cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Bottom friction and bed forms on the southern flank of Georges Bank

kinetic energy. Typical bottom friction velocities are 1.1–1.2 cm s � 1 in the time mean, with standard deviations of 0.4–0.5 cm s � 1 . A representative drag coefficient is cD = 3.0 ± 0.1 � 10 � 3 at 1.2 m above the bottom. Our drag coefficient estimates at this and other elevations correspond to the apparent bottom roughness range z0 = 0.05–0.09 cm. Bottom photographs (taken February–June) show that from February until April the sea floor was covered by sand ripples 1–2 cm in height. These ripples were approximately aligned with the local isobath; their flanks were perpendicular to the major axis of the tidal ellipse. Ripples exhibited stationary behavior; that is, they did not migrate with the flow. Intermittent modification of the ripple pattern happened during times of strong wavecurrent interaction, but along-isobath ripples formed again after each wave event. Observations of bed forms affected by surface waves coincided with periods of waveenhanced bottom stress predicted by the Grant and Madsen [1979] combined wavecurrent interaction model. Model results and bottom photographs indicate that sediments were kept in suspension only under extreme conditions, here the February 1995 storm. Sand ripples gradually eroded during late March and April until the sea floor was almost flat. Coinciding with slow ripple erosion, bioturbation levels increased. Our estimates of bottom stress do not exhibit seasonal changes, so that seasonal variation of bottom shear stress cannot explain the transition from a rippled to a nearly flat bottom. We conclude that biogenic modification of bottom sediment enhanced the critical shear stress for initiation of sediment movement, thereby prohibiting ripple formation in spring and summer. INDEX TERMS: 4219 Oceanography: General: Continental shelf processes; 4211 Oceanography: General: Benthic boundary layers; 4558 Oceanography: Physical: Sediment transport; 4560 Oceanography: Physical: Surface waves and tides (1255); KEYWORDS: bottom stress, bottom roughness, bottom drag coefficient, wave-current interaction, sand waves, Georges Bank Citation: Werner, S. R., R. C. Beardsley, and A. J. Williams III, Bottom friction and bed forms on the southern flank of Georges Bank, J. Geophys. Res., 108(C11), 8004, doi:10.1029/2000JC000692, 2003.
Do East Asians Perceive Democracy as a Lesser Evil? Retesting Churchill's Lesser-Evil Notion of Democracy in East Asia

Winston Churchill once asserted ‘democracy is the worst form of government, except all those other forms that have been tried from time to time’. In this conception, democracy is ‘a lesser evil’, something that is not good but is less bad than its alternatives. This study offers a rigorous test of this concept in the context of East Asia. Analysis of the East Asia Barometer surveys conducted in five new democracies in the region reveals that small minorities of these countries actually perceive the current democratic regime as a lesser evil. A large majority of these ‘lesser-evil perceivers’, moreover, refuse to support democracy fully. On the basis of these findings, we argue that the Churchillian lesser-evil notion of democracy has limited utility as an alternative paradigm for the study of democratization among ordinary citizens.
An efficient, temperature-based algorithm for feedback control of electromagnetic phased-array hyperthermia

A new technique for measurement-based feedback control of the phases and amplitudes of electromagnetic phased-arrays for hyperthermia is developed and its effectiveness demonstrated in simulations. The technique incorporates measurement data as it becomes available in real-time into a parametric model of the electromagnetic and thermal physics of the temperature evolution. This model is then used in an optimization procedure to determine the best phases and amplitudes of the phased-array. A key feature of this technique is that it is temperature-based, optimizing a quantity which more closely correlates with clinical outcome than does, for example, specific absorption rate (SAR).
The Broader Context of Relational Aggression in Adolescent Romantic Relationships: Predictions from Peer Pressure and Links to Psychosocial Functioning

The broader context of relational aggression in adolescent romantic relationships was assessed by considering the ways such aggression emerged from prior experiences of peer pressure and was linked to concurrent difficulties in psychosocial functioning. Longitudinal, multi-reporter data were obtained from 97 adolescents and their best friends at age 15 and from adolescents and their romantic partners at age 18. Teens’ relational aggression and romantic partners’ victimization were predicted from levels of best friends’ pressuring behaviors toward teens in an observed interaction as well as from best friends’ ratings of how much pressure teens experienced from their peer group. Romantic partner relational aggression and teen victimization were predicted by pressure from teens’ peer group only. Adolescents’ romantic relational aggression and victimization were also associated with elevated levels of depressive symptoms and increased alcohol use. Results are discussed in terms of the connection of relational aggression in romantic relationships to the broader task of establishing autonomy with peers in psychosocial development.
Assessing slope stability in the Santa Barbara Basin, California, using seafloor geodesy and CHIRP seismic data

