cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Induction: A Non-Sceptical Humean Solution

Pre-analytically at least some of our inductions seem to be possessed of rational justification. This comment would apply, for instance, to my present induction, ‘If that climber high on the Flatirons falls he will be killed,’ not to mention such more momentous inductions as, ‘If a full-scale nuclear war breaks out there will be greater destruction than in World War II.’ Notoriously, however, a few Humean reflections seem to strip even the most plausible of our inductions of all possible rational justification, leaving them mere bare psychological faits accomplis : in effect, section V of the Enquiry's ‘Sceptical Solution of these Doubts.’
Piceatannol (3,4,3',5'-tetrahydroxy-trans-stilbene) is a naturally occurring protein-tyrosine kinase inhibitor.

Piceatannol (3,4,3′,5′-tetrahydroxy-trans-stilbene), a plant secondary natural product that had previously been identified as an antileukemic principle, has been shown to be an inhibitor of protein-tyrosine kinase activity. Piceatannol inhibits the purified thymocyte protein-tyrosine kinase, p40, by competing for the peptide or protein substrate binding site (Ki = 15 μM). Piceatannol also inhibits the activity of the p56lck protein-tyrosine kinase measured either in LSTRA cell membranes or in intact cells. In contrast, piceatannol does not inhibit the activity of the cAMP-dependent protein kinase.
Atrial fibrillation and quality of life after pacemaker implantation for sick sinus syndrome: data from the Mode Selection Trial (MOST).

Background In the Mode Selection Trial (MOST) of 2,010 patients with sinus node dysfunction, dual-chamber–paced patients had less atrial fibrillation (AF) and heart failure and had slightly improved health-related quality of life (QOL) compared with rate modulated right ventricular–paced patients. Our objective was to assess the impact of AF on QOL within MOST. Methods We analyzed serial QOL measures (Short Form-36, Specific Activity Scale, time trade-off) in 3 groups: (1) those without AF; (2) those with paroxysmal AF (PAF), but not chronic AF (CAF); and (3) those with CAF. We carried forward the last known QOL before crossover for all subsequent time points in patients randomized to rate modulated right ventricular pacing who crossed over to dual-chamber pacing for severe pacemaker syndrome. Results Three hundred seventeen patients (15.8%) had AF in the year after implantation, 206 patients within 3 months (191 PAF, 15 CAF), and another 159 (124 PAF, 35 CAF) between 3 and 12 months. There were no significant differences among groups in individual Short Form-36 subscales or time trade-off scores at 12 months as compared with baseline or 3 months. Cardiovascular health status was better at 12 months as compared with baseline or 3 months in those without AF. Conclusions Atrial fibrillation after pacemaker implantation in elderly patients with sick sinus syndrome was not a major determinant of QOL. However, there was a trend toward better cardiovascular functional status in patients without AF.
Effect of Method of Glycerol Addition on the Fertility of Frozen Bovine Spermatozoa

Summary An experiment was conducted to determine the optimum method of adding glycerol to bovine spermatozoa for freezing. Two separate semen collections were taken from six different bulls. A total of 3,005 first-service cows were bred. Each semen collection was used on a split-sample basis. Four methods of glycerolization were employed; namely, (A) addition of the glycerolated buffer to the nonglycerolated semen portion at 5° C., (B) at 10° C., (C) at 20° C., and (D) addition of freshly collected semen directly to the total glycerolated buffer. Respectively, a total of 770, 742, 723, and 770 first-service cows were bred. The nonreturn rates based on 75-day nonreturns were 65.1% when the glycerol portion was added at 5° C., 65.4% when added at 10° C., 62.7% when added at 20° C., and 64.0% when the semen was added directly to the total volume of glycerolated buffer. By analysis of variance there were no significant differences in fertility among the four tested treatments, weeks of storage, collection periods, or their interactions. There was a significant difference in fertility among bulls, but this difference was not influenced by treatment or length of storage. A positive but nonsignificant correlation was found between fertility rate and estimate of percentage motility of the spermatozoa after thawing.
BacMam system for high-level expression of recombinant soluble and membrane glycoproteins for structural studies

Abstract Baculovirus mediated gene transduction of mammalian cells (BacMam) is an emerging technique for rapid recombinant protein expression in mammalian cells. We constructed two baculovirus transfer vectors that incorporate several mammalian transcriptional regulatory elements necessary for high-level protein expression in mammalian cells. Using these vectors, we show that the BacMam system in combination with the 293 GnTI− cell line can be used for production of milligram quantities of soluble glycoproteins. Moreover, for crystallization trials, the purified glycoproteins are sensitive to EndoH treatment resulting in a loss of the bulk of the attached N-linked glycosylation. In addition, we also show that a combination of the BacMam system and 293 GnTI− cell line can be used for producing milligram quantities of a GPCR–protein ligand complex suitable for crystallization trials.
FATIGUE CRACK GROWTH ANALYSIS OF FIBER REINFORCED CONCRETE WITH EFFECT OF INTERFACIAL BOND DEGRADATION

