cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Minnows can acclimate to total residual chlorine

Observations in a chlorine-contaminated stream in eastern Tennessee revealed several species of fish in areas where total residual chlorine (TRC) concentrations were often great enough to be lethal, based on the results of other studies. The authors used in situ and laboratory experiments to test the hypothesis that minnows could acclimate to TRC. Acclimation was assessed by time-to-death for fish exposed to a single lethal regime of TRC. In in situ experiments, striped shiner and central stoneroller minnows collected from East Fork Poplar Creek at a TRC-contaminated site and a site farther downstream, where TRC was below detection, were caged at sites in the stream where TRC concentrations were either nil or great enough to be lethal. At the cage with high TRC, minnows collected from the ``TRC-free`` site survived two to four times longer (15.8 h vs. 6.1 h) than the same species from the ``TRC-free`` site. In laboratory experiments, golden shiner minnows were exposed to TRC in a stepwise increasing concentration regime (0.04 mg/L during week 1, 0.08 mg/L during week 2, and 0.12 mg/L during week 3) before being challenged-tested with a lethal concentration of TRC. Minnows that had been previously exposed to TRC survived longer thanmore » controls in each test, and the magnitude of the mean time to death increased as the TRC concentration and duration of exposure increased (1.2-, 2.5-, and 3.9-fold increases for weeks 1, 2, and 3, respectively). Another experiment with golden shiner minnows showed that a 21-d exposure to TRC at a low concentration (0.04 mg/L) only slightly increased their tolerance to TRC. Thus, several minnow species apparently can acclimate, fairly rapidly, to TRC. This study may help explain why fish kills are less common than expected in TRC-contaminated streams.« less
Schur indices and abelian defect groups

Abstract We show that the irreducible characters lying in 2-blocks of finite solvable groups with abelian defect groups have trivial 2-local Schur indices.
Effect of vitamin A supplements on serum PBI level, and disposal of exogenous thyroxine.

ADMINISTRATION of vitamin A to animals decreases the size of the thyroid gland (1–3), lowers oxygen consumption (1–4), and partially cancels the hypermetabolic or lethal effects of exogenous thyroxine or desiccated thyroid (1, 5, 6). These findings suggest that in animals excesses of this vitamin may alter thyroid function or interfere with the peripheral effects of thyroxine and related hormones. Several clinical reports of hyperthyroidism responsive to vitamin A or high fat diet are in keeping with both of these possibilities (7–11). Studies of the possible effects of increased vitamin A intake upon serum protein-bound iodine levels, and upon the disposal of exogenous thyroxine have therefore been undertaken in rats and in man. These indicate that, with sufficient dosage, serum protein-bound iodine concentrations do decrease but that there is no consistent effect upon the disposal of exogenous thyroxine.
Effect of beta-adrenergic blockade on aortic root rate of dilation in the Marfan syndrome.

Abstract We recommend that patients with the Marfan syndrome should begin P-adrenergic blocker therapy at the earliest age possible and that the dose be adjusted to the largest dose that is clinically tolerated. Our centers differ with respect to the size of the aorta at the time of recommending onset of therapy. The JHH criteria do not include a size cutoff. The UT experience and recommendation is to treat children with aortic size at or above the 95th percentile.
Factors altering DNA synthesis in the cardiac myocyte of the adult newt, Notophthalmus viridescens.

To better understand the mechanisms governing the proliferation of cardiac myocytes it is important to identify the factors controlling this phenomenon, and to characterize their actions. DNA synthesis was quantified in vitro in ventricular myocytes from the adult redspotted newt, Notophthalmus viridescens. Ventricles were enzymatically separated and plated onto laminin. Myocytes were fed modified L-15 medium with 10% fetal bovine serum, and were variously treated with transforming growth factor-beta, transforming growth factor-beta combined with platelet-derived growth factor, acidic fibroblast growth factor, basic fibroblast growth factor, 12-0-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate, heparin, or conditioned medium from ventricular myocytes or non-myocytes (primarily endothelial cells). With their final feeding the cells were given 1 μCi/ml of tritiated thymidine, and 24 hours later were fixed and stained. Dishes were coated with photographic emulsion, exposed, and developed. The percent of cells with labeled nuclei was determined. Experimental media that significantly increased DNA synthesis included those containing acidic fibroblast growth factor (121% of control), basic fibroblast growth factor (119% of control), 12-0-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (233% of control) and conditioned medium from ventricular myocytes (230% of control) or non-myocytes (128% of control). Media significantly inhibiting DNA synthesis were those containing heparin (31% of control), transforming growth factor-beta (38% of control), non-myocyte conditioned medium and heparin (75% of control), or transforming growth factor-beta and platelet-derived growth factor (63% of control).
Miscellanea. On nonidentifiability and noninformative censoring for current status data