[1] Seafloor slope instability in the Santa Barbara Basin, California, poses risk to the region. Two prominent landslides, the Goleta and Gaviota slides, occupy the northern flank, with a scarp-like crack extending east from the headwall of the Gaviota slide towards the Goleta complex. Downslope creep across the crack might indicate an imminent risk of failure. Sub-bottom CHIRP profiles with <1 m accuracy across the crack exhibit no evidence of internal deformation. Daily seafloor acoustic range measurements spanning the crack detected no significant motion above a 99% confidence level of ±7 mm/yr over two years of monitoring. These disparate data over different timescales suggest no active creep and that the crack is likely a relict feature that formed concomitantly with the Gaviota slide.
Functional Convergence in Reduced Genomes of Bacterial Symbionts Spanning 200 My of Evolution

The main genomic changes in the evolution of host-restricted microbial symbionts are ongoing inactivation and loss of genes combined with rapid sequence evolution and extreme structural stability; these changes reflect high levels of genetic drift due to small population sizes and strict clonality. This genomic erosion includes irreversible loss of genes in many functional categories and can include genes that underlie the nutritional contributions to hosts that are the basis of the symbiotic association. Candidatus Sulcia muelleri is an ancient symbiont of sap-feeding insects and is typically coresident with another bacterial symbiont that varies among host subclades. Previously sequenced Sulcia genomes retain pathways for the same eight essential amino acids, whereas coresident symbionts synthesize the remaining two. Here, we describe a dual symbiotic system consisting of Sulcia and a novel species of Betaproteobacteria, Candidatus Zinderia insecticola, both living in the spittlebug Clastoptera arizonana. This Sulcia has completely lost the pathway for the biosynthesis of tryptophan and, therefore, retains the ability to make only 7 of the 10 essential amino acids. Zinderia has a tiny genome (208 kb) and the most extreme nucleotide base composition (13.5% G + C) reported to date, yet retains the ability to make the remaining three essential amino acids, perfectly complementing capabilities of the coresident Sulcia. Combined with the results from related symbiotic systems with complete genomes, these data demonstrate the critical role that bacterial symbionts play in the host insect's biology and reveal one outcome following the loss of a critical metabolic activity through genome reduction.
Serum suppresses myeloid progenitor apoptosis by regulating iron homeostasis.

The growth and survival of committed hematopoietic progenitors is dependent upon cytokine signaling. However, serum is also required for optimal growth of these progenitors in culture ex vivo. Here we report that serum withdrawal leads to myeloid progenitor cell apoptosis. Although serum deprivation-induced cell death has many hallmarks typical of apoptosis, these cell deaths were not inhibited by hemopoietins, survival factors such as IGF-I, or treatment with a broad-spectrum caspase inhibitor. Rather, apoptosis due to serum withdrawal was associated with damage to mitochondria. Surprisingly the serum factor required for myeloid cell survival was identified as iron, and loss of iron led to marked reductions in ATP production. Furthermore, supplementing serum-deprived myeloid cells with bound or free iron promoted cell survival and prevented mitochondrial damage. Therefore, serum suppresses hematopoietic cell apoptosis by providing an obligate source of iron and iron homeostasis is critical for proper myeloid cell metabolism and survival. J. Cell. Biochem. 82: 171–186, 2001. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Formal Estimation of Errors in Computed Absolute Interaction Energies of Protein−Ligand Complexes

A largely unsolved problem in computational biochemistry is the accurate prediction of binding affinities of small ligands to protein receptors. We present a detailed analysis of the systematic and random errors present in computational methods through the use of error probability density functions, specifically for computed interaction energies between chemical fragments comprising a protein−ligand complex. An HIV−II protease crystal structure with a bound ligand (indinavir) was chosen as a model protein−ligand complex. The complex was decomposed into 21 interacting fragment pairs, which were studied using a number of computational methods. The chemically accurate complete basis set coupled cluster theory (CCSD(T)/CBS) interaction energies were used as reference values to generate our error estimates. In our analysis, we observed significant systematic and random errors in most methods, which was surprising, especially for parametrized classical and semiempirical quantum mechanical calculations. After pr...
Substitution Mutations in the Myosin Essential Light Chain Lead to Reduced Actin-activated ATPase Activity Despite Stoichiometric Binding to the Heavy Chain

Myosin essential light chain (ELC) wraps around an alpha-helix that extends from the myosin head, where it is believed to play a structural support role. To identify other role(s) of the ELC in myosin function, we have used an alanine scanning mutagenesis approach to convert charged residues in loops I, II, III, and helix G of the Dictyostelium ELC into uncharged alanines. Dictyostelium was used as a host system to study the phenotypic and biochemical consequences associated with the mutations. The ELC carrying loop mutations bound with normal stoichiometry to the myosin heavy chain when expressed in ELC-minus cells. When expressed in wild type cells these mutants competed efficiently with the endogenous ELC for binding, suggesting that the affinity of their interaction with the heavy chain is comparable to that of wild type. However, despite apparently normal association of ELC the cells still exhibited a reduced efficiency to undergo cytokinesis in suspension. Myosin purified from these cells exhibited 4-5-fold reduction in actin-activated ATPase activity and a decrease in motor function as assessed by an in vitro motility assay. These results suggest that the ELC contributes to myosin's enzymatic activity in addition to providing structural support for the alpha-helical neck region of myosin heavy chain.
Attenuation of Neuronal Lipid Accumulations and Delayed Myelination in the Brain of Postnatal PEX2 Zellweger Mice

