cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sealed-cavity resonant microbeam accelerometer

Abstract Resonant microbeam strain-sensing elements have been combined with a highly symmetric multiwafer silicon microstructure to form the first micromachined accelerometer with a polysilicon resonant microbeam pickoff. The MARIMBA (micromachined resonant integrated microbeam accelerometer) uniquely combines bulk-micromachining with advanced surface-micromachining techniques and a multiple-wafer structure to produce an all-silicon acceleration sensor capsule with a direct acceleration-to-digital frequency output. The microbeams are fabricated from thin films of fine-grained polysilicon with integral polysilicon vacuum encapsulation, electrostatic drive and piezoresistive sense. The silicon microstructure features a dual open-web suspension system formed monolithically with the silicon proof mass and frame. Silicon caps provide squeeze-film gas damping, overrange protection, and environmental protection. Initial devices have been fabricated with scale factors greater than 700 Hz g −1 on ±20 g devices with base microbeam frequencies of 500–700 kHz. Root Allan variances below 0.1 Hz and seven-day stability measurements less than 2 ppm of the base frequency on test microbeams indicate that milli- g stability and micro- g sensitivities are attainable.
Permeability of the blood-brain barrier system to rubidium in euthermia, hibernation and hypothermia.

Abstract 1. 1. Net uptake of radioactive rubidium ( 86 Rb) by the brain was measured in rats and ground squirrels. 2. 2. Whole brains of artificially hypothermic rats and ground squirrels demonstrated strikingly higher permeability to the ion than those of euthermic controls. 3. 3. Brains of hibernating ground squirrels demonstrated similar permeabilities to those of euthermic animals, despite their very low core temperature. 4. 4. The permeability increase in the artificially hypothermic animals appeared to be evidenced at a specific “critical temperature”. 5. 5. Altered net uptake of rubidium in the hypothermic animals is discussed in relation to the blood-brain barrier system, and it is suggested that the permeability increase might be related to the death of the animals in hypothermia.
Use of certain 5 × 5 Latin squares for increasing information from agroforestry experiments

A restricted randomization procedure for self-conjugate 5 × 5 Latin squares is shown to be useful for trials on intercropping, particularly agroforestry, as records from border plots need no longer be discarded.
High Performance Magnet Power Supply Optimization

The power supply system for the joint LBL--SLAC proposed accelerator PEP provides the opportunity to take a fresh look at the current techniques employed for controlling large amounts of dc power and the possibility of using a new one. A basic requirement of +- 100 ppM regulation is placed on the guide field of the bending magnets and quadrupoles placed around the 2200 meter circumference of the accelerator. The optimization questions to be answered by this paper are threefold: Can a firing circuit be designed to reduce the combined effects of the harmonics and line voltage combined effects of the harmonics and line voltage unbalance to less than 100 ppM in the magnet field. Given the ambiguity of the previous statement, is the addition of a transistor bank to a nominal SCR controlled system the way to go or should one opt for an SCR chopper system running at 1 KHz where multiple supplies are fed from one large dc bus and the cost--performance evaluation of the three possible systems.
Prostate cancer metastatic to skin.

74-year-old man with a history of prostate cancer and gynecomastia presented with a 2-week history of a left-sided chest wall rash (Fig. 1). He had been diagnosed with prostate cancer in 1997 with a prostate-specific antigen level of 40 ng/mL and a Gleason score of 34 and treated with definitive radiotherapy. He was treated with combined androgen blockade until bone and lymph node metastases were identified in January 2001. He was enrolled in a clinical trial of ketoconazole and alendronate and, after progression, enrolled in a second trial of docetaxel and thalidomide. Chest wall biopsy confirmed metastatic prostate cancer of the skin (Fig. 2A) and stained positive for prostate-specific antigen (Fig. 2B). His serum prostatespecific antigen level had risen from 147 to 226 ng/mL, and computed tomography scans demonstrated disease progression. He began taking an antiangiogenesis agent but died 2 months later. Cutaneous manifestations of prostate cancer account for less than 1% of all skin metastases 1 and usually occur late in the disease. 2,3 The lower abdomen is the most frequent site of involvement. 4
Bureaucrats, Businessmen, and Foreign Trade: The Origins of the United States Chamber of Commerce

Rapid changes in the relationship between business and government from 1890 onwards brought a growing desire for a better exchange of ideas and information and, particularly, for a national organization that would facilitate this exchange. While the United States Chamber of Commerce has been viewed almost universally as the outcome of efforts by businessmen, Professor Werking shows that it was a few government bureaucrats, notably in the relatively new and ambitious Department of Commerce and Labor, who, with the support of the Secretary and the White House, became the decisive factor in the birth of the Chamber in 1912.
Prosodic Structure and Sentence Recognition

