cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Early Outcome of Prostate Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) Incorporating a Simultaneous Intra-Prostatic MRI Directed Boost.

This study assessed the feasibility and outcomes of treating prostate cancer with intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) incorporating a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) directed boost. Seventy-eight men received IMRT for localized prostate cancer. The entire prostate received 77.4Gy in 43 fractions and simultaneous intra-prostatic boosts (SIB) of 83Gy were administered to increase the dose to the MRI identified malignancy. In 16 (21%) patients, the MRI didn’t detect a neoplasm and these patients received an SIB of 81Gy to the posterior prostate. Androgen Deprivation Therapy (ADT) was also administered to 32 (41%) patients. The 3-year rates of biochemical control, local control, distant control, and survival were 92%, 98%, 95%, and 95% respectively. While grade 1-2 toxicities were common, there were only 2 patients who suffered grade 3 toxicity. These patients developed strictures which were dilated resulting in improvement in symptoms such that both had grade 1-2 toxicity at last follow up examination. The results of this program of IMRT incorporating a MRI directed intra-prostatic boost suggest this technique is feasible and well tolerated. This technique appears to shift the therapeutic index favorably by boosting the malignancy to the highest dose without increasing the doses administered to the bladder and rectum.
The role of chromosomal RNAs in marking the X for dosage compensation

Both flies and mammals remodel the architecture of the X chromosome to achieve dosage compensation. A novel class of noncoding RNAs that paint entire chromosomes are centrally involved in this process. The genes encoding these unusual RNAs are themselves located on the X, and are key sites that target the X for dosage compensation.
Quantitative Authorship Attribution: An Evaluation of Techniques

The basic assumption of quantitative authorship attribution is that the author of a text can be selected from a set of possible authors by comparing the values of textual measurements in that text to their corresponding values in each possible author's writing sample. Over the past three centuries, many types of textual measurements have been proposed, but never before have the majority of these measurements been tested on the same dataset. A large-scale comparison of textual measurements is crucial if current techniques are to be used effectively and if new and more powerful techniques are to be developed. This article presents the results of a comparison of thirty-nine different types of textual measurements commonly used in attribution studies, in order to determine which are the best indicators of authorship. Based on the results of these tests, a more accurate approach to quantitative authorship attribution is proposed, which involves the analysis of many different textual measurements.
The Annihilation of Space by Law: The Roots and Implications of Anti‐Homeless Laws in the United States

There is a link between changes in the contemporary political economy and the criminalization of homelessness. Anti-homeless legislation can be understood as an attempt to annihilate the spaces in which homeless people must live, and perform everyday functions. This annihilation is a response to the economic uncertainty produced by the current political economy. The process of criminalizing homelessness 1) destroys the very right of homeless people to be; and 2) reinforces particularly brutal notions of citizenship within the public sphere. Such laws are made possible when urban government and surrounding communities and elites seek to promote the urban landscape at the expense of urban public space. This usurpation of public space will have profound impact not only on homeless people but also on how the housed interact with each other.
Catastrophe time scales and conventions

The delay convention and the Maxwell convention, widely adopted in catastrophe theory, may be regarded as two extreme cases in a broad range of possibilities. A Fokker-Planck equation is introduced to interpolate between these two extremes. The two time scales associated with the Fokker-Planck equation are related to the critical curvature and the potential-barrier height. The canonical relaxation and diffusion time scale curves of the cusp catastrophe are presented. Quantitative conditions for the validity of one of these two conventions are given in terms of the time rate of change of the control parameters, the curvature at locally stable critical points, and a signal-to-noise ratio.
The passivation of nickel in aqueous solutions. III: The passivation of Ni-30 wt.% Cu alloys as studied by in situ electrochemical and optical techniques

The passivation of Ni-30% Cu alloys in 0.15 N Na2SO4 solutions was investigated in situ at various values of pH and potential by utilizing differential reflectometry and electrochemical polarization techniques. The film responsible for passivating Ni-Cu alloy is, as was the case for pure nickel, Ni(OH)2. A mixed film, consisting of Ni(OH)2 and Cu2O has been found for pH 4, open solution, and for pH 8, de-aerated solution, both at low potentials. In the case of pH 4, de-aerated solution, de-alloying of copper has been found, particularly at anodic potentials. As a rule, the passivating film thickness for the alloy has been observed to be larger than for pure nickel (except in the case of pH 4 and 8, de-aerated solutions). The alloy was found to passivate at more anodic potentials than pure nickel and the passivating current was higher. In pH 12 solutions (open and de-aerated) both pure nickel and Ni-30% Cu behaved fairly similarly, that is, passivation occurred without active dissolution and the film thickness was nearly a linear function of the electrode potential.
Observations on fatal bronchial asthma

