cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Flavor-calorie relationships: Effect on weight gain in rats ☆

The effects of flavor variety, caloric density variety, and inconsistency of flavor-caloric density relationships on caloric intake and weight gain were studied in 36 young male rats. Lab chow was diluted with cellulose to produce three foods that differed in caloric density while having identical nutritional composition. High-density (HD) food contained 3.33 kcal/g; mid-density (MD) food contained 2.64 kcal/g; low-density (LD) food contained 2.06 kcal/g. These foods were flavored with nonnutritive powders and were used in four different feeding regimens. For 15 days, group FLAV ate MD with one of 3 flavors added daily in a 3-day rotation. Groups DENS and NOVEL rotated daily among LD, HD, and MD. One of three flavors was added to each food. For group DENS, LD always contained one flavor, MD always contained another flavor, and HD always contained the third flavor. For group NOVEL, flavor-density pairings were not consistent. A control group, CONT, ate only MD with a single flavor. Weight gain was greatest in group NOVEL. Neither density variety nor flavor variety alone enhanced weight gain relative to control. In a subsequent experiment, group NOVEL did not display a preference for a glucose-paired flavor. These results suggest that reduced orosensory control of energy balance induced by uncoupling of flavor-calorie relationships contributes to weight gain.
Chasing Sexual Orientation: A Comparison of Commonly Used Single-Indicator Measures of Sexual Orientation

This research investigated the utility of single-indicator measures of sexual orientation in examining group differences. Adolescents and young adults reported their sexual orientations, preferences, and partners. Results indicate that, (a) depending on the measure of sexual orientation, 10% to 22% cannot be categorized into a sexual orientation group using a single-indicator measure; (b) self-identified sexual orientation is often incongruent with preference and behavior; (c) incongruity differs by gender and self-identified sexual orientation; and (d) detected differences in gay/lesbian, bisexual, and straight individuals vary by measure of sexual orientation. These results indicate that classification of sexual orientation by single-indicator measures can lead to inconsistent conclusions across studies.
Self-assembly with postmodification: kinetically stabilized metalla-supramolecular rectangles.

Interaction of a predesigned molecular “clip” (4) with rigid dipyridyl bridging ligands, in acetone/water mixtures, leads to the formation of molecular rectangles (5−8) in 92−97% isolated yields via spontaneous self-assembly. Characterization was accomplished with multinuclear NMR and UV−vis spectroscopy, FAB mass spectrometry, and X-ray crystallography. The length of these metallamacrocycles ranges from 2 to 3 nm. Postmodification via non-nucleophilic counterion exchange results in enhanced structural integrity for the assemblies.
Expanding the Utility of the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) process bleaching

The Agricultural Research Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture conducts research on agricultural products and co-products where wool is a co-product of the American lamb industry. The ARS process, an alternative to conventional peroxide for bleaching and chlorination for shrinkproofing wool, was applied to bleach and control the dimensions of wool, wool/cotton, cotton, and viscose rayon fabrics. Conventional processes for bleaching and shrinkage control have limited economy due to high temperatures and long exposures, and their ecological acceptance is marginal. The ARS process is chemo-enzymatic with bleaching followed by biopolishing with shrinkproofing, both steps being applied at near-room-temperature conditions for 30—40 minutes to reach high levels of whiteness, softness, and dimensional stability. The novelty of the process involves the in situ formation of a hyper-peroxide bleach to achieve high whiteness with subsequent enzyme processing from a fresh bath to selectively treat only the su...
A new method to prepare blue membrane by removing the cations from the purple membrane by electrolysis

The purple membrane of Halobacterium halobium will change to the blue membrane when the cations bound to the membrane are removed. Here we introduce a new method to remove the cations by applying a moderate potential (20 V) between two platinum electrodes in a chamber containing a purple membrane solution. The purple membrane is deposited on the anode where the cations are removed by the low pH near this electrode due to the electrolysis of water. The blue membrane made by this method seems identical with blue membrane made by other methods but it can be made more quickly and in large quantities.
IgE and non-IgE-mediated food allergy: treatment in 2007.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Our understanding of the mechanism of food allergy has substantially increased over the past decade. Food allergies can be classified into those that are IgE mediated and those that are non-IgE mediated. RECENT FINDINGS: Various advances have been made in treating IgE-mediated food allergies. A phase II clinical trial of a second anti-IgE antibody, omalizumab, was recently initiated in subjects with peanut allergy, but was stopped as a result of safety concerns after severe reactions occurred during initial oral challenges. Oral immunotherapy is showing promise in various studies on patients with IgE-mediated food allergies. Gastrointestinal food allergic disorders involving non-IgE-mediated food allergies have recently received attention, particularly eosinophilic esophagitis. Although amino acid-based formula therapy remains the most successful in controlling inflammation and symptoms in these disorders, other therapeutic options including various dietary elimination protocols and swallowed fluticasone are showing success. Anti-IL-5 therapy may prove to be a promising future therapeutic option for refractory patients. SUMMARY: Although there are no specific therapeutic recommendations for many IgE-mediated and non-IgE-mediated food allergic disorders besides allergen avoidance, various novel approaches are currently being investigated and may influence treatment approaches in the future.
Analysis of lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus gene expression in acutely and persistently infected mice

