cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Investigating the Effect of Aging on the Pharmacokinetics and Tumor Delivery of Nanomaterials using Mathematical Modeling

The application of nanomedicine for diagnosis and treatment of cancer has immense potential, but has witnessed only limited clinical success, in part due to insufficient understanding of the role of nanomaterial properties and physiological variables in governing nanoparticle (NP) pharmacology. Here, we present a multiscale mathematical model to examine the effects of physiological changes associated with patient age on the pharmacokinetics and tumor delivery efficiency of NPs. We show that physiological changes due to aging prolong the residence of NPs in the systemic circulation, thereby improving passive accumulation of NPs in tumors.Clinical Relevance — Understanding the effect of inter-individual variability on the pharmacological behavior of nanomaterials will improve their clinical translatability.
Analytic eclecticism—continuing the conversation:

In this response to the contributions in this symposium, I approach the above articles not as wholesale critiques requiring point-by-point rebuttal but as constructive engagements that require clar...
Exploring delay dynamics with a programmable electronic delay circuit

Delay dynamics occur in a wide variety of natural and man-made systems. Even simple delay systems can generate complex dynamics whose exploration is rewarding. To allow such exploration as part of advanced undergraduate laboratory courses and be able to utilize systems that operate at convenient timescales, it is necessary to delay analog signals by several milliseconds. In this paper, we describe an implementation of a programmable digital circuit capable of delaying DC-coupled analog signals up to 262 ms at a 1 MHz sampling rate. The initial history of the system may also be arbitrarily programmed, enabling the study of transient behavior. As an application, we discuss the use of this programmable delay in a feedback circuit that produces period-four triangular solutions, in complete agreement with theoretical predictions.
False discovery rate control for multiple testing based on discrete p-values

For multiple testing based on discrete p-values, we propose a false discovery rate (FDR) procedure "BH+" with proven conservativeness. BH+ is at least as powerful as the BH (i.e., Benjamini-Hochberg) procedure when they are applied to superuniform p-values. Further, when applied to mid-p-values, BH+ can be more powerful than it is applied to conventional p-values. An easily verifiable necessary and sufficient condition for this is provided. BH+ is perhaps the first conservative FDR procedure applicable to mid-p-values and to p-values with general distributions. It is applied to multiple testing based on discrete p-values in a methylation study, an HIV study and a clinical safety study, where it makes considerably more discoveries than the BH procedure. In addition, we propose an adaptive version of the BH+ procedure, prove its conservativeness under certain conditions, and provide evidence on its excellent performance via simulation studies.
A statistical analysis of the nulling pulsar population

Approximately 8% of the $\sim$2800 known pulsars exhibit "nulling," a temporary broadband cessation of normal pulsar emission. Nulling behaviour can be coarsely quantified by the nulling fraction, which describes the percentage of time a given pulsar will be found in a null state. In this paper, we perform the most thorough statistical analysis thus far of the properties of 141 known nulling pulsars. We find weak, non-linear correlations between nulling fraction and pulse width, as well as nulling fraction and spin period which could be attributed to selection effects. We also further investigate a recently-hypothesized gap at 40% nulling fraction. While a local minimum does exist in the distribution, we cannot confirm a consistent and unique break in the distribution when we investigate with univariate and multivariate clustering methods, nor can we prove the existence of two statistically distinct populations about this minimum. Using the same methods, we find that nulling pulsars are a statistically different population from normal, radio, non-nulling pulsars, which has never been quantitatively verified. In addition, we summarize the findings of the prior nulling pulsar statistics literature, which are notoriously contradictory. This study, in context, furthers the idea that nulling fraction alone does not contain enough information to describe the behaviour of a nulling pulsar and that other parameters such as null lengths and null randomness, in addition to a better understanding of selection effects, are required to fully understand this phenomenon.
Creating Online Instruction that is Accessible, Usable, and Inclusive

As a consequence of the COVID19 pandemic, we have witnessed a swift movement of onsite and hybrid courses to fully online formats. This development has created an urgent need for the design and delivery of online content and engagement mechanisms that are equitable for all students. There is little evidence that many of these courses are accessible to, usable by, and inclusive of students with disabilities. The author of this article discusses challenges students with disabilities face in accessing online content and engaging in online activities as well as choices that instructors and online course designers can make with respect to pedagogy and information technology (IT) to ensure that their classes are accessible to, usable by, and inclusive of all students. She introduces for those new to this field the potential of the universal design (UD) framework to inform the design of online learning that addresses the needs of students with a wide range of characteristics.
Multi-Robot Dynamical Source Seeking in Unknown Environments

This paper presents an algorithmic framework for the distributed on-line source seeking, termed as DoSS, with a multi-robot system in an unknown dynamical environment. Our algorithm, building on a novel concept called dummy confidence upper bound (D-UCB), integrates both estimation of the unknown environment and task planning for the multiple robots simultaneously, and as a result, drives the team of robots to a steady state in which multiple sources of interest are located. Unlike the standard UCB algorithm in the context of multi-armed bandits, the introduction of D-UCB significantly reduces the computational complexity in solving subproblems of the multi-robot task planning. This also enables our DoSS algorithm to be implementable in a distributed on-line manner. The performance of the algorithm is theoretically guaranteed by showing a sub-linear upper bound of the cumulative regret. Numerical results on a real-world methane emission seeking problem are also provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.
A Clinical Review of the Psychiatric Sequelae of Primary Hyperparathyroidism.

