cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Protective role of IL-2 during activation of T cells with bryostatin 1.

Abstract Pharmacologic agents such as bryostatin 1 (bryostatin) can regulate cell activation, growth, and differentiation by modulating the activities of protein kinase C isoenzymes. Inhibition of growth of tumor cells and activation of T lymphocytes in vitro are the most recognized consequences of bryostatin treatment. The effect of bryostatin on T cells ranges from induction of apoptotic cell death to T cell activation, expansion, and acquisition of antigen-specific effector functions. Here, we describe the conditions under which these wide ranging effects occur. Mouse mammary tumor 4TO7-IL-2-primed lymph node cells exposed ex vivo to bryostatin upregulated CD25 expression but lost the ability to secrete IL-2. Most of these cells died by apoptosis unless IL-2 was provided for the duration of bryostatin treatment. Analysis of T cell repertoire by screening of T cells for the expression of different Vβ T cell receptor (TCR) families revealed that bryostatin-induced T cell death was unbiased and Vβ-nonspecific. Within particular Vβ clones, only CD25+ T cells survived exposure to bryostatin and IL-2. Treatment of 4TO7 tumor-bearing mice with a single injection of low dose bryostatin followed by multiple low doses of IL-2, but not with bryostatin alone, delayed tumor growth. These results indicate that activation of T cells with bryostatin should be carried out under protection of exogenous IL-2 to ensure survival and expansion of T cells that may exhibit anti-tumor activity.
The earthquake design and analysis of equipment isolation systems

A method is presented whereby the response spectrum may be used to predict the response of equipment mounted on an isolation system with non-linear motion limiting constraints. The results of the approximate method are compared with results obtained by direct numerical integration for a representative piece of equipment.
Delivery of small interfering RNA for inhibition of endothelial cell apoptosis by hypoxia and serum deprivation

RNA interference (RNAi) for anti-angiogenic or pro-apoptotic factors in endothelial cells (ECs) has great potential for the treatment of ischemic diseases by promoting angiogenesis or inhibiting apoptosis. Here, we report the utility of small interfering RNA (siRNA) in inhibiting EC apoptosis induced by tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha). siRNA was designed and synthesized targeting tumor necrosis factor-alpha receptor-1 (TNFR-1) and Src homology 2 domain-containing protein tyrosine phosphatase-1 (SHP-1). Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were cultured under in vitro hypoxic and serum-deprived conditions to simulate in vivo ischemic conditions. Two days after liposomal delivery of siRNA targeting TNFR-1 and SHP-1, significant silencing of each target (TNFR-1; 76.5% and SHP-1; 97.2%) was detected. Under serum-deprived hypoxic (1% oxygen) conditions, TNF-alpha expression in HUVECs increased relative to normoxic (20% oxygen) and serum-containing conditions. Despite enhanced TNF-alpha expression, suppression of TNFR-1 or SHP-1 by siRNA delivery not only enhanced expression of angiogenic factors (KDR/Flk-1 and eNOS) and anti-apoptotic factor (Bcl-xL) but also reduced expression of a pro-apoptotic factor (Bax). Transfection of TNFR-1 or SHP-1 siRNA significantly decreased the HUVEC apoptosis while significantly enhancing HUVEC proliferation and capillary formation. The present study demonstrates that TNFR-1 and SHP-1 may be useful targets for the treatment of myocardial or hindlimb ischemia.
BAFF blockade for systemic lupus erythematosus: will the promise be fulfilled?

Summary: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a complex immune disorder in which loss of tolerance to nucleic acid antigens and other cross-reactive antigens is associated with the development of pathogenic autoantibodies that damage target organs including the skin, joints, brain, and kidney. B cells are essential to lupus pathogenesis, not only because they produce pathogenic autoantibodies but also because they have multiple effector functions in the immune system. There has been much recent interest therefore in targeting of B cells for the treatment of SLE and other autoimmune diseases. BAFF (B-cell activation factor belonging to the tumor necrosis factor family) is a crucial homeostatic cytokine for B cells that is upregulated during inflammation and links adaptive with innate immunity. Excessive levels of BAFF may alter selection of autoreactive B cells and contribute to perpetuation of SLE by a variety of mechanisms. BAFF antagonists have been effective in the prevention and treatment of SLE in several different murine models. Three classes of BAFF antagonists have been developed for clinical use, and initial clinical trials have begun. However, immune modulation in SLE is complicated by differences in the immune defects between patients and at different disease stages. Further work will be needed both in animal models and humans to determine the most appropriate clinical applications for BAFF blockade.
Developments in computational fluid dynamics-based modeling for disinfection technologies over the last two decades: A review

In the last two decades, Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) has shown great potential as a powerful and cost-efficient tool to troubleshoot existing disinfection contactors and improve future designs for water treatment industry. However, numerous challenges in the simulation of water disinfection processes still remain. This review summarizes past CFD studies of the hydraulic and associated disinfection efficiency of disinfection contactors. Hydraulic efficiency studies based on flow and tracer transport simulation were found to be the most common and successful. Challenges existing in flow and disinfection simulation are identified and discussed. These challenges can be overcome via advanced turbulent simulation approaches, such as Large Eddy Simulation and multi-phase resolving simulations. Although turbulence-chemistry interaction is found to be the most challenging problem for proper representation of the reaction system and inactivation kinetics, solutions to this challenge can be overshadowed unless errors induced by unresolved unsteady flow and multi-phase flow are reduced sufficiently.
Effects of lead on growth plate chondrocyte phenotype

