cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
On the Mass Fractal Character of Si-Based Structural Networks in Amorphous Polymer Derived Ceramics

The intermediate-range packing of SiNxC4−x (0 ≤ x ≤ 4) tetrahedra in polysilycarbodiimide and polysilazane-derived amorphous SiCN ceramics is investigated using 29Si spin-lattice relaxation nuclear magnetic resonance (SLR NMR) spectroscopy. The SiCN network in the polysilylcarbodiimide-derived ceramic consists predominantly of SiN4 tetrahedra that are characterized by a 3-dimensional spatial distribution signifying compact packing of such units to form amorphous Si3N4 clusters. On the other hand, the SiCN network of the polysilazane-derived ceramic is characterized by mixed bonded SiNxC4−x tetrahedra that are inefficiently packed with a mass fractal dimension of Df ~2.5 that is significantly lower than the embedding Euclidean dimension (D = 3). This result unequivocally confirms the hypothesis that the presence of dissimilar atoms, namely, 4-coordinated C and 3-coordinated N, in the nearest neighbor environment of Si along with some exclusion in connectivity between SiCxN4−x tetrahedra with widely different N:C ratios and the absence of bonding between C and N result in steric hindrance to an efficient packing of these structural units. It is noted that similar inefficiencies in packing are observed in polymer-derived amorphous SiOC ceramics as well as in proteins and binary hard sphere systems.
Analysis of Seismic Effects on Transmission Structures

The effects of earthquake ground motion on transmission lines are analyzed. It is shown that structures may be treated as rigid for design calculations with conservative results and that the forces due to structure acceleration are very minor. The forces on supports of insulator strings and conductors are well within structure capability when designed in conformance with National Electrical Safety Code.
Effect of Three Insecticides and Two Herbicides on Rice (Oryza sativa) Seedling Germination and Growth

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is one of the most important food crops worldwide. However, it is also a valuable tool in assessing toxicity of organic and inorganic compounds. For more than 20 years, it has been an approved species for standardized phytotoxicity experiments. The objective of this study is to determine germination and radicle (root) and coleoptile (shoot) growth of rice seeds exposed to three insecticides and two herbicides, commonly used in the agricultural production landscape. Although no germination effects of pesticide exposure were observed, significant growth effects were noted between pesticide treatments. Coleoptile growth was significantly (p ≤ 0.05) lowered in metolachlor/atrazine mixture, diazinon, and lambda-cyhalothrin exposures when compared with controls. Radicles of fipronil-exposed seeds were significantly larger (p ≤ 0.05) when compared with controls. This research contributes to the phytotoxicity assessment database, in addition to laying the foundation for the use of rice as a phytoremediation tool for agricultural pesticide runoff.
Rapid and specific isolation of radioactive glucose from biological samples.

An easy, reliable, and specific ion-exchange method is presented for isolating glucose for specific radioactivity determinations from both blood plasma and buffered in vitro incubation media. The use of a glucose binding resin (borate-charged anion resin) combined speed of ion exchange with specificity of derivative formation. Glucose specific radioactivities, determined by ion exchange on protein-free filtrates of plasma containing [carbon-14] glucose, show excellent agreement with those from the popular glucose pentaacetate derivative method and are less variable. Carry-over of labeled acetate, propionate, lactate, glyoxylate, alanine, aspartate, or glutamate into the glucose fraction is less than .2%. Glycerol carryover is 1.2%. Glucose recovery is increased about three times that of the glucose pentaacetate derivative method and averaged 94% from plasma filtrates.
Supporting Collaborative Ontology Development in Protégé

Ontologies are becoming so large in their coverage that no single person or a small group of people can develop them effectively and ontology development becomes a community-based enterprise. In this paper, we discuss requirements for supporting collaborative ontology development and present Collaborative Protege--a tool that supports many of these requirements, such as discussions integrated with ontology-editing process, chats, and annotations of changes and ontology components. We have evaluated Collaborative Protege in the context of ontology development in an ongoing large-scale biomedical project that actively uses ontologies at the VA Palo Alto Healthcare System. Users have found the new tool effective as an environment for carrying out discussions and for recording references for the information sources and design rationale.
a System for Recording and Processing Taxonomic Data

: A system in which taxonomic information is recorded in a form that can be directly utilized by computer is described. How such a system can greatly facilitate the acquisition and analysis of data is also discussed.
Soluble Amyloid β-Protein Is a Marker of Alzheimer Amyloid in Brain But Not in Cerebrospinal Fluid

Abstract The amyloid β protein (Aβ), a 4 kD fragment of the β amyloid precursor protein, is deposited as insoluble amyloid in the brain of Alzheimer disease (AD) subjects. Soluble Aβ is a normal metabolic product and is present in cerebrospinal fluid. We identified soluble Aβ forms of 4kD, 3kD and 3.7kD in AD but not in control brains free of amyloid deposits. All three forms of soluble Aβ extend beyond residue 40. Analysis of cerebrospinal fluid from the same subjects confirmed the presence of only 4kD Aβ in comparable amounts in AD and controls. The presence of soluble Aβ only in brain regions with amyloid suggests they are related. The undetectability of soluble Aβ in control brains indicates that it is normally removed or bound to other proteins. Failure of this protective mechanism might cause amyloid formation in AD.
Multifunctional polymersomes for cytosolic delivery of gemcitabine and doxorubicin to cancer cells