In three experiments, subjects heard alternate versions of naturally spoken sentences that allowed two prosodic realizations (They are FRYING chickens vs They are frying CHICKENS). In Experiment 1, a paraphrase choice task showed that interpretations reliably depended on the prosody used. In Experiment 2, presented sentences were tested for recognition against unfamiliar sentences. Recognition ratings were higher if the sentences were spoken with the same prosody at presentation and test than if two different prosodic versions were presented on these two occasions. This matching effect was not larger for sentences whose prosodies biased listeners toward different syntactic analyses than for sentences whose prosodies effected changes in focus. Experiment 3 showed this integration of prosody and text for nonsense sentences.
Habitat diversification tactic for improving biological control: parasitism of the western grape leafhopper

In a previous study we demonstrated greater abundance of the parasitoid Anagrus epos (Girault) in grape vineyards located downwind of prune trees that function as overwintering habitats. This study examines whether these higher A. epos numbers translated into higher egg parasitism rates of the grape leafhopper, Erythroneura elegantula (Osborn). Paired commercial wine-grape vineyard plots, one with and one without adjacent prune trees, were studied within a complete block design in northern and central California. A. epos was the key mortality factor affecting E. elegantula eggs. Point estimates of A. epos parasitism rates were significantly greater in vineyards associated with prune trees during the first E. elegantula generation in both 1991 and 1992. No consistent differences in parasitism rates were observed during the second or third generations. The results indicated that prune trees enhance early season parasitism rates. Cumulative estimates of egg parasitism across E. elegantula generations demonstrated that enhanced early-season parasitism resulted in a net season-long increase in the degree of mortality imposed by A. epos on E. elegantula eggs. Two factors were found to influence parasitism rates: the abundance of early-season A. epos adults moving into vineyards and the density of E. elegantula eggs in vineyards. Our results indicate that diversification of vineyards using prune trees supports overwintering populations of a specialist parasitoid and thereby alters host-parasitoid interactions to favor enhanced parasitism in vineyards.
Social and Familial Factors in the Course of Bipolar Disorder: Basic Processes and Relevant Interventions

This article reviews the role of social factors, notably life events and family relationships, in the course of bipolar illness in adults and youth. We also discuss psychological variables that help explain the vulnerability of bipolar patients to social environments, including personality factors (e.g., neuroticism), reward sensitivity, and difficulty with the accurate perception of facial emotions. Bipolar patients are highly sensitive to reward, and excessive goal pursuit after goal-attainment events may be one pathway to mania. Negative life events predict depressive symptoms, as do levels of familial expressed emotion. Psychosocial interventions can speed recoveries from episodes and delay recurrences over 1-2 year intervals. Future research should examine the nature of vulnerability/stress interactions at different phases of development, and the role of psychosocial interventions in altering these processes.
Social Politics in Context: The Institutional Politics Theory and Social Spending at the End of the New Deal

In this article, we develop an institutional politics theory of public social provision and examine U.S. social sp'ending programs at the end of the New Deal. This theory integrates key insights of institutional and political theories of social policy. Drawing on institutional arguments, our theory holds that the willingness or ability of prospending actors to promote social spending initiatives depends on institutional conditions, especially the extent of voting rights and the nature of political party systems. Furthermore, drawing on political arguments, the theory posits the importance of pro-spending actors, including progressive factions of political parties and organized challengers. To appraise the institutional politics theory, we analyze state-level outcomes for Old-Age Assistance pensions and Works Progress Administration wages, employing multiple regression and qualitative comparative analysis (QCA). All analyses support the institutional politics theory. Scholars often consider the U.S. exceptional in public social provision and its causes. The two major theories of public social provision - political and institutional - see the U.S. as peculiar. Political theorists often characterize U.S. political parties as nonideological and unlikely to propel public social provision. The same is true for the American labor movement, which is smaller and more divided than its Western European counterparts. For these reasons, political arguments explaining gains in U.S. public social spending often focus on challengers employing innovative forms of claims making. Institutional or statecentered theories portray U.S. state and political institutions as hindrances to * A previous version of this paper was presented at the 1993 annual meeting of the Eastern Sociological Society, Boston. Parts of this article were presented at the 1992 annual meeting of theAmerican SociologicalAssociation, Pittsburgh. Forhelpful comments on a previous draft of this paper, we thank Steven Barkan, Nancy X Cauthen, Jeff Goodwin, Brian Gran, James M.
The role of verbal labels in the judgment of orientation and location.

In an earlier study it was found that judgments of right—left orientations and locations were more difficult than judgments of up—down only when spatial words were used in the tasks. Experiments are reported in which pictures of many objects were presented to eliminate the possibility that subjects in previous studies had used strategies specific to single-stimulus tasks. In experiment 1, right—left orientations were judged more slowly than up—down orientations both when the spatial words were used and when arbitrary letters replaced the spatial words. In experiment 2, judgments of the right—left locations of pictures took longer than judgments of their up—down locations only when spatial words were used in the task; the right—left difficulty was eliminated when arbitrary letters replaced the words. The differential effect of words and letters in location judgments seems to be due to the different coding strategies adopted by subjects under the two conditions. It is concluded that a right—left difficulty ...
Resveratrol: Therapeutic Potential for Improving Cardiometabolic Health