Abstract This paper presents an analytic model for fatigue crack life prediction in fiber reinforced concrete (FRC). The model elucidates fatigue crack growth in cementitious matrix material under the influence of external cyclic load and fiber and aggregate bridging. It is shown that fiber-matrix interface damage must be accounted for in order to properly simulate the three experimentally observed stages of matrix crack growth, involving a decelerated stage, a steady state stage, and an accelerated stage towards final fracture failure. This model, which explicitly accounts for the positive role of fibers on fatigue life, predicts the existence of the well-known fatigue limit load in standard S-N curve tests of FRCs. The basic framework of this analysis can be used to address fatigue life of FRC structures subjected to high cycle fatigue loading, as well as providing a basis for material design of fatigue resistant FRC at the microstructure level.
Anaerobic metabolism during activity in lizards

A new technique developed for the determination of total lactate production in small animals was used to evaluate the role of anaerobiosis during activity at different temperatures in lizards. Measurements on six species of small lizards indicate little interspecific variation or thermal effect in resting lactate levels (0.35 mg lactate/g body weight) or maximal lactate levels achieved at exhaustion (1.4 mg lactate/g). Normally activeAnolis in captivity had a lactate content of 0.5 mg lactate/g. Rates of lactate formation were most rapid during the first 30 sec of activity and had a low thermal dependence (Q10=1.1–1.3 above 20 °C). The lactate formed during activity persists for long periods; e.g., for 30 to 60 min between 20 and 37 °C inAnolis carolinensis (Fig. 1). Recovery rate generally increases with temperature. Muscle lactate concentrations peak at the end of activity, but liver and blood lactate are not maximal until 10 and 30 min, respectively, after activity (Fig. 2). The decrease in the blood lactate is shown to be a poor estimator of total recovery. An estimated 80–90% of the total energy utilized during initial vigorous activity comes from anaerobic sources. Because of its low thermal dependence, anaerobiosis permits high levels of activity in lizards at all body temperatures without requiring high levels of aerobic resting metabolism.
The Influence of Recruiter Characteristics and Organizational Recruitment Support on Perceived Recruiter Effectiveness: Views from Applicants and Recruiters

There is very limited information available about whether organizational recruitment practices influence the impressions made by recruiters on job applicants. In response to the scarcity of two-sided information about recruitment processes, the present study obtained data directly from 1571 applicants and 216 matched recruiters who interviewed them. Results suggest that, similar to previous research, a large proportion of variance in applicants' overall impressions of recruiters could be explained as a function of their impressions about more specific recruiter characteristics and behaviors, particularly perceived concern for the applicant and information given to applicants, and enthusiasm regarding the job vacancy. In addition, recruiters' self-perceptions of overall effectiveness were also highly predictable on the basis of more specific self-perceptions, particularly self-perceived interpersonal effectiveness. However, applicants' perceptions of recruiter effectiveness were not well predicted by recru...
Urban Earthquake Fatalities: A Safer World, or Worse to Come?

The global fatality count from earthquakes continues to rise. This has occurred despite the adoption of earthquake-resistant building codes in most countries where damaging earthquakes have historically caused loss of life. In the past five centuries the global death toll from earthquakes has averaged 100,000/year, a rate that is dominated by large infrequent disasters, mostly in developing nations. Though an increased fatality rate might be expected from the steady increase in global population (Bilham, 1988), recent urban growth has been accompanied by a decline in the fatality rate as expressed as a percentage of instantaneous population. It is tempting to attribute this observation to the application of earthquake-resistant construction code in new city construction. A more sinister interpretation, however, is that the apparent decline in risk is caused by the short exposure time (50 years) of the world's recently increased population to earthquakes with recurrence intervals of the order of centuries. Future extreme earthquake disasters in some of the world's megacities may arrest, or reverse, the current trend. Figure 1. (Left) City populations between 1960 and 2000 grew on average by a factor of 2.55. The mean urban growth rate in developing nations (filled bars) is twice this, largely in cities with present populations of less than 1 million. (Right) Global urban population grows mostly in cities in developing nations. Global populations doubled between 1900 and 1960 and doubled again between 1960 and 2000 (United Nations, 2002). Most of this population growth has occurred in the cities of the developing nations in cities with populations 1 million or less. Although less than 4% (≈400 million) of the world's population live in megacities with 10 million or more inhabitants, half of these are located in earthquake-vulnerable locations. Since 1960, one hundred cities with populations exceeding 1 million have increased their populations by an …
Rapid oxidative hydrogen evolution from a family of square-planar nickel hydride complexes