Department of Immunology, Scripps Clinic and Research Foundation, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) is a desirable model for the study of virus persistence because (i) it establishes a natural state of persistence in wild mice and in experimentally infected laboratory animals, (ii) there is an extensive body of knowledge in genetically defined hosts concerning why the immune response to the virus does not lead to viral clearance [1, 2] and (iii) the virus is relatively non-cyto- pathic in cells but can selectively impair specialized cellular functions [1, 5]. There are two major requirements for in vivo establishment of a state of viral per- sistence: (i) failure of host defence mechanisms to eliminate the virus and (ii) a non- cytopathic cell/virus relationship. We have been studying the molecular mechanisms by which LCMV persists focusing on the in vivo interactions of the virus with host ceils. We have constructed and partially sequenced a cDNA library from LCMV (Arm- strong strain) virion RNA -- virtually all of the S and 50% of the L segments have been sequenced. We have identified potential protein coding regions within the viral genomic sequences and produced antisera to synthetic peptides from these regions to identify nucleoprotein, glycoprotein, and the L (probable polymerase) protein coding assign- ments. These clones have been used to characterize LCMV gene expression during acute and persistent infections in mice and tissue culture. Since the sequencing and protein encoding potential of the L segment is not fully known we have focused our analysis primarily on the S RNA segment. Groups of four BALB/c mice persistently infected following intracerebral inocula- tion of 30 PFU of LCMV as neonates were sacrificed at 5, 9, 13, and 21 days and 5 months of age, and organs were used for extraction of total cellular RNA. Similar pro- cedures were followed for acutely infected adult BALB/c mice with samples taken at 1, 3, and 5 days after initiating infection (these mice die 7 to 9 days post-viral inocu- lation from an acute immune-mediated inflammatory response). Frozen organs were placed in guanidinium thiocyanate, a potent protein denaturant which inactivates RNase, and homogenized with Tekmar tissumizer. RNA was purified by pelleting through a cushion of 5.7M cesium chloride followed by ethanol precipitation. Equi- valent amounts of total intracellular RNA were size-fractionated by denaturing (form- aldehyde) agarose gel electrophoresis, transferred to nitrocellulose, and hybridized with nick-translated 32p-labelled LCMV cDNA probes.
1661 ACIDIC SURFACTANT PHOSPHOLIPIDS IN RDS AND IN ADULT RDS (ARDS): ROLE OF MYOINOSITOL (INO) IN REGULATION

Present evidence indicates that phosphatidylglycerol (PG), phosphatidylinositol (PI), and phosphatidylserine (PS), in decreasing order, activate surfactant lecithin synthesis and maintain surface activity. Animal studies indicate that INO suppresses surfactant PG synthesis. We have studied serum INO levels in newborns with RDS and in adults with ARDS. The INO levels have been correlated with phospholipid (PL) levels from tracheal aspirates (newborns) or alveolar lavage (adults). During 1st neonatal day INO levels were significantly higher in RDS (n=7) than in no RDS (n=12) [mean 1004 (530-2830), vs 179(58-345)μM, p<0.005]. As studied in 4 cases, INO decreased before PG appeared [1st day: 1738 (530-2830), vs 3rd day:510(280-1380) μM, p<0.05]. In 6 ARDS cases PL's were different from 11 cases without ARDS: The two ARDS cases with highest INO (395 and 470 μM) had renal failure. Absence of PG in RDS may be mainly due to high INO and in ARDS mainly to deficient PG+PI synthesis. We propose that INO is synthesized at the expense of surfactant PL. Thus serum INO may be helpful in monitoring the course of RDS.
Rho-kinase inhibition acutely augments blood flow in focal cerebral ischemia via endothelial mechanisms

Rho-kinase is a serine threonine kinase that increases vasomotor tone via its effects on both endothelium and smooth muscle. Rho-kinase inhibition reduces cerebral infarct size in wild type, but not endothelial nitric oxide synthase deficient (eNOS-/-) mice. The mechanism may be related to Rho-kinase activation under hypoxic/ischemic conditions and impaired vasodilation because of downregulation of eNOS activity. To further implicate Rho-kinase in impaired vascular relaxation during hypoxia/ischemia, we exposed isolated vessels from rat and mouse to 60 mins of hypoxia, and showed that hypoxia reversibly abolished acetylcholine-induced eNOS-dependent relaxation, and that Rho-kinase inhibitor hydroxyfasudil partially preserved this relaxation during hypoxia. We, therefore, hypothesized that if hypoxia-induced Rho-kinase activation acutely impairs vasodilation in ischemic cortex, in vivo, then Rho-kinase inhibitors would acutely augment cerebral blood flow (CBF) as a mechanism by which they reduce infarct size. To test this, we studied the acute cerebral hemodynamic effects of Rho-kinase inhibitors in ischemic core and penumbra during distal middle cerebral artery occlusion (dMCAO) in wild-type and eNOS-/- mice using laser speckle flowmetry. When administered 60 mins before or immediately after dMCAO, Rho-kinase inhibitors hydroxyfasudil and Y-27632 reduced the area of severely ischemic cortex. However, hydroxyfasudil did not reduce the area of CBF deficit in eNOS-/- mice, suggesting that its effect on CBF within the ischemic cortex is primarily endothelium-dependent, and not mediated by its direct vasodilator effect on vascular smooth muscle. Our results suggest that Rho-kinase negatively regulates eNOS activity in acutely ischemic brain, thereby worsening the CBF deficit. Therefore, rapid nontranscriptional upregulation of eNOS activity by small molecule inhibitors of Rho-kinase may be a viable therapeutic approach in acute stroke.
Efficient sampling and data reduction techniques for probabilistic seismic lifeline risk assessment

