cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
WE-D-201B-02: Cardiovascular MR Imaging: Recent Improvements in Speed, Resolution, and Contrast

Within the last decade a number of “parallel acquisition” methods have been developed which allow reduction of acquisition time in MRI. With these, the MRI signal is simultaneously measured by multiple receiver coils, and the redundancy of information allows reduction in the number of necessary measurements. Such methods are particularly well suited to cardiovascular imaging, for which 3D images are generally desired. The practical limit of acceleration is primarily limited by the geometry of the RF receiver coils. MRI systems having coil arrays consisting of several dozen or more elements are becoming commonplace. Of these elements, eight or more might be activated for any one scan. When used in conjunction with other techniques, accelerations of ten‐fold or more can be routinely obtained. Even with acceleration methods, the generation of a high spatial resolution 3D MRI data set still requires scan times on the order of ten seconds or more. However, the unique aspect of MRI compared to other modalities that the data are acquired in Fourier space allows the reconstructed image to appear as if it were acquired in a much smaller time. This is allowed by preferential sampling of the low order spatial frequencies of Fourier space. These advances in parallel acquisition and in effective ordering of Fourier sampling now permit contrast‐enhanced MR angiograms which are markedly superior in spatial and temporal resolution to what they were a decade ago. This thus addresses what is perhaps the principal disadvantage of MRI vs. other modalities for cardiovascular imaging, namely relatively long scan time. The intrinsic advantages of MRI thus can become a greater determinant of its ultimate utilization. These include the 3D nature of the data, the lack of ionizing radiation, the relatively small contrast dose, and the high vascular signal. This presentation will briefly review the physics of the acceleration techniques, discuss the unique synergistic benefits of implementation in cardiovascular imaging, and illustrate the various points with results from multiple in vivo imaging studies. Learning Objectives: 1. Understand recently developed physics techniques which have allowed a 10x improvement in the speed of data acquisition for MR cardiovascular imaging 2. Understand the impact of improved speed on improvements in image quality. 3. Understand some of the relative advantages of MRI vs. other modalities in imaging the cardiovascular system.
Geochronology of archean gneisses in the Lake Helen area, Southwestern Big Horn Mountains, Wyoming

Abstract The RbSr and UPb methods were used to study gneisses in the 7 1 2 - minute Lake Helen quadrangle of the Big Horn Mountains, Wyoming. Two episodes of magmatism, deformation and metamorphism occurred during the Archean. Trondhjemitic to tonalitic orthogneisses and amphibolite of the first episode (E-1) are cut by a trondhjemite pluton and a calc-alkaline intrusive series of the second episode (E-2). The E-2 series includes hornblende-biotite quartz diorite, biotite tonalite, biotite granodiorite and biotite granite. A RbSr whole-rock isochron for E-1 gneisses indicates an age of 3007 ± 34 Ma (1 sigma) and an initial 87Sr/86Sr of 0.7001 ± 0.0001. UPb determination on zircon from E-1 gneisses yield a concordia intercept age of 2947 ± 50 Ma. The low initial ratio suggests that the gneisses had no significant crustal history prior to metamorphism, and that the magmas from which they formed had originated from a mafic source. A RbSr whole-rock isochron for E-2 gneisses gives an age of 2801 ± 31 Ma. The 87Sr/86Sr initial ration is 0.7015 ± 0.0002 and precludes the existence of the rocks for more than 150 Ma prior to metamorphism. The E-2 magmas may have originated from melting of E-1 gneisses or from a more mafic source.
Mixing Apples and Oranges and Other Methodological Problems with a Meta-Analysis of Long Term Psychodynamic Psychotherapy

Current trends in mental health practice indicate that mental health practitioners, including clinical social workers, are tending to move away from psychodynamic approaches and are favoring short-term empirically supported approaches such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). Recently, the presumption that long-term psychodynamic psychotherapy (LTPP) approaches lack empirical support has been challenged, however, with the publication in major peer reviewed journals of meta-analyses that are claimed to demonstrate its equality to or superiority over empirically supported short-term therapies for some conditions. The present article examines the methodology employed in one particular meta-analysis which compared LTPP to short term therapies and the studies upon which the analysis was based. We found that major methodological and statistical flaws with the meta-analysis and with the individual studies preclude drawing any conclusions regarding the efficacy of LTPP.
A steady conjugate heat transfer problem with conduction and free convection

A steady conjugate heat transfer problem dealing with conduction in a heat-generating slab and free convection in the surrounding fluid is studied analytically. Free convection is analyzed by a Gortler-type series solution to the boundary-layer equations for non-uniform surface-temperature variations, while conduction is treated by the standard technique of Fourier transforms. Interfacial temperature and heat flux variations from both solutions in series forms are then formally matched to yield algebraic relations for the coefficients in the series. These coefficients can then be simply evaluated in a given problem in terms of three physical parameters. A numerical example is shown.
Galectin-3 protein modulates cell surface expression and activation of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 in human endothelial cells.

