cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Acute Shortage Ventilator

Abstract We have implemented an “Acute Shortage Ventilator” (ASV) motivated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the possibility of severe ventilator shortages in the near future. The unit cost per ventilator is less than $400 US excluding the patient circuit parts. The ASV mechanically compresses a self-inflating bag resuscitator, uses a modified patient circuit, and is commanded by a microcontroller and an optional laptop. It operates in both Volume-Controlled Assist-Control mode and a Pressure-Controlled Assist-Control mode. It has been tested using an artificial lung against the EURS guidelines. The key design goals were to develop a simple device with high performance for short-term use, made primarily from common hospital parts and generally-available non-medical components, and at low cost and ease in manufacturing.
Identification of Postural Controllers in Human Standing Balance

Standing balance is a simple motion task for healthy humans but the actions of the central nervous system (CNS) have not been described by generalized and sufficiently sophisticated control laws. While system identification approaches have been used to extracted models of the CNS, they either focus on short balance motions, leading to task-specific control laws, or assume that the standing balance system is linear. To obtain comprehensive control laws for human standing balance, complex balance motions, long duration tests, and nonlinear controller models are all needed. In this paper, we demonstrate that trajectory optimization with the direct collocation method can achieve these goals to identify complex CNS models for the human standing balance task. We first examined this identification method using synthetic motion data and showed that correct control parameters can be extracted. Then, six types of controllers, from simple linear to complex nonlinear, were identified from 100 seconds of motion data from randomly perturbed standing. Results showed that multiple time-delay paths and nonlinear properties are both needed in order to fully explain human feedback control of standing balance.
Exposure to Urbanized Poverty and Attitude Change: A Longitudinal Case Study on Service-Learning with Rural Undergraduate Criminal Justice Students

Criminal justice departments recognize the value of connecting students to real-world problems through service-learning activities. Yet, challenges exist in exposing students to diverse populations...
Quantum oscillations in the field-induced ferromagnetic state of Mn Bi 2 − x Sb x Te 4

The intrinsic antiferromagnetic topological insulator $\mathrm{Mn}{\mathrm{Bi}}_{2}{\mathrm{Te}}_{4}$ undergoes a metamagnetic transition in a $c$-axis magnetic field. It has been predicted that ferromagnetic $\mathrm{Mn}{\mathrm{Bi}}_{2}{\mathrm{Te}}_{4}$ is an ideal Weyl semimetal with a single pair of Weyl nodes. Here we report measurements of quantum oscillations detected in the field-induced ferromagnetic phase of $\mathrm{Mn}{\mathrm{Bi}}_{2\ensuremath{-}x}{\mathrm{Sb}}_{x}{\mathrm{Te}}_{4}$, where Sb substitution tunes the majority carriers from electrons to holes. Single-frequency Shubnikov--de Haas oscillations were observed in a wide range of Sb concentrations ($0.54\ensuremath{\le}x\ensuremath{\le}1.21$). The evolution of the oscillation frequency and the effective mass shows reasonable agreement with the Weyl semimetal band structure of ferromagnetic $\mathrm{Mn}{\mathrm{Bi}}_{2}{\mathrm{Te}}_{4}$ predicted by density functional calculations. Intriguingly, the quantum oscillation frequency shows a strong temperature dependence, indicating that the electronic structure depends sensitively on magnetism.
State of the science in inflammation and stroke recovery: A systematic review.

Abstract Stroke is a major cause of mortality worldwide, and survivors often have major life-changing disabilities. Annually in the United States, an estimated 795,000 people experience a new or recurrent stroke. All types of stroke involve an inflammatory reaction that follows the initial phase of incidence. However, investigations into any links between inflammatory markers and recovery processes in the context of post-stroke rehabilitation are lacking. In this systematic review, we searched the literature in PubMed, SCOPUS, and CINAHL databases to gather information on inflammatory biomarkers related to stroke and their association with rehabilitation outcomes, according to PRISMA guidelines. Eleven articles (n = 1.773 stroke patients) were selected. Immune markers (interleukin 6 [IL-6], C-reactive protein, IL-1α, tumor necrosis factor α, soluble intercellular adhesion molecule 1) and functional status assessments (Modified Rankin Score, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, Functional Independence Measure, etc.) were the primary measures used in the reviewed studies. We found preliminary evidence for the evaluation of inflammatory biomarkers post-stroke, including the role of inflammation in functional recovery and the influence of rehabilitation on inflammation. This is the first systematic review of the topic. The review identifies several gaps in the literature that are critical for understanding the potential use of inflammatory markers to improve post-stroke outcomes.
“You’re a product of your environment for sure”: Correctional educators on their perceptions of and contributions to prison social climate