The event times and examination times that produce current status data are typically assumed to be independent. Here, an increasing sequence of nested models is considered for current status data, namely independence models, 'constant sum' models and models for which the conditional probability of the occurrence of the event prior to the examination time, given the examination time, is nondecreasing in the examination time. In the class of constant sum models, the distribution of the event time is identifiable and the examination times are noninformative. In the class of models with nondecreasing conditional probability, the distribution of the event time is nonidentifiable. Outside this class, the examination times cannot be ignored.
Abstract 3276: Identifying cross-phenotype inflammatory effects in cancer

Proceedings: AACR Annual Meeting 2014; April 5-9, 2014; San Diego, CA Through genome-wide association studies we now better understand many of the genetic factors contributing to cancer. However, the overlap between cancer associated loci and inflammation associated loci remains poorly understood. Inflammation has long been considered the underlying basis to several complex traits and plays well-established roles in elevating risk to various cancer types. In fact, genome-wide association studies have identified loci associated with inflammatory biomarkers and risk of cancer. Therefore we sought to test cross-phenotype genetic effects between cancer and inflammation biomarkers. While genome-wide significant loci on their own typically account for very little of the measured narrow-sense heritability, polygenic approaches show greater promise to account for the missing heritability of complex traits. Therefore we built polygenic signatures from inflammatory biomarker genome-wide association studies. Preliminary analysis of a case control pancreatic cancer dataset (304 cases/1425 controls) where we applied seven inflammatory signatures indicates that polygenic scores built from IL-10 and C-reactive protein (CRP) are significant predictors of case control status. Importantly the directions of effect for IL-10 and CRP are consistent with the canonical roles of these proteins. We extended this approach to a breast cancer dataset (1082 cases/1086 controls) where we found that polygenic scores built from CRP are significant predictors of case control status. In both the pancreatic and breast cancer datasets CRP polygenic scores decrease risk of case status. This approach will not only inform us of the cancers with overlapping inflammatory effects, but also allow us to identify the components of the immune system that mediate cancer risk. Ultimately this understanding may lead to the use of anti-inflammatory medication for individuals at risk for a particular cancer. Therefore this research addresses cancer prevention by studying the inflammatory genetic component to risk. Citation Format: Keston Aquino-Michaels, Vasya Trubetskoy, Hae Kyung Im, Nancy Cox. Identifying cross-phenotype inflammatory effects in cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 3276. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-3276
Embracing Product Design Engineering

A Product Design and Manufacturing (PDM) Engineering emphasis has been designed to update a Manufacturing Engineering program at Grand Valley State University. While the program continues to include a major focus on manufacturing it also emphasizes crossing disciplinary boundaries for product design. Graduates of the program are educated to work in all phases of the product development process from concept to customer. The program includes a blend of courses from a variety of disciplines, tieing these together using a sequence of product design courses. Within the courses students are exposed to course work that encourages product oriented design including prototyping. The program redesign described in the paper could also be applied to Mechanical Engineering programs.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Perceived Discrimination, Patient Trust, and Adherence to Medical Recommendations Among Persons with Sickle Cell Disease

BACKGROUND Adults with sickle cell disease (SCD) report experiencing discriminatory behavior from some healthcare providers. The impact of discrimination on health outcomes in SCD, including adherence to physician recommendations, is not known.
United States population dose estimates for iodine-131 in the thyroid after the Chinese atmospheric nuclear weapons tests

Analysis of samples collected within the United States after the Chinese atmospheric nuclear weapons tests of 26 September and 17 November 1976 indicates that the radiation dose to the thyroid from iodine-131 in milk was predominant. A U.S. population dose to the thyroid of 68,000 man-rads was calculated for the iodine-131 fallout. The four excess thyroid cancers that are estimated to occur as a result of the September test during the next 45 years will be masked by the 380,000 cases of thyroid cancer which are expected to occur in the United States from all causes during the same interval.
New reactions of phenyl(trihalomethyl)mercurials. C-perchloroaziridines and their thermally induced rearrangement

Our recent syntheses of perchlorothiirane’ and polyhalooxiranes2 by the addition of phenyl(trihalomethyl)mercury-derived dihalocarbenes to the appropriate C=S and C=O compounds suggested to us that a similar synthesis of the as yet unknown C-perbaloaziridines might be possible via reaction of PhHgCXs reagents with imines of type RN=CX2 (i.e., isonitrile dihalides). We report here concerning the preparation of C-perchloroaziridines (eq. I) and their surprising thermal and hydrolytic stability.
CZTS solar cells with 5.75% efficiency using sputtered precursors

Recent research trends in thin film solar cells are moving towards finding alternatives based on earth-abundant elements. Cu(Zn, Sn)(S, Se)2 is being explored these days by the thin film photovoltaics community which contains earth abundant materials like Zn and Sn. CZTS has near optimum bandgap around 1.5 eV and a large absorption coefficient in the order of 104 cm-1. We have identified the optimum sequence for deposition of sputtered precursors has Sn/Zn/Cu. It was also observed that formation of Molybdenum sulfide layer can be controlled by optimizing the sulfurization process and hence series resistance can be minimized. Current efficiencies are around 6%.
Symbolic and functional positioning of brands