Abstract 1.1. Two cases of bronchial asthma with fatal termination are reported. 2.2. Both of these cases were non-sensitive types. Neither the clinical course nor skin tests gave any evidence of the existence of protein hypersensitiveness. 3.3. The salient pathologic findings were as follows: 3.1.(a) Marked emphysema and bronchitis, in the first case. Dilatation of the bronchi leading to herniation of the wall as a result of a persistent cough. 3.2.(b) Extensive hypertrophy of the bronchial musculature. 3.3.(c) Eosinophilic infiltration of the bronchial wall, surrounding the engorged capillaries and in between muscle fibers similar to the findings in true allergic asthma. 3.4.(d) Hyalinization of the basement membrane. 3.5.(e) Severe atherosclerosis of the pulmonary arteries, with subintimal infiltration of the wall of some of the larger arteries by eosinophile cells (in the first case). 3.6.(f) Marked hypertrophy and dilatation of the right ventricle in the case of nine years' duration. Absence of right-sided cardiac involvement in the case of six months' duration. The hypertrophy of the right ventricle in the first case is due to marked emphysema. 4.4. The occurrence of eosinophilia as evidence of true allergy and its presence in the non-sensitive cases reported is stressed.
Power-efficient spatial multiplexing for multiantenna MANETs

We consider the problem of minimizing network's transmit power for given transmission rate demands of all links in a multi-input multi-output (MIMO) ad hoc network. The problem is nonconvex, hence, challenging to be solved, even in a centralized manner. To derive a distributed solution, we reformulate the problem as a noncooperative game. We then propose a network interference function (NIF) that captures the total interference incurred at unintended receivers by all transmitters. The proposed NIF sets the light for designing transmitter-dependent pricing policies for the above game. A price-based iterative water-filling algorithm (PIWF) is proposed to find MIMO precoding matrices, which determines both beam directions and transmission power allocation among antennas (or data streams) at each transmitter. Simulations show that PIWF is more power-efficient than all existing MIMO precoding methods. Additionally, NIF under PIWF is also the least. Simulations also show the fast convergence of PIWF.
An almost sure invariance principle for partial sums associated with a random field

Abstract Conditions under which the partial sums of an array of weakly dependent random variables ( X n ) nϵ Z d , d ⩾1, are almost surely asymptotically close to standard Brownian motion are derived. For such arrays, which include certain Gibbs random fields from statistical mechanics, the asymptotic behavior of the partial sums is thus a consequence of known results about Brownian motion.
Cognitive functioning in chronically hospitalized schizophrenic patients: age-related changes and age disorientation as a predictor of impairment

Abstract Although schizophrenic patients manifest cognitive impairments, there is considerable varaibility across patients in the severity of this impairment. Very chronic patients with a poor outcome, particularly geriatric patients, manifest the most severe impairments, which have often been characterized as resembling dementia. This study examined age-related changes in cognitive fonctioning in a sample of schizophrenic patients ( n =393) ranging from 25 to 95 years of age, with a specific focus on identifying aspects of performance that were impaired in the youngest patients and preserved in the oldest patients. Age disorientation was examined in detail because it was previously found to predict global intellectual impairment in chronic patients. All 22 test items changed linearly over time (with age), with aspects of orientation, concentration, and delayed recall most impaired in young patients and naming and sentence repetition most preserved in the oldest patients. Age disoriented patients had more severe cognitive impairments at each age and the age-related changes in global impairment were more severe for these patients. The prevalence of age disorientation was consistent with previous reports and a one-year retest of the sample found that age disorientation was extremely stable over time within patients. The types of functions that are preserved in the oldest patients underscore previous findings of differences between geriatric schizophrenic patients and patients with degenerative diseases and the stability of age disorientation suggests that it is a trait of a subset of schizophrenic patients, those who appear to have the most severely declining course of illness.
A 14-b, 0.1ps resolution coarse-fine time-to-digital converter in 45 nm CMOS

A 14-b, 0.1ps resolution interpolating coarse — fine Time-to-Digital Converter (TDC) has been developed in 45nm CMOS technology. It is based on an asynchronous buffer delay line and an RC delay line. A lookup-table (LUT) based calibration scheme was developed to correct non-linearities due to PVT variations.
Frances Lawrence Parker (1906–2002), micropaleontologist and pioneer of paleoceanography

Abstract Frances L. Parker made important contributions to the knowledge of benthic and planktonic Foraminifera, both in respect to taxonomy and to biogeographic and stratigraphic distributions. Her work became part of the foundations of modern paleoceanography, which may be said to begin with the results of the Swedish Deep-Sea Expedition (R/V Alabatross, 1947–1948). Among her most significant works is a demonstration of warm-cold cycles in the Mediterranean, based on Albatross cores, a reorganization of the classification of recent planktonic foraminifers, and a study of lineages in planktonic foraminifers for the Late Cenozoic.
TGF-β2 Suppresses Macrophage Cytokine Production and Mucosal Inflammatory Responses in the Developing Intestine

