cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Propranolol stimulates the crosslinking of matrix components in skin from the aneurysm-prone Blotchy mouse

Abstract Propranolol prevents or delays the formation of aortic aneurysms in both the lathyritic turkey and the Blotchy mouse models. This finding in the turkey is reported to be a direct effect on crosslinking of aortic collagen and elastin, independent of effects on pulse and blood pressure. The present work was performed to evaluate this hypothesis in the mouse model by studying the effect of propranolol on the insolubility of matrix proteins of skin, which would isolate the phenomenon from direct hemodynamic effects. Eight 6- to 8-week-old Blotchy mice were fed a diet containing 0.10% ( w w ) propranolol for 12 weeks, and six Blotchy controls ate regular chow. At sacrifice the skins were extracted with 8 M urea, and the soluble and insoluble fractions were analyzed for hydroxyproline to determine the collagen contents. The elastin was estimated by subtracting the collagen from the insoluble fraction. There was a 147% increase in insoluble elastin with propranolol and a lesser increase of 54% in insoluble collagen. These results suggest that propranolol has a direct effect on crosslinking of matrix components.
Iron deficiency chlorosis in soybean: Soybean seeding rate and companion crop effects

Iron deficiency chlorosis (IDC) is an important production problem in soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] grown in the upper Midwest. Although IDC-tolerant varieties are available to producers, even tolerant cultivars suffer from IDC-related stresses. Several cultural methods have been utilized in an attempt to reduce IDC losses. Interplant competition from increased soybean seeding rates or companion crops appears to reduce IDC symptoms. Two related studies were established to examine increased seeding rates and the planting of companion crops to reduce IDC of soybean in eight IDC-prone environments. In one study, soybean was planted at five seeding rates from 432000 to 926000 seeds ha -1 . In a second study, a glyphosate-resistant soybean variety was planted as a sole crop or with companion crops of glyphosate-susceptible soybean or oat (Avena sativa L.). Seeding rate treatments affected IDC scores and yield, but these effects were confounded by environmental interactions. Overall, yield increases from higher seeding rates tended to be small and inconsistent, but among seven environments exhibiting mild to moderate IDC symptoms, increasing seeding rates from 432000 to 926 000 seeds ha -1 increased yields by 281 kg ha -1 (16%). Blending of a glyphosate-susceptible with a glyphosate-resistant variety seemed to have little positive effect on yield of soybean (yield gains varied from -333 to + 566 kg ha -1 ). Likewise, using oat interseeded with soybean to reduce IDC symptoms and increase soybean yields is unlikely to be a profitable practice for soybean producers.
Human gamma-tubulin functions in fission yeast

gamma-Tubulin is a phylogenetically conserved component of microtubule-organizing centers that is essential for viability and microtubule function. To examine the functional conservation of gamma-tubulin, we have tested the ability of human gamma-tubulin to function in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. We have found that expression of a human gamma-tubulin cDNA restores viability and a near-normal growth rate to cells of S. pombe lacking endogenous gamma-tubulin. Immunofluorescence microscopy showed that these cells contained normal mitotic spindles and interphase microtubule arrays, and that human gamma-tubulin, like S. pombe gamma-tubulin, localized to spindle pole bodies, the fungal microtubule-organizing centers. These results demonstrate that human gamma-tubulin functions in fission yeast, and they suggest that in spite of the great morphological differences between the microtubule-organizing centers of humans and fission yeasts, gamma-tubulin is likely to perform the same tasks in both. They suggest, moreover, that the proteins that interact with gamma-tubulin, including, most obviously, microtubule-organizing center proteins, must also be conserved. We have also found that a fivefold overexpression of S. pombe gamma-tubulin causes no reduction in growth rates or alteration of microtubule organization. We hypothesize that the excess gamma-tubulin is maintained in the cytoplasm in a form incapable of nucleating microtubule assembly. Finally, we have found that expression of human gamma-tubulin or overexpression of S. pombe gamma-tubulin causes no significant alteration of resistance to the antimicrotubule agents benomyl, thiabendazole and nocodazole.
Inequality Constraints in the Univariate GARCH Model

To keep the conditional variances generated by the GARCH (p, q) model nonnegative, Bollerslev imposed nonnegativity constraints on the parameters of the process. We show that these constraints can be substantially weakened and so should not be imposed in estimation. We also provide empirical examples illustrating the importance of relaxing these constraints.
The N-end rule pathway is required for import of histidine in yeast lacking the kinesin-like protein Cin8p.