Background Resveratrol, a natural polyphenol, has gained attention in recent years because of its connection with the health benefits of red wine and its anticancer activity in vitro. Studies in animal models have demonstrated beneficial effects on glucose metabolism, vascular function and anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Human studies designed to understand the role of resveratrol in the prevention and treatment of age-related conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer have recently been undertaken. Methods We searched PubMed for original articles that reported studies of resveratrol in humans, using search terms, including resveratrol, human studies, glucose metabolism, vascular function, and inflammation. We also searched the reference lists of identified articles for additional papers and sought expert opinion on relevant studies. Results Resveratrol treatment has shown beneficial effects on glucose and lipid metabolism in some, but not all studies. Study population, resveratrol source, and dose have varied widely, potentially explaining inconsistent findings. Improvements were noted in endothelial function, systolic blood pressure, and markers of oxidative stress and inflammation in several studies. Conclusions Despite the strong preclinical evidence of positive cardiometabolic effects, studies to date have not confirmed resveratrol's benefit in humans. Study variability and methodological issues limit interpretation of available results. Additional research, focusing on subjects with defined metabolic defects and using a range of doses, is needed to advance the field.
Tables of the Studentized Maximum Modulus Distribution and an Application to Multiple Comparisons Among Means

Tables of the upper α-points m α; k*, v of the studentized maximum modulus distribution with parameter k* and v degrees of freedom are given for α = .01, .05, 10, and .20, twelve values 01 V, and k* = k(k − 1)/2 for k = 3(1)20. The tables are of use in applying Hochberg's GT2-Method [6] of multiple comparison and extend the use of this method to cases with k ≤ 20 means. As conjectured in [15]. the GT2-Method is in almost all cases the strongest of several competitors of Spodtvoll and Stoline's T′-Method [11] for carrying out the set of k* pairwise comparisons between the means of k groups with arbitrary sample sizes. The auxiliary tables of [15], in which the T′-Method and other procedures are compared, are extended here. These tables should aid the user in choosing between the T′ and GT2-Methods. The results of the comparisons continue to support the fact that the T-Method is preferred if the unbalance of the sample sizes is slight and that T becomes a stronger competitor as α increases.
Intracontinental contraction in western North America: Continuity and episodicity

Contraction in the western North American Cordillera, exclusive of accreted terranes, occurred over a remarkably uniform duration of 110 ± 15 m.y. between approximately 165 and 55 Ma. The amount of contraction, as much as 285 km, was similar from southeastern British Columbia to northern Nevada and Utah, although irregularly partitioned between hinterland, fold and thrust belt, and Rocky Mountain foreland. Time-averaged contraction rates are 1.5 to 2.5 mm/yr. The contraction, however, appears to have occurred in pulses with cumulative duration of 75 m.y., implying rates during active periods of 2.5 to 3.8 mm/yr. Displacement rates as high as 6 mm/yr on some thrust faults suggest episodicity within pulses. Episodic contraction on 10- to 30-m.y. intervals corresponds well to episodicity in relative plate motion, suggesting rapid response of intra-continental kinematics to plate-boundary interactions. The relationship is nevertheless indirect, possibly influenced by the position and number of plates, partitioning of displacements across accreted terranes, and crustal structure.
Protease activation and the signal transduction pathway regulating motility in sperm from the water strider Aquarius remigis

Many motile processes are regulated such that movement occurs only upon activation of a signaling cascade. Sperm from a variety of species are initially quiescent and must be activated prior to beating. The signaling events leading to the activation and regulation of sperm motility are not well characterized. Mature seminal vesicle sperm from the water strider Aquarius remigis are immotile in vitro, but vigorous motility is activated by trypsin. Trypsin-activated motility was blocked by pretreatment of the sperm with BAPTA-AM to chelate intracellular Ca(2+) and was partially rescued by subsequent addition of A23187 and Ca(2+). Thapsigargin stimulated motility in the absence of trypsin, suggesting that intracellular Ca(2+) stores are available. In addition, motility could be fully activated by the phosphatase inhibitor calyculin A, suggesting that the immotile state is maintained by an endogenous phosphatase and that kinase activity is required for motility. The MEK1/2 inhibitor U0126 significantly reduced trypsin activated motility, and MPM-2, an antibody which recognizes proline-directed phosphorylation by kinases such as MAPK, recognized components of the water strider sperm flagellum. Antibodies specific for the mouse protease activated receptor PAR2 recognized an antigen on the sperm flagellum. These results suggest that trypsin stimulates a Ca(2+) and MAPK mediated signaling pathway and potentially implicate a PAR2-like protein in regulating motility.
Individual variability in concentrations of urinary sulindac sulfide.

