cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Curcumin-loaded Nanostructured Lipid Carriers for ocular drug delivery: Design optimization and characterization

The current study sought to formulate, optimize, and evaluate curcumin-loaded Nanostructured Lipid Carriers (NLCs) for their in vitro and ex vivo characteristics. NLCs, prepared using hot-melt emulsification and ultrasonication techniques, were optimized using a Central Composite Design (CCD) and evaluated for their in vitro physicochemical characteristics. Their stability over a 3 month period and transcorneal permeation across excised rabbit corneas (ex vivo) were assessed for the optimized NLCs. The optimized NLC, with a particle size of 66.8 ± 2 nm, polydispersity index of 0.17±0.05, entrapment efficiency of 96 ± 1.6%, and drug loading of 3.1 ± 0.05% w/w, was chosen using CCD. The optimized NLCs showed optimum ex vivo stability at 4°C for the study period and demonstrated a significant increase in curcumin permeation (~2.5-fold) across the rabbit cornea in comparison to the control. Overall, these studies indicated the successful development of NLCs using the design of experiment approach; the formulation enhanced curcumin permeation across excised corneas and did not show any harmful side effects.
Wind Stress on Water Surfaces

Various attempts to estimate the total wind stress at the sea surface are briefly reviewed, and the difficulties in the application of the methods used in the past are discussed. The results obtain...
Land-Use Regression Modeling of Source-Resolved Fine Particulate Matter Components from Mobile Sampling

This study presents land-use regression (LUR) models for submicron particulate matter (PM1) components from an urban area. Models are presented for mass concentrations of inorganic species (SO4, NO...
Automated Identification and Extraction of Exercise Treadmill Test Results.

Background Noninvasive cardiac tests, including exercise treadmill tests (ETTs), are commonly utilized in the evaluation of patients in the emergency department with suspected acute coronary syndro...
Complex Arithmetic and Algebra

In the remainder of the book, we make extensive use of complex arithmetic and algebra. This short chapter gives a brief review that subject and establishes a consistent notation. Working knowledge of the basic definitions, procedures, and relations reviewed here is essential to mastering material presented in subsequent chapters. Also, the terminology and notation associated with engineering applications of complex mathematics have not been standardized, and the terminology and notation introduced here are those used in this book.
O-glycan recognition and function in mice and human cancers

Protein glycosylation represents a nearly ubiquitous post-translational modification, and altered glycosylation can result in clinically significant pathological consequences. Here we focus on O-glycosylation in tumor cells of mice and humans. O-glycans are those linked to serine and threonine (Ser/Thr) residues via N-acetylgalactosamine (GalNAc), which are oligosaccharides that occur widely in glycoproteins, such as those expressed on the surfaces and in secretions of all cell types. The structure and expression of O-glycans are dependent on the cell type and disease state of the cells. There is a great interest in O-glycosylation of tumor cells, as they typically express many altered types of O-glycans compared with untransformed cells. Such altered expression of glycans, quantitatively and/or qualitatively on different glycoproteins, is used as circulating tumor biomarkers, such as CA19-9 and CA-125. Other tumor-associated carbohydrate antigens (TACAs), such as the Tn antigen and sialyl-Tn antigen (STn), are truncated O-glycans commonly expressed by carcinomas on multiple glycoproteins; they contribute to tumor development and serve as potential biomarkers for tumor presence and stage, both in immunohistochemistry and in serum diagnostics. Here we discuss O-glycosylation in murine and human cells with a focus on colorectal, breast, and pancreatic cancers, centering on the structure, function and recognition of O-glycans. There are enormous opportunities to exploit our knowledge of O-glycosylation in tumor cells to develop new diagnostics and therapeutics.
145-LB: Improving Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) Use across Ten National Centers: Results from the T1D Exchange Quality Improvement Collaborative (T1DX-QI)

Many studies have demonstrated the clinical benefit of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) in type 1 diabetes (T1D). Although favorable insurance policy changes have gradually increased the access of CGM nationally, widespread uptake has been slow. The T1DX-QI is a national type 1 diabetes learning collaborative coordinated by the T1D Exchange in Boston, MA. This work describes how 10 diabetes centers in the T1DX-QI used QI principles including the Plan - Do - Study - Act (PDSA) cycles to test and expand different interventions to increase CGM use in their respective centers. Successful efforts include the redesign of relevant workflows, assessing and removing barriers to adoption, developing CGM patient education classes, and advocating for state Medicaid coverage of CGM. The centers piloted these changes in 12 - 26 year olds with T1D. The coordinating center used statistical process control charts to evaluate the effectiveness of the interventions (Figure 1). Eight of 10 participating centers improved CGM use significantly. There was a 12% improvement from over 20 months across the entire cohort of centers (range 7-34%). This demonstrates that by using QI principles to test interventions and cross-learning, the T1D community can increase use of CGM devices. Figure 1. Disclosure O. Ebekozien: None. N. Rioles: None. D. DeSalvo: Consultant; Self; Dexcom, Inc., Insulet Corporation. K. Gallagher: None. J.M. Lee: Advisory Panel; Self; Goodrx. Consultant; Self; T1D Exchange. Research Support; Self; Lenovo. R. McDonough: None. K. Obrynba: None. P. Prahalad: None. S. Thomas: None. R.S. Weinstock: Board Member; Self; JDRF. Consultant; Self; Insulogic LLC. Research Support; Self; Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH, Diasome Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Eli Lilly and Company, Insulet Corporation, Jaeb Center for Health Research, Kowa Research Institute, Inc., Medtronic, Tolerion, Inc. S. Corathers: None. Funding The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust
Industry Payments in Colon and Rectal Surgery: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of Open Payments Data.

