cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
BOLD temporal variability differentiates wakefulness from anesthesia-induced unconsciousness

Even though a number of findings, based on information content or information integration, are shown to define neural underpinnings characteristic of a conscious experience, the neurophysiological mechanism of consciousness is still poorly understood. Here, we investigated the brain activity and functional connectivity changes that occur in the isoflurane-anesthetized unconscious state in contrast to the awake state in rats (awake and/or anesthetized, n = 68 rats). We examined nine information measures previously shown to distinguish between conscious states: blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) variability, functional connectivity strength, modularity, weighted modularity, efficiency, clustering coefficient, small-worldness, and spatial and temporal Lempel-Ziv complexity measure. We also identified modular membership, seed-based network connectivity, and absolute and normalized power spectrums to assess the integrity of the BOLD functional networks between awake and anesthesia. fMRI BOLD variability and related absolute power were the only information measures significantly higher during the awake state compared with isoflurane anesthesia across animals, and with varying levels of anesthesia, after correcting for motion and respiration confounds. Thus, we conclude that, at least under the specific conditions examined here, global measures of information integration/sharing do not properly distinguish the anesthetized state from wakefulness, and heightened overall, global and local, BOLD variability is the most reliable determinant of conscious brain activity relative to isoflurane anesthesia. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Multiple metrics previously suggested to be able to distinguish between states of consciousness were compared, within and across rats in awake and isoflurane anesthesia-induced unconsciousness. All measures tested showed sensitivity to confounds, correcting for motion and for respiration changes due to anesthesia. Resting state local BOLD variability and the related absolute power were the only information measures that robustly differentiated wakefulness states. These results caution against the general applicability of global information measures in identifying levels of consciousness, thus challenging the popular concept that these measures reflect states of consciousness, and also pointing to local signal variability as a more reliable indicator of states of wakefulness.
Le rococo est-il décoratif?

In Rococo historiography, the first half of the eighteenth century is generally described as the golden age "par excellence" of decoration. The so-called major arts are often considered to have played a lesser role in its artistic development. The period is thus systematically associated with artefacts produced by artisans, hence belonging to a less dignified category in the artistic hierarchy. In order to investigate the ideological background of this assumption, the article focuses on the debates on art which emerged, mainly in France, in the 1740s. These highly biased discourses, targeting the so-called bad taste of contemporary French painting and interior decoration, shaped a vision of the first half of the eighteenth century of which many aspects were later inherited by Rococo historiography, especially in its relation to decoration.
To mow or to mow less: Lawn mowing frequency affects bee abundance and diversity in suburban yards

Abstract Green spaces embedded within the urban matrix, particularly residential yards, could mitigate negative aspects of urban development and provide pollinator habitat. Lawns represent a dominant green space, and their management consists of frequent mowing to inhibit the growth of ostensibly “weedy” species (e.g., dandelions and clover). Since widespread population declines of bees and other pollinators from habitat loss are a growing concern, these spontaneous flowers could provide pollen and nectar sources throughout the growing season. We experimentally tested whether different lawn mowing frequencies (1, 2 or 3 weeks) influenced bee abundance and diversity in 16 suburban western Massachusetts yards by increasing lawn floral resources. Lawns mowed every three weeks had as much as 2.5 times more lawn flowers than the other frequencies. Interestingly, lawns mowed every two weeks supported the highest bee abundance yet the lowest bee richness and evenness. We suggest these patterns were driven by a combination of more abundant floral resources (compared with 1-week yards), easier access to lawn flowers due to shorter grass and a more drastic impact on grass biomass and floral resources (compared with 3-week yards), and the dominance of a few generalist bees overwhelming our samples, thus driving richness and evenness. Our results highlight a “lazy lawnmower” approach to providing bee habitat. Mowing less frequently is practical, economical, and a timesaving alternative to lawn replacement or even planting pollinator gardens. Given the pervasiveness of lawns coupled with habitat loss, our findings provide immediate solutions for individual households to contribute to urban conservation.
Integrating Vegetable and Poultry Production for Sustainable Cropping Systems

Integrating vegetable production with livestock or poultry production can increase soil nutrition and soil organic matter. It also can offer additional business opportunities for vegetable producers by adding a premium product to their enterprise.
Identifying malicious botnet traffic using logistic regression

