pharmacologically in individuals with ADHD plus SUD only has a modest impact on ADHD and SUD that is not observed in controlled trials. Limited data in adults with ADHD and brief abstinence of their SUD showed improvements in both ADHD and SUD with treatment. Further studies of cognitive behavioral therapy, sequencing of therapies and longer term treatment outcomes for groups with ADHD and active SUD are necessary.
Measurement of Pulmonary Blood Flow Using the Indicator-Dilution Technic in Patients with a Central Arteriovenous Shunt

The possibility of measuring pulmonary blood flow in patients with central arteriovenous shunts utilizing the initial portion of indicator-dilution curves was explored in 16 patients by comparing these values for pulmonary blood flow with determinations by the direct Fick method. A good correlation between Fick and indicator-dilution values was obtained, and no systematic differences were demonstrated. The standard deviation of the differences between Fick and dye values was in the order of 20 to 25 per cent.
Pollination Competition Effects on Gene-Flow Estimation: Using Regular vs. Male-Sterile Bait Plants

Pollen-mediated gene flow from transgenic crops is a concern of the scientific community as well as the general public. Although a common practice, the use of male-sterile bait plants in field trials to demonstrate rates of gene transfer has been questioned due to the lack of pollination competition. However, little direct evidence has been published. Field experiments of male-sterile and male-fertile corn bait plants were conducted in 2001 and 2002, respectively, to evaluate the effects of pollination competition on gene-flow assessment. Male-sterile bait plants exhibited a significantly higher rate of outcrossing than male-fertile plants. The results obtained from this study suggest that actual gene flow from transgenic plants to their wild-type cultivars or relatives is likely to be lower than estimates reported in previous studies using male-sterile bait plants, and that male-fertile that is, normal, bait plants should be used in future studies attempting to estimate gene flow.
Renal and non-renal clearances of iothalamate

An evaluation of the literature indicated that certain aspects of the disposition kinetics of iothalamate, important to the accurate determination of glomerular filtration rate in dogs and humans, remain to be resolved. The simultaneous clearances of iothalamate and inulin in 5 dogs were determined at three steady-state iothalamate plasma levels (2, 10, and 40 micrograms ml-1) following various rates of intravenous infusion. The iothalamate clearances, both renal and non-renal, were concentration-independent. The overall mean non-renal clearance was 18 per cent (ranging from 9 to 25 per cent) of its plasma clearance. The mean iothalamate/inulin renal clearance ratio was about 0.84 with individual values ranging from 0.72 to 0.95. The significant (4-26 per cent) plasma protein binding of iothalamate in these dogs was the main reason for the lower-than-unity clearance ratios obtained. The literature indicates the existence of up to 25 per cent of non-renal elimination in humans with normal renal function; this is comparable to the present results obtained with dogs but contrary to the assumption, sometimes reported in the literature that non-renal elimination is essentially absent in humans. Binding of iothalamate to plasma proteins from humans was not found in the present study. The above results suggest that for accurate glomerular filtration rate determination in humans and dogs, especially for those with renal impairment, renal clearance rather than plasma clearance should be used, and in the case of dogs it should also be corrected for plasma protein binding. Iothalamate in plasma and urine was analysed by a simple, micro high-performance liquid chromatographic method with UV detection.
In vitro proliferation and adhesion of basic fibroblast growth factor-producing fibroblasts on platinum coils.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the growth and adhesion characteristics in vitro of genetically modified, basic fibroblast growth factor-producing fibroblasts on platinum detachable coils. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Coils of two sizes were coated with laminin, poly-L-lysine, fibronectin, and type I and type IV collagen and were cultured with basic fibroblast growth factor-secreting fibroblasts. Type I collagen strands were inserted in the lumen of some coils. Cellular proliferation and adherence during passage of coils through microcatheters were studied with both light and scanning electron microscopy. Growth factor concentration in the culture medium was measured. RESULTS: Rapid cellular proliferation was noted on all coated coils except those coated with type IV collagen. Proliferation on uncoated coils was slightly slower than on most coated coils, although confluent cell layers were present on uncoated larger-diameter coils within 48 hours. Cells had a marked propensity to grow between the primary coil windings int...
The Potential of Electronic Communication and Information Technologies as Research Tools: Promise and Perils for the Future of Communication Research

Scholars across several disciplines praise the methodological advantages afforded to research endeavors by the use of electronic communication and information technologies. At the same time, however, scholars note several disadvantages stemming from the use of these tools. To assess the utility of electronic communication and information technologies as research tools, we synthesize work on the methodological issues surrounding the use of these technologies for the future of communication research. Our overarching goal is to review prior and current perspectives in order to appropriately assess and critique the use of electronic tools in research pursuits while informing future applications of these tools in the field. Throughout the chapter we articulate the argument that sound theoretical and methodological practices determine the appropriateness of the application of any particular tool. Accordingly, our focus is on the specific methodological concerns that arise with the use of electronic technologies...
Occurrence and Minimization of Cysteine Racemization during Stepwise Solid-Phase Peptide Synthesis(1)(,)(2).

