cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Lateral hypothalamic injection of bombesin decreases food intake in rats

Abstract STUCKEY, J. A. AND J. GIBBS. Lateral hypothalamic injection of bombesin decreases food intake in rats. BRAIN RES. BULL. 8 (6)617–621, 1982.—The effect of lateral hypothalamic injections of bombesin on feeding behavior was examined. Rats equipped with stainless steel cannulas directed toward the lateral hypothalamus received bilateral injections of bombesin prior to access to a liquid test diet after a 3 hr food deprivation. Bombesin in doses of 5 ng, 50 ng and 100 ng produced significant reductions in the size of the first meal. Injection of 50 ng of the biologically weak analogue [D-Trp 8 ] bombesin had no effect. Injection of 5 ng or 50 ng of bombesin had no effect on deprivation-induced water intake, and injection of 50 ng of bombesin had no effect on body temperature. The food and water intake data and direct quantitative behavioral measures indicated that lateral hypothalamic injections of bombesin specifically reduced food intake. The structure-activity relationship for this effect was similar to those for other actions of bombesin. A bombesin-like peptide in the lateral hypothalamus or its receptors may play a role in postprandial satiety.
IBM multimodal interactive video threading

In this demo we present a novel approach for (a) automatic labeling and grouping of multimedia content using existing metadata and semantic concepts, and (b) interactive context driven tagging of clusters of multimedia content. Proposed system leverages existing metadata info in conjunction with automatically assigned semantic descriptors. One of the challenges of multimedia retrieval systems today is to organize and present the video data in such a way that allows the user to most efficiently navigate the rich index space. The information needs of users typically span a range of semantic concepts, associated metadata, and content similarity. We propose to jointly analyze and navigate metadata, semantic and visual space for the purpose of identifying new relationships among content, and allowing user to link the aggregated content to a complex event description. The advantages of the proposed system are realized in increased ability to target content delivery to users such as in the collaborative or multi-domain user environments.
Acute diverticulitis in patients 40 years of age and younger

Acute colonic diverticulitis typically occurs in patients older than 60 years of age but is uncommon in patients under the age of 40, which may lead to a delay in diagnosis. Because abdominal pain is a very common presenting symptom in emergency department patients, we retrospectively analyzed the cases of 21 patients 40 years of age and younger diagnosed with acute diverticulitis and characterized the presenting signs and symptoms, laboratory and radiographic findings, treatment, and outcome. There were 17 men and 4 women with a mean age of 34.1 ± 5.9 years. All patients had abdominal pain, with 14 (67%) patients noting pain in the left lower quadrant (LLQ) and 5 (24%) patients noting right lower quadrant (RLQ) pain. Nausea was present in 18 (86%) patients and fever in 15 (71%) patients. The mean pulse rate was 103 ± 16 and the mean temperature was 100.7 ± 1.4 F. Leukocytosis was present in 19 (90%) patients. Plain abdominal radiographs were obtained in 19 (91%) patients and were normal in 15 (79%) of these cases. Computed tomographic (CT) scans were obtained in 15 (71%) patients which revealed findings consistent with acute diverticulitis in 14 (93%) patients. The admitting diagnosis was diverticulitis in 10 of the 12 patients with LLQ tenderness and appendicitis in 4 of the 6 patients with RLQ tenderness. Overall, six patients were taken to surgery: three patients had cecal diverticulitis and three patients had perforated colonic diverticulitis. General treatment measures included bowel rest in 18 (86%) patients, and intravenous fluids and antibiotics in all patients. All patients survived. In conclusion, acute diverticulitis is uncommon in patients under 40 years of age; however, this condition may be confused with other conditions, usually acute appendicitis. As a result, clinicians should consider acute diverticulitis in young patients with acute abdominal pain, especially if they are male with nausea, fever, tachycardia, and leukocytosis, and consider obtaining a CT scan to aid in the diagnosis.
Isolation, purification, and properties of the lipid-linked intermediates of O-antigen biosynthesis.

Abstract Lipid-linked intermediates involved in the biosynthesis of the Salmonella newington O-antigen have been prepared by incubating EDTA-treated cells with uridine diphos-phate- d -galactose (UDPGal) or UDPGal and thymidine diphosphate- l -rhamnose, in an in vitro system. Galactose-P-lipid and rhamnosyl-galactose-P-lipid, isolated by butanol extraction of the appropriate incubation mixture, have been purified by DEAE-cellulose column chromatography. EDTA-treated cells have been prepared from cells grown in the presence of 14C-glucose, 32P-inorganic phosphate, 1-14C-leucine, 35S-inorganic sulfate, and 2-3H-glycerol, but only in the case of 14C-glucose and 32P-inorganic phosphate was the isotope incorporated into the isolated disaccharide intermediate. The disaccharide-P-lipid contains rhamnose, galactose, and phosphate in a molar ratio of 1:1:2. No glycerol was detected. Results of alkaline and acid hydrolysis indicate that the two phosphates may be linked, forming a pyrophosphate bridge between the sugars and the lipid. The structure of the lipid moiety is still unknown. The disaccharide-P-lipid has a molecular weight of approximately 1000.
GFMC studies of low-density neutron matter