An important source of cyber-attacks is malware, which proliferates in different forms such as botnets. The botnet malware typically looks for vulnerable devices across the Internet, rather than targeting specific individuals, companies or industries. It attempts to infect as many connected devices as possible, using their resources for automated tasks that may cause significant economic and social harm while being hidden to the user and device. Thus, it becomes very difficult to detect such activity. A considerable amount of research has been conducted to detect and prevent botnet infestation. In this paper, we attempt to create a foundation for an anomaly-based intrusion detection system using a statistical learning method to improve network security and reduce human involvement in botnet detection. We focus on identifying the best features to detect botnet activity within network traffic using a lightweight logistic regression model. The network traffic is processed by Bro, a popular network monitoring framework which provides aggregate statistics about the packets exchanged between a source and destination over a certain time interval. These statistics serve as features to a logistic regression model responsible for classifying malicious and benign traffic. Our model is easy to implement and simple to interpret. We characterized and modeled 8 different botnet families separately and as a mixed dataset. Finally, we measured the performance of our model on multiple parameters using F1 score, accuracy and Area Under Curve (AUC).
Lamarck, Jean Baptiste

The French zoologist Jean Baptiste Lamarck (1744–1829) was the most prominent evolutionary theorist before Darwin. He was the first biologist to elaborate a comprehensive theory involving the progressive development of all the different forms of life on the Earth, beginning with the simplest and proceeding gradually, over time, to the most complex. Although his name is closely associated with the idea of the inheritance of acquired characters (and while he did make this idea an integral part of his evolutionary theorizing), he neither originated the idea nor took particular credit for it. It was not until late in the nineteenth century that the inheritance of acquired characters came to be represented as a distinctively Lamarckian concept.
Forests in the Global Carbon Cycle

Forests play a major role in the global carbon cycle. Deforestation is a major source of carbon to the atmosphere, and forest regrowth is a major sink for carbon from the atmosphere. This understanding comes from several decades of intense research focusing on explaining patterns of variation in atmospheric CO2 over time and space. The observed patterns reflect the influences of industrial humanity, ocean processes and ecosystem dynamics and understanding these patterns required pooling the techniques of many scientific disciplines. Understanding the role of forests in the global carbon cycle required the expertise of atmospheric scientists, oceanographers, remote sensing pioneers, as well as the full range of forest science disciplines, from biometrics to history. Atmospheric measurements, satellite images and automated sensors have become part of the standard tools of forest scientists, leading to the inclusion of forest dynamics in models of the global system. These Earth System models suggest that the future of our planet is inextricably connected to the fate of its forests.
Determination of Velocity Distribution of an Incompressible Fluid in an Elliptical Pipe by Boundary Elements

Practical engineering problems in fluid flow, torsion, heat conduction and electromagnetics are governed by the Poisson equation. The objective of this research effort is to reduce the Poisson equation to the Laplace equation by substituting a particular solution so that the problem can be handled by the practical boundary element analysis. Care should be taken in these cases to transform the boundary conditions accordingly.
A Speech Processing Strategy based on Sinusoidal Speech Model for Cochlear Implant Users

In sinusoidal modeling(SM), speech signal, which is pseudo-periodic in structure, can be approximated by sinusoids and noise without losing significant speech information. A speech processing strategy based on this sinusoidal speech model will be relevant for encoding electric pulse streams in cochlear implant (CI) processing, where the number of channels available is limited. In this study, 5 normal hearing(NH) listeners and 2 CI users were asked to perform the task of speech recognition and perceived sound quality rating on speech sentences processed in 12 different test conditions. The sinusoidal analysis/synthesis algorithm was limited to 1, 3 or 6 sinusoids from the sentences low-pass filtered at either 1 kHz, 1.5 kHz, 3 kHz, or 6 kHz, re-synthesized as the test conditions. Each of 12 lists of AzBio sentences was randomly chosen and process with one of 12 test conditions, before they were presented to each participant at 65 dB SPL (Sound Pressure Level). Participant was instructed to repeat the sentence as they perceived, and the number of words correctly recognized was scored. They were also asked to rate the perceived sound quality of the sentences including original speech sentence, on the scale of 1 (distorted) to 10 (clean). Both speech recognition score and perceived sound quality rating across all participants increase when the number of sinusoids increases and low-pass filter broadens. Our current finding showed that three sinusoids may be sufficient to elicit the nearly maximum speech intelligibility and quality necessary for both NH and CI listeners. Sinusoidal speech model has the potential in facilitating the basis for a speech processing strategy in CI.
Recent progress on inhibitors of the type II transmembrane serine proteases, hepsin, matriptase and matriptase-2

Members of the type II transmembrane serine proteases (TTSP) family play a vital role in cell growth and development but many are also implicated in disease. Two of the well-studied TTSPs, matriptase and hepsin proteolytically process multiple protein substrates such as the inactive single-chain zymogens pro-HGF and pro-macrophage stimulating protein into the active heterodimeric forms, HGF and macrophage stimulating protein. These two proteases also have many other substrates which are associated with cancer and tumor progression. Another related TTSP, matriptase-2 is expressed in the liver and functions by regulating iron homoeostasis through the cleavage of hemojuvelin and thus is implicated in iron overload diseases. In the present review, we will discuss inhibitor design strategy and Structure activity relationships of TTSP inhibitors, which have been reported in the literature.
MEAN VALUES OF L-FUNCTIONS OVER FUNCTION FIELDS

