cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Indocyanine green fluorescence endoscopy for visual differentiation of pituitary tumor from surrounding structures

Object As demonstrated by histological and neuroimaging studies, pituitary adenomas have a capillary vascular density that differs significantly from that of surrounding structures. The authors hypothesized that intraoperative indocyanine green (ICG) fluorescence endoscopy could be used to visually differentiate tumor from surrounding tissues, including normal pituitary gland and dura. Methods After institutional review board approval, 16 patients undergoing endoscopic transsphenoidal surgery for benign pituitary lesions were prospectively enrolled in the study. A standard endoscopic endonasal approach to the sella was completed. Each patient then underwent endoscopic examination of the sellar dura and then the exposed pituitary adenoma after ICG bolus injection (12.5–25 mg). This examination was performed using a custom endoscope with a near-infrared light source and excitation wavelength filter. Results The authors successfully recorded ICG fluorescence from sellar dura, pituitary, and surrounding struc...
A FRAMEWORK FOR SCALING UP POVERTY REDUCTION,WITH ILLUSTRATIONS FROM SOUTH ASIA

This paper develops a framework for thinking about the policy challenge of scaling up small scale interventions, governmental and non-governmental, that address poverty reduction successfully. The framework sees scaling up as addressing different components of market failure, government failure and civil society failure. Viewed in this way, constraints to scaling up can be analyzed using a supply and demand framework on the one hand, a political economy framework on the other. The main conclusions are: (i) in scaling up the provision of basic social services, it is crucial to understand whether the binding constraint is on the supply side or the demand side, and (ii) successful expansion of successful civil society organizations has to manage in different ways constraints imposed by the market and by the government. Contents
The Milkwood Casebook.

The female characters in Dylan Thomas's Under Milkwood are examined from a Jungian perspective employing Toni Wolff's framework for analyzing the female psyche as well as female archetypes proposed by Jung.
Relative Roles of Premixed and Diffusion Burning in Diesel Combustion

Relative roles of premixed and diffusion burning in diesel combustion have been examined in terms of characteristic times for ignition delay (tau sub ig), combustion (tau sub c) and fuel-air mixing (tau sub m). Results indicate that the majority of the diesel combustion process is diffusion controlled, as in gas turbine combustion, since tau sub c is much less than tau sub m over the entire range of operating conditions. During the ignition phase, some premixed burning can occur in the fringe of the fuel spray where tau sub m is less than tau sub ig; however, most of the fuel injected prior to ignition also burns in the diffusion mode, since tau sub m is greater than tau sub ig in the majority of the fuel spray. The fraction of premixed burning which occurs during the ignition phase is increased by longer tau sub ig, high rates of fuel injection, high air swirl and the use of multi-hole injectors, which increase the surface area of the spray.
An Interview with APPLE Lecture Guest Speaker Professor Leo van Lier

On February 10, 2012, the TESOL/AL Web Journal (represented by Catherine Box, Farah Akbar, and Nancy Boblett) had the pleasure of sitting down with Professor Leo van Lier, guest speaker for the 2012 APPLE Lecture Series. He was kind to take the time to answer our questions pertaining to the tremendous breadth and depth of his work: sociocultural theory and ecological approaches to language learning, scaffolding in the classroom, action-based research, and technology-assisted language learning.
Motion inertial measurement device for orthopaedic post-surgical applications

Foot and ankle musculoskeletal injuries are a global phenomenon that often require surgical intervention. Although patients who undergo foot or ankle surgeries are often asked to elevate their foot immediately following surgery, little is actually known about the quantitative effects of limb elevation and immobility. In addition, there may be a lack of patient adherence to postoperative regimens. The proposed device will make inertial measurements of the patient's ankle or foot and allow patients and physicians to review the results of postoperative care. It will encourage patients to be more involved in their own recovery process. Additionally, the device could create potential applications for a clinical study to develop a more detailed protocol for the duration and height of elevation for better patient outcomes.
Aqueous alteration of kamacite in CM chondrites

Abstract– The study of aqueous alteration of kamacite in CM chondrites provides insight on the conditions, products, and relative timing of aqueous alteration. We studied unaltered, partially altered, and fully altered kamacite grains from Murray, Murchison, Cold Bokkeveld, and Nogoya using optical microscopy, electron microprobe analysis, scanning electron microscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. From textual evidence and chemical analysis, we established three separate microchemical environments. 1) In a microchemical environment with a high S activity, kamacite alters to form tochilinite, P-bearing sulfides, eskolaite, and schreibersite. Mass balance calculations show that 81% of the Fe in kamacite is removed from the alteration region, making it available for the formation of other minerals or Fe-rich aureoles. The release of Fe can alter the mesostasis of type-I chondrules forming cronstedtite. 2) In a microchemical environment with a high Si activity and a low S activity, kamacite alters to form cronstedtite with small accessory sulfide inclusions. 3) A microchemical environment with limited S and Si activity results in kamacite alteration forming magnetite. The resulting magnetite retains associated Ni that can distinguish it from precipitated magnetite. In addition, the accessory phases of pentlandite and apatite can be formed if S or Ca are present. Finally, we note that small tochilinite grains in the matrix lack typical Ni, P, and Co levels, suggesting that they did not form from kamacite but possibly by sulfidization of magnetite.
Transport of quantum states and separation of ions in a dual RF ion trap