Most criminal justice research pertaining to social climate in U.S. prisons has focused on the experiences of incarcerated people and correctional officers, with no studies to our knowledge that explore correctional educators’ significant contributions to prison social climate. Utilizing results from semi-structured interviews and participant observation with correctional educators in institutions managed by eight different state prison administrations, the present study fills this knowledge gap by examining two questions. First, how do correctional educators characterize the life experiences and motivations of incarcerated people who are pursuing an education? Second, how do correctional educators variously regard their respective professional roles as influencing and/or intervening in incarcerated individuals’ lives? Taken together, these findings offer insights into the nuanced ways that correctional educators interpret and understand compound disadvantage among incarcerated people, prison social climate, and motivations for engaging in correctional education. Our recommendations indicate the utility of fostering a collaborative, peer-driven learning environment by including current and former prisoners in education and programming initiatives, and prioritizing sustainable education in a humane institutional environment through recruitment of skilled professional staff willing to engage in cross-professional dialogue.
Introduction To Communication Systems

Showcasing the essential principles behind modern communication systems, this accessible undergraduate textbook provides a solid introduction to the foundations of communication theory. Carefully selected topics introduce students to the most important and fundamental concepts, giving students a focused, in-depth understanding of core material, and preparing them for more advanced study. Abstract concepts are introduced to students 'just in time' and reinforced by nearly 200 end-of-chapter exercises, alongside numerous MATLAB code fragments, software problems and practical lab exercises, firmly linking the underlying theory to real-world problems, and providing additional hands-on experience. Finally, an accessible lecture-style organisation makes it easy for students to navigate to key passages, and quickly identify the most relevant material. Containing material suitable for a one- or two-semester course, and accompanied online by a password-protected solutions manual and supporting instructor resources, this is the perfect introductory textbook for undergraduate students studying electrical and computer engineering.
Toward a Frequency Scanning Marginal Oscillator

The advantages of a frequency scannable detector in ICR spectrometry have long been obvious. The ability to operate at constant magnetic field allows uniform trapping efficiency in trapped ion experiments and, in drift cell work, eliminates differential effects due to changing ion density, drift times and extents of reaction. Experiments where one ion is continually ejected are possible as well. That a great need exists for this type of detector is obvious from the tremendous interest in Bridge Circuit Detectors (BCD) which exists at present. A BCD suitable for ICR work was first presented by Wobschall [1] . McIver has recently developed a solid state version, [2,3] and other workers have followed [4] . Throughout this development, the possibilities of a frequency scannable Marginal Oscillator (MO) have been ignored. Recent work in our laboratory and others [1, 4, 5] indicate, however, that the sensitivity of the MO surpasses that of the BCD by a significant factor. While not universally applicable, the scanning MO appears to be the detector of choice in many experiments. We present here a summary of the requirements a scanning MO must fulfill, the basic approaches we have taken to satisfy them, and finally a short derivation of the relative sensitivities of Bridge Circuit and Marginal Oscillator detectors. A complete description of the scanning MO will be submitted for publication elsewhere.
Case Study of Using High Performance Commercial Processors in Space

The purpose of the Space Shuttle Cockpit Avionics Upgrade project (1999 2004) was to reduce crew workload and improve situational awareness. The upgrade was to augment the Shuttle avionics system with new hardware and software. A major success of this project was the validation of the hardware architecture and software design. This was significant because the project incorporated new technology and approaches for the development of human rated space software. An early version of this system was tested at the Johnson Space Center for one month by teams of astronauts. The results were positive, but NASA eventually cancelled the project towards the end of the development cycle. The goal to reduce crew workload and improve situational awareness resulted in the need for high performance Central Processing Units (CPUs). The choice of CPU selected was the PowerPC family, which is a reduced instruction set computer (RISC) known for its high performance. However, the requirement for radiation tolerance resulted in the re-evaluation of the selected family member of the PowerPC line. Radiation testing revealed that the original selected processor (PowerPC 7400) was too soft to meet mission objectives and an effort was established to perform trade studies and performance testing to determine a feasible candidate. At that time, the PowerPC RAD750s were radiation tolerant, but did not meet the required performance needs of the project. Thus, the final solution was to select the PowerPC 7455. This processor did not have a radiation tolerant version, but had some ability to detect failures. However, its cache tags did not provide parity and thus the project incorporated a software strategy to detect radiation failures. The strategy was to incorporate dual paths for software generating commands to the legacy Space Shuttle avionics to prevent failures due to the softness of the upgraded avionics.
Large Eddy Simulation of Sediment Transport in the Presence of Surface Gravity Waves, Currents and Complex Bedforms

Abstract : LONG-TERM GOAL. Our long-term goal is to employ numerical simulation to generate accurate predictions of sediment transport in the coastal zone. OBJECTIVES. Our main focus is to build upon earlier work that produced quantitatively accurate hydrodynamics and to produce a tool for sediment transport modeling. Our tool will be a large-eddy simulation [LES] in three dimensions and time, at scales on the order of meters, and in the presence of waves and a current. In order to reach the stated goal, the hydrodynamics code will need to be changed to account for some of the sediment-fluid interactions that take place. Our numerical analysis objectives include accurate representation of the flow near rough boundaries, creation of improved models for the sub-filter scale [i.e., unresolved] motions and sediment transports, and optimization of the computer code for multiprocessor computer systems.
Induction of basic fibroblast growth factor mRNA by basic fibroblast growth factor in Müller cells.