In modern number theory L-series play a prominent role. They encode many deep properties of number fields and primes and are objects of intense interest. The analogous L-functions over global function fields play an equally prominent role. Here we will prove estimates for mean values of such L-functions, where the averaging is done over quadratic extensions of a fixed global function field. Our estimates cover a much wider range of cases than the similar estimates of Hoffstein and Rosen [1992] and those of Andrade and Keating (for values on the critical line) [2012]. Our methods are akin to those used by Siegel [1944], where he estimates the average number of quadratic forms with given discriminant and signature. For a prime p, let Fp denote the finite field with p elements and let X be transcendental over Fp, so that Fp.X/ is a field of rational functions. Fix algebraic closures Fp of Fp and Fp.X/ Fp of Fp.X/. In what follows, by global function field (or simply function field) we mean a finite algebraic extension K Fp.X/ contained in Fp.X/. For such a field K we have K\FpD FqK for some finite field FqK with qK elements; this field is called the field of constants of K . We write gK for the genus of K and JK for the number of divisor classes of degree 0. We denote the set of places of K by M.K/ and the divisor group (i.e., the free abelian group generated by the places) by Div K . The reader can refer to Chapters I and V of [Stichtenoth 1993] for a thorough background on these notions. We will use capital script German letters to denote divisors A, B, etc., with the sole exception of the zero divisor 0. For any divisor A2 Div K we write AD P ordv.A/ v, where the
A systematic review of acute concussion assessment selection in research.

ABSTRACTBackground: Several organisations developed guidelines and assessments for aiding in the diagnosis of concussions. The growing number of concussion assessments increases the difficulty for ...
Partial Backtracking in CDCL Solvers

Backtracking is a basic technique of search-based satisfiability (SAT) solvers. In order to backtrack, a SAT solver uses conflict analysis to compute a backtracking level and discards all the variable assignments made between the conflicting level and the backtracking level. We observed that, due to the branching heuristics, the solver may repeat lots of previous decisions and propagations later. In this paper, we present a new backtracking strategy, which we refer to as partial backtracking. We implemented this strategy in our solver Nigma. Using this strategy, Nigma amends the variable assignments instead of discarding them completely so that it does not backtrack as many levels as the classic strategy. Our experiments show that Nigma solves 5% more instances than the version without partial backtracking.
Renormalization group and singular perturbations: Multiple scales, boundary layers, and reductive perturbation theory

Perturbative renormalization group theory is developed as a unified tool for global asymptotic analysis. With numerous examples, we illustrate its application to ordinary differential equation problems involving multiple scales, boundary layers with technically difficult asymptotic matching, and WKB analysis. In contrast to conventional methods, the renormalization group approach requires neither ad hoc assumptions about the structure of perturbation series nor the use of asymptotic matching. Our renormalization group approach provides approximate solutions which are practically superior to those obtained conventionally, although the latter can be reproduced, if desired, by appropriate expansion of the renormalization group approximant. We show that the renormalization group equation may be interpreted as an amplitude equation, and from this point of view develop reductive perturbation theory for partial differential equations describing spatially extended systems near bifurcation points, deriving both amplitude equations and the center manifold. @S1063651X~96!00506-5#
Rates of Clustering for Weakly Convergent Gaussian Vectors and Some Applications

Let \(\left\{ {{{X}_{n}}:n \geqslant 1} \right\} \) be a sequence of centered, Gaussian random vectors with values in a real separable Banach space B such that $$X_{n}\overset{w}{\Rightarrow}X$$ .
Applying the Framework: Limits Implied by Instrumental Value of Sovereignty

Having established that climate change does not fall within the legitimate zone of sovereign discretion inherent to the notion of sovereignty itself, This Chapter asks whether there is an instrumental justification for including the challenge of climate change within the legitimate zone of sovereign discretion. Since state sovereignty is justified by the instrumental role it plays in the international community’s pursuit of several other morally valuable ends, it is not enough to assess the extent to which extending sovereign discretion will enhance the international moral community’s ability to respond to climate change alone. Rather, we must also assess the impact our choice will have on the ability of the international community to pursue those other morally valuable ends.
Evidence for Transgenerational Effects on Autism Spectrum Disorder Using Multigenerational Space-time Cluster Detection

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Space-time cluster analyses are commonly used in spatial epidemiology. There is evidence of transgenerational factors associated with ASD. Space-time clusters of parents and gra...
Sieves for Binary Sequences with large SRS and SHG Contrast Ratios

In this paper, we will prove that for shaped binary sequences, the central SRS and SHG contrast ratios are closely related to the traditional Merit Factor values. And in light of known results in Merit Factor Problems, we have constructed binary sequences with large central contrast ratios, based on Legendre sequences, Parker sequences, and m-sequences, with both theoretical and numerical analysis results presented.
Efficient model-based exploration in continuous state-space environments