Zellweger syndrome is a peroxisomal biogenesis disorder, characterized by the absence of peroxisomes. Peroxin (PEX) genes, which regulate the import process of peroxisome matrix proteins, are mutated in patients with Zellweger syndrome. The majority of peroxisomal reactions involve lipids, including fatty acid beta-oxidation and ether phospholipid biosynthesis. However, in the absence of peroxisomes, these metabolic pathways are severely disrupted, resulting in toxic accumulations of very long chain fatty acids and many other metabolic disturbances (Wanders and Romeijn, 1998). Previous research on mice with deletion of the PEX2 gene (PEX2-/-) revealed an absence of normal peroxisomes, central nervous system malformations with an abnormality of neuronal migration and neuronal lipid accumulation in embryonic and newborn brain (Faust, 2003; Faust and Hatten, 1997; Faust et al., 2001). Using the PEX2-/- mouse model, we characterized the distribution and time course of abnormal neuronal lipid accumulation in the postnatal mutant brain. Oil red staining in PEX2 mutant mice illustrates persistence of abnormal lipid deposits in postnatal day 3 (P3) brain but their near complete disappearance in P12-P36 PEX2 mutants, with the exceptions of olfactory bulb and ependymal lining. This loss of neuronal lipid accumulation suggests these lipids may be removed by alternate non-peroxisomal mechanisms in the developing brain. Alternatively, changing metabolic requirements in developing versus mature neurons may differentially affect lipid metabolism in the absence of peroxisomes. Lastly, our results show that myelin sheaths are visibly attenuated in the brains of PEX2 mutant mice at P15. This attenuation persists somewhat through P36. The relationship of these myelin abnormalities to specific peroxisomal lipid dysfunctions remains to be investigated.
The nature of isotactic and atactic polypropylene. Evidence from radiation effects

Except for an enhanced yield of methane from atactic polypropylene, probably due to greater diffusibility or the methane in the amorphous atactic solid, there is no essential difference between the two forms of polypropylene. Thus, there is no evidence that the atactic polypropylene contains branched structures. (P.C.H.)
Evolving Technical Services Workflows in a Demand-Driven Acquisitions Pilot

Demand-driven acquisitions (DDA) of electronic books (ebooks) has been a favored method of acquisitions in academic libraries for a number of years. Despite careful consideration and planning ahead of implementation, snags and hiccups may erupt in the acquisitions and cataloging workflow while executing a DDA pilot. Technical Services must remain attentive, collaborative, and flexible in order to redress known issues and anticipate potential ones. DDA is ultimately a worthwhile endeavor that has the potential to replace traditional bibliographer ebook title selection, particularly when the long-term integrity of a collections budget is in question.
Microvascular Networks for Tissue Engineering

The development of technology to engineer tissue and organ structures suitable for implantation and replacement of damaged or diseased counterparts in the body has the potential to save countless lives and catalyze a revolution in the field of medicine. But the inability to construct vascular networks inside biomaterial scaffolds that mimic the tree-like 3-D architectures found in nature poses a significant barrier to realizing the vision of producing artificial tissues at organ-level size scales. Here, we review exciting recent progress that promises to make it possible to construct microchannel networks possessing these physiologically relevant characteristics and apply them as powerful new enabling tools for tissue engineering.
Attributional Bias and Reactive Aggression

This article looks at a cognitive behavioral intervention designed to reduce minority youths' (Latino and African-American boys) levels of reactive peer-directed aggression. The BrainPower Program trains aggressive boys to recognize accidental causation in ambiguous interactions with peers. The objective of this research is to evaluate the effectiveness of this attribution retraining program in reducing levels of reactive, peer-directed aggression. This research hypothesizes that aggressive young boys' tendency to attribute hostile intentions to others in ambiguous social interactions causes display of inappropriate, peer-directed aggression. A reduction in attributional bias should produce a decrease in reactive physical and verbal aggression directed toward peers. A 12-session, attributional intervention has been designed to reduce aggressive students' tendency to infer hostile intentions in peers following ambiguous peer provocations. The program trains boys to (1) accurately perceive and categorize the available social cues in interactions with peers, (2) attribute negative outcomes of ambiguous causality to accidental or uncontrollable causes, and (3) generate behaviors appropriate to these retrained attributions. African-American and Latino male elementary-school students (N = 384), in grades four-six, served as subjects in one of three groups: experimental attribution retraining program, attention training, and no-attention control group. Three broad categories of outcome data were collected: teacher and administrator reports of behavior, independent observations of behavior, and self-reports from participating students. Process measures to assess implementation fidelity include videotaped training sessions, observations of intervention sessions, student attendance records, and weekly team meetings. The baseline data indicated that students who were evenly distributed across the four sites were not significantly different on the baseline indicators: student cognitions, teacher perceptions of behavior, and student suspension rates. Substantial evidence has shown that aggressive boys tend to attribute hostile intentions to peers, often resulting in inappropriate retaliatory aggression. The BrainPower Program was designed to determine whether psychoeducational strategies in a school context are effective in reducing attributional bias and whether such reductions significantly reduce aggressive behavior.
MIMO radars and their conventional equivalents - an update