The N-end rule pathway is a ubiquitin-dependent proteolytic system whose targets include proteins bearing destabilizing N-terminal residues. We carried out a synthetic lethal screen for Saccharomyces cerevisiae mutants that require the N-end rule pathway for cell viability. A mutant thus identified, termed sln2, could not grow in the absence of Ubr1p, the recognition component of the N-end rule pathway, which was not essential for viability of the parental strain under the same conditions. Further analysis showed that inviability of sln2ubr1Δ cells could be rescued either by the HIS3 gene (which was absent from the parental strain) or by a high concentration of histidine in the medium. This defect in histidine uptake, exhibited by the sln2 mutant in the absence but not in the presence of Ubr1p, was traced to the gene HIP1, which encodes the histidine transporter. HIP1 was underexpressed in sln2 ubr1Δ cells, in comparison to either sln2 UBR1 or SLN2 ubr1Δ cells. Yet another property of the sln2 mutant was its inviability at 37 °C, which could not be rescued by either UBR1 or HIS3. This feature of sln2 allowed the cloning of SLN2, which was found to be a gene called CIN8, encoding a kinesin-like protein. Thus, either the N-end rule pathway or Cin8p must be present for the viability-sustaining rate of histidine import in S. cerevisiae auxotrophic for histidine. We consider possible mechanisms of this previously unsuspected link between kinesins, ubiquitin-dependent proteolysis, and the import of histidine.
Electromagnetic Field Representation in Inhomogeneous Anisotropic Media

Some of the basic developments in the theory of electromagnetic field representation in terms of Hertz vectors are reviewed. A solution for the field in an inhomogeneous anisotropic medium is given in terms of the two Hertz vectors. Conditions for presentation of the field in terms of uncoupled transverse electric and transverse magnetic modes, in a general orthogonal coordinate system, are derived when the permeability and permittivity tensors have only diagonal components. These conditions are compared with some known special cases.
Sustainable business models: systematic approach toward successful ambulatory care pharmacy practice.

Purpose This article discusses considerations for making ambulatory care pharmacist services at least cost neutral and, ideally, generate a margin that allows for service expansion. Summary The four pillars of business sustainability are leadership, staffing, information technology, and compensation. A key facet of leadership in ambulatory care pharmacy practice is creating and expressing a clear vision for pharmacists’ services. Staffing considerations include establishing training needs, maximizing efficiencies, and minimizing costs. Information technology is essential for efficiency in patient care delivery and outcomes assessment. The three domains of compensation are cost savings, pay for performance, and revenue generation. The following eight steps for designing and implementing an ambulatory care pharmacist service are discussed: (1) prepare a needs assessment, (2) analyze existing strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, (3) analyze service gaps and feasibility, (4) consider financial opportunities, (5) consider stakeholders’ interests, (6) develop a business plan, (7) implement the service, and (8) measure outcomes. Potential future changes in national healthcare policy (such as pharmacist provider status and expanded pay for performance) could enhance the opportunities for sustainable ambulatory care pharmacy practice. Conclusion The key challenges facing ambulatory care pharmacists are developing sustainable business models, determining which services yield a positive return on investment, and demanding payment for value-added services.
Bulls, Bears, and Birds: Preparing the Financial Industry for an Avian Influenza Pandemic.

Bulls, Bears, and Birds: Preparing the Financial Industry for an Avian Influenza Pandemic was a halfday symposium on avian influenza for senior leaders and decision makers from the financial sector with responsibility for business continuity, health, and security. The event brought together experts and leaders from the medical, public health, business continuity, and financial communities to apprise financial industry leaders on the threat of avian influenza and to offer suggestions regarding what the financial industry could do to prepare and respond.
Randomized trial of estradiol vaginal ring versus oral oxybutynin for the treatment of overactive bladder.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of the ultralow-dose estradiol vaginal ring with that of oral oxybutynin in the treatment of overactive bladder in postmenopausal women. METHODS: Postmenopausal women with an overactive bladder were recruited from the general gynecology clinic. Participants were randomized to receive either the ultralow-dose estradiol vaginal ring or oral oxybutynin for 12 weeks. The primary outcome was a decrease in the number of voids in 24 hours. The secondary outcomes were quality-of-life questionnaires vaginal pH levels and vaginal maturation index. RESULTS: Fifty-nine women were enrolled. Thirty-one were randomized to receive oxybutynin whereas 28 received the estradiol vaginal ring. Women who received oxybutynin had a mean decrease of 3.0 voids per day and women who received the vaginal ring had a mean decrease of 4.5 voids per day with no significant difference between the groups. There was a significant improvement in Urogenital Distress Inventory and Incontinence Impact Questionnaire scores in both groups with no significant difference in improvement between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Ultralow-dose estradiol-releasing vaginal ring and oral oxybutynin seem to be similarly effective in decreasing the number of daily voids in postmenopausal women with overactive bladder.
Direct measurement of the deep circulation within the Brazil Basin