Background & Aims Premature neonates are predisposed to necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), an idiopathic, inflammatory bowel necrosis. We investigated whether NEC occurs in the preterm intestine due to incomplete noninflammatory differentiation of intestinal macrophages, which increases the risk of a severe mucosal inflammatory response to bacterial products. Methods We compared inflammatory properties of human/murine fetal, neonatal, and adult intestinal macrophages. To investigate gut-specific macrophage differentiation, we next treated monocyte-derived macrophages with conditioned media from explanted human fetal and adult intestinal tissues. Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) expression and bioactivity were measured in fetal/adult intestine and in NEC. Finally, we used wild-type and transgenic mice to investigate the effects of deficient TGF-β signaling on NEC-like inflammatory mucosal injury. Results Intestinal macrophages in the human preterm intestine (fetus/premature neonate), but not in full-term neonates and adults, expressed inflammatory cytokines. Macrophage cytokine production was suppressed in the developing intestine by TGF-β, particularly the TGF-β 2 isoform. NEC was associated with decreased tissue expression of TGF-β 2 and decreased TGF-β bioactivity. In mice, disruption of TGF-β signaling worsened NEC-like inflammatory mucosal injury, whereas enteral supplementation with recombinant TGF-β 2 was protective. Conclusions Intestinal macrophages progressively acquire a noninflammatory profile during gestational development. TGF-β, particularly the TGF-β 2 isoform, suppresses macrophage inflammatory responses in the developing intestine and protects against inflammatory mucosal injury. Enterally administered TGF-β 2 protected mice from experimental NEC-like injury.
Thermal transfer from a small wire in boundary flows about a cylinder

Abstract Measurements were made of the thermal transfer from a small platinum wire in the boundary flows of air about a 1-in copper cylinder. Comparisons were drawn between the isothermal case and the condition where the surface of the cylinder was maintained at a temperature 60 degF above the nominal bulk air temperature of 100°F. The diameter of the platinum wire was approximately 0.001 in and the nominal air velocity was 8 ft/s normal to the axis of the cylinder. Measurements were made at a total of 203 positions relative to the cylinder with duplicate measurements obtained at widely different times.
Cardiac involvement in juvenile rheumatoid arthritis

Fifty-five patients with JRA were studied by echocardiography, electrocardiography, and chest radiography. Systolic time intervals were determined in 40 of these children. Twenty (36%) had echocardiographic evidence of pericarditis. This was most common in patients with the acute systemic form of the disease and was associated with anemia, leukocytosis, and elevated ESR.
Increased gait unsteadiness in community-dwelling elderly fallers

OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that quantitative measures of gait unsteadiness are increased in community-dwelling elderly fallers. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective, case-control study. SETTING: General community. PARTICIPANTS: Thirty-five community-dwelling elderly subjects older than 70 years of age who were capable of ambulating independently for 6 minutes were categorized as fallers (age, 82.2 +/- 4.9 yrs [mean +/- SD]; n = 18) and nonfallers (age, 76.5 +/- 4.0 yrs; n = 17) based on history; 22 young (age, 24.6 +/- 1.9 yrs), healthy subjects also participated as a second reference group. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Stride-to-stride variability (standard deviation and coefficient of variation) of stride time, stance time, swing time, and percent stance time measured during a 6-minute walk. RESULTS: All measures of gait variability were significantly greater in the elderly fallers compared with both the elderly nonfallers and the young subjects (p < .0002). In contrast, walking speed of the elderly fallers was similar to that of the nonfallers. There were little or no differences in the variability measures of the elderly nonfallers compared with the young subjects. CONCLUSIONS: Stride-to-stride temporal variations of gait are relatively unchanged in community-dwelling elderly nonfallers, but are significantly increased in elderly fallers. Quantitative measurement of gait unsteadiness may be useful in assessing fall risk in the elderly.
Nose cavity effects on blunt body pressure and temperatures at Mach 5

Surface temperatures on a hemisphere-cylinder body with a nose cavity in a Mach 4.9 airflow have been measured using an infrared camera. Fluctuating surface pressures have also been measured at the cavity base. The cavity diameter D was fixed at one-half the cylinder diameter and the length L of the cavity was varied. If the cavity lip is sharp and the cavity is "shallow" (0.15 1) an axisymmetric, nominally steady "cool ring" forms on the external surface downstream of the lip. Flow visualization shows that the cool ring is caused by separation at the lip. Rounding the cavity lip eliminates or reduces separation and temperatures return to levels characteristic of the model without the cavity. For "intermediate deep" cavities (0.40 < LID < 0.70) the cavity pressure signals switch from a low-amplitude to high-amplitude level at random intervals resulting in an unstable, nonaxisymmetric temperature field downstream of the lip. Changes in cavity base shape from spherical to flat have little effect on the temperature history for shallow and very deep cavities, whereas for intermediate depth cavities the effects are more significant.
Oxygen concentration-dependent metabolism of leukotriene B4 by hepatocyte monolayers.