Although liposomes are widely used as carriers of drugs and imaging agents, they suffer from a lack of stability and the slow release of the encapsulated contents at the targeted site. Polymersomes (vesicles of amphiphilic polymers) are considerably more stable compared to liposomes; however, they also demonstrate a slow release for the encapsulated contents, limiting their efficacy as a drug-delivery tool. As a solution, we prepared and characterized echogenic polymersomes, which are programmed to release the encapsulated drugs rapidly when incubated with cytosolic concentrations of glutathione. These vesicles encapsulated air bubbles inside and efficiently reflected diagnostic-frequency ultrasound. Folate-targeted polymersomes showed an enhanced uptake by breast and pancreatic-cancer cells in a monolayer as well as in three-dimensional spheroid cultures. Polymersomes encapsulated with the anticancer drugs gemcitabine and doxorubicin showed significant cytotoxicity to these cells. With further improvements, these vesicles hold the promise to serve as multifunctional nanocarriers, offering a triggered release as well as diagnostic ultrasound imaging.
COMPETITION IN NATURE AND THE LOGNORMAL MODEL

The different applications of the lognormal model in describing the distribution of various populations from both the biophysical and socioeconomic spheres are reviewed. A discussion then follows of the underlying causal relationships which seem to govern the behavior of these populations. They seem to be, firstly, the existence of a large number of members in the population; and secondly, competition among the members for a common resource. Finally, the usefulness of the model as a general model describing such populations is discussed.
Glutamine deprivation activates the PI3K/Akt pathway in intestinal epithelial cells

RESULTS: LPS rapidly induced a 256 48.6 fold increase in Egr-1 mRNA and a 6.3 0.08 fold increase in protein at 90 min within the jejunal muscularis. Egr-1 was co-localized to extravasated monocytes 24 hours after endotoxin injection when ileus was functionally prominent. Egr-1-/exhibited significantly less delay in gastrointestinal transit compared to wild-types (geometric center: WT 9.1 2.4, KO 7.8 2.1, WT-LPS 5.3 0.6 and KO-LPS 9.4 1.9). In Egr-1-/-, LPS induced significantly less IL-6 and MCP-1 mRNA and decreased release of nitric oxide, prostanoids, MCP-1, MIP-1a, MIG, KC, IP 10, IL-6, and GM-CSF with diminished recruitment of monocytes into the inflamed intestinal muscle wall compared with Egr-1 / .
Effects of chloramphenicol on plant cells: Potential as a selectable marker for transformation studies

Abstract The growth of tobacco and carrot cells in suspension cultures and on solidified medium was strongly inhibited by the antibiotic chloramphenicol. This effect was irreversible. The drug had no effect on [ 3 H]-uridine incorporation but inhibited protein synthesis and induced striking morphological alterations in intoxicated cells. O 2 consumption was also reduced in treated cells. Tobacco and carrot cells were unable to inactivate chloramphenicol by enzymatic acetylation.
3D nonlinear calculations of resistive tearing modes

Abstract Recent numerical calculations of the evolution of resistive tearing modes have been central to the understanding of MHD activity and disruptions in tokamaks. The nonlinear three-dimensional initial value computer code RSF has provided many of these results. RSF assumes cylindrical geometry with a Fourier series representation in the two periodic coordinates and a finite difference representation in the radial direction. This choice makes RSF considerably more accurate and efficient than previous codes.
Interferon binding: the first step in establishment of antiviral activity.

Chick cells incubated at 1°C with interferon fail to develop antiviral activity, but this activity appears subsequent to a 7-hour incubation at 37°C after removal of interferon by repeated washings. Treatment with actinomycin D blocks the development of the latter activity. Cells incubated with interferon at 1°C for up to 1 hour and then washed and incubated for 2 hours at 37°C develop a degree of antiviral activity proportional to the concentration of interferon at initial incubation; at any concentration, the antiviral activity increased with the duration of initial incubation at 1°C, but a maximal response was reached at 10 or 20 minutes. Treatment with trypsin after incubation with interferon at 1°C inhibited development of antiviral activity. Interferon is rapidly bound to a superficial cell site, and this binding is necessary for development of antiviral activity in chick cells.
Fracture of the mandible in a 5-month-old infant.