Lead toxicity is a major public health problem in the United States. The skeleton serves as the major reservoir for ingested lead, where it is incorporated into bone matrix during calcification. While lead in bone has been considered inactive, mounting clinical and epidemiological data has shown a strong correlation between lead exposure and adverse effects on stature in children. These epidemiologic data suggest a direct effect of lead on skeletal development, but whether it reflects a systemic effect, a specific effect on osteoblasts, or an effect on the epiphyseal growth plate is as yet unclear. This study examined the effects of lead on parameters of cartilage biology in isolated chondrocytes. Changes in growth plate chondrocyte phenotype were assessed utilizing an established avian growth plate chondrocyte model. Low, sublethal doses of lead caused specific and significant effects on a number of important markers of growth plate chondrocyte phenotype, including suppression of alkaline phosphatase and both type II and type X collagen expression at the protein and mRNA levels, and a decrease in thymidine incorporation. In contrast, proteoglycan synthesis was stimulated relative to controls in lead-treated cultures, suggesting that the alterations in collagen and DNA synthesis and alkaline phosphatase activity are not due to cytotoxity. The data demonstrate important regulatory effects of lead on growth plate chondrocytes in cell culture and suggest an inhibitory effect on the process of endochondral bone formation. The growth plate may be one of the key target tissues accounting for the adverse effects of chronic lead exposure on skeletal development.
Reshaping gold micro and nano structures with polarization dependent photothermal annealing

We report a novel polarization dependent photothermal annealing technique for fine-tuning the shape of metallic micro- and nano-structures with flood exposure of nanosecond laser pulses after they are fabricated. This is realized by utilizing the local field enhancement due to collective electron oscillation on metallic nanostructures driven by electromagnetic waves. We have demonstrated that pre-patterned Au squares can be annealed into Au nanospheres; circular disks into elliptical disks; and rectangular Au microwires into Au nanowires with different aspect ratios.
When the Child's heart fails: Recognition, treatment, prognosis

Abstract The current causes of cardiac failure in infants and in children have been discussed, together with their recognition, management, and for the most part, favorable long-term prognosis. Since most instances of heart failure in the pediatric age group occur in infancy and in the baby with congenital heart disease, it behooves the physician to be alert to this possibility so that early treatment can begin. The interrelations of fetal and neonatal changes in systemic and pulmonary blood flows affect the time of appearance (usually in the first three months of life) and the manifestations of heart failure. Though the malformations causing the failure then are the most severe and often are multiple, salvage is now possible for more than half through medical and surgical means. Much of the improved outlook is due to concentration of effort on the group at highest risk—the young infant. Earlier recognition and referral to centers with a pediatric cardiology service, improved understanding of biochemical derangements, availability of methods for evaluating and for handling the respiratory problems, expertise in digitalization, development of new and potent diuretics, early performance of complete cardiac catheterization, together with general improvements in medical and surgical care of the critically sick baby and child have all combined to help those in the pediatric population with cardiac failure early in life.
A treatment of vibrational relaxation without the rotating wave approximation

Abstract A harmonic oscillator weakly coupled to a heat bath is studied without invoking the rotating wave approximation. Correction to the lorentzian lineshape which characterizes the RWA are derived. An expression for the time evolution of the population of the oscillator which is exact in the van Hove weak coupling limit is also obtained. Our results are compared to earlier expressions which were obtained using the rotating wave approximation. p ]In our equation for the population of the oscillator, we observe an additional transient term, and we examine the time evolution of the population under a variety of conditions. The applicability of the rotating wave approximation is discussed in light of our results.
Is technology acquisition enough to improve China's product quality? Evidence from firm-level panel data

As developing countries open themselves up to trade, many industrial firms in these countries are finding it difficult to compete internationally due to poor product quality and low product variety. Although China has been the largest producer of crude steel since 1996, China's steel firms have produced an overabundance of low-quality steel while domestic purchasers of steel have increasingly demanded higher quality steel products. Many have argued that for Chinese steel firms to improve product quality they must adopt more advanced technologies. Employing firm-level panel data of steel firms in China, we econometrically test the relative importance of two possible sets of factors affecting a firm's ability to utilize technology to improve product quality: technology acquisition factors and technology absorptive capacity factors. We find that technology complements such as in-house R&D and foreign knowledge must be combined with technology for Chinese firms to improve product quality.
Noninvasive Raman Spectroscopy in Living Mice for Evaluation of Tumor Targeting with Carbon Nanotubes

An optimized noninvasive Raman microscope was used to evaluate tumor targeting and localization of single walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) in mice. Raman images were acquired in two groups of tumor-bearing mice. The control group received plain-SWNTs, whereas the experimental group received tumor targeting RGD-SWNTs intravenously. Raman imaging commenced over the next 72 h and revealed increased accumulation of RGD-SWNTs in tumor (p < 0.05) as opposed to plain-SWNTs. These results support the development of a new preclinical Raman imager.
Bulk density and compaction behavior of knife mill chopped switchgrass, wheat straw, and corn stover.