Green's function Monte Carlo methods are used to provide benchmarks for studies of low-density neutron matter. The zero-temperature equation of state and pair correlation functions are studied for the AV8 $^\prime$ NN interaction model, and for an idealized model comprised of neutrons with a short-range interaction and an arbitrarily large (negative) scattering length. For this idealized problem the equation of state is a constant multiplied by the Fermi-gas energy, this constant is found to be nearly 1/2. Similar ratios are found for realistic NN interactions.
Position Displacement Correlations in Fluids from Magnetic-Resonance Gradient-Echo Shapes

Abstract A nuclear magnetic resonance technique providing slice-selected spatial distribution of fluid displacements is introduced and exemplified. This echo-shape analysis method exploits the fact that, in a pulsed-gradient spin-echo sequence, the phase encoding of the echo evolves from a position dependence at the start of this pulse to a displacement dependence at the echo peak. The shape of the forming echo is therefore determined by the joint probability distribution correlating initial particle positions with displacements occurring between the first and the second gradient pulses. This distribution may be directly extracted by Fourier analysis of the echo shape as a function of gradient level. This procedure provides efficient access to Lagrangian flow statistics, as is illustrated by application to Taylor-Couette flow. Agreement between experimental results and simulations demonstrates the suitability of this method for examining spatially heterogeneous flow and molecular transport processes.
AlphaScreen selectivity assay for β-catenin/B-cell lymphoma 9 inhibitors.

Abstract The aberrant formation of the β-catenin/B-cell lymphoma 9 (BCL9) protein–protein complex is the driving force for many diseases, including cancer. Crystallographic analyses demonstrate that the surface area in β-catenin for interacting with BCL9 is overlapped with that for the β-catenin/E-cadherin interaction. In this study, a robust AlphaScreen selectivity assay was developed to quantify inhibitor potency for the β-catenin/BCL9 interaction and selectivity for β-catenin/BCL9 over β-catenin/E-cadherin interactions. A pilot screen was performed to demonstrat the feasibility of this assay. This selectivity assay is highly sensitive and suitable for adaptation to high-throughput screening. The establishment of this assay lays the foundation for the discovery of selective inhibitors specific for β-catenin/BCL9 interactions.
Listening to the music of the brain: Live analysis of ECoG recordings using digital audio workstation software

A process is presented for analyzing electrocorticographic (ECoG) recordings and prototyping brain computer interfaces in which complex signal processing chains are able to be rapidly developed and iterated in digital audio workstation (DAW) software. DAW software includes many built-in “drag and drop” blocks that perform common, low-level signal processing algorithms such as filtering and envelope extraction. In addition to being optimized for real-time performance, DAW software also produces audio output, allowing for listening to raw and processed signals. Hearing these sonifications can impart new insights that may not be apparent in purely visual representations. A simple functional mapping analysis is performed in a DAW called Pure Data and compared to the results from a more traditional spatiotemporal analysis in MATLAB. Channels exhibiting qualitative activation in the resulting functional maps were further analyzed in another DAW called Renoise, wherein several high frequency (i.e., >400 Hz) features were observed. This study demonstrates an example use of DAW software, which we suggest is an easy-to-use and intuitive environment for real-time exploratory analyses and sophisticated sonification of ECoG recordings.
Proton coupling constant extraction. A fast method for analyzing ESR spectra by computer

Abstract Proton coupling constant extraction (PCCE) is a novel computer method for obtaining all the proton hyperfine coupling constants in an electron spin resonance spectrum. PCCE works well on spectra which are poorly resolved, and thus appears to complement the recently developed correlation approach used for very well resolved spectra. No prior knowledge of radical structure is needed, and proton splittings are clearly discriminated from spin-1 splittings. The program consists of two parts: SEARCH, to identify the proton hyperfine splittings, and SEPARATE, to simplify the ESR spectrum. PCCE is readily programmed and run on a small laboratory computer. Copies of the BASIC subroutines are available on request.
Cyanide utilization in Pseudomonas fluorescens NCIMB 11764 involves a putative siderophore

Cyanide utilization in P. fluorescens NCIMB 11764 requires the induction of cyanide oxygenase. The enzyme is induced during growth on cyanide as the sole nitrogen source or when cyanide is added to stationary-phase cells grown on limiting ammonia, however, enzyme induction and cyanide degradation were found to occur non-concomitantly. Cyanide removal by chloramphenicol-treated cells and a mutant strain (JL102) defective in cyanide oxygenase were also observed. We now report a non-enzymatic mechanism for cyanide biotransformation by an iron-chelating species identified as a putative siderophore. Partially purified siderophore preparations removed cyanide at initial rates as high as 7.6 mmol min−1 mg−1. The reaction product was further shown to be enzymatically oxidized to NH3 (and CO2) and also supported growth. The results indicate that both cyanide oxygenase and a putative siderophore component are involved in cyanide utilization.
Comparison of the Effects of Ozone on the Modification of Amino Acid Residues in Glutamine Synthetase and Bovine Serum Albumin

