cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Posttraining Estrogen and Memory Modulation

The present paper provides a review of recent research carried out in this laboratory investigating the effects of posttraining peripheral and intrahippocampal injection of estradiol on memory in rats, and estradiol-acetylcholine interactions in memory modulation. Ovariectomized rats received an eight-trial training session in a hippocampal-dependent hidden platform water maze task. Immediately following training, rats received a posttraining peripheral or intrahippocampal injection of estradiol-cyclodextrin complex or vehicle. Twenty-four hours later rats were returned to the maze for a retention test session, and latency to escape was used as a measure of memory for the previous day's training. Peripheral posttraining injection of estradiol enhances memory relative to vehicle-treated rats. Injections of estradiol given 2 h posttraining has no effect on retention, indicating a time-dependent effect of estradiol on memory storage processes. A time-dependent memory enhancing effect of posttraining intrahippocampal injections of estradiol has also been observed in both male and ovariectomized female rats. The memory enhancing effect of peripheral posttraining injection of estradiol in ovariectomized rats is blocked by a subeffective dose of the acetylcholine muscarinic receptor antagonist scopolamine, suggesting that estradiol interacts with cholinergic systems in memory modulation. Concurrent peripheral posttraining injection of a subeffective dose of estradiol and a subeffective dose of the cholinergic agonist oxotremorine produces a synergistic memory enhancing effect. The findings suggest that: (1) estradiol selectively influences memory storage independent of an effect on nonmnemonic processes, (2) the hippocampus is a potential neuroanatomical site of action mediating estrogenic effects on memory, and (3) estradiol interacts with cholinergic systems in memory modulation.
PREVIOUS JURY SERVICE AS A MODERATING INFLUENCE ON JURORS' BELIEFS AND ATTITUDES

To ascertain the effect that prior jury service had on beliefs and over-ail attitude towards service, 166 randomly selected registered voters who had been summoned for jury service were administere...
Studies on matrix vesicles isolated from chick epiphyseal cartilage. Association of pyrophosphatase and ATPase activities with alkaline phosphatase.

Abstract Fractions composed primarily of cells (Fraction I), membrane fragments (Fraction II) and matrix vesicles (Fraction III) were isolated from chick epiphyseal cartilage. The characteristics of the alkaline phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.1), pyrophosphatase (EC 3.6.1.1) and ATPase (EC 3.6.1.3) activities in the matrix-vesicle fraction were studied in detail. Mg2+ was not absolutely essential to any of the activities, but at low levels was stimulatory in all cases. Higher concentrations inhibited both pyrophosphatase and ATPase activities. Both the stimulatory and inhibitory effects were pH-dependent. Ca2+ stimulated all activities weakly in the absence of Mg2+. However, when Mg2+ was present, Ca2+ was slightly inhibitory. Thus, none of the activities appear to have a requirement for Ca2+, and hence would not seem to be involved with active Ca2+ transport in the typical manner. The distribution of alkaline phosphatase, pyrophosphatase, and Mg2+-ATPase activities among the various cartilage fractions was identical, and concentrated primarily in the matrix vesicles. Conversely, the highest level of (Na2+ + K+)-ATPase activity was not found in the cell fraction. All activities showed nearly identical sensitivities to levamisole (4 · 10−3 M) which caused nearly complete inhibition of alkaline phosphatase and pyrophosphatase. About 10—15% of the ATPase activity was levamisole-insensitive. The data are consistent with the concept that the Mg2+-ATPase and pyrophosphatase activities of matrix vesicles stem from one enzyme, namely, alkaline phosphatase.
Study of Gap Physics of Airfoils with Unsteady Flaps

Active trailing-edge flaps are a method of aerodynamic control under extensive research to reduce the detrimental effects of dynamic stall. Physical phenomena are poorly understood in the context of active flaps including vorticity and acoustics, separation, and transition. In addition, discrete trailing-edge flaps create a cavity-like flow within the airfoil-flap gap that can complicate these phenomena. This work has explored the physical response of a static airfoil with a discrete noncontoured oscillating flap over a range of freestream parameters. The effects of attached and separated flows, flap oscillation scheduling, airfoil-flap gap size, and freestream speed have all been investigated. Time-accurate predictions were performed using a hybrid Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes/large eddy simulation turbulence model. Trailing-edge stall suppression and an increase between aerodynamic response and deflection input were observed as the flap oscillation frequency increased. The lag between response and in...
Extraovarian granulosa cell tumor.

