cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Zebrafish models of dyslipidemia: relevance to atherosclerosis and angiogenesis

Lipid and lipoprotein metabolism in zebrafish and in humans are remarkably similar. Zebrafish express all major nuclear receptors, lipid transporters, apolipoproteins and enzymes involved in lipoprotein metabolism. Unlike mice, zebrafish express cetp and the Cetp activity is detected in zebrafish plasma. Feeding zebrafish a high cholesterol diet, without any genetic intervention, results in significant hypercholesterolemia and robust lipoprotein oxidation, making zebrafish an attractive animal model to study mechanisms relevant to early development of human atherosclerosis. These studies are facilitated by the optical transparency of zebrafish larvae and the availability of transgenic zebrafish expressing fluorescent proteins in endothelial cells and macrophages. Thus, vascular processes can be monitored in live animals. In this review article, we discuss recent advances in using dyslipidemic zebrafish in atherosclerosis-related studies. We also summarize recent work connecting lipid metabolism with regulation of angiogenesis, the work that considerably benefited from using the zebrafish model. These studies uncovered the role of aibp, abca1, abcg1, mtp, apoB, and apoC2 in regulation of angiogenesis in zebrafish and paved the way for future studies in mammals, which may suggest new therapeutic approaches to modulation of excessive or diminished angiogenesis contributing to the pathogenesis of human disease.
Simplified finite element analysis of double cantilever beams

Abstract A simplified one-dimensional finite element has been developed to determine the distribution of the normal stress ahead of the crack in the uncracked region of a double cantilever beam. The element is based on a high-order beam theory, which includes not only transverse shear deformation but also through-thickness deformation. A double cantilever beam under a static load or a dynamic load was solved using the developed element.
Interfacial Dipole Formation and Surface-Electron Confinement in Low-Coverage Self-Assembled Thiol Layers: Thiophenol and p-Fluorothiophenol on Cu(111)

Model systems of organic self-assembled monolayers are important in achieving full atomic-scale understanding of molecular-electronic interfaces as well as the details of their charge transfer physics. Here we use two-photon photoemission to measure the evolving unoccupied and occupied interfacial electronic structure of two thiolate species, thiophenol and p-fluorothiophenol, adsorbed on Cu(111) as a function of molecular coverage. Our measurements focus on the role of adsorbates in shifting surface polarization and effecting surface electron confinement. As the coverage of each molecule increases, their photoemission-measured work functions exhibit nearly identical behavior up to 0.4–0.5 ML, at which point their behavior diverges; this behavior can be fit to an interfacial bond model for the surface dipole. In addition, our results show the emergence of an interfacial electronic state 0.1–0.2 eV below the Fermi level. This electronic state is attributed to quantum-mechanical-confinement shifting of the ...
Evaluation of varied surgical approaches used in the management of 170 far-lateral lumbar disc herniations: indications and results

This study was undertaken to determine and compare indications and relative benefits of various surgical approaches in 170 patients (average age 55 years) with far-lateral herniated lumbar discs, identified by magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and computerized tomography (CT) and operated on between 1984 and 1994. Essentially three surgical procedures were performed: complete facetectomy in 73 patients, laminotomy with medial facetectomy in 39 patients, and intertransverse discectomy (also known as ITT) in 58 patients. Follow-up periods averaged 5 years (range 0.5-10 years). Outcomes were scored as excellent (no deficit), good (mild radiculopathy), fair (moderate radiculopathy), and poor (unchanged or worse). Overall, excellent and good results were achieved in 73 and 51 patients, respectively, and fair and poor results in 26 and 20, respectively. There was little difference among the results encountered for the three major surgical groups: 79% of the intertransverse (ITT) group had good-to-excellent outcomes, as compared with 70% of the facetectomy group, and 68% of the group who underwent at minimum laminotomy, and additional hemilaminectomy or laminectomy with medial facetectomy. Results were the same for the 121 patients followed for more than 2 years and for the 49 patients studied for under 2 years. In the management of far-lateral discs, total facetectomy provides the best exposure, but increases the risk of instability. Laminotomy and medial facetectomy uncover the lateral and subarticular recess and preserve stability, but visualization of the far-lateral compartment is often inadequate. The intertransverse approach offers extensive far-lateral but not medial intraforaminal exposure, while also preserving stability. Full facetectomy, laminotomy with medial facetectomy, and the intertransverse approaches yielded nearly comparable outcomes in far-lateral disc surgery. Only the full facetectomy exposes the entire course of the nerve root both medially and laterally, whereas the intertransverse procedure provides direct exposure of the fat-lateral compartment alone. It is important to select the correct approach or combination of approaches to address attendant complicating factors such as spinal stenosis, spondyloarthrosis, and degenerative spondylolisthesis identified on CT and MR studies.
Cell proliferation in the mammary gland during late pregnancy and lactation