Abstract Background The Physician Payments Sunshine Act of 2010 mandated publication of all financial relationships between companies and physicians on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ Open Payments Data to elucidate potential conflicts of interest. This study seeks to illuminate the financial relationships that the pharmaceutical, medical device, biologics, and medical supply industries maintained with colon and rectal surgeons across the United States from 2014 to 2018. Materials and methods We extracted and analyzed all colon and rectal surgeon data from the Open Payments Data for 2014-2018 using Microsoft Excel 2018 and JMP PRO 13.2.0 (SAS Institute). We calculated descriptive statistics and displayed prominent trends in the data. Results From 2014 to 2018, totals of $26,841,274 in general payments and $7,492,822 in research payments were made to 1935 and 150 colorectal surgeons, respectively. Intuitive Surgical, Inc paid the most money in general payments every year, ranging from 39.0% to 58.8% of the total payment amount. Intuitive Surgical, Inc’s product, da Vinci Surgical System, had the greatest number of payments, totaling 21,191 general payments. The year with the highest amount paid for research was 2017, in which a total of $2,810,558 was paid to colorectal surgeons. Conclusions Companies across industries paid millions of dollars to colorectal surgeons from 2014 to 2018. However, further research is required to determine the causal effects of these surgeons’ financial relationships with the industry on research, prescription, and technology adoption practices.
Plant adaptation to climate change—Where are we?

Climate change poses critical challenges for population persistence in natural communities, agriculture and environmental sustainability, and food security. In this review, we discuss recent progress in climatic adaptation in plants. We evaluate whether climate change exerts novel selection and disrupts local adaptation, whether gene flow can facilitate adaptive responses to climate change, and if adaptive phenotypic plasticity could sustain populations in the short term. Furthermore, we discuss how climate change influences species interactions. Through a more in-depth understanding of these eco-evolutionary dynamics, we will increase our capacity to predict the adaptive potential of plants under climate change. In addition, we review studies that dissect the genetic basis of plant adaptation to climate change. Finally, we highlight key research gaps, ranging from validating gene function, to elucidating molecular mechanisms, expanding research systems from model species to other natural species, testing the fitness consequences of alleles in natural environments, and designing multifactorial studies that more closely reflect the complex and interactive effects of multiple climate change factors. By leveraging interdisciplinary tools (e.g., cutting-edge omics toolkits, novel ecological strategies, newly-developed genome editing technology), researchers can more accurately predict the probability that species can persist through this rapid and intense period of environmental change, as well as cultivate crops to withstand climate change, and conserve biodiversity in natural systems.
A note on fitting a generalised Moody diagram for wall modelled large-eddy simulations

Motivated by the needs of wall modelled Large Eddy Simulation (LES), we introduce fits to numerical solutions of the Reynolds Averaged Navier–Stokes equations in their simplest near-wall, boundary ...
Prescription Drug Monitoring Program: Access in the First Year

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PDMP) detect high-risk prescribing and patient behaviors. This study describes the characteristics associated with documented PDMP access when prescribing opioids. METHODS Retrospective chart review of 695 opioid prescriptions written from inpatient and outpatient medical and psychiatric settings. Data were abstracted and analyzed to identify characteristics associated with documented PDMP access. RESULTS One-third of the charts had PDMP access documented within the week of opioid prescription; 12% showed PDMP consultation on the same day. Services varied greatly from 10.5% (inpatient medicine) to 57% (inpatient psychiatry) with regard to same-day PDMP access (P < .0001). Patient characteristics associated with PDMP access include having acute pain, current mental health treatment, and current and past substance use disorders (all P < .05). Logistic regression modeling identified three variables associated with the odds of PDMP access (c-statistic = 0.66): if the prescription originated from the inpatient medicine unit (odds ratio [OR] = 0.47, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.32, 0.68), or if the patient received a prescription for an opioid in the past 30 days (OR = 0.30, 95% CI = 0.10, 0.90) or had a urine toxicology screen in the past year (OR = 2.00, 95% CI = 1.40, 2.90). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS Utilization of the PDMP varied by specialty and setting. SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE This study is among the first to compare rates of PDMP access in a large sample by specialty and practice setting in a healthcare system with a policy requiring its access and appropriate documentation. With less than one-third adherence to the policy, additional steps to increase consistent PDMP access are warranted. (Am J Addict 2021;00:00-00).
Memory bias for learned threat and safety cues in youth with chronic pain