Among 70 patients with arthritis who were receiving satisfactory maintenance therapy with sulindac (300 to 400 mg daily), 64% had no detectable sulindac sulfide (active metabolite) in one to four random urine specimens. However, 36% had 1.0 to 7.8 (mean, 2.2 ± 1.4) µg/ml sulindac sulfide in urine, similar to the therapeutically effective concentrations found in 24 concurrent plasma specimens (1.4 to 9.0 µg/ml). Ten patients had sulindac sulfide in only one or two of two to four urine specimens. Thus, 36% of the patients had pharmacodynamically significant concentrations of sulindac sulfide in urine, presumably capable of suppressing the cyclooxygenase pathway responsible for prostaglandin synthesis in the kidney and elsewhere. The findings suggest individual variability in the capacity for renal oxidation of sulindac sulfide to inactive metabolites, perhaps related to genetic or environmental factors or both. These findings may help to explain conflicting reports on the effects of sulindac on urinary prostaglandins and renal function. Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (1991) 50, 650–655; doi:10.1038/clpt.1991.203
NAD+-dependent 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase : immunochemical characterization of the lung enzyme from pregnant rabbits

A polyclonal antibody was produced in guinea pig against the lung NAD(+)-dependent 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase (PGDH) purified from pregnant rabbits. Western blot analysis demonstrated that the protein identified by this antibody in the 105,000g supernatant fraction of lung tissue from pregnant rabbits had a molecular mass of 30 kDa and comigrated with the purified PGDH. The specific activity of the lung PGDH in pregnant rabbits (25- to 28-day gestations) was 36.7 nmol NADH formed/min/mg protein compared to 0.3 nmol NADH formed/min/mg protein in nonpregnant rabbits. Although the PGDH activity in the lung cytosol of nonpregnant rabbits was inhibited by the anti-lung PGDH antibody, the 30-kDa protein was not detected by Western blot analysis. An examination of this 30-kDa protein during the gestational period indicated that the protein was present after 10 days and the amount of the protein increased from Day 10 to Day 28. This increase in the immunochemically reactive protein correlated with the marked increase in PGDH specific activity between 10 and 28 days. An immunochemically reactive protein also was observed in the ovary of 25- to 28-day pregnant rabbits and the specific activity of the ovary PGDH was 19.3 nmol NADH formed/min/mg protein. Only trace levels of the PGDH activity were detected in the ovaries of nonpregnant rabbits. A 30-kDa protein was not detected by the anti-rabbit lung PGDH in brain, kidney, bladder, uterus, liver, and heart tissue of pregnant or nonpregnant rabbits. When rabbit or human placental cytosol was examined with the anti-rabbit lung PGDH only faint 30-kDa bands were observed by Western blot analysis. A monoclonal antibody prepared against human placental PGDH did not recognize the 30-kDa band in the pregnant rabbit lung. Localization studies indicated a marked increase in immunochemical staining in pulmonary epithelial cells of pregnant rabbits as compared to nonpregnant rabbits. Lung epithelial cells but not endothelial cells were identified as containing the PGDH.
A region-based routing protocol for wireless mobile ad hoc networks

Flooding-based route discovery is widely assumed in existing routing protocols of wireless ad hoc networks. Network-wide flooding enables the discovery of optimal routes from sources to destinations; however, as all network nodes are required to participate in the relays of route request packets, substantial control overhead is inevitable. Some efficient broadcast schemes can suppress redundant packet relays, but they often suppress the discovery of optimal routes, too. In this article we propose to dynamically create a prerouting region between each source-destination pair and limit the propagations of route request packets only within this region. The prerouting region effectively restricts route discovery activities to the nodes that most likely constitute the optimal or near-optimal routes. Consequently, not only is route construction overhead significantly reduced; route optimality is also guaranteed. The article presents a region-based routing (REGR) protocol covering both new route formation cases and route update cases. Simulations show that our protocol is particularly beneficial to dense and large-scale mobile ad hoc networks.
Mixed pulmonary blastoma and carcinosarcoma.

Pulmonary blastemas and carcinosarcomas are uncommon tumours, accounting for less than 1% of all lung neoplasms. Three previously described mixed epithelial and mesenchymal tumours having both adult and embryonal elements were termed ‘transitional’. We report a similar case and evaluate the application of the term ‘transitional tumour’.
Alcohol production by mitochondrial mutants and wild type Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Mitochondrial mutants and the wild type strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae have similar growth, alcohol production rates, and total alcohol production under the same culture conditions.
Interactive computer graphics in medical information retrieval and classification

The size of the body of medical literature is vast and growing at a rapid rate. The National Library of Medicine collection contains about two million items and at the present rate of growth will double in about 7 years.Attempts to improve the access to medical literature by professional practitioners, para-medical personnel, and life science researchers has principally included the MEDLARS service, a telephone/mail query service operating in batch mode; and interactive retrieval services operating on-line over long distance telephone lines such as AIM-TWX, developed by Systems Development Corporation.
DISA comes through (C/sup 4/I architecture)