Purpose. To investigate the induction of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF ) gene expression in cultured rat Muller cells by bFGF and to study the mechanism of induction. Methods. Muller cells from 1- to 3-day-old Sprague-Dawley rats were isolated and cultured with Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium with 10% fetal calf serum. Cultured cells were identified by immunocytochemistry using antibodies against vimentin, carbonic anhydrase II, and glutamine synthetase. Cells of passages 1 through 4 were treated with bFGF, the protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor, H-7; calphostin C, or the PKC activator, PMA; and protein kinase A (PKA) inhibitor, H-89; as well as the adenylate cyclase activator, forskolin; or the adenylate cyclase inhibitor, SQ22536. Northern blot analysis was performed to determine the mRNA expression of bFGF, ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Results. Addition of bFGF to culture medium induced bFGF gene expression in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Induction of bFGF mRNA started at a bFGF concentration of 0.1 ng/ml. The bFGF mRNA level was elevated by 2-fold at 1 ng/ml of bFGF, 2.8-fold at 5 ng/ ml, and reached a peak of 4fold at 10 ng/ml and 3.7-fold at 50 ng/ml. At 10 ng/ml of bFGF, induction of bFGF mRNA was observed as early as 2 hours (2-fold) after treatment. The bFGF mRNA level continued to increase to 3.7-fold by 4 hours, and reached a maximum of 4.4-fold by 8 hours. A slow decline of the bFGF mRNA level was observed after 8 hours of bFGF treatment (3.5-fold by 12 hours, and 3-fold by 24 hours). This induction of bFGF gene expression was blocked by PKC inhibitors H-7 (30 μM) and calphostin C (1 μM). The PKC activator PMA (0.1 μM) also upregulated bFGF gene expression, but the effects of bFGF and PMA were not additive. An adenylate cyclase inhibitor, SQ22536 (100 μM), did not inhibit bFGF-induced bFGF gene expression. Although forskolin (5 μM), an adenylate cyclase activator, also upregulated the level of bFGF mRNA, the effects of forskolin and bFGF were additive. In addition, no inhibitory effect on bFGF-induced expression of bFGF mRNA was found using H-89 (1 μM). Exogenous bFGF did not alter the mRNA levels of CNTF and BDNF. Conclusions. These results indicate that bFGF induces bFGF gene expression in cultured rat Muller cells through PKC activation. The authors' findings raise the possibility that Muller cells in vivo also respond to available bFGF (for example, that released from the endogenous reservoirs in the case of injury) or to exogenous bFGF by producing more bFGF, which could in turn promote photoreceptor survival. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 1997;38:1358-1366.
EXPERIMENTAL EVIDENCE SUPPORTS THE USE OF δ15N CONTENT OF THE OPPORTUNISTIC GREEN MACROALGA ENTEROMORPHA INTESTINALIS (CHLOROPHYTA) TO DETERMINE NITROGEN SOURCES TO ESTUARIES

One assumption underlying the use of stable nitrogen isotopes (δ 1 5 N) for determining nitrogen (N) sources is that the δ 1 5 N of primary producers reflects N sources in a predictable manner. To test this assumption, we conducted two experiments. First, we varied δ 1 5 N with constant concentration of NO 3 - or NH 4 + to determine whether either nutrient is preferentially selected by the macroalga Enteromorpha intestinalis (L. Link) and if isotopic ratio affected selectivity. Tissue δ 1 5 N increased with δ 1 5 N supplied for both NO 3 - and NH 4 + but sequestering of 1 5 NH 4 + was more rapid than for 1 5 NO 3 - ; in addition, some evidence suggested that high relative abundance of 1 5 N may have decreased NO 3 - uptake. Second, we held δ 1 5 N constant and varied concentrations of either NO 3 - or NH 4 + to determine whether fractionation is concentration dependent. Uptake of N was described by a Michaelis-Menten equation for both NO 3 - and NH 4 + , with higher V m a x and K 1 / 2 for NH 4 + than for NO 3 - . There was no relationship between N concentration and tissue δ 1 5 N for either NO 3 - or NH 4 + ; therefore, no selection for 1 4 N over 1 5 N occurred. This study demonstrated that accumulation of 1 5 N in macroalgal tissue was predictable over a range of water δ 1 5 N values and N concentrations, suggesting that E. intestinalis may be used to assess the availability of N sources to estuarine and coastal communities. However, caution must be used when interpreting tissue δ 1 5 N depending on the primary inorganic form of N available.
Hippocampal place-cell firing during movement in three-dimensional space