Nulliparous, CFW mice were injected with 25 mc of tritiated thymidine on day 19 of pregnancy, and days 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 10, 15 and 20 of lactation. The animals were killed one hour after injection. The inguinal mammary glands were removed and processed for paraffin sectioning. Radioautographs were prepared, using the dipping technique. Quantitation of mammary epithelial cell proliferation for the intra- and interlobular (ducts) epithelium was performed by determining the percent of labeled epithelial cells in a large sample of cells (labeling index). It was concluded that epithelial cell sample sizes of 1,000–2,000 cells were adequate to measure mammary epithelial proliferation. A wave of epithelial proliferation was observed during early lactation. In the intralobular epithelium, a peak labeling index of 11.1% was attained on day two of lactation whereas a peak labeling index of 7.9% was observed on day three of lactation in the interlobular epithelium. Cells of the connective tissue and vascular bed proliferated in response to the growth of the mammary epithelium. Myoepithelial cells were frequently labeled on days two and three of lactation.
Interactions between Coyotes and Red Foxes in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Interactions between coyotes ( Canis latrans ) and red foxes ( Vulpes vulpes ) indicate that coyotes often tolerate foxes, and yet at other times, are aggressive and kill foxes. The frequency and context in which coyotes are aggressive or tolerant of foxes are unknown. We observed 66 interactions between coyotes and red foxes in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, from February 1991 to April 1993. Foxes were deterred, displaced, or tolerated by coyotes in 17, 30, and 53% of the encounters, respectively. Deterrence and displacement of foxes by coyotes occurred at a similar frequency in the absence and presence of an ungulate carcass. Tolerance of foxes by coyotes occurred most frequently in the absence of a carcass. A group of coyotes feeding or resting at a carcass was a deterrent to approaching foxes.
The major histocompatibility complex of the rat,RT 1 : II. biochemical evidence for a complex genetic organization.

Recombinational analysis has shown that the rat MHC,RT1 is divided into two regions:RT1.A, which codes for class I (transplantation) antigens, andRT1.B, which controls the humoral immune response and proliferative response to allogeneic cells as well as the expression of class II (Ia) antigens. Serological and sequence studies suggest that there might be more than one antigen-coding locus within theRT1.A region. Results obtained by sequential immunoprecipitation reveal that both regions code for at least two gene products. By implication, theRT1 complex must therefore harbor at least four loci;RT1.A andD coding for class I glycoproteins (45,000 daltons); andRT1.B andE coding for class II (Ia) glycoproteins (35,000 and 28,000 daltons).
ANOMALOUS VELOCITIES IN QUASAR 3C273

ESTIMATES of the size of quasi-stellar object 3C273 ranging from ∼ 1,000 light years to ∼ 1 (ref. 1) light year when coupled with the first observations of Smith and Hoffleit2 regarding the apparently uniform and simultaneous pulsations giving rise to luminosity fluctuations with period of ∼ 10 years and with recent reports of a ∼ 1 (ref. 3) month fluctuation period present the possibility of the existence of anomalous velocities between the light velocity c and ∼ 100c. Indeed it would appear that the discovery of smaller fluctuation periods would correspondingly lead to velocities of an increasingly anomalous nature despite consistency of any given size estimate with usual velocity range and a given fluctuation period.
Wireless control of magnetic helical microrobots using a rotating-permanent-magnet manipulator

Magnetic helical medical microrobots are promising for use in open fluid, lumen, and soft-tissue environments and will enable minimally invasive access to hard-to-reach locations in the body. Prior work focused on control via uniform magnetic fields from orthogonal arrangements of electromagnetic coils, which are difficult to scale up to the size required for clinical applications. We propose the use of nonuniform magnetic fields emanating from a single rotating-permanent-magnet (RPM) manipulator for the control of magnetic helical microrobots. We theoretically and experimentally demonstrate that the RPM manipulator is a viable option for wireless control of magnetic helical microrobots that warrants further investigation.
Effects of Drivers' Age on the Comprehension of a Pedestrian Right-of-Way Warning Sign:

A survey was done on driver comprehension of a Turning Traffic Must Yield to Pedestrians sign among different drivers' age groups during left-turn and right-turn maneuvers. Four age categories were included: young-young, middle-young, middle-old, and old-old. The sign was comprehended clearly by all age groups for the right-turn scenario. For the left-turn situation, younger drivers (under 56 years) comprehended or paid more attention to the sign than older drivers (over 55 years). This might be due to the difference in the perception of drivers to the presence of pedestrians during left- and right-turn movements. During right-turn movements, drivers and pedestrians always are in interaction, unless drivers are provided with the rarely used exclusive right-turn phase. On the other hand, left-turn movements usually are provided with an exclusive or permitted phase or a combination of both. This might lead to a general perception among drivers that pedestrians are not allowed to cross during a left-turn man...
Nonlinear and linear-weighted methods for particle transport problems