Abstract In support of the Deep Basin Experiment, part of the World Ocean Circulation Experiment, a large number of neutrally buoyant floats were released within the Brazil Basin during the 1990s in an attempt to measure directly the circulation in the deep ocean interior. Three levels corresponding to the three major subthermocline water masses were selected, and results from the deeper two (North Atlantic Deep Water, NADW, and Antarctic Bottom Water, AABW) are described. At this writing processing of acquired tracking data is incomplete. Hence, this paper reports on the progress of the observational program and gives our initial conclusions. It appears that the flow in the deep Brazil Basin is unlike previous conjectures in which the circulation patterns can be characterized as being primarily meridional, both along the western boundary and in the interior. The existence of a deep western boundary current (DWBC) is quite clear in the float data at the NADW level, but less prominent in the AABW, and the interior flow is dominantly zonal with unexpectedly small meridional space scales. Integral time scales are long, of order 20–30 days, and eddy kinetic energy levels are low, of order 1 cm2/s2. In spite of the low energy levels a surprising number of our floats became caught up in vortices. A line of seamounts extending offshore near 20°S, known as the Vitoria–Trindade Seamounts, interrupts the DWBCs and is the location for eddy formation and apparent flow away from the boundary into the interior. Although it has been speculated that this could feed a narrow zonal current of NADW (the “Namib Col Current”) our float trajectories suggest a return to the western boundary, rather than a continuation to the east.
Precision complexity analysis: a case study using insertion sort

Abstract Several new best case and worst case results are obtained for the complexity of sorting lists by the insertion sort algorithm. These results are in terms of various parameters that reflect the degree of disorder in the list being sorted, in addition to the traditional parameter of list length. Beyond the intrinsic interest of these complexities, they provide a convenient context for the study of how the precision of an analysis varies with the choice of analysis parameters. We characterize the imprecision of an analysis in terms of the difference ΔC = Cw − Cb between the worst case and best case complexity for the problem instances in the generic equivalence class induced by the problem parameters used in the analysis. We call this the inhomogeneity of the generic induced subclass. We consider various combinations of parameters, inducing corresponding subclass types called big, medium, small, tiny, and singleton classes. The precision of the different analyses relative to each other is quantified. For example, asymptotically as list length grows, we find that big, medium, tiny, small, and singleton subclasses have average inhomogeneity in the ratio 1 : 2 3 : 1 2 : 0: 0 . Thus, in particular, small classes and singleton classes both have zero inhomogeneity, or are perfectly homogeneous. This must be so for singleton classes because they contain only one member. It is interesting, however, that small classes, which contain many problem instances in general, are perfectly homogeneous, and that they are more homogeneous than tiny classes which are generally smaller. For our small classes, and any perfectly homogeneous classes, the best case, worst case and expected case complexities are all equal to each other and to the exact case complexity of all instances in the equivalence class. Analytic complexities for such classes are perfectly precise, and allow the exact prediction of complexity on an instance-by-instance basis. Less precise analyses (such as those over our big, medium, and tiny classes) may, however, be preferable, depending on the relative cost of extracting the values for the parameters used, the tractability of the analysis, and the difficulty of computing a value from the derived complexity expression. These tradeoffs and the implications of precision and homogeneity for complexity analysis in general, are discussed based on the present case study of the sorting problem and the author's related work on the constraint satisfaction problem.
On neighbourhood line graphs

Abstract In this paper we study relationships between neighbourhood line graphs and a certain type of design. We answer some questions posed by Neumaier [4].
Imaging of the Coronary Arteries by Transesophageal Echocardiography

Detection of the proximal left and right coronary arteries is possible by transesophageal echocardiography with rather high frequencies. The proximal left coronary artery can be detected in 86% of patients and the proximal right in 82%. Precise identification of obstructive disease is possible but is confounded by heart movement and as yet inadequate criteria for its presence to make this routinely clinically possible. It is also possible to detect flow within these vessels with conventional pulsed or Doppler color flow methods. Given recent improvements in system performance, it is likely that adequate descriptors of proximal coronary anatomy and obstruction will be likely with these approaches.
Multiobject relative fuzzy connectedness and its implications in image segmentation

The notion of fuzzy connectedness captures the idea of hanging-togetherness of image elements in an object by assigning a strength of connectedness to every possible path between every possible pair of image elements. This concept leads to powerful image segmentation algorithms based on dynamic programming whose effectiveness has been demonstrated on 1000s of images in a variety of applications. In a previous framework, we introduced the notion of relative fuzzy connectedness for separating a foreground object from a background object. In this framework, an image element c is considered to belong to that among these two objects with respect to whose reference image element c has the higher strength of connectedness. In fuzzy connectedness, a local fuzzy reflation called affinity is used on the image domain. This relation was required for theoretical reasons to be of fixed form in the previous framework. In the present paper, we generalize relative connectedness to multiple objects, allowing all objects (of importance) to compete among themselves to grab membership of image elements based on their relative strength of connectedness to reference elements. We also allow affinity to be tailored to the individual objects. We present a theoretical and algorithmic framework and demonstrate that the objects defined are independent of the reference elements chosen as long as they are not in the fuzzy boundary between objects. Examples from medical imaging are presented to illustrate visually the effectiveness of multiple object relative fuzzy connectedness. A quantitative evaluation based on 160 mathematical phantom images demonstrates objectively the effectiveness of relative fuzzy connectedness with object- tailored affinity relation.© (2001) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Monte Carlo investigation of critical dynamics in the three-dimensional Ising model.

