cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
AGGREGATED-DISAGGREGATED, REFRACTORY PLATELETS RETAIN SENSITIVITY TO RISTOCETIN

Abstract The present investigation has used an aggregation-disaggregation-reaggregation model to determine if exposure to potent aggregating agents causing a refractory state in deaggregated platelets results in down-regulation and clearance of GPIb/IX, the receptor for von Willebrand factor. Thrombin, the thrombin receptor activating peptide (TRAP) and the thromboxane A 2 mimic, U46619, caused irreversible aggregation and secretion when stirred on an aggregometer with platelet-rich plasma (PRP). Addition of prostaglandin E 1 (PGE 1 ) after the plateau of maximum aggregation was reached caused rapid dissociation of platelet aggregates. Dissociated platelets were refractory to a second exposure to the primary stimulus or to other aggregating agents. Exposure of the refractory cells to epinephrine before the primary agent restored sensitivity resulting in a second wave of irreversible aggregation. Deaggregated, refractory platelets, however, retained their sensitivity to ristocetin. Amounts of the antibiotic causing agglutination of resting PRP also caused agglutination of disaggregated, refractory platelets. Addition of epinephrine to samples of refractory platelets less sensitive to low concentrations of the antibiotic restored their capacity to undergo irreversible ristocetin-induced agglutination. Analysis of the frequency of gold particles associated with monoclonal antibodies directed against GPIb/IX on control platelets and disaggregated, refractory platelets showed no significant difference in the number of receptors. The findings indicate that significant numbers of GPIb/IX receptors remain on platelet surfaces following exposure to potent aggregating agents. Copyright © 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd
Metallothionein deficiency impacts copper accumulation and redistribution in leaves and seeds of Arabidopsis.

Summary Most angiosperm genomes contain several genes encoding metallothionein (MT) proteins that can bind metals including copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn). Metallothionein genes are highly expressed under various conditions but there is limited information about their function. We have studied Arabidopsis mutants that are deficient in multiple MTs to learn about the functions of MTs in plants. T-DNA insertions were identified in four of the five Arabidopsis MT genes expressed in vegetative tissues. These were crossed to produce plants deficient in four MTs (mt1a/mt2a/mt2b/mt3). The concentration of Cu was lower in seeds but higher in old leaves of the quad-MT mutant compared to wild-type plants. Experiments with stable isotopes showed that Cu in seeds came from two sources: directly from roots and via remobilization from other organs. Mobilization of Cu out of senescing leaves was disrupted in MT-deficient plants. Tolerance to Cu, Zn and paraquat was unaffected by MT deficiency but these plants were slightly more sensitive to cadmium (Cd). The quad-MT mutant showed no change in resistance to a number of microbial pathogens, or in the progression of leaf senescence. Although these MTs are not required to complete the plant's life cycle, MTs are important for Cu homeostasis and distribution in Arabidopsis.
Implications of permeability and its anisotropy in a mica gouge for pore pressures in fault zones

Abstract Large permeability anisotropy due to anisotropic alignment of clay shape fabric may play an important role in focusing fluid flow along fault zones in clay rich rocks. The degree of permeability anisotropy depends on the differences in tortuosity of the fluid flow path and mean pore aperture, which are of a function of effective stress. We have conducted hydrostatic compaction and frictional sliding experiments on 1 mm thick artificial muscovite gouge layers with grain size
A comparison of weight-related behaviors among high school students who are homeless and non-homeless.

Previous research has shown that youth who are homeless engage in high-risk behaviors. However, there has been little information published on nutritional and physical activity behaviors in this population, and studies comparing homeless youth in school with their non-homeless peers are scarce. This study compares weight-related risk behaviors of public high school students in Massachusetts based on homeless status.We obtained data from 3264 9th through 12th grade students who participated in the 2005 Massachusetts Youth Risk Behavior Survey. Multivariable logistic regression, controlling for gender, grade, race/ethnicity, and sexual orientation, was performed to assess the relationship between homeless status as defined by the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act and weight-related indicators. Analyses were weighted and adjusted for the multistage complex sampling design.Of this sample, 4.2% reported being homeless (n = 152). Higher prevalence of homelessness was found among males, racial/ethnic minorities, sexual minorities, and students who were not in a traditional grade level. The distribution of body mass index was similar among students who were homeless and non-homeless (underweight 4.0 and 3.0%, and overweight 27.1 and 27.1%, respectively). Homeless students were more likely than non-homeless students to report disordered weight-control behaviors including fasting (aOR 2.5, 95% CI 1.4-4.5) and diet pill use (aOR 3.3, 95% CI 1.6-6.9).More than 4% of public high school students in Massachusetts meet the federal definition of homelessness. These students are at high risk for disordered weight-control behaviors. Policy decisions at the school, state, and federal levels should make a concerted effort to target these students with social services and nutritional interventions.
Processing, Microbial and Sensory Characteristics of Cooler and Freezer Stored Hot‐Boned Beef