A parametrized family of iterative methods for the planar-geometry transport equation is proposed. This family is a generalization of previously proposed nonlinear flux methods. The new methods are derived by integrating the 1D transport equation over −1≤μ≤0 and 0≤μ≤1 with weight |μ|α, α≥0. Both nonlinear and linear methods are developed. The convergence properties of the proposed methods are studied theoretically by means of a Fourier stability analysis. The optimum value of α that provides the best convergence rate is derived. We also show that the convergence rates of nonlinear and linear methods are almost the same. Numerical results are presented to confirm these theoretical predictions.
Dam choices: Analyses for multiple needs

Environmentalists often go to great lengths to block the construction of new dams because dams interfere with fish migration, inundate terrestrial habitats, and interrupt natural flows that are necessary for critical ecosystem processes. However, few environmental issues are so simplistically black and white, and dams are no exception. Dams can be an important source of clean energy and for poor nations such as Laos or Cambodia, hydropower is an export that can be a foundation for poverty alleviation. The right question is not how to prevent construction of any new dams, but rather what the optimal portfolio of dams is for meeting our energy and fisheries needs while also securing as much biodiversity insurance as possible for our changing world. Ziv et al. (1) from Princeton University and the World Fish Center in Cambodia ask that right question. Specifically, they combine an ingenious model of fish migration in the mainstem Mekong River and its tributaries with scenarios of new dam construction to identify optimal dam deployments throughout the Mekong tributaries (1).
The effects of socioeconomic status and race on pediatric neurosurgical shunting.

It is established in the literature that disparities exist in the quality of healthcare for patients from disadvantaged backgrounds and lower socioeconomic status. There may be roadblocks within the field of neurosurgery preventing equal access and quality of care. Our goal was to study the similarities between pediatric patients with shunted hydrocephalus of different insurance types and race. A retrospective chart review was performed on all pediatric patients who underwent ventriculoperitoneal shunting from 1990–2010 at our institution. Race and insurance type were recorded and assessed against specific outcome measures to statistically compare complication rates. A complete record was found for 373 patients who received 849 shunting procedures at our institution. No differences were found between racial groups and insurance type for overall shunt survival, total revision number, or average time to failure. However, nonwhite patients spent an average of 3 days longer in the hospital at initial shunting (p = 0.04), and those with public insurance stayed for 5 days longer (p = 0.002). Patients with public insurance were more likely to present with shunt failure from outside hospitals (p = 0.005) and be born prematurely (p < 0.001). Private patients were more likely to have a neoplasm present at time of initial shunt placement (p = 0.003). While overall revision rate was not affected by race or insurance status, there were significant delays in discharge for patients with public insurance. Moreover, potential disparities in outpatient access to primary physicians and specialists may be affecting care.
A VLA Search for Head-Tail Radio Sources in Abell Clusters

We present a VLA C-configuration imaging survey of 14 rich Abell clusters. The observations were undertaken with the intent of characterizing the galaxy orbits within the cluster by combining galaxy redshifts with indicators of orbital shape. We present maps of the observed clusters, detailed maps of resolved sources detected in the survey, comparisons with optical images of the clusters, and tables of source parameters for all detected sources with measured flux values.
Electrochemical study of arsenate and water reduction on iron media used for arsenic removal from potable water.

Zerovalent iron filings have been proposed as a filter medium for removing As(III) and As(V) compounds from potable water. The removal mechanism involves complex formation of arsenite and arsenate with the iron surface and with iron oxides produced from iron corrosion. There is conflicting evidence in the literature on whether As(V) can be reduced to As(III) by iron filter media. This research uses electrochemical methods to investigate the redox reactions that occur on the surface of zerovalent iron in arsenic solutions. The effect of arsenic on the corrosion rate of zerovalent iron was investigated by analysis of Tafel diagrams for iron wire electrodes in anaerobic solutions with As(V) concentrations between 100 and 20,000 μg/L. As(V) reduction in the absence of surface oxides was investigated by analysis of chronoamperometry profiles for iron wire electrodes in solutions with As(V) concentrations ranging from 10 000 to 106 μg/L. The effect of pH on As(V) reduction was investigated by analyses of chrono...
Quantitative Structure−Property Relationships for Interspecies Extrapolation of the Inhalation Pharmacokinetics of Organic Chemicals

The objectives of this study were to (i) develop quantitative structure−property relationships (QSPRs) for blood:air partition coefficients (Pb:a), tissue:air partition coefficients (Pt:a), and hepatic clearance (CLh) and (ii) conduct interspecies extrapolations of the pharmacokinetics of low molecular weight volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) by incorporating the above QSPRs within a physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) modeling framework. Pb:a and Pt:a were predicted using the following algorithm: Fnl × Po:a + Fw × Pw:a + fb × Fp × Pp:a, where Fnl = content of neutral lipid equivalents in biological matrix, Fw = content of water equivalents in biological matrix, Fp = protein content of blood and tissues, Po:a = vegetable oil:air partition coefficient, Pw:a = water:air partition coefficient, fb = fraction of total protein involved in the partitioning process, and Pp:a = protein:air partition coefficient. CLh was estimated as follows: Ql × [(CLint × CP4502E1 × Vl)/(Ql + CLint × CP4502E1 × Vl)], w...
Interactions among the critical factors affecting sinus node function: the quantitative effects of the duration and frequency of atrial pacing and of vagal and sympathetic stimulation upon overdrive suppression of the sinus node.