Abstract Bulk density of comminuted biomass significantly increased by vibration during handling and transportation, and by normal pressure during storage. Compaction characteristics affecting the bulk density of switchgrass, wheat straw, and corn stover chopped in a knife mill at different operating conditions and using four different classifying screens were studied. Mean loose-filled bulk densities were 67.5 ± 18.4 kg/m3 for switchgrass, 36.1 ± 8.6 kg/m3 for wheat straw, and 52.1 ± 10.8 kg/m3 for corn stover. Mean tapped bulk densities were 81.8 ± 26.2 kg/m3 for switchgrass, 42.8 ± 11.7 kg/m3 for wheat straw, and 58.9 ± 13.4 kg/m3 for corn stover. Percentage changes in compressibility due to variation in particle size obtained from a knife mill ranged from 64.3 to 173.6 for chopped switchgrass, 22.2–51.5 for chopped wheat straw and 42.1–117.7 for chopped corn stover within the tested consolidation pressure range of 5–120 kPa. Pressure and volume relationship of chopped biomass during compression with application of normal pressure can be characterized by the Walker model and Kawakita and Ludde model. Parameter of Walker model was correlated to the compressibility with Pearson correlation coefficient greater than 0.9. Relationship between volume reduction in chopped biomass with respect to number of tappings studied using Sone’s model indicated that infinite compressibility was highest for chopped switchgrass followed by chopped wheat straw and corn stover. Degree of difficulty in packing measured using the parameters of Sone’s model indicated that the chopped wheat straw particles compacted very rapidly by tapping compared to chopped switchgrass and corn stover. These results are very useful for solving obstacles in handling bulk biomass supply logistics issues for a biorefinery.
Osteogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells on α5 integrin binding peptide hydrogels is dependent on substrate elasticity

The extracellular matrix plays a crucial role in controlling human mesenchymal stem cell (hMSC) biology including differentiation, and α5β1 integrin signaling plays an important role during osteogenic differentiation of hMSCs. Here, peptide-functionalized hydrogels were used to examine the role of α5β1 integrin signaling in inducing osteogenic differentiation in hMSCs. Further, the role of substrate elasticity was also studied. A thiol–ene chemistry was used to functionalize poly(ethylene glycol) hydrogels with a pendant peptide moiety, c(RRETAWA), as previous studies have shown that RRETAWA containing peptides bind to the α5β1 integrin with very high specificity. Notably, hMSC attachment to c(RRETAWA)-functionalized hydrogels was found to occur primarily through α5 integrins, as the number of attached cells was significantly reduced to ∼20% upon blocking the α5 integrin during culture. To investigate the interplay between stiffness and c(RRETAWA) concentration, hydrogels were formulated with Young's moduli of ∼2 kPa (soft) and ∼25 kPa (stiff) and c(RRETAWA) concentrations of 0.1 mM and 1 mM. Stiff substrates led to ∼3.5 fold higher hMSC attachment and ∼3 fold higher cell area in comparison to soft substrates. hMSCs formed robust and larger focal adhesions on stiff substrates at 1 mM c(RRETAWA) compared to soft substrates. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity in hMSCs cultured on stiff gels at 0.1 mM and 1 mM c(RRETAWA) was increased 2.5 and 3.5 fold, respectively after 14 days in growth media. hMSCs did not show an increase in ALP activity when cultured on soft gels. Further, gene expression of osteogenic related genes, core binding factor-1, osteopontin and Collagen-1a at day 14 in hMSCs cultured on stiff gels at 1 mM c(RRETAWA) were increased 10, 7 and 4 fold, respectively, while on soft gels, gene expression was at basal levels. Collectively, these results demonstrate that the combination of high substrate stiffness and α5β1 integrin signaling stimulated by c(RRETAWA) is sufficient to induce osteogenic differentiation of hMSCs without requiring the addition of soluble factors.
Planar waveguide-coupled, high-index-contrast, high- Q resonators in chalcogenide glass for sensing

High-index-contrast compact microdisk resonators in thermally evaporated As2S3 and Ge17Sb12S71 chalcogenide glass films are designed and fabricated using standard UV lithography and characterized. Our pulley coupler configuration demonstrates coupling of the resonators to monolithically integrated photonic wire waveguides without resorting to demanding fine-line lithography. Microdisk resonators in As2S3 support whispering-gallery-mode with cavity quality factors (Q) exceeding 2 x 10(5), the highest Q value reported in resonator structures in chalcogenide glasses to the best of our knowledge. We have successfully demonstrated a lab-on-a-chip prototype sensor device with the integration of our resonator with planar microfluidic systems. The sensor shows a refractive index sensitivity of 182 nm/RIU (refractive index unit) and a wavelength resolution of 0.1 pm through a resonant peak fit. This corresponds to a refractive index detection limit of 8 x 10(-7) RIU at 1550 nm in wavelength, which could be further improved by shifting the operating wavelength to a region where water absorption is reduced.
Regulation of tumor necrosis factor receptor-1 and the IKK-NF-κB pathway by LDL receptor–related protein explains the antiinflammatory activity of this receptor