Angiogenesis is heavily influenced by VEGF-A and its family of receptors, particularly VEGF receptor 2 (VEGF-R2). Like most cell surface proteins, VEGF-R2 is glycosylated, although the function of VEGF-R2 with respect to its glycosylation pattern is poorly characterized. Galectin-3, a glycan binding protein, interacts with the EGF and TGFβ receptors, retaining them on the plasma membrane and altering their signal transduction. Because VEGF-R2 is glycosylated and both galectin-3 and VEGF-R2 are involved with angiogenesis, we hypothesized that galectin-3 binds VEGF-R2 and modulates its signal transduction as well. Employing a Western blot analysis approach, we found that galectin-3 induces phosphorylation of VEGF-R2 in endothelial cells. Knockdown of galectin-3 and Mgat5, an enzyme that synthesizes high-affinity glycan ligands of galectin-3, reduced VEGF-A mediated angiogenesis in vitro. A direct interaction on the plasma membrane was detected between galectin-3 and VEGF-R2, and this interaction was dependent on the expression of Mgat5. Using immunofluorescence and cell surface labeling, we found an increase in the level of internalized VEGF-R2 in both Mgat5 and galectin-3 knockdown cells, suggesting that galectin-3 retains the receptor on the plasma membrane. Finally, we observed reduced suture-induced neovascularization in the corneas of Gal3−/− and Mgat5−/− mice. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that, like its role with the EGF and TGFβ receptors, galectin-3 contributes to the plasma membrane retention and proangiogenic function of VEGF-R2.
Intrahippocampal administration of an NMDA-receptor antagonist impairs spatial discrimination reversal learning in weanling rats

Systemic administration of MK-801, an NMDA-receptor antagonist, impairs reversal learning in weanling rats [Chadman, K.K., Watson, D.J., & Stanton, M.E. (2006). NMDA-receptor antagonism impairs reversal learning in developing rats. Behavioral Neuroscience, 120(5), 1071-1083]. The brain systems responsible for this effect are not known in either adult or young animals. This study tested the hypothesis that hippocampal NMDA receptors are engaged in weanling-age rats during spatial discrimination reversal training in a T-maze. In Experiment 1, 26-day-old Long-Evans rats (P26) showed a dose-related impairment on this task following bilateral intrahippocampal administration of either 2.5 or 5.0microg MK-801 or saline vehicle during the reversal training phase only. In Experiment 2, P26 rats were trained on the same task, but received intrahippocampal MK-801 (2.5microg) during acquisition, reversal, both, or neither. MK-801 failed to impair acquisition, ruling out nonspecific "performance effects" of the drug. MK-801 impaired reversal irrespective of drug treatment during acquisition. NMDA-receptor antagonism in the hippocampus is sufficient to account for the previously reported effects of systemic MK-801 on reversal of T-maze position discrimination.
Steady-State Solutions of a One-Dimensional Hydrodynamic Model for Semiconductors

Abstract Steady-state BV solutions to a one-dimensional hydrodynamic model for semiconductors are shown to exist as limits of viscous solutions as the viscosity vanishes.
Synthetic fossilization of soft biological tissues and their shape-preserving transformation into silica or electron-conductive replicas

Structural preservation of complex biological systems from the subcellular to whole organism level in robust forms, enabling dissection and imaging while preserving 3D context, represents an enduring grand challenge in biology. Here we report a simple immersion method for structurally preserving intact organisms via conformal stabilization within silica. This self-limiting process, which we refer to as silica bioreplication, occurs by condensation of water-soluble silicic acid proximally to biomolecular interfaces throughout the organism. Conformal nanoscopic silicification of all biomolecular features imparts structural rigidity enabling the preservation of shape and nano-to-macroscale dimensional features upon drying to form a biocomposite and further high temperature oxidative calcination to form silica replicas or reductive pyrolysis to form electrically conductive carbon replicas of complete organisms. The simplicity and generalizability of this approach should facilitate efforts in biological preservation and analysis and could enable the development of new classes of biomimetic composite materials.
Pesticides as a source of developmental disabilities

Pesticide residues can be detected in the tissues of every human because of their world-wide distribution and chemical properties. Despite many thousands of scientific publications on pesticide mechanisms of action, however, surprisingly little is known of their potential as a source of developmental disabilities resulting from interference with brain development. The lack of information is particularly surprising because the most popular classes of insecticides are designed specifically as neurotoxicants. Two broad classes are reviewed here: the organophosphates and the organochlorine compounds. The evidence for developmental neurotoxicity arising from organophosphate exposure is ambiguous, but careful animal studies and residual effects in humans following acute intoxication suggest that these compounds may prove hazardous to the developing brain at exposure levels below those inducing overt signs. The organochlorine compounds provide firmer evidence of developmental neurotoxicity in humans. Phenomena such as chemically induced kindling have been observed in animals and persistent deficits have been reported in children after acute poisoning. Given the many poisoning episodes in children reported every year, and compulsive application to nearly every species of flora on the planet, the scope of the problem is inconsistent with the remarkably sparse information available. MRDD Research Reviews 1997;3:246–256. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
The Quassaic Group, a Medial to Late Ordovician arenite sequence in the Marlboro Mountains Outlier, mid-Hudson Valley, New York, U.S.A.

