cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy: basic mechanisms and clinical implications for prevention

Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) is the most common cause of death in patients with intractable epilepsy. The substantial lifetime risk of SUDEP and the lack of a clear pathophysiological connection between epilepsy itself and sudden death have fuelled increased attention to this phenomenon. Understanding the mechanisms underlying SUDEP is paramount to developing preventative strategies. In this review, we discuss SUDEP population studies, case-control studies, witnessed and monitored cases, as well as human seizure cardiorespiratory findings related to SUDEP, and SUDEP animal models. We integrate these data to suggest the most probable mechanisms underlying SUDEP. Understanding the modifiable risk factors and pathophysiology allows us to discuss potential preventative strategies.
Lifetime use of cigarettes, alcohol, marijuana and inhalants in Latino early adolescents.

A growing population in the US is Latinos, an ethnic group defined by people of origin from Latin America. By 2050, Hispanics will be at least one quarter of the United States population (U.S. Census Bureau, 2006) with a substantial proportion under the age of 25 (Vaughan, Kratz, & D'argent, 2011). Yet, the literature on substance use among Latino adolescents is not advancing parallel to the growth of the population (Szapocznik, Lopez, Prado, Schwartz, & Pantin, 2006). Health concerns during early adolescence can have a lasting impact on the Latino community and society at large, as early substance initiation can lead to addiction during adulthood (Behrendt, Wittchen, Hofler, Lieb, & Beesdo, 2009). Therefore, research that aims to identify psychosocial determinants that serve as risk and protective factors specific to Latino early adolescents is needed as a critical first step in the development of culturally specific prevention initiatives (Vaughan et al., 2011).
Lung-Specific Expression of Dominant-Negative Mutant p53 in Transgenic Mice Increases Spontaneous and Benzo(a)pyrene-Induced Lung Cancer

Mutations in the p53 gene have been implicated to play an important role in the development of various human cancers. To evaluate the importance of p53 in lung cancer, a transgenic mouse model was established by utilizing the Clara cell secretory protein (CCSP) promoter to target the expression of a dominant-negative mutant form of p53 (dnp53) in the lung. In two transgenic CCSP-dnp53 founder lines, the dnp53 protein was expressed exclusively in the lungs. The incidence of spontaneous lung cancer in 18-month-old transgenic mice was 45%, whereas that in age-matched control mice was 20%. The relative risk of lung tumors in CCSP-dnp53 mice was 2.3 times that of wild-type mice (exact confidence limits of 0.69, 17.5). In addition to the increased incidence of spontaneous lung tumor, these mice were more susceptible to the development of lung adenocarcinoma after exposure to benzo(a)pyrene (BaP). Six months after intratracheal instillation of benzo(a)pyrene, the tumor incidence in wild-type and CCSP-dnp53 mice ...
Low-dose diuretic and beta adrenoceptor blocker in essential hypertension.

The combination of hydrochlorothiazide (50 mg daily) and metoprolol (100 to 400 mg daily) reduced erect systolic blood pressure by 23.8 ± 4.0 (SE) mm Hg and erect diastolic pressure by 15.6 ± 2.2 mm Hg in 20 patients with essential hypertension. These decreases were of at least the same magnitude as the sum of the decrements induced by these drugs given separately. The rise in plasma renin activity (PRA) of 5.9 ± 1.2 ng/ml/hr induced by hydrochlorothiazide alone was reversed (p < 0.01) by the addition of metoprolol to control levels. Since hypokalemia can stimulate renin release, the absence of decreases in plasma potassium during combination treatment may have enhanced this renin-lowering effect. These findings appear to emphasize the importance of using relatively small doses of diuretics in combination treatment of hypertension; this approach avoided the countervailing effects of hyperstimulation of the renin-angiotensin system reported previously, which are not adequately controlled by concurrent β-blocker treatment. The control PRA tended to be predictive of the response to monotherapy, for it correlated directly (r = 0.52) with changes in diastolic blood pressure induced by hydrochlorothiazide alone and indirectly (r = −0.48) with those induced by metoprolol alone. The algebraic difference between the diastolic pressure decrements induced by metoprolol and hydrochlorothiazide within each patient also correlated with control renin (r = 0.61, p < 0.01), suggesting that the β-blocker is more effective in high-renin patients and that diuretics work best when renin is low. Black patients had larger decreases in blood pressure than whites on diuretic-alone. Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (1980) 28, 149–158; doi:10.1038/clpt.1980.144
Incidence and implications of systemic to pulmonary collaterals after bidirectional cavopulmonary anastomosis