Low-density lipoprotein receptor–related protein (LRP-1) functions in endocytosis and in cell signaling directly (by binding signaling adaptor proteins) or indirectly (by regulating levels of other cell-surface receptors). Because recent studies in rodents suggest that LRP-1 inhibits inflammation, we conducted activity-based protein profiling experiments to discover novel proteases, involved in inflammation, that are regulated by LRP-1. We found that activated complement proteases accumulate at increased levels when LRP-1 is absent. Although LRP-1 functions as an endocytic receptor for C1r and C1s, complement protease mRNA expression was increased in LRP-1–deficient cells, as was expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and interleukin-6. Regulation of expression of inflammatory mediators was explained by the ability of LRP-1 to suppress basal cell signaling through the IκB kinase–nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) pathway. LRP-1–deficient macrophages, isolated from mice, demonstrated increased expression of iNOS, C1r, and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1); MCP-1 expression was inhibited by NF-κB antagonism. The mechanism by which LRP-1 inhibits NF-κB activity involves down-regulating cell-surface tumor necrosis factor receptor-1 (TNFR1) and thus, inhibition of autocrine TNFR1-initiated cell signaling. TNF-α–neutralizing antibody inhibited NF-κB activity selectively in LRP-1–deficient cells. We propose that LRP-1 suppresses expression of inflammatory mediators indirectly, by regulating TNFR1-dependent cell signaling through the IκB kinase–NF-κB pathway.
Systematic Coarse-Graining of Microscale Polymer Models as Effective Elastic Chains

One of the key goals of macromolecular modeling is to elucidate how macroscale physical properties arise from the microscale behavior of the polymer constituents. For many biological and industrial applications, a direct simulation approach is impractical due to to the wide range of length scales that must be spanned by the model, necessitating physically sound and practically relevant procedures for coarse-graining polymer systems. We present a highly general systematic coarse-graining procedure that maps any detailed polymer model onto effective elastic-chain models at intermediate and large length scales. Our approach defines a continuous flow of coarse-grained models starting from the detailed microscale model, proceeding through an intermediate-scale stretchable, shearable wormlike chain, and finally resolving to a Gaussian chain at the longest lengths. We demonstrate the utility of this procedure by coarse-graining a wormlike chain with periodic rigid kinks, a model relevant for studying DNA−protein arrays and genome packing. The methodology described in this work provides a physically sound foundation for coarse-grained simulation of polymer systems, as well as analytical expressions for chain statistics at intermediate and long length scales.
GUSTATORY CUES IN THE ORIENTATION OF DENDROCTONUS PONDEROSAE (COLEOPTERA: SCOLYTIDAE) TO HOST TREES

Female mountain pine beetles, Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins, were exposed to papers soaked in outer bark extracts of lodgepole pine, Pinus contorta Douglas var. latifolia Engelmann. Both benzene and methanol–water extracts elicited greater feeding activity than did controls. Non-polar host compounds exhibited greater incitant (initiation of feeding) properties, while polar compounds were more powerful stimulants (continuation of feeding). No differences were detected in feeding on extracts from resistant or susceptible trees. Repellency appears to be associated with beetle responses to active host metabolism.
The Impact of Supplemental Dropwindsonde Data on the Structure and Intensity of Tropical Storm Karen (2013) in the NCEP Global Forecast System

AbstractThe impact of assimilating synoptic surveillance dropwindsonde data on the analysis and forecast of the structure and intensity of Tropical Storm Karen (2013) was examined. Data-denial experiments were conducted using the NCEP hybrid 3D ensemble–variational GSI and forecasts were made using the NCEP GFS model. The assimilation of dropwindsonde data resulted in a slightly more tilted tropical cyclone vortex, stronger vertical wind shear, and more upper-tropospheric dry air west of Karen in the initial conditions. These differences grew with time in the GFS forecasts, and resulted in a weaker and more sheared vortex by 24 h in the forecast that included the dropwindsonde data. After 24 h, the cyclone reintensified in the experiment where dropwindsonde data were excluded, likely because of moist processes in a favorable region for synoptic-scale ascent ahead of a baroclinic trough. In contrast, the forecast including the dropwindsonde data kept Karen weak and also did a better job forecasting the str...
A Practical Platform for Blood Biomarker Study by Using Global Gene Expression Profiling of Peripheral Whole Blood

Background Although microarray technology has become the most common method for studying global gene expression, a plethora of technical factors across the experiment contribute to the variable of genome gene expression profiling using peripheral whole blood. A practical platform needs to be established in order to obtain reliable and reproducible data to meet clinical requirements for biomarker study.
Stereoselective pharmacokinetics of desbutylhalofantrine, a metabolite of halofantrine, in the rat after administration of the racemic metabolite or parent drug.