The Quassaic Group occurs as an outlier in the north-south trending Marlboro Syncline which extends 40 km between Kingston and Newburgh in southeastern New York. The group is comprised primarily of 3050 m of late Medial to medial Late Ordovician marine arenites. It is subdivided (oldest to youngest) into five formations: Creek Locks, Rifton, Shaupeneak. Slab Sides, and Chodikee. On the western limb of the syncline the group overlies a minimum of 610 m of the early late Medial Ordovician Bushkill Shale and the bottom three formations grade north and south to Bushkill Shale. Abundance of graded but occasionally conglomeratic beds, common tabular cross-lamination, much less common trough cross-lamination, comparative lack of channelling, general lack of shales, and scarcity of fossils indicate that the average depositional environment of the formations was near the base of the slope of a sedimentary apron or delta which lay to the southeast. The environment, however, probably extended from a basin plain, in the marginal Bushkill Shale, through the lower and middle slope and, rarely, to the upper slope. The occasional molasse-like deposits in the Shaupeneak Formation may indicate local transport of molasse to an upper slope position. The Quassaic Group thus records an initial, local extension of arenites of the lower slope of an apron or delta onto a downwarping basin plain in the Bushkill Trough. This was followed by progressive enlargement and extension of the delta slope with attendant shallowing, culminated by the appearance of molasse-like sediments. Subsequent deposition involved greater slope extension followed by recession with gradual deepening. These activities were prelude to the Hudson Valley Phase of the Taconian Orogeny which downfolded the Quassaic Group into the Marlboro Syncline during latest Ordovician times.
Conflict, sticks and carrots: war increases prosocial punishments and rewards

Unlike most species, humans cooperate extensively with group members who are not closely related to them, a pattern sustained in part by punishing non-cooperators and rewarding cooperators. Because internally cooperative groups prevail over less cooperative rival groups, it is thought that violent intergroup conflict played a key role in the evolution of human cooperation. Consequently, it is plausible that propensities to punish and reward will be elevated during intergroup conflict. Using experiments conducted before, during and after the 2006 Israel–Hezbollah war, we show that, during wartime, people are more willing to pay costs to punish non-cooperative group members and reward cooperative group members. Rather than simply increasing within-group solidarity, violent intergroup conflict thus elicits behaviours that, writ large, enhance cooperation within the group, thereby making victory more likely.
Application of the wrapper framework for image object detection

Tools for automatic image understanding for managing operator workloads are essential. One common task for image analysts is the scanning large collections of real-time images looking for particular objects of interest. This task is difficult to automate due to variable imaging geometries and environmental conditions. This variability of conditions can make automating image strong segmentation for eventual object classification extremely difficult. This paper proposes a tool which integrates image segmentation and classification to allow the integration of semantically meaningful information into the segmentation process. The wrapper framework has previously been shown to be effective in performing strong segmentation on images containing large complex shapes in a fixed field of view. This research extends the applicability of wrapper to wide area surveillance of images containing possibly multiple objects of interest. The approach is demonstrated on aerial images from the Katrina disaster to be able to detect buildings for possible damage assessment.
Predicting folding free energy changes upon single point mutations

Motivation: The folding free energy is an important characteristic of proteins stability and is directly related to protein's wild-type function. The changes of protein's stability due to naturally occurring mutations, missense mutations, are typically causing diseases. Single point mutations made in vitro are frequently used to assess the contribution of given amino acid to the stability of the protein. In both cases, it is desirable to predict the change of the folding free energy upon single point mutations in order to either provide insights of the molecular mechanism of the change or to design new experimental studies. Results: We report an approach that predicts the free energy change upon single point mutation by utilizing the 3D structure of the wild-type protein. It is based on variation of the molecular mechanics Generalized Born (MMGB) method, scaled with optimized parameters (sMMGB) and utilizing specific model of unfolded state. The corresponding mutations are built in silico and the predictions are tested against large dataset of 1109 mutations with experimentally measured changes of the folding free energy. Benchmarking resulted in root mean square deviation = 1.78 kcal/mol and slope of the linear regression fit between the experimental data and the calculations was 1.04. The sMMGB is compared with other leading methods of predicting folding free energy changes upon single mutations and results discussed with respect to various parameters. Availability: All the pdb files we used in this article can be downloaded from http://compbio.clemson.edu/downloadDir/mentaldisorders/sMMGB_pdb.rar Contact: [email protected] Supplementary information:Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
A Subpopulation of Smooth Muscle Cells in Injured Rat Arteries Expresses Platelet-Derived Growth Factor–B Chain mRNA

Proliferation of smooth muscle cells (SMCs) and formation of a neointima are characteristics of the response of rat carotid arteries to balloon injury. Rat platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-B was cloned, thus allowing us to use species-specific probes to carry out in situ hybridization on the surface of injured arteries. A distinct population of luminal SMCs (7% to 10%) in the developing neointima expressed PDGF-B mRNA, but very few luminal SMCs still expressed PDGF-B (0.5%) when the lesion had stopped growing. Primary SMC cultures revealed expression of PDGF-B mRNA in 1.6% of SMCs derived from normal tunica media and in 11% of SMCs derived from the neointima. These data demonstrate that SMCs in the injured vessel wall are heterogeneous with regard to PDGF-B expression and that subculturing of these cells may give rise to cultures that are either positive or negative for PDGF-B expression. Furthermore, with abundant expression of the PDGF receptor beta-subunit expressed by intimal SMCs, our findings provide evidence that PDGF-B synthesized by these cells may be involved in intimal lesion formation via a paracrine or autocrine mechanism.
The genetic architecture of life span and mortality rates: gender and species differences in inbreeding load of two seed-feeding beetles.