Abstract Background . Systemic to pulmonary arterial collaterals often develop after bidirectional cavopulmonary anastomosis (BCPA). It has been proposed that such collaterals may be related to perioperative outcome and duration of effusions after the modified Fontan procedure. However, the incidence and significance of collaterals after BCPA remain uncertain. Methods . To evaluate risk factors for, and significance of, such collaterals, we reviewed angiographic and clinical data for all 76 patients who underwent BCPA between January 1990 and June 1996 and had follow-up catheterization during or before 1997. Results . The median age at BCPA was 10 months, and the median duration from BCPA to follow-up catheterization was 18 months. Arterial collaterals were detected on follow-up catheterization in 45 patients (59%). Factors associated with collateral development included a prior right-sided systemic-to-pulmonary arterial shunt, lower pre-BCPA end-diastolic ventricular pressure and pulmonary vascular resistance, and use and duration of cardiopulmonary bypass during the BCPA operation. Fourteen of the 45 patients (30%) underwent coil embolization of the collaterals. Forty-three patients have undergone extracardiac conduit Fontan, with 1 early and 1 late death. Collaterals were present in 22 of these patients, 7 of whom underwent pre-Fontan embolization. The duration from BCPA to Fontan was longer in patients with collaterals, but these patients were not more likely to have prolonged effusions than those without, and the duration of tube thoracostomy was significantly shorter in patients with collaterals. Embolization of collaterals did not affect the duration of effusions. Conclusions . Systemic-to-pulmonary arterial collaterals are common after BCPA. In contrast to prior reports, collaterals were not associated with a higher incidence of prolonged effusions after the Fontan procedure in our experience, and did not correlate with poor outcome.
RNA interference: on the road to an alternate therapeutic strategy!

RNA interference (RNAi) is a newly described natural biological phenomenon mediated by small interfering RNA (siRNA) molecules which target viral mRNA for degradation by cellular enzymes. RNAi has become a method of choice for studying gene function, especially in mammalian systems. With proof-of-concept studies already presented against a wide variety of human pathogens and several innovative methods of delivering the siRNA to a wide variety of primary cells available, the role for siRNA as a potential therapeutic strategy is becoming increasingly clear. This review presents recent advances in this direction.
Geometric Realization of Some Triangle-Free Combinatorial Configurations

The main purpose of this paper is to illustrate the mutual benefit to combinatorics and geometry by considering a topic from both sides. Al-Azemi and Betten enumerate the distinct combinatorial (223) configurations that are triangle free. They find a very large number of such configurations, but when taking into account the automorphism group of each, they find two cases in which there is only a single configuration. On the heuristic assumption that an object that is unique in some sense may well have other interesting properties, the geometric counterparts of these configurations were studied. Several unexpected results and problems were encountered. One is that the combinatorially unique (223) configuration with automorphisms group of order 22 has three distinct geometric realizations by astral configurations.
Direct In Vivo Visualization of Intravascular Destruction of Microbubbles by Ultrasound and its Local Effects on Tissue

Background—Our aim was to observe ultrasound-induced intravascular microbubble destruction in vivo and to characterize any resultant bioeffects. Methods and Results—Intravital microscopy was used to visualize the spinotrapezius muscle in 15 rats during ultrasound delivery. Microbubble destruction during ultrasound exposure caused rupture of ≤7-μm microvessels (mostly capillaries) and the production of nonviable cells in adjacent tissue. The number of microvessels ruptured and cells damaged correlated linearly (P<0.001) with the amount of ultrasound energy delivered. Conclusions—Microbubbles can be destroyed by ultrasound, resulting in a bioeffect that could be used for local drug delivery, angiogenesis, and vascular remodeling, or for tumor destruction.
Storm-driven cyclic beach morphodynamics of a mixed sand and gravel beach along the Mid-Atlantic Coast, USA

Abstract The morphodynamics of a mixed sand and gravel beach in Delaware were investigated based on 18 almost monthly beach-profile surveys at 46 locations from 2009 to 2011, 60 sediment cores, and 550 surface sediment samples collected at various alongshore and cross-shore transects. Three different atmospheric disturbances occurred within a 3-month window during the study period: 1) a distal hurricane, 2) an energetic winter storm, and 3) “Nor'Ida”, a long-lasting and extremely energetic event resulting from the collision of a hurricane and winter storm. The storm-induced beach changes and post-storm recovery following each of the three storms are evaluated. A distinctive beach cycle was identified consisting of a built-up berm profile and depleted nearly-planar storm profile. The time-scale of the beach cycle relates to the frequency and intensity of storm impact and duration of inter-storm recovery instead of simple seasonality. The initiation of post-storm recovery occurs during the subsiding phase of the storm, attributable to the reduction in wave height and steepness transitioning to accretionary swells. The sediment characteristics of the storm deposit associated with Nor'Ida demonstrated substantial cross-shore variation ranging from sandy-gravel and gravelly-sand within the storm swash zone (near the pre-storm dune edge) to well-sorted medium to coarse sand seaward of the storm swash zone. Storm deposits along mixed sand and gravel beaches demonstrate a variety of sedimentological characteristics. In addition, the studied beaches lacked a sandbar under all wave conditions. A new beach cycle model is proposed for the non-barred mixed sand and gravel beach.
Mesoscopic Simulation Model of Selective Laser Melting of Stainless Steel Powder

