cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Morphological and Ultrastructural Characteristics of the Chorion of Cimex lectularius Linnaeus (Hemiptera: Cimicidae)

Abstract. Bed bugs, Cimex lectularius Linnaeus, are increasingly reported as pests in hotels, apartments and homes worldwide. Although limited ultrastructural analysis of bed bug nymphs and adults has been performed, little is known about the ultrastructure of bed bug eggs. This study, using scanning and transmission electron microscropy, revealed several unique structural aspects of bed bug eggs. Chorionic projections form a polygonal pattern covering the egg surface. A complex operculumcollar structure is found on the anterior end of the egg, and the inner surface of the collar has three distinct regions, a smooth outer rim, a porous palisade layer and a porous ribbed layer. The outer surface of the collar is smooth with an operculum fitting into the collar. Large and distinctly ridged polygons cover the surface of the operculum. The polygons around the perimeter of the operculum have a rugose surface; the polygons adjacent to the rugose ones display spheres on the surface; and the remaining polygons ha...
SmNdMin: a program for modeling the Nd isotopic evolution of metamorphic porphyroblasts and their host rocks

The purpose of SmNdMin is to investigate a possible source of error inherent, and often ignored, in geochronologic data where metamorphic porphyroblasts and their host rock (as opposed to whole rock) have been chemically and isotopically analyzed. The program is customized for the Sm-Nd geochronometer and to accommodate garnet analyses where Nd and Sm compositional data are available, but may be used for similar geochronometers and similar hostmineral relationships. Minimally, garnet core, garnet rim, and host-rock analyses are needed for Sm concentration, Nd concentration, and 143Nd/144Nd. In addition, a modal estimate of the minerals of interest is necessary, and a second mineral, such as monazite, may be considered.The program evaluates the path of the host rock on a plot of time versus 143Nd/144Nd as it deviates as a result of the growth of one or two minerals. This effect can produce severe errors in estimates of the initiation and duration of porphyroblast growth especially when the volume fraction of the primary mineral of interest is large, and when other minerals, rich in the elements of interest (e.g., Nd and Sm), sequesters a large fraction of these elements and thus, in effect, changes the bulk chemistry. A text file used by the program can be easily modified by the user and contains all of the parameters needed in the calculations. A batch file to install the program on the user's hard drive is included, or the program may be run directly from diskette.
Aging well in an upscale retirement community: The relationships among perceived stress, mattering, and wellness.

Residents (N = 142) of a southeastern, upscale retirement community completed measures of wellness, perceived stress, and mattering. Participants scored higher than did a group of adults under age 60 on 4 of 5 second-order wellness factors and Total Wellness, with medium to large effect sizes. Implications for counselors are discussed.
Misleading Suggestions Can Impair Eyewitnesses' Ability to Remember Event Details

The hypothesis that misleading suggestions can impair recollection was supported in a study inspired by Jacoby and Kelley's (1988) "logic of opposition" and Lindsay and Johnson's (1989a) hypotheses about source memory. Tendency to report suggested details was set in opposition to ability to remember their source by telling subjects not to report anything from the narrative. Conditions were manipulated so that in the high- but not the low-discriminability condition it was easy to remember the suggestions and their source. At test, subjects were told (truthfully) that any information in the narrative relevant to the questions was wrong. Suggested details were more often reported on misled than control items in the low- but not the high-discriminability condition, yet suggestions impaired accurate recall of event details in both conditions. Loftus and her colleagues (e.g., Loftus, Miller, & Burns, 1978) developed a three-stage procedure for studying eyewitnesses' susceptibility to misleading suggestions. Subjects first view a visual event, then receive verbal information that includes misleading suggestions about details in the event, and then take a test of memory for those details. For example, subjects might view a slide sequence that includes a photograph of a man holding a hammer; some subjects would later read a narrative description of the event which mentions that the man was holding a wrench, whereas others would read a narrative that does not mention the kind of tool (McCloskey & Zaragoza, 1985a). In the standard suggestibility test, subjects are later asked whether they saw a hammer (the event detail) or a wrench (the suggested detail) in the slides. Subjects more often err on misled items (i.e., event details about which misleading suggestions were given) than on control items. This phenomenon is well-established, but its interpretation is not. Two issues have been debated: (a) whether suggestions impair subjects' ability to remember event details and (b) whether subjects actually believe they saw the suggested details. Each of these issues is reviewed below.
Influence of aging on rat liver enzymes involved in glutathione synthesis and degradation

Abstract The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of aging on the activities of rat liver enzymes involved in the synthesis and degradation of glutathione, as well as those important for maintaining glutathione in its reduced form. γ-Glutamylcysteine synthetase, γ-glutamyltransferase, glutathione reductase, and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activities were measured in liver fractions prepared from male and female Fischer-344 rats at the ages 4, 14, and 29 months. The activity of γ-glutamylcysteine synthetase, the rate-limiting enzyme in GSH synthesis, and overall rates of glutathione synthesis were unaffected by aging. In contrast, the activity of γ-glutamyltransferase, the key enzyme in glutathione degradation, was markedly influenced by animal age; activity increased with age in male rats and decreased with age in female rats. Age-associated alterations also were observed in activities of hepatic enzymes needed to maintain glutathione in its reduced form. Glutathione reductase activity was greater in old female rats and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity was greater in old male rats than in young and middle-aged rats of the same sex. Age-dependent changes in glutathione metabolizing enzymes could have important toxicological implications.
Radiographic evaluation of non-localizing parathyroid adenomas.