Weiners were prepared from preblended hot-boned (prerigor) beef raw materials stored up to 21 days at 2°C and up to 28 days at -10°C. The addition of salt was necessary for maintenance of desirable sausage-making characteristics of hot-boned beef stored at 2°C for 7 days. The addition of salt for the maintenance of desirable functional properties does not appear to be necessary, if the prerigor materials are stored at freezer temperatures (-10°C). Flavor problems may develop in products from preblended raw materials stored at -10°C beyond 14 days postmortem.
Data structures and algorithms for the string statistics problem

Given a textstringx of lengthn, theMinimal Augmented Suffix Tree T (x) ofx is a digital-search index that returns, for anyquery stringw and in a number of comparisons bounded by the length ofw, the maximum number of nonoverlapping occurrences ofw inx. It is shown that, denoting the length ofx byn, T(x) can be built in timeO(n log2n) and spaceO(n logn), off-line on a RAM.
Predation by the nemertean Carcinonemertes errans on eggs of the Dungeness crab Cancer magister

The nemertean Carcinonemertes errans is an important predator on the eggs of its host, the Dungeness crab Cancer magister. Each nemertean consumes an average of approximately 70 crab eggs during the host brooding period. The nemerteans, which apparently consume no other food during the host brooding period, convert crab egg tissue to worm tissue with an efficiency of 28.9% on a caloric basis. Epidemic levels of Carcinonemertes errans on the central California Dungeness crab population have resulted in the direct mortality of an average of 55% of the eggs produced by that population over the last 5 years, making C. errans probably the most numerically significant predator on these crabs.
GATA-3 controls self-renewal in stressed HSCs.

The transcription factor GATA-3 is expressed in quiescent hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) with long-term repopulating ability. Stress-mediated activation of HSCs promotes localization of GATA-3 to the nucleus in a manner dependent on the mitogen-activated protein kinase p38α and restricts self-renewal.
Predicting bounds on queuing delay for batch-scheduled parallel machines

Most space-sharing parallel computers presently operated by high-performance computing centers use batch-queuing systems to manage processor allocation. In many cases, users wishing to use these batch-queued resources have accounts at multiple sites and have the option of choosing at which site or sites to submit a parallel job. In such a situation, the amount of time a user's job will wait in any one batch queue can significantly impact the overall time a user waits from job submission to job completion. In this work, we explore a new method for providing end-users with predictions for the bounds on the queuing delay individual jobs will experience. We evaluate this method using batch scheduler logs for distributed-memory parallel machines that cover a 9-year period at 7 large HPC centers.Our results show that it is possible to predict delay bounds reliably for jobs in different queues, and for jobs requesting different ranges of processor counts. Using this information, scientific application developers can intelligently decide where to submit their parallel codes in order to minimize overall turnaround time.
Error analysis of the adding/doubling method for radiative scattering in inhomogeneous media

Abstract The doubling method is a fast and exact procedure for calculating radiative transfer in a homogeneous, scattering, plane-parallel medium. It can also be used in the adding mode for an inhomogeneous medium that is approximated by a finite number of homogeneous sublayers with different radiative properties. The errors caused by this approximation are analyzed in this paper through comparison with invariant imbedding calculations that are slow but exact for inhomogeneous media. A procedure is developed so errors can be estimated and controlled when using the faster adding/doubling calculations.
The scientific study of religion and the humanities

The tremendous growth in the scientific study of religion during the last two decades has meant that scientists have finally begun to engage seriously with works on religion produced by humanities ...
Tunable diode-laser absorption measurements of temperature, velocity, and H2O in hypervelocity flows

Tunable diode-laser absorption measurements of temperature, velocity, and H2O partial pressures have been recorded in hypervelocity air flows using a dual-wavelength tunable diode-laser system developed at Stanford and installed at the Calspan University of Buffalo Research Center's (CUBRC) Large Energy National Shock Tunnel (LENS Tunnel) in Buffalo, New York. The measurements were recorded using a hardened probe, which contained critical optical components and photodetectors, that was installed directly into the flowfield near the nozzle exit to minimize complications due to boundary layers and facility vibration. The wavelengths of the distributed feedback diode lasers were independently current-tuned at an 8-kHz rate across H2O transitions (v,+v3 band) near 1400 nm and 1396 nm to yield high-resolution absorption lineshape measurements every 125 |0,s. Values of rotational temperature, determined from the ratio of measured absorbances, were in excellent agreement with translational temperatures, determined from the measured (Doppler-broadened) lineshapes, over the measured range (400-900 K). H2O partial pressure was determined from the measured absorbance of one transition and the gas temperature. Gas velocity was determined from Doppler-shifted absorption recorded by directing the 1400-nm beam through the flowfield at a 54° angle relative to the bulk gas velocity. The measured gas temperatures and velocities were consistent with calculated steady-state values (650 K and 4500 m/s, respectively). The results obtained demonstrate the applicability of diode-laser absorption diagnostics for direct multi-parameter gas measurements in hypervelocity flowfields for improved characterization of high-enthalpy facilities.
The histamine H1 receptor activates the nitric oxide pathway at fertilization.