Negatively-biased memories for painful events (recalled pain greater than initial reported pain) are consistently associated with worse pain outcomes in adults and youth; thus, the tendency to develop negative memory biases is suggested to be a risk factor for chronic pain. From a transdiagnostic perspective, this may reflect a more general bias in recalling threatening vs. safe stimuli; this has not yet been tested. Sixty-seven youth (N=43 chronic pain patients, mixed diagnoses; N=24 controls) completed a developmentally-appropriate fear conditioning task (the Screaming Lady) in which they rated their fear towards learned threat and safety cues. Patients completed self-report measures of pain catastrophizing (PCS-C), pain-related fear-avoidance (FOPQ-C, fear and avoidance subscales), and physical functioning (FDI). Two months later (M=59 days), youth rated their recalled fear towards the threat and safety stimuli. For a subsample (N=32, 23 patients), their open-ended recall of the stimuli were coded. T-tests examined patient-control differences in memory biases. Partial correlations controlled for initial fear ratings to examine how memory biases covary with pain catastrophizing, fear-avoidance, and functioning. Patients and controls did not significantly differ in their memory biases (p's > .05). Patients with higher pain catastrophizing (r = .415, p = .007) and greater pain-related fear (r = .363, p = .02) had greater negatively-biased recall of fear towards safety stimuli at follow-up; there was no association with functional disability. Youth with greater negatively-biased recall of fear towards threat stimuli described the stimulus’ appearance (r = .430, p = .018) and emotional expression (r = .506, p = .006) in greater detail. Negatively-biased recall of safety cues is related to higher pain catastrophizing and pain-related fear in youth with chronic pain. Mixed quantitative-qualitative probing of threat-related memories will be helpful to reveal how memory biases are a risk factor for pediatric chronic pain. NIH R01HD083270 to LE Simons.
Maximum Margin Temporal Clustering

Temporal Clustering (TC) refers to the factorization of multiple time series into a set of non-overlapping segments that belong to k temporal clusters. Existing methods based on extensions of generative models such as k-means or Switching Linear Dynamical Systems (SLDS) often lead to intractable inference and lack a mechanism for feature selection, critical when dealing with high dimensional data. To overcome these limitations, this paper proposes Maximum Margin Temporal Clustering (MMTC). MMTC simultaneously determines the start and the end of each segment, while learning a multiclass Support Vector Machine (SVM) to discriminate among temporal clusters. MMTC extends Maximum Margin Clustering in two ways: first, it incorporates the notion of TC, and second, it introduces additional constraints to achieve better balance between clusters. Experiments on clustering human actions and bee dancing motions illustrate the benefits of our approach compared to state-of-the-art methods.
Crime Films: Basic Instinct and the Erotic Thriller

Twenty-five years after the film noir cycle ended with Kiss Me Deadly (1955) and Touch of Evil (1958), noir returned with a vengeance in 1981 with Body Heat and a remake of The Postman Always Rings Twice , which mark the resurgence of a new cycle of neo-noirs defined alike by their borrowings and their distance from the earlier cycle. Retro genres, by definition, must offer something new to distinguish themselves from their models, and the something in this new cycle is sex. The self-alienation that had been noir's keynote had not necessarily been driven by sex — as Christopher Nolan demonstrated in his neo-noir Memento (2000), whose backward scene-by-scene trajectory into the past cleverly dramatizes its avenging hero's loss of short-term memory — but sex is what the new cycle was selling. The newly resurgent neo-noirs are driven by three developments in the sociology of American sexuality: the sexual freedom made possible by the widespread availability of contraception and abortion; the replacement of the Hays Office's 1930 Production Code by the Motion Picture Association of America's system of age-appropriate ratings, beginning in 1969; and the dramatic political and social changes provoked by the women's liberation movement in the 1970s. Just as issues concerning women's empowerment were coming to the fore for the first time since the years immediately following the war, the film industry was undergoing a revolution in its portrayal of sexual behavior.
MM-398 Achieves Primary Endpoint of Overall Survival in Phase III Study in Patients with Gemcitabine Refractory Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer

No abstract available. Image: Tufts Medical Center Teddy Bear (Formerly F.A.O. Schwartz Teddy Bear). Boston, MA, USA.
Spectroscopic studies of rat mast cells, mouse mastocytoma cells, and compound 48/80—I: A spin-label study of membrane fluidities and the effect of 48/80

Abstract Purified rat mast cells, mixed peritoneal leukocytes and mouse mastocytoma cells take up spin-labeled membrane probes (5-doxyl, 12-doxyl and 16-doxyl stearic acids and their methyl stearate counterparts) in a manner similar to that of other cell types. The electron spin resonance spectra of these probes suggest that the membrane fluidities in the regions probed are similar in both mast cells and other normal leukocytes of the rat peritoneal cavity. However, the membranes of the mastocytoma cells were significantly more fluid in all of the regions probed. Membrane fluidity differences reported by the methyl stearate probes were greater than those reported by the corresponding fatty acid probes. This suggests that the chemical nature of the probe may contribute significantly to the apparent reported fluidity. The histamine liberator, compound 48/80, did not affect the spectra of any of the probes at concentrations that were magnetically dilute; however, it reduced the degree of spin exchange at high probe concentrations in mastocytoma cells. This suggests that 48/80 may increase the volume of the mastocytoma cell membranes, resulting in reduced intermolecular interactions among the probe molecules.
The Effect of Corporate Governance Practices on Financial Structure in Emerging Markets: Evidence from BRICK Countries and Lessons for Turkey