Abstract Objective. The aim of this study was to report a case of extraovarian granulosa cell tumor and to describe its relevance to the histologic origin of granulosa cell tumors and to clinical practice. Methods. The clinical course and histopathology of the case were reviewed, and a literature search for other reported cases was performed. Results. A 67-year-old woman presented with postmenopausal bleeding and a pelvic mass. Laparotomy revealed a 16-cm mass arising from the right pelvic sidewall, filling the pelvis, and involving the bladder and rectosigmoid colon. Both ovaries appeared normal and were separate from the mass. Pathologic examination revealed granulosa cell tumor. A literature search revealed no recently reported cases of extraovarian granulosa cell tumor. Conclusions. Granulosa cell tumors can arise in locations other than the ovary and may be derived from the mesenchyme of the genital ridge. Women who have undergone oophorectomy may have the potential to develop granulosa cell tumors.
Successfully Treated Calcific Uremic Arteriolopathy: Two Cases of a High Anion Gap Metabolic Acidosis with Intravenous Sodium Thiosulfate

Calcific uremic arteriolopathy (CUA) is a rare and potentially fatal disorder of calcification involving subcutaneous small vessels and fat in patients with renal insufficiency. We describe the successful use of intravenous sodium thiosulfate (STS) for the treatment of CUA in two patients. The first case was complicated by the development of a severe anion gap metabolic acidosis, which was accompanied by a seizure. Both patients had complete wound healing within five months. Although STS should be considered in the treatment of CUA, little is known about pharmacokinetics and additional studies are required to determine dosing strategies to minimize severe potential side effects.
Polar frost formation on Ganymede

Voyager photographs have shown the presence of polar frost on Ganymede, a satellite of Jupiter. A number of models have been proposed for the formation of this feature. The models are based on the transport of material from the equatorial to the polar regions. The present paper is concerned with a model regarding the origin and appearance of the Ganymede caps which does not depend on such a transport. The model is based on observations of the surficial changes produced by ion bombardment. It is pointed out that experiments on ion and electron bombardment of water ice at low temperatures have shown that these particles sputter significant quantities of water molecules. In addition, they also change the visual characteristics of the surface significantly. Ion bombardment competing with thermal reprocessing may be sufficient to explain the latitudinal differences observed on Ganymede.
Abstract 358: Nf1 inactivation in NG2-cells is not sufficient for murine optic glioma formation.

Proceedings: AACR 104th Annual Meeting 2013; Apr 6-10, 2013; Washington, DC Individuals with the tumor predisposition syndrome, neurofibromatosis 1 (NF1), are prone to development of low-grade astrocytomas (gliomas). These tumors frequently include optic pathway gliomas predominantly arising in young children. We have previously developed several Nf1 genetically-engineered mouse (GEM) strains that form optic gliomas similar to those that occur in children with NF1. However, in the optic nerve, there are two types of potential neuroglial progenitors, GFAP+ and NG2+ cells. This latter population has been shown to represent a potential cell of origin for rat malignant gliomas, suggesting that NG2+ progenitors may represent the initiating cell for Nf1 optic glioma. In this study, we employed a complementary series of in vitro and in vivo approaches to determine whether NG2+ cells could give rise to Nf1 optic glioma. First, we demonstrate that Nf1 loss in NG2+ cells does not increase glial cell proliferation in vitro. Second, NG2-Cre-expressing cells give rise to all three macroglial lineages (astrocytes, NG2+ cells, and oligodendrocytes) in vivo, similar to GFAP-Cre-expressing cells that drive Nf1 optic glioma formation. Third, in striking contrast to the GFAP-Cre strain, Nf1 loss in NG2+ progenitor cells in vivo is insufficient for optic gliomagenesis. Together, these data exclude NG2+ cells as the likely cell of origin for NF1-associated optic glioma and establish a model of gliomagenesis in which Nf1 loss occurs in specific neuroglial progenitors during embryonic development. Citation Format: Anne C. Solga, Scott M. Gianino, David H. Gutmann. Nf1 inactivation in NG2-cells is not sufficient for murine optic glioma formation. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 358. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-358
Evaporation Histories of Fuel Sprays Injected Across a Flowing Air Stream

For systems featuring cross-stream injection of fuel into flowing air, a calculation procedure is presented which allows the fraction of fuel evaporated to be estimated rapidly as a function of downstream distance from the plane of fuel injection. The method takes into account the effects on evaporation length of variations in ambient air pressure, temperature, and velocity, as well as changes in fuel spray characteristics such as mean drop size and drop-size distribution. Calculations carried out at typical gas turbine combustor operating conditions indicate that the main factors influencing the length required to achieve any given degree of fuel evaporation are air temperature and velocity, and the mean drop size of the spray.Copyright © 1985 by ASME
Correlation of the acoustic emission and the fracture toughness of ductile nodular cast iron

Salzbrenner has recently determined the fracture toughness of a series of ductile cast iron samples which were heat treated to produce a fully ferritic matrix. His results indicated that the fracture toughness is strongly dependent upon the average spacing between (or equally the diameter of) the spherical graphite nodules in the ferrite matrix. The acoustic emission generated during the uniaxial compressive deformation of nodular cast iron also depends strongly on the average diameter of the graphite nodules in the test sample. The present investigation was carried out to determine the correlations, if any, between the fracture toughness and the acoustic emission generated during compression of ductile cast iron. The acoustic emission generated during compression was determined using sample materials identical to those used by Salzbrenner. Excellent correlations between certain features of the measured acoustic emission and the fracture toughness were obtained. Data indicate that it should be possible to determine both the fracture toughness and the average size of the graphite nodules from the acoustic emission and load curve generated during a compression test of ductile cast iron.
Lipid-Dependent Conformational Transitions in KvAP are Driven by Voltage Sensing Domain