Abstract Purpose Patients with primary hyperparathyroidism routinely undergo preoperative imaging to localize the abnormal gland to facilitate a guided parathyroidectomy. These techniques include neck ultrasound (US), dual phase planar technetium-99 m (99mTC) sestamibi (MIBI) scans, single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), combined SPECT/CT, and four dimensional CT scans (4D CT). Despite appropriate preoperative imaging, non-localization of abnormal glands does occur. This study aims to determine whether non-localization is the result of radiologic interpretive error or a representation of a subset of truly non-localizing parathyroid adenomas. Materials and methods A retrospective study was performed; two senior radiologists reinterpreted the preoperative imaging (US and MIBI scans) of 30 patients with initially non-localizing studies. All patients underwent parathyroidectomy for primary hyperparathyroidism at a tertiary referral center. Both radiologists were blinded to the scores of his colleague. The results were compared for inter-reader reliability using Cohen’s kappa test. Results Twenty-nine of thirty nuclear studies were found to be negative on reinterpretation. The readers agreed in 86.67% of their observations, with a kappa (κ) value of 0.706 (SE = ± 0.131, 95% confidence interval for κ = 0.449–0.962). One of eighteen ultrasounds had positive localizations on reexamination, however, the inter-observer agreement was only 55.6%, with a kappa value of 0.351 (SE = ± 0.139, and 95% confidence interval for κ = 0.080–0.623). Overall, no statistically significant difference in preoperative and retrospective interpretation was found. Conclusion This study identifies a subset of parathyroid adenomas that do not localize on preoperative imaging despite sound radiographic evaluation.
Identification of bacteria using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS or simply MALDI)1 has become ubiquitous in the identification and analysis of biomacromolecules. As a technique that allows for the molecular weight determination of otherwise nonvolatile molecules, MALDI has had a profound impact in the molecular biosciences, especially in the field of proteomics. MALDI analysis of whole organisms allows for the generation of a phenotypic profile or “molecular fingerprint;” once established, these fingerprints can be used for identification purposes.
The CHD3 Remodeler PICKLE Promotes Trimethylation of Histone H3 Lysine 27

CHD3 proteins are ATP-dependent chromatin remodelers that contribute to repression of developmentally regulated genes in both animal and plant systems. In animals, this repression has been linked to a multiple subunit complex, Mi-2/NuRD, whose constituents include a CHD3 protein, a histone deacetylase, and a methyl-CpG-binding domain protein. In Arabidopsis, PICKLE (PKL) codes for a CHD3 protein that acts during germination to repress expression of seed-associated genes. Repression of seed-associated traits is promoted in pkl seedlings by the plant growth regulator gibberellin (GA). We undertook a microarray analysis to determine how PKL and GA act to promote the transition from seed to seedling. We found that PKL and GA act in separate pathways to repress expression of seed-specific genes. Comparison of genomic datasets revealed that PKL-dependent genes are enriched for trimethylation of histone H3 lysine 27 (H3K27me3), a repressive epigenetic mark. Chromatin immunoprecipitation studies demonstrate that PKL promotes H3K27me3 in both germinating seedlings and in adult plants but do not identify a connection between PKL-dependent expression and acetylation levels. Taken together, our analyses illuminate a new pathway by which CHD3 remodelers contribute to repression in eukaryotes.
Recent progress in facial paralysis: advances and obstacles.

Purpose of review Facial paralysis is a devastating and debilitating condition for which a range of management options exists; all of them continue to have limitations. We review the recent scientific literature and highlight key developments and opportunities for further exploration with the goal that this may help direct clinical practice and research endeavor. Recent findings We reviewed recent findings in the evaluation of facial paralysis, pharmacological management, nerve injury prevention and treatment. This includes review of novel techniques using photography and videography. Review of surgical and adjunctive techniques identifies several refinements of existing techniques, some novel techniques, and the value of adjunctive materials and therapies. Summary Management of facial paralysis remains an area of active investigation and innovation. The challenge to researchers and care providers will be to continue to explore and refine management strategies while maintaining rigorous and standardized means of evaluation and follow-up, such that outcomes may be determined and reported accurately and in a way that they can be transferred to other clinical practices. Further study of the role of growth factors and stem cells in facial nerve regeneration is critical, and is the most likely means of surmounting the remaining barriers to successful outcomes in alleviating the ravages of this devastating malady.
Steroid receptor isoforms: exception or rule?