We report the results of a Monte Carlo investigation of the (equilibrium) time-displaced correlation functions for the magnetization and energy of a simple cubic Ising model as a function of time, temperature, and lattice size. The simulations were carried out on a CDC CYBER 205 supercomputer employing a high-speed, vectorized multispin coding program and using a total of 5\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{12}$ Monte Carlo spin-flip trials. We used L\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}L\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}L lattices with periodic boundary conditions and L as large as 96. The short-time and long-time behaviors of the correlation functions are analyzed by fits to a sum of exponential decays, and the critical exponent z for the largest relaxation time is extracted using a finite-size-scaling analysis. Our estimate z=2.04\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.03 resolves an intriguing contradiction in the literature; it satisfies the theoretical lower bound and is in agreement with the prediction obtained by \ensuremath{\epsilon} expansion. We also consider various small systematic errors that typically occur in the analysis of relaxation functions and show how they can lead to spurious results if sufficient care is not exercised.
Topological exploration of unknown and partially known environments

We present the mathematical framework and algorithms for multi-robot topological exploration of unknown environments in which the main goal is to identify the different topological classes of trajectories and thus efficiently distribute the task of exploration among different groups of robots. We consider two-dimensional configuration spaces. At any point in time, the robots' map consists of known, partially-mapped obstacles. The unknown, yet-to-be-explored area is mapped to a single point, thus giving us a quotient space. The topological classes on the quotient space allows us to define topological classes of trajectories connecting a robot pose to the unknown region in the original configuration space. Robots explore this configuration space choosing different homology classes when confronted by obstacles or walls. We illustrate the basic idea with simulations of small teams of robots. Experiments with a single robot illustrate the applicability of the method to robots that have small sensor footprints and limited computational resources. We also provide comparisons with a standard frontier-based algorithm.
Measuring Spatio-temporal Distortions in Ultrafast Optics Using Normalized Coefficients

We present a general method to characterize the magnitude of spatio-temporal distortions present in ultrashort pulses of arbitrary profiles using normalized parameters that are restricted to the range [-1, 1].
The classification of stars from IRAS colors

IRAS stars with reliable fluxes at 12, 25, and 60 microns were investigated which fell into three main types: (1) bright; (2) O-rich; and (3) C-rich. The three star types had a tendency to separate in the IRAS color-color diagram such that almost nonoverlapping zones could be defined for the groups with about 70 percent of the stars included. The O-rich stars tended to be redder in (12) - (25) than bright stars, and C-rich stars tended to be redder in (25) - (60) than bright and O-rich stars. It is suggested that the flattening of the underlying continuum slope may be the dominant cause of the change in (12) - (25). Of the 4300 unassociated IRAS point sources considered, amost 50 percent are late-type stars.
The Standardized Influence Matrix and its Applications

Abstract In this article we introduce the standardized influence matrix (SIM) of parameter estimators as a conjugate of the sample covariance matrix of standardized influence functions (SIFs) evaluated at the data points. We propose principal component analysis for the SIM and its complement (SIM analysis) as a diagnostic tool for regression or other statistical inference, and provide theoretical insight to the local influence defined by Cook. We show that SIM analysis reveals the multivariate structure of outlying and/or influential points. Specifically, SIM analysis uncovers hidden structures of influence, such as clustering, that cannot be identified by the lengths of the standardized influences. Finally, examples in linear regression show that a diagnostic method using SIM is more effective if robust parameter estimates are used in calculating the sample SIM.
1002 Women with severe ischemic cardiomyopathy have worse survival than men despite similar degree of myocardial scar: a delayed hyper-enhancement MRI study

Methods 349 patients (24% women) with severe ICM >/= 70% stenosis in >/= 1 epicardial vessel on angiography and mean LV ejection fraction (EF) 23%], that underwent DHE-MRI (Siemens 1.5 T scanner, Erlangen, Germany) from 2003– 6 were studied. DHE-MR images were obtained in standard long and short axis orientations (covering the entire LV), after injection of Gadolinium dimenglumine using an inversion recovery spoiled gradient echo sequence: TE 4 msec, TR 8 msec, flip angle 300, bandwidth 140 Hz/ pixel, 23 k-space lines acquired every other RR-interval, field of view (varied from 228–330 in the x-direction and 260–330 in the y-direction) and matrix size (varied from 140–180 in the x-direction and 256 in the y-direction). For DHE-MRI analysis, a custom analysis package (VPT software, Siemens, Erlangen, Germany) was used to manually delineate endocardial and epicardial myocardial edges. Scar was defined (as % of myocardium in a 17-segment model on custom software, Siemens Research) on DHE-MR images, as intensity > 2 standard deviation above viable myocardium. Transmurality score was recorded in all segments as follows: 0 = no scar, 1 = 1– 25% scar, 2 = 26–50%, 3 = 51–75% and 4 = > 75%. Global LV scar burden was calculated as transmurality score for all segments/17. LV volumes, EF, demographic/clinical data, history of cardiac transplantation and all-cause mortality were recorded.
SAFETY OF DEXTROAMPHETAMINE AND COCAINE COMBINATIONS IN COCAINE USERS