We have investigated ion dynamics associated with a dual linear ion trap where ions can be stored in and moved between two distinct locations. Such a trap is a building block for a system to engineer arbitrary quantum states of ion ensembles. Specifically, this trap is the unit cell in a strategy for scalable quantum computing using a series of interconnected ion traps. We have transferred an ion between trap locations 1.2 mm apart in 50 µs with near unit efficiency (> 106 consecutive transfers) and negligible motional heating, while maintaining internal-state coherence. In addition, we have separated two ions held in a common trap into two distinct traps.
How does diabetes alter treatment in the dental office

Diabetes mellitus affects approximately seven percent of the American population; thus, patients with diabetes are seen in every dental practice. Advances in medical management of diabetes have resulted in intensification of treatment regimens, with a resulting decrease in long-term complications of the eyes, kidneys, and nervous system. This intensified treatment may place the diabetic patient at increased risk of hypoglycemic emergencies during dental appointments. Dental practitioners should understand methods of preventing hypoglycemia and must be able to recognize and treat hypoglycemia, should it occur in the office.
Global change at the landscape level: relating regional and landscape‐scale drivers of historical climate trends in the Southern Appalachians

Organisms in montane environments are sensitive to fine-scale climatic variation associated with highly dissected topography, yet few studies have examined the sensitivity of different landscape positions to climate change. We downscaled biologically significant temperature variables to below-canopy 30 m resolution and assessed temporal trends from 1980 to 2011 across elevation and topographic gradients in Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP; Tennessee and North Carolina, USA) using a previously developed empirical model derived from a 120-sensor temperature network. Additionally, we assessed GSMNP climate trends from 1900 using six historical climate records from the region and an additional eight records from 1980, spanning the Park's elevation gradient. Regional temperatures increased through the 1980s and 1990s, but currently remain at or below those recorded in the early to mid-20th century and are strongly associated with different phases of the North Atlantic Oscillation. In contrast, annual and growing season precipitation steadily rose during the past century. Landscape-scale analysis showed that rates of change for maximum seasonal temperatures, frost-free days (FFD), and growing degree days were strongly mediated by topographic position, with high-elevation ridges having greater rates of maximum temperature increases, whereas high-elevation near-stream positions showed the least amount of increase in FFD and growing degree days. Most importantly, we show how modelled differences in rates of climatic change based on landscape position could have significant ecological effects in this biologically significant region, depending on how organisms respond to particular climate factors. Organisms that depend on growing season length may experience the largest climate effects at the lowest elevations, while those that depend on warm days in spring and autumn for particular phenological processes will experience the largest shifts at high-elevation ridges.
Identification of the Rubella Virus Nonstructural Proteins

Abstract Five segments of the rubella virus (RUB) nonstructural protein open reading frame (NSP-ORF) were cloned into pATH ( trpE ) bacterial fusion protein expression plasmid vectors. Antisera raised in rabbits against these fusion proteins were used to identify RUB nonstructural polypeptides in lysates from RUB-infected Verb cells and from BHK cells transfected with pTM3/nsRUB, a vector from which the RUB NSP-ORF is expressed. In both systems, three polypeptides were immunoprecipitated. A 200-kDa polypeptide (P200) was immunoprecipitated by all of the antisera and therefore is the primary translation product of the ORF. A 150-kDa polypeptide (P150) was immunoprecipitated by antisera against fusion proteins containing N-terminal regions of the ORF, and a 90-kDa polypeptide (P90) was immunoprecipitated by sera against fusion proteins containing C-terminal regions of the ORF. The order of these polypeptides within the NSP-ORF is thus NH 2 -P150-P90COOH. It was shown in a previous study that a protease within P200 catalyzes cleavage of P200 (L. D. Marr et al., Virology 198, 586-592, 1994). When hypertonic block was used to synchronize initiation of translation in RUB-infected cells, P200 was detected within 10 min following release of the block, while P150 and P90 were not detected until 20 min, indicating that translation of the precursor is completed before proteolytic cleavage occurs. Pulse-chase experiments showed that cleavage of the P200 precursor was complete within 90 min of synthesis. P150 was stable for 24 hr following processing, while turnover of P90 was detected within 90 min. In immunofluorescence experiments on RUB-infected cells, antisera that recognized P150 stained a perinuclear focus, a thread-like cytoplasmic structure, and the nuclear membrane.
Anode Process for Rubber Articles and Coatings

Abstract THE term “anode process” has been chosen and used widely in the trade to designate a fundamental method for the production, directly from rubber latex, rapidly, and in one application, of articles and coatings of the highest grade of unmasticated rubber. Rubber latex, a milky exudation from the bark of rubber trees, is composed chiefly of tiny particles of rubber suspended in a water phase or serum, not unlike globules of butter fat in milk. Rubber latex contains small amounts of many organic compounds and inorganic salts. Some of these non-rubber materials, such as the proteins and resins, are considered to be adsorbed on the surfaces of the rubber particles and to be responsible for many of the colloidal characteristics of latex. As it comes from the tree, the latex is unstable and coagulates easily, but, when stabilized with ammonia, it can be safely shipped and stored for long periods. Like most colloidal particles in suspension in an alkaline medium, the rubber particles of ammoniated latex ...
Coarse-Grained Chemical Reaction Model