Abstract A 3D mesoscopic model is developed to simulate selective laser melting processes using the ALE3D multi-physics code. We study the laser-induced melting of a random bed of stainless steel 316 particles on a solid substrate (1000 μm × 300 μm × 50 μm) and its solidification into either a continuous track or a discontinuous track as a result of Plateau–Rayleigh instability. Our approach couples thermal diffusion to hydrodynamics and accounts for temperature dependent material properties and surface tension, as well as the random particle distribution. The simulations give new physical insight that should prove useful for development of continuum models, where the powder is homogenized. We validate our approach against the experiment and find that we match the main laser track characteristics.
Professional judgments about advance care planning with community-dwelling consumers

Abstract Context There is limited research on how community-based long-term care (CBLTC) providers' personal characteristics and attitudes affect their decisions to initiate advance care planning (ACP) conversations with consumers. Objectives To examine judgments by CBLTC providers as to whether a consumer was in need of ACP and to compare the relative influence of situational features of the consumer with the influence of personal characteristics of the CBLTC provider. Methods Factorial surveys with vignettes with randomly assigned situational features of a hypothetical consumer were obtained from 182 CBLTC providers at three Area Agencies on Aging located in the Midwestern U.S. Measures included the consumer's situational features, such as demographics, diagnosis, pain level, level of functioning, and caregiver involvement. Personal characteristics of the CBLTC provider included demographics, discipline, past experience with ACP, and attitudes toward ACP. Results Hierarchical linear models indicated that most variability in ACP decisions was the result of differences among CBLTC providers (64%) rather than consumers' situational features. Positive decisions to discuss ACP were associated with consumers who needed assistance with legal issues and had a cancer diagnosis; these variables explained 8% of the vignette level variance. Significant personal characteristics of the CBLTC provider included a nursing background, less direct contact with consumers, past experience with ACP, and positive attitudes toward ACP; these variables explained 41% of the person-level variance. Conclusion This study shows the lack of normative consensus about ACP and highlights the need for consistent educational programs regarding the role of the CBLTC provider in the ACP process.
Pictures Have Propositional Content

Although philosophers of art and aesthetics regularly appeal to a notion of ‘pictorial content’, there is little agreement over its nature. The present paper argues that pictures have propositional contents. This conclusion is reached by considering a style of argument having to do with the phenomenon of negation intended to show that pictures must have some kind of non-propositional content. I first offer reasons for thinking that arguments of that type fail. Second, I show that when properly understood, such arguments can in fact be turned on their heads and shown to support the propositionalist position.
Monthly variations of dew point temperature in the coterminous United States

The dew point temperature, Td, data from the surface airways data set of the U.S. National Climatic Data Center were used to develop a basic dew point climatology for the coterminous United States. Quality control procedures were an integral part of the analysis. Daily Td, derived as the average of eight observations at 3-hourly intervals, for 222 stations for the 1961–1990 period were used. The annual and seasonal pattern of average values showed a clear south–north decrease in the eastern portion of the nation, a trend which was most marked in winter. In the west, values decreased inland from the Pacific Coast. Inter-annual variability was generally low when actual mean values were high. A cluster analysis suggested that the area could be divided into six regions, two oriented north–south in the west, four aligned east–west in the area east of the Rocky Mountains. Day-to-day variability was low in all seasons in the two western clusters, but showed a distinct winter maximum in the east. This was explained in broad terms by consideration of air flow regimes, with the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico acting as the major moisture sources. Comparison of values for pairs of nearby stations suggested that Td was rather insensitive to local moisture sources. Analysis of the patterns of occurrence of dew points exceeding the 95th percentile threshold indicated that extremes in summer tend to be localized and short-lived, while in winter they are more widespread and persistent. © 1998 Royal Meteorological Society
Advanced Fuel Cell System Thermal Management for NASA Exploration Missions

The NASA Glenn Research Center is developing advanced passive thermal management technology to reduce the mass and improve the reliability of space fuel cell systems for the NASA exploration program. An analysis of a state-of-the-art fuel cell cooling systems was done to benchmark the portion of a fuel cell system s mass that is dedicated to thermal management. Additional analysis was done to determine the key performance targets of the advanced passive thermal management technology that would substantially reduce fuel cell system mass.
Reply to Editorial and Comments

We thank the authors of these commentaries for their thoughtful comments. Each responded to our article in a different way, bringing to bear their backgrounds and experience. Each offers analysis, comments, and suggestions for addressing one issue with respect to treating patients with chronic pain: how to deal with physicians' concerns that they will be subject to government action for prescribing opioids to addicts or diverters who appear to be patients in pain. Our background and experience as physicians caring for patients with chronic pain has affected the way we think about this problem. We, as other doctors, dread the thought of being investigated, indicted, or tried even if found innocent of wrongdoing at any stage of the process. This concern about legal action has consequences …
Spouse Overeducation and Family Migration: Evidence from the US