The impetus for exploration in reinforcement learning (RL) is decreasing uncertainty about the environment for the purpose of better decision making. As such, exploration plays a crucial role in the efficiency of RL algorithms. In this dissertation, I consider continuous state control problems and introduce a new methodology for representing uncertainty that engenders more efficient algorithms. I argue that the new notion of uncertainty allows for more efficient use of function approximation, which is essential for learning in continuous spaces. In particular, I focus on a class of algorithms referred to as model-based methods and develop several such algorithms that are much more efficient than the current state-of-the-art methods. These algorithms attack the long-standing “curse of dimensionality” – learning complexity often scales exponentially with problem dimensionality. I introduce algorithms that can exploit the dependency structure between state variables to exponentially decrease the sample complexity of learning, both in cases where the dependency structure is provided by the user a priori and cases where the algorithm has to find it on its own. I also use the new uncertainty notion to derive a multi-resolution exploration scheme, and demonstrate how this new technique achieves anytime behavior, which is very important in real-life applications. Finally, using a set of rich experiments, I show how the new exploration mechanisms affect the efficiency of learning, especially in real-life domains where acquiring samples is expensive.
SU-C-210-03: Impact of Breathing Irregularities On Gated Treatments

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of breathing irregularities on target location in gated treatments using amplitude and phase gating. Methods: 111 breathing patterns acquired using RPM system were categorized based on period and amplitude STD as regular (STD period ≤ 0.5 s, STD amplitude ≤ 1.5 mm), medium (0.5 s 1 s, STD amplitude > 3 mm). One pattern representative of the average defined population was selected per category and corresponding target motion reproduced using Quasar Respiratory Motion Phantom. Phantom in motion underwent 4D-CT scan with phase reconstruction. Gated window was defined at end of exhale and DRRs reconstructed in treatment planning at 40% (beam on) and 60% phase (beam off). Target location uncertainty was assessed by comparing gated kV triggered images continuously acquired at beam on/off on a True Beam 2.0 with corresponding DRRs. Results: Average target uncertainty with amplitude gating was in [0.4 – 1.9] mm range for the different scenarios with maximum STD of 1.2 mm for the irregular pattern. Average target uncertainty with phase gating was [1.1 – 2.2] mm for regular and medium patterns, while itmore » increased to [3.6 – 9.6] mm for the irregular pattern. Live gated motion was stable with amplitude gating, while increasing with phase gating for the irregular pattern. Treatment duration range was [68 – 160] s with amplitude and [70 – 74] s with phase gating. Conclusion: Breathing irregularities were found to affect gated treatments only when using phase gating. For regular and medium patterns no significant difference was found between the two gating strategies. Amplitude gating ensured stable gated motion within the different patterns, thus reducing intra-fraction target location variability for the irregular pattern and resulting in longer treatment duration.« less
Hypoxic incubation alters cardiovascular response to Ang II in embryonic chickens (Gallus gallus) (1067.3)

The renin angiotensin system (RAS) is a critical regulatory mechanism contributing to cardiovascular homeostasis. Angiotensin II (Ang II) is the primary peptide of the system eliciting a strong vasopressor response. While blood volume stress has been the primary perturbation used to study the RAS during vertebrate development, hypoxia has been largely ignored. We hypothesized that the RAS activity would increase and the pressor response to Ang II would be attenuated in embryonic chickens subjected to chronic hypoxic (15% O2) stress. We investigated some of the components that underlie the Ang II cardiovascular response in chicken embryos and how 15% O2 incubation alters the response. Hypoxic incubation blunted the pressor response to Ang I, and Ang II in embryonic chickens. Following alpha-adrenergic receptor blockade, the pressor response to Ang II was blunted in the normoxic but not the hypoxic embryos. In addition following alpha-adrenergic blockade the Ang II pressure response did not differ between t...
Chain collapse can occur concomitantly with the rate-limiting step in protein folding

We have directly characterized the extent of chain collapse early in the folding of protein L using time-resolved small angle X-ray scattering. We find that, immediately after the initiation of refolding, the protein exhibits dimensions indistinguishable from those observed under highly denaturing, equilibrium conditions and that this expanded initial state collapses with the same rate as that of the overall folding reaction. The observation that chain compaction need not significantly precede the rate-limiting step of folding demonstrates that rapid chain collapse is not an obligatory feature of protein folding reactions.
Combinatorics in recombinational population genomics

The work that I will discuss is motivated by the need for understanding, and processing, the manifestations of recombination events in chromosome sequences. In this talk, we focus on two related problems. First, we explore the very general problem of reconstructability of pedigree history. How plausible is it to unravel the history of a complete unit (chromosome) of inheritance? The second problem deals with reconstructing the recombinational history of a collection of chromosomes.
Effects of a Legislative Simulation Game on the Political Attitudes of Junior High School Students.