Some brand strategists have distinguished between symbolic and functional brands, i.e. brands that basically satisfy consumers’ functional or product‐related needs and brands bought to enhance self‐ or social esteem. It has been suggested that brands should be positioned as either functional or symbolic but not both. However, empirical research on the dimensionality of brand symbolism/functionality has been lacking. In this study, scales were developed to assess a brand’s symbolic or functional association with consumers. Subsequent data analysis suggests that brand symbolism and functionality are separate phenomena and, further, that symbolism comprises two dimensions, termed prestige and personality expression. Thus, contrary to current thinking, it seems that brands can be successfully positioned as both symbolic and functional and, if a symbolic brand concept is desired, prestige or upscaleness is just one of the possible positioning options available.
A histidine residue associated with the gate of the cyclic nucleotide-activated channels in rod photoreceptors

Abstract Ion channels directly activated by the binding of cGMP mediate the electrical response to light in rod photoreceptors. Here, we identify a region of the channel associated with the activation gate using potentiation by intracellular Ni 2+ . Low concentrations of Ni 2+ caused a dramatic increase in the response of rod channels expressed in Xenopus oocytes to both cGMP and cAMP. Whereas saturating cAMP normally activated less than 1 % of the channels, Ni 2+ increased the cAMP potency nearly 50-fold. Ni 2+ did not produce potentiation in the related channel from the olfactory epithelium. We localized the Ni 2+ -binding site to a histidine residue in the putative intracellular mouth of the rod channel (H420). We propose a mechanism for potentiation in which Ni 2+ binds to H420 primarily when the channel is open, stabilizing the open conformation. These experiments suggest that H420 is associated with the activation gate.
High-level proofs of mathematical programs using automatic differentiation, simplification, and some common sense

One problem in applying elementary methods to prove correctness of interesting scientific programs is the large discrepancy in level of discourse between low-level proof methods and the logic of scientific calculation, especially that used in a complex numerical program. The justification of an algorithm typically relies on algebra or analysis, but the correctness of the program requires that the arithmetic expressions are written correctly and that iterations converge to correct values in spite of truncation of infinite processes or series and the commission of numerical roundoff errors. We hope to help bridge this gap by showing how we can, in some cases, state a high-level requirement and by using a computer algebra system (CAS) demonstrate that a program satisfies that requirement. A CAS can contribute program manipulation, partial evaluation, simplification or other algorithmic methods. A novelty here is that we add to the usual list of techniques automatic differentiation, a method already widely used in optimization contexts where algorithms are differentiated. We sketch a proof of a numerical program to compute sine, and display a related approach to a version of a Bessel function algorithm for J0(x) based on a recurrence.
Comparing Mental Health Issues among Undergraduate and Graduate Students.

Background: Stress and other mental health issues can negatively impact the health and academic performance of college students. Purpose: Examine relationships among stress, mental health, and academic classification in a national sample of college students. Methods: Analyses utilized secondary data from 27 387 college students responding to the Fall 2009 American College Health Association-National College Health Assessment (ACHA-NCHA) II. Results: In general, undergraduates reported significantly higher rates of feelings and behaviors related to poor mental health and negative effects on academic performance than graduate students. Graduate students and undergraduate students reported significantly different levels of stress. χ2(4) = 54.34, Cramer's V = .045, p = .001. Graduate students (74.0%) were also more likely to seek mental health care services in the future than undergraduates (64.8%), χ2(1) = 101.12, Cramer's V = .061, p = .001. Translation to Health Education Practice: Stress and mental health...
Purification and properties of chick kidney arginase

Abstract 1. 1. The kidney arginase was purified from 110- to 250-fold from two strains of chicks selected for high (HA) and low (LA) arginine requirements. 2. 2. The purification procedure involved separation of the enzyme from mitochondria using ultrasound. heat treatment and ammonium sulfate fractionation. 3. 3. The partially purified enzyme was stabilized by MnCl2 during heat treatment and during storage at −30°C. 4. 4. During dialysis the enzyme was stabilized by addition of arginine to the dialyzing solution. 5. 5. The enzyme activity was inhibited by high substrate concentrations at both pH 7.5 and 9.5. 6. 6. Ornithine, lysine and α-aminoisobutyric acid were competitive inhibitors of chick kidney arginase activities in vitro. 7. 7. The Km for arginase isolated from the LA chicks was 14 mM at pH 9.5 and 37 mM at pH 7.5. 8. 8. The Km of the enzyme from chicks of the HA strain was 12mM at pH 9.5 and 29 mM at pH 7.5.
Vasopressin depolarizes lateral horn cells of the neonatal rat spinal cord in vitro