Recent electrophysiological studies have shown that the mechanism of voltage-driven gating in Kv channels is exquisitely sensitive to the composition of the lipid membrane. For instance, non-phosphate lipids can dramatically right-shift the voltage dependence (G-V curve) of KvAP (1,2) in a way that promotes the stabilization of the “down” conformation of the voltage sensor. We evaluated the conformations of KvAP's isolated VSD by means of site directed spin labeling CW EPR and DEER spectroscopy through reconstitution in lipids with (POPC:POPG) or without (DOTAP) phosphate groups. Our data suggested a novel Tilt-Shift model for the mechanism of voltage sensing with a ∼3 A upward tilt and simultaneous ∼2 A axial shift of S4 (3). We have extended these measurements to evaluate the effects on the KvAP pore domain and quantify the DOTAP molar fraction dependence on the conformation of the inner gate. While in the full-length channel DOTAP reconstitution triggers conformational rearrangements in both the S4 segment and the S6 inner bundle gate, in the absence of voltage sensing domain, DOTAP is unable to generate significant rearrangements in S6. This result is consistent with the idea that S4 movements are allosterically transmitted to the inner bundle gate. Although the mechanistic correlation between voltage-dependent and lipid-dependent gating in voltage sensing domains remains to be fully characterized, it is clear that just as with electric fields, the interacting lipids play a determinant role in defining the equilibrium between the activated and resting states of voltage sensing domain.1. D. Schmidt, Q. X. Jiang, R. MacKinnon, Nature 444, 775 (2006)2. H. Zheng, W. Liu, L. Y. Anderson, Q. X. Jiang, Nat Commun 2, 250 (2011)3. Q. Li, S. Wanderling, P. Sompornpisut, E. Perozo, Nat Mol Struct Bio l21, 244 (2014)
Some biological actions of estrogens in male rats, with special reference to blood lipids and vascular sudanophilia.

Summary When amounts of estradiol-17 β -benzoate ranging from 0.3-333 μ g were administered daily to rats fed a hypercholesterolemic diet, the magnitude of the serum-cholesterol increase after 5 weeks of treatment tended to vary directly with the estrogen dose. The smaller doses failed to enhance phospholipidemia sufficiently to lower the C/P ratio, but definite and marked hyperphospholipidemia with suppressed C/P ratios occurred when 333 μ g of the estrogen per day were administered. The mean incidence of coronary sudanophilia was 50 % in rats after 8 weeks of treatment with either 33 or 333 Mg estradiol, but fell to 36 % when the hormone administration was continued 12 weeks longer. This biphasic effect (initial rise in incidence, later decline) was observed whether the estrogen was administered in an oily or aqueous vehicle. Within 5 weeks, some degree of testicular atrophy resulted in all estrogen-treated rats irrespective of dosage. The atrophy was nearly maximal at a dosage level as low as 3 μ g estradiol benzoate per day. Decreased hematocrits were observed at the 33 and 333 μ g daily-dose levels, but no anemia occurred when smaller doses were employed. Molar equivalents of estradiol benzoate in sesame oil and estradiol in aqueous suspension produced almost identical effects ou the serum lipids and testicular weights.
Youth WAVE Screener: addressing weight-related behaviors with school-age children.

Purpose This study evaluated the feasibility of using the youth Weight, Activity, Variety, and Excess (WAVE) screener in a classroom setting for assessing student weight control intentions and the extent to which they used the WAVE strategies to control their weight. Methods The Youth WAVE Screener was administered to fifth-grade students in an inner-city school located in the Bronx, New York. The study was conducted in part to increase student awareness of snack foods and sugary beverages in relation to weight. Results Of the 169 students who completed the survey, 45.5% (n = 77) were trying to lose weight. Students who were trying to lose weight were more likely to have low-fat dairy products, less likely to have sugary beverages, and less likely to eat junk foods than those who were not trying to lose weight. Students who reported exercising 3 times weekly were more likely to report healthier dietary patterns and less sedentary behaviors than were students who exercise less often. Feedback and dialogue with fifth graders addressed the relationship between TV viewing and eating behavior, advertisement, availability, and preferences of fruits and vegetables. Conclusions The Youth WAVE Screener can be used to quickly identify children who are concerned about their weight as well as those with dietary and physical activity patterns that may increase the risk of obesity. Diabetes educators can use this screener to start a dialogue with children about their weight-related behaviors.
Evaluation of over the counter vaginal lubricants Nonoxynol-9 and KY Jelly as potential inducer of proinflammatory cytokines in human immune cells

Topical microbicides such as Nonoxynol-9 (N9) and KY jelly have been used as vaginal microbicides in clinical trials as anti-HIV-1 products. The objective of this study was to determine if the use of these microbicides may cause production of proinflammatory cytokines in vitro. Such cytokines include, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interlukin-1β (IL-1β), interlukin-6 (IL-6), and Interlukin-8 (IL-8). Cellular viability was determined for the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and Macrophages by culturing them for 24 hours in the presence of serial dilutions of product or placebo. Product and placebo dilutions that gave culture viabilities of ≥ 60% compared to control cultures were considered to be nontoxic. The non-toxic dilutions were 1:100 for KY jelly in both PBMCs and Macrophages. Whereas, the non-toxic dilutions were 1:1000 for N9 in both PBMCs and Macrophages. The values of IL1β, TNF-α, were 0.1 0.001) when N9 was compared to KY jelly. However, the results were significant when comparing N9 to KY jelly for TNF-α (p < 0.001) production. The two microbicides tested in their non-toxic formulation in the two models of PBMCs and macrophages showed relatively low levels of IL-1b, TNF-α and IL-6. This indicated safety and low toxicity of these microbicide in terms of cytokines release. On the other hand, IL-8 has shown relatively higher levels in all microbicide tested in their non-toxic formulation.
Proteomic analysis of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid proteins from mice infected with Francisella tularensis ssp. novicida.