Abstract A multifactorial analysis was used in anesthesized dogs in order to characterize the effects of the duration of overdrive, the atrial pacing interval, and the frequencies of vagal and sympathetic stimulation on overdrive suppression of the sinus node. The sinus node recovery time (SNRT) and the summated effect (SE) over the first 20 cardiac cycles were measured with various combinations of the independent variables. We conclude that (1) both the rate and the duration of overdrive have significant effects on SNRT and SE; (2) vagal stimulation has greater effects on SNRT and SE than does the rate or duration of overdrive; (3) sympathetic stimulation had only a small effect on overdrive suppression; and (4) there were significant interactions between vagal stimulation and the duration of overdrive and between the duration and rate of overdrive, but not between sympathetic and vagal stimulation.
Titanium-containing mesoporous molecular sieves for catalytic oxidation of aromatic compounds

Titanium silicalite is an effective molecular-sieve catalyst for the selective oxidation of alkanes, the hydroxylation of phenol and the epoxidation of alkenes in the presence of H2O2 (refs 1-3). The range of organic compounds that can be oxidized is greatly limited, however, by the relatively small pore size (about 0.6 nm) of the host framework. Large-pore (mesoporous) silica-based molecular sieves have been prepared recently by Kresge et al. and Kuroda et al.; the former used a templating approach in which the formation of an inorganic mesoporous structure is assisted by self-organization of surfactants, and the latter involved topochemical rearrangement of a layered silica precursor. Here we describe the use of the templating approach to synthesize mesoporous silica-based molecular sieves partly substituted with titanium--large-pore analogues of titanium silicalite. We find that these materials show selective catalytic activity towards the oxidation of 2,6-di-tert-butyl phenol to the corresponding quinone and the conversion of benzene to phenol.
Prescription weight loss pill use among Americans: patterns of pill use and lessons learned from the fen-phen market withdrawal.

Abstract Background: Despite the popularity of antiobesity medications, there is a lack of population-based data on their use. In addition, response (termination of pill use and receipt of an echocardiogram) to the fenfluramine and dexfenfluramine market withdrawal among the public has not been described. Lessons learned from this event have implications for future withdrawals. Methods: We used data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) a random-digit telephone survey. In 1998, six states included detailed questions about the use of prescription weight loss pills in the previous 2 years, n = 16,460 noninstitutionalized adults aged 18 years or older. Results: Almost one third of prescription weight loss pills users were not obese before taking pills. Family and friends and other nonphysicians were reported as sources of medication by one in ten users. One third of users also reported taking nonprescription diet products. Among fenfluramine or dexfenfluramine users, one third continued pill use after the market withdrawal and only one quarter received echocardiograms. Conclusions: Despite enormous publicity, many persons continued to use fen-phen after the market withdrawal and most did not receive follow-up echocardiograms. Our study raises issues regarding the effectiveness of withdrawal warnings in a small but significant subset. Additional means of communicating risk to individuals are needed for future product withdrawals including special strategies for those lacking healthcare coverage.
Discretion and bias in performance evaluation

Most of the economics literature on compensation and organizations builds from the theory of agency.’ For the most part, the literature analyzes situations in which agents’ performance can be controlled by tying compensation to objective performance measures such as output or sales. It ignores the fact that most compensation arrangements involve superiors’ subjectire. and hence non-contractible. judgements about employee performance. In our view, much of what is interesting about actual employment relations follows from the observation that ‘performance appraisal is a process by which humans judge other humans’ [Milkovich and Wigdor (1991)]. This paper studies the implications of subjective performance evaluation for compensation policies and for the efficiency of employment relations. Our objectives are two fold. First. we propose the importance of subjectivity of evaluations to better understand organizatlonal practices such as politicking, favoritism. and compression of wage scales. Second, we hope to orient the study of subjective performance evaluation in ways that are consistent with empirical evidence on what organizations actually do.
Static shape measurements using a multiplexed fiber Bragg grating sensor system