The effects of vasopressin (VP) on lateral horn cells including a number of sympathetic preganglionic neurons contained in thin in vitro slices of neonatal rat spinal cord were investigated by means of intracellular recording techniques. Superfusion of (Arg8)-vasopressin (AVP, 0.01–1 μM) caused a depolarization leading, in the majority of lateral horn cells, to repetitive discharges. The AVP depolarization which could be partially reduced by low Ca/high Mg solution or tetrodotoxin, was accompanied by an increase in membrane resistance and the response was nullified near the membrane potential at which the spike afterhyperpolarization was abolished. A clear reversal of the response was not observed upon further hyperpolarization. The AVP response was blocked by the VP1 antagonist,d-(CH2)5 Tyr (Me)-AVP, whereas, deamino (d-Arg8-vasopressin), a VP2 agonist, at high concentrations (⩾ 50 μM) was e ineffective or produced a small depolarization. The results indicate that AVP, acting mainly on VP1 receptors, excited lateral horn cells by a direct depolarization and an indirect effect via the release of an excitatory transmitter(s). A reduction of a voltage-dependent K conductance may underlie the depolarizing effect of AVP.
Preliminary experimental results for RF tomography using distributed sensing

Traditional high-value monostatic imaging systems employ frequency-diverse pulses to form images from small synthetic apertures. In contrast, RF tomography utilizes a network of spatially diverse sensors to trade geometric diversity for bandwidth, permitting images to be formed with narrowband waveforms. Such a system could use inexpensive sensors with minimal ADC requirements, provide multiple viewpoints into urban canyons and other obscured environments, and offer graceful performance degradation under sensor attrition. However, numerous challenges must be overcome to field and operate such a system, including multistatic autofocus, precision timing requirements, and the development of appropriate image formation algorithms for large, sparsely populated synthetic apertures with anisotropic targets. AFRL has recently constructed an outdoor testing facility to explore these challenges with measured data. Preliminary experimental results are provided for this system, along with a description of remaining challenges and future research directions.
Television, black Americans, and the American dream

This essay examines fictional television representations of black middle class success and nonfictional representations of black urban poverty. It suggests that these representations operate intertextually to produce an ideology which explains black middle class success and urban poverty by privileging individual attributes and middle class values and by displacing social and structural factors. Jameson's notions of reification and utopia in popular culture are used in support of this ideological reading.
3.2 - Acoustic wave amplitude modulation of a multimode ring laser

Synchronous intercavity amplitude modulation of a ring laser operating well above threshold causes the numerous axial modes in each oppositely directed (OD) wave to lock into fixed amplitudes and phases. The light in the cavity is composed of two oppositely directed pulses of roughly 30-cm spatial extent. Saturation of the active medium dictates the location of the modulator for symmetric treatment of the OD pulses. If the modulator is located symmetrically (natural crossing), the pulses cross at the modulator and have identical amplitudes. If the modulator is located asymmetrically, the OD pulses generally have different amplitudes, experience different net population inversions in the active medium, and do not cross at the modulator. A frequency offset between OD pulses also appears when the modulator is located asymmetrically. Other phase-locking phenomena including extinction of one of the OD waves are observed. When the modulator is located symmetrically, the rotation sensing is improved with multimode phase-locked operation over that of the same ring laser operating near threshold. Frequency locking still occurs, however, at about three times the earth rate, or approximately 200 Hz. The locking frequency is found to depend upon modulator depth and frequency. The frequency locking may result from internally reflected pulses which are necessarily coincident with the proper pulses when the modulator is located symmetrically, and a modulation scheme has been devised to reduce such effects.
Liberal reform, political corruption, and socio-economic impacts in Asia and Eastern Europe

How does economic liberalization — or a country’s integration into the global economy — affect its economic performance and the distribution of wealth? There have been heated debates on positive and negative sides of globalization. This article seeks to fill the existing gap in the study of globalization and its socio-economic outcomes by focusing on the mediating effect of political corruption in countries from Asia and Eastern Europe. The authors suggest that, in countries with high levels of corruption, extensive economic liberalization brings faster economic growth. However, the economic growth does not improve the corrupt countries’ distributive justice, increasing poverty and leaving the level of inequality intact after the economic development. On the other hand, economic liberalization in less corrupt countries neither generates fast economic growth, nor significantly improves the countries’ poverty and inequality. The empirical result implies that neoliberal economic reform per se does not have d...
Systematics of the Neotropical SnakeDendrophidion paucicarinatum(COPE), with a Description of its Hemipenis (Serpentes: Colubridae)

Abstract We present the first modern comprehensive systematic treatment of the Central American snake Dendrophidion paucicarinatum (Cope). We redescribe the species on the basis of a large sample from throughout its range, redescribe and illustrate the holotype, and provide a detailed treatment of its hemipenial morphology. Dendrophidion paucicarinatum is distinguished from other species of the genus by a combination of having more ventrals (>175), fewer subcaudals (<140), very weak keels on the dorsal scales, and distinct transverse dark lines across each ventral in adults. It is an upland species found almost exclusively above 1,000 m in mountainous regions of Costa Rica and western Panama, primarily in premontane and montane humid to wet forests and cloud forests. It is a large species attaining a total length of 1.5 m and is diurnal and anurophagous like other species of Dendrophidion. Known clutch sizes are 3–12. Evidence from the Monteverde region in Costa Rica suggests that populations of D. paucic...
The lawyer‐behavioral scientist interface*