SUMMARY Probabilistic seismic risk assessment for spatially distributed lifelines is less straightforward than for individual structures. While procedures such as the ‘PEER framework’ have been developed for risk assessment of individual structures, these are not easily applicable to distributed lifeline systems, due to difficulties in describing ground-motion intensity (e.g. spectral acceleration) over a region (in contrast to ground-motion intensity at a single site, which is easily quantified using Probabilistic Seismic Hazard Analysis), and since the link between the ground-motion intensities and lifeline performance is usually not available in closed form. As a result, Monte Carlo simulation (MCS) and its variants are well suited for characterizing ground motions and computing resulting losses to lifelines. This paper proposes a simulation-based framework for developing a small but stochastically representative catalog of earthquake ground-motion intensity maps that can be used for lifeline risk assessment. In this framework, Importance Sampling is used to preferentially sample ‘important’ ground-motion intensity maps, and K-Means Clustering is used to identify and combine redundant maps in order to obtain a small catalog. The effects of sampling and clustering are accounted for through a weighting on each remaining map, so that the resulting catalog is still a probabilistically correct representation. The feasibility of the proposed simulation framework is illustrated by using it to assess the seismic risk of a simplified model of the San Francisco Bay Area transportation network. A catalog of just 150 intensity maps is generated to represent hazard at 1038 sites from 10 regional fault segments causing earthquakes with magnitudes between five and eight. The risk estimates obtained using these maps are consistent with those obtained using conventional MCS utilizing many orders of magnitudes more ground-motion intensity maps. Therefore, the proposed technique can be used to drastically reduce the computational expense of a simulationbased risk assessment, without compromising the accuracy of the risk estimates. This will facilitate computationally intensive risk analysis of systems such as transportation networks. Finally, the study shows that the uncertainties in the ground-motion intensities and the spatial correlations between ground-motion intensities at various sites must be modeled in order to obtain unbiased estimates of lifeline risk. Copyright q 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Accurate temperature measurements in flames with high spatial resolution using Stokes Raman scattering from nitrogen in a multiple-pass cell

A multiple-pass cell is aligned to focus light at two regions at the center of the cell. The two “points” are separated by 2.0 mm. Each probe region is 200 μm×300 μm. The cell is used to amplify spontaneous Raman scattering from a CH4–air laminar flame. The signal gain is 20, and the improvement in signal-to-noise ratio varies according to the number of laser pulses used for signal acquisition. The temperature is inferred by curve fitting high-resolution spectra of the Stokes signal from N2. The model accounts for details, such as the angular dependence of Raman scattering, the presence of a rare isotope of N2 in air, anharmonic oscillator terms in the vibrational polarizability matrix elements, and the dependence of Herman–Wallis factors on the vibrational level. The apparatus function is modeled using a new line shape function that is the convolution of a trapezoid function and a Lorentzian. The uncertainty in the value of temperature arising from noise, the uncertainty in the model input parameters, and various approximations in the theory have been characterized. We estimate that the uncertainty in our measurement of flame temperature in the least noisy data is ±9 K.
A simple rapid process for semi-automated brain extraction from magnetic resonance images of the whole mouse head.

Background: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a well-developed technique in neuroscience. Limitations in applying MRI to rodent models of neuropsychiatric disorders include the large number of animals required to achieve statistical significance, and the paucity of automation tools for the critical early step in processing, brain extraction, which prepares brain images for alignment and voxel-wise statistics. New Method: This novel timesaving automation of template-based brain extraction (“skull-stripping”) is capable of quickly and reliably extracting the brain from large numbers of whole head images in a single step. The method is simple to install and requires minimal user interaction. Results: This method is equally applicable to different types of MR images. Results were evaluated with Dice and Jacquard similarity indices and compared in 3D surface projections with other stripping approaches. Statistical comparisons demonstrate that individual variation of brain volumes are preserved. Comparison with Existing Methods: A downloadable software package not otherwise available for extraction of brains from whole head images is included here. This software tool increases speed, can be used with an atlas or a template from within the dataset, and produces masks that need little further refinement. Conclusions: Our new automation can be applied to any MR dataset, since the starting point is a template mask generated specifically for that dataset. The method reliably and rapidly extracts brain images from whole head images, rendering them useable for subsequent analytical processing. This software tool will accelerate the exploitation of mouse models for the investigation of human brain disorders by MRI.
Wide tuning range wavelength-swept laser with two semiconductor optical amplifiers

We demonstrate a wide tuning range high-speed wavelength-swept semiconductor laser based on a polygon scanning filter that is common to two laser cavities. Linear wavelength tuning was achieved over 145 nm around 1310 nm at a tuning repetition rate of 20 kHz. The wavelength tuning filter is expandable to accommodate multiple semiconductor optical amplifiers for further widening of the laser wavelength tuning range.
Study and design of stability in GH5 cellulases.