Two studies evaluated the safety and abuse liability of d-amphetamine in combination with cocaine in twenty cocaine-using research volunteers maintained in a controlled research laboratory. The first study tested low doses of d-amphetamine (15 mg) administered orally as a 1.5-hr pretreatment before low intranasal doses (48 mg) of cocaine. The study was double-blind, double-dummy, and placebo-controlled. A dose run-up procedure was employed to maximize safety. All drug effects were modest and the main finding of the study was diminished subjective effects of cocaine on a replicate determination of the original cocaine dose. The second study examined higher doses of d-amphetamine (30 mg, p.o.) and cocaine (96 mg, i.n.), alone and in combination, without a gradual dose run-up. Cocaine alone increased subjective mood, cocaine craving, and ratings indicating cocaine abuse potential. Again, replicate administration of cocaine produced lesser subjective effects than the first dose. D-amphetamine alone increased systolic and mean arterial pressures, but produced minimal effects on subjective mood. The combination of d-amphetamine and cocaine never produced effects greater than cocaine alone except for one subject who had an asymptomatic hypertensive episode. The data are interpreted in light of the possible use of stimulants for the treatment of cocaine dependence.
INFLUENCE OF DIETARY POTASSIUM AND SODIUM/POTASSIUM MOLAR RATIOS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF SALT HYPERTENSION

Among genetically hypertension-prone rats, dietary sodium (chloride) was demonstrably hypertensinogenic and potassium (chloride) antihypertensinogenic. On diets containing the same NaCl but different KCl concentrations, mean blood pressure was greater in rats receiving less dietary potassium, i.e., diets with a higher Na/K molar ratio. On diets with different absolute concentrations of NaCl and KCl, but the same Na/K molar ratios, rats on the higher absolute NaCl intakes had the higher blood pressures. On diets with different absolute concentrations of NaCl and KCl, and different Na/K molar ratios, a group on a lower absolute NaCl intake but with a higher Na/K ratio could have more hypertension than a group on a higher absolute NaCl intake but with a lower Na/K ratio. At equivalent molar ratios, the respective effects of these two ions on blood pressure were dominated by that of sodium. It was concluded that the dietary Na/K molar ratio can be an important determinant for the severity, or even development, of salt-induced hypertension. The mechanism of the moderating effect of potassium on sodium-induced hypertension was unclear.
Mechanical strain opens connexin 43 hemichannels in osteocytes: a novel mechanism for the release of prostaglandin.

Mechanosensing bone osteocytes express large amounts of connexin (Cx)43, the component of gap junctions; yet, gap junctions are only active at the small tips of their dendritic processes, suggestin...
Oral and dental health care and anesthesia for persons with fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva

Fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP) is a devastating genetic disorder with profound oral and dental health care issues. Most patients with FOP eventually develop heterotopic ossification of the chewing muscles with resultant ankylosis of the temporom andibular joints. Preventive and restorative dental care, as well as endodontic, periodontic, and orthodontic care present therapeutic challenges to the dental practitioner, the anesthesiologist, and to the FOP patient throughout his or her life.
FDA Approval: Belinostat for the Treatment of Patients with Relapsed or Refractory Peripheral T-cell Lymphoma

On July 3, 2014, the FDA granted accelerated approval for belinostat (Beleodaq; Spectrum Pharmaceuticals, Inc.), a histone deacetylase inhibitor, for the treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL). A single-arm, open-label, multicenter, international trial in the indicated patient population was submitted in support of the application. Belinostat was administered intravenously at a dose of 1000 mg/m(2) over 30 minutes once daily on days 1 to 5 of a 21-day cycle. The primary efficacy endpoint was overall response rate (ORR) based on central radiology readings by an independent review committee. The ORR was 25.8% [95% confidence interval (CI), 18.3-34.6] in 120 patients that had confirmed diagnoses of PTCL by the Central Pathology Review Group. The complete and partial response rates were 10.8% (95% CI, 5.9-17.8) and 15.0% (95% CI, 9.1-22.7), respectively. The median duration of response, the key secondary efficacy endpoint, was 8.4 months (95% CI, 4.5-29.4). The most common adverse reactions (>25%) were nausea, fatigue, pyrexia, anemia, and vomiting. Grade 3/4 toxicities (≥5.0%) included anemia, thrombocytopenia, dyspnea, neutropenia, fatigue, and pneumonia. Belinostat is the third drug to receive accelerated approval for the treatment of relapsed or refractory PTCL.
Imaging and automated detection of Sitophilus oryzae (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) pupae in hard red winter wheat