Abstract This paper briefly discusses problems of the present legal system in dealing with child custody cases and proposes two alternative modes for deciding custody disputes. Part One presents problems involved in the present process of deciding legal custody. It is argued that the adversarial process is often unresponsive to the child's best interests. Part Two describes two traditional roles of behavioral scientists: witness/consultant for the mother or father and expert to the court in child custody decision‐making. Part Three discusses two proposed alternative roles for behavioral scientists involving greater collaboration with lawyers. Called for are (1) team representation of the child by both a lawyer and a psychologist, and (2) a process of counseling and mediation among all parties to a case.
Melatonin and behavioral thermoregulation in the turtle, Terrapene carolina triunguis.

Abstract Intraperitoneal injections of melatonin (4.0 and 8.0 mg kg −1 ) significantly decreased mean selected temperatures (MST) of the three-toed box turtle (Terrapene carolina triunguis) when compared with control animals over 24-hour periods. Chlorpromazine (25.0 mg kg −1 ), which may block the breakdown of endogenous melatonin, also caused a significant decline in MST. Both exogenous and endogenous melatonin appear to play a role in behavioral and physiological thermoregulation of vertebrates.
Role of the pineal gland in the regulation of prostatic androgen receptors in pubertal and mature rats

The effects of exposure to continuous light, continuous darkness, and administration of melatonin on prostatic androgen receptors in relation to pubertal development in rats were examined. Darkness produced dissimilar results between the pubertal and adult groups. Whereas the prostate weight in the pubertal group remained unaltered, it increased in the adult group. In the pubertal group exposed to darkness, plasma melatonin increased significantly, and androgen receptors declined, whereas in the adult group these receptors rose significantly with a simultaneous increment of melatonin concentration in plasma. Exposure to continuous light did not produce any effective alterations in the parameters examined. The afternoon melatonin administration showed trends similar to those seen in animals exposed to darkness. The results indicate that exposure to darkness or administration of melatonin both have age-dependent effects on prostatic androgen receptors. Exposure to darkness may interfere with the process of sexual maturation in the pubertal animal as a result of increased melatonin production.
Ab initio classical trajectory calculations of 1,3-cyclobutanedione radical cation dissociation

The dissociation of 1,3-cyclobutanedione radical cation was studied by ab initio direct classical trajectory calculations at the BH&HLYP/6-31G(d) level of theory. A microcanonical ensemble using normal mode sampling was constructed by distributing 10 kcal/mol of excess energy above the transition state for the tautomerization of the keto-enol to the diketo form. A total of 210 trajectories were run starting from this transition state, yielding chemically activated 1,3-cyclobutanedione radical cation. The majority of the trajectories resulted in CH2CO+· + CH2CO, with the activated CC bond breaking nearly twice as often as the spectator CC bond. The non-statistical behavior is observed because the rate of energy redistribution within the molecule is comparable to or slower than the dissociation rates. In addition to the expected products, dissociation to CH2COCH 2 +· + CO and formation of a proton-transferred product HCCO· + CH3CO+ were also seen in some of the trajectories.
Allostasis: A Theoretical Framework for Understanding and Evaluating Perinatal Health Outcomes

Objective To explore the theory of allostasis within the context of childbearing women's perceptions or experiences of stress and perinatal health outcomes. Data Sources Articles published in refereed journals and selected chapters from published books that addressed physiological and psychological effects of perceived or actual stress experiences, or both, including the theory of allostasis, on health outcomes. Study Selection Qualitative, quantitative, and review articles that focused on psychoneurohormonal responses to physical and psychological stress in pregnant and nonpregnant human cohorts and the theory of allostasis. Data Extraction and Synthesis The impact of abnormal allostatic states in childbearing women in response to physiological and psychological perceptions or experiences of stress, or both was analyzed. There is a growing body of epidemiologic evidence to support the relationship between maternal stress and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Conclusions The theory of allostasis provides a framework for understanding and evaluating the complex elements of stress, coping, and adaptation during childbearing on perinatal health outcomes and has the potential to provide new insight into previously unexplained adverse perinatal events.
Treatment of hydrodynamic effects for toroidal containment vessels

Abstract Hydrodynamic effects in liquid-shell systems may be characterized in terms of structural degrees of freedom alone if an ideal fluid is assumed. The hydrodynamic effects are modeled by means of a consistent (full) added mass matrix which is obtained via finite element methods. The procedure is demonstrated for the case of a nuclear reactor toroidal containment vessel partially filled with water. Results demonstrate the superiority of this method over diagonal added mass procedures, such as the tributary area method.
An in vivo hamster bioassay to assess the toxicity of particulates for the lungs.