Scholars have noted that marriage frequently results in a sub-optimal job search. This literature suggests that the overeducation of wives is a result of household migration (tied-mover) or the result of an inability to migrate (tied-stayer). Others have found that overeducation may also be a cause of migration. This study examines overeducation as both a cause and effect of migration. Some evidence shows that families with an overeducated husband are found to be more likely to migrate. In turn, this migration leads to increased levels of overeducation among wives and decreased levels of overeducation among husbands. Household migration is also found to lower the full-time employment rates of wives by more than their male counterparts.
Modeling and Supporting Task-Oriented Group Processes: Purposeful Complex Adaptive Systems and Evolutionary Systems Design

Evolutionary Systems Design (ESD) is a universal general problem solving, formal modeling, design framework for purposeful complex adaptive systems (PCAS) and processes, i.e., task-oriented group processes. These processes constitute policy making, group decision, negotiation, and multiagent problem solving with human and/or artificial agents. ESD is also a framework for computer group support systems (GSS) that support these processes. The ESD general framework can be applied to define and solve specific problems. In this article the ESD framework is presented and illustrated by example. The article provides background for ESD computer implementations discussed in two other related articles (Lewis and Shakun 1996; Bui and Shakun 1996).
Cultural Wars and the Attack on Multiculturalism: An Afrocentric Critique:

The need to maintain power relationships has caused many social conservatives and the American anti-multicultural movement to engage in cultural wars. This article offers an Afrocentric critique of cultural wars and multicultural discourse in some of their contemporary manifestations. The authors make the claim that Black studies and the Afrocentric paradigm should be concerned with the connection between anti-multiculturalism, the cultural wars debate, and attempts aimed at derailing the Black studies project both inside and outside of the academy. Some contemporary challenges for the Afrocentric paradigm and its place in the multi-cultural project are discussed. The authors conclude that the burden of Afrocentricity is to define and develop African agency in the midst of the cultural wars debate.
Concept learning by example decomposition

It is widely accepted in machine learning that it is easier to learn several smaller decomposed concepts than a single large one. Typically, such decomposition of concepts is achieved in highly constrained environments, or aided by human experts. In this article, we investigate concept learning by example decomposition in a general probably approximately correct setting for Boolean learning. We develop sample complexity bounds for the different steps involved in the process. We formally show that if the cost of example partitioning is kept low then it is highly advantageous to learn by example decomposition.
CAMEL ratings and the CD market

This article investigates the relationship between CD rates as a measure of bank risk and the confidential CAMEL scores assigned to a bank as a result of an onsite examination. CAMEL ratings determine whether a bank is placed on the “problem list” and expresses the examiner's belief that the bank should be subjected to enhanced surveillance. In the view of regulators, CAMEL ratings are based on inside information and hence should be confidential. The empirical results in this article suggest that CAMEL ratings are primarily proxies for available market information about the quality of a bank.
Phase Diagram of Butyronitrile-Chloroethane Determined by Differential Thermal Analysis

The temperature−composition phase diagram of the butyronitrile−chloroethane system was determined by differential thermal analysis. The butyronitrile−chloroethane system is a simple eutectic, the eutectic point being −185 °C (88 K) and 48 mol % butyronitrile. The thermodynamics of the liquid phase were tested against a number of solution models and were found to be best represented by the associated solution model with the solution consisting of free butyronitrile, free chloroethane, and dimolecular complexes composed of one butyronitrile and one chloroethane. This model was also used to estimate the vapor pressure of butyronitrile−chloroethane solutions.
Electrohydrodynamic generation and delivery of monodisperse picoliter droplets using a poly(dimethylsiloxane) microchip.

We developed a drop-on-demand microdroplet generator for the discrete dispensing of biosamples into a bioanalytical unit. This disposable PDMS microfluidic device can generate monodisperse droplets of picoliter volume directly out of a plane sidewall of the microfluidic chip by an electrohydrodynamic mechanism. The droplet generation was accomplished without using either an inserted capillary or a monolithically built-in tip. The minimum droplet volume was ∼4 pL, and the droplet generation was repeatable and stable for at least 30 min, with a typical variation of less than 2.0% of drop size. The Taylor cone, which is usually observed in electrospray, was suppressed by controlling the surface wetting property of the PDMS device as well as the surface tension of the sample liquids. A modification of the channel geometry right before the opening of the microchannel also enhanced the continuous droplet generation without applying any external pumping. A simple numerical simulation of the droplet generation ve...
Comparison of fibrin networks in plasma and fibrinogen solution.