Two studies were conducted to investigate the effects of the peatocracx game on the political attitudes of junior high school students. The game produced marked increases in the students' acceptance of the practice of "log-rolling" by.00ngressmen. In one of the studies it also increased the students' feelings of political efficacy. ( The game did not increase the students' interest in politics and the legislative process.
Decay of the kinetic and the thermal energy of compressible micropolar fluids

We consider a heat conducting compressible micropolar fluid at rest and filling a closed stationary rigid container. We show that the energy of arbitrary disturbances of the fluid eventually decays.
Lessons that Europe can learn from the US patent assertion entity phenomenon

This paper investigates the patent assertion entities PAEs problem in Europe. First, it argues that PAEs should be not as active in Europe as it is in the USA simply because European inventors infringe less. They infringe less because there are fewer patents to infringe. PAEs, however, can still thrive in Europe. Using the example of the UK, this paper shows that PAEs visible activities are non-negligible even if they pale compare to the level of activities in the USA. Using the example of France, this paper shows that governments have not waited for PAEs to come their countries; some have taken steps to create their own governmentally sponsored PAE. Finally, this paper argues that the USA is trying to learn from the EU and bring fee-shifting to their system; fee shifting, in and of itself cannot solve the PAE problem. This paper also argues that the EU is taken on some of the problem as the USA and responding in similar ways with regard to injunctions; injunction remains an important part of the PAE arsenal; yet, the highest courts in both jurisdictions have made clear that infringing a patent does not automatically great a patent holder a right to exclude others. The paper concludes by discussing the Unitary Patent Court system and the impact it will have on PAE activities in Europe: some PAEs may benefit but most will still find Europe a hostile environment for their activities.
Improving generalization by using genetic algorithms to determine the neural network size

Recent theoretical results support that decreasing the number of free parameters in a neural network (i.e., weights) can improve generalization. The importance of these results has triggered the development of many approaches which try to determine an "appropriate" network size for a given problem. Although it has been demonstrated that most of the approaches manage to find small size networks which solve the problem at hand, it is quite remarkable that the generalization capabilities of these networks have not been explored thoroughly. In this paper, we propose the coupling of genetic algorithms and weight pruning with the objective of both reducing network size and improving generalization. The innovation of our approach relies on the use of a fitness function which uses an adaptive parameter to encourage the reproduction of networks having good generalization performance and a relatively small size.
Avoidance moderates the association between mothers' and children's fears: findings from a novel motion-tracking behavioral assessment

BACKGROUND: Fear and anxiety in children are associated with similar symptoms in parents. Parental modeling of fearful or avoidant behavior is believed to contribute to this association. We employed a novel motion-tracking experimentation platform to test the hypothesis that mothers' behavioral avoidance of spiders moderates the association between fear of spiders in mothers and children. METHOD: Participants were 86 children (aged 7-17) presenting with an anxiety disorder, and their mothers. Children and mothers completed the Spider Phobia Questionnaire. Mothers completed a motion-tracking assessment of behavioral avoidance of spiders. RESULTS: Fear of spiders in mothers was associated with fear of spiders in children (r85 = 0.48, 95%CI 0.30 - 0.63, P CONCLUSIONS: The study demonstrates that behavioral avoidance can be measured using the motion-tracking platform and can be useful in understanding the links between symptoms of anxiety in mothers and children. Reducing parents' overt expressions of avoidance may lower the risk of fears being transmitted to children. Language: en
Dietary Restriction and Immune Function

Dietary restriction is beneficial in preventing a multitude of diseases, many of which may involve the immune system in their etiology. Recent reports examining dietary restriction focused on T lymphocytes and macrophages. Dietary restriction delays the onset of T-lymphocyte-dependent autoimmune disease; this may be attributed to improved antioxidant defense mechanisms, blunting shifts in T-lymphocyte subset proportions and preventing DNA mutation frequencies. The beneficial effects of dietary restriction were shown in both the CD4 and CD8 T-lymphocyte subsets as well as in various immune compartments such as the spleen, mesenteric lymph nodes, peripheral blood, thymus, and salivary glands. In contrast, dietary restriction may have negative effects on macrophage function because recent evidence showed that dietary restriction rendered mice more susceptible to peritonitis and stimulated macrophages produced lower amounts of cytokines. The application of dietary restriction regimens to humans would be difficult; however, understanding the biochemical and molecular targets of dietary restriction in the immune system may lead to the development of new dietary strategies to delay or prevent the onset of aging, cancer, and autoimmune disease.
Effects of reflow on wettabiltity, microstructure and mechanical properties in lead-free solders

Solder joints used in electronic applications undergo reflow operations. Such operations can affect the solderability, interface intermetallic layer formation and the resultant solder joint microstructure. These in turn can affect the overall mechanical behavior of such joints. In this study the effects of reflow on solderability and mechanical properties were studied. Nanoindentation testing (NIT) was used to obtain mechanical properties from the non-reflow (as-melted) and multiple reflowed solder materials. These studies were carried out with eutectic Sn-3.5Ag solders, with or without mechanically added Cu or Ag reinforcements, using Cu substrates. Microstructural analysis was carried out on solder joints made with the same solders using copper substrate.
Future directions for new medical entities in osteoporosis.