Since the first steroid receptor was cloned, it was quickly identified as one of many such receptors constituting a gene superfamily which has grown to include not only steroid receptors but also receptors for thyroid hormone, retinoic acid, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 as well as a number of less traditional ligands, including farnesoids and fatty acids. Interestingly, these receptors are far outnumbered by the ‘orphan’ receptors for which ligands are still being sought. The original cloning of nuclear receptors, although sometimes identifying more than one receptor form, led to the general premise that each ligand has its cognate receptor through which signal is transduced to the transcriptional machinery. Regulation of this process was found to occur at the level of receptor expression, ligand availability, and more recently, through post-translational modifications of the receptor and interaction of a variety of coactivators:corepressors with the receptor protein. The continuing identification of more than a single form for many of the receptors directed the attention of a number of investigators toward defining possible roles for these ‘extras’. This review examines the different forms of nuclear receptor gene family members and how they may provide an additional level of regulation. © 1998 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
The effects of decreasing layer thickness on the high temperature mechanical behavior of Cu/Nb nanoscale multilayers

Abstract The microstructure and high temperature mechanical behavior of textured, polycrystalline Cu–Nb nanolayered composites prepared by magnetron sputtering were evaluated. Layer thicknesses of 75, 60, and 40 nm were tested in an effort to investigate the high temperature mechanical properties of freestanding thin film multilayers. Effects of decreasing layer thickness on high temperature properties show a dependence of strength and ductility on layer thickness and test temperature. Fracture surface analysis, along with strain rate jump test results, show boundary sliding as a probable deformation mechanism under certain conditions. The role of elevated-temperature deformation mechanisms such as interlayer and grain boundary sliding are discussed.
An evaluation of the effect of volcanic eruption on the solar radiation at six Canadian stations

Hourly global and diffuse radiation data from the six Canadian stations at Edmonton, Montreal, Port Hardy, Resolute, Toronto and Winnipeg have been analyzed for evidence of the effect of volcanic eruption on the amount of direct beam radiation and diffuse radiation. A strong reduction of clear hour direct beam radiation is seen during 1983 due to aerosols in the stratosphere following the eruption of El Chichon in southern Mexico on 28 March and 3 and 4 April 1982. A corresponding increase in diffuse radiation and Angstrom turbidity coefficient is also seen during 1983. The effect of the aerosols from El Chichon is much reduced during 1984, but is still seen above levels from other sources. By combining all significant evidence found in these Canadian solar radiation data, the presence of an excess of volcanic aerosols associated with one or more of the series of volcanic eruptions occurring during the periods from about 1963 to 1968, near 1975, and just prior to the eruption of El Chichon is clearly seen. The amplitude of the effect of these series of eruptions on the data selected for examination here is approximately one-third the amplitude of the effect found for El Chichon. This study confirms that global radiation shows little change when volcanic aerosols in the stratosphere increase following an eruption.
Active airborne infrared laser system for identification of surface rock and minerals

Emissivity and reflectivity in the thermal infrared spectral region (8-13 microns) may be used to discriminate among rocks and minerals. Although considerable success has been achieved in remote sensing classification of rock types based on emissivity measurements made with NASA's Thermal Infreared Multispectral Scanner (TIMS), classification based on reflectivity offers several advantages: much narrower bandwidths are used, higher signal to noise ratios are possible, and measurements are little affected by surface temperature. As a demonstration, an airborne CO2 laser instrument was flown along the margin of Death Valley, California. Measurements of spectral reflectance collected with this device were compared with emissivity measurements made with the TIMS. Data from either instrument provided the means for recognizing boundaries between geologic units including different rock types and fan surfaces of different ages.
Plane-strain deformation of an elastic material compressed in a rough rectangular cavity

Deformation and stress distributions in a linear elastic solid, confined to a rigid cavity with rough walls and subjected to uniform compression from one end, are examined. Wall roughness is modeled by Coulomb friction. At the rigid walls, one boundary condition involves deformation and the other stresses, and this renders the problem non-standard. A Laplace transformation solution is constructed for a semi-infinite cavity, and a computational solution for a cavity with finite length. Agreement between the two solutions is good, and improves with increasing cavity lengths and higher coefficients of friction. There exists a critical value of the coefficient of friction below which the axial displacements decay monotonically with distance from the loaded end and the material points stay in contact with the rough walls. For supercritical values of the coefficient of friction, displacements and stresses on the rough walls exhibit oscillatory behavior in the axial direction. The material loses contact with the walls, and the analytical solution presented here loses validity.
Observation of Ficoll charge using size-exclusion chromatography

The retention volumes of Ficoll samples of varying molecular weight were determined on porous glass and Superose columns, and compared with those of Pullulan. The retention of Ficoll is pH- and ionic strength-dependent, indicating that it bears a weak negative charge at moderate pH. Comparisons were made with similar charge repulsion effects for proteins on Superose to provide an estimate of the extent of charge on Ficoll, with the conclusion that only a few charges exist per molecule at neutral pH.
Photonic crystal heterostructure laser with lattice-shifted cavity