The research presented in this paper demonstrates the feasibility of detecting deformations of wing-like structures (cantilever plates) using a distributed, multiplexed fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensor system. Overall, the work accomplished during the research effort demonstrates the ability of a multiplexed network of FBG sensors to measure strain across a structure and have those strains determine the deformation or shape of the structure. A neural network approach and a structural mechanics approach were examined to determine the deformation of the cantilever plate based on the recorded strain readings from the FBG sensors. This paper presents analytical and experimental results for both approaches. The experimental setup consisted of a cantilever plate with 36 FBG sensors mounted in longitudinal, transverse, and off-axis orientations on the plate’s surface. The neural network method performed best when trained with experimentally measured strain and deflection data. The structural mechanics approach demonstrated more accurate comparisons to the ground truth shape, taken with a laser range finder, than the neural network approach. In all experimental cases using the structural mechanics approach, the root-mean-square error between the ground-truth measurements and the FBG sensor based measurements were less than 0.52 inches (approximately 10% of maximum deflection). In approximately 30% of the test cases, the root-mean-square error was less than 0.2 inches.
'Wicked' ethics: Compliance work and the practice of ethics in HIV research.

Abstract Using ethnographic material collected between 2003 and 2007 in five HIV clinics in the US, South Africa, Uganda, and Thailand, this article examines “official ethics” and “ethics on the ground.” It compares the ethical conundrums clinic staff and researchers confront in their daily work as HIV researchers with the dilemmas officially identified as ethical issues by bioethicists and people responsible for ethics reviews and compliance with ethics regulations. The tangled relation between ethical problems and solutions invites a comparison to Rittel and Webber's “wicked problems.” Official ethics' attempts to produce universal solutions often make ethics problems even more wickedly intractable. Ethics on the ground is in part a reaction to this intractability.
"Duplicate calcaneus": a rare developmental defect observed in several skeletal dysplasias.

Duplication of the calcaneus is a rarely observed radiographic finding that probably results from delayed coalescence of two primary calcaneal centers of ossification. We performed a review of 2,500 computerized cases of skeletal dysplasias and syndromes with bone involvement in the International Skeletal Dysplasia Registry, searching for those cases in which a duplicate calcaneus had been recorded. We found that it was a non-random feature of three skeletal dysplasias and groups comprising thanatophoric dysplasia and the chondrodysplasia punctata and short rib (polydactyly) groups. We conclude that duplication of the calcaneus should be considered a consistent feature of these entities and may reflect a more generalized developmental defect.
A Material Interface Transition Algorithm for Multiphase Flow

Volume tracking method, also referred to as the volume-of-fluid (VOF) method introduces “numerical surface tension” that breaks a filament into a series of droplets whenever the filament is under-resolved. Adaptive mesh refinement can help avoid under-resolution, but a fully-developed flow will still generate filaments that cannot be resolved without enormous computational cost. We propose a complementary new approach that consists of transitioning to a continuous interface representation (i.e. without interface reconstruction) in regions of under-resolved interfacial curvature where volume tracking has become erroneous. The price of the continuous interface treatment is a small amount of numerical mass diffusion, even if the physical interface is immiscible. However, we have found that for certain measures, the overall accuracy is greatly improved by using our transitioning algorithm. The algorithm is developed in the context of the single fluid formulation of the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations. Numerical standard vortices advection test cases and Rayleigh-Taylor instability computations are presented to illustrate the transition algorithm potential.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
High Resolution Optical Tweezers as a Tool to Study RNA Folding Pathways

Optical tweezers utilizes light energy to trap small neutral particles due to the transfer of momentum from the trapping beam to the particle. The method of trapping has been successfully used to trap a single cell, or an organelle that has opened numerous possibilities to study biological systems. In more advanced systems, the technique is used to study sub-cellular motions such as molecular motors or folding of biomolecules e.g., DNA, RNA and proteins. Typically, the linear fluctuations in these systems are in the nanometer scale that can be manipulated by applying microscopic external force in the order of pico-Newtons. Recently, we have built a high resolution dual beam optical-tweezers that can measure forces at the resolution of ± 0.15 pN, distances at 1 nm and a temporal resolution of sub-milliseconds (< 0.25 msec). Using our custom built instrument we investigated the folding of a model RNA hairpin P5ab, which has been earlier studied as a two-state folder. P5ab forms the structural domain of group I ribozymes that is involved in intronic splicing. Our results show that P5ab folds with atleast three intermediate states that has been missed in the earlier studies. By holding the molecule at a constant force, we allowed the RNA to fluctuate through various intermediates before it folded into its native conformation. The kinetics reveals a complex mechanism of folding that is taken by P5ab. By performing multiple rounds of equilibrium experiments, we located the position and the height of the activation barrier in the folding scheme that must be crossed by the RNA molecule to achieve the native conformation. The findings are important as it highlights how a single base change can alter the folding pathways and the barrier heights that often trap biomolecules in misfolded states, which is the hallmark of diseased condition such as cancer and prion.
Ridging effects on wetting and spreading of liquids on solids