During exposure to ozone, the methionine and aromatic amino acid residues of Escherichia coli glutamine synthetase (GS) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) are oxidized rapidly in the order Met > Trp > Tyr approximately His > Phe. The loss of His is matched by a nearly equivalent formation of aspartate or of a derivative that is converted to aspartic acid upon acid hydrolysis. Conversion of His to aspartate was confirmed by showing that the oxidation of E. coli protein in which all His residues were uniformly labeled with 14C gave rise to 14C-labeled aspartic acid in 80% yield and also by the demonstration that His residues in the tripeptides Ala-His-Ala or Ala-Ala-His gave rise to nearly stoichiometric amounts of aspartic acid whereas oxidation of His-Ala-Ala yielded only 36% aspartate. The oxidation of BSA and GS led to formation, respectively, of 11 and 3.3 eq of carbonyl groups and 0.5 and 0.3 eq of quinoprotein per subunit. Although BSA and GS contain nearly identical amounts of each kind of aromatic amino acid residues, oxidation of these residues in BSA was about 1.5-2.0 times faster than in GS indicating that the susceptibility to oxidation is dependent on the primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary structure of the protein.
Detection and imaging of electric conductivity and permittivity at low frequency

The authors discuss low-frequency electrical impedance imaging, the process of constructing images of the electrical impedance of a body's interior based on measurements of voltage and current made at the body's surface. The electrical impedance accounts for both resistivity and permittivity. It is shown how permittivity can be exploited to improve the performance of an electrical impedance imaging system. It is shown that explicit use of the independent information in the data due to the permittivity will enhance a system's ability to distinguish objects in the interior of a body. In addition. the results of experiments performed using the Rensselaer ACT 2 system on a saline bath containing various objects are reported. These objects include both living tissue and metal conductors with oxide layers. The system's ability to distinguish these objects is demonstrated. and gray scale images of both their resistivity and permittivity distributions are given. >
UVB radiation induces phosphorylation of the epidermal growth factor receptor, decreases EGF binding and blocks EGF induction of ornithine decarboxylase gene expression in SV40‐transformed human keratinocytes

We previously demonstrated that epidermal growth factor (EGF) induces a several-fold increase in ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity and the steady-state level of ODC mRNA in cultured SV40-transformed human keratinocytes (1). Pretreatment of cell cultures with ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation resulted in a reduction of EGF-induced ODC activity. To determine whether UVB inhibits the accumulation of ODC mRNA by EGF, cells were pretreated with 20 mJ/cm2 UVB or sham-irradiated and then incubated with 100 ng/ml EGF. Northern blot analysis revealed that UVB irradiation entirely blocked the EGF induction of ODC mRNA. Since the binding of EGF to its plasma membrane receptor is the first step in initiating a biological response, the effect of UVB on EGF binding was evaluated. UVB treatment of cultured keratinocytes resulted in an immediate and dose-dependent reduction of EGF binding. Scatchard analysis revealed that the reduction of EGF binding was due to a 52% decrease in the number of available receptors, from 6.2 x 10(4)/cell to 3.0 x 10(4)/cell. However, UVB decreased the EGF-binding affinity very little (Kd = 0.60 nM in control and Kd = 0.75 nM in UVB-treated Z114 cells). In addition, UVB did not alter the rate of EGF internalization. These data suggest that UVB blocks the signal transduction pathway of EGF that is involved in regulation of ODC gene expression. Immunoblot analysis of extracts from irradiated cells showed that UVB induced tyrosine phosphorylation of EGFR and that the quantity of EGFR protein was unaffected by UVB treatment. Phosphorylation of EGFR may be responsible for decreased binding of EGF to its receptor.
Modeling the Location of Retail Facilities: An Application to the Postal Service

There is a substantial theoretical literature on the location of retail facilities in space assuming that the spatial demand curve is known, or that the ideal data needed to estimate such a curve is available. This study shows how to implement a formal location analysis for a retail activity (postal services) when all that is known is revenue of currently operating facilities. Further complications, such as the delivery of retail services through two different types of outlets are also accommodated by the method. In the end, it is possible to implement a formal business model for the delivery of retail postal services that allows the user to simulate the consequences of dramatic changes in the way that those services are supplied to the public.
What the MAYSI-2 Can Tell Us About Anger–Irritability and Trauma

The rate of experiencing trauma can be quite high for juvenile offenders and those experiences can lead to feelings of anger and irritability. This study uses Massachusetts Youth Screening Instrument–Version 2 (MAYSI-2) data to examine the relationship between the Traumatic Experiences (TE) and Angry–Irritable (AI) scales for juvenile offenders (N = 1,348) from a Midwest detention center. Chi-square analyses revealed statistically significant relationships between the AI scale and gender, race, and the TE scale. In addition, ordinal logistic regression results showed that as the number of traumatic experiences increased, so did the odds of scoring Caution or Warning on the AI scale. Recommendations are that juvenile justice systems utilize a trauma-informed process throughout the adjudicatory process and there be improved efforts to coordinate services across multiple systems, such as child welfare and special education, where juvenile offenders are often engaged.
α-Helix Peptide Folding and Unfolding Activation Barriers: A Nanosecond UV Resonance Raman Study