"Place" cells of the rat hippocampus are coupled to "head direction" cells of the thalamus and limbic cortex. Head direction cells are sensitive to head direction in the horizontal plane only, which leads to the question of whether place cells similarly encode locations in the horizontal plane only, ignoring the z axis, or whether they encode locations in three dimensions. This question was addressed by recording from ensembles of CA1 pyramidal cells while rats traversed a rectangular track that could be tilted and rotated to different three-dimensional orientations. Cells were analyzed to determine whether their firing was bound to the external, three-dimensional cues of the environment, to the two-dimensional rectangular surface, or to some combination of these cues. Tilting the track 45 degrees generally provoked a partial remapping of the rectangular surface in that some cells maintained their place fields, whereas other cells either gained new place fields, lost existing fields, or changed their firing locations arbitrarily. When the tilted track was rotated relative to the distal landmarks, most place fields remapped, but a number of cells maintained the same place field relative to the x-y coordinate frame of the laboratory, ignoring the z axis. No more cells were bound to the local reference frame of the recording apparatus than would be predicted by chance. The partial remapping demonstrated that the place cell system was sensitive to the three-dimensional manipulations of the recording apparatus. Nonetheless the results were not consistent with an explicit three-dimensional tuning of individual hippocampal neurons nor were they consistent with a model in which different sets of cells are tightly coupled to different sets of environmental cues. The results are most consistent with the statement that hippocampal neurons can change their "tuning functions" in arbitrary ways when features of the sensory input or behavioral context are altered. Understanding the rules that govern the remapping phenomenon holds promise for deciphering the neural circuitry underlying hippocampal function.
Built Landscapes of Metropolitan Regions: An International Typology

Problem, research strategy, and findings: Built landscapes—patterns of streets, blocks, parcels of land, buildings, and related infrastructure at the scale of an urban neighborhood or greater—are often difficult for decision makers and the public to understand, especially within the complex "collage city" of the postmodern era. Yet understanding the variety of these forms can help stakeholders make wise choices regarding how to plan and design urban regions in the future to meet goals such as livability and sustainability. Based on aerials, maps, and images available through Google and other sources, I develop a typology of built landscape forms found within 24 metropolitan regions worldwide and use GIS to map these forms and compare regions. The analysis shows that 27 basic types of built landscape make up metropolitan regions worldwide, of which nine are very common. Traditional urban types now make up a small fraction of most metropolitan areas worldwide, while suburban and exurban forms comprise the v...
Conducting outcomes research: past experience and future directions

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) was delegated authority to conduct the studies mandated in the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 (CLIA). Since that time, the CDC has been planning and implementing a research program, Evaluation of Quality of Laboratory Practices and Standards (EQLPS), aimed at demonstrating a clear linkage between patient outcome and laboratory practices and standards such as proficiency testing, quality assurance, and personnel standards. The goal of EQLPS is to improve the quality of laboratory medicine by providing a scientific and technical basis for laboratory practices and standards. In October 1995, the CDC will sponsor an Institute entitled "Frontiers in Laboratory Practice Research," during which strategies for conducting laboratory practice research will be discussed. The Institute should help identify research strategies that will eventually provide the information necessary to develop appropriate practice guidelines for laboratory medicine.
Mechanistic Studies of Fujiwara Hydroarylation. C−H Activation versus Electrophilic Aromatic Substitution

The addition of the C−H bonds of arenes across alkynes is catalyzed by Pd(OAc)2 in CF3CO2H (Fujiwara hydroarylation). Previously it has been suggested that this transformation proceeds by C−H activation of the arene followed by trans-addition of a palladium−arene bond across an alkyne. We have investigated the kinetic isotope effects of intramolecular hydroarylation with deuterated arene substrates and found that catalytic hydroarylation exhibits an inverse KIE. The observed inverse isotope effect is not consistent with known KIEs for C−H activation by electrophilic palladium; thus it suggests that the reaction proceeds by electrophilic aromatic substitution.
In vitro evaluations of amikacin: an assessment of the currently used methods of disk diffusion and dilution susceptibility, antimicrobial synergy, and the measurement of amikacin concentrations.

Abstract The amikacin antimicrobial susceptibility tests were reviewed and found to be acceptable for clinical laboratory use. The early change from the 10-μg to the 30-μg diagnostic disk concentration has resulted in reasonable accuracy, according to data from surveys of the College of American Pathologists, and acceptable discrimination between susceptible and resistant microorganisms. Similarly, standardized dilution susceptibility methods have proven acceptable, but great care must be exercised to select an agar medium in which performance was evaluated by the criteria of the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards. Breakpoint concentrations selected as susceptible for amikacin (equal to or less than 16 μg/ml) were based on infected patient pharmacokinetics and previously correlated with patient bacteriologic outcome. Amikacin serum levels have been accurately measured by numerous procedures, including gas-liquid chromatography, radioimmunoassay, radioenzymatic assay, bioassay, and latex agglutination tests. Recent surveys of the College of American Pathologists support the earlier suspicions of lower accuracy and specificity with the bioassay method. Care must be taken to rapidly and appropriately process specimens from patients receiving concurrent high doses of antipseudomonal penicillins because of documented inactivation of some aminoglycosides by these penicillins. Amikacin is less affected by these beta-lactams. Evaluations of the antibacterial activity of amikacin in combination with other antimicrobial agents, principally the beta-lactams, continue to show high rates of enhanced killing or synergy. Although the methods for assessment of synergy have not been standardized, remarkably favorable and similar results between laboratories have been reported.
Sweet’s syndrome with arthritis and vasculitis