Contrary to the conventional wisdom of the peptide synthesis field, N,S-protected derivatives of cysteine can undergo substantial levels of racemization with widely-used reagents and protocols for stepwise incorporation. A systematic study of this problem has been carried out as a function of coupling conditions and beta-thiol protecting groups, i.e., S-acetamidomethyl (Acm), S-triphenylmethyl (trityl or Trt), S-2,4,6-trimethoxybenzyl (Tmob), and S-9H-xanthen-9-yl (Xan), taking advantage of a convenient and quantitative model system assay involving HPLC resolution of H-Gly-L-Cys-Phe-NH(2) from H-Gly-D-Cys-Phe-NH(2). For example, standard protocols for couplings mediated by phosphonium and aminium salts, e.g., (benzotriazolyloxy)tris(dimethylamino)phosphonium hexafluorophosphate (BOP), N-[(1H-benzotriazol-1-yl)(dimethylamino)methylene]-N-methylmethanaminium hexafluorophosphate N-oxide (HBTU), N-[[(dimethylamino)-1H-1,2,3-triazolo[4,5-b]pyridin-1-yl]methylene]-N-methylmethanaminium hexafluorophosphate N-oxide (HATU), and (7-azabenzotriazol-1-yloxy)tris(pyrrolidino)phosphonium hexafluorophosphate (PyAOP), typically involve 5-min preactivation times and are conducted in the presence of suitable additives such as 1-hydroxybenzotriazole (HOBt) or 7-aza-1-hydroxybenzotriazole (HOAt) plus a tertiary amine base such as N,N-diisopropylethylamine (DIEA) or N-methylmorpholine (NMM). Under such conditions, the levels of racemization in the model peptide, expressed as the ratio of D:L peptide formed, were in the entirely unacceptable range of 5-33%. However, these levels were in general reduced by a factor of 6- or 7-fold by avoiding the preactivation step. Additional strategies to reduce racemization involved change to a weaker base, with 2,4,6-trimethylpyridine (TMP, collidine) being substantially better than DIEA or NMM; 2-fold reduction in the amount of base; and change in solvent from neat N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) to the less polar CH(2)Cl(2)-DMF (1:1). Coupling methods for the safe incorporation of cysteine with minimal racemization (<1% per step) in 9-fluorenylmethyloxycarbonyl (Fmoc) solid-phase peptide synthesis include BOP (or HBTU or HATU)/HOBt (or HOAt)/TMP (4:4:4) without preactivation in CH(2)Cl(2)-DMF (1:1), DIPCDI/HOBt (or HOAt) (4:4) with 5-min preactivation, and preformed pentafluorophenyl (Pfp) esters in CH(2)Cl(2)-DMF (1:1).
Fixed, associative memory using evaporated organic diode arrays

The use of fixed or read-only memories to store permanent or semi-permanent data has been widely treated in the literature. Associative or content-addressable memories, discussed more recently, provide the important capability for rapid parallel searching and retrieval of stored information. A fixed, associative memory can be used in applications requiring storage of encyclopedic data which must be searched at very high speed. Large capacity stores such as library and other catalog search files, language translators and medical diagnostic tables, as well as small stores such as code converters, computer program memories and other realtime search files, may be of this type.
Diurnal Variation in Epithelial Cell Population Kinetics of Young Mouse Tongue

The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a diurnal variation in the DNA synthesis pattern of epithelial basal cells in the dorsum of the mouse tongue between infancy and preadult ages. The pattern of DNA synthesis in the basal cells of mouse tongue in 24-hour periods for different age groups was studied by isotope labeling and radioautography. A strong diurnal variation was found in the pattern of DNA synthesis with the degree of variation dependent on the age of the experimental groups.
Analysis of Frequency Dynamics in Power Grid: A Bayesian Structure Learning Approach

The oscillation of frequency in power grid is studied in this paper. The possibility association of frequencies measured at different locations are modeled by a Bayesian network with the logical structure learned using Bayesian structure learning and real measurements in the U.S. power grid. Frequency data analysis and the detection of incorrect frequency measurements (caused by equipment error or malicious attack) are performed over the logical Bayesian network structure. Such application of Bayesian network is a powerful mathematical tool in computational intelligence. Without the physical power network topology information, a two-branch search-and-score structure learning algorithm with L -1 regulation is proposed to learn the logical structure, achieving around 97% correct prediction rate for future frequency and 92% detection rate for false frequency data with 2% false alarm rate. The tool of epidemic propagation over this logical network is also exploited to analyze the propagation of frequency changes. Using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, such logical structure is demonstrated to be well approximated by the Small World network model. And the propagation of frequency changes is demonstrated to be described by the Susceptible-Infectious-Susceptible (SIS) model quite well. The Bayesian structure obtained from the real measurement is statistically validated using a 5-fold training data and the Pearson system.
Intraventricular tanycytic ependymoma: case report and review of the literature.

Objective and importance:Tanycytic ependymomas are a rare ependymoma subtype showing a marked predilection for the spine, with only a few reports of supratentorial tumors. We present a case of a tanycytic ependymoma arising from the lateral and third ventricle.
Ultrafast shock induced uniaxial strain in a liquid

Abstract Ultrafast shock-induced uniaxial strain in liquid ethanol was demonstrated using energy transfer between coumarin 460 (donor) and coumarin 504 (acceptor) as a probe of the strain. Fluorescence decays were measured using time-resolved streak camera fluorometry following laser-driven shock loading to 23 kbar and picosecond optical excitation of the donor molecules. The strain is short-lived but prior to relaxation the energy transfer rate is observed to be greater than when the sample is isotropically compressed and is approximately described by a one-dimensional theory of energy flow normal to the shock front.
A stochastic approach to paper surface characterisation and printability criteria

A coated paper surface is assumed to be random and isotropic. The height of rough paper is considered to be a two-dimensional random variable and is represented in terms of the spectral moments. These moments are used to characterise the paper surface for print quality. The percentage void and the sharpness index are derived in addition to the statistics of surface such as density of summits, contour length, excursion area, etc. in order to have better understanding of the behaviour of paper under printing. The analysis of eight sets of data collected on light and heavy coating weight (50-75 g m-2) paper samples revealed that the proposed method is capable of characterising the paper surfaces of different textures in a quantitative way. The ranking results of the proposed parameters are also found to be in close agreement with the results of other methods such as electron micrographs and MAN test.