Sperm fusion with the egg initi- ates a signaling cascade that releases intracellular calcium (Cai 2þ ) from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). In sea urchins, Ca 2þ is released as a single, large transient via two distinct pathways. The first depends on inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate (IP3) production and triggers the initial phase of Ca 2þ release, while the second depends on nitric oxide (NO) production and is thought to maintain the duration of the Ca 2þ wave. We identified a sea urchin homolog of the seven trans- membrane G protein-coupled receptor for histamine (suH1R) on the egg cell surface that activates NO production. Treatment with histamine (HA) causes fluctuations in the resting levels of NO in the egg, while antagonists or antibodies of H1R inhibit the rise of NO normally observed at fertilization. Inhibition of suH1R function decreases the maintenance, but not the amplitude, of the Ca 2þ transient and suggests that it is an integral part of the overall pathway leading to egg activation at fertilization in sea urchins. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 73: 1550-1563, 2006. 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Cost and cost-effectiveness in asthma - Use of pharmacoeconomics to assess the value of asthma interventions

This article informs the reader about the nature and extent of the economic burden of asthma and describes the literature on the cost-effectiveness of many of the major treatment choices for asthma. The author concludes that despite the many shortcomings, economic evaluations of asthma treatments need to be encouraged and nurtured. Substantial improvements and standardization are needed in the study design, study duration, sample size determination based on economic and health status end points, selection of appropriate comparison therapies, and selection and evaluation of costs and outcomes.
AN ENVY-FREE CAKE DIVISION PROTOCOL

(1995). An Envy-Free Cake Division Protocol. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 102, No. 1, pp. 9-18.
Stop, Go, and Evolve

Pathogens evolve fast. RNA-based viruses, such as influenza and HIV, incorporate mutations in their genomes at the brisk rate of one change per 105 bases each time they replicate (the error rate in our own genome is one per ∼1010 bases) ( 1 ). DNA-based viruses and bacteria have per–base pair rates closer to our own, but these rates still dwarf ours because of their vastly shorter generation times ( 2 ). How can our immune systems cope with this astounding rate of evolution? Part of the answer lies in a remarkable real-time Darwinian process that enables our defenses to adapt at breakneck speed.
Increased free water in the substantia nigra of Parkinson's disease: a single-site and multi-site study

Abstract Measures from diffusion magnetic resonance imaging reflect changes in the substantia nigra of Parkinson's disease. It is the case, however, that partial volume effects from free water can bias diffusion measurements. The bi-tensor diffusion model was introduced to quantify the contribution of free water and eliminates its bias on estimations of tissue microstructure. Here, we test the hypothesis that free water is elevated in the substantia nigra for Parkinson's disease compared with control subjects. This hypothesis was tested between large cohorts of Parkinson's disease and control participants in a single-site study and validated against a multisite study using multiple scanners. The fractional volume of free water was increased in the posterior region of the substantia nigra in Parkinson's disease compared with control subjects in both the single-site and multi-site studies. We did not observe changes in either cohort for free-water–corrected fractional anisotropy or free-water–corrected mean diffusivity. Our findings provide new evidence that the free-water index reflects alteration of the substantia nigra in Parkinson's disease, and this was evidenced across both single-site and multi-site cohorts.
Mondini dysplasia and congenital cytomegalovirus infection

We report a case of bilateral temporal bone anomalies in a child with symptomatic congenital cytomegalovirus infection and severe, bilateral sensorineural hearing loss identified at 3 months of age. High-resolution temporal bone computed tomography (HRCT) revealed bilateral findings of a short, malformed cochlea lacking an interscalar septum, a short and wide internal auditory canal, and an enlarged vestibular aqueduct, features diagnostic of bilateral Mondini dysplasia. To determine the importance of this observation, we completed HRCT in five additional children between 7 months and 9 years of age who had evidence of symptomatic congenital cytomegalovirus infection. One child with profound sensorineural hearing loss had severe bilateral temporal bone dysplasia with a small cochlea lacking an interscalar septum, an abnormal vestibule, and a large cochlear aqueduct. Of the remaining four children, hearing thresholds ranged from normal to profoundly decreased, but their HRCT scans were normal to visual inspection. When inner ear dimensions of these temporal bones were compared with norms established by Pappas and coworkers, however, seven of the eight ears had short cochleas and narrow lateral semicircular canals, and three ears had short or narrow vestibules. These results indicate that congenital cytomegalovirus infection may cause anomalies or growth disturbances of the temporal bone.
Relationship among fibre type, myosin ATPase activity and contractile properties

At least two types of skeletal muscle myosin have been described which differ in ATPase activity and stability in alkaline or acidic media. Differences in ATPase characteristics distinguish Type I and Type II fibres histochemically. In this study, ATPase activity of myosin from muscles of several species with known histochemical and contractile properties has been determined to test the hypothesis that (1) myosin ATPase activity, (2) histochemical determination of fibre types and (3) maximum shortening velocity, all provide equivalent estimates of contractile properties in muscles of mixed fibre types. Maximum shortening velocity appears to be proportional to ATPase activity as expected from previous reports by Barany. However, both myosin ATPase and the maximum shortening velocity exhibit curvilinear relationships to the fraction of cross-sectional area occupied by Type II fibres. Therefore, we reject the hypothesis and conclude that histochemically determined myofibrillar ATPase does not accurately reflect the intrinsic ATPase activity or shortening velocity in muscles of mixed fibre types. Our data are consistent with the presence of more than two myosin isozymes or with a mixture of isozymes within single muscle fibres.
DIRECT: A Robust Distributed Broker Framework for Trust and Reputation Management