Abstract Analysis of the triple junction for a liquid on a solid has emphasized conditions pertinent for metal and ceramic systems. Complementary experiments are largely for liquid metals on Al2O3 and also liquid silicates on metals. Ridges can form at the triple line in response to the vertical component of force from surface tension. These are very small elastic distortions at lower temperatures. Where any local diffusion or solution-precipitation of the solid in the liquid can occur, the ridge can exceed atomic dimensions readily, and at high temperatures can become microns in size. If the liquid front stays attached, drag from these ridges can limit the spreading velocity of the liquid. Four time regimes of interest are identified. First, at short times or low temperatures, inelastic ridges do not form and motion can be controlled by viscous flow of the fluid. In regime II, a small ridge can be carried by the front, whilst the macroscopic angle can simultaneously approach that from the Young-Dupre relationship. Owing to the existence of this latter regime, a range of conditions exists wherein it is possible to satisfy the classical Young equation macroscopically, and a more complete equilibrium locally. Finally, at longer times more complex geometries will prevail while the system is evolving toward equilibrium, regime IV, which entails significantly deforming the solid.
Diamagnetic and paramagnetic surface currents induced by temperature changes in type II superconductors in static magnetic fields

We present evidence that a change in surface currents from critical paramagnetic to critical diamagnetic (or vice versa) is induced by a suitable increase (or decrease) of the temperature of a semireversible type-II superconductor immersed in a static magnetic field $Hl{H}_{c2}$.
Effect of seizures and diuretics on the osmolality of the cerebrospinal fluid

There was a significant increase in the osmolality of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of the anesthetized rats after treatment with 80 mg/kg (but not 39 mg/kg) furosemide and 1 g/kg of mannitol, but not during seizures induced by kainic acid. Furosemide (10 mg/kg) blocked seizure activity by kainic acid, while mannitol (1 g/kg) did not. The results suggest that the antiepileptic effect of furosemide is due to a direct CNS effect not related to a change in CSF osmolality.
Death, taxes, and bad intelligence tests

Abstract Thirteen approaches to the measurement of intelligence are briefly described and discussed. On the one hand, bad intelligence tests seem as inevitable as death and taxes. On the other hand, there are promising developments in measurement. The most promising developments are not cosmetic changes in conventional tests (such as comouter-adaptive tests), but rather tests based on new, broader theories of intelligence. These latter tests have been slow in development, partly because of difficulties in operationalization, and partly because of the uneasy alliance between the worlds of academia and publishing companies.
Radiolabeling of an enteric coated tablet by (n,γ) radioactivation of erbium-170 for scintigraphic imaging

Abstract Enteric coated tablets containing small quantities of a stable erbium isotope were irradiated in a neutron flux to produce radioactive tablets labeled with erbium-171. The radiolabeled tablets were used to monitor their transit through the GI tract in human volunteers using external scintigraphy. The absorbed radiation dose to the subjects was found to be within acceptable guidelines. The low toxicity of erbium oxide after oral administration makes the use of this agent ideal for the production of radioactive dosage forms that are difficult or impossible to radiolabel by conventional methods, and leads to products of high radiochemical purity.
Factors Affecting Flavor Development in Cheddar Cheese Slurries

Abstract Flavor development in small (750-g) slurries prepared from Cheddar curd made from pasteurized Grade A milk was affected by storage conditions, certain additives, and age of the curd. More flavor was achieved when 100 ppm reduced glutathione were added to the slurry and when conditions included incubation at 30 to 35 C, NaCl concentration of 3%, daily agitation, and the incorporation of Na citrate, Mn, riboflavin, or Co. The harmful effect of prolonged frozen storage of the curd on the subsequent flavor intensity of slurries was overcome by addition of lyophilized lactic cultures. Limited analyses provided evidence of a relationship between the formation of active -SH groups, free fatty acids, and flavor development.
Patterns and determinants of maternal attachment

Fifty-four primiparous mothers were studied in relation to their developing feelings ofattachment toward their infants during the first three months of life. Normative and atypical patterns of attachment are described; the nature of these patterns is determined by an interplay of maternal attitudes and specific infant behaviors. Cross-species studies of attachment suggest unique characteristics of human mother-infant bonds. Attachment is viewed as a critical developmental phase and its clinical relevance is emphasized.
Human megakaryocyte progenitors derived from hematopoietic stem cells of normal individuals are MHC class II-expressing professional APC that enhance Th17 and Th1/Th17 responses