ABSTRACT: Thermostableenzymesthathydrolyzelignocel-lulosic materials provide potential advantages in processconﬁguration and enhancement of production efﬁciencyover their mesophilic counterparts in the bioethanol indus-try. In this study, the dynamics of b-1,4-endoglucanases(EC: 3.2.1.4) from family 5 of glycoside hydrolases (GH5)were investigated computationally. The conformationalﬂexibility of 12 GH5 cellulases, ranging from psychrophilicto hyperthermophilic, was investigated by molecular dy-namics (MD) simulations at elevated temperatures. Theresults indicated that the protein ﬂexibility and optimumactivity temperatures are appreciably correlated. Intra-pro-tein interactions, packing density andsolvent accessible areawere further examined in crystal structures to investigatefactors that are possibly involved in higher rigidity ofthermostable cellulases. The MD simulations and the ruleslearned from analyses of stabilizing factors were used indesign of mutations toward the thermostabilization of cel-lulase C, one of the GH5 endoglucanases. This enzyme wassuccessfully stabilized both chemically and thermally byintroduction of a new disulﬁde cross-link to its highlymobile 56-amino acid subdomain.Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2012;109: 31–44. 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.KEYWORDS: endoglucanases; molecular dynamics; thermalstability; enzyme engineering; mutagenesis; cellulase
Osteitis Deformans in a Macaque (Macaca mulatta)

The course of an illness that resembled osteitis deformans was followed with radiographs and clinical chemistry for 10 months after onset in an adult male macaque. Radiographically, the appendicular bones had thickened cortices, coarse trabeculae, and osteolysis. Serum calcium, phosphorus, and alkaline phosphatase were elevated. Histologically, the long bones of the limbs and calvarium showed the mosaic pattern characteristic of osteitis deformans.
Right Coronary Artery Aneurysm Communication with the Right Atrium Following Non–ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction Treated With Coil Embolization

A 78-year-old man with a known right coronary artery aneurysm (CAA) for 24 years presented with persistent chest discomfort to our institution. It was previously noted that his right CAA measured 3.9 × 3.6 cm, was composed of a subtotally thrombosed lumen, and had no fistula formation into adjacent cardiac chambers on both transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) and cardiac MRI (Figure 1 and online-only Data Supplement Movie I, respectively). The cardiac MRI indicated aortic stenosis and an ejection fraction of 55% with no regional wall motion abnormalities. Late gadolinium enhancing demonstrated no evidence of myocardial scar or fibrosis, and normal ventricular function, as well (Figure 2 and online-only Data Supplement Movie II, respectively). The patient’s presentation to our …
Preformed confluent endothelial cell monolayers prevent early platelet deposition on vascular prostheses in baboons

Abstract We assessed the capacity of preformed confluent endothelial cell (EC) monolayers on small-caliber prosthetic grafts to prevent early platelet deposition in a baboon model. Cultured human umbilical vein ECs were attached to expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (Gore-Tex, 4 mm inner diameter, 3 cm length) precoated with type I collagen and perfused in vitro for 2 hours at 15 ml/min with serum-containing culture medium to achieve cell spreading into confluent monolayers. Cell numbers were quantified by deoxyribonucleic acid assay or isotopic counting of indium 111-labeled ECs. Saturation density for cell attachment was 3.55 ± 0.29 × 10 5 cells per square centimeter of graft. After 1 hour of in vitro perfusion at 100 ml/min, 92.8% ± 1.8% of cells remained attached and the flow surface was morphologically confluent. When grafts were inserted as extension segments into arteriovenous silicone rubber (Silastic) shunts in baboons, thereby exposing the endothelialized grafts to native flowing blood (100 ml/min) for 1 hour, the EC monolayers remained confluent with 81.05% ± 5.88% of the cells attached. Indium 111—labeled platelet deposition onto grafts was quantified by dynamic scintillation camera imaging. Platelet deposition on 10 endothelialized grafts was markedly reduced (0.16 ± 0.04 × 10 9 platelets per graft) compared with 10 untreated control grafts (1.84 ± 0.59 × 10 9 platelets, p 9 platelets, p 9 platelets, p p p
Activation of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor through Reactive Oxygen Species Mediates 20-Hydroxyeicosatetraenoic Acid-Induced Endothelial Cell Proliferation