Abstract A case of fracture of the mandible in a 5-month-old infant is presented, and the criteria used in formulating a plan of treatment are discussed briefly.
Two-Dimensional Inversion of Full Waveforms Using Simulated Annealing

AbstractThe paper presents a technique to invert two-dimensional (2D) full wavefields using simulated annealing and a finite-difference solution of the 2D elastic wave equation in the time-distance domain. The algorithm generates all possible wave types (body waves, surface waves, etc.) to simulate complex seismic wavefields and for comparison with observed data. Model runs with both synthetic and actual experimental data sets illustrate the capability of the inversion technique. The results from synthetic data demonstrate the potential of characterizing both low- and high-velocity layers in laterally inhomogeneous profiles, and the inversion results from actual data are consistent with the crosshole, standard penetration test N-value, and material log results. Based on the cases presented, the coupling of global optimization with full waveforms is computationally practical; the results presented herein required less than 1 day of computer time on a standard laptop computer.
A modular approach to redox-active multimetallic hydrophobes of discoid topology.

A new modular [FeII(FeIIIL2)3](PF6)2 species with discoid (disk-like) topology exhibits redox and surfactant properties and points to a new approach for multimetallic Langmuir film precursors.
Variability of Semen Parameters with Time in Placebo Treated Men

Purpose: We describe the variability of semen parameters with time in normal men receiving placebo. We also report the impact of season and geographic region, among other variables, on these parameters.Materials and Methods: Data from the placebo arms of 5 randomized, controlled trials were pooled. All trials set minimum standards for semen parameters as an eligibility criterion for entry. Semen parameters examined include volume, density, motility, total count, total motile count and morphology. Mixed model repeated measure analysis was used for statistical analysis. Coefficients of variation for each semen parameter and the percent change from baseline were calculated.Results: The mean within-subject coefficient of variation for each semen parameter ranged from a low of 10% to a high of almost 50%. The contribution of season and region to variability was negligible. The reduction in variability with an increasing number of samples per time point had decreasing returns beyond 2 samples.Conclusions: There...
CuI and CuII salts of group VIA elements as catalysts for living radical polymerization initiated with sulfonyl chlorides

ABSTRACT: The living radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate initiated fromsulfonyl chlorides and catalyzed by the new catalytic systems Cu 2 Y/Bpy and CuY/Bpy,where Y is O, S, Se, or Te and Bpy is 2,29-bipyridine, is described. An induction time wasobserved in all polymerization experiments. The values of the experimental rate con-stants of polymerization ( k p exp ) increased whereas the corresponding induction timesdecreased in the order Y 5 O , S , Se , Te. For the entire series of catalysts, k p exp forCuY was less than k p exp for Cu 2 Y. A mechanistic interpretation that involves the in situ generation of the CuCl/CuCl 2 pair, starting from Cu 2 Y or CuY, is provided. © 2000 JohnWiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 3839–3843, 2000 Keywords: living radical polymerization; sulfonyl chloride; methyl methacrylate;copper oxide; copper sulﬁde; copper selenide; copper telluride; copper chloride INTRODUCTION In a recent series of publications 1 from our labo-ratory, we demonstrated that aryl,
NICU lactation consultant increases percentage of outborn versus inborn babies receiving human milk

To determine the effect of a dedicated lactation consultant (LC) on the percentage of neonates receiving any human milk in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and at discharge over time. Retrospective chart review of three time periods of 3 months each; Time period 1 (before LC hire), Time period 2 (T2; after LC arrival) and Time period 3 (subsequent period after T2). Percentage of infants receiving any HM during hospital stay and at discharge increased significantly over time after LC hire and with LC experience. Outborn (OB) infants receiving any HM in the NICU and at discharge increased over time, but there was no significant change for inborn infants, as the proportion receiving any HM remained consistently high over time. Addition of a dedicated LC to the NICU increased the percentage of neonates receiving any HM, specifically in the OB population.
Gestational trophoblastic disease: histopathological diagnosis in the molecular era

Abstract Gestational trophoblastic disease is a heterogeneous group of proliferative disorders of the placental trophoblasts, often with challenging morphology, posing diagnostic problems for the general, even specialty pathologists. In this review we discuss characteristic histological features of complete- and partial hydatidiform moles, with special focus on the diagnosis of hydatidiform moles evacuated at early stage and their mimics. The diagnostic criteria and potential pitfalls in the diagnosis of gestational choriocarcinoma and two rare, unique neoplasms of the intermediate trophoblast – placental site trophoblastic tumour and epithelioid trophoblastic tumour – are presented, along with their differential diagnoses from two tumour-like conditions including exaggerated placental site and placental site nodule. We also review the current practice of immunohistochemistry, ploidy analysis and molecular genotyping in the diagnosis of gestational trophoblastic disease. Finally, how molecular testing may change the future diagnostic algorithm of gestational trophoblastic diseases is discussed.
From the Guest Editor New Contributions and Reflections on Graph-Based Representations for Decision Analysis

In this second volume of the special issue of Decision Analysis on graph-based representations for decision analysis, we present two articles and four brief invited perspective pieces, capturing personal reflections on the theoretical and practical influences of probabilistic graphical models in several realms.
Contact angle of a nanodrop on a nanorough solid surface