Computed tomography, an imaging technique commonly used for diagnosing internal human health ailments, uses multiple x-rays and sophisticated software to recreate a cross-sectional representation of a subject. The use of this technique to image hard red winter wheat, Triticum aestivm L., samples infested with pupae of Sitophilus oryzae (L.) was investigated. A software program was developed to rapidly recognize and quantify the infested kernels. Samples were imaged in a 7.6-cm (o.d.) plastic tube containing 0, 50, or 100 infested kernels per kg of wheat. Interkernel spaces were filled with corn oil so as to increase the contrast between voids inside kernels and voids among kernels. Automated image processing, using a custom C language software program, was conducted separately on each 100 g portion of the prepared samples. The average detection accuracy in the five infested kernels per 100-g samples was 94.4 ± 7.3% (mean ± SD, n = 10), whereas the average detection accuracy in the 10 infested kernels per 100-g sample was 87.3 ± 7.9% (n = 10). Detection accuracy in the 10 infested kernels per 100-g samples was slightly less than the five infested kernels per 100-g samples because of some infested kernels overlapping with each other or air bubbles in the oil. A mean of 1.2 ± 0.9 (n = 10) bubbles (per tube) was incorrectly classed as infested kernels in replicates containing no infested kernels. In light of these positive results, future studies should be conducted using additional grains, insect species, and life stages.
Diacetylene Containing Polyesters and Segmented Polyurethanes with Body Temperature Sensitive Thermochromic Transitions

Several diacetylene containing polyesters with thermochromic transitions at or around room temperature have been synthesized. Some of these polymers have been shown to be highly sensitive to body temperature, giving rise to either reversible or irreversible thermochromic changes, depending upon both the molecular structure and the processing conditions. By changing the structure and processing conditions, the thermochromic transition can be moved over a wide range of temperatures. Segmented polyurethanes using these diacetylene functionalized polyesters as soft segments and containing diacetylene groups in the hard segments have also been produced. Through a selective polymerization process, it is possible to selectively cross-polymerize the hard segment diacetylene groups or cross-polymerize both the hard and soft segments thereby making it possible to examine the effects of hard and soft segment crosslinking on mechanical properties.
Texture segmentation with tree-structured wavelet transform

A tree-structured wavelet transform has previously been developed and used for texture classification by the authors. The transform is able to zoom into dominant frequency channels containing significant texture information for further wavelet decomposition, and can be interpreted as the decomposition of a 2-D function with the wavelet packet basis function. The texture segmentation problem is addressed here. A texture segmentation algorithm based on the tree-structured wavelet transform and a hierarchical fuzzy clustering technique is proposed. Numerical experimental results are given. >
Oviducal Irritants and Ovulation in the Domestic Fowl

Abstract A key paper in the literature on neurohumoral control of ovulation in the domestic hen is that by Huston and Nalbandov (1953). According to these authors, “the presence of an irritant, such as a loop of thread, in the magnum portion of the oviduct of laying hens, completely suppresses ovulation in the great majority of treated animals.” The irritant was thought to prevent release of sufficient LH to cause ovulation (“ovulatory peaks”), but apparently did not prevent secretion of basal amounts of LH or secretion of FSH. Confirmation and extension of this work was reported by van Tienhoven (1953). Both of the reports cited have become widely quoted in the literature on avian reproduction and neuroendocrinology, and the experiments on oviducal irritants have played a large role in the development by Nalbandov (1959) of a theory to explain the ovulation cycle in the hen. Nalbandov suggested that the presence of …
Rapid comprehensive evaluation of luminography and hemodynamic function with 3d radially undersampled phase contrast imaging MRI

Quantitative flow measurements with volumetric coverage and three directional flow encoding are technically feasible with magnetic resonance imaging yet prohibitively long in clinical settings. Data reconstruction from three dimensional angular undersampled MR acquisitions allows for dramatic reductions in scan time with tolerable imaging artifacts in many clinical applications. This approach provides high spatial resolution suitable for hemodynamic analysis in smaller vessels such as the renal artery, thereby providing additional crucial diagnostic information in a non invasive fashion. In an animal model, transstenotic pressure gradient measurements obtained with the novel acquisition scheme compared favorably with invasive intra arterial measurements (r = 3D 0.977; 95% CI: 0.931-0.998; p < 0.001). In addition, human studies demonstrate the suitability of the technique for lumen measurements as an alternative for contrast enhanced MR Angiography and the associated risks with the use of an external contrast agent in certain patient populations.
Distribution and three-dimensional structure of AIDS virus envelope spikes