Abstract We have developed a short-term bioassay to predict the toxicity of particulates for the lungs using hamsters exposed by intratracheal instillation. After exposure the animals were killed, their lungs were lavaged, and the pulmonary damage was characterized by cellular and biochemical assays of lavage fluid: (a) changes in in situ phagocytic ability of macrophages; (b) damage to the air-blood barrier shown by increases in albumin and red blood cells; (c) inflammation shown by increases in polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) and macrophages; and (d) cellular damage, measured by the levels of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), β- N -acetylglucosaminidase, peroxidase, and elastase in the extracellular supernatant fraction of the lavage fluid. The system was calibrated using toxic α-quartz and two nontoxic dusts, aluminum oxide and iron oxide. Increases in albumin and red blood cells one day after exposure were greater following quartz than aluminum oxide and iron oxide; in contrast, a large part of the LDH increase was a nonspecific response to increased dust within the lungs. Most of the indicators, including red blood cell numbers, glucosaminidase, and peroxidase, either approached or were at control levels 4 days after exposure to iron oxide or α-quartz. In α-quartz-exposed animals, macrophage and PMN numbers were more elevated at 4 days that at 1 day and remained elevated for at least 14 days. In contrast, in iron oxide-exposed hamsters, macrophage numbers did not differ from control levels and PMN numbers approached control levels with time. The ability to cause a prolonged infiltration of macrophages and PMNs may be an important determinant of the toxicity of mineral dusts.
G-DBAS: A green and deployable bandwidth aggregation system

The widespread deployment of varying networking technologies, coupled with the exponential increase in end-user data demand, have all led to the proliferation of multi-homed or multi-interface enabled devices. To date, these interfaces are mainly utilized one at a time based on network availability, cost, and user-choice. Researchers have recently focused on leveraging these interfaces simultaneously by proposing solutions to aggregate their bandwidths in order to ultimately increase throughput and satisfy the end-user's growing demand on data. These solutions, however, have faced a steep deployment barrier due to various system design choices and heavy demand on energy. In this paper, we propose a novel Green and Deployable Bandwidth Aggregation System (G-DBAS) for multiple interface enabled devices. G-DBAS addresses a set of challenges including automatically estimating the characteristics of applications and scheduling various connections to different interfaces along with meeting different energy consumption goals set by users. We fully implement G-DBAS on the Windows OS and evaluate various scheduling strategies that we propose. Our implementation and simulation results show that G-DBAS can achieve the user energy-throughput goals while operating as an out-of-the-box standard Windows executable, highlighting its deployability and ease of use.
Synthesis and hydrolytic behavior of two novel tripartate codrugs of naltrexone and 6β-naltrexol with hydroxybupropion as potential alcohol abuse and smoking cessation agents

A codrug approach for simultaneous treatment of alcohol abuse and tobacco dependence is considered as very desirable because of substantial evidence that smoking is increased significantly during drinking, and that smoking is regarded as a behavioral 'cue' for the urge to consume alcohol. The purpose of this study was to design and synthesize codrugs for simultaneous treatment of alcohol abuse and tobacco dependence. Two novel tripartate codrugs of naltrexone (NTX) and naltrexol (NTXOL) covalently linked to hydroxybupropion (BUPOH) were synthesized (25 and 26, respectively), and their hydrolytic cleavage to the parent drugs was determined. These codrugs were generally less crystalline when compared to NTX, or NTXOL, as indicated by their lower melting points, and were expected to be more lipid-soluble. Also, the calculated clogP values were found to be higher for the codrugs compared to those for NTX and NTXOL. The studies on the hydrolysis of the codrugs provided good evidence that they could be efficiently converted to the parent drugs in buffer at physiological pH. Thus, these codrugs are likely to be cleaved enzymatically in vivo to generate the parent drugs, and are considered to be potential candidates for simultaneous treatment of alcohol abuse and tobacco dependence.
Hepatic Bioavailability of Thyroxine and Testosterone in Familial Dysalbuminemic Hyperthyroxinemia

The bioavailability of [125I]T4 or [3H]testosterone in serum obtained from normal subjects and from subjects with familial dysalbuminemic hyperthyroxinemia (FDH) was studied with a portal vein injection technique in ketamine-anesthetized rats. In the present studies this technique was modified by performing uptake measurements in the presence of serum loaded with either 25 microM T4 or 1 microM testosterone. Loading of serum with these high concentrations displaced the labeled hormone from the lower capacity globulin or prealbumin-binding sites to the high capacity albumin or dysalbumin-binding sites, and allowed for the analysis of hormone availability in liver when the labeled hormone was delivered to the tissue bound either to albumin or to dysalbumin binding sites. In the presence of normal serum, 33 +/- 3% (SE) of T4 was available to rat liver, as opposed to 20 +/- 2% for FDH serum. When normal serum was loaded with 25 microM T4, the bioavailable T4 increased to 97 +/- 2%, consistent with the availability of T4 bound to albumin. However, the hepatic bioavailability of T4 in the presence of 25 microM T4 in FDH serum was only 33 +/- 4%. Testosterone bioavailability was similar in normal and in FDH sera, and was 49 +/- 7% in the absence and 99 +/- 4% in the presence of 1 microM testosterone. These studies suggest that T4 bound to the FDH albumin binding site is not readily available for entry into liver, whereas T4 bound to the normal albumin binding site is freely available for uptake in vivo. The differential bioavailability of T4 is compatible with the model that the normal and FDH binding sites are situated on different parts of the albumin molecule, and that only T4 bound to the normal binding site is freely available for delivery to the liver.
Impact of Hurricane Iniki on native Hawaiian Acacia koa forests: damage and two-year recovery