A double-heterostructure photonic crystal laser cavity was designed and characterized in a lattice-shifted photonic crystal membrane. A high side-mode-suppression-ratio (20 dB) mode was obtained from this cavity. Good agreement was obtained between the numerical predictions and the experimental lasing data.
Minimally adequate mental health care and latent classes of PTSD symptoms in female Iraq and Afghanistan veterans

Female veterans of Operations Enduring and Iraqi Freedom, and Operation New Dawn (OEF/OIF/OND) represent a growing segment of Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care users. A retrospective analysis used national VA medical records to identify factors associated with female OEF/OIF/OND veterans' completion of minimally adequate care (MAC) for PTSD, defined as the completion of at least nine mental health outpatient visits within a 15-week period or at least twelve consecutive weeks of medication use. The sample included female OEF/OIF/OND veterans with PTSD who initiated VA health care between 2007-2013, and were seen in outpatient mental health (N=2183). Multivariable logistic regression models examined factors associated with completing MAC for PTSD, including PTSD symptom expression (represented by latent class analysis), sociodemographic, military, clinical, and VA access factors. Within one year of initiating mental health care, 48.3% of female veterans completed MAC. Race/ethnicity, age, PTSD symptom class, additional psychiatric diagnoses, and VA primary care use were significantly associated with completion of MAC for PTSD. Results suggest that veterans presenting for PTSD treatment should be comprehensively evaluated to identify factors associated with inadequate completion of care. Treatments that are tailored to PTSD symptom class may help to address potential barriers.
Altered Thyrotropin (TSH) Carbohydrate Structures inHypothalamic Hypothyroidism Created byParaventricular Nuclear Lesions Are Corrected by inVivo TSH-Releasing Hormone Administration

Abstract TSH is a glycoprotein hormone composed of twosubunits with attached carbohydrate chains that have varying structural characteristics. To determine the role of TRH in vivo in regulating structural characteristics of TSH carbohydrate chains, adult rats received paraventricular nuclear (PVN) lesions(n = 6) or sham lesions (n = 6). The PVN contain large amounts of TRH, and rats with lesions in these hypothalamic nuclei have been shown to have decreased plasma thyroid hormone levels.At 10 days after surgery, sc osmotic pumps infusing saline or 1mg/kg/day TRH were placed. At 14 days after surgery, pituitarieswere removed and incubated with [3H]glucosamine for 24 h.Glycopeptides prepared from secreted TSH were sequentiallyeluted from Concanavalin-A chromatography columns selecting unbound, weakly bound, and strongly bound forms. Plasma free T4 was lower in the PVN lesioned rats treated with saline than sham lesioned rats treated with saline (1.6±0.4 vs. 5.2 ± 0.1 ng/dl, P < 0.001). In vivo TRH administr...
On the Linear Convergence of a Covariance Factorization Algorithm

An algorithm for factoring a covariance function into its Hurwitz factors, which is based on the Cholesky factors of a certain matrix, was proposed by F.L. Bauer and others. This algorithm bears a close connection to the theory of orthogonal polynomials, and a closer one to the theory of prediction of stationary time series. In this paper these relations are pointed out and then used to advantage to prove the linear convergence of this algorithm.
Human cerebrospinal fluid peptidomics

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) has frequently been extensively studied to explore several different central nervous system (CNS) disorders because it contains proteins, enzymes, hormones, neuropeptides and neurotransmitters that play critical regulatory roles in many different physiological processes. Individual neuropeptidergic systems in CSF have been studied. In theory, peptidomics offers a bird's-eye, comprehensive and systems-level approach to analyze all of the peptidergic systems that have been expressed in CSF at any given time. In this study, low molecular mass (M(r) < 5 kDa) peptides were isolated by ultrafiltration. The isolated peptides, with or without trypsin digestion, were preferentially enriched with a solid-phase extraction cartridge, and the peptides were separated with capillary liquid chromatography and analyzed with on-line quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MS). In this proof-of-principle study, the 20 representative MS-characterized peptides were shown to be derived from 12 proteins, among which four proteins, amyloid-like protein 1, secretogranin I, granin-like neuroendocrine peptide precursor and neurosecretory protein VGF, have been shown elsewhere to be either associated with CNS disorders or to play a central role in the CNS. The long-term goals of this peptidomics study are to monitor the changes (amount; modifications) of CSF peptides, clarify the aberrant processing of large intact protein precursors, elucidate the molecular mechanisms of CNS disorders and find biomarkers. This analytical method is effective for the analysis of the human lumbar CSF peptidome.
Assessing sensitivity of source term estimation