Reputation systems for e-commerce uses past behaviors as a predictor of future behaviors. Reputation systems must meet the challenge on how to differentiate honest feedbacks from dishonest ones in order to reduce the system vulnerablity due to malicious attacks. To address this issue, we propose a distributed reputation and trust management broker framework, called DIRECT, for dishonesty prevention. In DIRECT, malicious attacks are monitored and detected by local and cross-broker check mechanisms using statistical distribution test technologies. In the presence of dishonest feedbacks, DIRECT effectively classifies users into the green (good) and red (bad) groups. It saves the correct reputation information provided by the green group, and reduces the impact of dishonest feedbacks from the red group. The performance study shows that the DIRECT sanity check mechanism. works effectively in the presence of dishonest and malicious feedbacks.
The Impact of Honour Codes and Perceptions of Cheating on Academic Cheating Behaviours, Especially for MBA Bound Undergraduates

Researchers studying academic dishonesty in college often focus on demographic characteristics of cheaters and discuss changes in cheating trends over time. To predict cheating behaviour, some researchers examine the costs and benefits of academic cheating, while others view campus culture and the role which honour codes play in affecting behaviour. This paper develops a model of academic cheating based on three sets of incentives - moral, social and economic—and how they affect cheating behaviours. An on-line survey comprising 61 questions was administered to students from three liberal arts colleges in the USA in spring 2008, yielding 700 responses, with half from colleges with honour codes. Econometric modelling indicates that students ultimately seeking MBA degrees, and those who lack a perception of what constitutes cheating, undertake more cheating, regardless of whether an honour code is in place. Additionally, unless an honour code is embraced by the college community, the existence of an honour c...
Spontaneous REM behaviors in a microcephalic infant.

A microcephalic human newborn exhibited a repertoire of spontaneous REM behaviors, including REM smiling, at rates characteristic of a normal newborn comparison group. Cyclical alternations between behavioral REM and non-REM states were also documented. A detailed post-mortem examination supported an inference that this infant had severely impaired functioning of cerebral cortex and limbic system during its brief postuterine life. The findings support a tentative conclusion that the observed spontaneous REM behaviors are mediated through the brain stem and that cerebral structures, including the limbic system, are not necessary for this mediation. The findings are also consistent with previous evidence that the seat of organization of REM and non-REM sleep is in the brain stem.
Use of the azimuthal resistivity technique for determination of regional azimuth of transmissivity

Many bedrock units contain joint sets that commonly act as preferred paths for the movement of water, electrical charge, and possible contaminants associated with production or transit of crude oil or refined products. To facilitate the development of remediation programs, a need exists to reliably determine regional-scale properties of these joint sets: azimuth of transmissivity ellipse, dominant set, and trend(s). The surface azimuthal electrical resistivity survey method used for local in situ studies can be a noninvasive, reliable, efficient, and relatively cost-effective method for regional studies. The azimuthal resistivity survey method combines the use of standard resistivity equipment with a Wenner array rotated about a fixed center point, at selected degree intervals, which yields an apparent resistivity ellipse from which joint-set orientation can be determined. Regional application of the azimuthal survey method was tested at 17 sites in an approximately 500 km2 (193 mi2) area around Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with less than 15 m (50 ft) overburden above the dolomite. Results of 26 azimuthal surveys were compared and determined to be consistent with the results of two other methods: direct observation of joint-set orientation and transmissivity ellipses from multiple-well-aquifer tests. The average of joint-set trend determined by azimuthal surveys is within 2.5 of the average of joint-set trend determined by direct observation of major joint sets at 24 sites. The average of maximum of transmissivity trend determined by azimuthal surveys is within 5.7 of the average of maximum of transmissivity trend determined for 14 multiple-well-aquifer tests.
ProfLifeLog: Environmental analysis and keyword recognition for naturalistic daily audio streams

This study presents keyword recognition evaluation on a new corpus named ProfLifeLog. ProfLifeLog is a collection of data captured on a portable audio recording device called the LENA unit. Each session in ProfLifeLog consists of 10+ hours of continuous audio recording that captures the work day of the speaker (person wearing the LENA unit). This study presents keyword spotting evaluation on the ProfLifeLog corpus using the PCN-KWS (phone confusion network-keyword spotting) algorithm [2]. The ProfLifeLog corpus contains speech data in a variety of noise backgrounds which is challenging for keyword recognition. In order to improve keyword recognition, this study also develops a front-end environment estimation strategy that uses the knowledge of speech-pause decisions and SNR (signal-to-noise ratio) to provide noise robustness. The combination of the PCN-KWS and the proposed front-end technique is evaluated on 1 hour of ProfLifeLog corpus. Our evaluation experiments demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed technique as the number of false alarms in keyword recognition are reduced considerably.
Effects of Horizontal Curvature on Single-Vehicle Motorcycle Crashes Along Rural Two-Lane Highways