We have developed a methodology for including effects of chemical reactions in coarse-grained computer simulations such as those that use the united atom approximation. The new coarse-grained chemical reaction model (CGCRM) adopts the philosophy of kinetic Monte Carlo approaches and includes a probabilistic element to predicting when reactions occur, thus obviating the need for a chemically correct interaction potential. The CGCRM uses known chemical reactions along with their probabilities and exothermicities for a specific material in order to assess the effect of chemical reactions on a physical process of interest. The reaction event in the simulation is implemented by removing the reactant molecules from the simulation and replacing them with product molecules. The position of the product molecules is carefully adjusted to make sure that the total energy change of the system corresponds to the reaction exothermicity. The CGCR model has been applied to simulations of laser irradiation of chlorobenzene...
Oxidation of 1,5-diphenylcarbazide as a measure of photosystem 2 activity in subchloroplast fragments.

Abstract The use of 1,5-diphenylcarbazide as an electron donor coupled with DPIP 2 reduction allows the detection of photosystem 2 in subchloroplast fragments which have lost the ability to evolve oxygen. Various subchloroplast fragment obtained by detergent treatment of spinach chloroplasts have been assayed in this manner. Photosystem 1 activity was measured as NADP reduction in the presence of ascorbate and DPIP. The best separation of the two photosystems was obtained with Triton X-100 at a concentration of 40 mg Chl/gram detergent.
Arsenic and selenium chemistry as affected by sediment redox potential and pH

The influence of sediment redox potential and pH on As and Se speciation and solubility was studied. Hyco Reservoir (North Carolina) sediments were equilibrated under controlled redox (500, 200, 0, and −200 mV) and pH (5, natural, and 7.5) conditions. Redox potential and pH affected both speciation and solubility of As and Se. Under oxidized conditions As solubility was low and 87% of the As in solution was present as As(V). Upon reduction, As(III) became the major As species in solution, and As solubility increased. Total As in solution increased approximately 25 times upon reduction to −200 mV. No organic arsenicals were detected. In contrast to As, Se solubility reached a maximum under highly oxidized (500 mV) conditions and decreased significantly upon reduction. Selenium(VI) was the predominant dissolved Se species present at 500 mV. At 200 and 0 mV, Se(IV) became the most stable oxidation state of Se. Under strongly reduced conditions (−200 mV) oxidized Se species were no longer detectable and Se solubility was controlled by the formation of elemental Se and/or metal selenides. Biomethylation of Se was important under oxidized and moderately reduced conditions (500, 200, and 0 mV). More alkaline conditions (pH 7.5) resulted in both greater As and Se concentrations in solution. Dissolved As and Se increased up to 10 and 6 times, respectively, as compared to the more acidic equilibrations.
Pathology of Schistosoma haematobium infection in the capuchin monkey (Cebus apella)

Abstract Capuchin monkeys exposed to 500–2000 Schistosoma haematobium cercariae were followed for up to 6 1 2 years after infection. Worm burdens decreased as infections became more chronic and decreasing numbers of eggs and active circumoval lesions were found in the bladder and elsewhere. Nodular and hyperplastic epithelial lesions of the urinary bladder were not seen during the first year of infection but occurred in 30% of monkeys examined 1–2 years after infection and in 23% of those examined between the second and third years; they were present in only 3% of monkeys studied 3–6 1 2 years after infection. These epithelial proliferative lesions were located near foci of egg deposition and occurred in the monkeys with the most intense active lesions in the bladder. The lesions regressed in animals followed sequentially. The lesions thus appear not to be neoplastic. Obstructive lesions of the ureter accompanied by hydronephrosis were present in a few animals. The obstructive uropathy did not appear to cause significant morbidity. Mortality was substantial among infected monkeys at most intervals after infection but was rare among uninfected controls.
Waterborne and sediment toxicity of fluoxetine to select organisms.

Ecological risk assessments of pharmaceuticals are currently difficult because little-to-no aquatic hazard and exposure information exists in the peer-reviewed literature for most therapeutics. Recently several studies have identified fluoxetine, a widely prescribed antidepressant, in municipal effluents. To evaluate the potential aquatic toxicity of fluoxetine, single species laboratory toxicity tests were performed to assess hazard to aquatic biota. Average LC50 values for Ceriodaphnia dubia, Daphnia magna, and Pimephales promelas were 0.756 (234 μg/l), 2.65 (820 μg/l), and 2.28 μM (705 μg/l), respectively. Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata growth and C. dubia fecundity were decreased by 0.044 (14 μg/l) and 0.72 μM (223 μg/l) fluoxetine treatments, respectively. Oryias latipes survival was not affected by fluoxteine exposure up to a concentration of 28.9 μM (8.9 mg/l). An LC50 of 15.2 mg/kg was estimated for Chironomus tentans. Hyalella azteca survival was not affected up to 43 mg/kg fluoxetine sediment exposure. Growth lowest observed effect concentrations for C. tentans and H. azteca were 1.3 and 5.6 mg/kg, respectively. Our findings indicate that lowest measured fluoxetine effect levels are an order of magnitude higher than highest reported municipal effluent concentrations.
ACP Journal Club. Review: Early surgery improves outcomes in patients with primary supratentorial intracerebral hemorrhage.