A series of square-planar nickel hydride complexes supported by bis(phosphinite) pincer ligands with varying substituents (–OMe, –Me, and –But) on the pincer backbone have been synthesized and completely characterized by NMR spectroscopy, IR spectroscopy, elemental analysis, and X-ray crystallography. Their cyclic voltammograms show irreversible oxidation peaks (peak potentials from 101 to 316 mV vs. Fc+/Fc) with peak currents consistent with overall one-electron oxidations. Chemical oxidation by the one-electron oxidant Ce(NBu4)2(NO3)6 was studied by NMR spectroscopy, which provided quantitative evidence for post-oxidative H2 evolution leading to a solvent-coordinated nickel(II) species with the pincer backbone intact. Bulk electrolysis of the unsubstituted nickel hydride (3a) showed an overall one-electron stoichiometry and gas chromatographic analysis of the headspace gas after electrolysis further confirmed stoichiometric production of dihydrogen. Due to the extremely high rate of the post-oxidative chemical process, electrochemical simulations have been used to establish a lower limit of the bimolecular rate constant (kf > 107 M−1 s−1) for the H2 evolution step. To the best of our knowledge, this is the fastest known oxidative H2 evolution process observed in transition metal hydrides. Quantum chemical calculations based on DFT indicate that the one-electron oxidation of the nickel hydride complex provides a strong chemical driving force (−90.3 kcal mol−1) for the production of H2 at highly oxidizing potentials.
China as Funhouse Mirror: Yomiuri Shimbun's China Coverage during the Cultural Revolution

This article examines the Yomiuri shimbun's portrayals of China during the Cultural Revolution of the early and mid-1970s to demonstrate the process by which Japanese journalists ‘domesticated’ foreign coverage. It argues that Japanese reporting on China was framed by the fundamentally Japanese questions: ‘who are we?’ and ‘what do we stand for as Japanese?’ The paper demonstrates how norms and structural changes mutually reinforce each other and jointly shape foreign coverage. In doing so, it historicizes the current animosity between Japan and China, and reveals how the commercial nature of the media and patterns of production render journalistic objectivity practically impossible.
The Introduction of the OSCAR Database API (ODA)

The OSCAR [14] cluster installation toolkit was created by the Open Cluster Group (OCG) for one particular type of High Performance Computing (HPC) cluster. OSCAR is currently one of the widely used cluster installation toolkits; it boasts hundreds of thousands of downloads and active mailing lists. OSCAR has expanded its area with several sub-projects targeting other types of HPC clusters. Each of these projects share a core set of OSCAR code, including the OSCAR Database and its access API, "ODA" (OSCAR Database API). The ODA abstraction layer, consisting of a database schema and corresponding API, hides a commodity back-end database (e.g., MySQL [15]). Because OSCAR and its sub-projects are targeted at new, innovative environments (including non-HPC environments), there are significant issues with managing various configurations of each project. For example, as we previously showed [8], previous versions of ODA were unable to represent the complex, ever-growing set of data required to accurately describe the clusters that it manages. Further, its API was extremely complex, requiring a steep learning curve for OSCAR developers. Therefore, we have designed and implemented a new database schema to deal with these issues. This new version of ODA has not only resolved the above problems but also, as proposed in our previous paper, enabled storage and retrieval of various configuration information, and encouraged data re-use between the main OSCAR project and its derivative projects. In addition, the new version of ODA has sped up the OSCAR installation process. This document presents a simpler, highly flexible design and implementation of ODA slated to be included in OSCAR v5.0. It also suggests a blueprint for maintaining the database modules of ODA in a systematic, organized way.
Network analysis with Ensemble: a tool for performance analysis of circuit switched networks

The authors introduce a tool, called Ensemble, which uses algorithms and heuristics to analyze large circuit switched networks. This tool could be used to address the following topics: the quantification of interference when an established circuit blocks some other connection requests; how the routes used affect the performance of the network; how much one should charge each connection to maintain a predetermined revenue; the effect of a load change in some connection requests on the overall network and how one should change charges accordingly; and how one should compare network efficiency given a choice of alternate routes. >
On the Theory of Interest.

Abstract : The Theory of Interest is concerned with the problem of explaining (A) why economic systems have interest rates and (B) what determines the values these interest rates assume. The purpose of this paper is to give a self-contained exposition of an approach to these questions developed mostly over the past twenty years. Making use of a simplified economy in which consumption goods are produced from labor and capital, it is shown that even in a steady state under 'normal' conditions it is necessary to have an interest rate which is strictly greater than the growth rate of the labor force if the economy is to be in equilibrium meaning that supply and demand for all goods are equal. This answers (A) above. In the final section, the author answers (B) by showing that the interest rate r gives, roughly speaking, a measure of the amount of increase in future 'consumption' obtainable for a unit sacrifice of consumption in the present. (Author)
Structural Conflict in Contemporary Cities

A surprising number of modern American cities are experiencing efforts to drastically alter or even abandon their forms of local government. We discuss the major perspectives on municipal structural choice and then use both survey and census data in an attempt to explain this contemporary urban conflict over governance structure. Our findings demonstrate that no single institutional, political, social, or contextual theory satisfactorily explains this evolving struggle over governing arrangements in U.S. cities. Rather, a complex array of factors such as race, ethnicity, education, economic change, governmental composition, and specific municipal design features seem to be driving these movements for institutional change.
Resonant phenomena in coupled oscillators arising in the interaction and production of two enzymes

A class of diffusively coupled oscillators is discussed. The model is governed by reaction-diffusion equations with nonlinear boundary conditions. The two linear uncoupled equations describe the diffusion process, while the nonlinear boundary conditions describe all reaction and interaction. By using the boundary conditions, the system can be translated into two uncoupled oscillators of two dimensions. It is found that the Hopf bifurcations are always degenerate due to the internal resonance of the system.
Cardiovascular and pulmonary dynamics by quantitative imaging.