Abstract Mass-Length ratio of fibrin fibres (μT and μp) derived independently from turbidity and permeability respectively, in networks made in fibrinogen solution and plasma, have been compared under similar conditions of clotting. Amount of fibrinogen conversion to fibrin was similar in both systems when high thrombin concentrations were used. But networks in plasma had significantly thicker fibres (higherμT and μp)than those in fibrinogen solution. This difference arises from differing kinetics of fibrin assembly in the two systems. When lower thrombin concentration is used, fibrin fibre thickness (as indicated by μp and μT) is increased in fibrinogen solution but the fibrin content of the network remains unaltered. In plasma, on the other hand, the fibrin content of the network is decreased, μT remains relatively unchanged while μp increases. The thrombin concentration dependence of the fibrin content of the network in plasma and the bimodal distribution of fibrin fibre thickness explain the breakdown in correlation between μp and μT.
On response of structures to random waves

Abstract The solution to the non-linear, stochastic, ordinary differential equation governing the dynamic response of offshore structures to random waves, hitherto achieved by the statistical equivalent linearization method, is approached in a different manner. It is shown that the correlation function of the response is governed by a non-linear integral equation which can be solved successively. To the first order of approximation, the solution coincides with that of the statistical equivalent linearization method. This equation is solved up to the second order.
The mechanism of NO formation from the decomposition of dialkylamino diazeniumdiolates: density functional theory and CBS-QB3 predictions.

The mechanism of decomposition of dialkylamino diazeniumdiolate salts, R2N[NONO]-M+, to form nitric oxide, NO, was explored using theoretical methods. B3LYP/6-311+G(d) density functional theory calculations gave the optimized geometries, and energetics were further evaluated with the high accuracy CBS-QB3 method, when feasible. Relative pKa values were estimated using the PCM model for aqueous solvation. The terminal oxygen is the most basic site, followed closely by the internal oxygen. Protonation of these sites does not lead to decomposition. However, protonation of the weakly basic amino nitrogen leads to very rapid decomposition and NO generation.
High performance FPGA and GPU complex pattern matching over spatio-temporal streams

The wide and increasing availability of collected data in the form of trajectories has led to research advances in behavioral aspects of the monitored subjects (e.g., wild animals, people, and vehicles). Using trajectory data harvested by devices, such as GPS, RFID and mobile devices, complex pattern queries can be posed to select trajectories based on specific events of interest. In this paper, we present a study on FPGA- and GPU-based architectures processing complex patterns on streams of spatio-temporal data. Complex patterns are described as regular expressions over a spatial alphabet that can be implicitly or explicitly anchored to the time domain. More importantly, variables can be used to substantially enhance the flexibility and expressive power of pattern queries. Here we explore the challenges in handling several constructs of the assumed pattern query language, with a study on the trade-offs between expressiveness, scalability and matching accuracy. We show an extensive performance evaluation where FPGA and GPU setups outperform the current state-of-the-art (single-threaded) CPU-based approaches, by over three orders of magnitude for FPGAs (for expressive queries) and up to two orders of magnitude for certain datasets on GPUs (and in some cases slowdown). Unlike software-based approaches, the performance of the proposed FPGA and GPU solutions is only minimally affected by the increased pattern complexity.
The homoeotic effect of "tumorous head" in Drosophila melanogaster.

Abstract The morphology of the cuticular abnormalities appearing in the heads of flies from a tumorous head stock of Drosophila melanogaster was investigated. The antenna is sometimes partly replaced by leg structures, and parts of the head are frequently replaced by parts of abdominal tergites. The “rostralhaut” is sometimes replaced by genital elements, such as anal plates and clasper teeth. This is the first reported example of a homoeotic alteration to abdomen or genitalia.
Aspergillus nidulans striatin (StrA) mediates sexual development and localizes to the endoplasmic reticulum.

Abstract Striatin family proteins have been identified in animals and fungi and are considered to be scaffolding proteins. In fungi striatin orthologs have been associated with sexual development and virulence to plants. In this study, we characterized the functions and localization of the striatin ortholog, StrA, in Aspergillus nidulans . Δ strA strains showed multiple defects in conidium germination, mycelial radial growth, production of diffusible red pigment, and reduced conidiation. The most striking phenotype is the production of abnormally small cleistothecia that are defective in ascosporogenesis. Over-expression of strA enhanced cleistothecium development and increased the production of Hulle cells in shaking liquid cultures. In addition, we generated strains expressing StrA::eGFP under the endogenous promoter. By co-labeling with FM4-64 and co-localization with nuclear localized StuA(NLS)::DsRed or CxnA (an endoplasmic reticulum marker), we determined that StrA mainly localizes to endoplasmic reticulum and the nuclear envelope.
Hyades modeling of ultrafast laser interactions with multilayer targets

Summary form only given. In experiments using femtosecond laser pulses, researchers with the Center for Ultrafast Optical Science (CUOS) have observed structure in multilayer target that reflects a combination of absorption dynamics and heat transport in the near-damage-threshold regime. We report attempts to model the laser interaction, heat transport, and ablation dynamics using a combination of 1D and 2D Hyades, a Lagrangian 3-temperature, 1-fluid hydrodynamic simulation code used within the high energy density physics community. The 2D simulations use a two dimensional mesh defined in R-Z coordinate space with a rotation axis of symmetry at R=0. The code will be compared to current experimental results from CUOS and will work with the experimental data to explore deeper dynamics of the system
Open quiz solution: Case report 632