The contact angle of a cylindrical nanodrop on a nanorough solid surface is calculated, for both hydrophobic and hydrophilic surfaces, using the density functional theory. The emphasis of the paper is on the dependence of the contact angle on roughness. The roughness is modeled by rectangular pillars of infinite length located on the smooth surface of a substrate, with fluid–pillar interactions different in strength from the fluid–substrate ones. It is shown that for hydrophobic substrates the trend of the contact angle to increase with increasing roughness, which was noted in all previous studies, is not universally valid, but depends on the fluid–pillar interactions, pillar height, interpillar distance, as well as on the size of the drop. For hydrophilic substrate, an unusual kink-like dependence of the contact angle on the nanodrop size is found which is caused by the change in the location of the leading edges of the nanodrop on the surface. It is also shown that the Wenzel and Cassie–Baxter equations can not explain all the peculiarities of the contact angle of a nanodrop on a nanorough surface.
Upper Airway Motor Systems

The sections in this article are: 1 Clues About Phylogeny: Upper Respiratory Tract Breathing Movements in Lower Vertebrates 2 Ontogeny: Development of Mammalian Upper Respiratory Tract Musculature 2.1 Structural Development During Intrauterine Life 2.2 Upper Airway Function During Fetal Life 2.3 Upper Airway Function at Birth 2.4 Postnatal Development 3 Adult Mammalian Upper Airway Motor Systems 3.1 Nose and Mouth 3.2 Pharynx 3.3 Larynx 4 Conclusion
Anomalous conditions in the south-eastern Bering Sea 1997: linkages among climate, weather, ocean, and Biology

In 1997, the Bering Sea ecosystem, a productive, highlatitude marginal sea, demonstrated that it responds on very short time scales to atmospheric anomalies. That year, a combination of atmospheric mechanisms produced notable summer weather anomalies over the eastern Bering Sea. Calm winds, clear skies, and warm air temperatures resulted in a larger-than-normal transfer of heat to surface waters and the establishment of a shallow mixed layer. In spring, significant new production occurred below the shallow pycnocline over the Middle Shelf, depleting the subpycnocline nutrient reservoir that normally exists during summer. Following the depletion of nitrate and silicate from the system, a sustained (‡ 4 months) bloom of coccolithophores (Emiliania huxleyi) was observed ‐ a phenomenon not previously documented in this region. Summer Middle Shelf Domain copepod concentrations were higher for some species in 1997 than in the early 1980s. Warmer surface water and lack of wind mixing also changed the basic distribution of hydrographic regimes on the south-eastern shelf and altered the strength and position of fronts or transition zones where apex predators seek elevated food concentrations. The Inner Front was well inshore of its normal position, and adult euphausiids (the primary prey of short-tailed shearwaters, Puffinus tenuirostris )w ere unavailable at, and shoreward of, the front in autumn. High shearwater mortality rates followed the period of low euphausiid availability. Some, but not all, of these anomalous conditions re-occurred in 1998. These observations are another demonstration that the structure and function of marine ecosystems are intimately tied to forcing from the atmosphere. Alteration of climatological forcing functions, expressed as weather, can be expected to have large impacts on this ecosystem and its natural resources.
The effect of Giromatic files on the preparation shape of severely curved canals

Summary. Two hundred simulated, curved canals with a standardized curvature of 45° were made in clear resin blocks. The blocks were randomly distributed into five groups of 40 each and were prepared using five different instruments, two of which were used in a Giromatic handpiece (Dynatrak and Giro Trio-Cut) and three were hand-operated (Unifile, Trio-Cut and Hedstrom files). All blocks were prepared using the same technique. Evaluation of the prepared canals was done after instrumenting with sizes 25, 30 and 35 to check for procedural errors such as zip, ledge, perforation, hourglass appearance, or broken instrument. Diameters of the prepared canals were also measured after preparation with a size 35 file at four different levels: 1,2,4 and 8mm, from the apex in order to evaluate the taper of the prepared canals. The time needed for each type of instrument to complete the preparation was also recorded. Comparing hand and Giromatic files of the same design showed: (i) no significant difference in number of defects except at size 35 between hand and Giro Trio-Cut files; (ii) Giromatic files produced wider apical preparations; (iii) hand instrumentation produced a more flared preparation; and (iv) no significant difference in instrumentation time. Hedstrom files showed less defects and more taper, and took less time in preparation of all the instruments evaluated in this study.
Racial Differences in Coronary Artery Calcification in Older Adults

Reports on race-related differences in coronary artery calcium (CAC) are just beginning to emerge and have not been well studied in the elderly. This study was undertaken to assess whether such differences exist and the relationship between CAC and cardiovascular risk factors in a cohort of elderly community-dwelling adults. CAC was measured by using electron-beam tomography in 614 adults (aged 67 to 99 years), of whom 59% were women and 23% were black. The median CAC score was lower in blacks than in whites for men (159 versus 787, respectively; P<0.001) and for women (134 versus 233, respectively; P=0.02) after adjustment for age, cardiovascular disease, and risk factors for cardiovascular disease, although this difference was stronger and remained significant among men only. Lower CAC scores were also observed in the subgroup of blacks with a history of myocardial infarction. The lower CAC scores in blacks compared with whites observed in this study is consistent with either a lower prevalence of coronary artery disease or a lower extent of calcification of coronary artery disease.
Storm-Water Investment Strategy Evaluation Model for Impaired Urban Watersheds