The accuracy and range of studies on cardiovascular and pulmonary functions can be greatly facilitated if the motions of the underlying organ systems throughout individual cycles can be directly visualized and readily measured with minimum or preferably no effect on these motions. Achievement of this objective requires development of techniques for quantitative noninvasive or minimally invasive dynamic and stop-action imaging of the organ systems. A review of advances in dynamic quantitative imaging of moving organs reveals that the revolutionary value of cross-sectional and three-dimensional images produced by various types of radiant energy such as X-rays and gamma rays, positrons, electrons, protons, light, and ultrasound for clinical diagnostic and biomedical research applications is just beginning to be realized. The fabrication of a clinically useful cross-section reconstruction device with sensing capabilities for both anatomical structural composition and chemical composition may be possible and awaits future development.
A Demonstration of Dialogue Processing in SimSensei Kiosk

This demonstration highlights the dialogue processing in SimSensei Kiosk, a virtual human dialogue system that conducts interviews related to psychological distress conditions such as depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The dialogue processing in SimSensei Kiosk allows the system to conduct coherent spoken interviews of human users that are 15-25 minutes in length, and in which users feel comfortable talking and openly sharing information. We present the design of the individual dialogue components, and show examples of natural conversation flow between the system and users, including expressions of empathy, follow-up responses and continuation prompts, and turn-taking.
Dosimetry robustness with stochastic optimization

All radiation therapy treatment planning relies on accurate dose calculation. Uncertainties in dosimetric prediction can significantly degrade an otherwise optimal plan. In this work, we introduce a robust optimization method which handles dosimetric errors and warrants for high-quality IMRT plans. Unlike other dose error estimations, we do not rely on the detailed knowledge about the sources of the uncertainty and use a generic error model based on random perturbation. This generality is sought in order to cope with a large variety of error sources. We demonstrate the method on a clinical case of lung cancer and show that our method provides plans that are more robust against dosimetric errors and are clinically acceptable. In fact, the robust plan exhibits a two-fold improved equivalent uniform dose compared to the non-robust but optimized plan. The achieved speedup will allow computationally extensive multi-criteria or beam-angle optimization approaches to warrant for dosimetrically relevant plans.
768: The role of urinary endoglin in diagnosing severe preeclampsia: A prospective comparison with soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase (sFlt-1) to placental growth factor (PlGF) ratio

S 67 SLEEP DISORDERED BREATHING-RELATIONSHIP TO PREECLAMPSIA FRANCESCA FACCO, WILLIAM GROBMAN, BRANDON LU, KIM HO, PHYLLIS ZEE, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois OBJECTIVE: To determine if sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) is more prevalent among women with preeclampsia compared to normotensive controls STUDY DESIGN: Preeclamptic patients admitted for observation were recruited to complete the Berlin Questionnaire (BQ) for sleep apnea, and to participate in an overnight sleep evaluation with the Watch-PAT100 (WP), a wrist-mounted, ambulatory device designed to diagnose SDB. WP signals allowed for the determination of an apnea hypopnea index (AHI), oxygen desaturation index (ODI) and a respiratory disturbance index (RDI), all indicators of SDB. Gestational age (GA) matched controls were recruited among normotensive pregnant patients hospitalized for other obstetrical indications. This study had 80% power to detect a mean difference of 5 (SD 4) in any SDB index. RESULTS: Ten preeclamptic patients and 11 controls were recruited. The GA at the time of the sleep study did not differ between the cases and controls (32.8 1.0 weeks vs. 31.6 0.7 weeks, p 0.3). Preeclamptic subjects had a higher mean BMI (37.7 3.3 vs. 29.2 1.2, p .02). Seventy percent (7/10) of the preeclamptic subjects screened positive for sleep apnea on the BQ versus none (0/11) of the controls (p .01). Preeclamptic subjects had higher mean AHI and RDI values and a higher prevalence of moderate to severe sleep apnea (AHI 10). However, these differences did not reach statistical significance (Table). Preeclamptic subjects a significantly higher mean ODI compared to controls (4.1 1.8 vs. 0.3 0.2, p .04). CONCLUSION: SDB is more prevalent among preeclamptic patients. Further research is needed to determine if SDB, independent of BMI, is a significant contributing factor to preeclampsia. Additionally, studies are needed to elucidate the relationship between chronic, nocturnal, oxygen desaturation and adverse pregnancy outcomes in preeclamptic women.
Costs and benefits of symbiont infection in aphids: variation among symbionts and across temperatures

Symbiosis is prevalent throughout the tree of life and has had a significant impact on the ecology and evolution of many bacteria and eukaryotes. The benevolence of symbiotic interactions often varies with the environment, and such variation is expected to play an important role in shaping the prevalence and distributions of symbiosis throughout nature. In this study, we examine how the fitness of aphids is influenced by infection with one of three maternally transmitted bacteria, ‘Candidatus Serratia symbiotica’, ‘Candidatus Hamiltonella defensa’ and ‘Candidatus Regiella insecticola’, addressing how symbiont benevolence varies with temperature. We find that the effects of these ‘secondary’ symbionts on Acyrthosiphon pisum depend on when and whether aphids are exposed to a brief period of heat shock. We also demonstrate that symbionts—even closely related isolates—vary in their effects on hosts. Our results indicate similar effects of S. symbiotica and H. defensa in conferring tolerance to high temperatures and a liability of R. insecticola under these same conditions. These findings reveal a role for heritable symbionts in the adaptation of aphids to their abiotic environments and add to an expanding body of knowledge on the adaptive significance of symbiosis.
Brief Report: Pediatric Cancer, Parental Coping Style, and Risk for Depressive, Posttraumatic Stress, and Anxiety Symptoms