Source Citation Prasad K, Mendelow AD, Gregson B. Surgery for primary supratentorial intracerebral haemorrhage. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2008;4:CD000200. 18843607
Towards a turbulent modeling of rapid flow of granular materials

Abstract From the global equations of balance for particulate media and via a special ensemble averaging technique, the local equations governing the mean motion and the random fluctuations in a rapid flow of granular materials are derived. The resulting equations resemble those of a compressible turbulent flow. Approximate expressions for the components of the fluctuation stress tensor are obtained which are completely computable and in this sense are rather new. The order of magnitude analysis of these stresses indicate that they are in complete agreement with available experimental results. Furthermore, an explicit equation is derived for the evolution and transport of random fluctuation energy which is coupled with the energy dissipation due to fluctuating stress tensor and the mean motion.
The working scientist and the realities of data curation: a qualitative study addressing attitudes and needs

This poster describes a nascent ethnographic study to examine working scientists' attitudes and perform a needs assessment regarding data collection, representation, and dissemination in terms of cyberinfrastructure initiatives.
DC microgrid optimal storage distribution using a conductance and energy state modeling approach

Microgrids with significant renewable penetration will likely require storage devices to maintain a stable bus voltage due to the stochastic behavior of renewable sources and grid loads. The distribution and frequency response characteristics of the storage are two important variables when designing these types of microgrids. For example, storage can be distributed at renewable sources located centrally on a common bus, or a combination thereof. Storage devices will need to compensate for both long and short period disturbances such as the changing output of a photovoltaic (PV) array and the switching of large loads. Simulation results indicate that a cost function based on bus voltage stability is suitable for computing optimal converter capacitances when the load contains cyclic transients.
Entry and Entrepreneurship: The Case of Post-Communist Russia

The Russian economic system has been a state of continual turmoil and reform for over a century, making it difficult for business to develop as the political, legal, and economic foundation continually shifts. The beginning of the 20th century saw Russia struggling to change its economic system from feudalism to mercantilism under the Czars. World War I ended with Russia in the midst of transforming its economic and political system into the world's first full-fledged communist system. The first months after the October REvolution were characterized by decree after decree detailing the aspirations of the Bolshevik leaders to usher in a new communist order. These decrees ranged from abolition of the exploitation of men and women to the nationalization of all industry. The period of communist optimism quickly gave way to the reality of perverse incentives and the inability of actors to engage in rational economic calculation.
Well‐posedness and regularity for a class of linear thermo‐viscoelastic materials

Well‐posedness is demonstrated for an initial‐value problem of anisotropic linear thermo‐viscoelasticity with Dirichlet and Neumann boundary conditions. The effect of the memory function on the regularity of the solutions is studied.
Oxidation of DNA by trans-dioxoruthenium(VI) complexes: self-inhibition of DNA cleavage by metal complexes'

Abstract The oxidation of DNA by complexes of transdioxoruthenium(VI) has been investigated. The complexes trans -Ru(bpy) 2 O 2 2+ , trans -Ru(tpy)(OH 2 )O 2 2+ , and trans -Ru(tmc)O 2 2+ all induce plasmid isomerization of ΦX174 DNA (bpy = 2,2′-bipyrdine, tpy = 2,2′,2′′-terpyridine, tmc= 1,4,8,11-tetramethyl-1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane). Base release was not detected by HPLC from oxidations of calf thymus DNA, suggesting that sugar oxidation does not occur. The kinetics for trans -Ru(bpy) 2 O 2 2+ have been investigated in detail by optical spectroscopy. The spectra show that the initial reaction leads to the production of Ru(IV)O 2+ followed by slower formation of an oxo-bridged dimer. The raw kinetic traces exhibit a pre-steady-state phase indicative of initial DNA binding. Accordingly, the pseudo first-order rate constants for the steady-state phase are first-order in [DNA]. However, the kinetics show an inverse dependence on the concentration of ruthenium, suggesting that a product of the pre-steady-state phase inhibits the second phase of the reaction. These results are compared with those for Ru(tpy)(bpy)O 2+ and Os(tpy)(bpy)O 2+ to show that the reactivity of the metal complex can dramatically influence the kinetics and mechanism of DNA oxidation among cleavage agents of similar structure.
A New Look at Robert J. Flaherty's Documentary Art