AbstractIn this article, I aim to investigate major emerging markets (BRICK [Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Korea] countries and Turkey) in terms of governance practices, which differ in many ways including board structures, board procedures, disclosures, audit committee meeting frequency, ownership structures, and minority shareholder rights. Moreover, I aim to relate these governance practices to the impact they have on financial structures in terms of financial profitability and financial leverage. Findings provide support for the notion that board independence, representation of women on the board, duality, and the number of board meetings are key factors in determining corporate governance efficiency and play important roles in enhancing firm financial structure in BRICK firms. I also attempt to identify the main issue in corporate governance research, which is whether governance practices are universal or instead depend on country and firm characteristics. These multicountry results, together w...
Monitoring Marine Structures

Technologies and methodologies need to be developed to monitor ship hull and structural integrity as US navy and maritime industry designs increasingly rely on lightweight materials such as composites and aluminum for ship structures to meet future high-speed/high-performance goals. Wave loadings at high speeds result in pressure fields that challenge local and global structural integrity to a degree not supported by traditional navy or commercial design approaches. There is little generic experience related to maintaining structural performance of lightweight high-speed ships. This is especially true as they age. There is a fast growing interest in equipping high-speed vessels with an operational real-time structural health monitoring system. Currently, there are several US navy research and development programs that contain the development of ship and hull structural health monitoring systems. Examples of such will be given. Previous and current efforts as well as required technologies for health monitoring of ship structures will be reviewed. The importance and the roles of an effective structural health monitoring system throughout the life cycle of a ship are discussed. The continued advancement of pertinent technologies will ultimately enable a comprehensive structural health monitoring system that includes diagnostic methods and prognostic capabilities to proactively manage future ship hull and structures. Keywords: structural health monitoring; ship; hull structure; damage; wave loads
Representative Payeeship and Mental Illness: A Review

Representative Payeeship (RP) is intended to help individuals who are unable to manage disability payments appropriately to meet their basic living needs. This paper reviews the literature on whether RP is effective among individuals with mental disorders. We also review RP's mental health effects and its use as leverage in achieving behavioral goals. RP appears to be effective in helping clients meet their basic living needs; it also may decrease hospitalization and improve treatment compliance. Finally, we propose a research design to disentangle the role of clinical leverage from the more basic money-management function of RP.
A Review of Bone Graft Substitutes Made From HA-Polymer Composite Scaffolds and Fabrication Potential With Laser-Based Additive Manufacturing Processes

Hydroxyapatite, a bioactive ceramic, has been combined with biodegradable polymers to create composite three-dimensional interconnected porous scaffolds for bone graft substitutes. The materials and fabrication methods of these composite scaffolds are reviewed. The resulting mechanical and biological properties of scaffolds produced from the combination of certain materials and fabrication methods are analyzed. Requirements for a bone graft substitute and third generation scaffolds with the addition of osteoinductive and osteogenic features to composite scaffolds including biomolecule delivery and cell seeding are also introduced. Finally, the benefits of using additive manufacturing technologies to enable high level of control over the design of interconnected pore structure are discussed.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Restriction fragment analysis of H-2 recombinant mouse strains with crossovers between E alpha and C4 genes.

To map recombination sites occurring between E α and H-2D genes, we undertook restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis of mouse strains with crossovers in this segment. In the present study we analyzed eleven recombinant mouse strains with crossovers between the E α and C4 genes
Some guides for the selection of a decision-making strategy

Abstract Advocates of decision strategies contend or imply that a particular strategy should be used for most, if not all, decision-making tasks. This article demonstrates how decision problems faced by executives alter a decision strategy's effectiveness, and provides guides to aid the executive in selecting an appropriate strategy.
Coming of Age in the Bubble: Suburban Adolescents' Use of a Spatial Metaphor as a Symbolic Boundary

This article explores how suburban middle-class adolescents use a spatial metaphor, “bubble,” as a symbolic boundary. The narratives about the bubble, collected through focus group discussions and ethnographic observations, show consensus among the teenagers about the socioeconomic and cultural superiority of the community, but they also reveal opposing views on its moral status. I also find that the teens use the same metaphor to draw moral distinctions among their peers, based on whether they align their identity with the norms and values the bubble symbolizes. I argue that the adolescents living in this community develop a strong place identity, even when they identify flaws with it, because their mundane references to the bubble provide them with an opportunity to critically examine the implication of their middle-class status.
The role of androgens in cognition and brain aging in men