Abstract Source term estimation algorithms compute unknown atmospheric transport and dispersion modeling variables from concentration observations made by sensors in the field. Insufficient spatial and temporal resolution in the meteorological data as well as inherent uncertainty in the wind field data make source term estimation and the prediction of subsequent transport and dispersion extremely difficult. This work addresses the question: how many sensors are necessary in order to successfully estimate the source term and meteorological variables required for atmospheric transport and dispersion modeling? The source term estimation system presented here uses a robust optimization technique – a genetic algorithm (GA) – to find the combination of source location, source height, source strength, surface wind direction, surface wind speed, and time of release that produces a concentration field that best matches the sensor observations. The approach is validated using the Gaussian puff as the dispersion model in identical twin numerical experiments. The limits of the system are tested by incorporating additive and multiplicative noise into the synthetic data. The minimum requirements for data quantity and quality are determined by an extensive grid sensitivity analysis. Finally, a metric is developed for quantifying the minimum number of sensors necessary to accurately estimate the source term and to obtain the relevant wind information.
Comparison of endothelial function, O2-* and H2O2 production, and vascular oxidative stress resistance between the longest-living rodent, the naked mole rat, and mice

Vascular aging is characterized by decreased nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability, oxidative stress, and enhanced apoptotic cell death. We hypothesized that interspecies comparative assesment of vascu...
Repeated additions of hyaluronan alters granulation tissue deposition in sponge implants in mice

The role for the metabolism of hyaluronic acid in the repair process is uncertain. Fetal dermal wounds do not heal by scarring and have sustained high levels of hyaluronic acid. In contrast, adult dermis is repaired by scarring and has less hyaluronic acid. Initially after injury, hyaluronic acid is elevated in both adult and fetal wounds, and although it remains elevated in fetal repair, it is rapidly degraded in adult wounds. The chronic addition of hyaluronic acid or hyaluronidase to polyvinyl alcohol sponge implants in adult mice was investigated in this study. Polyvinyl alcohol sponge implants containing a central reservoir were placed subcutaneously in the dorsum of adult male CD-1 mice. Mice were divided into three groups: a phosphate-buffered saline control, a 20 microgram hyaluronic acid treatment group, and a 10 U hyaluronidase treatment group. The central reservoir of each sponge implant received appropriate compound every 3 days for 2 weeks via transdermal injection and were then evaluated histologically. At 2 weeks, the cellular density and the quantity of granulation tissue deposition were the greatest in the hyaluronidase group and were lowest in the hyaluronic acid group. In addition, the organization of collagen fiber bundles was the most dense in the hyaluronidase group and least in the hyaluronic acid group. In a second experiment, polyvinyl alcohol sponge implants in mice received either phosphate-buffered saline solution or 20 microgram hyaluronic acid every 3 days for 1 week. On day 5, an aliquot of fluorescently tagged native collagen was injected into the sponges. Sponges were harvested at day 7, cryosections made, and the presence of autofluorescent collagen fibers assessed. The autofluorescent collagen fiber bundles in the phosphate-buffered saline solution group were organized in thick parallel bundles, whereas the collagen bundles from hyaluronic acid-treated implants were organized in fine lacelike structures. Chronic addition of hyaluronic acid appears to mimic the fetal dermal connective tissue matrix in which repair proceeds with diminished collagen deposition, organized in finer collagen fiber bundles in granulation tissue. On the other hand, the removal of hyaluronic acid by the chronic administration of hyaluronidase increases the amount of granulation tissue. Elevated levels of hyaluronic acid in granulation tissue appear to modulate the ability of resident fibroblasts to organize collagen fiber bundles.
Teaching Students to Become Effective in Policy Practice: Integrating Social Capital into Social Work Education and Practice

ABSTRACT Social workers must integrate social capital more fully into social work policy practice. In order to do so, social work educators must recognize the complexities of social capital and must provide opportunities for students to learn about the utility of social capital within policy and practice realms. Since its inception, professional social work has used elements of social capital in interventions at the micro, mezzo, and macro levels. Educators must recognize this and integrate social capital into the curriculum so that our students can effectively use social capital in policy practice.
Effect of ionized serum calcium on outcomes in acute kidney injury needing renal replacement therapy: secondary analysis of the acute renal failure trial network study

AbstractBackground: Hypocalcemia is very common in critically ill patients. While the effect of ionized calcium (iCa) on outcome is not well understood, manipulation of iCa in critically ill patients is a common practice. We analyzed all-cause mortality and several secondary outcomes in patients with acute kidney injury (AKI) by categories of serum iCa among participants in the Acute Renal Failure Trial Network (ATN) Study. Methods: This is a post hoc secondary analysis of the ATN Study which was not preplanned in the original trial. Risk of mortality and renal recovery by categories of iCa were compared using multiple fixed and adjusted time-varying Cox regression models. Multiple linear regression models were used to explore the impact of baseline iCa on days free from ICU and hospital. Results: A total of 685 patients were included in the analysis. Mean age was 60 (SD = 15) years. There were 502 male patients (73.3%). Sixty-day all-cause mortality was 57.0%, 54.8%, and 54.4%, in patients with an iCa <1...
Stimulation of urinary TGF-beta and isoprostanes in response to hyperglycemia in humans.