In his paper, "A New Look at Robert J. Flaherty's Documentary Art," Gerhard Lampe challenges the general view of documentary film director Robert J. Flaherty's work. In film studies, it is generally assumed that Flaherty ignored cinematographic developments and kept repeating himself by telling his stories of mythical battles of the individual against the powers of nature in always the same old-fashioned way. He is said to have improved his "photographic eye" with the help of improved lenses and more detailed shots; nevertheless, he did not show any interest in editing problems and sound recording. By comparing Flaherty's Nanook of the North (1922), Moana (1923-25), and Man of Aran (1934), Lampe shows that the continuity-editing-system and 180° system which emerged in Hollywood at the time of the transition from silent to sound production was also adopted by Flaherty in his films. Lampe argues that Flaherty in fact modernised his cinematographic style after shooting the semi-documentary "Paramount"-film Taboo (1929-30) with Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau. Gerhard Lampe, "A New Look at Robert J. Flaherty's Documentary Art" page 2 of 13 CLCWeb: Comparative Literature and Culture 7.4 (2005):
Abstract 283: OOPs: Novel HIF-1α mimics

Alpha subunit of the hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1α) is an important transcriptional regulator of hypoxia-inducible genes responsible for tumor proliferation and metastasis, and therefore HIF-1α is a valuable therapeutic target. In turn, the interaction between C-terminal activation domain (C-TAD) of HIF-1α and the cysteine-histidine rich domain (CH1) of its coactivator p300 is known to play the key role in the HIF-1 pathway. However, to date very few compounds have been reported to disrupt HIF-1α/p300 complex. We have rationally designed and synthesized non-peptidic mimics of HIF-1α CTAD αA-helix with novel oligooxopiperazine backbone (OOPs). These mimics exhibit relatively low toxicity and substantially downregulate expression levels of selected hypoxia-inducible genes (VEGF, c-MET, LOX, GLUT1, CXCR4) in cellulo in a dose-dependent manner. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 283. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-283
Hair defects and pup loss in mice with targeted deletion of the first cut repeat domain of the Cux/CDP homeoprotein gene.

Abstract CDP, a ubiquitous homeoprotein homologous toDrosophila cut, is implicated as a transcriptional repressor in several developmental systems. It contains four independent DNA binding domains: three “cut repeats” plus the homeodomain. The murineCux/CDPgene spans more than 200 kb and is composed of at least 21 exons. We designed a targeting construct to replace the first cut repeat with a neomycin resistance cassette, introducing a nonsense mutation after position 1319 of the 4.5-kb reading frame ofCux/CDP.We expected to generate a truncated product of ≈60 kDa with this construct, but instead we obtained mice expressing a mutant form of the protein, with an internal deletion of 246 amino acids encompassing cut repeat 1, but intact in the C-terminal region. Ribonuclease protection assays and direct sequencing of mutant cDNA obtained by RT–PCR demonstrate skipping of exons 10 and 11 in the mutant. Homozygous mutant mice, designated Cux/CDPΔCR1, display a phenotype characterized by curly vibrissae and wavy hair. We also observed a high degree of pup loss in litters born to mutant females, most likely on a nutritional basis. The mutant protein is present at levels slightly greater than wild-type, but exhibits the same tissue distribution as wild-type protein, and has approximately normal affinity for known target sequences (though no DNA targets identified to date require the first cut repeat for binding). These results support the hypothesis that the different DNA binding domains of the ubiquitous Cux/CDP protein are responsible for regulation of different genes in diverse tissues during development.
Exploring the response of West Siberian wetland methane emissions to future changes in climate, vegetation, and soil microbial communities

Abstract. We ran the VIC land surface model over the West Siberian Lowland (WSL), forced with outputs from 32 CMIP5 models for the RCP4.5 scenario, and compared the effects of changes in climate and vegetation (leaf area index in particular) on predicted wetland CH 4 emissions and other fluxes for the period 2071–2100, relative to the period 1981–2010. We also explored possible responses of soil microbial communities to these changes. Our results suggest that, if soil microbial communities acclimatize to elevated temperatures without changes in species abundances, end-of-century CH 4 emissions from the WSL will only rise to 3.6 Tg CH 4 yr −1 (6% above historical emissions). In contrast, if microbial species abundances in the north additionally shift to resemble those in the south, CH 4 emissions will more than double, to 7.3 Tg CH 4 yr −1 . Crucially, while historical emissions were concentrated in the southern half of the domain, acclimatization plus microbial population shifts concentrate almost 3/4 of future emissions in the northern half of the domain, where the possible release of carbon with permafrost thaw is a concern. In addition, microbial population shifts disproportionately increase microbial activity in the period during and immediately following snowmelt, when highly labile carbon is first thought to be released from the soil. This work indicates the importance of better constraining the responses of soil microbial communities to changes in climate and vegetation as they are critical determinants of the region's future methane emissions.
Bacterial aggregation and biofilm formation in a vortical flow