Losses of working and long-term memory are hallmarks of human aging and may signal impending neurodegenerative disease. The maintenance of neural elements in brain systems that support memory, such as synapse formation in prefrontal cortex and hippocampus, are critical for cognitive health in aging. This paper reviews the biological basis for androgens as neuroprotectants or neuromodulators in aging and the importance of androgens on the brain systems important for memory. We relate biological effects to cognitive outcomes in elderly men under a variety of androgen conditions. In brief, androgen deprivation causes significant loss of synapses in the hippocampus in rodent and nonhuman primates, increases amyloid deposition in human and rodent models and causes changes in neurotransmission in prefrontal cortex in rodent models. Recent work suggests that these changes modify age-related cognitive loss, particularly to memory in men. In addition, the conversion of testosterone to its androgen metabolites or to estradiol may play a special role in the preservation of memory in aging. This paper reviews discrepancies between studies using animal models and studies of human cognition, and suggests new directions that are likely to be fruitful in the future for understanding the role of androgens in brain aging. This review suggests that studies of low androgen levels in older men may not index the same biological mechanisms and behavioral effects as the studies of gonadectomy in animal models.
Interaction of sodium carboxymethylcellulose with methyllcellulose and polyacrylamide

Abstract By the use of electrophoretic analysis, interactions were shown to occur between an anionic polyelectrolyte, sodium Carboxymethylcellulose (SCMC), and the “neutral polymers,” methylcellulose (MC) and polyacrylamide (PAM). The concentration of the individual polymers was varied to determine the stoichiometry of the reaction in acetate buffer, pH 4.5, and in veronal buffer, pH 8.6. The molar ratio of MC to SCMC was 2:1 in the complex formed when both polymers were present in a concentration of 1 gm/100 ml. This was observed in both buffer systems. Similar results were obtained with SCMC and PAM.
Methods and results of99Tc analysis of Nevada test site groundwaters

Samples of the long-lived fission product99Tc were isolated from liter quantities of selected groundwaters from the Cheshire, Bilby, Nash, Bourbon, Cambric and Faultless event sites and the99Tc concentrations determined by liquid scintillation counting. Although99Tc was detected in several of the samples, the concentrations did not exceed the MPCw of 3·10−4 μCi/ml and the results indicated that the Tc was present primarily in solution rather than sorbed on colloidal-size material.
Characterization of dynamics in complex lyophilized formulations: II. Analysis of density variations in terms of glass dynamics and comparisons with global mobility, fast dynamics, and Positron Annihilation Lifetime Spectroscopy (PALS).

Amorphous HES/disaccharide (trehalose or sucrose) formulations, with and without added polyols (glycerol and sorbitol) and disaccharide formulations of human growth hormone (hGH), were prepared by freeze drying and characterized with particular interest in methodology for using high precision density measurements to evaluate free volume changes and a focus on comparisons between “free volume” changes obtained from analysis of density data, fast dynamics (local mobility), and PALS characterization of “free volume” hole size. Density measurements were performed using a helium gas pycnometer, and fast dynamics was characterized using incoherent neutron scattering spectrometer. Addition of sucrose and trehalose to hGH decreases free volume in the system with sucrose marginally more effective than trehalose, consistent with superior pharmaceutical stability of sucrose hGH formulations well below Tg relative to trehalose. We find that density data may be analyzed in terms of free volume changes by evaluation of volume changes on mixing and calculation of apparent specific volumes from the densities. Addition of sucrose to HES decreases free volume, but the effect of trehalose is not detectable above experimental error. Addition of sorbitol or glycerol to HES/trehalose base formulations appears to significantly decrease free volume, consistent with the positive impact of such additions on pharmaceutical stability (i.e., degradation) in the glassy state. Free volume changes, evaluated from density data, fast dynamics amplitude of local motion, and PALS hole size data generally are in qualitative agreement for the HES/disaccharide systems studied. All predict decreasing molecular mobility as disaccharides are added to HES. Global mobility as measured by enthalpy relaxation times, increases as disaccharides, particularly sucrose, are added to HES.
Correlation of brain blood flow, intracellular pH and metabolism in hypoglycemic cats under halothane and barbiturate anesthesia

Abstract The neurophysiological alterations associated with transient insulin-induced hypoglycemia were compared in 14 cats anesthetized with halothane and 14 cats anesthetized with pentobarbital fasted for 18 h prior to the study. Each anesthetic group was further divided into acute and chronic preparations which in turn were prepared and studied in an identical manner except for the anesthetic agent employed. In the chronic animals there was no difference in survival between the two groups following a 2-h period of hypoglycemia. In these preparations there were no significant differences in: blood glucose levels, mean arterial blood pressure (MABP); arterial carbon dioxide tension (p a CO 2 ), arterial oxygen tensions (p a O 2 ), arterial pH (pH a ), or acid-base balance during the period of hypoglycemia. Differences in the electroencephalograms were commensurate with the anesthetic used. In the acute preparations cerebral blood flow (CBF), xenon-133 clearance technique; brain pH, pH sensitive fluorescent indicator method; and cerebral metabolic rates of oxygen (CMR o 2 ) and glucose consumption were determined at 15-min intervals in addition to the measurements recorded in the chronic group. During a 3-h period of regular insulin administration at a rate of 30 units/kg/h there were no significant differences in any of the systemic or brain measurements recorded except for CBF (halothane > barbiturate). EEGs in the acute group of animals paralleled the chronic group and improved but did not return to normal following glucose resuscitation at the end of the period of hypoglycemia. All the acute animals had a normal p a CO 2 —CBF response curve prior to the insulin administration. CBF and brain pH remained constant during the period of hypoglycemia in both groups. However, following the administration of glucose there was a significant brain acidosis and EEG change without a change in CBF. We conclude that: the protective effects of barbiturates in states of hypoxemia or ischemia do not extend to hypoglycemia, brain pH and blood flow are not altered by moderate (as opposed to severe) hypoglycemia, and brain pH may not be the prime regulator in the CBF-metabolic blood flow couple.
Are differential behavioral responses to smoking and smoking cessation in schizophrenia related to nicotinic receptor levels