The development of a command, control, communications, computers, and intelligence (C4I) architecture for the central command (CENTCOM) theater of operations during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm is described. CENTCOM C4I merged commercial and military communications systems into a fully integrated network. It employed tactical ground mobile forces (GMF) satellite systems, line-of-sight (LOS) radio systems, unit-level circuit switches (ULCS), and the primary interfaces to strategic systems, the TRI-TAC switching centers, automatic circuit (TTC-39A) and automatic message (TYC-39) switchboards. By the end of the ground war, the CENTCOM strategic network considered of over 100 defense satellite communication system (DSCS) satellite links, nine T-1 systems, over 300, DSN trunks, 26 AUTODIN circuits, and numerous dedicated-user, point-to-point, and data circuits. >
Protein Trafficking Rates Assessed by Quantum Dot Quenching with Bromocresol Green

Quantum dots are bright, photostable fluorophores used extensively to investigate biological processes. In this study, we report that bromocresol green (BCG) at low micromolar concentrations rapidly, efficiently and reversibly quenches the fluorescence of commercial quantum dots having a wide range of functionalities. The broad utility of BCG quenching of quantum dots in cell biology is showed in quantitative assays of trafficking of the β2-adrenergic receptor (β2AR) and the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR).
Familial dysautonomia (a brief review).

Abstract Familial dysautonomia presents fascinating challenges to neuroscientists. Many of the clinical and biochemical features are now explicable in terms of pathologic deficits in peripheral autonomic and sensory neurons but much remains to be learned regarding central nervous system function in this disease. No firmly established data are available regarding the etiology of the developmental and degenerative changes in neurons in FD. Modern medical care permits survival of increasing numbers of patients into adulthood. Greater knowledge of the biochemistry and pharmacology of FD is required so that supportive therapy can be designed to increase the quality of life for patients and diminish the degenerative changes which inexorably lead to their deaths.
Presence of normal creatine in the muscle of a patient with a mutation in the creatine transporter: A case study

To date, more than seven families have been reported who carry a mutation in the X-linked creatine-transporter (CrT) gene. The resulting lack of creatine in the brain is associated with mental retardation, severe expressive language disorder, mild epilepsy, and a complete absence of Cr in the brain (measured using MRS). Conversely, these patients had no observable cardiac or musculo-skeletal deficits. In this case study, a 22-year-old patient underwent surgical repair for scoliosis. Proton MRS of this patient's brain demonstrated the near-absence of creatine and phosphocreatine within the cerebral white and deep gray matter structures. Cerebral atrophy was noted with serial MRI examinations. Subsequent genetic and metabolic analysis showed some biochemical anomalies consistent with a CrT deficiency. The mutation in this patient was identified as a deletion at phenylalanine 107 (delF107). Control muscle biopsies were obtained from archived samples, which had been taken with informed consent during routine muscle biopsies for diagnostic purposes. We determined that the total Cr concentration in the skeletal muscle biopsy was 39.3 ± 2.94 mmol/kg wet wt., which is not significantly different from non-CrT controls, n= 3 (43.3 ± 3.57 mmol/kg wet wt.). We conclude that the brain appears to lack the ability to transport creatine when there is a mutation in the CrT gene. However, the muscle utilizes another mechanism for maintaining normal creatine levels. Identifying this alternative creatine-transport mechanism may be useful in treating the neurologic and cognitive impairments of patients with creatine-transporter deficiency. (Mol Cell Biochem 262: 35–39, 2004)
Enthalpy of (m-cresol + quinoline + 1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalene) at temperatures between 291 K and 670 K and at pressures to 10342 kPa

Experimental enthalpy measurements were made on four mixtures of ( m -cresol + quinoline + tetralin) along isobars from 207 kPa to 10342 kPa, in the temperature range 291 K to 670 K, using a reference-fluid boil-off calorimeter. For { xm -CH 3 C 6 H 4 OH + y C 9 H 7 N + (1− x − y )C 10 H 12 } measurements were made at the compositions: x = 0.3333 and y = 0.3333; x = 0.1667 and y = 0.1667; x = 0.1667 and y = 0.6667; and x = 0.6667 and y = 0.1667. In addition to the direct calorimetric results, equations for the liquid- and vapor-phase entalpies are reported.
Analysis of TCP's computational energy cost for mobile computing

In this paper we present results from a measurement study of TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) running over a wireless link. Our primary goal was on obtaining a breakdown of the computational energy cost of TCP at the sender and receiver (excluding radio energy costs) as a first step in developing techniques to reduce this cost in actual systems. We analyzed the energy consumption of TCP in FreeBSD 5 running on a wireless laptop. Our initial results showed that 60 - 70% of the energy cost (for transmission or reception) is accounted for by the Kernel -- NIC (Network Interface Card) copy operation. Of the remainder, 15% is accounted for in the copy operation from user space to kernel space with the remaining 15% being accounted for by TCP processing costs. We then further analyzed the TCP processing cost and determined the cost of computing checksums accounts for 20 -- 30% of TCP processing cost.
Inverse association of anti‐inflammatory treatments and Alzheimer's disease: Initial results of a co‐twin control study