Bacterial aggregation and patchiness play an important role in a variety of ecological processes such as competition, adaptation, epidemics, and succession. Here, we demonstrate that hydrodynamics of their environment can lead to their aggregation. This is specially important since microbial habitats are rarely at rest (e.g., ocean, blood stream, flow in porous media, and flow through membrane filtration processes). In order to study the dynamics of bacterial collection in a vortical flow, we utilize a microfluidic system to mimic some of the important microbial conditions at ecologically relevant spatiotemporal scales. We experimentally demonstrate the formation of “ring”-shaped bacterial collection patterns and subsequently the formation of biofilm streamers in a microfluidic system. Acoustic streaming of a microbubble is used to generate a vortical flow in a microchannel. Due to bacteria's finite-size, the microorganisms are directed to closed streamlines and trapped in the vortical flow. The collection of bacteria in the vortices occurs in a matter of seconds, and unexpectedly, triggers the formation of biofilm streamers within minutes. Swimming bacteria have a competitive advantage to respond to their environmental conditions. In order to investigate the role of bacterial motility on the rate of collection, two strains of Escherichia coli bacteria with different motilities are used. We show that the bacterial collection in a vortical flow is strongly pronounced for high motile bacteria.
Generating test data with enhanced context-free grammars

The use of context-free grammars to improve functional testing of very-large-scale integrated circuits is described. It is shown that enhanced context-free grammars are effective tools for generating test data. The discussion covers preliminary considerations, the first tests, generating systematic tests, and testing subroutines. The author's experience using context-free grammars to generate tests for VLSI circuit simulators indicates that they are remarkably effective tools that virtually anyone can use to debug virtually any program. >
Effects of teacher feedback on the reputations and peer perceptions of children with behavior problems.

We explored whether teacher feedback modified children's preferences and perceptions of a target child with behavior problems. First- and second-grade children (M age = 7.8 years) viewed a videotape of a target actor presented as having a liked, average, or disliked reputation. A second videotape depicted a teacher's verbal responses to the target's behavior as (a) positive, (b) neutral-salient, or (c) corrective. Both salience and valence of teacher feedback were assessed. Main effects of feedback and reputation indicated that feedback had at least minimal effects at each level of the target's reputation. Teacher feedback is discussed with respect to its effects on perceptions of behavior versus affective responses toward behavior-problem children. A significant interaction showed that when combined with a liked reputation, positive and neutral-salient feedback conditions increased the salience and positive evaluation of the target child, thus illustrating the importance of considering nonevaluative teacher attention in combination with children's reputational status.
Serotonergic serotonin1A mixed agonists/antagonists elicit large-magnitude phase shifts in hamster circadian wheel-running rhythms

The biological clock that generates circadian rhythms in mammals is located within the suprachiasmatic nuclei at the base of the hypothalamus. The circadian clock is entrained to the daily light/dark cycle by photic information from the retina. The retinal input to the clock is inhibited by exogenously applied serotonin agonists, perhaps mimicking an endogenous inhibitory serotonergic input to the clock arriving from the midbrain raphe. In the present study, a unique class of serotonergic compounds was tested for its ability to modulate retinal input to the circadian clock. The serotonergic ligands 8-(2-[4-(2-methoxyphenyl)-1-piperazinyl]ethyl)-8-azaspiro(4.5)decane-7,9-dione dihydrochloride (BMY 7378), S 15535, and 8-[2-(1,4-benzodioxan-2-ylmethylamino)ethyl]-8-azaspiro[4.5]decane-7,9-dione hydrochloride (MDL 73005 EF) can all be classified as mixed agonists/antagonists at type 1A serotonin receptors. Circadian wheel-running activity rhythms were monitored in Syrian hamsters maintained in constant darkness. Dim white-light pulses administered to the hamsters at circadian time 19 advanced the phase of their running rhythms by 1-2 h. Injection of BMY 7378, S 15535, and to a lesser degree MDL 73005 EF, prior to the light pulses resulted in phase advances from 5 to 6 h, and by as much as 8 h. Neither BMY 7378 nor S 15535 had any effect on light-induced phase delays in hamster activity rhythms at circadian time 14. Further, BMY 7378 is able to phase advance circadian rhythms by approximately 1 h at night even without light exposure. Finally, the effects of BMY 7378 on circadian rhythms is opposite to that observed with the prototypical serotonin 1A agonist (+/-)-8-hydroxy-2-(DI-n-propyl-amino)tetralin hydrobromide (8-OH-DPAT) (8-OH-DPAT elicits non-photic phase advances in the day and inhibits photic-induced phase advances at night). These results suggest that pharmacologically blocking raphe input to the suprachiasmatic circadian clock results in substantially larger photically induced phase advances in wheel-running rhythms. This is further evidence that raphe input to the circadian clock is probably acting to dampen the clock's response to light under certain conditions. The large-magnitude phase shifts, and temporal-activity profile seen with BMY 7378 and S 15535, suggest that compounds with this unique pharmacological profile may be beneficial in the treatment of circadian phase delays recently reported to be a complication resulting from Alzheimer's disease.
Supercritical fluid extraction of meat lipids: An alternative approach to the identification of irradiated meats

Ionizing radiation is currently under study as an alternative method for extending the shelf life of meats and meat products. Accordingly, methods are needed to determine if a meat or meat product has been exposed to ionizing radiation. In this study, a method is described for the isolation and analysis of volatile hydrocarbons formed in meat lipids after exposure to ionizing radiation. The method is based on supercritical fluid extraction of the hydrocarbons from meat lipids and subsequent identification and quantitation of individual hydrocarbons by gas chromatography (GC) with a mass selection detector (MSD). Supercritical carbon dioxide at 175 bar and 40°C extracted the hydrocarbon fraction from total meat lipids within 20 min. The presence of radiolytic hydrocarbons, as determined by GC/MSD, was then correlated to the degree of irradiation of the meat from 0 to 10 kGy. Besides being faster, this method has the advantage of reduced solvent consumption when compared to current methods for determining if a meat or meat product has been irradiated.
Intentional bupropion overdoses