The stormwater investment strategy evaluation (StormWISE) model identifies the mix of characteristics that storm-water retrofit projects should have in an impaired watershed to maximize multiple water quality benefits subject to constraints on financial resources. The model can assist watershed managers faced with the daunting task of selecting cost-effective sites to implement best management practices (BMPs) and low-impact development (LID) technologies in response to watershed assessments that identify stream impairments. A methodology is provided to bridge the large gap between the general recommendations, typically found in watershed-level studies, and the ultimate site-specific decisions required at the land parcel level. A multiobjective optimization formulation is used to maximize water quality benefits expressed as functions of decision variables that set target levels for investment in projects according to two aggregated land parcel attributes, land use category, and watershed drainage zone, an...
Noise Measurements in Supersonic Jets Treated with the Mach Wave Elimination Method

We report noise measurements for perfectly expanded coaxial jets composed of a supersonic primary stream at velocity of 920 m/s and a coflow stream at conditions designed to prevent formation of Mach waves. Both the primary and secondary streams consisted of helium-air mixtures to simulate approximately the conditions of hot flows, The resulting sound field was compared to that emitted by a single jet at the conditions of the primary stream. Overall sound pressure levels (OASPL) and noise spectra were obtained at many radial and azimuthal positions around the jet exit. Equal-thrust comparisons were made by using geometric scaling. At equal thrust, Mach wave elimination reduced the near-field OASPL by 11 dB and the far-field OASPL by 5 dB. The mid-to-high-frequency region of the spectrum, which is most pertinent to aircraft noise, was reduced by 20 dB in the near field and by 9 dB in the far field. It is shown that Mach waves account for at least 85 % of the sound field most relevant to aircraft noise.
Can We Build Behavioral Game Theory

The way economists and other social scientists model how people make interdependent decisions is through the theory of games. Psychologists and behavioral economists, however, have established many deviations from the predictions of game theory. In response to these findings, a broad movement has arisen to salvage the core of game theory. Extant models of interdependent decision-making try to improve their explanatory domain by adding some corrective terms or limits. We will make the argument that this approach is misguided. For this approach to work, the deviations would have to be consistent. Drawing in part on our experimental results, we will argue that deviations from classical models are not consistent for any individual from one task to the next or between individuals for the same task. In turn, the problem of finding an equilibrium strategy is not easier but rather is exponentially more difficult. It does not seem that game theory can be repaired by adding corrective terms (such as consideration of personal characteristics, social norms, heuristic or bias terms, or cognitive limits on choice and learning). In what follows, we describe new methods for investigating interdependent decision-making. Our experimental results show that people do not choose consistently, do not hold consistent beliefs, and do not in general align actions and beliefs. We will show that experimental choices are inconsistent in ways that prevent us from drawing general characterizations of an individual’s choices or beliefs or of the general population's choices and beliefs. A general behavioral game theory seems a distant and, at present, unfulfilled hope.
Male bonnet macaques use information about third-party rank relationships to recruit allies.

Social challenges may have driven the evolution of intelligence in primates and other taxa. In primates, the social intelligence hypothesis is supported by evidence that primates know a lot about their own relationships to others and also know something about the nature of relationships among other individuals (third-party relationships). Knowledge of third-party relationships is likely to play an especially important role in coalitions, which occur when one individual intervenes in an ongoing dispute involving other group members, by helping individuals to predict who will support or intervene against them when they are fighting with particular opponents, and to assess which potential allies are likely to be effective in coalitions against their opponents. To date, however, there is no evidence that primates make use of knowledge of third-party relationships when they form coalitions. Here, I show that male bonnet macaques, Macaca radiata , use information about third-party rank relationships when they recruit support from other males. Males consistently chose allies that outranked themselves and their opponents, and made such choices considerably more often than would be expected by chance alone. The analysis shows that the data do not fit simpler explanations based upon males’ knowledge of their own relationships to other males or males’ ability to recognize powerful allies.
The statistical bias of numerically integrated statistical procedures

Abstract Maximum likelihood estimation of multivariate normal models and Bayesian posterior density functions can require calculation using numerical integration. Although the statistical theory is unchanged for nonanalytical integrals, the exorbitant cost of estimating such models frequently induces researchers to use a small number of integration points. If the number of points is insufficient to calculate essentially exact values of the function being maximized, the resulting estimators are asymptotically biased and inconsistent both for the values of the estimated parameters and for their variances. The forms of the biases are derived and described in this paper. The biases cannot be signed in general. The variance-covariance matrix is multiplied by an unestimable scalar, and the vector of true coefficients is added to an unestimable vector. When double integrals are involved, the number of points needed to calculate the integrals to desired accuracy is squared; with triple integrals, it is cubed, etc. The biases are additive, each integral contributing terms of similar form. An example of a multivariate normal model is presented. The paper shows that skimping on the high computational cost endangers the desirable statistical properties of MLE.
Cylinder Count Method for Determining Plate Count of Pasteurized Milk Products