Acute febrile neutrophilic dermatosis or Sweet's syndrome is a rare disease. We describe a patient with oligoarthritis, increased liver enzymes and vasculitis. One year later the patient is free of symptoms. Diseases mimicking Sweet's syndrome have been excluded.
Interleukin 6 secreted from adipose stromal cells promotes migration and invasion of breast cancer cells

Excessive adiposity has long been associated with increased incidence of breast cancer in post-menopausal women, and with increased mortality from breast cancer, regardless of the menopausal status. Although adipose tissue-derived estrogen contributes to obesity-associated risk for estrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancer, the estrogen-independent impact of adipose tissue on tumor invasion and progression needs to be elucidated. Here, we show that adipose stromal cells (ASCs) significantly stimulate migration and invasion of ER-negative breast cancer cells in vitro and tumor invasion in a co-transplant xenograft mouse model. Our study also identifies cofilin-1, a known regulator of actin dynamics, as a determinant of the tumor-promoting activity of ASCs. The cofilin-1-dependent pathway affects the production of interleukin 6 (IL-6) in ASCs. Depletion of IL-6 from the ASC-conditioned medium abrogated the stimulatory effect of ASCs on the migration and invasion of breast tumor cells. Thus, our study uncovers a link between a cytoskeleton-based pathway in ASCs and the stromal impact on breast cancer cells.
Orbital compartment syndrome caused by intraorbital bacitracin ointment after endoscopic sinus surgery.

Abstract PURPOSE: To present an unusual case of orbital compartment syndrome after endoscopic sinus surgery. METHODS: Case report. RESULTS: Acute proptosis, chemosis, decreased vision, and ophthalmoplegia were found immediately after endoscopic sinus surgery. Ophthalmologic evaluation showed a tense orbit, and intraocular pressure increased to 54 mm Hg. Treatment was initiated and the intraocular pressure dropped. Computed tomography (CT) revealed the presence of bacitracin ointment in the orbit. CONCLUSION: Ophthalmic complications after sinus surgery are well identified. Postoperative orbital compartment syndrome may be caused by retrobulbar hemorrhage, edema, air (emphysema), or foreign material. In this case, the findings were caused by inadvertent injection of bacitracin ointment into the orbit.
Disciplinary Prisms: Responding to My Critics

Reading the reviews of Downcast Eyes solicited by Comparative Studies in Society and History is an experience at once exhilarating and disturbing. The exhilaration comes from the realization that this book, whose genesis depended so deeply on the advice and criticism of colleagues in many different fields, can have something of interest to say to an interdisciplinary audience. What is, however, less pleasing, at least at first glance, is its evident inability to persuade the exponents of the different disciplines represented here to bracket, at least temporarily, the presuppositions they bring with them. Not surprisingly, the most sympathetic response comes from a fellow intellectual historian, Lloyd Kramer, whose professional deformation is the same as my own. Kramer astutely notes an indirect and unacknowledged debt to my dissertation director, H. Stuart Hughes, whose own approach often yoked together a welter of different thinkers by focusing on their common response to a question that seemed at first glance marginal to their central concerns. He also discerns a common thread in our unwillingness to join the (now even more) fashionable repudiation of the Enlightenment, even if we acknowledge the power of many of the criticisms made against certain of its variants. And he credits the book with a fair-minded engagement with the ideas taken "on their own terms" of figures whose general agenda may well seem anathema to any straightforward defense of the Enlightenment, however it may be understood. Although he chides me for invoking too many authorities and failing to provide images (a frequently voiced complaint to which I will later return), Kramer has a keen sense of the scholarly tradition in which the book can be best situated, and, happily for its author, judges it generously. Craig Calhoun, representing sociology, also credits the book's historical value and praises its "theoretical acuity" but wonders about its larger purpose, its message for our times. Unhappy with what he sees as its disengaged stance, he bemoans its lack of political commitment, or at least its failure to place in the foreground the political stakes involved in the French theorists' interrogation of vision. He also questions the coherence of the book's narrative subject, which he feels is less self-evident than the Western Marxist tradition I tried to explore in an earlier work, Marxism and Totality. Have I, he asks, created a discourse retrospectively rather than merely found one ready-
Minimizing Hazardous Waste in the Undergraduate Analytical Laboratory: A Microcell for Electrochemistry

Reducing the volume of chemical waste is a fundamental principle of green chemistry. However, many experiments in the undergraduate analytical teaching laboratory ask for relatively large samples to achieve reasonable accuracy and precision. We developed a simple electrochemical cell that requires only 0.20 mL of sample to reliably produce ideally shaped cyclic voltammograms. The cell can be easily disassembled for cleaning and polishing of the working electrode.
Distribution of glucagon receptors on hormone-specific endocrine cells of rat pancreatic islets

Glucagon is insulinotropic, but it remains uncertain whether the insulinotropic action is mediated directly by glucagon receptors expressed on beta-cells or by cross-binding to the insulinotropic glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor known to be expressed on beta-cells. Binding of [125I]glucagon to GLP-1 receptors and not to glucagon receptors has been reported in tumor-derived beta-cells (15). The objectives of the current study were to use receptor-binding techniques and a glucagon receptor-specific antiserum to determine whether glucagon receptors are present on beta-cells. Specific binding (7.2 +/- 0.8%) of [125I]GLP-1 to beta TC-3 cells was displaced equivalently with GLP-1 and exendin-(9-39) )Kd = 0.9 and 0.4 nM. respectively), whereas approximately 700-fold higher concentrations of glucagon were required for equal displacement (Kd = 400 nM). Binding of [125I]glucagon to beta TC-3 cells (approximately 1%) was displaced equivalently with 1 microM glucagon, GLP-1, or exendin-(9-39). These observati...
Use of subjective global assessment to identify nutrition-associated complications and death in geriatric long-term care facility residents.