Are Differential Behavioral Responses to Smoking and Smoking Cessation in Schizophrenia Related to Nicotinic Receptor Levels?
A Bayesian method for the joint estimation of outcrossing rate and inbreeding depression

The population outcrossing rate (t) and adult inbreeding coefficient (F) are key parameters in mating system evolution. The magnitude of inbreeding depression as expressed in the field can be estimated given t and F via the method of Ritland (1990). For a given total sample size, the optimal design for the joint estimation of t and F requires sampling large numbers of families (100–400) with fewer offspring (1–4) per family. Unfortunately, the standard inference procedure (MLTR) yields significantly biased estimates for t and F when family sizes are small and maternal genotypes are unknown (a common occurrence when sampling natural populations). Here, we present a Bayesian method implemented in the program BORICE (Bayesian Outcrossing Rate and Inbreeding Coefficient Estimation) that effectively estimates t and F when family sizes are small and maternal genotype information is lacking. BORICE should enable wider use of the Ritland approach for field-based estimates of inbreeding depression. As proof of concept, we estimate t and F in a natural population of Mimulus guttatus. In addition, we describe how individual maternal inbreeding histories inferred by BORICE may prove useful in studies of inbreeding and its consequences.
Sebaceous neoplasms in Lynch syndrome

Background Sebaceous neoplasms of the skin (SN) are described in the Muir Torre variant of Lynch syndrome (LS). Guidelines recommend evaluating individuals diagnosed with sebaceous adenomas or sebaceous carcinomas for LS with immunohistochemistry (IHC) for mismatch repair (MMR) proteins and/or microsatellite instability analysis (MSI). The assumption has been that SNs with defective MMR are related to LS. Purpose To describe outcomes of genetic testing for LS among individuals with SN. Results 24 individuals with a personal history of SN underwent a genetic evaluation for Lynch syndrome (LS) at DanaFarber Cancer Institute. 10 had family histories which met Amsterdam criteria, 8 had a personal history of another LS-associated malignancy, 23 had family history of one or more LS-associated cancers, and 1 had no other personal or family history of cancer. 11/24 (46%) probands had pathogenic MMR gene mutations (2 MLH1 and 9 MSH2) and each of these either met Amsterdam criteria or had a personal history of another LS-related cancer. Of 13 probands without identifiable MMR mutations, 6 had SNs with normal IHC and 7 had abnormal IHC (3 absent MSH2 and MSH6, 2 absent MLH1 and PMS2, 1a bsent MLH1 only and 1 absent MSH2 only). One of the probands whose SN showed absence of MSH2 and MSH6 had a family history which met Amsterdam criteria (PREMM score=33%) and the rest had PREMM model scores <5%. Conclusions Although prior reports suggest that MSI/IHC can be useful in screening patients with SNs for LS, we found many of these tumors demonstrate features of abnormal MMR even when family history is not suggestive of LS and genetic testing did not reveal MMR mutation. Further study is needed to determine whether other somatic mechanisms may produce the MMR deficient phenotypes seen in many SNs.
Chinese hamster ovary cells with reduced hexokinase activity maintain normal GDP‐mannose levels

Parental Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells were mutagenized and subjected first to a mannose suicide selection technique and second to a screen of individual colonies grown on polyester discs for reduced mannose incorporation into protein. The incorporation of radioactivity for the selection and the screen was conducted at 41.5°C instead of the normal growth temperature of 34°C in order to allow for the isolation of temperature-sensitive lesions. This selection/screening procedure resulted in the isolation of MI5–4 cells, which had three- to five-fold lower incorporation of [2-3H]mannose into mannose 6-phosphate, mannose 1-phosphate, GDP-mannose, oligosaccharide-lipid, and glycoprotein at 41.5°C. We detected no difference in the qualitative pattern of mannose-labeled lipid-linked oligosaccharides compared to parental cells. MI5–4 cells synthesized dolichol. The defect of MI5–4 cells was determined to be in hexokinase activity; crude cytosolic extracts were eight- to nine-fold lower in hexokinase activity in MI5–4 cells compared to parental cells. As a result of this defect, incorporation of labeled mannose from the medium was significantly decreased. However, the level of GDP-mannose in MI5–4 cells was 70% of normal. The phenotype of MI5–4 was a lower specific activity of labeled GDP-mannose, not a substantial reduction in the level of GDP-mannose. Consistent with these results, no alterations in the glycosylation of a model glycoprotein, G protein of vesicular stomatitis virus, were observed. These cells grew slower than parental cells, especially in low-glucose medium. J. Cell. Biochem. 72:56–66, 1999. © 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
STEREOSELECTIVITY IN THE REDUCTION OF Λ-[1,4,7-TRIAZACYCLONONANE-1,4,7-TRIS[2′(R)-2′-PROPIONATE]COBALT(III)]