Bupropion is an antidepressant that has recently seen increased usage in smoking cessation. This increased usage, along with its potential for causing seizures, has renewed interest among clinicians about the effects of this drug. The purpose of this study is to describe the clinical course of intentional bupropion overdoses in adults and adolescents. This study is a retrospective review of intentional bupropion overdoses reported to regional poison centers over a 2-year period. Our review included 385 cases. Women accounted for 63% of cases and ages ranged from 12 to 57 years. Significant clinical effects were noted in 26% of cases. Seizures were reported in 11% of patients. Seizures occurred within 6 h in most patients. Other prominent effects included tachycardia, agitation, and hallucinations. In conclusion, after a bupropion overdose, patients frequently display agitation, tachycardia, hallucinations and seizures. Seizures commonly occur within 6 h of the ingestion. However, seizures may occur beyond this time frame, particularly if persistent tachycardia, agitation, or hallucinations are noted.
Gait impairments in persons with multiple sclerosis across preferred and fixed walking speeds.

Abstract Remelius JG, Jones SL, House JD, Busa MA, Averill JL, Sugumaran K, Kent-Braun JA, Van Emmerik RE. Gait impairments in persons with multiple sclerosis across preferred and fixed walking speeds. Objectives To investigate (1) whether previously observed changes in gait parameters in individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) are the result of slower preferred walking speeds or reflect adaptations independent of gait speed; and (2) the changes in spatiotemporal features of the unstable swing phase of gait in people with MS. Design Cross-sectional study assessing changes in gait parameters during preferred, slow (0.6m/s), medium (1.0m/s), and fast (1.4m/s) walking speeds. Setting Gait laboratory with instrumented walkway and motion capture system. Participants MS group with mild to moderate impairment (n=19, 16 women) with a median Expanded Disability Status Scale score of 3.75 (range, 2.5–6), and a sex- and age-matched control group (n=19). Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures Gait speed, stride length, stride width, cadence, dual support time, swing time, and timing of swing foot and body/head center of mass during swing phase. Results Individuals with MS walked at slower preferred speeds with longer dual support times compared with controls. In fixed-speed conditions, dual support times were longer and swing times were shorter in MS compared with controls. Stride width was wider for all speed conditions in the MS group. In fixed-speed conditions, the MS group positioned their head and body centers of mass closer to the anterior base of support boundary when entering the unstable equilibrium of the swing phase. Conclusions Longer dual support time is part of a gait strategy in MS that is apparent even when controlling for the confounding effect of slower preferred speed. However, a gait strategy featuring longer dual support times may have limitations if potentially destabilizing swing dynamics exist, which especially occur at walking speeds other than preferred for people with MS.
Correlation Among Shear Rate Measures in Vascular Flows

A variety of shear rate measures have been calculated from hemodynamic data obtained by laser Doppler anemometry in flow-through casts of human aortic bifurcations. Included are measures sensitive to the mean and amplitude of the shear rate, its maximum rate of change, the duration of stasis and flow reversal near the wall, and the unidirectionality of the flow. Many of these measures are highly correlated with one another. This suggests that that it will be difficult to identify from in vivo measurements those aspects of the flow field to which the vessel wall is most sensitive. It may be possible to separate the effects of purely temporal factors (e.g., the duration of flow reversal) from those related to wall shear stress.
Further studies of large collision residues in relativistic heavy-ion reactions with heavy nuclei

Abstract Target residue mass and charge distributions have been measured radiochemically for the reaction of 25.2 GeV 12 C ions with Au and Pb. Enhanced product yields for A = 140−170 are found that are not present in reactions of Pb with GeV protons. The shape of the mass distribution in this region is used to define a pre-equilibrium product mass distribution.
Ischemia-stimulated Glucose Uptake Does Not Require Catecholamines in Rat Heart

The authors tested the hypothesis that ischemia stimulates glucose uptake in rat heart independent of the insulin signaling pathway and independent of endogenous catecholamines. Isolated working rat hearts were perfused with Krebs-Henseleit buffer containing [2-3H]glucose (5 mmol/l, 0.05μCi/ml) and Na-oleate (0.4 mmol/l) with or without the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase inhibitor wortmannin (3μmol/l). Insulin (1 mU/ml) was added to the perfusate in the middle of the experiments or the hearts were subjected to 30 min of low-flow ischemia (75% reduction in coronary flow) followed by 15 min of reperfusion. In a separate group, hearts were subjected to ischemia and reperfusion in the presence of propranolol (10μmol/l) plus phentolamine (10μmol/l). Cardiac power was stable but decreased (−75%) during ischemia. Both insulin and ischemia increased glucose uptake (P<0.01). Glucose uptake returned to pre-ischemic values during reperfusion. Wortmannin completely inhibited insulin-stimulated glucose uptake and glycogen synthesis, but did not affect the ischemia-stimulated glucose uptake or glycogen resynthesis during reperfusion. Full adrenergic blockade did not abolish the ischemia-stimulated glucose uptake. The authors conclude that: (1) insulin and ischemia increase glucose uptake through different mechanisms; (2) ischemia-stimulated glucose uptake is not catecholamine mediated; and (3) glycogen resynthesis during reperfusion is independent of PI3-K.
DNA repair in human leukaemic lymphocytes.