Damage to Hawaiian Acacia koa forest by Hurricane Iniki was assessed by comparison with our previous measures of stand structure and leaf area index (LAI) at sites along a precipita- tion/elevation gradient on western Kauai. Reductions in LAI ranged from 29 to 80% and were correlated with pre-hurricane LAI and canopy height. The canopy damage resulted in a laige pulse of litter, i-anging from 4 to 19 t ha-' across our study sites. In the first year post-hurricane, LAI recovery and relative increase in stand basal area were negatively correlated with the fraction of canopy LAI lost. The two major overstorey species, A. koa and AIetrosiderouis polyniorpha, were damaged less than the sub-can-opy species, Dodoniaea viscosa and Psidiuimsl guajava. Although D. zviscosa and P. guajava were botlh sever ely damaged in the hurricane, the alien species P. guajava had nmuch higher survival than the native D. viscosa, both as adults and as seedlings. However, seedling density of P. guajava was limited by low recruitment. At these sites, there was no drastic change in species composition following hurrican-e disturbance, and forest str-ucture and productivity had recovered to a great degree within 2 y.
Evidence for iron and sulfur enrichments in hydrothermal plumes at Axial Volcano following the January–February 1998 eruption

In response to 12 days of seismic activity at Axial Volcano, Juan de Fuca Ridge in January–February 1998, the NSF/NOAA-sponsored Axial Response Team conducted three response cruises in February, August, and August/September to map and sample hydrothermal plumes over the region. Vertical profiles of particulate Fe and S over the eruption site show high concentrations from about 1400 m to the bottom. Chemical and scanning electron microscope analysis of the February plume samples revealed anhydrite, Fe-ferrihydrites, elemental sulfur, and angular glassy basalt shards up to 190 µm in the longest dimension. Many of these shards had halite coatings, which is consistent with subseafloor basalt seawater reactions at temperatures >450°C at 1500 m depth. In August and September cruises the basalt shards were no longer present in the hydrothermal plumes. Instead, the plumes were predominantly composed of Fe-ferrihydrites, elemental sulfur, and sulfur filaments. A unique feature of this data set is the high concentrations of elemental sulfur in the lower 60 m of the water column. The sulfur results are suggestive of a significant enrichment of the bacterial biomass in the water column over the eruption site with time. Within the Axial caldera, approximately 10–20% of the total sulfur is present as sulfur filaments. These post-eruption particle compositional changes have strong similarities to the results from the 1993 CoAxial eruption on the Juan de Fuca Ridge.
Small internal waves in two-fluid systems

This paper treats travelling waves in a heterogeneous, inviscid, non-diffusive fluid bounded between two horizontal boundaries. The fluid has two incompressible components of different, but constant density and is acted on by gravity. The flow is steady when viewed in a moving reference frame and gives rise to a quasilinear elliptic problem with an eigenvalue parameter related to the wave speed. The small amplitude solutions are analyzed using a dynamical systems approach. A center manifold reduction in combination with a conserved quantity for the flow is used to parametrise all ‘small’ solutions of the full elliptic system in terms of solutions of an autonomous first order ordinary differential equation for a principal component of the wave amplitude. The result is a characterization of all small waves, irrotational in each fluid, near the critical speed for the system. They are: solitary waves; surges connecting distinct conjugate flows at extreme ends of the channel; conjugate flows; and periodic waves.
STEADY STATE DEFORMATIONS OF A RIGID PERFECTLY PLASTIC ROD STRIKING A RIGID CAVITY

Abstract The axisymmetric steady state deformations of an infinite cylindrical rod made of a rigid/perfectly plastic material and striking a known cavity in a rigid target are analyzed by the finite element method. The contact between the deforming rod and the target surface is assumed to be smooth. It is found that the axial force experienced by the rod depends strongly upon the square of its speed. Results computed and presented graphically include the velocity field in the deforming region, the dependence of the shape of the upset head of the striker upon its speed, and the distribution of normal tractions upon the cavity wall.
Barriers to Tobacco Cessation Counseling and Effectiveness of Training

The oral health care appointment provides a unique opportunity for tobacco cessation counseling (TCC). This literature review examines the effectiveness of training oral health care professionals for TCC, including the barriers to providing counseling. Undergraduate education and continuing education are both effective methods for training health care professionals in TCC. Identifying barriers to TCC may enhance its effectiveness, and should be addressed in the American Dental Hygienists' Association's "Ask, Advise, Refer" initiative.
A manufactured solution for verifying CFD boundary conditions: part II.