Abstract A new simplified method, the plate cylinder count, was developed for pasteurized milk and milk products, and the precision of this technique was compared with that of the plate loop and standard plate counts. A cylinder made from a cannula was used to obtain a 0.01-ml sample of milk or milk product. Milk was washed from the cylinder into a petri dish with a continuous pipetting syringe. Agar was poured in the usual manner. For five types of milk products obtained from retail outlets, the replicate variance of the log 10 counts was essentially the same for the plate cylinder and standard plate counts (0.00308 and 0.00288). The plate loop technique was less precise and had a variance of 0.00488. A cylinder 2.8mm long, made from a 13-gauge cannula used at a controlled dipping rate of 60 cycles per minute, delivered an average of 10.50mg of product, with a geometric mean count of within±5% of the Standard Plate Count.
VLSI potentiostat array for distributed electrochemical neural recording

A neurochemical sensor system is being developed to spatially sense and process neurotransmitters. This paper reports the design and VLSI implementation of a multichannel potentiostat that interfaces to a nitric-oxide (NO) sensor array. Picoampere to microampere input currents are range-normalized with programmable gain, and digitized by a bank of current-mode delta-sigma analog-to-digital (A/D) converters. First-order noise shaping and 4096-fold oversampling provide high signal-to-noise ratio for the low-frequency NO transients. A shift register scans the buffered decimated delta-sigma outputs in bit-serial format providing asynchronous sequential readout. An 8-channel potentiostat in 0.5 /spl mu/m CMOS measures 1.5 mm/spl times/1.5 mm, and consumes 0.5 mW power. The device is expected to serve as a valuable tool for neurophysiological research and implantable neural prostheses.
Promoting catalysis and high-value product streams by in situ hydroxyapatite crystallization during hydrothermal liquefaction of microalgae cultivated with reclaimed nutrients

Although algal biofuels hold great potential for renewable energy, production costs limit widespread technology adoption. Co-producing high-value products can ensure economic viability. We have discovered subcritical water will simultaneously convert algae, grown with reclaimed nutrients, into pure-phase substituted hydroxyapatite nanocrystals and a petroleum-like biocrude. The hydroxyapatite contains substitutions of carbonate, silicate, and magnesium, and can be easily modified to produce varying ratios of hydroxyapatite and tricalcium phosphate. The crystallization process is shown to undergo a nanoscale hierarchical order from long hexagonal crystals which aggregate to bundles, sheets, and flower-like microstructures. The hydroxyapatite promotes in situ catalytic upgrading of the biocrude product, particularly, the dehydration of fatty acid amides. Overall, in situ oil upgrading provides a superior quality biocrude by reducing the oxygen content to 96% of the oil boiling below 600 °C. Major compounds found within the biocrude include phenolics and unsaturated hydrocarbons. In addition to heterogeneous catalysis, the hydroxyapatite product has significant promise for biomedical engineering applications. Herein, we demonstrate live cell-adhesion of human Wharton's jelly cells through extended filopodia on the hydroxyapatite product. This discovery establishes a new paradigm for water and nutrient reclamation systems and algae-based fuels and chemicals by producing a versatile high-value product, substituted hydroxyapatite, which can integrate into multiple markets and rapidly improve economic feasibility for algae biofuels.
Assembly Dependence of Optical Performance of Electronic Flash Device

Xenon flash for photography has always been important for achieving good images. This need has increased in importance in recent years. This is due to the advent of CMOS image sensors which have a lower sensitivity to light compared to the traditional CCD image sensors. The need has also been fuelled by the recent incorporation of cameras into mobile phones. The need for cheap cameras with good quality images has made the need for xenon flash an absolute necessity. The xenon flashlamp is normally placed in an optical sub-assembly Dimensional variation and relative positioning of flash tube assembly have a great influence on its optical performance as demonstrated by experimental and simulation results. The mechanical assembly has to be properly designed to achieve required optical performance.
Glutamine Synthesis in the Developing Porcine Placenta