20-Hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (20-HETE) is formed by the ω-hydroxylation of arachidonic acid by cytochrome P450 4A and 4F enzymes, and it induces angiogenic responses in vivo. To test the hypothesis that 20-HETE increases endothelial cell (EC) proliferation via vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), we studied the effects of WIT003 [20-hydroxyeicosa-5(Z),14(Z)-dienoic acid], a 20-HETE analog on human macrovascular or microvascular EC. WIT003, as well as pure 20-HETE, stimulated EC proliferation by ∼40%. These proliferative effects were accompanied by increased VEGF expression and release that were observed as early as 4 h after 20-HETE agonist addition. This was accompanied by increased phosphorylation of the VEGF receptor 2. The proliferative effects of 20-HETE were markedly inhibited by a VEGF-neutralizing antibody. Polyethylene glycol-superoxide dismutase (PEG-SOD) markedly inhibited both the increases in VEGF expression and the proliferative effects of 20-HETE. In contrast, administration of the NAD(P)H oxidase inhibitor apocynin had no effect to the proliferative response to 20-HETE. The 20-HETE agonist markedly increased superoxide formation as reflected by an increase in dihydroethidium staining of EC, and this increase was inhibited by PEG-SOD but not by apocynin. 20-HETE also increased the phosphorylation of p42/p44 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) in EC, whereas an inhibitor of MAPK [U0126, 1,4-diamino-2,3-dicyano-1,4-bis(2-aminophenylthio)butadiene] suppressed the proliferative and the VEGF changes but not the pro-oxidant effects of 20-HETE. These data suggest that 20-HETE stimulates superoxide formation by pathways other than apocynin-sensitive NAD(P)H oxidase, thereby activating MAPK and then enhancing VEGF synthesis that drives EC proliferation. Thus, 20-HETE may be involved in the regulation of EC functions, such as angiogenesis.
Children's and Adults' Models for Predicting Teleological Action: The Development of a Biology-Based Model

Understanding that only living things must act to gain self-beneficial goals is important for developing a theory-like understanding of the living world. This research studied the models that preschoolers, fifth graders, and adults use to guide their predictions of self-beneficial, goal-directed (i.e., teleological) action. Four possible models have been suggested: finalist, complexity based, biology based, and animal based. In Study 1, participants (N = 104) were assigned to one of two conditions that differed in whether a beneficial or neutral object was pictured; they were asked to predict whether animals, plants, machines, and simple artifacts would modify their movement in the direction of that object. Preschoolers' predictions were consistent with an animal-based model, fifth graders' predictions were consistent with biology-based and complexity-based models, and adults' predictions were consistent with a biology-based model. Analysis of both individual response patterns and explanations supported these findings, but also showed that a significant number of preschoolers and fifth graders were finalist, and that very few individual fifth graders followed a complexity-based teleology. In Study 2, participants (N = 84) reported whether the animals, plants, machines, and simple artifacts in Study 1 had psychological capacities. All age groups attributed psychological capacities to animals at levels higher than other domains and at above-chance levels. The evidence from these two studies suggests that preschoolers, unlike fifth graders and adults, predict teleological action for plants and animals on the basis of these entities' inferred psychological capacities.
Evaluation of macro models for mixed analog/digital circuits

A method for implementing digital macro functions on an analog simulator for bipolar digital cells is presented. The modeling approach uses a combination of logic controlled current sources with transistor models to implement the overall macro model for the logic function. The overall models have been simulated and their results compared with full transistor-level simulations. The use of macro models has improved simulation performance by as much as four times. >
The preparation of deuterium‐ and tritium‐labeled pirbuterol hydrochloride

A mild exchange labeling procedure utilizing O-deuterated or O-tritiated t-butanol with sodium catalysis afforded isotope exchange in the α-hydrogen position of the amide N-t-butyl-2-(5-benzyloxy-6-hydroxymethyl-2-pyridyl)-2-hydroxy-acetamide, thereby extending the utility of this approach with ketones to poor enolizers that are base labile. Complete label retention accompanied the subsequent steps of reduction and debenzylation to 2-hydroxymethyl-3-hydroxy-6(l-hydroxy-2-t-butylaminoethyl)-pyridine dihydrochloride (pirbuterol hydrochloride)-2H or -3H, in 15-18% overall yield at the 4 mmole level. Deuterium incorporation was estimated to be 39%; a specific activity of 206 μc/mg was achieved by radiolabeling. A radiochemical and chemical purity of > 99.5% was established. Tritium label stability was demonstrated in aqueous media at acidic, neutral and basic pH.
Temporal Changes in Population Dynamics of American Martens

Abstract Population parameters of American martens (Martes americana) are often monitored to guide management actions. In order to better understand changing marten population demographics, we estimated marten abundance and several population parameters on a portion of northeast Chichagof Island (NCI), Southeast Alaska, USA, using capture–mark–recapture methods in combination with radiotelemetry and compared these data with demographic estimates derived from the trapper catch from the larger NCI area. We found that capture probability remained relatively high across trapping sessions by using a standard live-trapping protocol, and we found no evidence of capture probability being consistently affected by population or environmental factors. Estimated marten numbers varied greatly over the period, ranging from a low of 14.1 martens (0.17/km2) during winter 1997–1998 to a high of 45.6 martens (0.55/km2) during winter 1995–1996. The annual trend was for decreasing numbers from winter 1990–1991 to winter 1992...
Planning with POMDPs using a compact, logic-based representation