We used UV resonance Raman spectroscopy to characterize the equilibrium conformation and the kinetics of thermal denaturation of a 21 amino acid, mainly alanine, R-helical peptide (AP). The 204-nm UV resonance Raman spectra show selective enhancements of the amide vibrations, whose intensities and frequencies strongly depend on the peptide secondary structure. These AP Raman spectra were accurately modeled by a linear combination of the temperature-dependent Raman spectra of the pure random coil and the pure R-helix conformations; this demonstrates that the AP helix-coil equilibrium is well-described by a two-state model. We constructed a new transient UV resonance Raman spectrometer and developed the necessary methodologies to measure the nanosecond relaxation of AP following a 3-ns T-jump. We obtained the T-jump by using a 1.9-μm IR pulse that heats the solvent water. We probed the AP relaxation using delayed 204-nm excitation pulses which excite the Raman spectra of the amide backbone vibrations. We observe little AP structural changes within the first 40 ns, after which the R-helix starts unfolding. We determined the temperature dependence of the folding and unfolding rates and found that the unfolding rate constants show Arrhenius- type behavior with an apparent ∼8 kcal/mol activation barrier and a reciprocal rate constant of 240 ( 60 ns at 37 °C. However, the folding rate constants show a negative activation barrier, indicating a failure of transition- state theory in the simple two-state modeling of AP thermal unfolding, which assumes a temperature-independent potential energy profile along the reaction coordinate. Our measurements of the initial steps in the R-helical structure evolution support recent protein folding landscape and funnel theories; our temperature-dependent rate constants sense the energy landscape complexity at the earliest stages of folding and unfolding.
Dimension-refined topological predicates

Topological predicates, as derived from the 9-intersection model, have been widely recognized in GIS, spatial database systems, and many other geo-related disciplines. They are based on the evaluation of nine Boolean predicates checking the intersections of the boundary, interior, and exterior of a spatial object with the respective parts of another spatial object for inequality to the empty set. In this paper, we replace each Boolean predicate, which is a topological invariant, by another topological invariant. This new invariant is given as a function yielding the dimension of the respective intersection in the 9-intersection matrix, resulting in a dimension matrix. The goal of this paper is to determine the definition and semantics of all predicates that can be derived from this matrix for all combinations of spatial data types. It turns out that these dimension-based predicates are special refinements of the aforementioned topological predicates; hence, we call them dimension-refined topological predicates. We show that these predicates allow us to pose a class of more fine-grained topological queries.
Nanotechnology Applications in Cancer

Cancer nanotechnology is an interdisciplinary area of research in science, engineering, and medicine with broad applications for molecular imaging, molecular diagnosis, and targeted therapy. The basic rationale is that nanometer-sized particles, such as semiconductor quantum dots and iron oxide nanocrystals, have optical, magnetic, or structural properties that are not available from molecules or bulk solids. When linked with tumor targeting ligands such as monoclonal antibodies, peptides, or small molecules, these nanoparticles can be used to target tumor antigens (biomarkers) as well as tumor vasculatures with high affinity and specificity. In the mesoscopic size range of 5-100 nm diameter, nanoparticles also have large surface areas and functional groups for conjugating to multiple diagnostic (e.g., optical, radioisotopic, or magnetic) and therapeutic (e.g., anticancer) agents. Recent advances have led to bioaffinity nanoparticle probes for molecular and cellular imaging, targeted nanoparticle drugs for cancer therapy, and integrated nanodevices for early cancer detection and screening. These developments raise exciting opportunities for personalized oncology in which genetic and protein biomarkers are used to diagnose and treat cancer based on the molecular profiles of individual patients.
Solution Transformation of Metal Thin Films to II-VI Semiconductor Films

The low temperature solution based transformation of silver metal layers to II-VI materials is investigated as an alternative mechanism for forming semiconductor thin films. This metal to semiconductor conversion has been demonstrated with the solution based sulfurization and ion exchange of silver nanoparticles, but not to our knowledge on thin films. Starting with metal films is attractive because they may be scalably deposited on many substrates through evaporation or electro- and electroless plating. The metal to II-VI transformation is challenging in films because diffusion occurs directionally and because the ~40% increase in lattice expansion may cause debonding. Silver films were deposited on glass with Ti adhesion layers and successfully transformed to well-adhered CdS and MnS films at ≤ 60 °C. The II-VI compounds were confirmed by XRD and shown to be polycrystalline with SEM. Electrical conductivities, bandgaps, and optical absorption spectra were measured. These results demonstrate that solution based sulfurization and ion-exchange is a viable mechanism for forming II-VI semiconductor thin films with good conductivities from metal films at low temperatures.
Retisert: Is the New Advance in Treatment of Uveitis a Good One?