Despite one-quarter of patients with primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) experiencing psychiatric symptoms, there remains a dearth of literature regarding the diagnosis and further management of psychiatric sequelae in PHPT. We aim to review the literature pertaining to the epidemiology, disease presentation, pathophysiology, diagnostics, and therapeutics regarding psychiatric sequelae of PHPT with an emphasis on clinical pearls for practicing psychiatrists. A literature search was conducted using the US National Library of Medicine's PubMed resource using the following keywords in various combinations: primary hyperparathyroidism, neuropsychiatric, calcium, psychosis, mania, depression, catatonia, delirium, parathyroidectomy, and psychotropic medication. We discuss in depth all aspects of the diagnosis and management of psychiatric sequela in PHPT. We have also identified epidemiological trends, discussed the most common clinical presentations, and postulated possible mechanisms for psychiatric symptoms in PHPT. Psychiatrists should maintain diagnostic suspicion for PHPT in older adult female patients presenting with new-onset psychiatric illness. Several mechanisms involving the following may explain the variety of psychiatric symptoms in PHPT: tyrosine hydroxylase, parathyroid hormone, interleukin-6, monoamine oxidase, calcium, and the sodium-potassium adenosine triphosphatase transporter. We recommend psychiatrists take a symptom-oriented approach to management. Treating a patient's psychosis, mania, depression, catatonia, delirium, or eating disorder pathology via conventional therapeutics seems like a rational approach despite the underlying medical etiology. Only parathyroidectomy has been proven to be definitive in the complete amelioration of psychiatric symptoms.
Zooplankton Ecology and Trophic Resources for Rearing Fish on an Agricultural Floodplain in the Yolo Bypass California, USA

Out-migrating juvenile Chinook Salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha in California’s Central Valley lack frequent access to historical off-channel habitats such as floodplains. However, many regions have agricultural floodplains that may provide habitat value to young salmon. To determine the suitability of agricultural floodplain, this study tested whether winter-inundated rice fields in a historic flood basin in California’s Central Valley could provide adequate food resources for rearing juvenile Chinook Salmon. We examined the suitability of flooded rice fields for three post-harvest habitat types: stubble, fallow, and disced. Soil emergent and pelagic zooplankton communities were compared to determine colonization sources. Winter-inundated rice fields had high densities of zooplankton, which increased over the course of the study. Daphnia pulex, a large-bodied cladoceran and an excellent forage species of juvenile Chinook Salmon, was abundant in our study. Cladocerans colonized via source water while ostracods likely colonized from a soil egg bank. Overall, there was no discernable effect of habitat type on zooplankton community structure or density, except for D. pulex. Our results suggest that flooded agricultural rearing habitat can support juvenile Chinook Salmon based on high densities of zooplankton and other suitable habitat conditions have the potential to support a robust aquatic food web.
In Vitro Studies of the Antibody Response

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the antibody response, beginning with the entrance of antigen into certain cells, to all the cellular events that culminate in the synthesis of circulating antibody. The chapter presents two methods for in vitro study of antibody response—maintenance of function of antibody-forming cells and assays of antibody and antigen. The chapter examines certain general factors that affect all aspects of the antibody response and influence interpretation of experimental data, including the chemical and physical nature and dosage of antigen; the age, strain, and species of experimental animal; the amounts and type of antibody produced; the methods utilized for the assay of antigen and antibody. The chapter describes the mechanism of antibody response. This mechanism involved uptake and fate of antigen and examined cells involved in the initiation of the antibody response. For this, an in vitro uptake of antigen followed by antibody synthesis in vivo is performed.
Hypoplasia of ascending aorta. An unusual form of supravalvular aortic stenosis with special reference to localized coronary arterial hypertension.