Francisella tularensis causes the zoonosis tularemia in humans and is one of the most virulent bacterial pathogens. We utilized a global proteomic approach to characterize protein changes in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from mice exposed to one of three organisms, F. tularensis ssp. novicida, an avirulent mutant of F. tularensis ssp. novicida (F.t. novicida-ΔmglA); and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The composition of BALF proteins was altered following infection, including proteins involved in neutrophil activation, oxidative stress and inflammatory responses. Components of the innate immune response were induced including the acute phase response and the complement system, however the timing of their induction varied. Francisella tularensis ssp. novicida infected mice do not appear to have an effective innate immune response in the first hours of infection, however within 24 hours they show an upregulation of innate immune response proteins. This delayed response is in contrast to P. aeruginosa infected animals which show an early innate immune response. Likewise, F.t. novicida-ΔmglA infection initiates an early innate immune response, however this response is dimished by 24 hours. Finally, this study identifies several candidate biomarkers, including Chitinase 3-like-1 (CHI3L1 or YKL-40) and peroxiredoxin 1, that are associated with F. tularensis ssp. novicida but not P. aeruginosa infection.
Acquiring Fluorescence Time-lapse Movies of Budding Yeast and Analyzing Single-cell Dynamics using GRAFTS

Fluorescence time-lapse microscopy has become a powerful tool in the study of many biological processes at the single-cell level. In particular, movies depicting the temporal dependence of gene expression provide insight into the dynamics of its regulation; however, there are many technical challenges to obtaining and analyzing fluorescence movies of single cells. We describe here a simple protocol using a commercially available microfluidic culture device to generate such data, and a MATLAB-based, graphical user interface (GUI) -based software package to quantify the fluorescence images. The software segments and tracks cells, enables the user to visually curate errors in the data, and automatically assigns lineage and division times. The GUI further analyzes the time series to produce whole cell traces as well as their first and second time derivatives. While the software was designed for S. cerevisiae, its modularity and versatility should allow it to serve as a platform for studying other cell types with few modifications.
Baroreflex modulation of sympathetic nerve activity to muscle in heat-stressed humans

To identify whether whole body heating alters arterial baroreflex control of muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA), MSNA and beat-by-beat arterial blood pressure were recorded in seven healthy subjects during acute hypotensive and hypertensive stimuli in both normothermic and heat stress conditions. Whole body heating significantly increased sublingual temperature (P 0.05). During both normothermic and heat stress conditions, MSNA increased and then decreased significantly when blood pressure was lowered and then raised via intravenous bolus infusions of sodium nitroprusside and phenylephrine HCl, respectively. The slope of the relationship between MSNA and diastolic blood pressure during heat stress (-128.3 +/- 13.9 U x beats(-1) x mmHg(-1)) was similar (P = 0.31) with normothermia (-140.6 +/- 21.1 U x beats(-1) x mmHg(-1)). Moreover, no significant change in the slope of the relationship between heart rate and systolic blood pressure was observed. These data suggest that arterial baroreflex modulation of MSNA and heart rate are not altered by whole body heating, with the exception of an upward shift of these baroreflex curves to accommodate changes in these variables that occur with whole body heating.
Roles of nitric oxide and prostaglandins in pathogenesis of delayed colonic transit after burn injury in rats.

Burn injury has been shown to impair gut transit, but the exact mechanism remains unknown. The present study investigated whether nitric oxide synthase (NOS) and cyclooxygenase (COX) mediated chang...
A unique basal pattern of p53 expression in ulcerative colitis is associated with mutation in the p53 gene.

A unique basal pattern of p53 expression in ulcerative colitis is associated with mutation in thep53gene Aims: The p53 protein is implicated in the control of cell proliferation, differentiation, and death. As part of a study characterizing p53 alterations in colonic mucosa of patients with ulcerative colitis, we identified a unique pattern of basal p53 immunoreactivity. Methods and results: Tissue samples (n=180) from 42 ulcerative colitis patients were evaluated for p53 alterations by immunohistochemistry, loss of heterozygosity analysis, polymerase chain reaction-single-strand conformation polymorphism and direct sequencing. In addition, the expression of the p53- associated proteins p21waf1/cip1 and MDM2 was evaluated immunohistochemically. Three basic patterns of p53 immunoreactivity were observed: (i) isolated immunoreactive cells in the crypt bases; (ii) strongly positive cells confined to the basal half of the glands; and (iii) diffusely staining cells. The basal staining pattern was observed in both non-neoplastic tissues and in some areas of dysplasia, and was associated with normal expression of p21waf1/cip1 in all cases, and with p53 mutation in seven of 11 cases. Conclusions: The basal pattern of p53 expression is associated with mutation in the p53 gene, and appears to be an early change in a subgroup of ulcerative colitis patients. The significance of this pattern of immunoreactivity and the mechanism by which it develops are discussed.
Blade-Shaped Crustacean Burrows of Eocene Age: A Composite Form of Ophiomorpha