Objective:To review the use of corticosteroids for the treatment of uveitis, with a focus on the pharmacology, efficacy, and safety of a newer delivery device, Retisert.Data Sources:A PubMed/MEDLINE search from 1950 through February 2007 was conducted, and manufacturer-provided data were reviewed.Study Selection And Data Extraction:Animal studies and Phase II and III clinical trials evaluating the safety and efficacy of Retisert for the treatment of uveitis were considered. The data were extracted from Pub Med/MEDLINE using the search terms fluocinolone acetonide, corticosteroids, intravitreal implant, uveitis, ocular steroids, and Retisert.Data Synthesis:The findings of the clinical studies showed, with use of Retisert, a reduction in the recurrence of uveitis, improvement in visual acuity, and a decreased need for adjunctive therapy with corticosteroids and immunosuppressant agents, There are currently no studies directly comparing Retisert with other treatment options. The most commonly reported advers...
Distal radial fractures in the elderly: operative compared with nonoperative treatment.

Background There is much debate regarding the optimal treatment of displaced, unstable distal radial fractures in the elderly. The purpose of this retrospective review was to compare outcomes for elderly patients with a displaced distal radial fracture who were treated with or without surgical intervention. Methods This case-control study examined ninety patients over the age of sixty-five who were treated with or without surgery for a displaced distal radial fracture. All fractures were initially treated with closed reduction and splinting. Patients who failed an acceptable closed reduction were offered surgical intervention. Patients who did not undergo surgery were treated until healing with cast immobilization. Patients who underwent surgery were treated with either plate-and-screw fixation or external fixation. Baseline radiographs and functional scores were obtained prior to treatment. Follow-up was conducted at two, six, twelve, twenty-four, and fifty-two weeks. Clinical and radiographic follow-up was completed at each visit, while functional scores were obtained at the twelve, twenty-four, and fifty-two-week follow-up evaluations. Outcomes at fixed time points were compared between groups with standard statistical methods. Results Forty-six patients with a mean age of seventy-six years were treated nonoperatively, and forty-four patients with a mean age of seventy-three years were treated operatively. Other than age, there was no difference with respect to baseline demographics between the cohorts. At twenty-four weeks, patients who underwent surgery had better wrist extension (p = 0.04) than those who had not had surgery. At one year, this difference was not seen. No difference in functional status based on the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand scores and pain scores at any of the follow-up points was seen between the groups. Grip strength at one year was significantly better in the operative group. Radiographic outcome was superior for the patients in the operative group at each follow-up interval. There was no difference between the groups with regard to complications. Conclusions Our findings suggest that minor limitations in the range of wrist motion and diminished grip strength, as seen with nonoperative care, do not seem to limit functional recovery at one year. Level of evidence Therapeutic Level III. See Instructions to Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
A Comprehensive Analysis of In Vitro and In Vivo Genetic Fitness of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Using High-Throughput Sequencing of Transposon Libraries

High-throughput sequencing of transposon (Tn) libraries created within entire genomes identifies and quantifies the contribution of individual genes and operons to the fitness of organisms in different environments. We used insertionsequencing (INSeq) to analyze the contribution to fitness of all non-essential genes in the chromosome of Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain PA14 based on a library of ,300,000 individual Tn insertions. In vitro growth in LB provided a baseline for comparison with the survival of the Tn insertion strains following 6 days of colonization of the murine gastrointestinal tract as well as a comparison with Tn-inserts subsequently able to systemically disseminate to the spleen following induction of neutropenia. Sequencing was performed following DNA extraction from the recovered bacteria, digestion with the MmeI restriction enzyme that hydrolyzes DNA 16 bp away from the end of the Tn insert, and fractionation into oligonucleotides of 1,200–1,500 bp that were prepared for high-throughput sequencing. Changes in frequency of Tn inserts into the P. aeruginosa genome were used to quantify in vivo fitness resulting from loss of a gene. 636 genes had ,10 sequencing reads in LB, thus defined as unable to grow in this medium. During in vivo infection there were major losses of strains with Tn inserts in almost all known virulence factors, as well as respiration, energy utilization, ion pumps, nutritional genes and prophages. Many new candidates for virulence factors were also identified. There were consistent changes in the recovery of Tn inserts in genes within most operons and Tn insertions into some genes enhanced in vivo fitness. Strikingly, 90% of the non-essential genes were required for in vivo survival following systemic dissemination during neutropenia. These experiments resulted in the identification of the P. aeruginosa strain PA14 genes necessary for optimal survival in the mucosal and systemic environments of a mammalian host.
CONTROL-ORIENTED MODELLING OF FUEL PROCESSING REACTORS IN FUEL CELL POWER SYSTEMS

