cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Phylogenetics of Panthera, including Panthera atrox, based on craniodental characters

The phylogenetic position of Panthera atrox within Felidae is still controversial despite many morphological and molecular studies addressing its relationships. This is in part due to the lack of consensus on a tree for Panthera. These inconsistencies suggest the need for further analysis and perhaps even different methodology to better understand pantherine evolution. Morphologic characters from the skull and dentary were analysed within Panthera to elucidate pantherine phylogeny. Extant taxa included Panthera leo (African lion), Panthera tigris (tiger), Panthera onca (jaguar), Panthera pardus (leopard), Uncia uncia (snow leopard) and Neofelis nebulosa (clouded leopard). Four outgroups were used: Crocuta crocuta (spotted hyena), Metailurus spp., Proailurus lemanensis and Pseudaelurus validus. Our study found a clade containing Panthera leo, Panthera tigris and Panthera atrox, suggesting that Panthera atrox is more closely related to the African lion and the tiger than the jaguar, in contrast to what has ...
A stringent new limit on bursts from nearby galaxies

If typical gamma-ray bursts [GRBs] have X-ray counterparts similar to those detected byGinga, then sensitive focusing X-ray telescopes will be able to detect GRBs three orders of magnitude fainter than the detection limit of the Burst and Transient Spectroscopy Experiment [BATSE]. If a substantial portion of the burst population detected byBATSE originates in a Galactic halo at distances greater than or equal to 150 kpc, existing X-ray telescopes will be able to detect GRBs in external galaxies out to a distance of at least 4.5 Mpc. As reported in Hamilton, Gotthelf and Helfand (1995) the Imaging Proportional counter [IPC] on board theEINSTEIN Observatory detected 42 transient events with pointlike spatial characteristics and timescales of less than 10 seconds. These events are distributed isotropically on the sky; in particular, they are not concentrated in the directions of nearby external galaxies. For halo models of theBATSE bursts with radii of 150 kpc or greater, we would expect to see several burst events in observations pointed towards nearby galaxies. We see none. We therefore conclude that if theGinga detections are representative of the population of GRBs sampled byBATSE, GRBs cannot originate in a Galactic halo population with limiting radii between 150 kpc and 400 kpc. Inasmuch as halos with limiting radii outside of this range have been excluded by theBATSE isotropy measurements, our result indicates that all halo models are excluded. This result is independent of whether the flashes we do detect have an astronomical origin.
In the social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum, density, not farming status, determines predatory success on unpalatable Escherichia coli

Background: The social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum interacts with bacteria in a variety of ways. It is a predator of bacteria, can be infected or harmed by bacteria, and can form symbiotic associations with bacteria. Some clones of D. discoideum function as primitive farmers because they carry bacteria through the normally sterile D. discoideum social stage, then release them after dispersal so the bacteria can proliferate and be harvested. Some farmer-associated bacteria produce small molecules that promote host farmer growth but inhibit the growth of non-farmer competitors. To test whether the farmers’ tolerance is specific or extends to other growth inhibitory bacteria, we tested whether farmer and non-farmer amoebae are differentially affected by E. coli strains of varying pathogenicity. Because the numbers of each organism may influence the outcome of amoeba-bacteria interactions, we also examined the influence of amoeba and bacteria density on the ability of D. discoideum to grow and develop on distinct bacterial strains. Results: A subset of E. coli strains did not support amoeba proliferation on rich medium, independent of whether the amoebae were farmers or non-farmers. However, amoebae could proliferate on these strains if amoebae numbers are high relative to bacteria numbers, but again there was no difference in this ability between farmer and non-farmer clones of D. discoideum. Conclusions: Our results show that farmer and non-farmers did not differ in their abilities to consume novel strains of E. coli, suggesting that farmer resistance to their own carried bacteria does not extend to foreign bacteria. We see that increasing the numbers of bacteria or amoebae increases their respective likelihood of competitive victory over the other, thus showing Allee effects. We hypothesize that higher bacteria numbers may result in higher concentrations of a toxic product or in a reduction of resources critical for amoeba survival, producing an environment inhospitable to amoeba predators. Greater amoeba numbers may counter this growth inhibition, possibly through reducing bacterial numbers via increased predation rates, or by producing something that neutralizes a potentially toxic bacterial product.
New magnetic compounds of the ilmenite-type structure

Abstract Two new ferromagnetic oxides, CoMnO3 and NiMnO3, have been synthesized by reacting the appropriate binary oxides under hydrothermal conditions. These compounds have rhombohedral, ilmenite-type crystal structures, i.e. they are isomorphous with FeTiO3 and are believed to be the first oxides with this structure reported to be ferromagnetic. The specific moment of each oxide is of the order of 14 cgs units g at room temperature. Intrinsic coercive forces as high as 9000 Oe for CoMnO3 and 1240 Oe for NiMnO3 have been observed for samples of these oxides that have been severely cold worked. The magnetic properties of CoMnO3 and NiMnO3 indicate that they possess high magnetocrystalline anisotropies and that their direction of easy magnetization does not lie along the principal crystallographic symmetry axis but lies probably in the basal plane.
Retrospective adaptive motion correction for navigator-gated 3D coronary MR angiography.