Objective According to the stress and coping goodness of fit model, parents’ risk for psychological symptoms was hypothesized to decrease as a function of using emotional regulation and problem appraisal strategies more frequently, and to increase as a function of using problem-solving and avoidant behaviors more frequently to cope with an uncontrollable stressor—pediatric cancer diagnosis. Methods Parents (N ¼ 150) completed measures of depression, PTSD, anxiety, and coping style. Results Regression analyses revealed that symptoms decreased as a function of using problem appraisal and an emotional regulation strategy (social support) more frequently; and increased as a function of using problem-solving strategies, avoidant coping (substance use), and another emotional regulation strategy (negative self-blame) more frequently. Conclusions The findings provide some support for the model but suggest that the method of coping (e.g., social support) might be considered in addition to the focus of the coping strategy (e.g., emotional regulation).
Information Flow through a Model of the C. elegans Klinotaxis Circuit

Understanding how information about external stimuli is transformed into behavior is one of the central goals of neuroscience. Here we characterize the information flow through a complete sensorimotor circuit: from stimulus, to sensory neurons, to interneurons, to motor neurons, to muscles, to motion. Specifically, we apply a recently developed framework for quantifying information flow to a previously published ensemble of models of salt klinotaxis in the nematode worm Caenorhabditis elegans. Despite large variations in the neural parameters of individual circuits, we found that the overall information flow architecture circuit is remarkably consistent across the ensemble. This suggests structural connectivity is not necessarily predictive of effective connectivity. It also suggests information flow analysis captures general principles of operation for the klinotaxis circuit. In addition, information flow analysis reveals several key principles underlying how the models operate: (1) Interneuron class AIY is responsible for integrating information about positive and negative changes in concentration, and exhibits a strong left/right information asymmetry. (2) Gap junctions play a crucial role in the transfer of information responsible for the information symmetry observed in interneuron class AIZ. (3) Neck motor neuron class SMB implements an information gating mechanism that underlies the circuit’s state-dependent response. (4) The neck carries more information about small changes in concentration than about large ones, and more information about positive changes in concentration than about negative ones. Thus, not all directions of movement are equally informative for the worm. Each of these findings corresponds to hypotheses that could potentially be tested in the worm. Knowing the results of these experiments would greatly refine our understanding of the neural circuit underlying klinotaxis.
Determinants of the Quota Selection Inequality Phenomenon: Clarification of the Basis for Gillett's (1991) Findings:

Gillett showed that under quota selection, the expected mean test scores of minority selectees are always lower than those of majority selectees, even though the scores come from populations with identical distributions. Although Gillett reported levels of expected mean score differences between two quota-selected samples, he provided no information about the standard errors of these mean differences. In addition, he failed to provide a clear explanation of the basis for the inequality of the means. Therefore, the present study examined (a) the standard errors of the quota-selected sample means and (b) the sampling distributions of these means using a Monte Carlo simulation. The overall purpose was to clarify the basis for the expected differences between the mean scores of majority and minority selectees. Results showed that the quota selection inequality results from differences in sampling error between the quota-selected samples that are attributable to the relative sizes of the majority and minority ...
Proportional nested deficit round robin with credit adjusting

In recent years, many fair packet scheduling algorithms have been proposed for switches and routers to provide the quality of service (QoS) guarantees required by many applications. In addition to the fairness and low end-to-end delay that these algorithms have to have, simplicity and scalability are two significant factors that play an important role. In this paper, we present proportional nested deficit round robin with credit adjusting (PNDRR-CA), which is a modified version of PNDRR. PNDRR-CA has a low latency and reduces burstiness. PNDRR-CA takes advantage of the input traffic pattern and decreases the serving size of flows when the input traffic contains many small packets. This helps to interleave packets in many practical scenarios, such as the Internet, where the majority of packets are relatively small. The latency and fairness of PNDRR-CA are studied and compared to other algorithms using simulation
HOST CELL APOPTOSIS IMPAIRS CRYPTOSPORIDIUM PARVUM DEVELOPMENT IN VITRO