Abstract [Co((R)-tacntp)] · NaBr, C15H24BrCoNaN3O6 crystallizes in the trigonal space group R3(No. 146) with Z = 3, a = 9.843(2) A, c = 15.781(4) A and R = 0.053 for 859 reflections. The structure has been determined and the absolute configuration about the complex is M(C3) (Λ). The second-order rate constant for outer-sphere reduction of Λ-[Co((R)-tacntp)] by [Co(en)3]2+ is 6.3 × 10−2 M−1s−1 at 25.0°C and 0.10 M ionic strength. The product, [Co(en)3]3+, is formed with 11% enantiomeric excess of the ▵ isomer. The corresponding reduction of Λ-[Fe((R)-tacntp)] has a rate constant 5 × 103 M−1s−1 and results in formation of [Co(en)3]3+ which shows 3% enantiomeric excess of the ▵ isomer.
Static analysis of atomicity for programs with non-blocking synchronization

In concurrent programming, non-blocking synchronization is very efficient but difficult to design correctly. This paper presents a static analysis to show that code blocks are atomic, i.e., that every execution of the program is equivalent to one in which those code blocks execute without interruption by other threads. Our analysis determines commutativity of operations based primarily on how synchronization primitives (including locks, load-linked, store-conditional, and compare-and-swap) are used. A reduction theorem states that certain patterns of commutativity imply atomicity. Atomicity is itself an important correctness requirement for many concurrent programs. Furthermore, an atomic code block can be treated as a single transition during subsequent analysis of the program; this can greatly improve the efficiency of the subsequent analysis. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach on several concurrent non-blocking programs.
Effect of Adrenocortical Adenocarcinoma on Glycogen Deposition In Rat Liver

SummaryLiver glycogen was determined under standard conditions on intact and adrenalectomized rats with or without adrenocortical adenocarcinoma transplants. Some of these tumor-bearing rats were treated with cortisol acetate before glycogen determination. Liver glycogen was also determined on rats bearing an osteosarcoma or a hepatoma transplant. There was little glycogen deposition in the livers of the hepatoma-bearing rats. Livers of these animals were jaundiced and rats were anemic and did not respond to cortisol. The rats bearing adrenal adenocarcinoma had lower glycogen deposition than the rats bearing osteosarcoma, a non-hormone tumor. This indicates lack of glucocorticoid secretion by this tumor, detectable by liver glycogen deposition. In adrenalectomized rats, animals bearing adrenal adenocarcinoma has lower glycogen deposition than in those without tumors, again indicating lack of glucocorticoid secretion.
Both necrosis and apoptosis contribute to HIV-1-induced killing of CD4 cells

BACKGROUND: Data currently available on HIV-1-induced cytopathology is unclear regarding the mechanism of cell killing. OBJECTIVE: To clarify the extent to which apoptosis or necrosis is involved in HIV-1-induced cell death in view of conflicting existing data. METHODS: T lymphoblastoid cells or peripheral blood mononuclear cells were infected by various strains of HIV-1 and the numbers of apoptotic or necrotic cells were quantified at various times after infection using video-image analysis techniques; the results were compared with the amount of fragmented DNA using a quantitative method. Measurement of mitochondrial transmembrane potential (deltapsi(m)) and intracellular calcium concentrations [Ca2+]i was performed with fluorescent probes and fluorescence concentration analysis (FCA). RESULTS: Although lymphoblastoid and monocytoid cells acutely infected by HIV-1 had increased levels of fragmented DNA, a marker of apoptotic cell death, few (<12%) had condensed chromatin and fragmented nuclei, the morphological features of apoptosis. The predominant alterations in acutely infected cells were distended endoplasmic reticulum and abnormal mitochondria; these ultrastructural changes are consistent with necrosis, although some infected cells simultaneously displayed features of both necrosis and apoptosis. Viability of cells persistently infected by HIV-1 was only minimally reduced from that of uninfected cells. This reduction was accounted for by an increased propensity of the persistently infected cells to die by apoptosis. Alterations in [Ca2+]i and deltapsi(m) occurred in both acutely and persistently infected cells. CONCLUSION: Both necrosis and apoptosis contribute to HIV-1-induced killing of CD4 cells.
Fabrication and Characterization of Thin-Film Metal-Insulator-Metal Diode for use in Rectenna as Infrared Detector