Abstract Leukotriene B 4 was found to be metabolized by rat hepatocyte monolayers at a rate that was linear with increasing substrate concentration from 74 to 740 nM leukotriene B 4 . The rates of metabolism were dependent on the O 2 concentration and were 315, 213, 80, and 36 pmol leukotriene B 4 per min per nmol cytochrome P -450 at 20% (212 μM), 4% (42.5 μM), 2% (21.2 μM), and 1% (10.6 μM) O 2 , respectively. The metabolic rate was not linear with respect to O 2 concentration; however, half maximal rate occurred at 4% O 2 , an O 2 concentration found in the pericentral region of normally oxygenated liver. These results suggest that in vivo conditions of hypoxia or ischemia that lead to blood O 2 concentrations less than 4% may drastically decrease hepatic clearance of leukotriene B 4 .
The role of the stringent response in the pathogenesis of bacterial infections

Abstract Precise regulatory control of bacterial gene activation is crucial for the adaptation of pathogens to the hostile microniches of their hosts. The role of one of these global regulators, the stringent response, in pathogen virulence and persistence has recently become a favoured area of research. The complexity and multiplicity of the bacterial genes and regulatory pathways affected by the stringent response suggest that the relationship between the stringent response and virulence could be considerably more complex than expected and is perhaps unique for each pathogen and for each set of virulence properties that it regulates.
The Job Descriptive Index revisited : questions about the question mark

The scoring of the ? response option for items in the Work scale of the Job Descriptive Index (JDI; Smith, Kendall, & Hulin, 1969) was investigated. The scale was administered to 548 individuals at a large university. Analyses similar to those completed by Smith et al. and polychotomous item response theory (IRT) analyses were conducted. The results obtained with Smith et al.'s procedure confirmed that the ? option should be scored as a more negative than positive response for the overall scale. Work satisfaction items that did not discriminate between satisfied and dissatisfied individuals were identified from the latent trait analyses. Using IRT to evaluate such item response options as neutral and no opinion is discussed. Results from items in the Co-Workers and Pay scales of the JDI and the Health and Retirement Valence scales of the Retirement Descriptive Index (Smith et al., 1969) are described
Restriction of feed consumption and body weight in two strains of large white turkey breeder hens

Abstract Large White female-line turkey breeder hen poults (576) of two strains (N, female line and B, male line) were brooded by strain in floor pens from day of hatch until 3 wk of age (WOA). At 3 WOA, all poults were randomly distributed by strain to 48 floor pens in a curtain-sided house. Poults were feed (calorie) restricted beginning at 3 (N3, B3) or 6 (N6, B6) WOA to obtain a 45% reduction in BW at 16 WOA compared to ad libitum controls (NC, BC). At 16 WOA, all hens were gradually returned to ad libitum feeding. At 18 to 30 WOA, all hens were subjected to 8 h light/d. At 30 WOA, all hens were photostimulated with 15.5 h/d. Hens were inseminated weekly with semen from same strain, male-line breeder males. Eggs were collected daily, and all settable eggs from weeks of lay (WOL) 5 to 6, 10 to 11, 15 to 16, 20 to 21, and 24 to 25 were incubated by pen in a common incubator for each set date. Measurements included BW, feed consumption, egg production, mortality, egg fertility, egg hatchability, and poult weight. Statistical analysis of means was performed by strain. Target BW were obtained for feed-restricted hens. Restricted hens increased their feed consumption upon re-alimentation but did not achieve the cumulative feed consumption or BW of control fed hens by 56 WOA. Egg production of N3 hens was greater than NC hens for WOL 2 and 3. Total and settable eggs per hen were greater for N3 hens than for NC for WOL 1 to 5. There were no differences observed for egg weight, egg fertility, hatch of all eggs set, hatch of fertile eggs, or offspring weight among N hen treatments. The B0 hens produced more eggs than B3 or B6 hens. The B6 hens produced lighter weight eggs than B0 hens. It was concluded that early severe feed restriction of female line breeder hens might improve subsequent reproductive performance.
Percutaneous closure of a postero‐medial mitral paravalvular leak: The triple telescopic system

Paravalvular leaks (PVLs) still remain as a serious complication of heart valve surgery. The reported incidence of PVL is ∼ 3-12.5% and most of them become clinically manifest as worsening heart failure, hemolysis, and arrhythmias within the first 6 months. Surgical intervention is recommended for symptomatic patients, but high-operative risk associated with the repeat procedures frequently prohibits the redo surgery for the older patients with multiple severe comorbidities. In view of the limitations of surgery, percutaneous closure techniques have been applied to PVLs with considerable achievement. However, the technique is still challenging due to the lack of specifically engineered instruments for the procedure and requires considerable operator expertise. In this case report, we presented a case of posteromedial mitral PVL, which was successfully closed using an innovative telescopic catheter system involving three different catheters.
Social facilitation of wound healing

Summary It is well documented that psychological stress impairs wound healing in humans and rodents. However, most research effort into influences on wound healing has focused on factors that compromise, rather than promote, healing. In the present study, we determined if positive social interaction, which influences hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis activity in social rodents, promotes wound healing. Siberian hamsters received a cutaneous wound and then were exposed to immobilization stress. Stress increased cortisol concentrations and impaired wound healing in isolated, but not socially housed, hamsters. Removal of endogenous cortisol via adrenalectomy eliminated the effects of stress on wound healing in isolated hamsters. Treatment of isolated hamsters with oxytocin (OT), a hormone released during social contact and associated with social bonding, also blocked stressinduced increases in cortisol concentrations and facilitated wound healing. In contrast, treating socially housed hamsters with an OT antagonist delayed wound healing. Taken together, these data suggest that social interactions buffer against stress and promote wound healing through a mechanism that involves OT-induced suppression of the HPA axis. The data imply that social isolation impairs wound healing, whereas OT treatment may ameliorate some effects of social isolation on health. # 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Effect of microstructure and strain on the degradation behavior of novel bioresorbable iron-manganese alloy implants.