The trace fossil, Ophiomorpha nodosa Lundgren, reported in rocks from Pleistocene to Cretaceous in age, is considered by a number of workers to be a burrow analogous to that constructed by the decapod crustaceans (callianassids) found in Holocene marine sands of the littoral zone. In a road outcrop 48.1 mi south of Starkville, Mississippi, well-preserved, cemented, typical Ophiomorpha nodosa and Ophiomorpha-like burrows were found in fine-to coarse-grained, cross-bedded, nonlithified sand of Eocene age. The burrows consist of (1) individual nodose cylindrical forms, 15 to 25 mm in diameter and as much as 1 m in length, oriented normal to and parallel with bedding and (2) morphologically similar vertically oriented compound blade-shaped forms with the long axes horizontal. X-radiographs of serial sections show that the blade forms consist of distinct burrow tubes stacked in a vertical array. Burrow remnants appear as Spreiten in vertical section and suggest that the organism worked upward through the sediment, constructing “permanent” domiciles. Petrographic studies of thin sections and bulk mineral analyses by x-ray diffraction show that the burrow cement, the dwelling burrow lining, and the burrow filling consist of opaline silica. As the enclosing sediment contains no opaline silica matrix and only the burrows are cemented, the burrow-building organisms could have extracted silica from the silica-rich waters of the littoral environment and concentrated it in their burrows Blade-like burrow composites of this general type have been described as Teichichnus. However, the tubular and nodose character of the outer wall, the presence of burrow linings, the abnormal abundance of opaline silica matrix, the occurrence of sand-grain aggregates (pellets) throughout the burrow walls, the presence of burrows that range in form from simple tube to multiple-stacked blade forms, and the morphological similarity to and connection with individual cylindrical Ophiomorpha burrows, all strongly suggest that the two types of burrows were constructed by the same organism. The informal name Ophiomorpha nodosa var. spatha is suggested for this blade-shaped burrow.
Cardiac Output and Left Atrial Pressure Monitoring by Right Ventricular Pressure Waveform Analysis for Potential Implantable Device Application

A well-tested and safe implantable device is now available for long-term ambulatory monitoring of the right ventricular pressure (RVP) waveform of congestive heart failure patients. However, cardiac output (CO) and left atrial pressure (LAP) are more useful for assessing cardiac function and managing volume status. We developed a new technique to estimate relative CO change and LAP by long time interval analysis of the RVP waveform. To demonstrate feasibility, we performed four chronic canine experiments in which the RVP waveform and accurate reference measurements were simultaneously recorded during common hemodynamic interventions. The overall root-mean-squared-errors of the estimated relative CO change and LAP were 16.0% and 2.0 mmHg. For comparison, the corresponding errors for the previously proposed intra-beat RVP waveform analysis techniques were 21% and 160% higher. With further successful testing, the new technique may potentially be employed with an established implantable device for chronic monitoring of essential hemodynamic variables.
Probing phonon scattering sites in the thermoelectric clathrate Eu8Ga16Ge30

The low thermal conductivity of the Thermoelectric Clathrates Eu8Ga16Ge30 and Sr8Ga16Ge30 has been attributed to rattling atoms (Eu or Sr) in the Eu2/Sr2 sites. The low Einstein temperature obtained using XAFS for the nearest neighbor Eu-Ga/Ge bonds at the Eu2 sites is consistent with the model. However, the comparable Einstein temperature for the Eu1 site indicates that Eu1 is also a rattler. The fit also confirms that the Eu2 is displaced along either the y or z axis ∼ 0.45A in agreement with neutron diffraction.
Fertilizer Effectiveness of Phosphorus Recovered from Broiler Litter

Phosphorus can be recovered from broiler litter using a new process ("quick wash"). However, limited information is available on the beneficial use of this P product as plant fertilizer. The objective of this study was to determine the agronomic effectiveness of this P material. A greenhouse study was conducted with annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) to compare the recovered phosphorus (RP) to both commercial triple superphosphate (TSP) and raw broiler litter (BL) as a P source. The study consisted of a 7-wk experiment that was repeated three times. Fertilizer rates were 0, 22, 44, 88, and 176 mg P kg -1 soil. Three harvests of the ryegrass were made at 2-wk intervals. On average, biomass production was higher than the control with no P for plants fertilized with RP, BL, or TSP. Total P uptake increased linearly with application rate for all three fertilizer materials. At the highest application rate, total P uptake was 36.1 mg pot -1 for TSP, 21.3 mg pot -1 for the BL, and 17.3 mg pot -1 for the RP. Chemical analysis of the RP material revealed that more than 90% of the total P in the RP material was mostly as citrate-soluble. Mehlich-3 extractable soil P at the end of the experiment indicated that less RP material dissolved than TSP during this short study. The RP material appears to have potential as a P fertilizer.
Intensity‐duration‐frequency curves from scaling representations of rainfall