Uncooled Infrared detectors with high sensitivity and shorter response times are preferred as through the wall detection device. An alternate approach for making these sensors, being pursued by us is to use the concept of rectenna with tunnel diodes. Successful fabrication of such high frequency switching diodes with antenna as detectors, offer a much faster response time than existing bolometer. This paper presents the fabrication and characterization of thin-film MIM diode for use in rectenna as an Infrared detector. MIM diodes operate on the basis of quantum mechanical phenomenon, i.e., when a sufficiently thin barrier (<5nm) is sandwiched between two electrodes, current can flow between them by means of tunnelling. This tunnelling probability increases with a decrease in the dielectric barrier height and the separation distance. The MIM diodes were fabricated with asymmetric electrodes with 1μm2 contact areas with cut-off frequency ∼0.1THz. The electrodes of the Ni-NiO-Cr MIM diodes have been fabricated through Photolithography, e-beam lithography, followed by conventional lift-off process. The dielectric layer (NiO) was deposited through plasma oxidation to obtain 2nm thin films. The composition and the thickness of the insulator layer are characterized by metrological tools like SEM and Spectroscopic Ellipsometer. The diode characteristics presented in this paper have been found to be stable and reproducible with the established fabrication conditions. Electrical behaviour (I-V) of the MIM junctions were investigated and compared with the theoretical tunnelling characteristics of the Ni-NiO-Cr MIM diodes. For devices with such non-linear electrodes, excellent agreement is obtained between the measured and the calculated result with the forward bias current as 0.8mA at 0.2V and the reverse bias current as −0.2mA at −0.2V.
A FRAMEWORK FOR ASSESSING THE RELATIVE VULNERABILITY OF SPECIES TO LAND-USE CHANGE

Conversion of native habitat to human-dominated uses is the main driver of global biodiversity loss, yet which species will be most impacted, and why, remain poorly known. There is thus an urgent need to develop frameworks for understanding, and pre- dicting, the effect of habitat alteration on biodiversity. We develop an approach with three components: a demographic model, a regional database of life-history traits, and a sensitivity analysis of the model predictions. We use a spatially explicit model that predicts the fate of individual species in a human-dominated landscape. The model takes as parameters habitat affinity, population growth rate, annual dispersal, and dispersal behavior at the habitat edges. The model predicts the minimum area of native habitat that allows for persistence of a species. We apply the model to a regional community of species, the avifauna of Costa Rica. We gather life-history data (body mass, clutch size, breeding season length, number of broods per year, age at first breeding, life span, and dispersal distance) for Costa Rican birds. When data are not available for Costa Rican species, inferences are made from North American and European birds. We use these data to estimate the model parameters for each species. Minimum patch sizes predicted by the model are used to specify the relative degree of threat faced by each species. We perform a sensitivity analysis of patch size and relative vulnerability predictions to model assumptions and gaps in the data. Our predictions of relative vulnerability are robust to changes in model assumptions and agree with an independently derived empirical assessment. Our framework thus appears to be useful for understanding, and influencing, the fates of neotropical birds and possibly other taxa worldwide.
Influence of pairing and of the spin projection distribution on the “classical” isothermal rotations of a nucleus

The properties of spherical, paired nuclei with finite angular momentum are discussed in terms of “classical” rotations. Rotational quantities like the angular velocity and the moment of inertia are calculated both for the yrast line (T = 0) and for higher temperatures. Particular attention is paid to the superfluid features associated with the pairing correlation. Three different models are considered. The first model is characterized by a constant spacing in the single particle levels and by a constant spin projection, and it is treated analytically in the zero temperature limit. It is shown that this model leads to a very strong back-bending. Calculations accounting for the pairing fluctuations are shown. The second model difiers from the first one in the spin projection distribution which, in analogy with a spherical shell model nucleus, is taken to be rectangular. Analytical calculations show that, while strong superfluid properties remain, the back-bending seen in the previous model disappears. The third model used is the shell model. Numerical calculations of the angular velocities and of the moments of inertia are compared with the results obtained from the previous two models. A remarkable agreement is observed between the second model and the shell model.
Surface-blowing anti-icing technique for aircraft surfaces

An experimental evaluation of surface blowing as an anti-icing technique applicable to aircraft surfaces is presented. A circular cylinder was used to approximate the leading edge of an aircraft icing surface utilizing a number of slots located at the frontal surface along the cylinder to inject air counter to the main air-droplet stream. The effects of afr blowing for single and multiple slots as well as the effect of air injection rates on the reduction of ice accretion rate are reported. The experimental results indicate that surface blowing produces a general reduction in ice buildup.
The Dependence of Strength‐Controlling Fracture Energy on the Flaw‐Size to Grain‐Size Ratio

The transition from single-crystal to polycrystalline fracture energies was studied as a function of the flaw-size to grain-size ratio by two methods. The primary method was calculating fracture energies from observed flaw sizes found at fracture origins in strength-test specimens. Some measurements were also made by varying the number of grains across the web in the applied-moment DCB test. Both methods agreed and generally snowed the transition to polycrystalline fracture energies being completed at flaw-size to grain-size ratios of ∼1 to ∼ 6 for the cubic materials studied. It is estimated that cracks less than ∼½ to ¼ of the grain size cannot be arrested at grain boundaries and that single-crystal fracture energies can be applied below this limit. The grain-size range over which this fracture-energy transition occurs was shown to be a function of extrinsic factors, such as texture, as well as intrinsic factors, such as the number and multiplicity of low-energy single-crystal fracture planes.