Advancing the understanding of microstructural effects and deformation on the degradability of Fe–Mn bioresorbable alloys (specifically, Fe–33%Mn) will help address the current problems associated with designing degradable fracture fixation implants for hard tissues. Potentiostatic polarization tests were conducted on a wide variety of metal samples to examine how different deformation processes affect the instantaneous rate of degradation of Fe–Mn alloys. Large-strain machining (LSM), a novel severe plastic deformation (SPD) technique was utilized during these experiments to modify the degradation properties of the proposed Fe–Mn alloy. It was discovered that Fe–33%Mn after LSM with a rake angle of 0° (effective strain = 2.85) showed the most promising increase in degradation rate compared to as-cast, annealed, and additional deformation conditions (rolled and other LSM parameters) for the same alloy. The mechanisms for enhancement of the corrosion rate are discussed. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 103A: 738–745, 2015.
FREE ENERGY STUDIES OF FREEZING IN SLIT PORES : AN ORDER-PARAMETER APPROACH USING MONTE CARLO SIMULATION

We report a molecular simulation study of freezing transitions for simple fluids in narrow slit pores. A major stumbling block in previous studies of freezing in pores has been the lack of any method for calculating the free energy difference between the confined solid and liquid phases. Conventional thermodynamic integration methods often fail for confined systems, due to the difficulty in choosing a suitable path of integration. We use a different approach that involves calculating the Landau free energy as a function of a suitable order parameter, using the grand canonical Monte Carlo simulation method. The grand free energy for each phase can then be obtained by one-dimensional integration of the Landau free energy over the order parameter. These calculations are carried out for two types of wall—fluid interaction, a hard wall and a strongly attractive wall modelled on carbon. The grand free energy results for both cases clearly indicate a first order fluid to solid transition. In the case of the attr...
A comment on "Transient analysis of energy equation of dynamic Systems"

In a previously published paper, Vibet presented a very useful equation that involves the product of the impulse function and the unit step function. In this short paper, a new and very simple proof of this equation with clear interpretation is given. In addition, a proof of the corresponding generalized equation is also provided. Students commonly report that the method proposed in this paper improves their understanding of the theorem and helps them achieve a better insight of the problem.
Programmed Cell Death 1 Suppresses B-1b Cell Expansion and Long-Lived IgG Production in Response to T Cell-Independent Type 2 Antigens

B-1b cells play a key role in producing Abs against T cell-independent type 2 Ags. However, the factors regulating Ab production by this unique B cell subset are not well understood. In this study, a detailed analysis of the B cell response to 2,4,6-trinitrophenol (TNP)-Ficoll was performed using normal mice. TNP-Ficoll delivered i.p. or i.v. induced rapid Ag-specific B-1b cell activation, expansion, isotype switching, and plasmablast/plasma cell differentiation. Ag-specific B-1b cell numbers peaked at day 5 and then gradually declined in the spleen but remained elevated in the peritoneal cavity beyond 40 d postimmunization. In addition to expressing CD43, CD44, and CD86, Ag-activated B-1b cells transiently expressed programmed cell death 1 (PD-1), which functionally suppressed BCR-induced B-1b cell in vitro proliferation when additional costimulatory signals were lacking. Inhibiting PD-1:PD-1 ligand interactions during TNP-Ficoll immunization significantly enhanced Ag-specific B-1b cell expansion and the frequency of IgG isotype switching and plasmablast/plasma cell differentiation. Remarkably, PD-1 mAb blockade during the first week following immunization resulted in significantly increased numbers of both splenic and bone marrow Ag-specific IgG3-secreting cells, but not IgM-secreting cells, at both early (day 5) and late (week 6) time points. Moreover, Ag-specific serum IgG3 levels, as well as IgG2c, IgG2b, and IgA levels, remained significantly elevated in PD-1 mAb-treated mice relative to control Ab-treated mice for ≥6 wk postimmunization. Thus, PD-1:PD-1 ligand interactions occurring shortly after initial T cell-independent type 2 Ag encounter play a critical role in suppressing Ag-specific B-1b cell expansion and the development of long-term IgG-producing bone marrow and spleen cells.
The distribution and origin of the calretinin-containing innervation of the nucleus accumbens of the rat.