Envelope glycoprotein (Env) spikes on AIDS retroviruses initiate infection of host cells and are therefore targets for vaccine development. Though crystal structures for partial Env subunits are known, the structure and distribution of native Env spikes on virions is obscure. We applied cryoelectron microscopy tomography to define ultrastructural details of spikes. Virions of wild-type human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) and a mutant simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) had approximately 14 and approximately 73 spikes per particle, respectively, with some clustering of HIV-1 spikes. Three-dimensional averaging showed that the surface glycoprotein (gp120) 'head' of each subunit of the trimeric SIV spike contains a primary mass, with two secondary lobes. The transmembrane glycoprotein 'stalk' of each trimer is composed of three independent legs that project obliquely from the trimer head, tripod-like. Reconciling available atomic structures with the three-dimensional whole spike density map yields insights into the orientation of Env spike structural elements and possible structural bases of their functions.
Innovative therapies, suspended trials, and the economics of clinical research: Facilitated communication and biomedical cases

Most approaches to the philosophy of the natural and social sciences are based on completed scientific investigations. However, there are many important cases in science in which testing is incomplete. These cases are termed suspended trials and are particularly significant in biomedical and allied health fields. Initially, the authors' interest in suspended trials was piqued by a controversial method for assisting autistic children known as facilitated communication. This article examines fac litated communication and other examples of suspended trials from the perspective of an economics of science and game theory. The model is consistent with recent evolutionary approaches to the philosophy of the natural and social sciences and with recent contributions to an economic understanding of science.
Women's Reproductive Health: A Gender-Sensitive Human Rights Approach

In general, two broad schemes of analysis have been used recently in the social sciences literature to examine reproductive health. The first type identifies a number of social-structural characteristics associated with reproductive health. The second, the reproductive rights explanation, is of recent origin and advocated by a number of scholars from the public health field. Using data from 125 developing countries, this study tests the two explanations of women's reproductive health. The empirical findings indicate the importance of fertility decline and reproductive rights in predicting reproductive health. An inverse direct relationship between women's reproductive health and their economic status is found. We argue for a gender-sensitive human rights approach toward women's reproductive health.
Physics and applications of intersubband transitions in patterned inverse quantum dot arrays

The strict TM polarization dependence of intersubband absorption is relaxed in a nanopore lattice in which TE absorption is also allowed. By controlling the nanopore geometry, one can in principle achieve control over the polarization dependence of intersubband absorption. This has potential applications in various types of intersubband devices and in particular quantum well infrared photodetectors.
Predictors of trisomy 21 in the offspring of older and younger women.

BACKGROUND: Advanced maternal age is the only well-established risk factor for trisomy 21, yet the majority of affected individuals are born to younger women. To identify factors associated with the risk of trisomy 21 in the offspring of younger and older women, we analyzed data for cases with trisomy 21 from the Texas Birth Defects Registry for 1999 to 2007. METHODS: Data were analyzed separately for younger (i.e., <35 years of age at delivery; n = 2306) and older (i.e., ≥35 years of age at delivery; n = 1811) women using Poisson regression. RESULTS: After adjustment for maternal age and several other covariates, the prevalence of trisomy 21 in the offspring of women in both maternal age groups was higher in male than in female infants and in offspring of women who were Hispanic (compared with non-Hispanic white women) or who had at least one previous liveborn child compared to those with none. In the offspring of older women only, the prevalence of trisomy 21 was also significantly higher when the father was 20to 24 years old (compared with 25 to 29 years old; adjusted prevalence ratio [aPR], 2.27; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.47–3.49) and Hispanic (compared with non-Hispanic white; aPR, 1.34; 95% CI, 1.13–1.58) and among women with less than a high school education (compared with greater than high school). CONCLUSIONS: This study identified several factors, in addition to maternal age, that were associated with trisomy 21 risk. In general, these factors were similar for both maternal age groups, although paternal characteristics were significantly associated with risk of trisomy 21 only in offspring of older women. Birth Defects Research (Part A), 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Addressing the challenge of visual information access from digital image and video libraries

While it would seem that digital video libraries should benefit from access mechanisms directed to their visual contents, years of TREC Video Retrieval Evaluation (TRECVID) research have shown that text search against transcript narrative text provides almost all the retrieval capability, even with visually oriented generic topics. A within-subjects study involving 24 novice participants on TRECVID 2004 tasks again confirms this result. The study shows that satisfaction is greater and performance is significantly better on specific and generic information retrieval tasks from news broadcasts when transcripts are available for search. Additional runs with 7 expert users reveal different novice and expert interaction patterns with the video library interface, helping explain the novices' lack of success with image search and visual feature browsing for visual information needs. Analysis of TRECVID visual features well suited for particular tasks provides additional insights into the role of automated feature classification for digital image and video libraries.
Strong, weak and hybrid group membership

Discusses the group membership problem in distributed systems. The paper describes a set of group membership protocols that are developed as part of a toolkit for building distributed parallel applications on a cluster of workstations. The group membership service is the lowest layer in the toolkit, and it is the glue which unifies all the other layers. The group membership layer supports three protocols: weak, strong, and hybrid membership. These protocols differ significantly in the level of consistency and the number of messages exchanged in reaching agreement. This paper briefly describes each protocol with a focus on what is new about them and where they might be used. >
Kniest dysplasia: MR correlation of histologic and radiographic peculiarities.