The main objective of this study was to determine the pharmacokinetics of the enantiomers of desbutylhalofantrine (DHF), a metabolite of halofantrine (HF), in the rat. Rats received either intravenous (2 mg/kg) or oral (7 mg/kg) (±)-DHF HCl, or (±)-HF HCl intravenously (3 mg/kg). Enantiomer concentrations in plasma were determined by a stereospecific assay. In all rats, the plasma concentrations of (+)-DHF exceeded those of (−)-DHF. After (±)-DHF, the mean (+):(−) ratios of AUC0–∞ after oral and intravenous dosing were 3.7 and 2.8, respectively. After intravenous doses of DHF, the (−):(+) enantiomeric ratios of Cl and Vdss were approximately 2.8. There were no significant differences between the enantiomers in t1/2 (mean 14–23 h) or tmax (mean 10–12 h) after intravenous or oral administration of DHF. Oral bioavailability estimates of DHF enantiomers (>59%) were higher than those previously estimated for HF in the rat. The stereoselectivity in HF kinetics was not as pronounced as for DHF. It was estimated that over 44% of the dose of HF is metabolized to DHF enantiomers. It was concluded that DHF possesses a pharmacokinetic profile similar to that of HF, each possessing low values of clearance and high volume of distribution. DHF differed from HF in its degree of stereoselectivity in pharmacokinetics, and in its extent of oral bioavailability. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Live Seafood Species as Recipes for Invasion

A global market in seafood disperses many live organisms to distant locations. These organisms can be released into environments of the new locations, where they can establish reproductive populations. The risks of such introductions remain poorly resolved. We therefore surveyed bivalves (oysters, mussels, and clams) that are commercially available as seafood in the western United States. Twenty-four of the 37 avail- able marine and estuarine bivalve species are nonindigenous. Eleven of these 24 nonindigenous species have established, self-sustaining populations in northeast Pacific environments. Three of the remaining 13 nonin- digenous species have been introduced outside their natural ranges elsewhere in the world. We estimated the risks of some of these species being introduced by performing binomial probability analyses on these data. Our results suggest that there is a significant risk of introducing live seafood species into northeast Pacific eco- systems. Efforts to warn distributors and consumers to screen imported seafood species for invasiveness, to monitor estuaries and coastal ecosystems for early detection, and to develop rapid-response plans for contain- ing new invaders are warranted.
A case study of the availability of platinum group metals for electronics manufacturers

Platinum group metals, a key material group for electronics manufacturers, exhibit characteristics of a material with high scarcity risk based on Malthusian, Ricardian and structure metrics. This includes high potential future demand growth, high extraction costs and high market concentration of primary supply. The conditions that impact downstream firms are explored through the use of a dynamic material market model. In particular, the average spending over a period of time by downstream firms is proposed as a simple metric to compare the relative impacts of various scenarios on these firms. One scenario comparison showed that recycling could lower average spending as well as reduce price variance.
Calling All Satellite Cells

We might envy the physical power of Superman or the Hulk, but everyone’s muscles have their own superheroes—called satellite cells — waiting in the wings to answer the call for help after muscle injury. These powerful progenitor cells give muscle its remarkable regenerative capacity.
Intercellular mechanotransduction during multicellular morphodynamics.

Multicellular structures are held together by cell adhesions. Forces that act upon these adhesions play an integral role in dynamically re-shaping multicellular structures during development and disease. Here, we describe different modes by which mechanical forces are transduced in a multicellular context: (i) indirect mechanosensing through compliant substratum, (ii) cytoskeletal ‘tug-of-war’ between cell–matrix and cell–cell adhesions, (iii) cortical contractility contributing to line tension, (iv) stresses associated with cell proliferation, and (v) forces mediating collective migration. These modes of mechanotransduction are recurring motifs as they play a key role in shaping multicellular structures in a wide range of biological contexts. Tissue morphodynamics may ultimately be understood as different spatio-temporal combinations of a select few multicellular transformations, which in turn are driven by these mechanotransduction motifs that operate at the bicellular to multicellular length scale.
Optimized filter design for PR-QMF based spread spectrum communications

A framework is presented for designing filter banks which are optimized in accordance with properties and constraints dictated by a PR-QMF based spread spectrum communications system. The properties are determined by the requirement of the system to operate in the presence of narrowband (tone) interference. From these properties, an objective function is developed. A design approach, adapted from sub-band image coding, is then employed to provide a numerical method for the filter design by using the objective function in a multivariable optimization problem. The resulting filter bank is implemented in a PR-QMF based spread spectrum system and BER curves are generated through numerical simulation for analysis.
Somatic treatment of catatonia.