We examine the inbreeding load for adult life span and mortality rates of two seed beetle species, Callosobruchus maculatus and Stator limbatus. Inbreeding load differs substantially between males and females in both study populations of C. maculatus—life span of inbred females was 9–13% shorter than the life span of outbred females, whereas the life span of inbred males did not differ from the life span of outbred males. The effect of inbreeding on female life span was largely due to an increase in the slope of the mortality curve. In contrast, inbreeding had only a small effect on the life span of S. limbatus—life spans of inbred beetles were ∼5% shorter than those of outbred beetles, and there was no difference in inbreeding load between the sexes. The inbreeding load for mean life span was ∼0.4–0.6 lethal equivalents per haploid gamete for female C. maculatus and ∼0.2–0.3 for both males and females of S. limbatus, all within the range of estimates commonly obtained for Drosophila. However, contrary to the predictions of mutation-accumulation models, inbreeding load for loci affecting mortality rates did not increase with age in either species, despite an effect of inbreeding on the initial rate of increase in mortality. This was because mortality rates decelerated with age and converged to a mortality plateau for both outbred and inbred beetles.
Urinary incontinence secondary to drugs

With the current rapid introduction of new drugs on the market, drug toxicity and side effects have received increasing publicity in the literature. Bladder dysfunction, however, rarely has been reported as an adverse effect. The possible mechanisms in the induction of urinary incontinence by three main groups of drugs, the neuroleptics, the antihypertensive agents, and the drugs used in the treatment of neurogenic bladder obstruction, are reviewed. These drugs are thought to act peripherally at sympathetic neurons or through a centrally-mediated effect.
Reactions of Oklahoma City bombing survivors to media coverage of the September 11, 2001, attacks

Abstract Objective This study explored the effects of media coverage of a terrorist incident in individuals remote from the location of a major attack who had directly experienced a prior terrorist incident. Method Directly-exposed survivors of the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing, initially studied six months after the incident, and indirectly-affected Oklahoma City community residents were assessed two to seven months after the September 11, 2001, attacks. Survivors were assessed for a diagnosis of bombing-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) at index and follow up, and emotional reactions and September 11 media behavior were assessed in all participants. Results Among the three investigated forms of media (television, radio, and newspaper), only television viewing was associated with 9/11-related posttraumatic stress reactions. Exposure to the Oklahoma City bombing was associated with greater arousal in relation to the September 11 attacks, and among survivors, having developed bombing-related PTSD was associated with higher scores on all three September 11 posttraumatic stress response clusters (intrusion, avoidance, and arousal). Although time spent watching television coverage of the September 11 attacks and fear-related discontinuation of media contact were not associated with Oklahoma City bombing exposure, discontinuing September 11 media contact due to fear was associated with avoidance/numbing in the full sample and in the analysis restricted to the bombing survivors. Conclusion Surviving a prior terrorist incident and developing PTSD in relation to that incident may predispose individuals to adverse reactions to media coverage of a future terrorist attack.
Nitrate and Sediment Fluxes from a California Rangeland Watershed

Long-term water quality records for assessing natural variability, impact of management, and that guide regulatory processes to safeguard water resources are rare for California oak woodland rangelands. This study presents a 20-yr record (1981–2000) of nitrate-nitrogen (NO3–N) and suspended sediment export from a typical, grazed oak woodland watershed(103ha) inthenorthernSierraNevadafoothills ofCalifornia. Mean annual precipitation over the 20-yr period was 734 mm yr 21 (range 366–1205 mm yr 21 ). Mean annual stream flow was 353 mm y 21 (range 87–848 mm yr 21 ). Average annual stream flow was 48.1 6 16% of precipitation. Mean annual NO3–N export was 1.6 kg ha 21 yr 21 (range 0.18–3.6 kg ha 21 yr 21 ). Annual NO3–N export significantly (P , 0.05) increased with increasing annual stream flow and precipitation. Meandaily NO3–Nexportwas0.004 kgha 21 d 21 (range10 25 to0.55kg ha 21 d 21 ). Mean annual suspended sediment export was 198 kg ha 21 yr 21 (range 23–479 kg ha 21 yr 21 ). There was a positive relationship (P , 0.05) between annual suspended sediment export, annual stream flow and precipitation. Mean daily suspended sediment export was 0.54 kg ha 21 d 21 (range 10 24 to 155 kg ha 21 d 21 ). Virtually no sediment was exported during the dry season. The large variation in daily and annual fluxes highlights the necessity of using long-term records to establish quantitative water quality targets for rangelands and demonstrates the difficulty of designing a water quality monitoring program for these ecosystems.
Nasometer 6200 Versus Nasometer II 6400: Effect on Measures of Nasalance.