Glutamine plays a vital role in fetal carbon and nitrogen metabolism and exhibits the highest fetal:maternal plasma ratio among all amino acids in pigs. Such disparate glutamine levels between mother and fetus suggest that glutamine may be actively synthesized and released into the fetal circulation by the porcine placenta. We hypothesized that branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) metabolism in the placenta plays an important role in placental glutamine synthesis. This hypothesis was tested by studying conceptuses from gilts on Days 20, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 60, 90, or 110 of gestation (n = 6 per day). Placental tissue was analyzed for amino acid concentrations, BCAA transport, BCAA degradation, and glutamine synthesis as well as the activities of related enzymes (including BCAA transaminase, branched-chain alpha-ketoacid dehydrogenase, glutamine synthetase, glutamate-pyruvate transaminase, and glutaminase). On all days of gestation, rates of BCAA transamination were much greater than rates of branched-chain alpha-ketoacid decarboxylation. The glutamate generated from BCAA transamination was primarily directed to glutamine synthesis and, to a much lesser extent, alanine production. Placental BCAA transport, BCAA transamination, glutamine synthesis, and activities of related enzymes increased markedly between Days 20 and 40 of gestation, as did glutamine in fetal allantoic fluid. Accordingly, placental BCAA levels decreased after Day 20 of gestation in association with a marked increase in BCAA catabolism and concentrations of glutamine. There was no detectable catabolism of glutamine in pig placenta throughout pregnancy, which would ensure maximum output of glutamine by this tissue. These novel results demonstrate glutamine synthesis from BCAAs in pig placentae, aid in explaining the abundance of glutamine in the fetus, and provide valuable insight into the dynamic role of the placenta in fetal metabolism and nutrition.
Evolution of VRN2/Ghd7-Like Genes in Vernalization-Mediated Repression of Grass Flowering

Flowering of many plant species is coordinated with seasonal environmental cues such as temperature and photoperiod. Vernalization provides competence to flower after prolonged cold exposure, and a vernalization requirement prevents flowering from occurring prior to winter. In winter wheat (Triticum aestivum) and barley (Hordeum vulgare), three genes VRN1, VRN2, and FT form a regulatory loop that regulates the initiation of flowering. Prior to cold exposure, VRN2 represses FT. During cold, VRN1 expression increases, resulting in the repression of VRN2, which in turn allows activation of FT during long days to induce flowering. Here, we test whether the circuitry of this regulatory loop is conserved across Pooideae, consistent with their niche transition from the tropics to the temperate zone. Our phylogenetic analyses of VRN2-like genes reveal a duplication event occurred before the diversification of the grasses that gave rise to a CO9 and VRN2/Ghd7 clade and support orthology between wheat/barley VRN2 and rice (Oryza sativa) Ghd7 Our Brachypodium distachyon VRN1 and VRN2 knockdown and overexpression experiments demonstrate functional conservation of grass VRN1 and VRN2 in the promotion and repression of flowering, respectively. However, expression analyses in a range of pooids demonstrate that the cold repression of VRN2 is unique to core Pooideae such as wheat and barley. Furthermore, VRN1 knockdown in B. distachyon demonstrates that the VRN1-mediated suppression of VRN2 is not conserved. Thus, the VRN1-VRN2 feature of the regulatory loop appears to have evolved late in the diversification of temperate grasses.
Setting the Price of Peruvian Rice

The Peruvian government presently buys and sells most of the domestic and imported rice in Peru. The main goals of its wholesale operation are to keep the farm price of rice high, to maintain a low consumer price, to break even on its wholesale operation, and to reduce rice imports. The conflicts of these goals are illustrated graphically by using a system of iso‐profit and iso‐import curves. A model is provided which allows technical advisors to summarize graphically the information needed by government decision makers when setting rice prices. The model takes into account the variability in supply and demand and is operational even when limited information is available on the government's cost structure.
Measurement of gait movements from motion picture film.

A method suited to the study of gait is described in which the walking subject is filmed from the front and from the sides. Triangulation techniques are used in obtaining measurements from the films, projected on a special viewer. These include flexion and extension of the knee and ankle in the sagi
Sailing the Great Green Sea? Amenhotep III’s “Aegean List” from Kom el- Hetan, Once More

Amenhotep III’s “Aegean List,” found on a statue base at his mortuary temple at Kom el- Hetan nearly fifty years ago, is critical for the studyof Egypto- Aegean relations during the Late Bronze Age. This article reconsiders the Aegean List’s toponyms and possible function in light ofrecent archaeological discoveries made at the site as well as the publication of a recently updated version of Elmar Edel’s classic volume on thesubject. Among the most important insights in the latter study is the realization that three of the Aegean List’s names were recarved at somepoint. This article weighs the possibility that the inscription reflects the itinerary of an Egyptian expedition to the Aegean region and raisesquestions about its proper interpretation. DOI:10.2458/azu_jaei_v03i2_cline
Stress Levels of Nurses in Oncology Outpatient Units

Background Oncology nursing is often a source of substantial stress for nurses. Many nurses, particularly novice nurses, have inadequate preparation to care for patients at the end of life and their families. Unless nurses prevent or manage work-related stress by using effective coping strategies, oncology nursing staff will continue to suffer from burnout and compassion fatigue. Objectives The purpose of this article is to identify stress levels and stressful factors of nurses working in oncology outpatient units and to explore coping behaviors for work-related stress of oncology staff nurses in outpatient units. Methods A descriptive, cross-sectional design was used to identify stress levels and stressful factors for outpatient oncology nurses, investigate differences in stress levels among nurses' demographic characteristics, and explore coping behaviors of the nurses. Study participants (N = 40) included RNs and licensed practical nurses who completed the Nursing Stress Scale, three open-ended questions, and a demographic questionnaire. Findings The highest sources of stress were workload and patient death and dying. Demographic variables of age and work experience in nursing showed a significant positive relationship to work-related stress scores. The three most frequently used coping behaviors were verbalizing, exercising or relaxing, and taking time for self. Continuing education programs on stress management are highly recommended. Outpatient oncology nurses should be nurtured and supported through tailored interventions at multiple levels to help them find effective coping strategies and develop self-care competencies. Although younger and less experienced nurses had lower mean stress scores than older and more experienced nurses, the continuing education programs and tailored interventions would be helpful for all oncology nursing staff.
A Variational Asymptotic Method for Unit Cell Homogenization of Elasto-Viscoplastic Heterogeneous Materials