Abstract Anomalies causing obstruction to blood flow in the aorta above the aortic valve, though rare, are of three types: (1) A localized zone of obstruction resembling a diaphragm in the ascending aorta; (2) localized narrowing of the ascending aorta and (3) uniform narrowing of the entire ascending aorta. In the case of the 2 year old boy reported, the last type of anomaly was present. In this case clinical data were suggestive of aortic stenosis, electrocardiographic findings of left and right ventricular overwork, and catheterization data of obstruction to the blood flow from the left ventricle, some degree of left ventricular failure, and left ventricular and pulmonary hypertension of moderate degree. An attempt to relieve the obstruction was not successful. At necropsy left ventricular hypertrophy, a suggestion of mitral insufficiency and uniform narrowing of the ascending aorta were found. In the coronary arteries the media was thickened, and deposition of elastic fibers was evident. These changes are attributed to systolic hypertension in the coronary vessels.
Structure-Based integrative computational and experimental approach for the optimization of drug design

We present an integrative approach for the optimization in the design of peptides which are candidates to become therapeutic agents. This approach is based on the structure of the peptide ligand when structural information on the protein target is not available. Our approach combines (i) NMR spectroscopy, (ii) structure determination by distance geometry, simulated annealing, and global optimization methods, restrained with NMR-derived or deduced restraints, (iii) molecular dynamics simulations, based on NMR low energy, averaged minimized, or ensemble of structures, (iv) in silico sequence selection using integer linear optimization, (v) fold specificity using deterministic global optimization, and (vi) peptide synthesis, mass spectrometry characterization, and activity measurements. The optimization of the design of the 13-residue cyclic peptide compstatin is presented as a paradigm for the application of our approach. The same principles can be applied for the design of small proteins with desired properties and function.
Hypodermoclysis to Treat Dehydration: A Review of the Evidence

Dehydration is a serious acute condition in older adults associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Hypodermoclysis (HDC; the infusion of fluids into the subcutaneous tissue) can provide an alternative to intravenous (i.v.) rehydration of older adults. This article reviews the relevant literature on the use of HDC to treat mild to moderate dehydration in older adults. A comprehensive search of the literature was conducted to identify research reports on the use of HDC to treat dehydration in older adults. Articles published in English during the previous 10 years were reviewed to reflect current standards of practice. One systematic review; two randomized, controlled trials; and six cohort studies were identified and appraised. Only one study was conducted in the United States; the remainder were conducted in Europe, Asia, and Canada. The evidence indicated that HDC is as effective as i.v. rehydration of older adults with mild to moderate dehydration. The literature cites advantages of HDC over i.v. hydration, including the same number of or fewer complications, cost savings, greater patient comfort, and less nursing time to start and maintain the infusion. It remains unclear from the literature why HDC is used infrequently in the United States.
Role of Fetal Stem Cells in Maternal Tissue Regeneration

Microchimerism refers to the status of harboring cells from another individual at low levels. It is well known that cells traffic bidirectionally between fetus and mother during pregnancy. This situation resembles a naturally occurring long lasting fetal stem cell transplantation. The fetus acts as the donor and the mother acts as the recipient. To study the role of microchimerism in tissue regeneration, we constructed a murine microchimerism model with wild type C57BL/6J female mice carrying progenies which expressed green fluorescent proteins (GFP). Our data indicated that skin injuries in the female mice during pregnancy increased microchimerism of GFP expressing cells from the GFP transgenic progenies. The GFP positive cells also appeared at the site of spinal cord where injury occurred during pregnancy. Our study suggests that the amount of fetal cells in maternal mice significantly increased if injuries occurred during pregnancy. Fetal stem cells appear to respond to maternal injury signals and may play a role in maternal tissue regeneration during pregnancy.
Fictitious Play Algorithm

The original fictitious play algorithm is an iterative procedure developed by G. Brown to find an estimate of a solution to two-person zero-sum games (also commonly referred to as matrix games). The simplicity of the method is very appealing, but the convergence is very slow. Since its development, most of the ensuing research had focused on modifications to speed up convergence rate, identifying other classes of games where the method (or its variants) converges or fails to converge, and implementing the fictitious play concept in solving some applied problems. A complete description of the algorithm is provided, along with an example where a detailed step-by-step execution of the first few iterations is illustrated. Keywords: fictitious play; two-person zero-sum games; matrix games; symmetric games; learning process
Cardiovascular changes during acute depression

Abstract To evaluate the effect of depressed mood on cardio vascular response, we studied 43 office psychotherapy patients. Eleven of these patients manifested acute depression, 18 had overt anxiety, and 14 showed anger. We found that the heart rate and blood pressure increased, and electrocardiographic changes occurred more frequently in depressed patients, in a degree comparable to the changes seen in patients with anxiety or anger. These findings are consistent with other reports indicating in creased sympathoadrenal activity in other organ systems during depression and suggest that the treatment of depression must in clude attention to the patient's physical arousal state as well as to his mental status.
New angles in the kinematic analysis of the lepton pair production process

Natural variables independent of any ad hoc choice of axes are introduced in the characterization of angular distributions in lepton pair production process. The resulting kinematic formalism provides an efficient method to extract physical information from experiment and to compare them with invariant theoretical results. Important results from the quark-parton model and Quantum Chromodynamics concerning the nature of quarks and gluons are used as examples.
Optical Trapping of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes

Optical trapping and manipulation of individually dissolved single-walled carbon nanotubes in an aqueous solution was demonstrated using an infrared laser trapping system. The trapping effect was attributed to the interaction between the electric field of the laser and the instantaneously induced dipole moments in individual nanotube molecules. Fluorescence microscopy and intensity measurements demonstrated that the amount of trapped nanotubes is dependent on the initial nanotube concentration, laser power, and irradiated volume of the laser beam. It was also demonstrated that an optical trap combined with a microfluidic device trapped and moved nanotubes in the fluid channel.
Space-and-time efficient garbage collectors for parallel systems

As multithreaded server applications and runtime systems prevail, garbage collection is becoming an essential feature to support high performance systems. The fundamental issue of garbage collector (GC) design is to maximize the recycled space with minimal time overhead. This paper proposes two innovative solutions: one to improve space efficiency, and the other to improve time efficiency. To achieve space efficiency, we propose the Space Tuner that utilizes the novel concept of allocation speed to reduce wasted space. Conventional static space partitioning techniques often lead to inefficient space utilization. The Space Tuner adjusts the heap partitioning dynamically such that when a collection is triggered, all space partitions are fully filled. To achieve time efficiency, we propose a novel parallelization method that reduces the compacting GC parallelization problem into a tree traversal parallelization problem. This method can be applied for both normal and large object compaction. Object compaction is hard to parallelize due to strong data dependencies such that the source object can not be moved to its target location until the object originally in the target location has been moved out. Our proposed algorithm overcomes the difficulties by dividing the heap into equal-sized blocks and parallelizing the movement of the independent blocks. It is noteworthy that these proposed algorithms are generic such that they can be utilized in different GC designs.
Dynamic analysis of dams with nonlinear slipjoints

A nonlinear, slip-joint element for analyzing the effect of discontinuities on a concrete, arch dam's seismic response is developed. The joint element has been incorporated into a finite-element-based, solution for predicting dynamic structural response. This joint model, plus the numerical procedure incorporated into the incremental solution, models inter-element impact across a joint when adjacent, structural elements separate and later collide. Collision is incorporated into the incremental analysis by calculating the exchange of momentum and energy with the equations describing eccentric, rigid-body impact. Joint material's force-deflection relations are multi-linear with hysteresis. Coulomb friction is also modeled. The joint element and numerical procedure have been tested with two models. The first is a segmented arch of seven, straight beam elements connected to one another. The arch dam has been experimentally tested. Analytical results are compared with experimental results from the sealed model. Second is a rectangular plate model subject to lateral base accelerations. One horizontal edge is fixed and the opposite edge is free. The vertical edges may be fixed or connected to the base by joint elements.
Hydrogen atom addition to cytosine, 1-methylcytosine, and cytosine-water complexes. a computational study of a mechanistic dichotomy

Combined ab initio and density functional theory calculations at the B3-MP2/6-311++G(3df,2p) level of theory are used to investigate the structures and energetics of radicals produced by hydrogen atom addition to cytosine tautomers, 1-methylcytosine, and cytosine−water complexes. H-atom adducts to the N-3 positions are the most stable radical isomers derived from cytosine tautomer (1), 1-methylcytosine, and cytosine−water complexes in the gas phase. Solvent effects on radical stabilities are addressed by calculations that use the polarizable continuum model. Solvation by bulk water favors C-5 and C-6 adducts which have free energies in water that are comparable to those of the N-3 adducts. H-atom additions to the C-5 positions have the lowest activation energies for all cytosine derivatives under study and are predicted to be kinetically predominant. H-atom additions to the N-3 and C-6 positions are solvent dependent. In the absence of solvation, N-3 is more reactive than C-6 in cytosine and 1-methylcytos...
Altitude Estimation Using Asynchronous α -β Tracking Filters

In the analysis of the ?-s tracking filter it is usually assumed that the tracking filter and data source operate in synchronism at a constant data rate. However, in a multisensor environment in which the tracking algorithm operates at fixed intervals, the tracking filter cannot be synchronized with the sensors. An analytical solution is obtained for the case in which the tracking filter and data source operate asynchronously with a ?time-correction? process used to approximate the synchronous operation of the tracking filter. An example is given in which the effects of data quantization on the performance of an altitude tracking filter for air traffic control are examined. It is shown that the asynchronous operation of the tracking filter in the example without the time-correction process will result in significant errors in the predicted altitude.
Neuroprotection by Ketamine: A Review of the Experimental and Clinical Evidence

delivery, or attenuation of pathologic processes that con-tribute to cellular injury or death. For decades, the dissociativesedative-hypnotic ketamine has been considered to be rela-tively contraindicated in the presence of ischemic brain injuryor an intracerebral mass because the drug increases cerebralmetabolic rate for O
``Above-Under'' Exposure of the First Rib: A Modified Approach for the Treatment of Thoracic Outlet Syndrome