CHRONIC lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) is a common human leukaemia1 in older people. Its gradual progressive clinical course is frequently associated with lymphocyte dysfunction2. In this disease lymphocyte counts are elevated and lymph nodes and organs are infiltrated with small abnormal lymphocytes which have scanty blue cytoplasm and round or clefted nuclei with clumped chromatin.
The management of old urethral injury in young girls: analysis of 44 cases.

Abstract Background/purpose: Traumatic urethral injury in girls is rare, and there is no consensus on its management. The authors report their 22-year experience. Methods: Forty girls presented with urethrovaginal fistula. Twenty-six girls presented with cystostomy tube in place, whereas 17 girls presented with complete urinary incontinence. Incision and dilatation of the obliterated urethra was carried out in 7 patients. Vaginal repair of urethrovaginal fistula was performed in 4 patients. Transpubic reconstruction of the urethra using a modified Young-Dees-Leadbetter procedure with simultaneous repair of the urethrovaginal fistula was performed in 35 patients (once in 27, twice in 5, and 3 times in 3 patients). Results: Follow-up in 40 girls averaged 3.5 years. Twenty-nine patients have regained normal urinary control, and 11 patients have mild stress urinary incontinence. Four patients were lost to follow-up. Conclusions: Simple dilation of the obliterated urethra can reestablish satisfactory urethral patency if the obliterated segment is short. The vaginal approach to urethrovaginal fistula may be successful in patients without concomitant urethral stricture or in those with stricture amenable to simple dilation. The transpubic approach remains the method of choice for repairing complete urethral disruption and severe urethral stricture, especially when associated with urethrovaginal fistula.
A model-based design of Cyber-Physical Energy Systems

Cyber-Physical Energy Systems (CPES) are an amalgamation of both power gird technology, and the intelligent communication and co-ordination between the supply and the demand side through distributed embedded computing. Through this combination, CPES are intended to deliver power efficiently, reliably, and economically. The design and development work needed to either implement a new power grid network or upgrade a traditional power grid to a CPES-compliant one is both challenging and time consuming due to the heterogeneous nature of the associated components/subsystems. The Model Based Design (MBD) methodology has been widely seen as a promising solution to address the associated design challenges of creating a CPES. In this paper, we demonstrate a MBD method and its associated tool for the purpose of designing and validating various control algorithms for a residential microgrid. Our presented co-simulation engine GridMat is a MATLAB/Simulink toolbox; the purpose of it is to co-simulate the power systems modeled in GridLAB-D as well as the control algorithms that are modeled in Simulink. We have presented various use cases to demonstrate how different levels of control algorithms may be developed, simulated, debugged, and analyzed by using our GridMat toolbox for a residential mi-crogrid.
Students' self-ratings of subjective stress across 30 months of medical school

Abstract A first study of the capacity of the BAROMAS scales to reflect stress as perceived by normals was conducted with a large sample of medical students. Unlike individual administration with clinical patients, the data were gathered in groups. Measures obtained at entry, and after 30 months of school from the same students disclosed significant temporal stability on all scales but low to moderate in degree (rs ranged from 0.28 to 0.68 for confidence ratings). Significant changes were found on five of the nine scales, all indicating that self-efficacy was higher after surviving 2 1 2 yr of school than at entry. Measures taken at six time points from various students suggested that sequential patterns were as follows: subjective stress was highest at the start of medical school and just before exams; stress was lowest at the end of 30 months, and at the onset of the second year after successfully passing the prior year; ratings obtained immediately after the National Board Exams, 23 months past entry, were intermediate. The results appeared plausible and in reasonably good agreement with advance expectations.
THE ROLE OF EXPERIENCE IN DETERMINING PATCH-USE BY ADULT CRAB SPIDERS

Summary I tested the role of the previous substrate in hunting-patch choice using a sit-and-wait predator, the crab spider Misumena vatia. Adult females that hunted on flowers of common milkweed Asclepias syriaca and pasture rose Rosa carolina differed in their subsequent choices of these substrates as a consequence of both the species of flower encountered and their recent experience with these flowers. In six-hour tests, individuals taken from both milkweed and rose flowers and later returned to the same species of flower remained and hunted on these sites in similar frequencies. However, spiders from milkweed placed on rose remained significantly less frequently than spiders from rose placed on milkweed or spiders returned to their accustomed flower species. A higher proportion of individuals that left their sites did so more quickly from accustomed than from unfamiliar flower species. Capture of prey increased the probability that a spider would remain during the test period, but even spiders not capturing prey showed the trends noted above. These results demonstrate that immediately previous experiences can modify patch-choice behavior in ways that significantly affect the foraging success of an individual, with important consequences for lifetime fitness.