Unossified epiphyses of Kniest dysplasia patients histologically reveal a bizarre pattern of chondrocytes lying amid a highly vacuolated matrix giving rise to the name “Swiss cheese” cartilage. The ossified epiphyses also are unusual in showing clouds of dense punctate calcifications randomly distributed throughout. Both unossified and ossified epiphyses reveal on MR imaging a similar pattern of lakes of bright T2 signal against a relatively normal background, which represents an interesting analogue to the histologic and radiographic features.
First Verbs: A Case Study of Early Grammatical Development

Acknowledgments 1. Introduction 2. In the beginning was the verb 3. Methods and an introduction to T's language 4. Change of state verbs and sentences 5. Activity verbs and sentences 6. Other grammatical structures 7. The development of T's verb lexicon 8. The development of T's grammar 9. Language acquisition as cultural learning References Appendix Index.
Measurement of dipolar couplings for methylene and methyl sites in weakly oriented macromolecules and their use in structure determination.

Abstract A simple and effective method is described for simultaneously measuring dipolar couplings for methine, methylene, and methyl groups in weakly oriented macromolecules. The method is a J -modulated 3D version of the well-known [ 1 H- 13 C] CT-HSQC experiment, from which the J and dipolar information are most accurately extracted by using time-domain fitting in the third, constant-time dimension. For CH 2 -sites, the method generally yields only the sum of the two individual 13 C- 1 H couplings. Structure calculations are carried out by minimizing the deviation between the measured sum, and the sum predicted for each methylene on the basis of the structure. For rapidly spinning methyl groups the dipolar contribution to the splitting of the outer 13 C quartet components can be used directly to constrain the orientation of the C-CH 3 bond. Measured sidechain dipolar couplings are in good agreement with an ensemble of NMR structures calculated without use of these couplings.
Coronary-coronary radial artery graft for single, distal LAD lesion

Radial artery segment has been used as a coronary-coronary graft for single, distal lesion of the large left anterior descending coronary artery running well over the cardiac apex. In our opinion this technique may occasionally be an attractive approach for bypassing very distal lesions of large coronary arteries combined with regular arterial or venous grafting of the target artery if proximal stenosis is also present. The remnant of the radial artery can be used for grafting of another diseased artery (eg, the large first marginal branch of the circumflex artery in our case report).
Resource Allocation for Amplify-and-Forward Relay Networks with Differential Modulation

The optimum resource allocation in relay networks has been treated as an important problem to improve the error performance and increase the energy efficiency. In this paper, a two-dimensional resource allocation, i.e., the energy optimization and location optimization, is carried out based on the average symbol error rate (SER) for the system with and without a direct link. Differential modulation which bypasses the channel estimation at the transceiver is investigated using amplify-and- forward protocol for the system with multiple relays. The benefits of optimization are validated by the analytical and simulated comparisons. We also show that the minimum error rate can be achieved via the joint energy-location optimization.
Accelerated internalization and detoxification of endotoxin by anti-lipopolysaccharide antibody is an Fc receptor–mediated process

Abstract Background. Interaction between lipopolysaccharide (LPS), LPS-binding protein, and the CD14 receptor at the surface of LPS-responsive cells results in inflammatory cytokine release and internalization and detoxification of LPS. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) raised against the deep-core lipid A or the O-linked polysaccharide moieties of LPS accelerate internalization and detoxification of LPS without stimulating cytokine release. This study was conducted to test the hypothesis that the antibody-mediated internalization of LPS is an Fc receptor (FcR)–mediated process. Methods. Fluoroisothiocyanate (FITC)–conjugated Escherichia coli O111:B4 LPS was incubated with RAW 264.7 cells and allowed to internalize for 2 hours in the presence and absence of anti-LPS, anti-CD14, and isotype control mAbs, and Fab fragments from the anti-CD14, anti–Fc receptor, and control mAbs. Tumor necrosis factor–α (TNF-α) release was measured by WEHI 164 cell bioassay. FITC-LPS uptake was measured by flow cytometry. Statistical analysis was by analysis of variance and Fisher exact test. Results. Addition of anti-LPS antibodies resulted in a 30- to 40-fold acceleration of LPS internalization (P
Velopharyngeal incompetence post tonsilloadenoidectomy. An electromyographic study.

Out of 81 patients suffering from velopharyngeal incompetence, nine persons were found to have developed nasal speech (Rhinolalia) after having undergone tonsillo-adenoidectomy. The velopharyngeal incompetence was corroborated by cinefluorography and respiratory studies. These nine patients underwent an electromyographic study as well, which revealed sub-mucous cleft-palate in six of them. The role of tonsillo-adenoidectomy in breaking down compensated palato-pharyngeal incompetence is discussed.