Odanacatib, a selective cathepsin K inhibitor, decreases bone resorption, whereas osteoclast number increases and bone formation is maintained, perhaps even increased on some cortical surfaces. In a phase 2 clinical trial, post-menopausal women receiving odanacatib presented a sustained reduction of bone resorption markers, whereas procollagen type 1 N-terminal propeptide returned to normal. In turn areal bone mineral density increased continuously at both spine and hip for up to 5 years. Blosozumab and romosozumab are sclerostin neutralizing antibodies that exert potent anabolic effects on both trabecular and cortical compartments. A phase 2 clinical trial has reported areal bone mineral density gains at spine and hip that were greater with romosozumab compared with placebo, but also with teriparatide. It also showed that antagonizing sclerostin results in a transient stimulation of bone formation but progressive inhibition of bone resorption. Other new medical entities that are promising for the treatment of osteoporosis include abaloparatide, a parathyroid hormone-related analogue with improved bone formation–resorption ratio.
Novel therapies for children with severe asthma.

Purpose of review Novel therapies, such as a heliox gaseous mixture and noninvasive bilevel positive pressure ventilation, are being utilized in the treatment of the patient with severe asthma who is unresponsive to conventional medical management. Aggressive treatment may prevent intubation and its untoward complications. Recent findings Both heliox and bilevel positive pressure ventilation have demonstrated clinical improvement in studies of patients refractory to standard care, both in adults and children. Summary The studies in children are limited but show promise, especially when these therapies are used early in the treatment course and in certain subsets of patients.
Sex determination and evolution of unisexuality in the Conchostraca

Field collected or laboratory-reared samples of 60 species of conchostracans (representing all extant genera) indicate that males and females are equally common in most species. Deviations from this pattern occur in four lineages. Cyzicus and Leptestheria each include at least one unisexual species; many species of Limnadiinae are either unisexual or characterized by female-biased sex ratios; and Cyclestheriidae are either unisexual or express males in the later generations of their life cycles. Laboratory studies indicate that species with sex ratios near unity are gonochoric (obligately sexual), whereas females in species with female-biased sex ratios are capable of both outcrossing and selfing modes of reproduction. Phylogenetic analysis of patterns of reproduction suggest that sexual reproduction is the primitive condition. Genetic analysis of sexual species indicate that gender is determined by one or a few genetic factors and that the male-determining allele is recessive. The inheritance of gender in androdioecious species (where females are capable of self-fertilization) is similar to that in sexual species. Androdioecy is likely to be the intermediate stage between obligately sexual reproduction and unisexuality in the Limnadiinae. The phylogenetic distribution of sex ratio variation suggests that unisexuality in Cyzicidae, Leptestheriidae, and Cyclestheriidae has arisen independently of that in the Limnadiinae and that these cases have evolved by different evolutionary pathways.
Hemodynamics of the Fontan Connection: An In-Vitro Study

The Fontan operation is one in which the right heart is bypassed leaving the left ventricle to drive the blood through both the capillaries and the lungs, making it important to design an operation which is hemodynamically efficient. The object here was to relate the pressure in Fontan connections to its geometry with the aim of increasing the hemodynamically efficiency. From CT or magnetic resonance images, glass models were made of realistic atrio-pulmonary (AP) and cavo-pulmonary (CP) connections in which the right atrium and/or ventricle are bypassed. The glass models were connected to a steady flow loop and flow visualization, pressure and 3 component LDA measurements made. In the AP model the large atrium and curvature of the conduit created swirling patterns, the magnitude of which was similar to the axial velocity. This led to an inefficient flow and a subsequent large pressure loss (780 Pa). In contrast, the CP connection with a small intra-atrial chamber had reduced swirling and a significantly smaller pressure loss (400 Pa at 8 l.min) and was therefore a more efficient connection. There were, however, still pressure losses and it was found that these occurred where there was a large bending of the flow, such as from the superior vena cava to the MPA and from the MPA to the right pulmonary artery.
Determination of elastic T-stress along three-dimensional crack fronts using an interaction integral