Objective: The primary objective of this study was to assess the use of Subjective Global Assessment to identify nutrition-associated complications and death in a geriatric population. A secondary objective was to evaluate the ability of Subjective Global Assessment to identify geriatric residents of long-term care facilities who were undernourished or at risk for developing undernutrition.Methods: Fifty-three consecutive residents who were ≥ 65 years of age and had been residing in a long-term care facility for < 2 weeks were enrolled in the study. The Subjective Global Assessment Classification technique was performed according to the procedure outlined by Detsky and colleagues. Residents were classified as well-nourished (A), mild/moderately undernourished (B) or severely undernourished (C). In addition, a Subjective Global Assessment Composite Score was derived. Subjective Global Assessment measures were compared with two traditional objective measurements of nutritional status: serum albumin and seru...
Effect of thermo-mechanically induced microstructural coarsening on the evolution of creep response of SnAg-based microelectronic solders

Abstract The creep response of solder joints in a microelectronic package, which are subjected to aggressive thermo-mechanical cycling (TMC) during service, often limits the reliability of the entire package. Furthermore, during TMC, the microstructures of the new lead-free solders (Sn–Ag and Sn–Ag–Cu) can undergo significant in situ strain-enhanced coarsening, resulting in in-service evolution of the creep behavior. In this paper, the coarsening kinetics of Ag 3 Sn particles in SnAg-based solder are studied, and the results are correlated with impression creep data from individual microelectronic solder balls subjected to thermal aging treatments. Coarsening influences creep behavior in two ways. At low stresses, the creep rate increases proportionately with precipitate size. At high stresses, precipitate coarsening influences creep response by altering the threshold stress for particle-limited creep. Based on these observations, a microstructurally adaptive creep model for solder interconnects undergoing in situ coarsening is presented.
Kinetically controlled self-assembly of pseudorotaxanes on crystallization.

Mixing of equimolar amounts of cyclobis(paraquat-p-phenylene) (CBPQT4+) with a bis-4-methylphenyl ether (MPE twice) of a 1,5-dioxynaphthalene (DNP) derivative in MeCN/CH2Cl2 (3:1) results in the formation of a [2]pseudorotaxane which, on crystallization, yields a [4]pseudorotaxane in the solid state that is stabilized by multiple [C−H···F] interactions: a mixture of the same components in a 1:3 ratio affords a crystalline [2]pseudorotaxane after vapor diffusion of methyl-tert-butyl ether into a solution of these components in MeCN/CH2Cl2 (3:1).
ENDOSCOPY-NEGATIVE GASTROESOPHAGEAL REFLUX DISEASE: The Hypersensitive Esophagus

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is one of the mos common disorders of the gastrointestinal tract. Patients with GERD symptoms may exhibit a spectrum of endoscopic findings ranging from normal endoscopy (EGD negative) to severe ulcerative esophagitis. Recent evidence indicates that a large proportion of patients with GERD have normal endoscopy. The use of 24-hour ambulatory pH testing in the evaluation of symptomatic patients with EGD negative GERD allows further classification of these subjects into groups. Patients who have abnormal acid exposure and a positive symptom index constitute one group and patients who have normal acid contact time but record a convincing relationship between their symptoms and acid reflux on the pH analysis--positive symptom index--form another group. The latter group has been suggested to have a hypersensitive esophagus or "functional heartburn." This article reviews the prevalence, clinical features, origin of patient's symptoms, natural history, and treatment of patients with EGD negative GERD.
NF-κB as a therapeutic target in cancer

The transcription factor nuclear factor (NF)-kappaB is activated in certain cancers and in response to chemotherapy and radiation. The transcriptional activation of genes associated with cell proliferation, angiogenesis, metastasis and suppression of apoptosis appears to lie at the heart of the ability of NF-kappaB to promote oncogenesis and cancer therapy resistance. Supporting these findings are recent experiments, performed in vitro and using xenograft models of cancer, which implicate NF-kappaB inhibition as an important new approach for the treatment of certain hematological malignancies and as an adjuvant approach in combination with chemotherapy or radiation for a variety of cancers. Clinical trials with drugs that block NF-kappaB are currently in progress with promising results. However, as there is currently no drug that blocks specific NF-kappaB activation, conclusions drawn with small-molecule inhibitors must be interpreted carefully.
Preparation of intactAnaplasma marginale devoid of host cell antigens

A procedure for preparation ofAnaplasma marginale free of erythrocytic antigens is deseribed. The protocol employed heat-stable hemolysin produced byPseudomonas aeruginosa to lyse the erythrocytes and releaseA. marginale. Most of the contaminatng erythrocytic components were solubilized by enzymatic digestion. Final purification was accomplished by differential centrifugation. Electron microscopy and serological criteria established the absence of contaminating host cell antigens.
Academic achievement in mathematics and science of students between ages 13 and 23: Are there differences among students in the top one percent of mathematical ability?