Motorcycle crashes and fatalities have been increasing rapidly during the past 12 years both in Ohio and across the rest of the United States. In response to these issues, various studies have examined aspects of motorcycle safety in recent years. However, there has been limited research on the effects of site-specific roadway geometry on the frequency of motorcycle crashes, particularly at nonintersection locations. Typically, researchers employ Poisson and negative binomial crash prediction modeling techniques in these types of studies. The research presented in this paper uses a negative binomial model, applying full Bayes methods to improve model performance and to assess the impacts of horizontal curvature and other geometric features on the frequency of single-vehicle motorcycle crashes along segments of rural two-lane highways. The data used in this study include crash records for the years 2002 through the spring of 2008, in combination with available geometric design information, for those curves...
Medication Usage Patterns for Headache Treatment After Mild Traumatic Brain Injury

Objective.—To describe patient self-report of headache treatment in the ﬁrst year following mild traumatic brain injury(TBI).Background.—An understanding of appropriate management of symptoms after mild TBI is crucial for improving acutecare and long-term outcomes. This is particularly true for post-traumatic headaches as recent studies suggest that headachesafter mild TBI are common with multiple phenotypes. In addition, symptoms such as headache after mild TBI are oftenmanaged by primary care providers without specialty training, and often in medically underserved areas. Outside of previousopinion papers, few studies have guided the treatment or examined the effectiveness of the interventions for post-traumaticheadache.Methods.—One hundred sixty-seven participants admitted to a level 1 trauma hospital with mild TBI who were prospec-tively enrolled and reported new or worse headache at 3, 6, or 12 months after injury.Results.—Participants were primarily male (75%), white (75%), injured in vehicle crashes (62%), and had completed highschool (83%). The majority of headaches met International Classiﬁcation of Headache Disorders – 2nd edition criteria formigraine/probable migraine, followed by tension-type headache. Despite the diverse nature of headaches, more than 70% ofthose with headache at each time period used acetaminophen or a nonsteroidal anti-inﬂammatory drug for headache control.Only 8% of those with the migraine/probable migraine phenotype used triptans. Of those individuals who used medication,26% of those with migraine/probable migraine phenotype and 70% of those with tension headache phenotype endorsedcomplete relief (vs partial or no relief) because of medication use. The majority of individuals with tension headache reportednever taking medication.Conclusions.—Headaches after mild TBI are frequent and are not optimally treated.Results suggest that many individualswith mild TBI may be self-treating their headaches by utilizing over-the-counter pain relief medications. These medications,however,are only providing effective treatment for a minority of this population.Further research must be conducted to developevidence-guided treatment and educate providers.Key words: post-traumatic headache, mild traumatic brain injury, headache, concussion, migraineAbbreviations: ICHD-2 International Classiﬁcation of Headache Disorders – 2nd Edition, NSAIDs nonsteroidal anti-inﬂammatory drugs, TBI traumatic brain injury
C3 R102G polymorphism increases risk of age-related macular degeneration

Inflammation has long been suspected to play a role in the pathogenesis of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Association of variants in the complement factor H (CFH) and complement factor B (CFB) genes has targeted the search for additional loci to the alternative complement cascade, of which C3 is a major component. Two non-synonymous coding polymorphisms within C3, R102G and L314P, have previously been strongly associated with increased risk. These variants are in strong linkage disequilibrium (LD), making the contribution of this locus to AMD even more difficult to ascertain. We sought to determine whether the C3 association resulted primarily from only one of these two variants or from a combined effect of both in 223 families and an independent dataset of 701 cases and 286 unrelated controls. The C3 polymorphisms were in strong LD (r(2) = 0.85), and both were associated in the family-based and case-control datasets (R102G genoPDT P = 0.02, case-control genotypic P = 0.004; L314P genoPDT P = 0.001, case-control genotypic P = 0.04). In conditional analyses in the case-control dataset, R102G remained associated with disease in the L314P risk allele carriers (P = 0.01), but there was no effect of L314P in the R102G risk allele carriers (P = 0.2). After adjusting for age, smoking, CFH Y402H, LOC387715 A69S, and CFB R32Q, the effect of R102G remained strong [P = 0.015, odds ratio = 1.55, 95% confidence interval 1.09 to 2.21, adjusted PAR(population attributable risk) = 0.17]. Therefore, while the strong LD between R102G and L314P makes it difficult to disentangle their individual effects on disease risk, the R102G polymorphism acting alone provides the best model for disease in our data.
Sodium chloride-induced calciuria in hyperparathyroidism.