The nucleus accumbens of the rat consists of several subregions that can be distinguished on the basis of histochemical markers. For example, the calcium-binding protein calbindin D28k is a useful marker of the core compartment of the nucleus accumbens. Calretinin, another calcium-binding protein, is found in a dense fibre plexus in the accumbal shell and septal pole regions. The source of the accumbal calretinin innervation is not known. We examined the distribution of calretinin in the nucleus accumbens and used tract-tracing and lesion methods to determine the source of this calretinin innervation. Intense calretinin immunoreactivity was present in the medial shell, but the density of calretinin axons diminished sharply in the ventrolateral shell. Regions of dense calretinin immunostaining and those areas with calbindin-like immunoreactive cell bodies were generally segregated in the nucleus accumbens, although some overlap in the transition region between the core and shell was seen. Small clusters of calretinin-immunoreactive fibres were seen in the core, where they were restricted to calbindin-negative patches. Injections of the anterograde tracer biotinylated dextran amine into the paraventricular thalamic nucleus labelled fibres in calretinin-rich regions of the accumbens. Conversely, injections of Fluoro-gold into the accumbal shell retrogradely labelled numerous cells in the paraventricular thalamic nucleus that were calretinin-immunoreactive. Electrolytic lesions of the paraventricular thalamic nucleus reduced calretinin levels in the shell by ≈ 80%. These data indicate that the calretinin innervation of the nucleus accumbens is derived primarily from the thalamic paraventricular nucleus, and marks accumbal territories that are largely complementary to those defined by calbindin.
Supportive Interaction Between Cell Survival Signaling and Angiocompetent Factors Enhances Donor Cell Survival and Promotes Angiomyogenesis for Cardiac Repair

Akt is a major cell survival and angiogenic mediator downstream of angiopoietin-1 (Ang-1)/Tie-2 signaling pathway. We hypothesize that transplantation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) co-overexpressing Ang-1 and Akt lead to better prognosis. Ang-1 and Akt genes were adenovirally transduced into MSCs from male Fischer rats. Cytoprotective effects of transgene overexpression in vitro were assessed by exposure of cells to 8 hours of anoxia. TUNEL and measurement of lactate dehydrogenase showed that MSCs co-overexpressing Ang-1 and Akt (MAAs) were more resistant to anoxia as compared with the nontransduced MSCs or those transduced with Ang-1 or Akt alone. For in vivo studies, after permanent coronary artery occlusion, animals were grouped (n=20/group) to receive intramyocardial injections of 70 microL of basal medium without cells (group 1) or containing 3x10(6) nontransduced MSCs (group 2) or MAAs (group 3). Four animals per group were euthanized on 4, 7, and 14 days after cell transplantation for molecular studies. Extensive survival of MAAs was observed in group 3, which continued to co-overexpress transgenes in rat heart at 2 weeks after cell transplantation. Immunohistology at 4 weeks revealed myogenic differentiation of donor cells at the site of cell graft. Blood vessel density was highest in the infarct and periinfarct regions in group 3 (P<0.05). Echocardiography at 4 weeks showed that heart function indices were significantly improved in group 3 (P<0.05), including ejection fraction and fractional shortening as compared with groups 1 and 2. We conclude that supportive interaction between Ang-1 and Akt during MSC transplantation gave better prognosis via enhanced cell survival, improved angiomyogenesis, and restored global cardiac function.
Thermal behavior of high-performance temperature programmed microfabricated gas chromatography columns

This paper reports the thermal behavior of high-performance Si-glass /spl mu/GC separation columns having integrated heaters and temperature sensors. These 3m-long columns, integrated on a 3.25 cm/spl times/3.25 cm die, were fabricated using a DRIE process and sealed with a glass cap. Demonstrating the contributions to heat dissipation from conduction, convection, and radiation with and without packaging, it is shown that using a 7.5 mm-high atmospheric package reduces power consumption to less than 650 mW at 100/spl deg/C, while vacuum packaging reduces power requirements to less than 100 mW. The paper points the way toward low-power temperature-programmed devices and identifies the limits for ultra-low power applications.
Pre‐Pregnancy Obesity and Weight Gain During Pregnancy: Relationship to the Development of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus and the Birth of a Large for Gestational Age Neonate