The predictive validity of the Scholastic Aptitude Test-Mathematics subtest (SAT-M) was investigated for 1,996 mathematically gifted (top 1%) 7th and 8th graders. Various academic achievement criteria were assessed over a 10-year span. Individual differences in SAT-M scores obtained in junior high school predicted accomplishments in high school and college. Among students in the top 1% of ability, those with SAT-M scores in the top quarter, in comparison with those in the bottom quarter, achieved at much higher levels through high school, college, and graduate school. Of the 37 variables studied, 34 showed significant differences favoring the high SAT-M group, which were substantial
Optical harmonic generation in atomic and molecular hydrogen

Abstract We compare calculated optical harmonic spectra for the hydrogen molecule and the hydrogen atom in an intense, linearly polarized laser field. The hydrogen atom calculations use an exact, time-dependent method and the hydrogen molecule calculations are performed in a time-dependent Hartree-Fock approximation. In both cases, the laser-matter interaction is treated completely non-perturbatively. We show that if the H 2 bond length is stretched so that H 2 has the same ionization potential as H, both systems produce remarkably similar harmonic spectra when irradiated with a 1064 nm laser at 1 × 10 14 or 2 × 10 13 W/cm 2 .
Spontaneous regression of neoplasms: new possibilities for immunotherapy.

In mammalian cells, neoplastic transformation is directly associated with the expression of oncogenes, loss or simple inactivation of the function of tumour suppressor genes and the production of certain growth factors. Genes for suppression of the development of the neoplastic cellular immunophenotype, as well as inhibitory growth factors, have regulatory functions within the normal processes of cell division and differentiation. Telomerase (a ribonucleoprotein polymerase) activation is frequently detected in various neoplasms. Telomerase activation is regarded as essential for cell immortalisation and its inhibition may result in spontaneous regression of neoplasms. This phenomenon of neoplasms occurs when the malignant tissue mass partially or completely disappears without any treatment or as a result of a therapy considered inadequate to influence systemic neoplastic growth. This definition makes it clear that the term ‘spontaneous regression’ applies to neoplasms in which the overall malignant diseas...
Platinum Substitutes and Two-Phase-Glass Overlayers as Low Cost Alternatives to Platinum Aluminide Coatings

The feasibility of processing less-expensive alternative coatings to platinum aluminide was examined. Three approaches were followed: 1) enhancement of nickel-aluminide coatings by application of sol-gel derived two-phase-glass (TPG) overlayers, 2) evaluation of TPG coatings on bare IN 738LC, and 3) substitution of Pt with a less expensive platinum group metal (palladium). Accordingly, IN 738LC coupons were tested with several coatings including TPG, aluminide coatings (platinum aluminide, palladium aluminide, and conventional nickel aluminide), and TPG overlayers on the aluminide coatings. Isothermal-oxidation, cyclic-oxidation, and hot-corrosion tests were conducted at 900°C for 500 hours to evaluate the coatings. The results showed that the TPG by itself provided superior protection compared to the platinum-aluminide coatings under both oxidation and hot-corrosion conditions. The TPG coating also showed promise as an overcoat on aluminide coatings.Copyright © 1996 by ASME
Excitatory effects of muscarine on septohippocampal neurons: involvement of M3 receptors.

Cholinergic mechanisms in the septohippocampal pathway contribute to several cognitive functions and impaired cholinergic transmission in this pathway may be related to the memory loss and dementia that accompanies normal aging and Alzheimer's disease and behavioral studies suggest that muscarinic mechanisms in the medial septum/diagonal band of Broca (MSDB) may contribute to these functions. The goal of the present study was to begin a characterization of the physiological and pharmacological effects of muscarine on antidromically identified septohippocampal neurons (SHNs). Muscarinic agonists produced a concentration-dependent excitation in >90% of SHNs tested using extracellular recordings in an in vitro rat brain slice preparation. The SHNs excited by muscarine had a broad range of conduction velocities (0.2 to 3.7 m/s; mean: 1.6±0.06 m/s; n=110), suggesting involvement of neurons with both slow (possibly cholinergic) and fast (possibly GABAergic) conducting fibers. The muscarine-induced excitations in SHNs were found not to be mediated via M1, M2 or M4 receptors, as they were not blocked by the M1-selective antagonists, pirenzepine or telenzepine or by the M2/M4-selective antagonist, methoctramine. In contrast, the M3-selective antagonist, 4-DAMP-mustard, blocked muscarinic excitations in a majority of SHNs, indicating the presence of M3 as well as non-M3-type responses. McN-A-343, an M1 and M5-selective agonist, excited 33% of neurons tested, confirming involvement of non-M3 receptors (possibly M5) and M3 receptors. Since the cholinergic and GABAergic MSDB neurons together innervate almost every type of hippocampal neuron, the effects of muscarine on SHNs would also have a profound effect on hippocampal circuitry.
The effects of acclimation temperature on oxidative phosphorylation by turtle-heart mitochondria