It had originally been shown in the literature that a MIMO full/thin array radar system (consisting of a full transmit linear array of N elements having λ/2 spacing and a collocated, parallel, linear thinned receive array having Nλ/2 spacing) is equivalent to a full array of N2 elements having λ/2 spacing and thus achieves N times the accuracy and resolution as a conventional full array of N elements, 10 times or 100 times or 1000 times better than a conventional array depending on N [1]. It has since been shown that a conventional array radar can do as well as a MIMO full/thin array radar [2]. Specifically, a conventional full/thin array radar was shown to provide the same resolution and accuracy as the MIMO array. The conventional full/thin array had some disadvantages relative to grating lobes that had to be dealt with but in some situations it could provide better energy search efficiency than its MIMO equivalent. Here a new conventional array is presented which has no grating lobes, the same resolution and about has the same accuracy as the MIMO full/thin array radar. Also it uses the same search time and about the same power-aperture product to do volume search as the MIMO radar. The new conventional array consists of the same full and thin arrays but with their roles reversed with the thin array transmitting and the full array receiving. The new conventional array is called a thin/full array to distinguish it from the former full/thin array. The properties of the full/thin and thin/full MIMO and conventional array radars are detailed relative to waveforms and matched filter signal processing loads. The matched filter processing load for MIMO full/thin and thin/full arrays are dependent on whether the transmit or receive beam forming is done first. It is pointed out that MIMO radar systems do not have any advantages relative to barrage jammer, hot clutter jammer or repeater jammer suppression. Finally it is shown how the conventional thin/full array can be used for GMTI so that it should provide the same minimum detectable velocity as does the MIMO thin/full array.
A Conceptual Model for Communicating an Integrated Information Systems Curriculum

This article discusses the development of an Integrated IS model that seeks to provide students and faculty with a more holistic understanding of the Information Systems field. Through such a model, we argue that students will be better equipped to integrate and find the relevance of the rather diverse and seemingly disjointed array of classes they are required to take to earn an Information Systems degree. We posit that a mutually agreed upon conceptual model like the one developed in this article should be created in all Information Systems departments and can be used as a common framework for enhancing departmental objectives and outcomes along with developing an overall feel of departmental-wide connectedness across classes. The usefulness of the model developed in this paper is then discussed in the light of common IS courses and the widely accepted 2010 core curriculum. Anecdotal evidence is then presented to highlight this model's initial success at our university.
Deister: A Light-Weight Autonomous Block Management in Data-Intensive File Systems Using Deterministic Declustering Distribution

During the last few decades, Data-intensive File Systems (DiFS), such as Google File System (GFS) and Hadoop Distributed File System (HDFS) have become the key storage architectures for big data processing. These storage systems usually divide files into fixed-sized blocks (or chunks). Each block is replicated (usually three-way) and distributed pseudo-randomly across the cluster. The master node (namenode) uses a huge table to record the locations of each block and its replicas. However, with the increasing size of the data, the block location table and its corresponding maintenance could occupy more than half of the memory space and 30% of processing capacity in master node, which severely limit the scalability and performance of master node. We argue that the physical data distribution and maintenance should be separated out from the metadata management and performed by each storage node autonomously. In this paper, we propose Deister, a novel block management scheme that is built on an invertible deterministic declustering distribution method called Intersected Shifted Declustering (ISD). Deister is amendable to current research on scaling the namespace management in master node. In Deister, the huge table for maintaining the block locations in the master node are eliminated and the maintenance of the block-node mapping is performed autonomously on each data node. Results show that as compared with the HDFS default configuration, Deister is able to achieve identical performance with a saving of about half of the RAM space in master node and is expected to scale to double the size of current single namenode HDFS cluster, pushing the scalability bottleneck of master node back to namespace management.
Poverty Alleviation Policy in Mongolia and the Implications of Chinese Poverty Alleviation

Human society faces poverty which is the most difficult problem of the 21 st century. Millennium development goals of United National focus on the first goal that will reduce poverty twice by 2015. In a long period of time,varying degrees of poverty exists in both China and Mongolia. Fortunately China could find effective solutions to solve the problem of poverty,and tremendous changes have taken place in the country. However,the situation is still very grim in Mongolia,for poverty has become a major social problem in the national development. Therefore,observing and studying the Chinese poverty alleviation will help to adjust poverty alleviation policies in Mongolia.
Lactoferrin blocks the initial host cell attachment mechanism of Enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC).

Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) is a major cause of infantile diarrhea. The initial event in pathogenesis of EPEC and many other bacterial enteropathogens (Shigella, Salmonella, Yersinia, and Shiga toxin-producing E. coli) involves production and translocation of bacterial proteins through a needle complex. In EPEC, multimers of E. coli secreted protein A (EspA) assemble into a transiently expressed tube between the bacteria and the host cell. Secreted proteins (EspB, EspD, and others) are introduced into host cells via this conduit, triggering cytoskeletal events that lead to the intimate attachment of bacteria to the epithelial surface, effacement of host microvilli and pedestal formation [“attaching and effacing” lesion] (Vallance & Finlay 2000; Sekiya et al. 2001).
Diagnosis and treatment of myeloma bone disease

INTRODUCTION Multiple myeloma (MM) is the most common cancer to metastasize to bone, with up to 90% of patients developing bone lesions. The bone lesions are purely osteolytic in nature and do not heal in the vast majority of patients. Up to 60% of patients develop pathological fractures over the course of their disease. Bone disease is a hallmark of MM, and myeloma bone disease differs from bone metastasis caused by other tumors. Although myeloma and other osteolytic metastases induce increased osteoclastic bone destruction, in contrast to other tumors, once myeloma tumor burden exceeds 50% in a local area, osteoblast activity is either severely depressed or absent. The basis for this severe imbalance between increased osteoclastic bone resorption and decreased bone formation has been the topic of intensive investigation over the past several years. These studies have helped to identify novel targets for treating myeloma bone disease and are discussed subsequently in this chapter. The clinical and economic impact of myeloma bone disease in patients with myeloma can be catastrophic. Saad and coworkers retrospectively evaluated data from patients on the control arms of randomized trials of zoledronic acid to assess the impact of pathological fractures on survival of patients with malignant disease. A total of 3049 patients with metastatic bone disease were included in this study, of which 513 had myeloma. Patients with myeloma had the highest incidence of fracture (43%) over the 21 months of the study compared to patients with breast cancer, prostate cancer, and lung cancer.
Incorporating Entrepreneurial Excitement into the Essentials of IS Curriculum

Currently, the supply of capable, technology-enabled information systems (IS) students falls far short of demand. Creating engaging, educational, and pedagogically sound content represents a challenge that all universities face. Information systems courses uniquely confront this issue. As IS educators, we stand on the front line of recruiting, educating, and graduating technology-enabled students. Recently, the Essentials of Information Systems course required of all College of Business students was redesigned to blend high-impact educational practices with an experiential, entrepreneurial-directed approach to captivate and motivate students. Students were able to apply both IS knowledge and IS technology skills by working with student-entrepreneurs from within the university. Both quantitative and qualitative research methods were used to evaluate the new approach. Initial results indicate that the approach may be engaging and educational for students, teachers, and entrepreneurs, while providing motivation for students to consider an IS-related field of study.
Water Structure and Dynamics in Homochiral [Zn(l-L)(X)] Metal–Organic Frameworks

The structural, thermodynamic, and dynamical properties of water adsorbed in two homochiral metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) with general formula [Zn(l-L)(X)], X = Cl and Br, and L = 3-methyl-2-(pyridin-4-ylmethylamino)butanoic acid, are investigated through molecular dynamics simulations. Water molecules establish distinct hydrogen-bonding patterns within the pores of the two MOFs, which directly correlate with the strength of the underlying framework–water interactions. In particular, at low loading, the Zn–Cl groups of [Zn(l-L)(Cl)] effectively provide a templating scaffold for the formation of one-dimensional hydrogen-bonded water chains that propagate along the MOF channels following the helicity of the framework. In contrast, the relatively weaker framework–water interactions in [Zn(l-L)(Br)] lead to less ordered water distributions inside the pores. The simulation results are in agreement with the available experimental data and provide molecular-level insights into specific hydrogen-bonding motifs ...
Immune checkpoint regulator: a new assignment proposed for the classic adhesion molecule P-selectin glycoprotein ligand-1

P-selectin glycoprotein ligand-1 (PSGL-1) is a major selectin ligand expressed by hematopoietic cells and well known for its role in mediating leukocyte trafficking into inflamed tissue. A recent report by Tinoco et al . examines chronic viral infection and melanoma in PSGL-1 deficient mice ( Selplg −/− ) and suggests a previously unknown and selectin-independent function for PSGL-1 as an immune checkpoint regulator that promotes T cell exhaustion (1).
QUANTITATIVE MICROBIAL EXAMINATION OF SOME MILKS AND MEAT PRODUCTS DURING STORAGE BY A REPLICA PLATING TECHNIQUE1

Summary A replica plating method is described for a quantitative analysis of the microbial flora of certain milk and meat products. Species of Pseudomonas, Achromobacter, Alcaligenes, Flavobacterium or Cytophaga were present at the beginning of refrigerated storage. After holding for 10–20 days, species of Pseudomonas type I and II predominated in the milk samples. The microbial flora of the stored meats included species of greater number of genera.
Crime Versus Justice: Is There A Tradeoff?