Fuel cell represents a new area of interest for power system engineers and researchers. This paper presents control-oriented physics-based modelling of fuel processing system (FPS) reactors in fuel cell power systems. Basically, the FPS converts hydrocarbons to hydrogen rich gas and cleans harmful species according to fuel cell requirements. The physics-based model has importance of understanding the system and useful for model based control designs. The model also can be used for model-based observer designs to estimate unmeasured states or eliminate the sensors.
Toward simpler models of bending sheet joints

Sheet hinges, thin flexures that are rigid in the plane but which can bend freely, are common in stamped and lithographically manufactured devices. The behavior of these machine elements as joints in a robot is difficult to model because they are two-dimensional continuum elastic bodies that admit three-dimensional motion and twisting. This paper presents a parametric modeling technique that can be used to accurately predict elastic behavior of sheet hinges in three dimensions. Parameterized backbone curves can be used to represent ruled surface bending in a fashion that implicitly accounts for some of the complex boundary conditions imposed on typical sheet hinges. Approximate methods of integrating the non-commutative equations defining the sheet hinge backbone curves will be discussed, demonstrating acceptable trade-offs between accuracy and representational simplicity in overall model performance.
Sociocultural Research in the Copyright Age

The sociocultural research orientation promises to rebuild psychology into an interdisciplinary science. The central question addressed by this approach is that of relations between persons and their sociocultural activity contexts (individual-society antinomy). In this process, psychology's tendencies to 'methodological individualism' are contrasted with its opposite ('methodological collectivism'). The sociocultural orientation attempts to overcome the individual-society antinomy through an emphasis on cultural mediators, which empower persons to undertake novel actions and communicate about them.
Myocyte contracture, vascular resistance, and vascular permeability after global ischemia in isolated hearts from alloxan-induced diabetic rabbits.

Coronary vascular hemodynamics, albumin permeation, and myocyte contractility were assessed in isolated hearts from 6-mo alloxan-induced diabetic (ALX-D) rabbits during 3 h of reperfusion after 40 min of global no-flow ischemia. Residue-detection data, generated during the single passage of a bolus of 125 I-labeled bovine serum albumin ( 125 I-BSA) through the coronary vasculature, were used to estimate indices of vascular function, including the mean transit time of 125 I-BSA, the fractional rate of intravascular clearance of 125 I-BSA, and 125 I-BSA permeation of coronary vessels. During reflow after ischemia in hearts from control rabbits, vascular resistance increased approximately three times that at baseline, left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP) increased 8–10 times, and maximum +dP/dt recovered 0.4 times baseline, whereas the fractional rate of washout of intravascular 125 I-BSA decreased to less than one-half of baseline values (was prolonged 2-fold), and albumin permeation and mean-transit time were increased 3 and 5 times baseline, respectively. In hearts from diabetic rabbits, vascular resistance was similar to the control group before ischemia but increased only one-third as much during reflow after ischemia. Increases in LVEDP during reflow were ∼50% lower than controls, and +dP/df recovered ∼2.5 times more than in control hearts. 125 I-BSA permeation in diabetics was similar to controls before ischemia, but during reflow increased 6 times (∼2 times controls). Washout of intravascular 125 I-BSA was prolonged ∼20% versus baseline during 3 h of reflow in hearts from diabetic rabbits. Thus, ALX-D in the rabbit delayed ischemia-reperfusion injury to myocytes and vascular smooth muscle cells while increasing vascular albumin permeation.
Embodied lenses for collaborative visual queries on tabletop displays

We introduce embodied lenses for visual queries on tabletop surfaces using physical interaction. The lenses are simply thin sheets of paper or transparent foil decorated with fiducial markers, allowing them to be tracked by a diffuse illumination tabletop display. The physical affordance of these embodied lenses allow them to be overlapped, causing composition in the underlying virtual space. We perform a formative evaluation to study users' conceptual models for overlapping physical lenses. This is followed by a quantitative user study comparing performance for embodied versus purely virtual lenses. Results show that embodied lenses are as efficient as purely virtual lenses, and also support tactile and eyes-free interaction. We then present several examples of the technique, including image layers, map layers, image manipulation, and multidimensional data visualization. The technique is simple, cheap, and can be integrated into many existing tabletop displays.
Effects of insulin-sensitising agents in mice with hepatic insulin resistance

Aims/hypothesis The metabolic abnormalities of insulin resistance are ameliorated by insulin sensitisers via different mechanisms. Metformin decreases hepatic glucose output, whereas rosiglitazone (RSG) is an agonist for peroxisome proliferator activated receptor (PPAR)γ, highly expressed in fat. To gain insight into the mechanisms of action of these drugs, we compared their actions in two models of insulin resistance: the obese, hyperglycaemic ob/ob mouse and the liver specific insulin receptor knockout (LIRKO) mouse.
A Note on the Effect or the Central Processor Service Time Distribution on Processor Utilization in Multiprogrammed Computer Systems

Upper and lower bounds on processor utilization for the queueing model M/G/1/N are derived. The upper bound is equal to the utilization for constant service times and the lower bound is approached when the average number of operations per busy period approaches one. These bounds show that the form of the processing time distribution can have a substantial effect on processor utilization. We show that the utilization will be near the lower bound if there are a large number of short processing times. The variance does not always give an accurate indication of the effect of the distribution on utilization.
The use of a whole animal biophotonic model as a screen for the angiogenic potential of estrogenic compounds.