[1] We develop methods to estimate the intensity-duration-frequency (IDF) curves for three rainfall models with local multifractal behavior and varying complexity. The models use the classical notion of exterior and interior process, respectively, for the variation of rainfall intensity at (approximately) storm and substorm scales. The exterior process is nonscaling and differs in the three models, whereas the interior process is stationary multifractal in all cases. The model-based IDF curves are robust, against outliers, and can be obtained from only very few years of rainfall data. In an application to a 24-year rainfall record from Florence, Italy, the models closely reproduce the empirical IDF curves and make similar extrapolations for return periods longer than the historical record.
Multichannel ATM switch with preserved packet sequence

The author introduces a multichannel asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) switch that guarantees the packet sequence throughout the network when channel grouping is used in the switching nodes. The switch consists of two modified omega networks and a batcher sorter. It is shown that the packet sequence will be preserved by providing a virtual first-in, first-out (FIFO) queue within the switch architecture. The virtual FIFO queue is shared by all the input-output pairs so that the packet loss probability is significantly reduced with the same number of buffers. It also has distributed switch control so that the expansion of the switch into larger sizes does not create a bottleneck in the performance. The performance analysis of the switch shows that the number of buffers and the average packet delay can be significantly reduced in the proposed switch while maintaining the required throughput and packet loss probability compared to multichannel switches with dedicated buffers. >
TCP performance improvement over wireless ATM networks through a new AAL protocol

This paper describes the design and simulation of a new AAL protocol (AAL-X) for improving TCP performance over wireless ATM networks. The wireless links are characterized by higher error rates and burstier error patterns in comparison with the fiber-based links for which ATM was designed. Since the poor performance of TCP over wireless ATM networks is mainly due to the fact that TCP always responds to all packet losses by congestion control, the key idea in the design is to push the error control portion of TCP to the AAL layer so that TCP is only responsible for congestion control. The AAL-X is based on a novel and reliable ARQ mechanism to support quality-critical TCP traffic over wireless ATM networks. The proposed AAL protocol has been validated using the OPNET tool on the simulated wireless ATM network. The simulation results show that the AAL-X provides higher throughput for TCP over wireless ATM networks compared to the existing approach of TCP with AAL 5.
Excimer laser ablation of the cornea

Pulsed ultraviolet laser ablation is being extensively investigated clinically to reshape the optical surface of the eye and correct vision defects. Current knowledge of the laser/tissue interaction and the present state of the clinical evaluation are reviewed. In addition, the principal findings of internal Food and Drug Administration research are described in some detail, including a risk assessment of the laser-induced-fluorescence and measurement of the nonlinear optical properties of cornea during the intense UV irradiation. Finally, a survey is presented of the alternative laser technologies being explored for this ophthalmic application.
Heart Failure Disease Management Programs Not a Class Effect

Heart failure (HF) remains a major public health problem that affects 5 million patients in the United States.1 HF is the leading cause of hospitalization for people 65 years of age and older, and rates of hospital readmission within 6 months range from 25% to 50%.1,2 The personal burden of HF includes debilitating symptoms, frequent rehospitalizations, and high rates of mortality.2 HF also poses a substantial economic burden, with annual direct costs for the care of HF patients estimated to be between $20 billion and $56 billion.1–3 A number of studies have documented marked variation in the quality of care judged by specific performance measures and substantial underuse of evidence-based, guideline-recommended HF therapies in patients receiving conventional care.2,4,5 Moreover, patient behavioral factors (such as nonadherence to diet and medications) and economic and social factors frequently contribute to rehospitalizations.2,5,6 The traditional model of care delivery is thought to contribute to frequent hospitalizations because in these brief episodic encounters, little attention may be paid to the common modifiable factors that precipitate many hospitalizations.6 As such, there has been much interest in identifying effective methods to improve the quality of care for HF patients while reducing costs. See p 3518 We and others first studied the use of comprehensive HF management programs involving specialty care and a multidisciplinary team; the goals of the HF disease management (DM) programs included optimization of drug therapy, intensive patient education, vigilant follow-up with early recognition of problems, and identification and management of patients’ comorbidities.7–9 HF patients who were cared for in these programs were shown to have significantly fewer rehospitalizations, lower healthcare costs, improved functional and symptom status, and better quality of life as compared either with their preintervention status or with HF patients being treated with conventional care. …
The Evaluation of Teaching: No Guppies or Goldfish in My Classroom:

The need for adminis trative leadership in instructional evalua tion and assessing teacher competence is becoming more evident. To that end, the author attempts to define some of the issues, provide in sights into the evalu ation process, and assist in determining guidelines for assess ment.
Minimal incision aortic surgery