The absence of a self-sustaining in vitro propagation method for Cryptosporidium parvum is a major obstacle for research on this parasite. Conventional cell monolayers are unsuitable for long-term parasite propagation because the level of infection decreases over time and few oocysts, if any, are produced. The interaction between parasite and host cell was studied to identify factors limiting parasite development in vitro. Loss of substrate adherence and death of parasitized host cells was observed in 2 epithelial cell lines. Nuclear morphology, DNA laddering, annexin V binding, and terminal deoxytransferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling indicated that host cell death occurred by apoptosis. At 6 hr postinfection, only a minority of infected cells remained in the monolayer, and few survived the initial phase of parasite development without losing adherence. Treatment of infected monolayers with caspase inhibitors drastically reduced cell detachment but failed to increase the number of parasites in monolayers. In contrast, cell cultures grown on laminin-coated plates showed a higher proportion of infected cells. These observations indicate that cell detachment and apoptosis in C. parvum-infected cell culture negatively affect parasite survival in vitro.
Muscarinic Cholinergic Receptor Binding in the Longitudinal Muscle of the Guinea Pig Ileum with [3H]Quinuclidinyl Benzilate

The binding of [3H]quinuclidinyl benzilate (QNB) to homogenates of the longitudinal muscle of guinea pig ileum appears to represent an almost exclusive interaction with muscarinic cholinergic receptor sites. [3H]QNB binds to particulate matter in these preparations in a saturable fashion with respect to [3H]QNB. A variety of muscarinic antagonists and agonists inhibit specific [3H]QNB binding in parallel with their estimated affinity for muscarinic receptors in the guinea pig ileum, based on pharmacological procedures. Numerous nicotinic cholinergic and noncholinergic drugs have negligible affinity for [3H]QNB binding sites. The dissociation constant of the QNB-receptor complex estimated from saturation experiments with [3H]QNB and from inhibition experiments with QNB is about 0.3-0.5 nM at 25°. The bimolecular rate constant of association (4 x 108 M-1 min-1) and dissociation (1.2 x 10-2 min-1) were estimated at 35° and indicate a dissociation constant of 0.03 nM. The maximal specific binding of [3H]QNB indicates a concentration of receptors of about 190 pmoles/g of tissue. Specific [3H]QNB binding can also be demonstrated in guinea pig spleen, heart, and lung, but not in guinea pig diaphragm, kidney, or liver.
Hypoxia marker pimonidazole accumulation and glucose transporter-1 expression are strongly correlated in rodent breast cancers

1101 Objectives Glucose transporter-1 (GLUT-1) is one of the hypoxic markers regulated, in part, by Hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1). FDG uptake partially depends on the amount of GLUT-1 expression. We examined correlation between hypoxia as assessed by pimonidazole accumulation, GLUT-1 expression and FDG uptake. Methods Rats bearing syngeneic mammary tumor (RMT) were prepared. A well-established hypoxia marker, pimonidazole (60mg/kg) was injected i.p. six hours before sacrifice. 14C-deoxy-d-glucose (10μCi) and a perfusion marker, Hoechst 33342 (10mg/kg) were injected i.v. two hours and one minute before sacrifice, respectively. We removed the tumors and made sections of three or four different parts of each tumor. Autoradiography for 14C and immunofluorescent staining using a confocal microscope were performed with the same frozen sections. The images of the distribution of the three tracers and GLUT1 staining were quantitatively assessed for density in the tumor sections using ImageJ. Correlation of the tracers was analyzed. Results Pimonidazole and GLUT-1 showed a strong positive correlation (r=0.70, p Conclusions Hypoxic areas as assessed by pimonidazole accumulation and high GLUT-1 expression were strongly correlated. On the other hand, GLUT-1 and FDG uptake did not show a clear correlation in our experimental system. Our result confirmed that GLUT-1 expression is an excellent hypoxic marker and also suggested that GLUT-1 expression and FDG accumulation may show a simple positive correlation only in limited conditions, possibly due to limitations of FDG delivery by blood flow in high GLUT1 expressing severely hypoxic areas of tumors
Regulation of EBV Lytic Cycle Genes: MS-EA, a Trans-Activator of Gene Expression

We identified one of the products encoded by P3HR-1 defective DNA as a 45/60 kd family of polypeptides which mapped to the BMLF1/BSLF2 open reading frames. We termed this product MS-EA. In transient expression assays, both wild-type and defective DNA encoded MS-EA were found to activate expression from a variety of promoter-CAT constructs. Thus MS-EA has the properties of a generalized trans-activator.
BIM-Model Checking in Building Design

Model checking frameworks employ rule-based systems to a proposed design, with results such as “pass”, “fail” or “warning”, or ‘unknown’ for cases where the needed data is incomplete or missing and generally they do not modify a building design, but rather assesses a design on the basis of the configuration of objects, their relations or attributes. The complexity in the building design and building construction process is increasing and the need for automatic model checking is becoming critical. This work presents an overview of existing frameworks for model checking in building design and particularly structural BIM (Building Information Models). The study reviews main concepts for SmartCodes and model checking and examines rules checking systems that assess building designs according to various criteria. This includes evaluating and reviewing the functional capabilities of both the technology and structure of current BIM model checking systems. The paper suggests a new framework for automated rule and code conformance systems for the structural domain.
Improvement in the Thermoelectric Figure-of-Merit of TAGS-85 by Rare Earth Additions