When society is divided into two groups with different actual or perceived crime rates, maintaining a low crime rate, minimizing the total number of innocent individuals convicted of a crime and keeping the probability of wrongly convicting an innocent individual equal across groups are incompatible social goals. The model presented here fully develops these tradeoffs and then analyzes the results of a social welfare function containing all three goals. An empirical application of the model estimates that innocent black Americans would be roughly five times more likely to be wrongly convicted of a crime than innocent white Americans if society placed no value on equality when it comes to convictions. Estimates also reveal a similar upper bound for gender inequality.
Asthma in the elderly: a double-blind, placebo-controlled study of the effect of montelukast

Little is known about asthma in the elderly as most studies of this condition have not included this patient group. It is unclear whether leukotriene antagonists benefit older asthmatics. We studied the effect of adding montelukast to the asthma treatment of elderly subjects. Twenty-five subjects 65 years old and older with asthma were evaluated at week 0, 1, 5, 9, 13, and 17. Each subject received montelukast 10 mg and placebo each for 8 weeks in a cross-over design. Montelukast for 4 or 8 weeks did not significantly affect ACT, daily symptom scores, number of puffs of albuterol, spirometric values, peripheral blood eosinophils, or serum IgE vs. baseline or placebo. Similar results were obtained when analyzing subgroups of patients with lower ACT, lower FEV1, and higher eosinophils. In this study of elderly asthmatics, montelukast had no effect on asthma symptoms, number of puffs of albuterol, spirometric values, peripheral blood eosinophils or serum IgE. These results will require confirmation in larger patient cohorts and in patients with uncontrolled asthmatic symptoms.
Ultraviolet observations of halo clouds

Since the earliest optical absorption line studies of Munch and Zirin (1961) identified clouds of gas located at large distances from the galactic plane, considerable effort has gone into trying to understand the origin and nature of Milky Way halo gas. Subsequent high resolution optical absorption studies (Albert 1981; Blades et al 1989) have expanded on the early results, demonstrating clearly that (1) halo clouds are more likely to have velocities outside the range allowed by galactic rotation and (2) halo clouds show smaller depletion of refractory elements compared to their disk counterparts (i.e. the SpitzerRoutley effect). Further insight into the nature of halo gas has been provided by absorption studies in the near ultraviolet region of the spectrum (Savage and deBoer 1979, 1981; Pettini and West 1983; Savage and Massa 1987; Danly 1987, 1989). Despite the lower (25 km/s) resolution, the wider range of ionization states available for study in the ultraviolet and the greater sensitivity provided by higher f-value lines of more abundant species have permitted several additional pieces of observational information to be uncovered. These include: (i) the nearly ubiquitous presence of C IV and Si IV in the halo, (2) the higher scale height of the high ionization species, (3) the very low colmnn density, low ionization gas that pervades the halo, (4) the strong bias toward infall of gas in the northern galactic hemisphere and (5) the strong asymmetry in the characteristics of halo gas toward the NGP vs that toward the SGP. Comprehensive absorption line and 21-cm surveys have provided insight into the gross characteristics of halo gas and have lead to several plausible theoretical explanations for its origin. However, no definitive conclusions have been reached as to the nature of its support or ionization, or to the origin of diffuse halo gas or of the high velocity clouds (HVCs). Differentiation between competing theories for halo gas will only be achieved by in-depth studies of physical characteristics on a component-by-component basis. This is the hope and expectation for GHRS (the Goddard High Resolution Spectrometer on HST): to observe and analyze ultraviolet species at ground based resolution. In order to make the most efficient use of data available in advance of the launch of HST, we have been combining high-resolution, ground based optical data with lower resolution IUE data on several important species observed toward high latitude halo stars. The selected lines of sight are those known from previous work to have complex, multicomponent spectra where at least one cloud lies outside the bulk of the HI layer (e.g. z>250 pc). Here we present results toward one of our stars, HD 203664.
Initial Assessment of the Risk Assessment and Prediction Tool in a Heterogeneous Neurosurgical Patient Population.