The infusion of hypertonic sodium chloride produced a marked increase in urinary calcium excretion in hyperparathyroid patients but not in a control group. After removal of a parathyroid adenoma, the increased calciuria did not occur. There were no differences in urinary sodium, potassium, chloride or phosphorus excretion between control and hyperparathyroid groups. This response may be helpful in making the clinical diagnosis of hyperparathyroidism.
First-principles studies of a two-dimensional electron gas at the interface in ferroelectric oxide heterostructures

The discovery of a two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) at the interface between two insulating oxides has recently stimulated intense research activity in this field. The 2DEG has unique properties that are promising for applications in all-oxide electronic devices. For such applications it is desirable to have the ability to control 2DEG properties by external stimulus. Here we employ first-principles calculations to investigate ${\text{KNbO}}_{3}/A{\text{TiO}}_{3}(001)$ ($A=\text{Sr}$, Pb, and Ba) heterostructures where perovskites ferroelectrics, ${\text{KNbO}}_{3}$, ${\text{PbTiO}}_{3}$, and ${\text{BaTiO}}_{3}$, are used as oxide constituents to create the interface 2DEG. Our results suggest that the polar ${({\text{NbO}}_{2})}^{+}/{(A\text{O})}^{0}$ interface in these heretostructures favors the formation of 2DEG similar to that at the ${(\text{LaO})}^{+}/{({\text{TiO}}_{2})}^{0}$ interface in a ${\text{LaAlO}}_{3}/{\text{SrTiO}}_{3}$ heterostructure. We predict that the presence of spontaneous ferroelectric polarization which can be switched between two stable states allows modulations of the carrier density and consequently the conductivity of the 2DEG. The effect occurs due to the screening charge at the interface that counteracts the depolarizing electric field and depends on polarization orientation. The magnitude of the effect of polarization on the 2DEG properties strongly depends on contrast between polarizations of the two constituents of the heterostructure: the larger is the difference in the two polarizations, the bigger is the effect. For a sufficiently large polarization difference, we predict a metal-insulator transition at the interface driven by polarization reversal. This behavior is found for the ${\text{KNbO}}_{3}/{\text{PbTiO}}_{3}$ interface and for the ${\text{KNbO}}_{3}/{\text{BaTiO}}_{3}$ interface when polarizations of ${\text{KNbO}}_{3}$ and ${\text{BaTiO}}_{3}$ are antiparallel. The proposed concept of ferroelectrically controlled interface conductivity may be very interesting for memory and logic applications and we hope that our predictions will stimulate experimental studies in this field.
A study of the NOAA near-nadir Microwave Humidity Sounder brightness temperatures over Antarctica

Brightness temperatures from NOAA-18 and NOAA-19 MHS measurements are investigated over Antarctica to establish it as a natural vicarious calibration target for determination of the Inter-satellite/inter-sensor Calibration Biases (ICB) of the two MHS radiometers. Establishment of a natural test site for calibration references is important for calibration and validation of space-borne microwave instruments
Automated, contour-based tracking and analysis of cell behaviour over long time scales in environments of varying complexity and cell density.

Understanding single and collective cell motility in model environments is foundational to many current research efforts in biology and bioengineering. To elucidate subtle differences in cell behaviour despite cell-to-cell variability, we introduce an algorithm for tracking large numbers of cells for long time periods and present a set of physics-based metrics that quantify differences in cell trajectories. Our algorithm, termed automated contour-based tracking for in vitro environments (ACTIVE), was designed for adherent cell populations subject to nuclear staining or transfection. ACTIVE is distinct from existing tracking software because it accommodates both variability in image intensity and multi-cell interactions, such as divisions and occlusions. When applied to low-contrast images from live-cell experiments, ACTIVE reduced error in analysing cell occlusion events by as much as 43% compared with a benchmark-tracking program while simultaneously tracking cell divisions and resulting daughter–daughter cell relationships. The large dataset generated by ACTIVE allowed us to develop metrics that capture subtle differences between cell trajectories on different substrates. We present cell motility data for thousands of cells studied at varying densities on shape-memory-polymer-based nanotopographies and identify several quantitative differences, including an unanticipated difference between two ‘control’ substrates. We expect that ACTIVE will be immediately useful to researchers who require accurate, long-time-scale motility data for many cells.
Repolarization of the action potential enabled by Na+ channel deactivation in PSpice simulation of cardiac muscle propagation.

Background In previous studies on propagation of simulated action potentials (APs) in cardiac muscle using PSpice modeling, we reported that a second black-box (BB) could not be inserted into the K+ leg of the basic membrane unit because that caused the PSpice program to become very unstable. Therefore, only the rising phase of the APs could be simulated. This restriction was acceptable since only the mechanism of transmission of excitation from one cell to the next was being investigated.
The tracing of pathways in the central nervous system