Poster Presentation Objective To compare the prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and large for gestational age (LGA) neonates in pregnant obese women who gain less than, within, and greater than the 2009 recommended weight gain guidelines of the Institute of Medicine (IOM). Design A retrospective cohort study. Setting Data from the University of North Carolina (UNC) Perinatal Database. Sample Women with singleton pregnancies and body mass indices (BMI kg/m2) ≥ 30 delivering between January 2012 and December 2012 who underwent routine screening for GDM at UNC Women's Hospital. Methods We measured the association between early weight gain (EWG) and diagnosis of GDM and the association between total gestational weight gain (TWG) and LGA neonate. To determine EWG and TWG, respectively, we subtracted prepregnancy weight from weight at GDM screening or weight at last prenatal visit >37 weeks. We calculated and classified EWG as less than, greater than, and within based on IOM guidelines for first trimester (1.1 pounds) and second trimester weekly weight gain (0.4‐0.6 pounds; 0.6 = above). Women were separately classified as gaining less than ( 20 pounds) IOM guidelines for TWG. We compared maternal demographics and medical history data using Pearson chi‐square and t test. We reported unadjusted and adjusted risk ratios (RR, aRR) with 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) for GDM and LGA with women gaining less than IOM guidelines as reference. Final adjusted models included prepregnancy BMI, EWG within guidelines, and gestational age at 1‐hour screening. Results Among 778 obese women, 67% (524/778) had full data for EWG analysis; 33% (171/524) gained less than, 17% (90/524) within, and 50% (263/524) greater than IOM recommendations. EWG adherence was not associated with a GDM diagnosis (p = .9). Seventy‐one percent (549/778) had full data for TWG analysis; 24% (130/549) gained less than, 20% (108/549) within, 55% (304/549) greater than IOM guidelines. Compared with women gaining less than, those gaining within IOM guidelines were more likely to have an LGA neonate (RR = 2.88, 95% CI 1.05‐7.95; aRR=3.36, 95% CI 1.10‐10.31). Compared with women gaining less than, those gaining greater than IOM recommendations were more likely to have an LGA neonate (RR = 3.25, 95% CI 1.30‐8.08; aRR=3.54, 95% CI 1.10‐11.79). Conclusion/Implications for Nursing Practice Among obese women, EGW adherence to IOM guidelines did not affect GDM diagnosis in our data. Total gestational weight gain within and greater than the IOM recommendations was associated with birth of LGA neonate. Using arenas of practice, health policy, and education nurses can assist in decreasing the incidence of LGA and GDM.
A tandem queueing system with task-splitting, feedback, and blocking

A novel two-station single-processing tandem queueing system with task splitting, feedback, and blocking is considered. Two cases are analysed: a finite buffer at each station, and only the intermediate buffer finite. After completing processing at each station, a task may leave the system, join the other station, go for split, go to the other station or return to its own station. The steady-state joint distribution of the queue lengths that will lead to the moments of the queue lengths, mean waiting time, probabilities of each station and the system being busy and being idle are obtained through algorithms. A numerical example is provided.
Compacting randomly generated test sets

A technique using genetic algorithms is presented for the generation of compact test sets for combinational VLSI circuits. The technique combines a previously proven method for random test pattern generation with adaptive searching capabilities to produce high-quality test sets. A series of experiments demonstrated that the technique performed consistently better than the traditional method. On average, the method is able to produce test sets that are approximately 20% smaller than the starting configuration. To place this in perspective, its solutions are on average 13% more compact than those produced by a traditional method with no loss in fault coverage. >
Life-History Aspects of the Cherokee Darter, Etheostoma scotti (Actinopterygii: Percidae), an Imperiled Species in Northern Georgia

Abstract Aspects of the life-history of Etheostoma scotti (Cherokee Darter) were investigated using 12 monthly collections from Hickory Log Creek (Etowah River Drainage) in Cherokee County, GA. Specimens were collected from riffles, runs, and pools with slow current and examined to illuminate age, growth, food habits, and reproductive characters. The bulk of the diet consisted of Chironomidae larvae, with mollusks, detritus, branchiopods, and other aquatic insects as smaller components. Peak feeding occurred in late winter and spring and immediately preceded gamete production for a single spring spawning season peaking in April. Gravid females, collected from March to June, contained 2–256 mature oocytes, ranging from 0.7 to 1.2 mm in diameter. Sexual maturity occurred at age 1, and maximum age was 2 years. The largest specimen collected was a male 49.1 mm SL and 2.0 g total weight. Males were larger than females and were outnumbered 1:1.56. Only about half of the adult-sized males appeared to be in nupti...
A Meta-Analysis of the Placebo Rates of Remission and Response in Clinical Trials of Active Ulcerative Colitis

Background & Aims: Knowledge of the placebo outcomes and understanding specific study features that influence these outcomes is important for designing future clinical trials evaluating therapy of ulcerative colitis (UC). The aims of this study were to estimate the placebo rates of remission and response in placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trials for active UC and to identify factors influencing these rates. Methods: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trials evaluating therapies for active UC identified from MEDLINE from 1966 through 2005. Results: Forty studies met the inclusion criteria. The pooled estimates of the placebo rates of remission and response were 13% (95% confidence interval, 9%–18%; range, 0%–40%; median, 12%) and 28% (95% confidence interval, 23%–33%; range, 0%–67%; median, 30%), respectively, both with significant heterogeneity. Studies that used more stringent definitions of outcomes had lower placebo rates of remission and response. Study duration, number of study visits, disease duration, baseline composite and rectal bleeding scores of the disease activity index, and inclusion of endoscopic mucosal healing as the remission definition all were associated with the placebo remission rate. Conclusions: Rates of remission in the placebo arm of UC clinical trials ranges from 0% to 40%. The placebo remission rates are influenced by the trial length, number of study visits, use of stricter remission definitions, and design features that enroll patients with more active disease. These factors should be considered when designing future placebo-controlled clinical trials in patients with active UC.
Ein Beitrag zum Wachstum von Zirkoniumdioxid‐Einkristallen aus Schmelzlösungen