To provide both adequate exposure of the structures of the thoracic inlet and make removal of the antero-medial portion of the first rib easier, the authors recommend that the customarily used anterior supraclavicular approach for the treatment of thoracic outlet syndromes should be modified by performing through the same incision an additional transmuscular exposure of the first rib below the clavicle to facilitate its removal.
Tone‐on‐Tone Masking for Three Binaural Listening Conditions

The M0‐Sm, M0‐Sπ and M0‐S0 conditions were investigated in a tone‐on‐tone binaural masking paradigm. Both the signal and the masker were gated sinusoids of the same frequency, duration, and rise‐decay time. The data obtained from the two dichotic conditions (M0‐Sπ and M0‐Sm) indicate that, at low frequencies, detection is based entirely on the interaural phase and intensive differences present in the waveforms. At high frequencies, the interaural phase difference was no longer usable as a cue; thus, detection was the same as in the M0‐S0 condition. The interaural intensive difference required for detection was the same at all frequencies. The masking‐level differences (MLDs re M0‐S0) obtained in the M0‐Sm condition were smaller than those obtained in the M0‐Sπ condition and were negative in some situations. The data are in agreement with the predictions of the lateralization model proposed by Hafter and Carrier [J. Acoust. Soc. Amer. 47, 1041–1047 (1970)].
Response to temperature and hypoxia in the oxygen consumption of the introduced asiatic freshwater clam Corbicula fluminea (Müller)

Abstract 1. 1. Respiratory response to temperature and hypoxia was determined for specimens of the introduced freshwater Asiatic clam, Corbicula fluminea (Muller). 2. 2. O2 uptake increases with temperature through 25°C in clams acclimated to 10, 20 or 30°C but is severely depressed above it. 3. 3. Clams acclimated to 10°C respond to hypoxia as strict O2 conformers while 20 and 30°C acclimated clams are less than strict conformers. 4. 4. Respiratory adaptation to high temperatures and hypoxia are not as well developed in C. ftuminea as other freshwater bivalve species, reflecting a more recent penetration of freshwater, and limiting its eventual distribution in North America.
The Fibrinolytic System in Dissemination and Matrix Protein Deposition During a Mycobacterium Infection

The fibrinolytic system is known to play an important role in the inflammatory response to bacterial infections. In the present study, relationships between protein components of the fibrinolytic system and infectivity by Mycobacterium avium were analyzed. Infections were initiated through noninvasive intratracheal administration of M. avium 724 in mice individually deficient for plasminogen, tissue-type plasminogen activator, urokinase-type plasminogen activator, and urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor, along with wild-type control mice. There were no differences in lung colony counts among all mouse genotypes throughout a 10-week infection. However, in tissue-type plasminogen activator and plasminogen-deficient mice an earlier dissemination of M. avium to other organs was observed. Nevertheless, the M. avium growth rates in the liver, spleen, and lung did not differ between the various mouse populations throughout a 10-week infection. Histochemical and immunohistochemical analyses at 5 and 10 weeks after infection demonstrated that plasminogen-deficient mice, compared to wild-type mice, had enhanced fibrin and fibronectin deposition, as well as increased neutrophil infiltration within liver granulomas. These results suggest that plasmin(ogen) plays a role in the turnover of extracellular matrix proteins within granulomas and has a limited effect in the early dissemination of M. avium from lungs. Thus, plasmin(ogen) functions in limiting progressive fibrosis in the granuloma during a chronic mycobacterial infection.
Oxidized Low Density Lipoprotein Displaces Endothelial Nitric-oxide Synthase (eNOS) from Plasmalemmal Caveolae and Impairs eNOS Activation

Hypercholesterolemia-induced vascular disease and atherosclerosis are characterized by a decrease in the bioavailability of endothelium-derived nitric oxide. Endothelial nitric-oxide synthase (eNOS) associates with caveolae and is directly regulated by the caveola protein, caveolin. In the present study, we examined the effects of oxidized low density lipoprotein (oxLDL) on the subcellular location of eNOS, on eNOS activation, and on caveola cholesterol in endothelial cells. We found that treatment with 10 microgram/ml oxLDL for 60 min caused greater than 90% of eNOS and caveolin to leave caveolae. Treatment with oxLDL also inhibited acetylcholine-induced activation of eNOS but not prostacyclin production. oxLDL did not affect total cellular eNOS abundance. Oxidized LDL also did not affect the palmitoylation, myristoylation or phosphorylation of eNOS. Oxidized LDL, but not native LDL, or HDL depleted caveolae of cholesterol by serving as an acceptor for cholesterol. Cyclodextrin also depleted caveolae of cholesterol and caused eNOS and caveolin to translocate from caveolae. Furthermore, removal of oxLDL allowed eNOS and caveolin to return to caveolae. We conclude that oxLDL-induced depletion of caveola cholesterol causes eNOS to leave caveolae and inhibits acetylcholine-induced activation of the enzyme. This process may be an important mechanism in the early pathogenesis of atherosclerosis.
The exchange of phosphorus between a euhaline vegetated marsh and the adjacent tidal creek