Platelets, like stromal cells, present antigen only via MHC class I, but the immune potential of their progenitors has not been explored in humans. We derived CD34+CD117+CD41+CD151+ megakaryocyte progenitors (MKp) in vitro from mobilized peripheral blood hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPC) of normal subjects using culture conditions akin to bone marrow niche, or organs that support extramedullary hematopoiesis. The MKp expressed MHC Class II in contrast to platelets and functioned as professional APC before they matured further. Moreover, MKp constitutively expressed mRNA encoding mediators for human Th17 expansion, including IL-1, IL-18, IL-6, TGFβ, IL-23, BAFF, and COX2. MKp also expressed high levels of type I interferon and IRF5 mRNA. In contrast to platelets, MKp augmented the expansion of Th17, Th1, and potent Th17/Th1 double-positive cells in normal PBMC and CD4 line T cells from normal subjects or lupus patients. The Th cell augmentation involved pre-committed memory cells, and was significant although modest, because only non-cognate MKp-T cell interactions could be studied, under non-polarizing conditions. Importantly, the MKp-mediated expansion was observed in the presence or absence of direct MKp-T cell contact. Furthermore, MKp augmented Th17 responses against Candida albicans, a serious opportunistic pathogen. These results indicate an immunologic role of MKp in situations associated with extramedullary hematopoiesis and mobilization of HSPC.
A study of Doubly Fed Induction Generator's low voltage ride through capabilities

Doubly Fed Induction Generator (DFIG) is widely used for wind turbine electricity generation. In this work power interchange between a wind farm and power grid is studied in the presence of symmetrical three-phase and asymmetrical phase to ground faults. The wind farm comprises six 1.5MW wind turbines connected to 25kV distribution systems that exports power to 120kV grid through a transmission line. A fault causes the line voltage to drop and line current to increase. We studied impact of transmission line faults on the operation of the wind farm in both voltage regulation and VAR regulation modes. The wind turbine design includes under-voltage protection circuitry that monitors the line voltage for faults and trips the wind farm if the line voltage drops below 0.75 pu for t>0.1s. For the present work, Matlab/Simulink original protection system was used.
Acoustically mediated neighbor recognition in the North American bullfrog, Rana catesbeiana

Playback experiments were conducted to determine whether territorial male bullfrogs (Rana catesbeiana) were capable of discriminating between advertisement calls of neighbors and strangers. Territorial males adjacent to subject males were removed and replaced with a speaker which broadcast calls of a stranger or the removed male. Ten of 11 males responded more strongly to calls of strangers than to calls of neighbors. When advertisement calls of neighbors were broadcast to subject males from positions within the removed neighbor's territory and from positions opposite the subject male, all 9 males tested responded more strongly to calls of a neighbor broadcast from a new position than to playbacks of the same call broadcast within the removed neighbor's territory. Because male bullfrogs recognize familiar calls and associate these calls with a particular direction or location, these data provide the first evidence for acoustically mediated neighbor recognition in frogs.
Location Privacy with Road Network Mix-Zones

Mix-zones are recognized as an alternative and complementary approach to spatial cloaking based approach to location privacy protection. Mix-zones break the continuity of location exposure by ensuring that users' movements cannot be traced while they reside in a mix-zone. In this paper we provide an overview of various known attacks that make mix-zones on road networks vulnerable and illustrate a set of counter measures to make road network mix-zones attack resilient. Concretely, we categorize the vulnerabilities of road network mix-zones into two classes: one due to the road network characteristics and user mobility, and the other due to the temporal, spatial and semantic correlations of location queries. For instance, the timing information of users' entry and exit into a mix-zone provides information to launch a timing attack. The non-uniformity in the transitions taken at the road intersection may lead to transition attack. An example query correlation attack is the basic continual query (CQ) attacks, which attempt to break the anonymity of road network aware mix-zones by performing query correlation based inference. The CQ-timing attacks carry out inference attacks based on both query correlation and timing correlation, and the CQ-transition attacks execute inference attacks based on both query correlation and transition correlation. We study the factors that impact on the effectiveness of each of these attacks and evaluate the efficiency of the counter measures, such as non-rectangle mix-zones and delay tolerant mix-zones, through extensive experiments on traces produced by GTMobiSim at different scales of geographic maps.
Grain-boundary diffusion of 119mSn in Pb foils by the nuclear absorption technique

Abstract Grain-boundary transport of a 119mSn radiotracer has been studied in Pb foils The grain-boundary employing permeation and nuclear absorption techniques. The grain-boundary diffusion coefficients are described by the expression Db = 1·1 × exp [− 0·47(±0·07) eV/kT]cm2/s over the 34–90°C temperature range. The permeation technique appears to provide a simple and quantitative method for determining mass transport along grain boundaries in systems having large enough absorption coefficients for the diffusing tracer.
Modification of Wright's technique for placement of bilateral crossing C2 translaminar screws: technical note