Fiber connections in the central nervous system are studied both in normal material (especially with the aid of the Golgi technique) and in experimental material. Following an experimentally induced lesion of a nerve fiber or its cell body, the fiber peripheral to the point of the lesion starts to degenerate, a process termed anterograde degeneration. The first morphological sign of degeneration is an irregular outline of the fiber followed by varicosities and "drop-like" disintegration of the axon. The degenerated nerve fiber can be impregnated, and thus traced to its termination, with silver-impregnation methods, most of which are modifications of the reduced silver-impregnation technique described independently by Bielschowsky and Ramon y Cajal at the turn of the century. Although the silver-impregnation technique is extremely demanding, it can, when conditions are optimal, identify the synaptic fields of fiber tracts with a clarity equaled by no other method. The electron microscope technique has recently been introduced into experimental neuroanatomy, and we are currently witnessing one of the most dramatic developments in the study of interneuronal connections. The ultra-structural features of anterograde degeneration--including, among others, a general increase in electron density of the axoplasm--are specific enough to allow for an electron microscope diagnosis of degenerating terminal end-structures, and electron microscope identification of axon degeneration is rapidly becoming a routine procedure in neuroanatomic laboratories. It must be emphasized, however, that successful application of the electron microscope in experimental neuroanatomy requires a continuous "feedback" from adequate light microscope observations. Moreover, the serial combination of light microscope analysis, with Golgi or reduced silver techniques, and electron microscope analysis of one and the same specimen has very recently opened up some most promising lines of inquiry. Although remarkable progress in the study of interneuronal connections has been made during the last few decades, there is a never-ceasing need for more refined and more sensitive neuroanatomic techniques. Clearly, technical improvements, both in the design and performance of neuroanatomical methods, must be given highest priority if neuroanatomy is to remain abreast of neurophysiology in the joint attempt to elucidate the composition of neuron circuits.
The application of the Octopus stabilizing system for the treatment of high risk patients with coronary artery disease.

Objectives: If coronary disease is the target of a minimally invasive procedure, median sternotomy or cardiopulmonary bypass or both can be avoided. Similar to the development in other fields of surgery, minimally invasive surgical techniques are gaining increased acceptance in the field of cardiothoracic surgery. Our experience with an off pump coronary artery bypass (OPCAB) technique in a special patients group with serious risk factors for the application of cardiopulmonary bypass has been analyzed. Methods: Between March 1996 and January 1999, 88 patients (64 male, 24 female) with impaired left ventricular function, or other high risk factors jeopardizing the use of cardiopulmonary bypass, such as impaired renal or lung function or heavily calcified aorta, received a beating heart procedure using the Medtronic Octopus w stabilizing system. Results: All patients survived the actual operation, however, two multimorbide patients died of pneumonia on postoperative day 31 and postoperative day 35. Conclusions: Patients with single-vessel to multivessel disease and serious risk factors for cardiopulmonary bypass can be safely treated by OPCAB surgery. At our institution this technique presents the procedure of choice in this particular patients group. q 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Decreased Resistance of Eastern Oysters ( Crassostrea virginica ) to a Protozoan Pathogen ( Perkinsus marinus ) After Sublethal Exposure to Tributyltin Oxide

Abstract Anthropogenic environmental stress is a likely contributor to outbreaks of disease due to immunosuppression or increased host vulnerability. Estuarine organisms are exposed to variable concentrations of marine antifouling agents, such as tributyltin (TBT), with higher exposures existing near ports and marinas. Eastern oysters ( Crassostrea virginica ), inhabiting the northern Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic coast of North America, are susceptible to a protozoan pathogen, Perkinsus marinus , which has devastated oyster populations and depleted oyster fisheries throughout its range. This study examined the effects of exposure to environmental levels of TBT on susceptibility and survival of oysters when subsequently challenged with P. marinus . Oysters were exposed to TBT (0, 30 and 80 ng/L) in flow-through aquaria for 9 weeks, then moved to static aquaria, where they were challenged with parasites and monitored for an additional 8 weeks for mortality and disease. Results indicated increased infection intensity and oyster mortality in the TBT-exposed treatments relative to unexposed controls. It is hypothesized that TBT exacerbates the infectious disease process and that exposed oysters succumb at lower levels of infection.
Cesium-134 and Cesium-137 in Honey Bees and Cheese Samples Collected in the U.S. After the Chernobyl Accident

Abstract As a result of the Chernobyl accident on April 25, 1986, possible radioactive contamination of honey bees and cheese sampled in several areas of the United States were measured. Of bees collected in May and June of 1986 in both Oregon and New York, only those from Oregon showed detectable levels of cesium-134 ( T 1 2 = 2.05 years ), a radionuclide which would have originated from the Chernobyl incident. Cheese produced in Oregon and New York before the accident showed only cesium-137 ( T 1 2 = 30.23 years ) but cheese produced afterwards (May and September, 1986) in Oregon contained cesium-134. Cheese produced in Ohio and California at the time of the accident and thereafter contained only cesium-137. In general, the levels of radioactivity were higher in the West coast samples as compared to those taken in the East. The levels of radioactivity detected were considered to be toxicologically of no consequence.
IBM Community Hackathon 2014: IBM Bluemix

In May 2013 the Health Council of Canada released its third report on the state of healthcare renewal in IBM Community Hackathon 2014
Quantization of the Spin- 3 2 Field in the Presence of Interactions

The electrodynamics of spin-$\frac{3}{2}$ particles is discussed in this paper. In particular, the spin-$\frac{3}{2}$ field in the presence of the minimal electromagnetic interaction is quantized by using the Yang-Feldman formalism. The Hamiltonian for this system is obtained explicitly and the commutation relations derived in this paper are shown to be consistent with Heisenberg's equations of motion. In this formalism, the condition for the anticommutator between a spin-$\frac{3}{2}$ field and its Hermitian conjugate to be positive definite is simple to formulate.
Macrophage levels in large cell lymphoma are associated with survival