We conducted a co-twin control study among 50 elderly twin pairs with onsets of Alzheimer's disease (AD) separated by 3 or more years. Twenty-three male pairs (46%) were screened from the (U.S.) National Academy of Sciences-National Research Council Registry (NAS-NRC Registry) of World War II veteran twins; others (mostly women) had responded to advertisements or were referred from AD clinics. Twenty-six pairs (52%) were monozygous. The onset of AD was inversely associated with prior use of corticosteroids or ACTH (odds ratio [OR], 0.25; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.06 to 0.95; p = 0.04). Similar but weaker trends were present among pairs discordant for history of arthritis or for prior daily use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or aspirin. The association was strongest when we combined use of steroids/ACTH or NSAIDs post hoc into a single variable of anti-inflammatory drugs (AIs) (OR, 0.24; CI, 0.07 to 0.74; p = 0.01). The inverse relation was strong in female (volunteer) twin pairs but was not present in the younger men from the NAS-NRC Registry. AIs had typically been taken for arthritis or related conditions, but a similar result was apparent after controlling statistically for the arthritis variable (OR, 0.08; CI, 0.01 to 0.69; p = 0.02). AIs have been proposed as a means of retarding the progression of AD symptoms, and these data suggest that AIs may also prevent or delay the initial onset of AD symptoms. Because of limitations in the case-control method, our results require corroboration with hypothesis-driven research designed to control bias and confounding.
Mitigating Arc-Flash Hazards: A Case Study of a Mill-Wide Project

This article provides a comprehensive account of a mill-wide project to bring a more than 30-year-old market pulp mill into compliance with NFPA 70E requirements and to mitigate arc-flash hazards to reasonable enough levels to allow effective maintenance. The project spanned three years and was completed in 2011. The major activities to be discussed (and through which the project had to progress) include the decision to initiate, data collection or re-creation, and update of single-line diagrams; creation of a database and software model, short-circuit analysis, multiple upgrades, or replacements to address over-dutied equipment; arc-flash analysis, protection/coordination changes to address let-through energy, equipment upgrades or replacements to address let-through energy and mitigate arc-flash hazards; equipment labeling; and training of personnel.
Renoprevention: A new concept for reengineering nephrology care--an economic impact and patient outcome analysis of two hypothetical patient management paradigms in the CCU.

Background: The impact of acute kidney injury (AKI) on chronic kidney disease (CKD) progression remains uncertain; the common belief is that AKI in CKD is short-lived with subsequent full recovery. However 25.2% of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) Medicare patients all experienced antecedent AKI. We recently described a new syndrome of ESRD following AKI, the syndrome of rapid-onset end-stage renal disease (SORO-ESRD). Renoprevention, which we described in 2009, is the application of preventative measures to reduce AKI incidence. Methods: This is a descriptive study based on real clinical experience. Two hypothetical 69-year-old Caucasian male patients, A and B, with symptomatic coronary artery disease (CAD) presented for elective cardiac catheterization and subsequent coronary artery bypass graft procedures; renoprevention was applied in patient A but not in B. Results: Aggressive fluid repletion, withholding Lisinopril 40 mg once daily (QD) 1 week before hospitalization (hydralazine substituted) in A—earl...
The direct effect of temperature on airway smooth muscle.

Abstract We tested the hypothesis that temperature may directly influence the resting membrane potential (Em), (Na+ + K+)-ATPase activity, and the contractile response to histamine of bovine and guinea pig airway smooth muscle. To determine the resting membrane potential of airway smooth muscle, glass microelectrodes filled with 3M KCl were used. As a measure of (Na+ + K+-ATPase activity, potassium-induced relaxation was used employing the method of Webb and Bohr (1978). The resting membrane potential and ATPase activity of airway smooth muscle was assessed 60 minutes after incubation in a normal oxygenated physiological salt solution (pH = 7.38 ± 0.02) at each of the following temperatures: 21°, 29°, 37° and 40°C. The effect of ouabain (10−5 M) and histamine (10−3 M) on resting membrane potential of airway smooth muscle cells was also determined at each of these temperatures. It was found that: (1) resting membrane potential of airway smooth muscle cells from both bovine and guinea pigs, was directly porportional to the temperature of the incubating medium; the resting membrane potential decreased with decreasing temperature; (2) the administration of ouabain reduced the dependency of resting membrane potential on the temperature of the experimental medium; (3) at lower temperatures (21°C and 29 °C), histamine-induced a statistically significant (P It is concluded that a change in temperature has a direct influence on airway smooth muscle cells, affecting resting membrane, (Na+ + K+)-ATPase activity of airway smooth muscle cells, and the contractile response of these cells to histamine.
Managing problem indoor environments by embracing subjective data: A case study for federal facilities

This article describes a new approach to embrace the multifaceted nature of “sick buildings” by analyzing industrial hygienist measurements, which are objective, along with occupant perception measurements, which are subjective, using a neural network–based model. Data, both objective and subjective, for this research were provided by the General Services Administration (GSA) on a wide variety of federal office buildings. Current literature on the subject suggests that the cause of poor indoor environments involves many variables interacting in an unlimited number of combinations. A blended definition of a narrowly defined “sick building” and a framework for a decision-making support system is presented to help the building engineer better understand the complex nature of the indoor environment. The research and data analyses can be tailored to and applicable to any federal agency. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Are BDNF and glucocorticoid activities calibrated