Es wird eine Apparatur fur die Kristallzuchtung aus Schmelzlosungen nach dem Abkuhlungsverfahren beschrieben. Automatisierung, geringe Abkuhlungsgeschwindigkeiten und ein SiC-Ofen fur hohe Temperaturen zeichnen die Anlage aus und gestatten gute Reproduzierbarkeit, exakte Einstellung der Versuchsbedingungen und die Anwendung zur Zuchtung von Sonderkristallen, speziell von hochstschmelzenden Oxiden. Das Wachstum von ZrO2-Einkristallen aus Boraxschmelzlosungen und aus Schmelzlosungen von Li2MoO4 · x MoO3 (x=1 bzw. 2) wurde in Abhangigkeit vom Losungsmittel und von der Temperatur untersucht. Eingehend wurde die Morphologie (Tracht und Habitus) der Baddeleyit-Kristalle studiert, wobei sich bemerkenswerte Einflusse der Temperatur (Abkuhlungsintervall) zeigen. Auch strukturelle Kennzeichen werden in die Betrachtung einbezogen. Die Wachstums-Prozesse der synthetischen Einkristalle werden vor allem vom Effekt der Transformation tetragonal-monoklin und vom Mechanismus des „einspringenden Winkels” her diskutiert. This paper describes an equipment for growth of single crystals by slow cooling of a saturated flux. Automation, low cooling rates and the use of a SiC-furnace for high temperatures allow good reproducibility, accurate experimental conditions and application of the described method to growth of high-melting oxids. The growth of ZrO2 (melting point 2715 °C) was carried out in molten salt solvents, especially in borax and Li2MoO4 · x MoO3 fluxes with x=1 and 2 respectively. The morphology (forms and habit) of grown ZrO2 crystals (Baddeleyite) depends on temperature (cooling range) and the composition of the flux. Structural features for example twinning and the role of phase transformation during cooling are studied. The influence of the phase transition from the tetragonal to the monoclinic system and the mechanism of “re-entrant corner” on growth is discussed.
Least squares methods for Volterra equations and generalizations

In this article least squares approximations to Volterra integral equations are considered, both with exact integration and with quadrature. Optimal error estimates are derived, and it is shown that the same order of convergence is obtained in both cases with only modest requirements on the quadrature rule used in the latter. The most important practical setting for least squares is the case of convolution kernels, and these are also studied in this article. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Numer Methods Partial Differential Eq 14: 679–693, 1998
AFM analysis of the lacunar-canalicular network in demineralized compact bone

Summary Atomic force microscopy has been successfully used to examine a wide range of cellular and biomolecular structures and interactions. The application of atomic force microscopy in the analysis of organs and tissues, however, has been limited. In this study, we present a new method for high-resolution atomic force microscopy imaging of compact bone tissue. We performed atomic force microscopy imaging on demineralized compact bone from bovine tibia to obtain structural information about the bone matrix and the lacunar-canalicular network. Knowledge of the dimensions and distributions of the network allows quantitative analysis of the microfluidics of bone tissue. Results from our study show that (1) the canalicular distribution and dimensions are homogenous in transverse, radial and longitudinal orientations; (2) the lamellae of an osteon consist of alternating high and low bands; (3) the canaliculi follow the contour of lamellar bands and (4) globular structures cover much of the bone matrix, including canalicular walls. Our work demonstrates that atomic force microscopy studies of thin-section tissue samples can provide structural details at nanometre resolution.
Next-Generation Field Guides

To conserve species, we must first identify them. Field researchers, land managers, educators, and citizen scientists need up-to-date and accessible tools to identify organisms, organize data, and share observations. Emerging technologies complement traditional, book-form field guides by providing users with a wealth of multimedia data. We review technical innovations of next-generation field guides, including Web-based and stand-alone applications, interactive multiple-access keys, visual-recognition software adapted to identify organisms, species checklists that can be customized to particular sites, online communities in which people share species observations, and the use of crowdsourced data to refine machine-based identification algorithms. Next-generation field guides are user friendly; permit quality control and the revision of data; are scalable to accommodate burgeoning data; protect content and privacy while allowing broad public access; and are adaptable to ever-changing platforms and browsers...
Examining the Association between the "Imagination Library" Early Childhood Literacy Program and Kindergarten Readiness.

This study evaluated participation in the Imagination Library early childhood literacy enrichment program and children's pre-literacy and pre-numeracy skills at kindergarten entry in an urban school district. Previous studies have demonstrated that program participation is associated with greater early childhood reading practices. Results presented in this article suggest that program participation is also positively and significantly associated with higher early language and math scores, even after controlling for other key factors associated with kindergarten readiness. These results offer support for policy interventions designed to advance kindergarten readiness by increasing access to early literacy materials for families with young children.