Objective: This study compared measures of nasalance obtained using the Nasometer 6200 versus the Nasometer II 6400 in typically speaking young adult males and females for the nonnasal Zoo Passage, the phonetically balanced Rainbow Passage, and the Nasal Sentences. Design: Participants read passages at a comfortable pitch and loudness twice while wearing Nasometer 6200 or Nasometer II 6400 headgear. The order of Nasometer system was counterbalanced across participants, and the order of the reading passage was randomized. Participants: Participants consisted of 25 males (mean age = 21.22 years) and 25 females (mean age = 23.83 years). Main Outcome Measures: The main outcomes measures were nasalance scores (%) obtained for each system × passage per participant. Results: Results showed that the Nasometer 6200 and the Nasometer II 6400 differed significantly on mean nasalance for the Zoo Passage (mean difference = 7.15%) and the Rainbow Passage (mean difference = 3.05%) but not for the Nasal Sentences (m...
New Themes in Physics Teaching: A personal retrospective

For a little over 40 years, what we label now, physics education research, has been conducted. As a result, new themes in the research in physics learning and in physics education have emerged. Some of these themes are cognitivism, qualitative research, learning as construction of knowledge, epistemological underpinnings that are not realist, student understanding-driven pedagogies, and scholarship in fields outside physics. These themes have arisen in minds of our colleagues, who focus their attention on students’ understandings of physical phenomena, instead of how well the students do on conventional tests. Physics education research shows that alternative pedagogies result in a wider range of students making much greater changes in their understanding of the phenomena than the conventional pedagogies, far beyond mere statistical significance. Yet, these themes are still just themes and not major changes in physics teaching as a whole enterprise. Since we know these pedagogies are better for our students and thereby for our culture, the challenge becomes one of how to overcome the hegemonic pressures pushing back toward the status quo .
Combined system-level redundancy and modular arithmetic for fault tolerant digital signal processing

This paper proposes combining system-level modular redundancy with the arithmetic modularity of residue number system (RNS) arithmetic to achieve fault tolerance in high speed digital signal processing (DSP) systems. Double, triple, and quadruple modular redundancy are combined with RNS modularity for realizing important DSP computational kernels. The discussion includes the development of the serial-by-modulus (SBM) RNS architecture in which residue digits are processed sequentially in circuits that handle only one modular operation at a given time, thereby sacrificing speed for circuit simplicity. As a potential application of the SBM concept, a variable-word-length sum-of-products signal processing kernel is developed based on a serial-by-modulus RNS architecture. Because the RNS is not a weighted number representation, if the instantaneous dynamic range requirement can be estimated it may be possible to perform the computation with only enough residue digits to provide the necessary dynamic range. >
Cognitive conflict resolution: mediation analysis and strategies

Mediation provides an important and effective approach to conflict resolution. The desire to view mediation as a science rather than an art has made mediation analysis a rich research arena. Despite the fact that mediation is a widespread and useful element of interpersonal problem solving, there remains no coherent theoretical account of how its benefits may be achieved in general. In this paper, we explore fundamental problems in resolving conflict using mediation. We describe our aims in managing these problems using a cognitive mediation approach. The primary discussion focuses on a theoretical account of cognitive decision-making agents, a two-phase mediation process model, a representation of interpersonal conflict, and a framework for managing dialogue and interactions among agents and with the mediator during the mediation process. We then describe how we are assessing the applicability of this approach within an experimental mediation environment and compare it with other widely used approaches in various conflict settings. >
Structure-In Vitro Activity Relationships of Pentamidine Analogues and Dication-Substituted Bis-Benzimidazoles as New Antifungal Agents

Twenty analogues of pentamidine, 7 primary metabolites of pentamidine, and 30 dicationic substituted bis-benzimidazoles were screened for their inhibitory and fungicidal activities against Candida albicans and Cryptococcus neoformans. A majority of the compounds had MICs at which 80% of the strains were inhibited (MIC80s) comparable to those of amphotericin B and fluconazole. Unlike fluconazole, many of these compounds were found to have potent fungicidal activity. The most potent compound against C. albicans had an MIC80 of </=0.09 microg/ml, and the most potent compound against C. neoformans had an MIC80 of 0.19 microg/ml. Selected compounds were also found to be active against Aspergillus fumigatus, Fusarium solani, Candida species other than C. albicans, and fluconazole-resistant strains of C. albicans and C. neoformans. It is clear from the data presented here that further studies on the structure-activity relationships, mechanisms of action and toxicities, and in vivo efficacies of these compounds are warranted to determine their clinical potential.
Progress Toward Validation of Quikscat Ultra-High-Resolution Rain Rates using TRMM PR