TAGS-85 is a well-known thermoelectric material based on germanium monotelluride that exhibits a second-order displacive transformation from a high-temperature cubic to a low-temperature rhombohedral polymorph. Recent efforts to improve the thermoelectric figure-of-merit through the addition of small amounts of the rare earth elements Ce and Yb have demonstrated a 25 percent increase in ZT at 700K in materials obtained by solidification from the melt. Preliminary analysis by x-ray diffraction of the chemically-modified alloy suggests a partial stabilization of the high-temperature cubic polymorph. 125Te NMR studies confirm the incorporation of rare earth cations into the GeTe-based lattice. Solid state synthesis has been successfully applied to the processing of rare-earth-doped TAGS-85 and has resulted in a further increase in ZT beyond the levels initially observed in melt-solidified materials. This is believed to be due to improved homogeneity in the distribution of the lanthanide.
Contrast-enhanced time-resolved MRA for pre-angiographic evaluation of suspected spinal dural arterial venous fistulas

Background Spinal digital subtraction angiography (DSA) is the gold standard for diagnosis of spinal dural arterial venous fistulas (SDAVFs), but can require extensive time, radiation exposure and contrast dose. We hypothesize that contrast-enhanced time-resolved MR angiography (CE-TR MRA) will have utility for the non-invasive diagnosis and pre-angiographic localization of SDAVFs. Methods Eighteen patients underwent both CE-TR MRA and DSA for suspected SDAVFs, with DSA performed a median of 11 days (range 0–41) after MRA. CE-TR MRA was performed on a 1.5 T GE unit using Time Resolved Imaging of Contrast Kinetics (TRICKS). CE-TR MRA and DSA images were evaluated for the presence of SDAVFs and location of the feeding arterial supply, with DSA as the reference standard. DSA was also evaluated for the number of vessels catheterized, contrast volume and fluoroscopic and procedure times. Results Eight of the 18 patients were positive for SDAVF on DSA. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value for the 18 CE-TR MRAs were 88%, 90%, 88% and 90%, respectively. Localization of the SDAVF arterial supply on CE-TR MRA was within one vertebral level from DSA for 6/7 SDAVFs. Compared with patients with a SDAVF and feeding artery identified on CE-TR MRA, patients with negative or suboptimal CE-TR MRA had a significantly increased number of vessels catheterized (p=0.027) and larger contrast volumes (p=0.022). Conclusions CE-TR MRA is a useful initial examination for the diagnosis and localization of SDAVFs, with a high concordance rate with DSA. When CE-TR MRA demonstrates a SDAVF, the number of catheterized vessels and contrast dose can be decreased during DSA.
Aftershocks from the 28 June 1992 Landers earthquake: Northern Mojave desert to the Coso Volcanic Field, California

Abstract Following the 28 June 1992 Landers earthquake, a well-developed linear pattern of primary and triggered aftershocks occurred within the Eastern California Shear Zone from near the eastern end of the big bend in the San Andreas to northern Owens Valley. In this article we investigate primary aftershocks on the Calico-Blackwater and Harper fault zones, and triggered aftershocks in Indian Wells Valley (Little Lake fault zone) and the Coso Volcanic Field. These areas are directly northwest of the Landers rupture terminus and fall within the Southern Owens Valley Seismic Gap described by Hill et al . (1985). Focal mechanisms from selected events show dextral slip on northwest-trending faults similar to those that ruptured in the main Landers event. From the cumulative seismicity, we estimated the triggered seismicity rates from the Landers earthquake on the Little Lake fault zone (230 events in the first 10 days to 2.5 events/day during the following 5 months) and the Coso Volcanic Field (250 events in the first 10 days to 3.6 events/day during the following 5 months). Triggered seismicity in the Coso Volcanic Field may have been caused by advective gas overpressure. The continuity of aftershock data agree with a significant shear zone passing through the northern Mojave desert into the southern Owens Valley by way of the Harper fault, Little Lake fault zone, and Coso Volcanic Field. Geologic data (surface faults) also support structural continuity within the zone, with the exception of the Garlock fault.
Synthetic studies toward 3′-C-puromycin analogs

Abstract We devised a synthetic scheme based on a Horner–Wadsworth–Emmons olefination followed by a stereoselective reduction in the attempt to synthesize a puromycin analog that cannot be metabolized to a known nephrotoxic 3′-aminonucleoside. This procedure allowed the synthesis of a fully protected nucleoside precursor of the target molecule. However, the last step proceeded with a surprising outcome, providing a dimethyl amide instead of the expected amino ketone derivative.
Study on the association between ACE,CYP11B2 genes polymorphism and Essential Hypertension complicated with lschemic Cerebrovascular Disease

Objective To investigate the association between gene polymorphism of angiotension converting enzyme(ACE)and aldosterone synthase (CYP11B2)in essential hypertensives(EH)and patients complicated with ischemic cerebrovascular disease(ICVD)in china.Methods ACE I/D polymorphism and CYP11B2-344T/C polymorphism were detected in 297 ICVD patients,324 simplex essential hypertensives (SEH)and 305 controls,by using Polymerase Chain Reaction(PCR)and Restriction Fragment Length Poly- morphism(RFLP).Result ACE-DD genotype and D allele frequencies in ICVD were significantly higher than those in SEH and controls,but no significant difference between SEH and controls;CYP11B2 genotype showed no significant difference between all three groups;ACE gene DD+CYP11B2 gene TC/CC combined genotype frequencies in ICVD were significantly higher than those in SEH and controls,but no significant difference between SEH and controls;Logistic regression showed that Age,Body Mass Index(BMI),serum cholesterol(CHOL),plama glucose(GLU),and ACE-DD+CYP11B2-TC/CC combined genotype but not the ACE-DD genotype were independent risk factors related to ICVD in EH patients.Conclusion Age, BMI,CHOL,GLU,and ACE gene DD+CYP11B2 gene TC/CC combined genotype may be independent risk factors related to ICVD in EH patients;there may be co-effective action between ACE gene and CYP11 B2 gene.
The growth hormone receptor gene mutations in a Chinese family with Laron syndrome