TGF-β and oxidant stress have been considered to play key roles in the pathogenesis of diabetic vascular complications; however, the stimulus for these factors in humans is not clear. The purpose of this in vivo study was to determine whether transient hyperglycemia in humans is sufficient to increase renal production of TGF-β1 and urinary isoprostanes in normal humans. A hyperglycemic clamp procedure was performed on 13 healthy volunteers. An infusion of glucose was delivered to maintain the plasma glucose between 200 and 250 mg/dl for 120 min. Timed urine samples, collected on an overnight period before the study, at each void on completion of the procedure, and the following overnight, were assayed for TGF-β1, F2-isoprostanes, and creatinine. Plasma samples were assayed for TGF-β1 before and at timed intervals throughout hyperglycemia. Mean baseline TGF-β1 in plasma was 4.57 ± 0.22 ng/ml, and no change in plasma TGF-β1 levels was detected throughout the hyperglycemia period. Baseline urine TGF-β1 was 4.14 ± 1.16 pg/mg creatinine. The fractional urine samples showed a sharp increase in TGF-β1 excretion in the 12-h period after exposure to hyperglycemia, with a mean peak TGF-β1 of 30.43 ± 8.05 pg/mg (P = 0.002). TGF-β1 excretion in the subsequent overnight urine sample was not different from baseline (4.62 ± 1.21 pg/mg). Urinary isoprostanes increased from a baseline of 4.92 ± 0.74 to 13.8 ± 3.37 ng/mg creatinine. It is concluded that 120 min of hyperglycemia in normal humans is sufficient to induce an increase in renal TGF-β1 and isoprostane production.
Observations on the fine structure of peripheral nerve myelin.

The incorporation of digitonin 0.2% w/v in cacodylate buffered glutaraldehyde reduces the amount of cholesterol extracted in the dehydrating (lipid extracting) solutions. The fixative enhances membrane structure and results in the preservation of a double minor period in peripheral myelin. The periodicity obtained is in agreement with those derived from x-ray diffraction studies.
Historical perspectives on technology, ethics, and privacy

The critical issues of technological change involve people, before profits. However, the authors consider how technology and profits drive most organizations. Responsible managers understand how people reacted to change in the past to prepare them for future changes. They ask how change shifts the values and responsibilities within their own organizations. Learning from history, managers break from the past and lead people who use technology to further the interests of all. >
Overview of pharmacologic therapy for the treatment of dyslipidemia.

Summary Although the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III (ATP III) guidelines stress the importance of nonpharmacologic lipid modification interventions such as diet and exercise, the guidelines also recognize that many patients will require drug therapy to achieve low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) target goals. Currently available lipid-modifying drugs include bile acid sequestrants (or resins), fibrates, nicotinic acid, and statins, with each class exerting different effects on the lipid profile. In addition, nonprescription agents such as plant stanols and sterols have been shown to be effective in modifying plasma lipids. Of these agents, the statins are the most effective, most widely prescribed, and best-tolerated form of lipid-lowering drug therapy. New formulations of other drugs, such as niacin and bile acid sequestrants, can also improve treatment regimes and reduce side effects, thereby improving patient compliance with these therapies. In patients who have high levels of LDL-C and triglycerides together with low concentrations of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), combination therapy may be required. Ezetimibe, a selective cholesterol absorption inhibitor, is the first of a new class of lipid-lowering agents and provides a new agent for the management of patients with dyslipidemia. Data from the ezetimibe clinical development program suggests that this agent can be used alone or in combination with statins to reduce LDL-C, improve compliance, and bring more patients to ATP III target goal.
ASL Loci: Variables or Features?

American Sign Language famously disambiguates pronoun antecedents with the use of space. In ASL, both referential and quantificational NPs can be signed at different locations (‘loci’) in the signing space. Pronouns can later retrieve these NPs by pointing at the same locus. Many analyses of ASL pronouns assume that these spatial loci are the overt realization of formal variables (Lillo-Martin and Klima 1990, a.o.), based on the observations that there are arbitrarily many loci and that pronoun ambiguity can be resolved under multiple levels of embedding. In this paper, I argue that loci should not be analyzed as variables, but rather as morphosyntactic features. First, I show that the variable-based analysis under-generates: it is possible for two loci-sharing pronouns to appear free in the same expression but nevertheless receive different interpretations. Second, I show that loci share certain important properties with morphosyntactic features, including their behavior under focus-sensitive operators and their ability to induce complex agreement patterns. These results directly bear on the theory of Variable-Free Semantics (Jacobson 1999), which posits that the logic underlying natural language does not make use of formal variables. As proof of concept, I provide a variable-free fragment of ASL loci.
Time and Punishment