Abstract We introduce an effective computational method, based on an interaction integral, to evaluate elastic T -stress along three-dimensional crack fronts. Using this technique, T -stress distributions of various three-dimensional geometries are determined from finite element calculations. The computed results show that the through-thickness variation of T -stress along the crack front of edge-cracked plates is relatively small under both tension and bending load conditions. The deviation from the corresponding two-dimensional results increases with increasing relative crack length and with decreasing relative plate thickness. The increase in T -stress with decreasing thickness results from the inherent positive biaxiality of thin elastic plates. Furthermore, the value of three-dimensionally computed T -stress in these through-crack geometries increases with increasing Poisson's ratio. The T -stress distribution is also calculated along the curved crack front of a surface-flawed plate. For the particular geometry considered, the maximum T -stress along the crack front is located at the mid-point of the crack front, and there is a greater variation of T -stress along the crack front under bending loads than in tension.
Early onset senescence occurs when fibroblasts lack the glutamate-cysteine ligase modifier subunit.

Abstract Cellular senescence is the irreversible entry of cells into growth arrest. Senescence of primary cells in culture has long been used as an in vitro model for aging. Glutamate–cysteine ligase (GCL) controls the synthetic rate of the important cellular antioxidant glutathione (GSH). The catalytic subunit of GCL, GCLC, is catalytically active and essential for life. By contrast the modifier subunit of GCL, GCLM, is dispensable in mice. Although it is recognized that GCLM increases the rate of GSH synthesis, its physiological role is unclear. Herein, we show that loss of Gclm leads to premature senescence of primary murine fibroblasts as characterized by: (a) diminished growth rate, (b) cell morphology consistent with senescence, (c) increases in senescence-associated β-galactosidase activity, and (d) cell cycle arrest at the G 1 /S and G 2 /M boundaries. These changes are accompanied by increased intracellular ROS, accumulation of DNA damage, and induction of p53 and p21 proteins. We also found that N- acetylcysteine increases intracellular GSH and prevents premature senescence in Gclm −/− cells. These results suggest that the control of GCLM, which in turn controls aspects of the cellular redox environment via GSH, is important in determining the replicative capacity of the cell.
Familial pericentric inversion of chromosome 1 with a note on reproductive risks

An inversion of chromosome 1 was found in three normal members of a two generation family. G- and C-banding studies revealed inv(1)(p13q23). The problems encountered in counseling such normal carriers are discussed.
HIV-1 Vpr and anti-inflammatory activity.

New and effective approaches for inflammatory diseases based on novel mechanisms of action are needed. One potential source of anti-inflammatory drugs exists among viruses. Viruses have evolved to infect, replicate within, and kill human cells through diverse mechanisms. They accomplish this fact by finding ways to out with the host's complex immune machinery. It is possible that the viral proteins and pathways involved in the downregulation of host immune function during infection can be exploited as a therapeutic in diseases that result in the overactivity of the immune system. Indeed, the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) protein, Vpr, affects cells in a number of ways that may prove useful for exploitation for the treatment of inflammatory diseases. Vpr has effects on T-cell proliferation, cytokine production, chemokine production, and Nuclear Factor kappa B (NF-κB)-mediated transcription. Importantly, it has been observed that Vpr downregulates NF-κB and the production of pro-inflammatory c...
Coverage and Power in Genomewide Association Studies

The ability of genomewide association studies to decipher genetic traits is driven in part by how well the measured single-nucleotide polymorphisms “cover” the unmeasured causal variants. Estimates of coverage based on standard linkage-disequilibrium measures, such as the average maximum squared correlation coefficient (r2), can lead to inaccurate and inflated estimates of the power of genomewide association studies. In contrast, use of the “cumulative r2 adjusted power” measure presented here gives more-accurate estimates of power for genomewide association studies.
Isocitrate lyase from Pseudomonas indigofera I. Preparation, amino acid composition and molecular weight

Abstract An improved method for the purification of isocitrate lyase (Ds-isocitrate glyoxalate-lyase, EC 4.1.3.1) from Pseudomonas indigofera is described. The enzyme preparation is homogeneous by sedimentation and diffusion criteria and virtually homogeneous by gel-electrophoretic analysis. The sedimentation coefficient (s20, w), diffusion coefficient (D20, w), partial specific volume, molecular weight, extinction coefficient at 280 mμ, absorbancy ratio at 280 to 260 mμ, and turnover number of crystalline isocitrate lyase are respectively, 9.49·10−13 sec, 3.87·10−7 cm2/sec, 0.730, 2.22·105, 1.710 cm2/g, 2.03, and 7300 moles glyoxylate formed per min per mole enzyme. The amino acid composition of the enzyme was determined by ion-exchange chromatography. All of the common amino acids are present in the enzyme. The enzyme contains 21 half-cystine residues, 255 basic amino acid residues, 197 aspartic plus asparagine residues, and 240 glutamic plus glutamine residues per mole.
Sensitivity of Interference to Locations of Vehicle-Mounted Earth Stations