Objectives To study growth hormone receptor(GHR)gene mutation in two patients with Laron syndrome and review their clinical features.Methods Two children with sever short stature from the same Chinese family were selected in the study.Height and weight were measured.The GH-IGF-I axis function was evaluated.Genomic DNA from peripheral blood leucocytes was collected.Exons 2-9 of GHR gene and the flanking intron sequences were amplified with polymerase chain reaction(PCR),and sequenced directly.Results were compared with normal GHR gene sequence for identification of the mutation type and site.Mutations were confirmed by repeating the gene amplification and sequencing.Results Height of the patients was significantly delayed than age-matched children after birth and typical appearance of Laron syndrome were observed.Their basal GH levels were higher than normal.The IGF-I levels were lower than normal.The IGFBP-3 and GHBP were undetectable.Gene mutation analysis revealed that two patients had the same homozygous mutation of S65H in exon 4,which was a novel gene mutation.Conclusions A definite diagnosis of Laron syndrome can be made according to the typical clinical features and serum levels of GH,IGF-I,IGFBP-3 and GHBP.The S64H mutation might be the cause of Laron syndrome in these two patients.
Localized photon operators and the concept of photons

The theoretical concept of photons is very important for the interpretation of quantum optics experiments. Since Eugene P. Wigner published the important work on the concept of particle localization in relativistic quantum mechanics, it has long been argued in the theoretical literature that photons cannot be exactly located in free space.1 The argument claims that localized photons necessarily have an energy density that drops off as a power law of distance. If this is true, one should seriously examine the experimental consequences of such a claim.
UTILITY OF ULTRASOUND VERSUS GENE EXPRESSION CLASSIFIER IN THYROID NODULES WITH ATYPIA OF UNDETERMINED SIGNIFICANCE.

Objective: Thyroid nodules with fine-needle aspiration (FNA) cytology categorized as atypia of undetermined significance (AUS) often undergo additional diagnostic analysis with the Afirma Gene Expression Classifier (GEC), which classifies these as either high probability of being benign (GEC-B) or suspicious for malignancy (GEC-S). Our goal was to assess the clinical validity and utility of GEC in the evaluation of AUS cytology and evaluate the performance of ultrasonography (USG) for predicting malignancy in this subset. Methods: We conducted a study with a retrospective cohort of patients from January 2012 to January 2014 who had FNA of thyroid nodules >1 cm in size with AUS cytology. Results: Cleveland Clinic Florida has an overall prevalence of AUS of 5%. A total of 119 cases with nodules >1 cm in size were reported as AUS. Forty-eight (40.3%) had a GEC performed after the first FNA (AUS-1), and 27 of these were GEC-S. Of those 27, 21 went for surgery and 14 (66.6%) had thyroid cancer on histopatholog...
Assessment scales for advanced dementia, by Ladislav Volicer and Ann Hurley

Persons in the late stages of dementia present extreme challenges to researchers and care providers who seek both to advance knowledge and improve outcomes in this population. Effective methods of ...
Sensor Network-On-Chip

In this paper, we present the sensor network-on-a-chip (SNOC) paradigm for designing robust and energy-efficient systems-on-a-chip (SOC). In this paradigm, computation in the presence of nanometer non-idealities such as process variations, leakage and noise is viewed as an estimation problem. Robust statistical signal processing theory is then employed to recover the performance of the system in the presence of errors especially timing errors. We apply this framework to design an energy-efficient and robust PN-code acquisition system for the wireless CDMA2000 standard. Simulations in IBM's 130 nm CMOS process technology demonstrate up to 30% power savings compared to the conventional architecture for a detection probability of PD = 0.5.
Validity and Reliability of the Vestibular/Ocular Motor Screening and Associations With Common Concussion Screening Tools.

Background:Sustaining a concussion commonly results in vestibular impairments that may be associated with balance deficits. To screen for vestibular impairments after a concussion, the Vestibular/O...
Acoustical Holography with Real-Time Color Translation

The short response time of liquid-surface hologram detectors not only permits real-time acoustical imaging, but also color translation whereby acoustic energy of low frequencies is used to form images in red light and acoustic energy of high frequency is used to form images in blue light. Holograms are formed at the rate of approximately 300 per second in a sequence which includes one or more high-frequency hologram for each low-frequency hologram. The frequencies may be harmonics generated from a single pair of transducers. Color coding is readily performed using fixed optical color filters in the same plane that the reconstruction point light source is imaged.