Partially observable Markov decision processes (POMDPs) provide a general framework for AI planning, but they lack the structure for representing real world planning problems in a convenient and efficient way. Representations built on logic allow for problems to be specified in a compact and transparent manner. Moreover, decision making algorithms can assume and exploit structure found in the state space, actions, observations, and success criteria, and can solve with relative efficiency problems with large state spaces. In recent years researchers have sought to combine the benefits of logic with the expressiveness of POMDPs. In this paper, we show how to build upon and extend the results in this fusing of logic and decision theory. In particular, we present a compact representation of POMDPs and a method to update beliefs after actions and observations. The key contribution is our compact representation of belief states and of the operations used to update them. We then use heuristic search to find optimal plans that maximize expected total reward given an initial belief state
Urban Infrastructure and Use of Mass Balance Models for Water and Salt

Urban infrastructure supplies water to urban areas and drains away sewage andstormwater. These services are critical to the health and prosperity of modern cities.The built infrastructure includes reservoirs, concrete channels, canals, pipes, pumps,and treatment facilities. This infrastructure is usually owned by public entities (citiesor water and sewer agencies). Some smaller sized systems are operated by pri-vate companies who can adequately train personnel and achieve economies of scalethrough operating facilities for several localized treatment and distribution systems.Privatization for operations of large-sized water and wastewater systems (i.e., serv-ing
Identification of genes expressed in the angiosperm female gametophyte

Until recently, identification of gene regulatory networks controlling the development of the angiosperm female gametophyte has presented a significant challenge to the plant biology community. The angiosperm female gametophyte is fairly inaccessible because it is a highly reduced structure relative to the sporophyte and is embedded within multiple layers of the sporophytic tissue of the ovule. Moreover, although mutations affecting the female gametophyte can be readily isolated, their analysis can be difficult because most affect genes involved in basic cellular processes that are also required in the diploid sporophyte. In recent years, expression-based approaches in multiple species have begun to uncover gene sets expressed in specific female gametophyte cells as a means of identifying regulatory networks controlling cell differentiation in the female gametophyte. Here, recent efforts to identify and analyse gene expression programmes in the Arabidopsis female gametophyte are reviewed.
Circadian Activity Rhythms for Mothers with an Infant in ICU

Circadian rhythms influence sleep and wakefulness. Circadian activity rhythms (CAR) are altered in individuals with dementia or seasonal affective disorder. To date, studies exploring CAR and sleep in postpartum women are rare. The purpose of this report is to describe relationships between CAR, sleep disturbance, and fatigue among 72 first-time mothers during their 2nd week postpartum while their newborn remain hospitalized in intensive care unit (ICU). Seventy two mothers were included in this secondary data analysis sample from three separate studies. Participants completed the General Sleep Disturbance Scale (GSDS), Numerical Rating Scale for Fatigue (NRS-F), and a sleep diary. The objective sleep data included total sleep time (TST), wake after sleep onset (WASO), and CAR determined by the circadian quotient (amplitude/mesor) averaged from at least 48-hours of wrist actigraphy monitoring. The TST of mothers who self-reported as poor sleepers was 354 minutes (SEM= 21.9), with a mean WASO of 19.5% (SEM= 2.8). The overall sleep quality measured by the GSDS was clinically, significantly disrupted (M= 5.5, SD= 1.2). The mean score for morning fatigue was 5.8 (SD= 2.0), indicating moderate fatigue severity. The CAR was .62 (SEM= .04), indicating poor synchronization. The self-reported good sleepers (GSDS 3) (t [70] = 2.0, p< .05). A higher circadian equation was associated with higher TST (r= .83, p<.001), less WASO (r= -.50, p< .001), lower self-reported sleep disturbance scores (r= -.35, p= .01), and less morning fatigue (r= -.26). Findings indicate that mothers with a hospitalized infant have both nocturnal sleep problems and disturbed circadian activity rhythms. Factors responsible for these sleep and rhythm disturbances, the adverse effects on mother’s physical and mental well-being, and mother-infant relationship require further study.
Environment and health: 5. Impact of war

War has marked human experience since the beginning of recorded time, and the demands of war have in many ways shaped and advanced the practice of medicine.[1][1],[2][2] Rhodes[3][3] estimated the immense scope of war- related mortality in the 20th century and demonstrated the increasing fraction of
Quantify effects of long range memory on predictability of complex systems

This paper explores the connection between uncertainty and memory effects of time series associated with complex system. Traditionally, information theory based algorithms, such as Shannon entropy and its relatives, are employed as measurements to describe uncertainty quantitatively. This study brings into focus the important role of the long range memory effects on the uncertainty measurements. The method is applicable to arbitrary complex systems. Financial data are investigated as an example. The approach provides important insights into the predictability of a complex system.
Initial Training With Difficult Items Facilitates Information Integration, but Not Rule-Based Category Learning

Previous research has disagreed about whether a difficult cognitive skill is best learned by beginning with easy or difficult examples. Two experiments that clarify this debate are reported. Participants in both experiments received one of three types of training on a difficult perceptual categorization task. In one condition, participants began with easy examples, then moved to examples of intermediate difficulty, and finished with the most difficult examples. In a second condition, this order was reversed, and in a third condition, participants saw examples in a random order. The results depended on the type of categories that participants were learning. When the categories could be learned via explicit reasoning (a rule-based task), the three training procedures were equally effective. However, when the categorization rule was difficult to describe verbally (an information-integration task), participants who began with the most difficult items performed much better than participants in the other two conditions.
Solidification: Models and Simulations

This article describes the interaction of thermodynamics, heat transfer, and mass transfer in solidification processes. The thermodynamics and equilibrium of solutions is discussed, including methods for computation of equilibrium phase diagrams. The resulting relations between temperature and composition are used in the analysis of heat and mass transfer processes associated with solidification. We then consider morphological stability of the moving interface, to demonstrate the physics that leads to microstructural pattern formation. Finally, some computational methods for microstructures are discussed, including examples of solidification in binary alloys.
Vascular screening prior to placement of tunnelled and cuffed hemodialysis catheters.