1. 1. After prolonged periods of cold exposure turtle-heart mitochondria exhibit a decreased rate of respiration in the presence of glutamate and/gb-hydroxybutyrate-malate; respiration in the presence of succinate is not affected. 2. 2. Cold acclimation influences the ATP-generating capacity of turde-heart mitochondria as evidenced by a decreased sensitivity of phosphorylation to F− inhibition. In addition, P/O ratios estimated at 10° C. were increased in heart mitochondria from the cold-acclimated animals. 3. 3. It is to be concluded that the turtle, Chrystmys picta, does regulate its subcellular functions when subjected to cold temperatures. This is accomplished by way of an increased efficiency in energy metabolism.
Capitalists and Conquerors Teaching Against Global Capitalism and the New Imperialism Rage and Hope: Interviews with Peter McLaren on War, Imperialism, and Critical Pedagogy

Through an immanent critique of Peter McLaren's recent work, the author demonstrates the strengths and weaknesses of critical-revolutionary paedagogy. This review reveals internal lacks, gaps, and contradictions emerging from within the three main dimensions of McLaren's overarching manifesto including passion, reason, and revolution. Although McLaren is an important voice in linking Marxist political and cultural theory to the practice of education, his work ultimately cannot complete its own project and as such needs further development.
Hycanthone Resistance: Development in Schistosoma mansoni

Following the administration of relatively high doses of the antischistosomal drug hycanthone to mice and hamsters infected with Schistosoma mansoni, a number of the worms survived. After a period of 6 to 12 months these parasites resumed production of viable eggs that gave rise to schistosomes that proved resistant to hycanthone and to two other related antischistosomal compounds. This drug resistance has remained stable for three subsequent generations of worms.
Simulations of field-aligned plasma expansions in CIV experiments

Motivated by the recent CIV experiments in space, the temporal evolution of a plasma cloud released in an ambient plasma is studied. Time-dependent Vlasov equations for both electrons and ions along with the Poisson equation for the self-consistent electric field parallel to the ambient magnetic field are solved. The initial cloud is assumed to consist of cold, warm and hot electrons with temperature Tc ≅ 0.2 eV, Tw ≅ 2 eV and Th ≅ 10 eV, respectively. It is found that the minor hot electrons escape the cloud and their velocity distribution function shows the typical dispersive feature, that is, the larger the distance from the cloud the larger is the average drift velocity of the escaping electrons. The major warm electrons expand along the magnetic field lines with the corresponding ion-acoustic speed. The combined effect of the escaping hot electrons and the expanding warm ones is that an electric potential structure is set up, which accelerates the ambient electrons into the cloud. Thus, the energy loss due to escape is partly replenished. The electric field distribution in the potential structure depends on the stage of the evolution; before the rarefaction wave propagating from the edge of the cloud reaches the center, the electric fields point into the cloud. After this stage, the cloud divides into two subclouds with each having their own bipolar electric fields. The relevance of the results seen from the calculations are discussed in the context of recent space experiments on CIV.
On the complexity of formal grammars

The time and space complexity of the class of languages generated in linear time by context-sensitive grammars is investigated. Among other results it is shown that the membership question for languages in the class is NP-complete.
Alcohol education for inpatient alcoholics: a comparison of live, videotape and written presentation modalities.

Abstract Alcohol education programs are becoming increasingly popular as components in the comprehensive treatment of alcohol abuse. The present study evaluated three different methods of delivering an alcohol education program which had been designed for use in a behaviorally oriented alcoholism treatment program for veterans. Live presentation of the program was compared with the time-efficient videotape and written procedures. The results indicated that although all three modes of presentation were effective in increasing post-test scores, the videotape procedure was the most effective. Follow-up data indicated a tendency toward returning to pre-test levels of performance. The results are discussed with regard to the clinical importance of alcohol education programs and direction for future research in the area.
A system for automated DNA electrophoresis, molecular hybridization and electronic detection: I Electrophoresis and hybridization

We have designed and constructed a computer-controlled, fully automated system for Southern-type nucleic acid hybridization analysis. Restriction enzyme digests of DNA are placed into sample wells of the gel contained on a nine-fingered plastic frame. The 32-labeled probe is loaded into the hybridization chamber. Instructions for all the subsequent steps in the fully automated process are specified by the operator's answers to questions which appear on the computer screen at the start of the experiment. The system performs horizontal submarine electrophoresis. An adjustable endpoint detector concludes electrophoresis. Automatic voltage/temperature feedback control maintains maximum allowable voltage while keeping the temperature constant. Following electrophoresis a robot arm moves the gel frame from station to station. The system then affixes the separated fragments to a solid phase matrix, denatures, neutralizes, hybridizes, washes, dries and detects the 32 P according to the specifications preprogrammed by the operator. The results, printed out by the computer, give a plot of radioactivity versus distance from the origin for each of the nine simultaneous hybridizations.