Objective:The authors reviewed the recent literature regarding the treatment of catatonia as a syndrome of multiple etiologies. Given the historical and clinical association of catatonia with schizophrenia, the authors' examined the assumption that the first-line treatment of catatonia is antipsychotic medication.Methods:Articles published between January 1, 1985 and December 31, 1994 were located using the Paperchase® medical literature search system. Additionally, references from those identified articles were examined for possible inclusion in this review. To be included in this review, articles had to be written in English and report specific symptoms of catatonia to determine, retrospectively, if DSM-IV criteria for catatonia were met.Results:Seventy publications met inclusion criteria and reported on a total of 178 patients and included 270 separate treatment episodes. Most of the articles were case-reports, although a few case-series were identified. Multiple causes of catatonia were identified in ...
An accelerated surface discretization-based BEM approach for non-homogeneous linear problems in 3-D complex domains

For non-homogeneous or non-linear problems, a major difficulty in applying the boundary element method (BEM) is the treatment of the volume integrals that arise. An accurate scheme that requires no volume discretization is highly desirable. In this paper, we describe an efficient approach, based on the precorrected-FFT technique, for the evaluation of volume integrals resulting from non-homogeneous linear problems. In this approach, the 3-D uniform grid constructed initially to accelerate surface integration is used as the baseline mesh for the evaluation of volume integrals. As such, no volume discretization of the interior problem domain is necessary. Moreover, with the uniform 3-D grid, the matrix sparsification techniques (such as the precorrected-FFT technique used in this work) can be extended to accelerate volume integration in addition to surface integration, thus greatly reducing the computational time. The accuracy and efficiency of our approach are demonstrated through several examples. A 3-D accelerated BEM solver for Poisson equations has been developed and has been applied to a 3-D multiply-connected problem with complex geometries. Good agreement between simulation results and analytical solutions has been obtained. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Effect of Radar Pulse Length on Cloud Reflectivity Statistics

Abstract When observing clouds with radars, there are a number of design parameters, such as transmitted power, antenna size, and wavelength, that can affect the detection threshold. In making calculations of radar thresholds, also known as minimum sensitivities, it is usually assumed that the radar pulse volume is completely filled with targets. In this paper, the issue of partial beam filling, which results, for instance, if a cloud is thin with respect to the pulse length, or measurements are being made near cloud edges, is investigated. This study pursues this question by using measurements of radar reflectivities made with a 35-GHz, surface-based radar with 37.5-m pulse lengths, and computing how reflectivity statistics would be affected if the same clouds and/or precipitation had been observed with a radar with a 450-m pulse length. In a dataset measured during winter over a midcontinental site, partial beamfilling degraded the percentage of clouds detected by about 22% if it was assumed that the mi...
DNA sequence determinants of nuclear protein binding to the c-Ha-ras antioxidant/electrophile response element in vascular smooth muscle cells: identification of Nrf2 and heat shock protein 90β as heterocomplex components

Abstract The antioxidant/electrophile response element (ARE/EpRE) is a cis-acting element involved in redox regulation of c-Ha-ras gene. Protein binding to the ARE/EpRE may be credited to deoxyribonucleic acid sequence; therefore, studies were conducted to evaluate the influence of internal and flanking regions to the 10-bp human c-Ha-ras ARE/ EpRE core (hHaras10) on nuclear protein binding in oxidant-treated vascular smooth muscle cells. A protein doublet bound to an extended oligonucleotide comprising the ARE/EpRE core in genomic context (hHaras27), whereas a single complex bound to hHaras10. Protein binding involved specific interactions of 25- and 23-kDa proteins with hHaras10, and binding of 80-, 65-, and 55-kDa proteins to hHaras27. Competition assays with hNQO1 and rGSTA2 confirmed the specificity of deoxyribonucleic acid–protein interactions and indicated preferred binding of p25 and p23 to the c-Ha-ras ARE/EpRE. “NNN” sequences within the core afforded unique protein-binding profiles to the c-Ha-...
Oil Price Shocks and Monetary Policy: The Role for Storage

Some recent literature suggests that although high oil prices contributed to recessions, they have never had a pivotal role in the creation of those economic downturns. A general consensus is that the decline in output and employment was due to the rise in interest rates, resulting from the Feds endogenous response to the higher inflation induced by oil price shocks. However, traditional literature assumes that oil price shocks are exogenous to the U.S economy and they ignore the storage market for the crude oil. In this regard, a model with an endogenous (demand shock) or exogenous (supply shock) price shock may produce a totally different monetary policy proposal when there exists a market for storage for the crude oil. The rationale behind this idea is that when goods' prices are sticky in the economy, the monetary authority can effect the level of inventories through the changes in the real interest rates. Thus, lower interest rate rules, as proposed in the literature, will cause additional oil supply scarcity in the spot market. Therefore, an optimal monetary policy that maximizes the welfare in the economy should consider the adverse affect of low interest rates on the crude oil market.
Assessment of the economic impacts of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus in the United States

Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV), which first emerged in the United States in 2013, spread throughout the U.S. hog population. Limited preemptive knowledge impeded the understanding of PEDV introduction, spread, and prospective economic impacts in the United States. To assess these impacts, this article reviews the timeline of PEDV in the United States and the corresponding impacts. PEDV is a supply-impacting disease and is not demand inhibiting, as pork demand remained strong since PEDV first appeared. Pig losses reached significant levels during September 2013 through August 2014, with the majority of pork production impacts occurring in 2014. PEDV had differing impacts for subsectors of the pork industry. A budget model demonstrates that producers could have had pig losses and decreases in productivity proportionally smaller than price increases, resulting in net returns above what was expected before the major outbreak of PEDV. Previous literature is reviewed to identify the potential main industry beneficiaries of the PEDV outbreaks in the United States. As a result of reduced volumes of available pig and hog supplies, reductions in annual returns likely occurred for packers, processors, distributors, and retailers. In addition, pork consumers who experienced reduced-supply-induced pork-price increases were likely harmed directly by higher prices paid for pork and indirectly as prices of competing meats were also likely strengthened by PEDV. This article also identifies future considerations motivated by the appearance of PEDV in the United States, such as discussions of industry-wide efficiency and competitive advantage, the future role of PEDV vaccines, enhancement in biosecurity measures, and consumer perceptions of food safety and insecurity.
Evaluating Resistance Management Strategies for Multiple Toxins in the Presence of External Refuges

The use of 5 resistance management strategies in the presence and absence of external refuges (refuges that are spatially isolated from treated fields) was examined in a stochastic model. The 5 strategies were sequential introduction of 2 toxins, rotations and mosaics of toxins, and half-and full-rate mixtures of the toxins. The ability of the strategies to delay resistance was examined first with scheduled sprays, then using an integrated pest management (IPM) component and treating only when populations exceeded an economic threshold. When sprays were scheduled and in the absence of an external refuge, 4 of the strategies resulted in similar rates of resistance evolution. The 5th strategy (full-rate mixtures) provided for better insect control but resulted in resistance to both toxins in approximately the same time it took resistance to develop to the 1st toxin in the sequential use strategy. When an economic threshold (IPM strategy) was adopted, all strategies performed approximately the same in the absence of refuges. When a 5%spatially segregated refuge was included in the IPM simulations, resistance was delayed 4.4 times in the sequential introductions, 15-20 times for rotations, mosaics and half-rate mixtures, and 34.8 times for full-rate mixtures (compared with sequential introductions in the absence of refuges). Simulations comparing monogenic versus polygenic inheritance of resistance suggested that both types of resistance evolved at approximately the same rate in the absence of refuges, but resistance took 2.2times longer to evolve in the polygenic simulations in the presence of a refuge. Resistance also evolved more rapidly at low rate of gene flow, indicating that the assumption of random mating in resistance models should be examined carefully when external refuges are present. Symmetrical, partial cross-resistance between toxins at 2 resistance loci had a negative impact on all strategies. However, at all levels of cross-resistance, full-rate mixtures continued to delay resistance longest. These simulations demonstrate that full-rate mixtures used in the presence of refuges have the potential to effectively delay resistance evolution. In the absence of refuges and an IPM strategy, however, the full-rate mixture strategy resulted in the most rapid resistance development. Half-rate mixtures were less effective than full-rate mixtures under ideal conditions, but they did not have a negative impact on resistance development in the absence of refuges and an IPM strategy and may be less risky than the full-rate strategy over a broader range of likely scenarios.
The L1 Nearest Neighbor Searching with Uncertain Queries

In this paper, we present algorithms and data structures for the top-k nearest neighbor searching where the input points are exact and the query point is uncertain under the L1 distance metric in the plane. The uncertain query point is represented by a discrete probability density function, and the goal is to return the top-k expected nearest neighbors, which have the smallest expected distances to the query point. Given a set of n exact points in the plane, we build an O(n log n log log n)-size data structure in O(n log n log log n) time, such that for any uncertain query point with m possible locations and any integer k with 1\leq k\leq n, the top-k expected nearest neighbors can be found in O(mlogm + (k+m)log^2 n) time. Even for the special case where k = 1, our result is better than the previously best method (in PODS 2012), which requires O(n log^2 n) preprocessing time, O(n log^2 n) space, and O(m^2 log^3 n) query time. In addition, for the one-dimensional version of this problem, our approach can build an O(n)-size data structure in O(n log n) time that can support O(min{mk,mlog m} + k + log n) time queries and the query time can be reduced to O(k+m+log n) time if the locations of Q are given sorted. In fact, the problem is equivalent to the aggregate or group nearest neighbor searching with the weighted SUM as the aggregate distance function operator.
Biochemical Testing of the Thyroid: TSH is the Best and, Oftentimes, Only Test Needed – A Review for Primary Care

Disorders of thyroid function are common, and screening, diagnosis, and management are often performed by primary care providers. While management of significant biochemical abnormalities is reasonably straight forward, laboratory tests only slightly outside, or even within, the normal range are becoming more difficult to appropriately manage. A large part of this increasing difficulty in appropriate management is caused by patients requesting, and even demanding, certain tests or treatments that may not be indicated. Symptoms of thyroid dysfunction are non-specific and extremely prevalent in the general population. This, along with a growing body of information available to patients via the lay press and internet suggesting that traditional thyroid function testing is not reliable, has fostered some degree of patient mistrust. Increasingly, when a physician informs a patient that their thyroid is not the cause of their symptoms, the patient is dissatisfied and even angry. This review aims to clarify the interpretation of normal and mild abnormalities of thyroid function tests by describing pituitary-thyroid physiology and through an in depth review of, arguably, the three most important biochemical tests of thyroid function: TSH, free T4, and anti-TPO antibodies. It is important for primary care providers to have an understanding of the shortcomings and proper interpretation of these tests to be better able to discuss thyroid function with their patients.
Speaker age estimation on conversational telephone speech using senone posterior based i-vectors