Right now, this abstract is a placeholder for a paper I am developing that examines the normative conundra associated with how the passage of time affects the institutional imposition and distribution of punishment in criminal law and procedure. Specifically, I explore what principles have been articulated by courts and other political actors to justify temporal limits on criminal responsibility such as those found in statutes of limitations; determinations of offender competence pre-, during, and post-adjudication; the effects of intervening changes in the law and related issues of retroactivity; and choices regarding consecutive and concurrent sentencing. I am chiefly interested in explaining what the time constraints are in the context of criminal law, and whether they endure bare scrutiny. This paper is still gestating, so suggestions from readers of this abstract are welcome.
Malignant transformation of a duodenal duplication cyst in a cat

Case summaryA 15-year-old domestic shorthair cat presented for lethargy, vomiting and anorexia. Abdominal ultrasound showed a bi-lobed cystic duodenal mass. Based on ultrasonographic features, mali...
Pyrophyllite solid solutions in the system Al 2 O 3 -SiO 2 -H 2 O

Pyrophyllite solid solutions have been synthesized in the system Al 2 O 3 -SiO 2 -H 2 O between 400° and 565°C at 2 kbar from a variety of starting materials using sealed gold tubes and conventional hydrothermal techniques. The duration of experiments was 3-9 weeks. Products were characterized by X-ray measurements and by infrared spectroscopy. Appreciably larger basal spacings were observed for pyrophyllite synthesized from gels than for natural pyrophyllite; small amounts of quartz were present in these samples. Basal spacings of pyrophyllite synthesized from mixtures of kaolinite and quartz approach but do not equal those of natural pyrophyllite. Rehydroxylation of dehydroxylated pyrophyllite under hydrothermal conditions suggests that enlargement of basal spacings cannot be due to hydroxylation. Substitution of the type Al 3+ + H + = Si 4+ is proposed to explain the observed variations. The coupled substitution of the type Al 3+ and (OH) - for Si 4+ and O* h2-*s results in expanded basal spacings due largely to the formation of OH on the basal surface and in increased thermal stability due to the formation of H-bonds between oxygens in adjacent silica sheets. Analyses of natural pyrophyllite also suggest limited substitution of this type. Failure to recognize these substitutions in synthetic samples accounts, in part, for discrepancies in the reported thermal stability of pyrophyllite. Phase characterization, often lacking, is essential in experimental studies of mineral stabilities.
Control revisited

Some personal recollections of automatic control before 1947. My first contact with a process control system occurred when I went to work in the Physics Laboratory of Dow Chemical Company, Midland, Michigan, in the summer of 1936. This laboratory was then headed by Dr. John Grebe. I was assigned as an operator of a very small pilot plant which was reacting chlorine and acetylene to make what was called acetylene tetrachloride and, I guess, would now be called 1, 1, 2, 2-tetra-chloro-ethane. The automatic control on the system consisted of a pressure reducing controller on each of the tanks containing acetylene and chlorine. Glass U-tube manometers containing liquid acetylene tetrachloride, measuring the differential pressure across orifices in each of the supply lines, were used to measure the two supply flows. A glass tube served as a liquid level gauge in the reactor and my job on the 12:00 midnight to 8:00 a.m. shift was to maintain the supply flows at the specified values and to withdraw the acetylene tetrachloride product when the level in the reactor exceeded a certain value. The top of the reactor was connected to a stack pipe going out the roof of the building and from time to time a sample of effluent gas was drawn into an orsat gas analyzer which I operated by turning stopcocks and raising and lowering mercury filled flasks.
Appraisal navigator

Much interesting text n the web consists largely of opinionated or evaluative text, as opposed to directly informative text. The new field of 'sentiment analysis' seeks to characterize such aspects of natural language text, as opposed to just the bare facts. We suggest that 'appraisal expression extraction' should be viewed as a fundamental task for sentiment analysis. We define an 'appraisal expression' to be a piece of text expressing some evaluative stance towards a particular object. The task is to find these elements and characterize the type and orientation (positive or negative) of the evaluative stance, as well as its target and possibly its source. Potential applications of these methods include new approaches to the now-traditional tasks of sentiment classification and pinion mining, as well as possibly for adversarial textual analysis and intention detection for intelligence applications.
Home behavioral economics: Childcare decisions in the United States and Norway.

This research investigated how a couple decides which parent stays home as a childcare provider by attempting to determine the economic value on maternal care versus paternal care while examining the potential effects of nationality, gender role attitudes, and social support. We collected data from 240 American participants and 250 Norwegian participants who were asked to decide how much a mother needs to earn to allow her husband to stay at home to provide childcare and how much a father needs to earn to allow his wife to stay at home and provide childcare, in addition to items assessing gender role attitudes. No effect of social support was found, but Norwegians were slightly more likely than Americans to place a heavier earning burden on the husband. There were few differences in gender role attitudes by nationality. The impact of public policy and social desirability on the results and childcare decision making are discussed.
Evolution of Udder Hygiene: Premilking Teat Sanitation

Udder hygiene is the most cost-effective means to control bovine mastitis. Proper attention to hygiene during milking, postmilking, and between milking have been emphasized for many years. Premilking teat sanitation has been a procedure for consideration only since the late 1970s. Limited research suggests that predipping can significantly reduce incidence of new udder infections. However, efficacy of predipping can be reduced by management factors.
Failure to fill a first prescription of a new medication is common in primary care settings