The current case represents a patient with classic plain film findings of Trevor's disease (DEH) seen in the foot and ankle, who presented with a large, eccentric metaphyseal lesion in the ipsilateral distal femur. The radiographic and pathologic characteristics of this large metaphyseal lesion were considered atypical for a simple osteochondroma; therefore, we propose the term "parosteal osteochondromatous hamartoma" as a descriptive term that best fits its unique characteristics.
Effects of novel 5-HT1A receptor antagonists on measures of postsynaptic 5-HT1A receptor activation in vivo

The effects of two putative 5-HT1A antagonists, 4-(2'-methoxyphenyl)-1- [2'-[N-(2"-pyridinyl)-p-iodobenzamido]ethyl]piperazine (p-MPPI) and 4-(2'-methoxyphenyl)-1-[2'-[N-(2"-pyridinyl)-p- fluorobenzamido]ethyl]piperazine (p-MPPF), were examined in vivo in two tests of postsynaptic 5-HT1A receptor activation, hypothermia and reciprocal forepaw treading, in the rat. Both p-MPPI (10 mg/kg, i.p.) and p-MPPF (10 mg/kg, i.p.) antagonized the hypothermia induced by the 5-HT1A receptor agonist 8-hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin (8-OH-DPAT) (0.5 mg/kg, s.c.). Neither p-MPPI nor p-MPPF administered alone at a dose of 10 mg/kg (i.p.) induced hypothermia. Similarly, both p-MPPI (10 mg/kg, i.p.) and p-MPPF (2.5 mg/kg, i.p.) completely antagonized 8-OH-DPAT (2 mg/kg, s.c.)-induced forepaw treading in rats pretreated with reserpine (1 mg/kg, s.c., 18-24 hours prior to the experiment). p-MPPI and p-MPPF, at doses of 10 mg/kg (i.p.) did not induce forepaw treading in reserpine pretreated animals. The results of the present study demonstrate that p-MPPI and p-MPPF act as 5-HT1A receptor antagonists in these measures of postsynaptic 5-HT1A receptor activation.
Studies of patients with anti-epiligrin cicatricial pemphigoid.

We have recently identified patients with a form of cicatricial pemphigoid who have IgG anti-basement membrane autoantibodies directed against epiligrin, a laminin isoform closely related if not identical to laminin 5. These patients' autoantibodies bind the lower lamina lucida of human epidermal basement membrane and immunoprecipitate this laminin isoform from extracts and media of biosynthetically radiolabeled human keratinocytes. Immunoblot studies show that these patients' autoantibodies specifically bind the alpha subunit of this laminin (i.e., laminin subunit alpha 3). We have found no evidence of these autoantibodies in normal volunteers or patients with other bullous skin diseases (including those with other forms of CP). These studies have identified a group of patients with an acquired, autoimmune, subepidermal bullous disorder who have disease-specific autoantibodies directed against the alpha subunit of epiligrin/laminin 5. These findings correlate with prior reports showing that a monoclonal antibody directed against this laminin subunit induces detachment of keratinocytes from extracellular matrix in vitro as well as epidermis from human skin in situ. Together, these findings suggest that this laminin mediates attachment of basal keratinocytes to epidermal basement membrane and that autoantibodies directed against it may be pathogenic. Moreover, recent studies showing that subunits of this laminin isoform are mutated in some patients with Herlitz's junctional epidermolysis bullosa indicate that acquired or inherited abnormalities in this adhesion ligand are associated with skin diseases characterized by separation of epidermis from epidermal BM.
Aggregating multiple expert data for linear case valuation models using the MDE principle

Abstract The Maximum Decisional Efficiency Principle is a recently developed technique for parameter estimation based on actual expert decisions. This paper illustrates how the method may be used to aggregate multiple expert data such as for developing expert system logic for binary classification problems. Previously the method has only been applied to derive a scoring function of Leontief type. In this paper the method is applied to the more important problem of deriving a linear scoring function. Hence the results here are more directly comparable to Linear Discriminant Analysis. Also an example is developed to illustrate the performance of the method when experts disagree on one or more cases to be classified.
Structure and promoter analysis of an ABA- and stress-regulated barley gene, HVA1.

A single-copy barley gene, HVA1, encoding a class 3 late embryogenesis-abundant protein, can be induced by either treatment with abscisic acid (ABA) or by stress conditions such as drought, cold, heat and salinity. We have isolated an HVA1 genomic clone containing about 400 bp of 5′-upstream sequence, a single 109 bp intron, and the full coding sequence. Linker scan mutagenesis and transient expression studies were used to test the function of four HVA1 promoter elements conserved in ABA-responsive genes. Mutations in two of these elements, the C box and the putative ABRE 1 (ABA-responsive element) containing an ACGT core, resulted in no significant change in transcription level or ABA induction. In contrast, mutations of the other two elements, putative ABRE 2 & 3 cause the level of transcription to drop to 10–20% of that obtained with the wild-type promoter indicating that the high level of expression of HVA1 is dependent on both pABRE 2 & 3. Interestingly, despite their low level of expression, the mutated promoters still gave more than 20-fold induction in response to ABA treatment. We suggest that the ABA induction of barley HVA1 gene is governed by a complex consisting of pABRE 2 & 3 working together to regulate the absolute level of expression, and either of these elements or a possible third element may regulate ABA inducibility. Phylogenetic analysis by parsimony indicates that the barley HVA1 and wheat pMA2005 sequences share a recent common ancester. These two genes are closely related to the carrot Dc3 and cotton D-7 genes with which they share a similar structural gene organization.
AT-rich promoter elements of soybean heat shock gene Gmhsp17.5E bind two distinct sets of nuclear proteins in vitro.