Although originally designed solely for wind retrieval, the QuikSCAT scatterometer has also proved to be a useful tool for rain retrieval. Resolution enhancement algorithms designed for QuikSCAT allow for ultra-high-resolution (UHR) (2.5 km) simultaneous wind and rain (SWR) retrieval. To enable SWR retrieval, we adjust the geophysical model function (GMF) to account for rain effects such as attenuation or increased backscatter due to increased surface roughness. Comparisons of a co-located data set show that QuikSCAT UHR SWR rain rates are comparable to those from Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission Precipitation Radar (TRMM PR) but have higher variance. The noise level of the QuikSCAT rain estimates can be reduced by forming the reduced resolution rain rate estimates. As expected, rain estimates are significantly worse in regions where wind dominates the backscatter.
Adaptive Embedded Subgraph Algorithms using Walk-Sum Analysis

We consider the estimation problem in Gaussian graphical models with arbitrary structure. We analyze the Embedded Trees algorithm, which solves a sequence of problems on tractable subgraphs thereby leading to the solution of the estimation problem on an intractable graph. Our analysis is based on the recently developed walk-sum interpretation of Gaussian estimation. We show that non-stationary iterations of the Embedded Trees algorithm using any sequence of subgraphs converge in walk-summable models. Based on walk-sum calculations, we develop adaptive methods that optimize the choice of subgraphs used at each iteration with a view to achieving maximum reduction in error. These adaptive procedures provide a significant speedup in convergence over stationary iterative methods, and also appear to converge in a larger class of models.
Potential use of lymphocyte blastogenic responses in diagnosis of bovine tuberculosis.

Abstract A comparison of in vitro lymphocyte responses and delayed type tuberculin skin test responses was made in an animal experimentally exposed to a Mycobacterium bovis -infected animal and in cattle naturally infected with M. bovis . Tuberculin skin tests did not suppress in vitro lymphocyte responses to M. bovis PPD and to M. avium PPD tuberculin. The whole blood test used in these studies provided for considerable savings in time as compared to use of purified lymphocytes for evaluating in vitro cellular responses. Variations in the responsiveness of lymphocytes to specific mycobacterial antigens was observed, therefore, it is recommended that profiles be established using three or more tests conducted at 14-day intervals.
14,15-Epoxyeicosa-5,8,11-trienoic Acid (14,15-EET) Surrogates Containing Epoxide Bioisosteres: Influence upon Vascular Relaxation and Soluble Epoxide Hydrolase Inhibition

All-cis-14,15-epoxyeicosa-5,8,11-trienoic acid (14,15-EET) is a labile, vasodilatory eicosanoid generated from arachidonic acid by cytochrome P450 epoxygenases. A series of robust, partially saturated analogues containing epoxide bioisosteres were synthesized and evaluated for relaxation of precontracted bovine coronary artery rings and for in vitro inhibition of soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH). Depending upon the bioisostere and its position along the carbon chain, varying levels of vascular relaxation and/or sEH inhibition were observed. For example, oxamide 16 and N-iPr-amide 20 were comparable (ED50 1.7 μM) to 14,15-EET as vasorelaxants but were approximately 10−35 times less potent as sEH inhibitors (IC50 59 and 19 μM, respectively); unsubstituted urea 12 showed useful activity in both assays (ED50 3.5 μM, IC50 16 nM). These data reveal differential structural parameters for the two pharmacophores that could assist the development of potent and specific in vivo drug candidates.
Evolution of the neocortex: a perspective from developmental biology

The enlargement and species-specific elaboration of the cerebral neocortex during evolution holds the secret to the mental abilities of humans; however, the genetic origin and cellular mechanisms that generated the distinct evolutionary advancements are not well understood. This article describes how novelties that make us human may have been introduced during evolution, based on findings in the embryonic cerebral cortex in different mammalian species. The data on the differences in gene expression, new molecular pathways and novel cellular interactions that have led to these evolutionary advances may also provide insight into the pathogenesis and therapies for human-specific neuropsychiatric disorders.
A Multidiagnostic Intercomparison of Tropical-Width Time Series Using Reanalyses and Satellite Observations

Polewardmigrationofthe latitudinaledgeofthe tropicsof0.258‐3.08decade 21 hasbeenreportedin several recent studies basedon satellite andradiosondedata and reanalysis output coveringthe past ;30 yr. The goal ofthis paperistoidentifythe extenttowhichthis largerangeoftrendscanbeexplainedbytheuse ofdifferent datasources,timeperiods,andedgedefinitions,aswellashowthewideningvariesasafunctionofhemisphere and season. Toward this end, a suite of tropical edge latitude diagnostics based on tropopause height, winds, precipitation‐evaporation, and outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) are analyzed using several reanalyses and satellite datasets. These diagnostics include both previously used definitionsand new definitions designed for more robust detection. The wide range of widening trends is shown to be primarily due to the use of different datasets and edge definitions and only secondarily due to varying start‐end dates. This study also shows that the large trends (.;18 decade 21 ) previously reported in tropopause and OLR diagnostics are due to theuse of subjectivedefinitions basedon absolutethresholds.Statistically significant Hadleycell expansion based on the mean meridional streamfunction of 1.08‐1.58 decade 21 is found in three of four reanalyses that cover the full time period (1979‐2009), whereas other diagnostics yield trends of 20.58‐0.88 decade 21 that are mostly insignificant. There are indications of hemispheric and seasonal differences in the trends, but the differences are not statistically significant.
Do butalbital-containing products have a role in the management of migraine?