Abstract Phosphorus exchange between a euhaline vegetated marsh and the adjacent tidal creek (North Inlet, South Carolina) was studied on 40 tidal cycles between 15 April 1983 and 19 June 1984. A flume was utilized to evaluate the net phosphorus exchange during tidal inundation, and a weir study was conducted to estimate the export of phosphorus from the marsh via runoff and seepage during low tide exposure (including storm events). Mean flood tide concentrations of PO 4 3− and particulate phosphorus (PP) varied seasonally between 0·1 and 1·3 μg at. P l −1 and 0·3 to 2·8 μg at. P l −1 , respectively, with the highest values observed during the summer. PO 4 3− and PP were consistently removed from the tidal water inundating the marsh especially during the warmer months. There was a statistically significant (α = 0·05) import of PO 4 3− and PP to the vegetated marsh during tidal inundation of 0·46 gP m −2 year −1 and 2·01 gP m −2 year −1 , respectively. For both constituents the removal rate on an areal basis was greater in the low marsh (tall Spartina alterniflora ) than on the high marsh (medium and short S. alterniflora ). The magnitude and direction of total phosphorus (TP) flux was similar to PP because the latter constituted up to 85% of the former. Export values of PO 4 3− , PP, and TP from the marsh via runoff and seepage during low-tide exposure (including rain events) were approximately 25% of the respective import values during tidal inundation. This study suggests a euhaline vegetated marsh is a sink for PO 4 3− , PP, and TP and therefore may not be the source of phosphorus outwelled in many marsh-estuarine systems.
The good of non-sentient entities: Organisms, artifacts, and synthetic biology

Synthetic organisms are at the same time organisms and artifacts. In this paper we aim to determine whether such entities have a good of their own, and so are candidates for being directly morally considerable. We argue that the good of non-sentient organisms is grounded in an etiological account of teleology, on which non-sentient organisms can come to be teleologically organized on the basis of their natural selection etiology. After defending this account of teleology, we argue that there are no grounds for excluding synthetic organisms from having a good also grounded in their teleological organization. However, this comes at a cost; traditional artifacts will also be seen as having a good of their own. We defend this as the best solution to the puzzle about what to say about the good of synthetic organisms.
Probabilistic passage models for semantic search of genomics literature

We explore unsupervised learning techniques for extracting semantic information about biomedical concepts and topics, and introduce a passage retrieval model for using these semantics in context to improve genomics literature search. Our contributions include a new passage retrieval model based on an undirected graphical model (Markov Random Fields), and new methods for modeling passage-concepts, document-topics, and passage-terms as potential functions within the model. Each potential function includes distributional evidence to disambiguate topics, concepts, and terms in context. The joint distribution across potential functions in the graph represents the probability of a passage being relevant to a biologist's information need. Relevance ranking within each potential function simplifies normalization across potential functions and eliminates the need for tuning of passage retrieval model parameters. Our dimensional indexing model facilitates efficient aggregation of topic, concept, and term distributions. The proposed passage-retrieval model improves search results in the presence of varying levels of semantic evidence, outperforming models of query terms, concepts, or document topics alone. Our results exceed the state-of-the-art for automatic document retrieval by 14.46% (0.3554 vs. 0.3105) and passage retrieval by 15.57% (0.1128 vs. 0.0976) as assessed by the TREC 2007 Genomics Track, and automatic document retrieval by 18.56% (0.3424 vs. 0.2888) as assessed by the TREC 2005 Genomics Track. Automatic document retrieval results for TREC 2007 and TREC 2005 are statistically significant at the 95% confidence level (p = .0359 and .0253, respectively). Passage retrieval is significant at the 90% confidence level (p = 0.0893). © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Yale University Press: Disseminating Lux et Veritas?

America’s university presses are situated within a network of over one hundred universities, learned societies, and scholarly associations. According to a pamphlet put out by the American Association of University Presses, these presses “make available to the broader public the full range and value of research generated by university faculty.” “University presses are based at a wide array of educational institutions,” the essay goes on, “and thus promote a diversity of scholarly perspectives.” Requiring large subsidies to stay in operation, most presses are in business for scholarly, rather than financial, reasons. While some exist to enhance the prestige of their university, most presses view the dissemination of knowledge as their raison d’etre. In large measure because of their charter to generate and disseminate knowledge, the federal government grants university presses not-for-profit status. Above all, it is with the expectation that he will gain understanding that a reader picks up a book published by a university press. This paper surveys the works of the prestigious Yale University Press and concludes that it is more concerned with purveying the progressive, left-wing opinions of its authors, and less with demanding fealty to facts and scholarly standards—a policy scarcely in keeping with the principles of the press’s idealistic founding. Acad. Quest. (2010) 23:327–338 DOI 10.1007/s12129-010-9176-9
Increased neutrophil-endothelial adhesion induced by placental factors is mediated by platelet-activating factor in preeclampsia.