PURPOSE To demonstrate the importance of venous vascular screening before the placement of tunneled and cuffed hemodialysis catheters in patients requiring hemodialysis prior to placement and/or maturation of an arteriovenous fistula (AVF) or graft (AVG). METHODS Between October 1998 and March 2000, all patients requiring hemodialysis access placement were prospectively evaluated with duplex ultrasound for status of upper extremity vessels and central veins prior to selection of a permanent access site. When interim tunneled and cuffed hemodialysis catheters were required, they were placed on the side contralateral to proposed AVF/AVG placement. No catheters were placed without initial vascular screening. The study group was compared to historical controls during a similar period (April 1997 through September 1998) when no vascular screening was performed. RESULTS During the study period, 234 screening duplex ultrasound examinations were performed in 244 patients. Ten patients required no screening prior to access site placement. Overall, 353 catheters were placed, 243 (69%) on the right side and 110 (31%) on the left side. During the control period, 394 catheters were placed in 255 patients, 306 (78%) right-sided and 88 (22%) left-sided. The increase in left-sided catheters with ultrasound screening and careful planning for future access sites was significant (p<0.01). CONCLUSION Vascular-screening-directed catheter placement significantly alters the side of catheter placement when compared to a management protocol without prior screening. Such screening helps identify the side of permanent access placement, while directing interim catheters to the contralateral side such that central veins may be preserved for permanent access.
Efficacy Outcome Measures for Procedural Sedation Clinical Trials in Adults: An ACTTION Systematic Review

Successful procedural sedation represents a spectrum of patient- and clinician-related goals. The absence of a gold-standard measure of the efficacy of procedural sedation has led to a variety of outcomes being used in clinical trials, with the consequent lack of consistency among measures, making comparisons among trials and meta-analyses challenging. We evaluated which existing measures have undergone psychometric analysis in a procedural sedation setting and whether the validity of any of these measures support their use across the range of procedures for which sedation is indicated. Numerous measures were found to have been used in clinical research on procedural sedation across a wide range of procedures. However, reliability and validity have been evaluated for only a limited number of sedation scales, observer-rated pain/discomfort scales, and satisfaction measures in only a few categories of procedures. Typically, studies only examined 1 or 2 aspects of scale validity. The results are likely unique to the specific clinical settings they were tested in. Certain scales, for example, those requiring motor stimulation, are unsuitable to evaluate sedation for procedures where movement is prohibited (e.g., magnetic resonance imaging scans). Further work is required to evaluate existing measures for procedures for which they were not developed. Depending on the outcomes of these efforts, it might ultimately be necessary to consider measures of sedation efficacy to be procedure specific.
The Architecture of Smart Phones

The growth of the smart-phone market has been phenomenal. I don't need to quote exact numbers, which are in the hundreds of millions, to illustrate their ubiquity -- most of us have a smart-phone in our pocket. The design constraints on smart phones are among the most challenging in computing: 1) low power to preserve battery life; 2) base-band processors to support 4G data rates (100 Mbs -- moving to 1Gbs for 5G); 3) multicore application processors for ever more sophisticated applications; and 4) time-to-market constraints that often result in solutions that seem ad hoc at best. Smart phones have become by far the most important of today's computing platforms. Oddly, the computer architecture community has been slow to recognize this. There are only an handful of published studies that attempt to provide an architectural perspective. This talk will review the current state of the architecture of mobile phone platforms, and present some initial studies that the author and his research group have conducted on existing systems. Suggestions for future research and future architectures will be presented.
Presence of Thyrotropic Hormone-Releasing Factor (TRF) In Porcine Hypothalamus.

SummaryHypothalamic tissue of porcine origin was extracted with 2 N acetic acid at 8°C. The acetic acid extracts were lyophilized and re-extracted with glacial acetic acid. The material thus concentrated was subjected to gel filtration on Sephadex. Thyrotropic hormone-releasing factor (TRF) activity was followed by measuring the release of thyrotropic hormone (TSH) from rat pituitary tissue in vitro, the release of I131 in mice pretreated with codeine and thyroxine, as well as the elevation of plasma TSH in thyroidectomized rats pretreated with thyroxine. TRF activity was consistently found to emerge between the peaks of α-MSH and lysine vasopressin. Partially purified TRF of porcine origin was active in vitro at the dose of 20 μg and in vivo at the level of 100 μg.
An Investigation of Nano-structured Polymers for Use as Bladder Tissue Replacement Constructs