Background: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is essential for normal vascular growth and development during wound repair. VEGF is estrogen responsive and capable of regulating its own receptor, vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR-2). Several agricultural pesticides (e.g., methoxychlor) have estrogenic potential that can initiate inappropriate physiological responses in estrogenic-sensitive tissues following exposure in vivo. Thus, the current study was designed to determine whether the VEGFR-2-Luciferase (Luc) reporter transgenic mouse is a useful model for evaluating estrogenic tendencies of methoxychlor by monitoring wound healing via VEGFR-2-mediated gene expression using bioluminescence and real-time imaging technology. Results: VEGFR-2-Luc gene activity peaked by d 7 (P 0.05) between control and estrogen/methoxychlor exposed mice. Conclusions: Changes in VEGFR-2-Luc gene activity associated with the dermal wound healing process were able to be measured via photonic emission. The increase in vasculature recruitment and formation is paralleled by the increase of VEGFR-2-Luc activity with a peak on day 7. However, estrogen/methoxychlor did not significantly alter wound healing mediated VEGFR-2-Luc gene expression patterns compared to controls. This suggests that the VEGFR-2-Luc transgenic mouse wound model tested in this study may not be optimal for use as a screen for the angiogenic potential of estrogenic compounds.
Supersymmetric cosmic accelerators: Fluxes at Earth and companion stability

We perform a complete calculation of the flux of supersymmetric particles emitted by a binary star such as Cygnus X-3 taking into account production of particles in the interior as well as the atmosphere of the main-sequence star. We calculate fluxes at Earth as well as the contribution to heating of the main-sequence star inside the binary system. Although some supersymmetric models predict observable fluxes in future cosmic-ray telescopes, supersymmetry cannot be the source of underground muons from point sources recently reported by some experiments.
Liquid biopsy for detection of actionable oncogenic mutations in human cancers and electric field induced release and measurement liquid biopsy (eLB)

Oncogenic activations by mutations in key cancer genes such as EGFR and KRAS are frequently associated with human cancers. Molecular targeting of specific oncogenic mutations in human cancer is a major therapeutic inroad for anti-cancer drug therapy. In addition, progressive developments of oncogene mutations lead to drug resistance. Therefore, the ability to detect and continuously monitor key actionable oncogenic mutations is important to guide the use of targeted molecular therapies to improve long-term clinical outcomes in cancer patients. Current oncogenic mutation detection is based on direct sampling of cancer tissue by surgical resection or biopsy. Oncogenic mutations were recently shown to be detectable in circulating bodily fluids of cancer patients. This field of investigation, termed liquid biopsy, permits a less invasive means of assessing the oncogenic mutation profile of a patient. This paper will review the analytical strategies used to assess oncogenic mutations from biofluid samples. Clinical applications will also be discussed.
Education in Post-Katrina New Orleans: Where are We Now and Where Might Imagination Take us?

In the nearly 10 years since Hurricane Katrina, the educational landscape of New Orleans has changed swiftly and dramatically. The educational and social consequences of the storm and subsequent reforms are highlighted in order to better understand the progress and obstacles that define New Orleans in the present moment. From everyday concerns facing students and families to more philosophical and political concerns facing policymakers and scholars, the experiences of New Orleans since 2005 provide fertile ground for imagining better public educational opportunities.
The Employment Non-Discrimination Act: Requiring Fairness for All Employees Regardless of Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity

This issue brief for the American Constitution Society for Law and Policy discusses the current gap in federal and state legal protections on discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. It then considers ENDA, explains its provisions, and assesses its ability to safeguard LGBT workers from bias. ENDA, it concludes, is a modest and pragmatic step toward ensuring that LGBT employees are judged fairly on the basis of their job performance, without regard to their sexual orientation or gender identity.
Dose-dependent pregnant mare's serum-induced ovulation in immature rats.

SummaryThe incidence of ovulation in 25-day-old animals after various doses of a single injection of PMS reached its maximum at 3 and 30 IU. Doses between 10 and 20 IU or higher than 40 IU did not induce ovulation. In 3 IU PMS-primed rats no significant differences were observed between strains, or with the volume of vehicle used. The mechanisms by which a single injection of various doses of PMS induce ovulation are discussed.
Stabilization of metastable phases in hafnia owing to surface energy effects