BACKGROUND Bundled care payments are increasingly being explored for neurosurgical interventions. In this setting, skilled nursing facility (SNF) is less desirable from a cost perspective than discharge to home, underscoring the need for better preoperative prediction of postoperative disposition. OBJECTIVE To assess the capability of the Risk Assessment and Prediction Tool (RAPT) and other preoperative variables to determine expected disposition prior to surgery in a heterogeneous neurosurgical cohort, through observational study. METHODS Patients aged 50 yr or more undergoing elective neurosurgery were enrolled from June 2016 to February 2017 (n = 623). Logistic regression was used to identify preoperative characteristics predictive of discharge disposition. Results from multivariate analysis were used to create novel grading scales for the prediction of discharge disposition that were subsequently compared to the RAPT Score using Receiver Operating Characteristic analysis. RESULTS Higher RAPT Score significantly predicted home disposition (P < .001). Age 65 and greater, dichotomized RAPT walk score, and spinal surgery below L2 were independent predictors of SNF discharge in multivariate analysis. A grading scale utilizing these variables had superior discriminatory power between SNF and home/rehab discharge when compared with RAPT score alone (P = .004). CONCLUSION Our analysis identified age, lower lumbar/lumbosacral surgery, and RAPT walk score as independent predictors of discharge to SNF, and demonstrated superior predictive power compared with the total RAPT Score when combined in a novel grading scale. These tools may identify patients who may benefit from expedited discharge to subacute care facilities and decrease inpatient hospital resource utilization following surgery.
Inductive learning of categories from examples using minimum cost representations

The problem of learning categories from a sequence of examples is considered in terms of maintaining a minimum-cost representation for the set of categories. Categories here are subsets of a set of natural numbers. Computational aspects of the following problems are addressed: (1) how are the category representations updated as an incremental change is made to one category, (2) how can a minimum cost representation for a new category be obtained in terms of existing ones, and (3) how does the enlargement of the known universe of objects affect representations of known categories. We then discuss extensions of our methodology to domains which include structure in the categorical descriptions.
Venous Obstruction in Cardiac Rhythm Device Therapy.

A variety of complex vascular pathologies arise following the implantation of electronic cardiac devices. Pacemaker and defibrillator lead insertion may cause proximal venous obstruction, resulting in symptomatic venous congestion and the compromise of potential future access sites for cardiac rhythm lead management. Various innovative techniques to recanalize the vein and establish alternate venous access have been pioneered over the past few years. A collaborative team of electrophysiologists and vascular specialists strategically integrate the patient’s vascular disease into the planning of electrophysiology procedures. When vascular complications occur after device implantation, the same team effectively manages both the resulting vascular sequelae and related cardiac rhythm device challenges. This review will outline the various vascular challenges related to device therapy and offer an effective strategy for their management.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Alternating Magnetic Fields

In addition to their integration in many current diagnostic and therapeutic interventions, magnetic nanoparticles have great potential for their use in magnetic resonance imaging and alternating magnetic fields as theranostic agents. Magnetic nanoparticles are a promising biomedical tool and platform due to their ability to interact with external magnetic fields at long distances and the numerous techniques that allow for functional modifications. This chapter addresses the fundamental design and characteristics of magnetic nanoparticles and their attributes in magnetic resonance imaging and alternating magnetic fields. Their theranostic application as T2 contrast agents and advanced imaging techniques are complemented with modifications that allow for their use as a source for hyperthermia treatment, drug delivery vehicles, and activatable agents. In addition, the chapter examines their applications as multimodal imaging agents for disease, physiological structure, and therapeutic tracking, along with therapeutic methods of hyperthermia treatments and activatable drug delivery.
Assessment of Value Change in Adults with Acquired Disabilities

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses self-report measures of values for use with the individuals who have acquired disabilities, and suggests methods that could contribute to a new generation of such measures. In addition, it discusses research on measures of values with this population, and the methods to improve the measurement of values for use in medical and psychosocial rehabilitation. The chapter focuses on measures of values that are completed by the rehabilitation customers or that are completed with the assistance of their significant others, or rehabilitation professionals. A review of the importance of values to rehabilitation interventions indicates that values influence the ways people interpret the impact and meaning of their disabilities. Moreover, values influence rehabilitation success. Therapeutic benefits are thought to increase when persons with acquired disabilities examine their values and, if needed, modify them in an effort to reflect current and future abilities and limitations, and through this process, redefine the important life goals in realistic and positive ways.
Hormonal Influences on Shock-Induced Fighting

While it is recognized that aggression is not a unitary concept, the general assumption is that data derived from studies using laboratory models of aggression among infrahuman species will ultimately contribute to our understanding of the causes of aggression and, potentially, to the prevention of aggression among humans. The extent to which laboratory findings may be generalized beyond the animal model depends, in part, on an appreciation of the adequacy of the animal model. Among several others, the shock-induced fighting paradigm is a commonly used laboratory model of aggressive behavior among infrahuman species. The present chapter will describe some of the strengths and weaknesses of this particular model.
Price discrimination across different ticket distribution channels: Evidence from the US-china flight market

Abstract In the US-China international flight market, airlines sell tickets in two different distribution channels at vastly different prices. This provides a rare opportunity to examine how airlines practice price discrimination across different ticket distribution channels. Using a unique dataset collected from this market, we find that price discrimination across different ticket distribution channels is not influenced by market competition but increases with demand.
Saponins enhance exon skipping of 2'-O-methyl phosphorothioate oligonucleotide in vitro and in vivo.