The variational asymptotic method for unit cell homogenization (VAMUCH) is a generalpurpose micromechanics approach that is capable of predicting the effective properties of heterogeneous materials and recovering the local fields. The objective of this paper is to extend VAMUCH by enabling it to handle the problems of elasto-viscoplastic heterogeneous materials. An affine formulation of the constitutive relations for the constituents is derived. The Perzyna model, Hill’s yield criterion, the Voce hardening law, and the Chaboche model are implemented into the affine formulation to enable it to couple the effects of viscoplasticity, plastic anisotropy, nonlinear isotropic hardening, and nonlinear kinematic hardening. The affine formulation is implemented into the incremental formulations of VAMUCH. A nonlinear algorithm is developed for the VAMUCH code. The applicability, power, and accuracy of the current version of VAMUCH are validated using examples such as predicting the stress-strain hysteresis loops of fiber reinforced composites consisting of matrices of various material properties, subject to various loading conditions. The current version of VAMUCH is found to be capable of handling the problems involving complex constitutive relations for the constituents, complex loading conditions, and complex loading histories. More sophisticated user-defined material models can be implemented into it.
PM-20COMPARATIVE PROTEOME PROFILING OF IN VIVO AND IN VITRO MODELS OF DIPG

BACKGROUND: Diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma is one of the least understood pediatric tumors. We have recently identified two molecular subtypes of DIPGs (sonic hedgehog and N-Myc). Despite the existence of in vitro and in vivo models of the disease, molecular characterization of these models and their proximity to representing the disease has not been established. Here, we have done comparative protein profiling of a number of DIPG primary cells as well as protein profiles of a single specimen and specimens derived from its' in vivo and in vitro models. METHODS: Human primary DIPG (n = 4) and normal human cells derived from hindbrain (n = 2) were processed for protein profiling. Total protein was extracted and analyzed using SDS PAGE, and analyzed using Q Exactive mass spectrometer (ThermoFisher, CA, USA). Data and pathway analysis were done using the SequestHT and Ingeniuty Pathway Analysis software respectively. Protein was also extracted from a single human DIPG specimen, and its' in vitro and in vivo derived cells. Protein profiling of this specimens was performed as described above. RESULTS: In this study, we first investigated the protein profiles of four widely used DIPG primary lines, all H3.3K27M mutant. We show the overlap of the protein profile of these cells with established human DIPG subtypes. We further investigated the protein profile of a single DIPG tissue to its in vitro and in vivo models. We describe the fidelity of each model with respect to the molecular entity of the original tumor. The largest number of proteins were shared between primary tumor and murine model (846 proteins, 44%), where the primary tumor and cultured cells shared 30% (721) proteins. CONCLUSIONS: Established human DIPG cells represent tumor biology at the protein level. However, differences in molecular pathway of in vitro and in vivo models representing the disease exist.
Stitching the World: Embroidered Maps and Women's Geographical Education

Stitching the World: Embroidered Maps and Women's Geographical Education. By Judith A. Tyner. xxii and 142 pp.; maps, ills., bibliog., index. Farnham, U.K.: Ashgate, 2015. $99.70 (cloth), isbn 9781...
Cell culture media impact on drug product solution stability

To enable subcutaneous administration of monoclonal antibodies, drug product solutions are often needed at high concentrations. A significant risk associated with high drug product concentrations is an increase in aggregate level over the shelf-life dating period. While much work has been done to understand the impact of drug product formulation on aggregation, there is limited understanding of the link between cell culture process conditions and soluble aggregate growth in drug product. During cell culture process development, soluble aggregates are often measured at harvest using cell-free material purified by Protein A chromatography. In the work reported here, cell culture media components were evaluated with respect to their impact on aggregate levels in high concentration solution drug product during accelerated stability studies. Two components, cysteine and ferric ammonium citrate, were found to impact aggregate growth rates in our current media (version 1) leading to the development of new chemically defined media and concentrated feed formulations. The new version of media and associated concentrated feeds (version 2) were evaluated across four cell lines producing recombinant IgG4 monoclonal antibodies and a bispecific antibody. In all four cell lines, the version 2 media reduced aggregate growth over the course of a 12 week accelerated stability study compared with the version 1 media, although the degree to which aggregate growth decreased was cell line dependent. © 2016 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 32:998-1008, 2016.