Abstract Purpose: In this study we evaluated the clinical and economic impact of minimal incision aortic surgery (MIAS) for treatment of patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) and aortoiliac occlusive disease (AIOD). Method: Fifty patients with either AAA (34) or AIOD (16), prospectively treated with the MIAS technique, were compared with 50 patients (40 AAA and 10 AIOD) treated in the same time period with long midline incision and extracavitary small bowel retraction. MIAS was also compared with a cohort of 32 patients with AAA treated by means of endoaortic stent-grafts. Outcomes and cost (based on metric mean length of stay) were compared for the open and endoaortic techniques. Results: Patients who experienced no perioperative complications after the MIAS or endovascular repair technique had shorter hospital stays than patients with uncomplicated aortic repairs performed with a traditional long midline abdominal incision (3 days vs 3 days vs 7.2 days). Hospital stay was also significantly shorter for the less invasive procedures when perioperative complications were included (4.8 days vs 4.3 days vs 9.3 days). The MIAS and endovascular aortic repair groups had a shorter intensive care unit stay (≤ 1.0 day) and a quicker return to general dietary feeding (2.5 days) than patients treated with standard open repair (1.8 days, 4.7 days). The overall morbidity for the MIAS technique (14%) and endovascular technique (21%) was not significantly different from standard open repair (24%). The mortality rate for the different treatment groups was equivalent (MIAS, 2%; endovascular repair, 3%; standard repair, 2%). The MIAS was more cost-efficient than standard open repair ($12,585 vs $18,445) because of shorter intensive care unit and hospital stay and was more cost-efficient than endoaortic repair ($12,585 vs $32,040) because of reduced, direct intraoperative costs. Conclusions: MIAS is as safe as standard open or endovascular repair in the treatment of AAA and AIOD. MIAS is more cost-efficient than standard open or endoaortic repair. (J Vasc Surg 2001;34:47-53.)
Sequential vs. Hierarchical Syntactic Models of Human Incremental Sentence Processing

Experimental evidence demonstrates that syntactic structure influences human online sentence processing behavior. Despite this evidence, open questions remain: which type of syntactic structure best explains observed behavior--hierarchical or sequential, and lexicalized or unlexicalized? Recently, Frank and Bod (2011) find that unlexicalized sequential models predict reading times better than unlexicalized hierarchical models, relative to a baseline prediction model that takes word-level factors into account. They conclude that the human parser is insensitive to hierarchical syntactic structure. We investigate these claims and find a picture more complicated than the one they present. First, we show that incorporating additional lexical n-gram probabilities estimated from several different corpora into the baseline model of Frank and Bod (2011) eliminates all differences in accuracy between those unlexicalized sequential and hierarchical models. Second, we show that lexicalizing the hierarchical models used in Frank and Bod (2011) significantly improves prediction accuracy relative to the unlexicalized versions. Third, we show that using state-of-the-art lexicalized hierarchical models further improves prediction accuracy. Our results demonstrate that the claim of Frank and Bod (2011) that sequential models predict reading times better than hierarchical models is premature, and also that lexicalization matters for prediction accuracy.
Plasma and Saliva Propafenone Concentrations at Steady State

Twenty-four healthy male subjects were administered 300 mg of propafenone every 8 h for 6 d in each of two phases that were separated by 2 d. Plasma samples were collected during the approach to steady state for each phase, and plasma and saliva samples were collected frequently at steady state. Both plasma and saliva propafenone were assayed by a specific HPLC method. Two estimates of elimination half-life (l1/2), mean steady-state concentration (CPSS¯), time to maximal concentration (tmax), and maximal concentration (CPmax), were estimated for each subject. Also mean steady-state saliva concentrations (CSSS¯), time to maximal saliva concentration (tSmax), and maximal saliva concentrations (CSmax) were estimated. A large inter subject variance in both t1/2 and CPSS¯ were observed in the 24 subjects, with the t1/2 values ranging from 2.1 to 27.2 h and the CPSS¯ values from 0.3 to 3.03 μg/mL. Each subject was quite consistent for the two phases, suggesting a relatively low intrasubject variance for propafenone kinetics. A histogram shows most subjects to have t1/2 values between 2 and 10 h, with diminishing numbers of subjects at greater t1/2 values rather than a bimodal distribution. Saliva concentrations ranged from 12 to 72% of the corresponding plasma concentrations, being 24.7 ± 11.1% of the simultaneously collected plasma sample overall (mean ± SD). A significant (p < 0.001) positive correlation exists between CPSS¯ and CSSS¯.
Pharmacologic Blockade of FAK Autophosphorylation Decreases Human Glioblastoma Tumor Growth and Synergizes with Temozolomide