OBJECTIVE Endothelial cell activation or dysfunction and neutrophil-endothelial cell adhesion have been suggested to be important in the pathophysiology of preeclampsia. However, the mechanisms that underlie the alteration of endothelial cell function in preeclampsia are unknown. Placenta from preeclamptic pregnancies produces mediators and autacoids, which may be released into the maternal circulation and modulate endothelial function. In this study, the effect of placental factor(s) on neutrophil-endothelial adhesion and the possible role of platelet-activating factor (PAF) in mediating the response have been examined. METHODS Endothelial cells were isolated from human umbilical veins (HUVECs) from normal pregnancies. Confluent primary passage HUVECs were exposed to conditioned medium derived from normal and preeclamptic placental tissue cultures, with unconditioned medium as a control. Placental-conditioned medium was prepared by incubation of placental whole villous tissue in Dulbecco's Modified Eagle's Medium (DMEM) for 48 hours. Neutrophil-endothelial adhesion assays were performed to evaluate placental factors in mediating neutrophil-endothelial adhesion, and a PAF-3H scintillation proximity assay (SPA) system was used to determine endothelial PAF production. The PAF-receptor antagonist WEB 2086 was used to block placental factor-mediated increased neutrophil-endothelial adhesion induced by conditioned medium derived from preeclamptic placenta. RESULTS Neutrophils were significantly more adherent to HUVECs treated with conditioned medium from preeclamptic placentas (28.44 +/- 2.47%) than to HUVECs treated with conditioned medium from normal placentas (18.95 +/- 1.57%) or with unconditioned medium (14.60 +/- 1.29%, P < .01). Also, HUVECs exposed to preeclamptic placental-conditioned medium produced more PAF than the cells exposed to normal conditioned medium and unconditioned medium, 416.18 +/- 17.14 pg/1 x 10(7) cells versus 330.90 +/- 35.70 and 296.43 +/- 44.40 pg/1 x 10(7) cells, P < .05, respectively. The PAF receptor antagonist WEB 2086 completely blocked increased neutrophil-endothelial adhesion induced by preeclamptic placental-conditioned medium (13.24 +/- 0.81% versus 31.31 +/- 4.75%, P < .01). CONCLUSION In preeclampsia, the placenta releases one or more factors promoting neutrophil-endothelial adhesion. The increased neutrophil-endothelial adhesion thereby induced is a PAF-mediated event. It is suggested that if preeclamptic placentas release toxic factors into the maternal circulation in vivo, these factors may contribute to the altered vascular endothelial cell function in preeclampsia.
Immunotoxicity of particulate lead: In vitro exposure alters pulmonary macrophage tumor necrosis factor production and activity

Rabbit pulmonary macrophages were exposed in vitro to particulate lead oxide (PbO) for periods of up to 72 h and then assayed for the activity of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF alpha) released after stimulation with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The levels of TNF alpha obtained from PbO-treated cells were decreased in a dose-dependent manner as compared with metal-free control cells for each time point examined. Cells treated simultaneously with both LPS and PbO yielded less monokine than did cells receiving LPS alone. In addition, incubation of cell-free TNF alpha with PbO resulted in a diminution of cytotoxicity directed against TNF alpha-sensitive tumor target cells. Macrophage burdens of PbO particles increased with both the length of incubation and concentration of PbO used; increases in cellular lead burdens were paralleled by reductions in cell viability. Thus, under in vitro conditions, PbO affects the levels of the immunoregulatory monokine TNF alpha and also disrupts its cytotoxic properties after release from activated macrophages.
Appraisal of Estrogenic Activity by the Vaginal Glycogen Index: A Comparison of Oral and Parenteral Estrone

In a recent publication (1) describing the iodine vapor method of demonstrating glycogen in human vaginal smears, this procedure was proposed as a simple and rapid means of indicating human estrogenic response, either physiological or artificially induced. The rapidity with which a glycogen increase could he demonstrated in cases of advanced menopausal atrophy after estrone was administered parenterally and vaginally, prompted use of the test for appraising the activity of estrone by the oral route. The need for objective evidence in the human female of the comparative potency of orally and parenterally administered estrone is evident from the widely divergent data obtained from animal experiments which show “once more the difficulty of interpreting the therapeutic effectiveness of estrogens on the basis of laboratory data.”(2). Although glycogen is not always totally absent from the vaginal mucosa, even in advanced senility (3), its relative deficiency in the menopausal state as compared to the reproduct...
Electrocardiographic Changes During Gastric Hypothermia