Order-of-accuracy veriflcation is necessary to ensure that software correctly solves a given set of equations. One method for verifying the order of accuracy of a code is the method of manufactured solutions. Part III of this study completes the development of a manufactured solution that allows veriflcation of not only the Euler, Navier-Stokes, and Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes equation sets, but also some of their associated boundary conditions: slip, no-slip (adiabatic and isothermal), and out∞ow (subsonic, supersonic, and mixed). In order to demonstrate the usefulness of this manufactured solution, it has been used for order-of-accuracy veriflcation in a compressible computational ∞uid dynamics code. All of the results shown are on skewed, non-uniform, three-dimensional meshes. Modiflcations have been made to the manufactured solution and sequence of meshes from previous work to allow asymptotic results to be obtained with less computational cost. In addition to the order of accuracy of the full code for various equation sets and boundary conditions, the order of accuracy of code portions used to calculate solution gradients has been measured as well.
Differentiated thyroid cancer: focus on emerging treatments for radioactive iodine-refractory patients.

Background.The treatment of differentiated thyroid cancer refractory to radioactive iodine (RAI) had been hampered by few effective therapies. Recently, tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have shown activity in this disease. Clinical guidance on the use of these agents in RAI-refractory thyroid cancer is warranted. Materials and Methods. Molecular mutations found in RAIrefractory thyroid cancer are summarized. Recent phase II and III clinical trial data for TKIs axitinib, lenvatinib, motesanib, pazopanib, sorafenib, sunitinib, and vandetinib are reviewed includingefficacyandsideeffectprofiles.Moleculartargetsand potencies of these agents are compared. Inhibitors of BRAF, mammalian target of rapamycin, and MEK are considered. Results. Routine testing for molecular alterations prior to therapy is not yet recommended.TKIs produce progressionfree survival of approximately 1 year (range: 7.7–19.6 months)andpartialresponseratesofupto50%byResponse EvaluationCriteriainSolidTumors.Pazopanibandlenvatinib are the most active agents. The majority of patients experienced tumor shrinkage with TKIs. Common adverse toxicities affect dermatologic, gastrointestinal, and cardiovascular systems. Conclusion. Multiple TKIs have activity in RAI-refractory differentiated thyroid cancer. Selection of a targeted agent should depend on disease trajectory, side effect profile, and goals of therapy.The Oncologist 2015;20:113–126
Decreased heart-period variability in patients with panic disorder: a study of Holter ECG records.

Abstract This study investigated cardiac autonomic function in patients with panic disorder and normal controls using Holter ECG records. A decrease in ultra-low frequency power (
Attitudes of African-American parents about biobank participation and return of results for themselves and their children

Introduction Biobank-based research is growing in importance. A major controversy exists about the return of aggregate and individual research results. Methods The authors used a mixed-method approach in order to study parents9 attitudes towards the return of research results regarding themselves and their children. Participants attended four 2-h, deliberative-engagement sessions held on two consecutive Saturdays. Each session consisted of an educational presentation followed by focus-group discussions with structured questions and prompts. This manuscript examines discussions from the second Saturday which focused on the benefits and risks of returning aggregate and individual research results regarding both adults (morning session) and children (afternoon session). Attitudes were assessed in pre-engagement and post-engagement surveys. Results The authors recruited 45 African-American adults whose children received medical care at two healthcare facilities on the South Side of Chicago that serve different socioeconomic communities. Three dominant themes were identified. First, most participants stated that they would enrol themselves and their children in a biobank, although there was a vocal minority opposed to enrolling children, particularly children unable to participate in the consent process. Second, participants did not distinguish between the results they wanted to receive regarding themselves and their children. Supplemental survey data found no attitudinal changes pre-engagement and post-engagement. Third, participants believed that children should be allowed access to their health information, but they wanted to be involved in deciding when and how the information was shared. Discussion Participant attitudes are in tension with current biobank policies. An intensive educational effort had no effect on their attitudes.
Discriminatively trained Markov model for sequence classification

In this paper, we propose a discriminative counterpart of the directed Markov Models of order k - 1, or MM(k - 1) for sequence classification. MM(k - 1) models capture dependencies among neighboring elements of a sequence. The parameters of the classifiers are initialized to based on the maximum likelihood estimates for their generative counterparts. We derive gradient based update equations for the parameters of the sequence classifiers in order to maximize the conditional likelihood function. Results of our experiments with data sets drawn from biological sequence classification (specifically protein function and subcellular localization) and text classification applications show that the discriminatively trained sequence classifiers outperform their generative counterparts, confirming the benefits of discriminative training when the primary objective is classification. Our experiments also show that the discriminatively trained MM(k - 1) sequence classifiers are competitive with the computationally much more expensive Support Vector Machines trained using k-gram representations of sequences.