A 33 bp double-stranded oligonucleotide homologous to two AT-rich sequences located upstream (−907 to −889 and −843 to −826) to the start of transcription of heat shock gene Gmhsp17.5E of soybean stimulated transcription when placed 5′ to a truncated (−140) maize Adh1 promoter. The chimeric promoter was assayed in vivo utilizing anaerobically stressed sunflower tumors transformed by a pTi-based vector of Agrobacterium tumefaciens.
Significance of the multiple intercalated disc in the hypertrophied canine heart

Abstract Multiple intercalated discs (MID's) have been defined as two intercalated disc transverse segments lying along the same myofibril and separated by ten or less sarcomeres. In the canine right ventricle after pulmonary arterial banding, MID's were observed in two basic configurations: Type I contained sarcomeres bounded on three sides by membranes; Type II contained sarcomeres bounded on four sides by membranes. Type II may be reduced to Type I by assuming Type II is a cross section of Type I. Thus we interpret MID's as representing projections from the myocardial cell surface and hypothesize that the MID is involved in cell growth and reinforcement during the hypertrophy process.
Evidence of Choice Avoidance in Capital Investment Judgments

Evaluating capital investment decisions is an important function of managerial accountants. However, there is anecdotal evidence that managers avoid making decisions or delay decisions, which is costly in terms of time, effort and lost opportunities. Prior research has shown that choice avoidance among non-professionals making personal decisions is associated with having to choose between alternatives with very different features or that require tradeoffs of very important goals (choice difficulty). It is unclear, however, whether experienced managers, utilizing the analytical decision tools at their disposal, would respond in the same way as non-professionals when making accounting decisions. Hence, this study examines whether increased choice difficulty increases negative affect in the capital investment decision-making process and, as a result, the tendency of a manager to avoid choice even when analytical decision tools are used. In an experiment with one hundred twenty executives, participants facing more difficult decisions reported they felt more worried, nervous, uneasy and anxious and had a greater desire to postpone making the decision than participants in a control group. Participants provided with a decision aid designed to help them focus their cognitive effort reported a lower desire to postpone making the decision than participants in the choice difficulty conditions without the decision aid. I conclude by discussing the result's implications for managers and accountants.
The Role of Trust in Community Wildland Fire Protection Planning

Growing accumulations of fuel, changing climates, and residential development in forested landscapes have accelerated the risk of wildland fire, particularly in the western United States. The magnifying level of risk of fire in the urban–wildland interface requires multiple actors implementing coordinated fuel management, fire suppression, and community protection activities. The successful implementation of such actions is built upon trusting relationships in fire protection planning process. Trust is fundamental to cooperative human relationships and natural resource planning literature increasingly cites lack of trust as a major issue for plan implementation. This study of two community wildland fire protection planning processes revealed the importance of transparency in decisions, effective leadership, consensus on the framing of risk, and planning scale in affecting trust. Based on these results, five suggestions are offered as necessary conditions to promote effective community wildland fire protec...
Educational equity: A democratic principle at a crossroads

This is an examination of the criteria for determining if equitable education occurs through desegregation and the effects of other educational programs on these criteria—access, participation, and outcomes. Equity in access may not provide equity in either participation or outcome. Other federal educational policies may interfere with the achievement of equitable education by all three criteria.
Research Topics for the Problem of Volatile Solvent Abuse

SUMMARY Solvent abuse has received comparatively little attention from the public and from drug abuse researchers and practitioners. This neglect has resulted in a dearth of knowledge regarding this hazardous behavior. Based on the experience of the staff of the Tri-Ethnic Center for Prevention Research, a research agenda is proposed that addresses the major dimensions of solvent abuse. Topics for both prevention and treatment are included.
Self-reported exercise tolerance and the risk of serious perioperative complications.