Commentary on: Tamblyn R, Eguale T, Huang A, et al. The incidence and determinants of primary non-adherence with prescribed medication in primary care: a cohort study. Ann Intern Med 2014;160:441–50.[OpenUrl][1][CrossRef][2][PubMed][3][Web of Science][4] Poor medication adherence is common and has been a long-standing concern of providers, payers and policy-makers alike. The incidence and prevalence of primary non-adherence, or the failure to fill a first prescription of a new medication, is increasingly quantifiable with advances in health information technology. Prior work suggests that as many as one-third of new prescriptions may not be filled, although rates of primary non-adherence vary based on a number of factors, including study populations and research designs, as well as medication class, route of administration … [1]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DAnn%2BIntern%2BMed%26rft.volume%253D160%26rft.spage%253D441%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Adoi%252F10.7326%252FM13-1705%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Apmid%252F24687067%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [2]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=10.7326/M13-1705&link_type=DOI [3]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=24687067&link_type=MED&atom=%2Febmed%2F19%2F5%2F196.atom [4]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=000334093800001&link_type=ISI
An Experimental Study of Wake Vortex Instabilities

An investigation of the stability of a four-vortex wake has been conducted in the atmospheric boundary layer wind tunnel at the University of Notre Dame. Four independent wing models were used to create a generic four-vortex wake, such that the effects of circulation strength and vortex span could easily be studied. Helium bubble flow visualizations provide sufficient evidence of the persistence of a long-wavelength instability driven primarily by the strain field between the inboard-outboard vortex pair for a specific set of wake configurations. A quantitative investigation into the near-field development of these wakes via hot-wire anemometry further indicates the development of the elliptical form of short-wavelength instability. The experimental measurements of a short-wavelength perturbation frequency was found to compare favorably to that predicted by theory.
Abstract 4306: Lack of TGF-β signaling induces a switch from single to collective cell migration in vivo

Proceedings: AACR 103rd Annual Meeting 2012‐‐ Mar 31‐Apr 4, 2012; Chicago, IL Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) has a dual role during tumorigenesis initially as a suppressor and then as a promoter. In stromal fibroblasts, TGF-β signaling suppresses tumorigenesis in adjacent epithelia, while its ablation potentiates tumor formation. Concurrently, epithelial TGF-β signaling regulates fibroblast recruitment and activation. Yet, the role of TGF-β in stromal-epithelial migration during tumorigenesis is unknown. We hypothesize that TGF-β is a critical regulator of tumor-stromal interactions that promote mammary tumor cell migration and invasion. We are using the chicken embryo chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) model to study this interplay by grafting both breast cancer epithelial cells, isolated from either TGF-β receptor II knockout (TβRII-deficient) or TβRII floxed (control) mice, and fibroblasts onto the CAM. Intravital microscopy revealed fibroblast stimulation of either a single cell/strand migration of control cells or collective migration of TβRII-deficient cells, both along the vasculature. Epithelial clusters at the epithelial-stromal boundaries of TβRII-deficient tumors express E-cadherin, p120, and β-catenin, while control epithelia in these regions express αSMA. TβRII-deficient tumors also exhibit a two-fold greater local CAM metastasis than control tumors. Epithelial tumor RNA isolated by laser capture microdissection was analyzed on a qPCR array. In TβRII-deficient epithelium compared to control epithelium, we found upregulation of Igfbp4 and Tspan13 and downregulation of Col1α2, Bmp7, Wnt11, Gng11, Vcan, Tmeff1, and Dsc2. Western and qPCR analyses validated these targets in vitro. For current and future studies determining the relevance of these targets to migration patterning, we achieved Wnt11 overexpression in TβRII-deficient cells, as well as knockdown of Wnt11 and Tmeff1 in control cells. Our findings about TGF-β signaling in stromal-epithelial interactions are important in identifying migratory mechanisms that can be targeted as recourse for breast cancer treatment. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4306. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-4306
Micromotion Pictures of the Growth of Mycobacterium Phlei

The mycobacteria with their long history of reported nonacid-fast forms and variant strains provide an especially attractive setting for such schemes of pleomorphic and cyclic changes as are now receiving widespread attention. With these organisms, however, it is difficult to make thoroughly convincing experiments, partly because tubercle bacilli live only on a few special mediums, but mainly because they grow very slowly even under the most favorable conditions. Visual studies of the development of single organisms over the necessarily long periods of observation are not entirely satisfactory; the chances of contamination are great, and it is often hard to recognize certain slow growing bacteria as the contaminants that they undoubtedly are. Many of these uncertainties can be removed only by some procedure which gives a continuous record of individual cells. With this in mind slow micromotion pictures are being made of several acid-fast organisms living in microculture. The present paper records observations of the growth of the timothy grass bacillus, Mycobacterium phlei, on the surface of solid mediums.