The recent empirical observation of ferroelectricity in hafnia is rather surprising since all of its known ground-state phases are nonpolar. In this letter, we show that finite size effects, relevant under experimental conditions, may themselves lead to this unexpected phenomenon due to stabilization of metastable polar phase(s). Using surface energies computed from first principles, we determine the thermodynamic stability of a parallelepiped shaped particle constructed from various low energy nonpolar and polar phases of hafnia. We find that at small dimensions, surface effects may stabilize either one of the polar phases or the nonpolar tetragonal phase (the parent phase of the polar phases), suggesting a possible explanation of the ferroelectric behavior observed in pure hafnia films. These results also explain the stabilization of the metastable tetragonal phase in nanoparticles of zirconia, the twin oxide of hafnia. While a comprehensive understanding of the origins of ferroelectricity in hafnia will require inclusion of other relevant factors (such as strain and dopants), this work highlights the importance of finite size effects as a possible key factor.
Consultation with the Specialist: Evaluation of Heart Murmurs

Introduction As many as 90% of children will have an audible heart murmur at some point in time. However, the prevalence of nontrivial heart disease in this age group is less than 4 per 1000. The practitioner9s task is to distinguish the ubiquitous innocent or normal murmur from the murmur indicating heart disease. Normal murmurs include vibratory and pulmonary flow murmurs, venous hums, carotid bruits, and the murmur of physiologic branch pulmonary artery stenosis. Mislabeling of a normal murmur as pathologic may have adverse psychological effects on the family and the child, including unwarranted exercise restrictions and problems later with insurability and employment. Alternatively, failure to identify a pathologic murmur may delay appropriate intervention, especially in early infancy. Recent well-publicized sudden cardiac deaths of professional athletes have augmented the anxiety caused by the specter of heart disease in the young. Because less than 5% of heart murmurs in children denote cardiac pathology and because each practitioner is likely to see no more than five patients per year who have important heart disease, distinguishing normal from organic murmurs is not always simple. Nevertheless, given the high prevalence of murmurs in the young and because nearly 50% of the patients who have murmurs referred to pediatric cardiologists do have underlying heart disease of variable severity, most clinicians can recognize normal murmurs.
Engineered hydrophobicity of discrete microfluidic elements for double emulsion generation

Microfluidic device fabrication has classically utilized methods that have limited devices to specific applications. More recently, discrete microfluidic elements have reimagined the design process of microfluidic device fabrication to that of building blocks that can be constructed in various forms to produce devices of many applications. Here, surface modification of discrete microfluidic elements via initiated chemical vapor deposition is demonstrated. Coated modular elements can quickly assemble to form complex 2-D or 3-D structures with step-like surface energy gradients for applications requiring discrete control of channel surface wettability. This platform is applied toward the generation of double emulsions to show the ease of design and manufacturing over existing methods developed to manage two-phase flows.
Bending response of reinforced, inflated, tubular braided fabric structural members

Abstract Reinforced, inflatable, braided tubular members are seeing increased use in structural applications where low mass and storage volume are critical. However, research on the structural behavior of these members has been limited. This study aims to improve the understanding of the structural behavior of these members via both experiments and numerical models. Eight tubes with braided fabric shells of varying bias angles and integral reinforcing cords were subjected to flexural tests with highly controlled loading and boundary conditions. Three-dimensional shell-based finite-element models relying on independently measured material properties are developed and shown to agree very well with the experimental results.
Abstract C86: Distance to free and low cost screening centers and cervical cancer screening behaviors of low income women in New Jersey

Racial/ethnic disparities in cancer outcomes have been well documented. Access to Pap testing may account for some of the variation in the racial and socioeconomic differences in cervical cancer outcomes. The rate of Pap testing within the past three years has been shown to vary by both race/ethnicity and by access to medical care. Given this, there has been an increase in the use of GIS to explore and understand cancer screening behaviors. The goal of this analysis was to evaluate and characterize the relationship between geographic proximity to free or low-cost cancer screening facilities and screening behaviors among low-income women in New Jersey using data collected from a cross-sectional survey (N= 459). Address data from 376 participants were geocoded using an ArcGIS address locator, using TIGER road map data as the source, to conduct a distance analysis between participant location and New Jersey Cancer Education & Early Detection (NJCEED) locations, which offer free and low cost screenings based on income. A majority of participants (60.6%) lived less than five miles from the nearest NJCEED location. There was no statistically significant difference in being screened between living 8 miles from a NJCEED location (OR = 1.40, 95%CI = 0.60 - 3.26) after adjusting for age, race, transportation, BMI, insurance, and perceived risk. However, when stratified by race, African American women who lived within 2 miles of a screening location were 5.59 times more likely to report being screened compared to women living more than 8 miles away (95% CI = 1.08 - 28.90), although this trend was not statistically significant (p=.06). Distance to free and low cost screening centers were associated with screening behaviors among low income African American women in NJ, but not low income white and Hispanic women, indicating a need for tailored interventions to reach this at risk population. Citation Format: Michelle L. Gardner, Elisa V. Bandera, Beth A. Jones, Kitaw Demisse, Stephanie AN Silvera. Distance to free and low cost screening centers and cervical cancer screening behaviors of low income women in New Jersey. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Ninth AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2016 Sep 25-28; Fort Lauderdale, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2017;26(2 Suppl):Abstract nr C86.