Malignant gliomas are characterized by aggressive tumor growth with a mean survival of 15 to 18 months and frequently developed resistance to temozolomide. Therefore, strategies that sensitize glioma cells to temozolomide have a high translational impact. We have studied focal adhesion kinase (FAK), a tyrosine kinase and emerging therapeutic target that is known to be highly expressed and activated in glioma. In this report, we tested the FAK autophosphorylation inhibitor, Y15, in DBTRG and U87 glioblastoma cells. Y15 significantly decreased viability and clonogenicity in a dose-dependent manner, increased detachment in a dose- and time-dependent manner, caused apoptosis, and inhibited cell invasion in both cell lines. In addition, Y15 treatment decreased autophosphorylation of FAK in a dose-dependent manner and changed cell morphology by causing cell rounding in DBTRG and U87 cells. Administration of Y15 significantly decreased subcutaneous DBTRG tumor growth with decreased Y397-FAK autophosphorylation, activated caspase-3 and PARP. Y15 was administered in an orthotopic glioma model, leading to an increase in mouse survival. The combination of Y15 with temozolomide was more effective than either agent alone in decreasing viability and activating caspase-8 in DBTRG and U87 cells in vitro. In addition, the combination of Y15 and temozolomide synergistically blocked U87 brain tumor growth in vivo. Thus, pharmacologic blockade of FAK autophosphorylation with the oral administration of a small-molecule inhibitor Y15 has a potential to be an effective therapy approach for glioblastoma either alone or in combination with chemotherapy agents such as temozolomide.
Linear extractors for extracting randomness from noisy sources

Linear transformations have many applications in information theory, like data compression and error-correcting codes design. In this paper, we study the power of linear transformations in randomness extraction, namely linear extractors, as another important application. Comparing to most existing methods for randomness extraction, linear extractors (especially those constructed with sparse matrices) are computationally fast and can be simply implemented with hardware like FPGAs, which makes them very attractive in practical use. We mainly focus on simple, efficient and sparse constructions of linear extractors. Specifically, we demonstrate that random matrices can generate random bits very efficiently from a variety of noisy sources, including noisy coin sources, bit-fixing sources, noisy (hidden) Markov sources, as well as their mixtures. It shows that low-density random matrices have almost the same efficiency as high-density random matrices when the input sequence is long, which provides a way to simplify hardware/software implementation. Note that although we constructed matrices with randomness, they are deterministic (seedless) extractors - once we constructed them, the same construction can be used for any number of times without using any seeds. Another way to construct linear extractors is based on generator matrices of primitive BCH codes. This method is more explicit, but less practical due to its computational complexity and dimensional constraints.
Volume, Grain Boundary and Surface Diffusion of an Isotope in some Refractory Oxide Systems: A Comparison

It is the purpose of this paper to compare some recent results obtained on volume, grain boundary diffusion and surface diffusion of 51Cr in refractory oxides such as MgO, A12O3 and MgA12O4. In these materials the concentration of intrinsic point defects is very small and diffusion transport phenomena are very sensitive to the concentration of aliovalent impurities. However, from the technological point of view the knowledge of transport phenomena in these materials is important to explain sintering, grain growth, mechanical, thermal and electrical properties. To avoid uncontrolled influence of impurities carefully doped materials can be used. The doping with aliovalent ions is particularly interesting because the presence of such ions determines the concentration of point defects and allows experiments to be performed with well defined materials.
Credit Derivatives and the Resolution of Financial Distress

In this short paper I examine the growth of credit derivatives and the implications for corporate reorganization systems both in the United States and in other jurisdictions seeking to adopt chapter 11 like systems.
Spitzoid Melanoma of Childhood

Sophie Spitz titled her landmark 1948 paper “Melanoma of Childhood.” In her study, one of the children whose cases she reported on died from his lesion, although the details of that case point to clear cell sarcoma, rather than melanoma as the cause. Following her report, the entity that she described became known as juvenile melanoma, then spindle and epithelioid cell nevus, and, later, Spitz nevus. While occasional misadventures established that the differential diagnosis with melanoma could be treacherous, it is only in the last several decades that the term spitzoid melanoma has come into wide use, to describe melanomas that mimic Spitz nevi (Requena et al. 2012; Tom et al. 2011).
Alterations in C.N.S. Associated with Chronic Motor Disabilities Induced by O2 at High Pressure

The recovery of animals from the effects of exposure to O2 at high pressure (OHP) is frequently remarkably rapid but residual effects commonly persist for some time after the animal's return to atmospheric pressure, varying from periods as short as a few minutes up to several days; and in some cases disabilities become permanent.1
Levels and significance of erythrocyte purine enzymes in hyperuricemia.

SummaryTo examine possible relationships among purine enzyme patterns in hy-peruricemia and gout, purine enzyme activities were measured in erythrocytes from young adults who were either normouricemic, hyperuricemic, or had a family history of gout. The purine enzymes whose activities were measured included adenine phospho-ribosyltransferase (APRT), hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT), adeno-sine deaminase (AD), adenosine kinase (AK), and 5'-nucleotidase. AD and AK activities were not different among the normouricemic, hyperuricemic, or family history of gout groups. The activity of APRT was significantly higher in the group with a family history of gout compared with the normouricemics, and the activity of HPRT was significantly lower in the hyperuricemic and family history of gout groups compared with the normouricemics. The ratio of APRT/HPRT was significantly greater in 66% of those subjects who had a family history of gout and were also hyperuricemic compared with normouricemics without a f...
External Genitalia of Meloidae (Coleoptera). I. The Genitalia and Their Musculature in Lytta vulnerata

The external genitalia and their musculature in both sexes of Lytta vulnerata (LeConte) are described, illustrated, and discussed, with comments on other authors' interpretations of various genitalic components and associated structures. Interspecific variation noted in several components of the genitalia suggests that they may be useful in taxonomic studies of the Meloidae.