Background Antisense oligonucleotide (ASO)-mediated exon skipping has been feasible and promising approach for treating Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) in preclinical and clinical trials, but its therapeutic applications remain challenges due to inefficient delivery. Methods We investigated a few Saponins for their potential to improve delivery performance of an antisense 2'-Omethyl phosphorothioate RNA (2'-OMePS) in muscle cells and in dystrophic mdx mice. This study was carried out by evaluating these Saponins' toxicity, cellular uptake, transduction efficiency in vitro, and local delivery in vivo for 2'-OMePS, as well as affinity study between Saponin and 2'-OMePS. Results The results showed that these Saponins, especially Digitonin and Tomatine, enhance the delivery of 2'-OMePS with comparable efficiency to Lipofectamine 2k (LF-2k) -mediated delivery in vitro. Significant performance was further observed in mdx mice, up to 10-fold with the Digitonin as compared to 2'-OMePS alone. Cytotoxicity of the Digitonin and Glycyrrhizin was much lower than LF-2k in vitro and not clearly detected in vivo under the tested concentrations. Conclusion This study potentiates Saponins as delivery vehicle for 2'-OMePS in vivo for treating DMD or other diseases.
Rare Optic Neuropathy in a Jamaican Couple Linked to Cassava Root Consumption.

We report central visual loss with selective papillomacular bundle damage in a Jamaican couple, husband and wife, with long-term cassava root consumption. The two cases presented independently with...
Effects of Electromagnetic Modeling Methods on Coverage Prediction of Anti-Jam GPS Antenna

Full-wave electromagnetic software may be employed to accurately simulate the reception pattern of antenna elements for use in a controlled reception pattern antenna (CRPA). The implementation of an in-situ anti-jam CRPA model utilizing full-wave element patterns requires more computation time than employing free space patterns, but includes coupling between elements and material effects in the environment. The added work associated with the in-situ model is justified by confirmation of the null-steering results using a non-radiating network in the full wave environment, and comparisons are made between an in-situ CRPA and a simple free space model that does not include coupling effects and dielectric losses.
ASSOCIATION BETWEEN DEPRESSION AND THE PREVALENCE OF ATRIAL FIBRILLATION

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most commonly encountered arrhythmia in clinical practice and so is depression with a prevalence of 16% in the United States. Whether depressive symptoms are associated with AF remains unclear, with previous studies yielding inconsistent results. Our objective was to
Preliminary evaluation of concrete-rock interface behavior under the action of freeze-thaw cycles

The most common source of failure for tunnellining occurs at the excavated surface due to a high frequency of freeze-thaw cycles and cold weather that significantly drop the strength of the interface between the rock and the concrete. A preliminary experiment was conducted to confront the problems associated with cold weather effect on concrete and the adhering connection between the concrete and the excavated rock surface. A series of composite specimens made of sandstone rocks and concrete with the three types of surfaces (smooth, semi-rough, and rough) were prepared in the Materials Laboratory of Northern Arizona University. All specimens were undertaken up to 180 Freeze-thaw cycles using an ASTM C666 apparatus with modifications on molds and dimensions of specimens. Tensile splitting tests of the interface between concrete and three types of rock surfaces were performed with respect to the bonding strength. The purpose of the research was to (1) evaluate the effect of freezing and thawing cycles on the bonding strength/interface behavior of the composite specimens and (2) to determine the rate at which adhesion strength is lost when undergoing cold weather environment. Based on the test results, the concrete-rock specimens prepared with rough surface show higher bonding strength than the other two surface treated specimens (smooth and semi-rough surface treatments).
Overwhelmed by Brute Force of Nature: First Response Management in the Wake of a Catastrophic Incident

The four-day Cascadia Rising exercise of 2016, which simulated a magnitude 9+ rupture of the almost 700 miles long Cascadian subduction zone with up to 5 min of violent shaking followed by a 20 to 30 feet-high tsunami in the Northwestern United States, was one of the largest response exercises of a catastrophic incident ever conducted in the United States. It involved 23,000 professional responders in three states in the Pacific Northwest. In reality, the simulated catastrophe would likely carry a five-digit number of fatalities and send the entire region on a decades-long course of recovery to a “new” normal, in which nothing would be close to what it once had been. The study investigated the numerous managerial challenges that responders faced. Communication and coordination challenges were found the most prevalent among other challenges. The research also uncovered the lack of standardization of response structures, processes, and procedures as major inhibitors of a more effective response besides other inhibiting factors. While the “containment” and “effective mitigation” of a truly catastrophic incident is illusory, the study provides recommendations regarding preparation and problem mitigation in the management of the response.