Adjacent satellite interference from a satellite terminal depends on its location. Vehicle-mounted Earth stations (VMES) are mobile terminals and in many applications the locations of the VMES may be available only as approximate values. In this paper we investigate the effect on the adjacent satellite interference when the locations of the VMES are given by approximate values.
The effect of diet and thyroxin on plasma lipids in myxedema

Abstract Four patients with primary hypothyroidism have been studied on high fat and low fat formula diets before and after treatment with thyroxin. Diet had a marked effect on plasma lipid levels in myxedema that was proportionately similar to the effect in the treated state. Fasting plasma turbidity, usually without gross lactescence, was found in the subjects on 40 per cent corn oil diets. Thyroid hormone deficiency appeared to affect the entire lipoprotein spectrum, causing hypertriglyceridemia as well as hypercholesterolemia. Therefore, myxedema appears to represent an altered dynamic steady state of elevated lipoprotein concentrations in which diet has a significant effect.
But how did protolanguage actually start

In dealing with the nature of protolanguage, an important formative factor in its development, and one that would surely have influenced that nature, has too often been neglected: the precise circumstances under which protolanguage arose. Three factors are involved in this neglect: a failure to appreciate radical differences between the functions of language and animal communication, a failure to relate developments to the overall course of human evolution, and the supposition that protolanguage represents a package, rather than a series of separate developments that sequentially impacted the communication of pre-humans. An approach that takes these factors into account is very briefly suggested.
On the class of Markov chains with finite convergence time

Abstract We study the necessary and sufficient conditions for a finite ergodic Markov chain to converge in a finite number of transitions to its stationary distribution. Using this result, we describe the class of Markov chains which attain the stationary distribution in a finite number of steps, independent of the initial distribution. We then exhibit a queueing model that has a Markov chain embedded at the points of regeneration that falls within this class. Finally, we examine the class of continuous time Markov processes whose embedded Markov chain possesses the property of rapid convergence, and find that, in the case where the distribution of sojourn times is independent of the state, we can compute the distribution of the system at time t in the form of a simple closed expression.
Systematic Preparation for Teaching in a Nursing Doctor of Philosophy Program

Lack of preparation for the faculty role, particularly for teaching, has long been an area of concern in graduate nursing education. This article describes a systematic approach to preparing students in a doctor of philosophy (PhD) program for their future roles as nurse educators. All PhD students at Rush University are required to take a nursing education course that contains four modules: the teacher, learner, and learning environment; the basics of curriculum and course design; evaluation of the learner, course, program, and institution; and the new faculty member. Students also complete a practicum in the course. Students are interviewed before the course begins and complete a self-assessment of their teaching experiences. Based on their learning needs, students are enrolled in the course for variable credit. The course has received excellent evaluations since its inception. The success of this course demonstrates that an education course can be an essential component of the nursing PhD curriculum.
Role of hypotension in heart rate turbulence

t s a e s i c t s e Heart rate turbulence (HRT) is the phenomenon of tranient heart rate fluctuation that follows a spontaneous venricular premature complex. Absence of HRT appears to be ne of the best noninvasive risk predictors for late mortality fter myocardial infarction, with predictive value comparale to and independent of the gold standard of risk predicion—left ventricular ejection fraction. However, that value till indicates a sensitivity and positive predictive accuracy n the order of 30% and is far from perfect. For this reason, larifying the exact mechanism of HRT is highly desirable, ecause it may lead to methods for increasing the predictive bility of HRT. The study by Raj et al in this issue of Heart hythm is a rare and welcome exploration of this mechaism. The authors were inspired to use rapid pacing trains cycle length 400 ms) to vary the magnitude and duration of he hypotension presumed to initiate HRT when a premature eat occurs. They discovered that the minimum mean arteial pressure produced by pacing quickly decreased to a evel about 25 mmHg below baseline with three extrastimuli i.e., no further reduction was seen with longer pacing rains), but the reflex tachycardia resulting from the pressure rop increased linearly with time spent in sub-baseline ean arterial pressure. This is a truly elegant result. The uthors also analyzed the increase in mean arterial pressure hat followed cessation of pacing and found that the presure difference between minimum and maximum values lso quickly reached a ceiling of about 28 mmHg with three xtrastimuli. However, the reflex bradycardia resulting from he rapid increase of mean arterial pressure did not differ mong the four pacing train lengths studied. The authors ave time-dependent acetylcholine degradation and diffuion out of the synapse following vagal withdrawal as the ost likely reason for the dependence of the tachycardia agnitude on hypotension duration. Several comments can be made about this article. The vershoot of mean arterial pressure above baseline calcuated crudely from the hypertension and hypotension magitudes given in their Table 2 goes 2.7, 1.8, 3.5, and 4.2 mHg as the pacing train is increased from 1 to 3 to 5 to 8 eats, and the pattern of change mimics that of the brady-