One hypothesis to account for the onset and severity of neurological disorders is the loss of trophic support. Indeed, changes in the levels and activities of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) occur in numerous neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric diseases. A deficit promotes vulnerability whereas a gain of function facilitates recovery by enhancing survival, synapse formation and synaptic plasticity. Implementation of 'BDNF therapies', however, faces numerous methodological and pharmacokinetic issues. Identifying BDNF mimetics that activate the BDNF receptor or downstream targets of BDNF signaling represent an alternative approach. One mechanism that shows great promise is to study the interplay of BDNF and glucocorticoid hormones, a major class of natural steroid secreted during stress reactions and in synchrony with circadian rhythms. While small amounts of glucocorticoids support normal brain function, excess stimulation by these steroid hormones precipitates stress-related affective disorders. To date, however, because of the paucity of knowledge of underlying cellular mechanisms, deleterious effects of glucocorticoids are not prevented following extreme stress. In the present review, we will discuss the complementary roles shared by BDNF and glucocorticoids in synaptic plasticity, and delineate possible signaling mechanisms mediating these effects.
Nekton use of submerged aquatic vegetation, marsh, and shallow unvegetated bottom in the Atchafalaya River delta, a Louisiana tidal freshwater ecosystem

We sampled nekton (fishes and decapod crustaceans) in submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) (Potanogeton nodosus, Najas guadalupensis), in emergent marsh vegetation (Sagittaria spp. andScirpus americanus), and over unvegetated bottom associated with three islands in the Atchafalaya River Delta, Louisiana. The purpose of our study was to quantify nekton densities in these major aquatic habitat types and to document the relative importance of these areas to numerically dominant aquatic organisms. We collected a total of 33 species of fishes and 7 species of crustaceans in 298 1-m2 throw trap samples taken over three seasons: summer (July and August 1994), fall (September and October 1994), and spring (May and June 1995). Fishes numerically accounted for >65% of the total organisms collected. Vegetated areas generally supported much higher nekton densities than unvegetated sites, although bay anchoviesAnchoa mitchilli were more abundant over unvegetated bottom than in most vegetated habitat types. Among vegetation types, most species showed no apparent preference between SAV and marsh. However, inland silversidesMenidia beryllina and freshwater gobiesGobionellus shufeldti were most abundant inScirpus marsh in summer, and blue crabsCallinectes sapidus were most abundant in SAV (Potamogeton) in spring. Several species (sheepshead minnowCyprinodon variegatus, rainwater killifishLucania parva, and blue crab) apparently selected the vegetated backmarsh of islands (opposite of riverside) over stream-sideScirpus marsh. Freshwater gobies, in contrast, were most abundant in streamsideScirpus marsh. Densities of juvenile blue crabs were high (up to 17 m−2) in vegetated delta habitat types and comparable to values reported from more saline regions of Gulf Coast estuaries. Shallow vegetated habitat types of the Atchafalaya River Delta and other tidal freshwater systems of the Gulf Coast may be important nursery areas for blue crabs and other estuarine species.
Panhypopituitarism in a young drug abuser.

Abstract An intoxicated young man returned home from a drinking party and collapsed and died in his mother's presence. Three weeks earlier, he had been released from prison, having served a sentence for possession and sale of “street drugs”. At the time of his release, he and his friends had gathered together for a celebration at which drugs were used. At the autopsy table, there was initial evidence of an intrasellar hemorrhage of recent onset with ablation of the adenohypophysis. At first the prosectors considered the case to be one of drug-induced pituitary “apoplexy”. However, there was subsequent autopsy evidence of chronic panhypopituitarism. The intrasellar lesion proved to be a Rathkecleft cyst of dysontogenetic origin, probably unrelated to drug abuse. This case is presented as an example of the increasing complexities encountered by the forensic pathologist in a world of increasing numbers of available toxic substances.
The structure of informal communication between police agencies

Purpose – Police agency networks are likely to be important for the adoption of policing innovations and the visibility of demonstration projects. This study of police network data has four main goals: to use multivariate models for the influence of agency characteristics on the sort of agency it contacted; to investigate the extent of symmetry of ties in the police network; to examine models for the specific departments chosen as agencies' network contacts; and to identify, through network data, agencies as “relative experts” in several different policing domains.Design/methodology/approach – The paper uses Weiss agency survey data to conduct a variety of analyses of agencies' choices of informal communication partners.Findings – The analysis showed regularities in agencies' choices of contacts. Whether a contact was of the same type or from the same state as the respondent was influenced by the respondent's population and type. There was some evidence of size‐based asymmetry in contacts. The choice of a...
Detection of Drivable Corridors for Off-Road Autonomous Navigation