Electrocardiographic changes were demonstrated in 92 (77 per cent) of 120 patients who received gastric hypothermia for duodenal ulcer, the most common change being depression or inversion of the T wave. In all but one of these patients, the alterations were transient in nature, returning to the prehypothermia pattern within ten minutes after the procedure was terminated. When the 120 patients were divided into groups according to the degree of hypothermia employed for treatment, the percentage of patients showing electrocardiographic changes in each group was essentially the same: Group I (return temperature -10°C.), 78.4 per cent; Group II (return temperature -5°C.), 74.2 per cent; and Group III (return temperature O°C.), 75.9 per cent. The degree of alteration of the electrocardiographic pattern appeared to be related to the degree of hypothermia used with the more severe changes being observed in Groups I and II. In addition to electrocardiographic changes, two patients experienced a peculiar drop in blood pressure. Vasopressor agents were necessary to restore normal blood pressure in one of these patients.
MESD is essential for apical localization of megalin/LRP2 in the visceral endoderm

Deletion of the Mesd gene region blocks gastrulation and mesoderm differentiation in mice. MESD is a chaperone for the Wnt co-receptors: low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein (LRP) 5 and 6 (LRP5/6). We hypothesized that loss of Wnt signaling is responsible for the polarity defects observed in Mesd-deficient embryos. However, because the Mesd-deficient embryo is considerably smaller than Lrp5/6 or Wnt3 mutants, we predicted that MESD function extends more broadly to the LRP family of receptors. Consistent with this prediction, we demonstrated that MESD function in vitro was essential for maturation of the β-propeller/EGF domain common to LRPs. To begin to understand the role of MESD in LRP maturation in vivo, we generated a targeted Mesd knockout and verified that loss of Mesd blocks WNT signaling in vivo. Mesd mutants continue to express the pluripotency markers Oct4, Nanog, and Sox2, suggesting that Wnt signaling is essential for differentiation of the epiblast. Moreover, we demonstrated that MESD was essential for the apical localization of the related LRP2 (Megalin/MEG) in the visceral endoderm, resulting in impaired endocytic function. Combined, our results provide evidence that MESD functions as a general LRP chaperone and suggest that the Mesd phenotype results from both signaling and endocytic defects resulting from misfolding of multiple LRP receptors. Developmental Dynamics 240:577–588, 2011. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Real-time decision support for assembly and test operations in semiconductor manufacturing

This article presents an efficient procedure for prioritizing machine changeovers in a semiconductor assembly and test facility on a periodic basis. In daily planning, target machine–tooling combinations are derived based on work-in-process, due dates, and backlogs. As machines finish their current lots, they need to be reconfigured to match their target setups. The proposed algorithm is designed to achieve this objective and run in real time. It first determines which machines are set up optimally and for those that are not it sequentially calculates how best to reset them within a given amount of time taking into account when the necessary tooling will become available, the importance of the lots in queue, and the given targets. Alternatively, two mixed-integer programming models are also presented that have similar objectives. Experimental results using data provided by a leading semiconductor manufacturer indicate that high-quality solutions can be obtained with the prioritizing procedure in negligibl...
Match+Guardian: a secure peer-to-peer trading card game protocol

In trading card games (TCGs), players create a deck of cards from a subset of all cards in the game to compete with other players. While online TCGs currently exist, these typically rely on a client/server architecture and require clients to be connected to the server at all times. Instead, we propose, analyze and evaluate Match+Guardian (M+G), our secure peer-to-peer protocol for implementing online TCGs. We break down actions common to all TCGs and explain how they can be executed between two players without the need for a third party referee (which usually requires an unbiased server). In each action, the player is either prevented from cheating or if they do cheat, the opponent will be able to prove they have done so. We show these methods are secure and may be shuffled into new styles of TCGs. We then measure moves in a real trading card game to compare to our implementation of M+G and conclude with an evaluation of its performance on the AndroidTM platform, demonstrating that M+G can be used in a peer-to-peer fashion on mobile devices.
Taxonomic Bias and Vulnerable Species

The taxonomic bias in conservation research noted by J. A. Clark and R. M. May (“Taxonomic bias in conservation research,” Letters, 12 July, p. [191][1]) ([1][2]) is not unexpected, but their letter neglects an important aspect of this disparity—its inverse relation with extinction risk across
Psychiatric and neuropsychological response to propranolol in Graves' disease ☆

We describe the endocrine, psychiatric, and neuropsychological assessments of 10 untreated, newly diagnosed Graves' disease subjects who were studied longitudinally at three stages: hyperthyroid (stage 1), after 2 weeks of propranolol treatment (stage 2), and after 6 months of antithyroid treatment (stage 3). Major depression, generalized anxiety disorder, and hypomania were diagnosed at stage 1. Elevations on psychiatric symptom rating scales and in motor activity monitoring at stage 1 were significantly decreased at stage 2 and again at stage 3. Psychiatric improvements paralleled improvements in endocrine symptoms. Neuropsychological improvements were noted on the more challenging memory and attention tasks at stage 3, whereas propranolol treatment was not associated with changes on attention tests. Results are discussed in relation to catecholamine-thyroid hormone interactions, in particular, the beta-adrenergic system.