Abstract Background context Several relatively new screw techniques have been described that rigidly capture the posterior elements of C2. The previously described procedures of axis fixation are technically demanding and place the vertebral artery at some risk. A novel and less technically demanding technique of obtaining C-2 translaminar screws has been recently described. Although the risk of vertebral artery injury has been essentially eliminated, the authors recognize that neurologic injury from breakthrough of the inner cortex of the lamina by the drill or screw is still a possibility. Purpose Describe and illustrate a modified C2 translaminar technique and review the results of patients who have undergone the surgery. The current modification of the C2 translaminar screw technique was designed to reduce the risk of inadvertent screw placement within the spinal canal. Study design/setting A techniques paper combined with a retrospective clinical review of patients undergoing the surgery. Patient sample Patients undergoing posterior instrumented fusion surgery of the cervical spine, which incorporates C2 posterior elements using the translaminar technique. Outcome measures Radiographic analysis of the fusion construct incorporating the C2 translaminar screws. Methods We have modified the previously described technique of C-2 translaminar screw placement with the addition of “exit” cortical windows to assure bicortical, intralaminar screw placement. Results The results of the first six patients with an average follow-up of 12 months demonstrated this method to be safe and effective in fixating the axis. Conclusions We have made a simple modification of Wright's elegant technique with the addition of “exit” windows at the facet-laminar junctions. This gives us the assurance that the C2 screw has not entered the spinal canal by directly visualizing the tip of the screw exiting the outer cortices of the lamina before leaving the operating room.
An experimental approach to the calibration and use of triple hot-wire probes

A method of calibrating and extracting velocities from arbitrary geometry triple hot-wire probes has been developed and tested. The three-step procedure involves experimental determination of an accurate cooling law for each wire in the array, use of these models to develop a set of tables relating anemometer output to flow velocity input, and a table look-up procedure to extract the velocities. The functional form for the cooling law can be arbitrarily chosen and these equations are never directly inverted. Solutions are tabulated making use of special variable transformations that separate the dependence on flow angle and velocity magnitude. Errors in the table look-up procedure are commensurate with those in exact inversion techniques. Most of the error arises from accurate determination of the cooling laws. An application to turbulent boundary layer measurements is presented as an example of the use of the method.
Changes in the reproductive system following acute prenatal exposure to ethanol or methylazoxymethanol in the rat: I. Effects on immunoreactive LHRH cell number

It has long been recognized that ethanol (EtOH) interferes with the hypo-thalamo-pituitary-gonad axis in adults of many species, and recent studies have provided evidence for similar effects after prenatal EtOH exposure. Since EtOH is capable of injuring dividing cells, we investigated the possibility that a single acute in utero EtOH exposure during the period of LHRH neuron formation might change the number of immunoreactive LHRH cells in the hypothalamus. Final LHRH cell division in Long-Evans rats was determined by [3H]thymidine autoradiography to take place over a short period between gestation days 12 and 13. Subsequently, pregnant rats were treated acutely with either EtOH or methyla-zoxymethanol (MAM), a known neuroteratogen, and the numbers of immunoreactive LHRH cells were counted. On gestation day 22, LHRH-positive cell numbers were significantly fewer than control numbers in both EtOH- and MAM-exposed offspring. On postnatal day 60, cell numbers in EtOH-exposed offspring did not differ from control numbers, whereas cells in MAM-exposed offspring remained significantly reduced. In controls, there were 40% fewer LHRH-positive cells on postnatal day 4 than in late gestation or at maturity. We conclude that 1) acute exposure to a high dose of EtOH at a critical time in early gestation can alter the expression of LHRH in late gestation; 2) exposure to MAM in the same period alters LHRH expression before birth and in the adult; and 3) in the early postnatal period, LHRH expression decreases profoundly. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Docosahexaenoic acid, protectins and dry eye.

Purpose of reviewTo report recent data on the potential role of omega-3 fatty acids, in particular docosahexaenoic acid and its derivatives, in the treatment of dry eye syndrome.Recent findingsDietary supplementation with polyunsaturated fatty acids yields positive results in the improvement of dry
Power and Suspicion: The Perspectives of Reinhold Niebuhr

This essay seeks to bring Reinhold Niebuhr into the postructuralist dialogue in order to suggest that his writings are far more constructive about the human predicament. The essay begins by presenting eleven positions commonly taken by poststructuralists. It then examines similarities between Niebuhr and postructuralist thinkers in their interrogation of the Enlightenment to expose the illusions of reason and progress and in their exposure of the Marxist philosophy of history as a false teleology that dramatizes truth and freedom emerging triumphant from conflict and struggle. Instead of posing postructuralist constraints and incarceration, however, Niebuhr's theology and philosophy of history offer indeterminate potentialities for freedom. Whereas the poststructuralists fetishize systems and structures, Niebuhr believes in the possibilities of human agency. And while Foucault presents us with a theory of oppression without an oppressor, Niebuhr seeks to show how power issues from ourselves, from the sin-prone ego that prevents consciousness from rising to knowledge of the motives for its own actions. The essay argues, finally, that in Niebuhr power and morality meet in one, with a suspicious glance at the disavowal of power and the pretensions of morality, and with responsibility for the use of power remaining within mind, will, and conscience.