8097 Background: Recent studies of follicular lymphoma have suggested that the presence of high levels of tumor associated macrophages (MO) conferred a poor prognosis. The current study evaluated l...
Congenital Abnormalities of Internal Organs and Body Cavities

Many of these malformations are reported sporadically, but a few are common, and several have important clinical implications. One example is schistosomus reflexus, which is always a challenge for veteran clinicians and often baffling to inexperienced obstetricians. The recent finding that early palpation of the amniotic vesicle can cause intestinal atresia in calves is extremely significant for dairy practitioners. Finally, there is the ethical question in breeding animals--repairing defects that are thought to be genetic, such as atresia ani, scrotal hernia, and umbilical hernia.
Another New Truffle

In the last number of Mycologia, Miss Gilkey described two new American species of truffles, Tuber canaliculatzmn and T. uilicolor, the latter based on material recently collected in the vicinity of New York City by the use of a dog trained in Europe. After working over this New York material, Miss Gilkey examined and carefully compared with it some specimens collected by Dr. Shear in Maryland twenty years ago, and pronounced them similar but specifically distinct.
Engineering the Substrate Specificity of ADP-Ribosyltransferases for Identifying Direct Protein Targets

Adenosine diphosphate ribosyltransferases (ARTDs; ARTD1–17 in humans) are emerging as critical regulators of cell function in both normal physiology and disease. These enzymes transfer the ADP-ribose moiety from its substrate, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+), to amino acids of target proteins. The functional redundancy and overlapping target specificities among the 17 ARTDs in humans make the identification of direct targets of individual ARTD family members in a cellular context a formidable challenge. Here we describe the rational design of orthogonal NAD+ analogue-engineered ARTD pairs for the identification of direct protein targets of individual ARTDs. Guided by initial inhibitor studies with nicotinamide analogues containing substituents at the C-5 position, we synthesized an orthogonal NAD+ variant and found that it is used as a substrate for several engineered ARTDs (ARTD1, -2, and -6) but not their wild-type counterparts. Comparing the target profiles of ARTD1 (PARP1) and ARTD2 (PARP2) i...
American Colonial Disturbances as Political Theatre

To view street actions of the American colonial period as theatrical events is nothing new. As Jeffrey Richards has shown in his much-admired book of 1991, writers of the colonial period—even in towns where “official” theatre performances were strictly prohibited—preferred the metaphors of theatre over any others in describing the actions of individuals and crowds upon what these writers saw as the “world stage.”
The Genus Akaropeltis Bat. & Bez.

The ascomycete genus Akaropeltis Bat. & Bez. (Micropeltaceae) is shown to be heterogeneous and is reduced to its original monotypic state. Since the generic name is an orthographic variant and later homonym of Acaropeltis Petr., the new name Akaropeltella and the new combination A. kielmeyerae are proposed for the genus and its type species, respectively. The other three species are treated as follows: Akaropeltis andina (Petr.) Arx is transferred to Stomiopeltis Theiss.; A. sydowii (Petr.) Arx, a chaetothyriaceous fungus, may belong in Microcallis Syd.; the correct name for A. oleae (Hansf.) Arx is Fraseria oleae (Hansf.) Bat. The two imperfect states associated with A. kielmeyerae are named Sporidesmium kielmeyerae and Septonema kielmeyerae, respectively.
Investigation on Production Characteristics of Yellow Rice Wine

Yellow rice wine is produced with grains as raw materials by combined action of multiple microbes including mildew, yeast and bacteria etc. and its characteristics as follows: 1. multiplicity of raw materials and wine types. Wine-producing raw materials varied according to region difference, and wine types include Xiaoqu wine, wheat wine, red starter wine, millet wine, corn wine and highland barley wine etc.; 2. multiplicity of fermentation. Fermentations include solid fermentation, solid-liquid combined fermentation, semi-solid fermentation and liquid fermentation; 3. Open fermentation in wine production; 4. multiplicity of microbe groups;5.Unique breeding;6.Preserving with multiple microbe;7.Mixed fermentation of bacteria and yeasts;8.Sealed storage in pottery jars. (Tran. by YUE Yang)
Recovery, Retirement, Central Bank Intervention and the Bentzel Effect or Productivity

While the unemployment rate has continued to drop across the developed world and the participation rate edged up slightly, wage stagnation continues to plague recovery. This is exacerbated by the lack of investment and a dropping productivity. As bonds and the cost of borrowing have stagnated due to central bank intervention, lending has also slowed yet equities have risen substantially. Pension funds have been forced, along with most savers, to invest in increasingly risky financial vehicles. Modigliani (1986) argued that the basis for productivity growth is the Bentzel Effect that implies that younger cohorts have larger lifetime resources than older ones, and their savings are larger than the dissaving of the poorer retired cohorts. This Effect cannot work in the context of poor job growth, low paying jobs and stagnated investment in research and development.