Conventionally, studies investigating the design of synthetic bladder wall substitutes have involved polymers with micro-dimensional structures. Since the body is made up of nano-structured components ( e.g. , extracellular matrix proteins), our focus has been in the use of nano-structured polymers in order to design a three-dimensional synthetic bladder construct that mimics bladder tissue in vivo . In order to complete this task, we fabricated novel, nano-structured, biodegradable materials to serve as substrates for bladder tissue constructs and tested the cytocompatibility properties of these biomaterials in vitro . The results from our in vitro work to date have provided the first evidence that cellular responses (such as adhesion and proliferation) of bladder smooth muscle cells are enhanced as poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) surface feature dimensions are reduced into the nanometer range.
Management of water resources in the light of the proposed reform of water law in Poland

Artykul porusza tematyke reformy prawa wodnego pod kątem analizy zasadniczych celow projektowanej nowej ustawy – Prawo wodne tj. uporządkowania kompetencji organow administracji wodnej, rozdzielenia zarządzania infrastrukturą wodną od gospodarowania wodami, a takze zlewniowej polityki wodnej i uproszczenia finansowania. Rozwazania dokonywane są poprzez porownanie aktualnie obowiązujących przepisow do tych, ktore wdrozenie do prawa polskiego jest planowane. Autorzy wskazują na problemy, jakie mają miejsce w aktualnie obowiązującym porządku prawnym w odniesieniu do prawa wodnego i podejmują probe wskazania ich przyczyn, a takze starają sie odpowiedziec na pytanie, czy nowe propozycje prawne bedą rzeczywiście owe problemy rozwiązywac.
Effects of water level fluctuation and sediment–water nutrient exchange on phosphorus biogeochemistry in two coastal wetlands

Freshwater coastal wetlands are sensitive to drying and wetting events (DWE), associated with water level fluctuations. Prior studies have shown that DWE influence sediment–water nutrient exchange, but the fate of these nutrients has received much less attention. To address this information gap, we investigated how microbial (i.e., bacteria and phytoplankton) structure and function respond to DWE-induced release of nutrients from the sediment of mesotrophic and eutrophic coastal wetlands. Our approach was three-fold: (1) sediment from each wetland was subjected to a desiccation (2 month) and re-wetting (2 days) period in the laboratory; (2) the overlying water column from the DWE was measured for nutrient concentration; and (3) we conducted a microbial response experiment using the water from either DWE experiment (containing the nutrients released during the DWE) or with added nutrients obtained from commercially available sources (but at similar concentrations to those released from the sediments), to test the effect of nutrient concentration and source on microbes inhabiting the water column and their role in the fate of the released nutrients, in particular phosphate (Pi). In both coastal wetlands, the microbial community structure in the water column (absolute and relative abundance of different microbial groups) was modified by bacteria resuspended from the sediment after re-wetting. However, results from the microbial response experiments showed that the microbial communities did not grow following inputs of commercially available nutrients or release of sediment nutrients. In Pi amended treatments, Pi uptake rates increased but not enough to reduce Pi turnover time to values measured in the control. As a result, Pi concentration and turnover remained high. In coastal wetlands with limited hydrologic exchange, these elevated nutrients will accumulate and lead to further eutrophication. However, in open coastal wetlands, with substantial hydrologic exchange, advected nutrients may influence biological activity in the nearshore zone.
Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of the Association Between Exposure to Environmental Tobacco Smoke and Periodontitis Endpoints Among Nonsmokers

Objective A systematic review was conducted to summarize the epidemiological evidence on environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure and prevalent periodontitis endpoints among nonsmokers. Methods We searched PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Pro-Quest dissertations, and conference proceedings of a dental research association. We included studies from which prevalence odds ratios (POR) could be extracted for periodontitis determined by examiner measurements of clinical attachment level (CAL) and/or probing pocket depth (PD) or self-report of missing teeth. Studies determined ETS exposure by self-report or biomarker (cotinine) levels. Results For studies reporting CAL and/or PD (n = 6), associations were stronger with cotinine-measured exposure (n = 3; random effects POR [95% prediction interval] = 1.63 (0.90, 2.96)) than self-reported exposure (n = 3; random effects POR = 1.15 (0.68, 1.96)). There was no meaningful difference in summary estimate for studies reporting CAL and/or PD endpoint (n = 6; random effects POR = 1.34 (0.93, 1.94)) as opposed to tooth loss (n = 2; random effects POR = 1.33 (0.52, 3.40)). Conclusions There appears to be a positive association between exposure to ETS and prevalent periodontitis endpoints among nonsmokers, the magnitude of which depended mostly on the method of ETS assessment. Implications The notoriety of ETS is often discussed in terms of its associations with cancer, chronic conditions like cardiovascular diseases, and respiratory illnesses in children. However, very little attention is paid to its association with oral diseases, especially periodontitis. Periodontitis affects a large proportion of the population and is a major cause of tooth loss. This study summarized the epidemiologic association between exposure to ETS and periodontitis among nonsmokers. Although the findings are consistent with a positive association, methodological weaknesses relating to study design, assessment of ETS, periodontitis, and adjustment covariates were highlighted and recommendations for improvement in future studies provided.