This paper describes a hierarchical Bayesian network used for segmenting desert images and detecting off road drivable corridors for autonomous navigation. Unlike the embedded hidden Markov model the Bayesian network presented in this paper can successfully account for natural dependencies between neighboring pixels in both image dimensions making it more suitable for a larger class of images. The method described here was developed within the Stanford racing team that won the DARPA Grand Challenge 2005 after driving over 130 miles autonomously in the Nevada desert.
Molecular profiling of the developing mouse axial skeleton: a role for Tgfbr2 in the development of the intervertebral disc

Background Very little is known about how intervertebral disc (IVD) is formed or maintained. Members of the TGF-β superfamily are secreted signaling proteins that regulate many aspects of development including cellular differentiation. We recently showed that deletion of Tgfbr2 in Col2a expressing mouse tissue results in alterations in development of IVD annulus fibrosus. The results suggested TGF-β has an important role in regulating development of the axial skeleton, however, the mechanistic basis of TGF-β action in these specialized joints is not known. One of the hurdles to understanding development of IVD is a lack of known markers. To identify genes that are enriched in the developing mouse IVD and to begin to understand the mechanism of TGF-β action in IVD development, we undertook a global analysis of gene expression comparing gene expression profiles in developing mouse vertebrae and IVD. We also compared expression profiles in tissues from wild type and Tgfbr2 mutant mice as well as in sclerotome cultures treated with TGF-β or BMP4.
Dupuytren's disease as a cause of ulnar tunnel syndrome

Two clinical cases of documented ulnar nerve compression in Guyon's canal caused by Dupuytren's disease are described. Surgical decompression of the canal promptly relieved the symptoms, and histologic studies confirmed the presence of Dupuytren's disease.
Aerobic Capacity With Hybrid FES Rowing in Spinal Cord Injury: Comparison With Arms-Only Exercise and Preliminary Findings With Regular Training

Objective To determine the magnitude and range of increases in peak aerobic capacity with hybrid–functional electrical stimulation (FES) rowing versus arms-only rowing in persons with spinal cord injury. Design Comparison of graded exercise tests for peak responses during FES rowing and arms-only rowing. Preliminary data on adaptations to FES row training were gathered in a subset of individuals. Setting Outpatient cardiovascular research laboratory. Participants Six male patients with spinal cord injury (T4-T9, American Spinal Injury Association class A). Methods or Intervention Arms-only rowing was compared with FES rowing, in which the person who is exercising synchronizes the voluntarily controlled upper body movement with the FES-controlled leg movement via stimulation to the paralyzed leg muscles. A subgroup (n = 3) completed at least 6 months of a progressive FES row training exercise program with graded exercise tests every 6 months. Main Outcome Measurements Peak oxygen consumption, peak ventilation, peak respiratory exchange ratio, peak heart rate, and peak oxygen pulse. Results Peak oxygen consumption was greater during FES rowing than during arms-only rowing (20.0 ± 1.9 mL/kg/min versus 15.7 ± 1.5 mL/kg/min, P = .01). Peak ventilation was similar, whereas peak respiratory exchange ratio and peak heart rate tended to be lower ( P = .14 and P = .19, respectively). As a result, oxygen pulse was greater by 35% during FES rowing. Two of the three persons who completed at least 6 months of FES row training demonstrated increases in aerobic capacity greater than those previously observed in able-bodied individuals. Conclusions FES rowing may provide a more robust exercise stimulus for persons with spinal cord injury than most options currently available because of the greater aerobic demand.
Influence of packaging information on consumer liking of chocolate milk

Chocolate milk varies widely in flavor, color, and viscosity, and liking is influenced by these properties. Additionally, package labels (declared fat content) and brand are some of the extrinsic factors that may influence consumer perception. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of packaging labels and brand name on consumer liking and purchase intent of chocolate milk. A consumer acceptance test, conjoint analysis survey, and Kano analysis were conducted. One hundred eight consumers evaluated 7 chocolate milks with and without brand or package information in a 2-d crossover design. A conjoint analysis survey and Kano analysis were conducted after the consumer acceptance test. Results were evaluated by 2-way ANOVA and multivariate analyses. Declared fat content and brand influenced overall liking and purchase intent for chocolate milks to differing degrees. A subsequent conjoint analysis (n=250) revealed that fat content was a driver of choice for purchasing chocolate milk followed by sugar content and brand. Brand name was less important for purchase intent of chocolate milk than fat or sugar content. Among fat content of chocolate milk, 2 and 1% fat level were most appealing to consumers, and reduced sugar and regular sugar were equally important for purchase intent. Kano analysis confirmed that fat content (whole milk, 1, or 2% fat chocolate milk) was an attractive attribute for consumer satisfaction, more so than brand. Organic labeling did not affect the purchase decision of chocolate milk; however, Kano results revealed that having an organic label on a package positively influenced consumer satisfaction. Findings from this study can help chocolate milk producers as well as food marketers better target their product labels with attributes that drive consumer choice of chocolate milk.