Study Objective. To evaluate the role of butalbital-containing products in the management of migraine. Methods. Qualitative systematic search using MEDLINE (January 1966–November 2001), review of the United States Headache Consortium's evidence-based guidelines for migraine treatment, and review of other pertinent literature. Results. Over 28 million people suffer with migraine, yet this illness is less than optimally diagnosed and managed. Between 14% and 36% of diagnosed migraineurs are prescribed butalbital-containing products, often as initial therapy. However, the only identified controlled trial of these drugs for migraine treatment showed that butalbital-containing products were inferior to butorphanol. The consortium's guidelines specifically discourage administration of butalbital-containing products for migraine. In addition, other published literature highlights the frequent adverse consequences of butalbital-containing products for migraineurs, such as poor migraine control, disability, drug-induced headaches, and withdrawal symptoms. Conclusion. Although butalbital-containing products commonly are prescribed for migraine, no evidence in the literature demonstrates their benefit over other agents or placebo. Drugs with proven migraine efficacy, as listed in the consortium's evidence-based guidelines, should be prescribed instead.
Sleep Deprivation and Stressors: Evidence for Elevated Negative Affect in Response to Mild Stressors When Sleep Deprived

Stress often co-occurs with inadequate sleep duration, and both are believed to impact mood and emotion. It is not yet known whether inadequate sleep simply increases the intensity of subsequent stress responses or interacts with stressors in more complicated ways. To address this issue, we investigated the effects of one night of total sleep deprivation on subjective stress and mood in response to low-stress and high-stress cognitive testing conditions in healthy adult volunteers in two separate experiments (total N = 53). Sleep was manipulated in a controlled, laboratory setting and stressor intensity was manipulated by changing difficulty of cognitive tasks, time pressure, and feedback about performance. Sleep-deprived participants reported greater subjective stress, anxiety, and anger than rested controls following exposure to the low-stressor condition, but not in response to the high-stressor condition, which elevated negative mood and stress about equally for both sleep conditions. These results suggest that sleep deprivation lowers the psychological threshold for the perception of stress from cognitive demands but does not selectively increase the magnitude of negative affect in response to high-stress performance demands.
FOODS OF ARCTIC FOXES (ALOPEX LAGOPUS) DURING WINTER AND SPRING IN WESTERN ALASKA

Abstract During 1986–1991, carcasses of 619 arctic foxes (Alopex lagopus) collected from local trappers and at biological field camps on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta in western Alaska from November through May were analyzed to determine gastrointestinal contents, age, sex, and body condition. Prey in declining order of importance were small mammals (95% tundra voles, Microtus oeconomus), birds, marine mammals, and fishes. Foxes with small mammal remains in their stomachs were captured farther from the Bering Sea coast (X = 5.2 km) than those without small-mammal remains (2.8 km); foxes consuming remains of marine mammals were closer to the coast (1.9 km) than others (4.9 km). Although eggshells had a poor likelihood of occurrence in stomachs, they were found in all months and years. In 1986 and 1987, foxes consumed fewer small mammals than in other years. Mean ages of foxes captured in 1986 (3.7 years) and 1987 (3.2) were greater than in all other years (1.5). Capture of adults was more common as winter pro...
Postoperative Ketotic Hyperglycemia During Prostaglandin E1 Infusion in Infancy

Prostaglandin E1 (PGE-1) has recently been approved for intravenous infusion in infants as a palliative treatment in selected cardiovascular anomalies (E. Micalizzi, personal communication, 1981). These include lesions in which patency of the ductus arteriosus is necessary to assure either pulmonary or systemic blood flow.1 In addition to its vasoactive properties, PGE-1 has many metabolic properties, some of which are now coming under close scrutiny. This case report describes the postoperative course of an infant who, while under treatment with PGE-1, became severely hyperglycemic with apparent ketoacidosis. CASE REPORT J.R. was the product of a 35-week gestation as determined by dates. The mother was an insulin-dependent diabetic with renal-vascular involvement.
Prehospital trauma care education for first responders in Rajasthan, India: a multi-institutional study

trainer (CVC), interpret a chest radiograph, relay “bad news” to the patient/family (BN) and place a tube thoracostomy in a partial task trainer (TT). To assess performance, check lists (CL) in all four tasks and global rating scales (GR) in the two procedural tasks were created. A midlevel surgical resident and an attending surgeon/anesthesiologist assessed each trainee. Spearman’s and intraclass correlation coefficient were used to compare agreement between assessments.
Pulmonary edema associated with the use of betamimetic agents in preterm labor