Background Impaired exercise tolerance during formal testing is predictive of perioperative complications. However, for most patients, formal exercise testing is not indicated, and exercise tolerance is assessed by history. Objective To determine the relationship between self-reported exercise tolerance and serious perioperative complications. Methods Our study group consisted of 600 consecutive outpatients referred to a medical consultation clinic at a tertiary care medical center for preoperative evaluation before undergoing 612 major noncardiac procedures. Patients were asked to estimate the number of blocks they could walk and flights of stairs they could climb without experiencing symptomatic limitation. Patients who could not walk 4 blocks and climb 2 flights of stairs were considered to have poor exercise tolerance. All patients were evaluated for the development of 26 serious complications that occurred during hospitalization. Results Patients reporting poor exercise tolerance had more perioperative complications (20.4% vs 10.4%; P P =.02) and more cardiovascular ( P =.04) and neurologic ( P =.03) events. Poor exercise tolerance predicted risk for serious complications independent of all other patient characteristics, including age (adjusted odds ratio, 1.94; 95% confidence interval, 1.19-3.17). The likelihood of a serious complication occurring was inversely related to the number blocks that could be walked ( P =.006) or flights of stairs that could be climbed ( P =.01). Other patient characteristics predicting serious complications in multivariable regression analysis included history of congestive heart failure, dementia, Parkinson disease, and smoking greater than or equal to 20 pack-years. Conclusion Self-reported exercise tolerance can be used to predict in-hospital perioperative risk, even when using relatively simple and familiar measures.
The drift-flux model applied to bubble columns and low velocity flows

Abstract Although the drift-flux model is well-established for use in high velocity bubble flows, many researchers have found the need to alter the model to deal with low velocities or large diameter pipes. Based on some preliminary bubble distribution data from a 15.2 cm dia bubble column and on data in the literature, a program has been written to establish values for the drift-flux profile constant C 0 when it is influenced by buoyancy effects. It is concluded that the drift-flux model must be used with caution since C 0 can vary from 10 under extreme circumstances. However, C 0 is shown to assume the accepted values in higher velocity flows where buoyancy can be neglected. In addition, a technique is presented for predicting circulation in a column without prior knowledge of the void (bubble) distribution.
Hyperspectral image feature classification using stationary wavelet transform

Hyperspectral Images are a set of narrow spectrum band images used in the recognition and mapping of surface materials such as minerals and vegetation. Usually these Hyperspectral Image datasets are of high dimensional which makes its classification process a complex task and of low accuracy by using conventional classification approaches. Image dimensionality reduction and feature classification have become necessary steps in multi-dimensional hyperspectral image processing. This study investigates an effective algorithm for extracting spatial features using stationary wavelet transform (SWT) and reducing spectral dimensionality using principal component analysis (PCA). K-nearest neighbor classifier is used in the classification step for the features. Experimental results show that the proposed SWT-PCA algorithm outperforms the other two methods.
Direct Activation of Protein Kinases by Ubiquitin

The inhibitor of kB kinase (IKK) complex, a critical positive regulator of nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) signaling and immune function, can be activated in vitro by polyubiquitin chains. The modification of signaling intermediates by polyubiquitin and their association with ubiquitin-binding domain-containing proteins within multimolecular signaling complexes therefore represent a potential mechanism for activation of IKK and NF-κB in vivo.
Carbon fluxes in a young, naturally regenerating jack pine ecosystem

[1] Within the FLUXNET network of tower stations for performing long-term measurements of CO2 exchange between forest ecosystems and the atmosphere, most research has focused on mature forests that are strong carbon sinks. Nevertheless, it is just as valuable to quantify fluxes from recently disturbed forests so that we can recognize and predict the impact of disturbance on carbon fluxes. We measured carbon fluxes and microclimatic variables within a naturally regenerating, young (12–14 years of age) jack pine ecosystem in northern Michigan. During the months June to October of 2001–2003, this ecosystem exhibited a low net uptake of approximately 17.8–18.3 g C m−2 5 months−1. Soil respiration was independently measured and then modeled on the basis of soil temperature and soil moisture. Model estimates of soil respiration were 627, 583, and 681 g C m−2 5 months−1 from June to October in 2001, 2002, and 2003, respectively. Net ecosystem exchange (NEE) and soil respiration were inversely correlated in midsummer (r = −0.6, p = 0.001) during the period of lowest NEE (greatest uptake) and highest soil respiration rates. In the spring, NEE and soil respiration were positively correlated (r = 0.4, p = 0.01). During the fall, when soil temperatures remained fairly steady and air temperatures fluctuated, this coefficient between NEE and soil respiration declined to an average −0.25 (p = 0.2). Our results indicate that 12–14 years following disturbance this ecosystem displays a small net uptake during the June to October months but respiratory losses during the snow season (mid-October to April) could possibly counterbalance this carbon gain.
Crack profiles in mortar measured by holographic interferometry

In order to test the accuracy of theoretical fracture models for mortar and concrete, it is necessary to have accurate measurements of the crack profiles. In this study, sandwich holographic interferometry has been used to find the crack profiles in a center-notched plate specimen loaded at the center of the notch. The results have shown that at low load levels with corresponding short crack lengths, there is little difference between the measured crack profiles and elastic crack profiles computed by finite-element analysis. At high loads with long crack lengths there is a large difference between measured and computed elastic crack profiles. The data suggest the presence of a closing pressure at the crack tip and that there may be a limit to crack-tip-opening displacement (CTOD) before the crack propagates.