Automatic age estimation from speech has a variety of applications including natural human-computer interaction, targeted advertising, customer-agent pairing in call centers, and forensics, to mention a few. Recently, the use of i-vectors has shown promise for automatic age estimation. In this paper, we adopt a phonetically-aware i-vector extractor for the age estimation problem. Such senone i-vector based schemes have demonstrated success in the speaker recognition field. Fixed-length and low-dimensional i-vectors are first conditioned through a linear discriminant analysis (LDA) transform, and then used to train a support vector regression (SVR) model. Additionally, in contrast to previous work, we employ the use of the logarithm of the age as the target in training the SVR to further penalize estimation errors for younger speakers compared with older speakers. The proposed system is evaluated using telephony speech material extracted from the NIST SRE 2008 and 2010 evaluation corpora. Experimental results indicate solid age estimation performance with a mean absolute error (MAE) of 4.7 years for both male and female speakers on the NIST SRE 2010 telephony test set.
Fatty acids of Mycobacterium bovis BCG

Etude des concentrations relatives en acides gras (de C 9 a C 20 ) dans trois souches de Mycobacterium bovis BCG et de 6 autres especes de mycobacteries non pathogenes. Les trois souches de BCG ne pouvaient pas etre differenciees entre elles sur la base des acides gras, mais pouvaient l'etre des 6 autres especes de mycobacteries
Stability of S U ( N c ) QCD 3 from the ϵ -expansion

QCD with gauge group $SU({N}_{c})$ flows to an interacting conformal fixed point in three spacetime dimensions when the number of four-component Dirac fermions ${N}_{f}\ensuremath{\gg}{N}_{c}$. We study the perturbative stability of this fixed point via the $\ensuremath{\epsilon}$-expansion about four dimensions. We find that when the number of fermions is lowered to ${N}_{f}^{\mathrm{crit}}\ensuremath{\approx}\frac{11}{2}{N}_{c}+(6+\frac{4}{{N}_{c}})\ensuremath{\epsilon}$, a certain four-fermion operator becomes relevant and the theory flows to a new infrared fixed point that may be either massless or massive. F-theorem or entanglement monotonicity considerations complement our $\ensuremath{\epsilon}$-expansion calculation.
Death, Ritual and the Reformation

Hermann Bonnus knew he was dying. It was Sunday, 12 February 1548, just after dawn. Hermann had asked his brother Gerlach, who described the final days and hours of Hermann’s life in a letter to their parents, to stay with him that night in case ‘God the Lord would call’. Now the churchbells had rung eight in the morning, and Hermann asked for a chair in front of the hearth. With his wife, his brother and a doctor gathered around, Hermann sank back in the chair and spoke: ‘I commend you to our dear Lord God.’ Then he turned his thoughts to Heaven, calling out: ‘O Lord Jesus! Take my spirit up to you!’1 These, we are told, were his last words.
Commentary on ‘The kind of art urban design is’ by Stephen Marshall

Stephen Marshall (2016) is trying very hard to keep the art in urban design. If we could just nuance our view of what art is, if we could find the right framework and extract the aspects of art and...
Effects of Stimulus Octave and Timbre on the Tuning Accuracy of Advanced College Instrumentalists.

The purpose of this study was to test the effects of octave and timbre on advanced college musicians’ (N = 63) ability to tune their instruments. We asked: “Are there differences in tuning accuracy...
Dietary intake and overweight and obesity among persons living with HIV in Atlanta Georgia.

ABSTRACTIn the U.S., there has been a rise in overweight and obesity among persons living with HIV (PLWH). The aim of this study was to examine dietary intake and body mass index (BMI) in PLWH in Atlanta Georgia relative to the U.S. population. Dietary intake among PLWH was compared with recommended standards as well as estimated dietary intake for adults in the U.S. Over 31% of the study participants were overweight [BMI = 25–29.9 kg/m2], and 33.1% obese [BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2]. Results indicated significant dietary differences between participants in our sample and U.S. daily recommendations for adults as well as estimated intakes of the U.S. population. Both males and females consumed more percentage of energy from fat and less fiber as well as fruit and vegetables servings than what is recommended. Results suggest that overweight and obesity are an additional health burden to PLWH in our sample and that their daily dietary practices are not meeting the U.S. government-recommended nutritional standards.
Monte Carlo simulations for the development a clinical proton CT scanner

In support of developing the next phase of a proton computed tomography (pCT) scanner with features making it applicable to clinical situations, much insight can be gained through Monte Carlo simulation using Geant4. Careful simulation of energy/range detectors, as well as silicon strip detectors (SSDs), has offered insights into the physical limitations placed on a pCT scanner. Simulation also offers the opportunity to evaluate different detector design schemes and regimes for reconstructing CT images using protons.