A case report of pulmonary edema associated with the use of a betamimetic agent in preterm labor is reported. A 31-year-old, black multigravida woman, 28 weeks pregnant, was admitted to the hospital with dysuria, vaginal bleeding, and uterine contractions. She had experienced premature labor in her previous pregnancies, and she had a history of kidney stones, confirmed by pyelography, and repeated urinary tract infections. Eighteen hours after admission, the contractions were occurring every five minutes. Terbutaline sulfate constant infusion (10-20 micrograms/min) was started. By hospital day 2, the uterine contractions were occurring every 1-2 minutes and lasting 50 seconds. The terbutaline therapy was discontinued, and isoxsuprine hydrochloride infusion was started at 240 micrograms/min and gradually increased to 800 micrograms/min. The patient complained of smothering and became tachypneic after one hour and 40 minutes of therapy. The shortness of breath and tachypnea continued in spite of the administration of oxygen and positional changes. The isoxsuprine was discontinued. The diagnosis of pulmonary edema was confirmed by abnormal findings in the chest roentgenogram, bilateral rales, and a decrease in arterial blood oxygen pressure. A literature review of pulmonary edema associated with the administration of beta sympathomimetic drugs is presented, which suggests this adverse effect is multifactorial in origin. Precipitating factors may include corticosteroids, fluid overload, low levels of serum potassium, twin gestations, a sustained tachycardia greater than 140 beats per minute, undiagnosed cardiopulmonary disease, or catecholamine-induced cardiac injury. Patients requiring betamimetics for the delay of premature labor should be monitored closely to obviate this complication.
Germ-cell Tumors of the Mediastinum, Postmortem Findings

Autopsy findings in 20 cases of clinical extragonadal germ-cell tumors arising in the anterior mediastinum are presented. The histologic types were: 2 choriocarcinomas, 3 seminomas, 3 malignant teratomas, 3 embryonal carcinomas, and 9 mixed germ-cell tumors. All of the patients were men, and the ages ranged from 14 to 45 years, with a mean of 32.5 years. The mean survival for these patients after diagnosis was 10.9 months. Local recurrence was characteristic of non-seminomatous tumors. In patients with seminoma, local control of the disease was good, but distant metastases were the cause of death. The most frequent sites of metastases were lungs, bones and liver. In all 20 cases, the testes were carefully step-sectioned. Occult tumor was found in only one case of embryonal carcinoma and a well-defined testicular scar with calcification in a patient with choriocarcinoma. Both patients had lower retroperitoneal metastases. These findings support the premise that, in the majority of cases, these tumors had a primary extragonadal origin.
Oviposition Response of Limonius Agonus (Say) (Coleoptera, Elateridae) to Sand Particle Size

The eastern field wire worm, Limonius agonus (Say), is normally found in large numbers in continuously cropped, fine sandy soils. Infestations may further be confined to the sandier portions of a given field. By contrast the wheat wire worm, Agriotes mancus (Say), is normally found in large populations only in heavier sod soils. No instance of mixed populations of these two species are recorded although heavy infestations may occur within a few miles of each other. Rawlins (1940) noted the distinctions between these two species.
A community-driven action plan to eliminate breast and cervical cancer disparity: successes and limitations.

Background The objective of Alabama Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health 2010 is to implement and evaluate a community action plan (CAP) developed by a diverse coalition to reduce breast and cervical cancer screening disparities between African American and White women. Methods The CAP entailed (1) establishing a core working group (CWG) in each county, (2) training CWG members to promote screenings, and (3) providing coalition members with technical assistance to write mini-grants. Results Overall, 241 CWG members were trained. They have conducted 2800 cancer screening surveys. A total of 8 coalition members received mini-grants. Conclusion Community capacity building can lead to a sense of ownership and empowerment.
Basic Principle of Quality Measurement Sensor & New QCS Da Vinci

At present, though QCS is used in paper process normally, it was originally developed for the purpose of the measurement and quality control. After that, MD control, CD control and various optimizationcontrol have been added, and then, QCS is becoming to be unified with DCS, and MES as well today.This time, I would like to think about the composition and principle of quality measurement sensor, a basic part of QCS, again.
Theoretical Study of Gas-Phase Thermodynamics Relevant to Silicon Carbide Chemical Vapor Deiposition

Equilibrium calculations are reported for conditions typical of silicon carbide (SiC) deposition from mixtures of silane and hydrocarbons. Included are 34 molecules containing both silicon and carbon, allowing an assessment to be made of the importance of organosilicon species (and organosilicon radicals in particular) to the deposition process. The results are used to suggest strategies for improved operation of SiC CVD processes.
Inmates’ Perceptions of the Benefits and Harm of Prison Interviews:

We report here on inmates’ experiences with participating in interview-based research to provide insights on the ethics and validity of research on prisoners. We interviewed 40 inmates to explore t...
Use of a Quality Improvement Initiative to Achieve Consistent Reporting of Level of Suspicion for Tumor on Multiparametric Prostate MRI.

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this article is to evaluate the utility of a quality improvement (QI) initiative in achieving long-term adherence to an evolving structured format for reporting the level of suspicion for tumor on prostate MRI examinations. MATERIALS AND METHODS. The original QI initiative occurred over a 4-month period in 2010, before which prostate MRI was reported using free text. The initiative consisted of development of a section-wide macro, an initial group training session, ordering physician input regarding the structured report's value, subsequent weekly sessions for ongoing review, and timely individualized feedback in instances of nonuse. The initial structured report included pick lists for describing the level of suspicion for tumor as negative, low, medium, or high. Pick lists were modified in 2011 to incorporate a 5-point Likert scale and again in 2015 to incorporate Prostate Imaging Data and Reporting System (PI-RADS) version 2. These refinements were implemented after accelerate...