Retrospective adaptive motion correction (AMC) was developed for reducing effects of residual respiration in real-time navigator-gated three-dimensional (3D) coronary magnetic resonance (MR) angiography. In both motion phantom and in vivo experiments, AMC improved image sharpness of coronary arteries. This navigator-based technique combining adaptive correction and real-time gating is potentially an efficient and effective motion reduction method for 3D coronary MR angiography. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2000;11:208–214. © 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Temperature anomaly reemergence in seasonally frozen soils

[1] In cold regions where soils experience seasonally freezing and thawing, past soil temperature anomalies are stored as variations in the amount of ground ice and can reemerge at the surface after frozen soils thaw. Warmer soils in autumn result in shallower freeze depths in winter, requiring less energy to thaw in spring, and resulting in warmer soils the following summer. We identified reemergence from in situ soil temperature data across the former Soviet Union and simulated reemergence using a soil heat transfer model with phase change. Reemergence is triggered by a sudden drop in the apparent soil specific heat associated with the latent heat of fusion of water. Past soil temperature anomalies persisting just below the maximum freeze depth, which varies from less than one to three meters, amplify the reemergence signal. Reemergence strength increases with soil water content and does not occur if the soil never freezes. To simulate the reemergence, models need a soil column at least 7 m deep with enough vertical resolution to accurately capture variability in the frozen layer. Reemergence of past soil temperature anomalies is a new class of time delayed, land-atmosphere feedbacks that can potentially help to explain observed variability in climate and improve seasonal climate prediction in regions with seasonally frozen soils.
Selective vulnerability of cerebral white matter in a murine model of multiple sclerosis detected using diffusion tensor imaging.

In this study, axial (λ||) and radial (λ⊥) diffusivities derived from diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) were used to evaluate white matter injury in brains of mice affected by experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). Sixteen female C57BL/6 mice were immunized with amino acids 35–55 of myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG35–55). Three months after immunization, optic nerve and tract were severely affected with 19% and 18% decrease in λ|| respectively, suggesting the presence of axonal injury. In addition, a 156% and 86% increase in λ⊥ was observed in optic nerve and tract respectively, suggestive of myelin injury. After in vivo DTI, mice were perfusion fixed and immunohistochemistry for the identification of myelin basic protein (MBP) and phosphorylated neurofilament (pNF) was performed to verify the presence of axonal and myelin injury. The present study demonstrated that the visual pathway is selectively affected in MOG35–55 induced murine EAE and these injuries are non-invasively detectable using λ|| and λ⊥.
Deuteron knockout in electronuclear collisions

Abstract The inclusive contribution of deuteron knockout to inelastic electron scattering from complex nuclei through a given angle and with a given energy loss has been calculated. The production amplitude consists of two terms: an electron-one-nucleon (“Born”) amplitude and an electron-two-nucleon (“rescattering”) amplitude whose contribution to production involves (virtual) boson rescattering (i.e. (virtual) boson electroproduction on one nucleon, followed by absorption on another). The calculation is performed in a Fermi gas model of the target nucleus. The rescattering correction includes the effects of finite-range vertices; the additional effects of short-range repulsive NN interactions are also considered. Results of Monte Carlo integration calculations of the process on 12 C are given for several deuteron models as well as for various values of the average nucleon binding. Calculations are presented which indicate that final-state-interaction corrections to the Born production model are less significant than those relating to rescattering.
Pediatric traumatic carotid, vertebral and cerebral artery dissections: a review

Traumatic cerebral dissections are rare but potentially dangerous conditions that through improved diagnostics have recently gained increased interest. However, there is still a significant lack of knowledge on the natural history, as well as on the best treatment options. Most of the literature on this topic consists of case reports and retrospective studies with no prospective randomized controlled studies. In our review, we highlight the fact that there is no level 1 evidence for the natural history of cerebral dissections or for the best treatment. We present 26 case studies derived from 70 pediatric patients affected by dissections, occlusions, and pseudoaneurysms.
Energy absorption in axial and shear loading of particulate magnetostrictive composites

Energy absorption properties of polymer matrix Terfenol-D particulate composites have been experimentally measured. In this work two volume fractions of Terfenol-D were investigated and both exhibited peak energy absorption of up to 25 percent per cycle. The tests include mechanical loading in both axial and shear combined with applied axial magnetic fields. The results show that the energy absorbed in a cycle of loading is a strong function of stress amplitude. The peak energy absorption for the zero magnetic field case in both axial and shear loading occurs near zero amplitude and decreases with increasing stress amplitude. The maximum energy absorption near zero stress amplitude has been observed previously in monolithic Terfenol-D and is a result of the low magnetic anisotorpy of Terfenol-D. Combined magnetic-mechanical loading demonstrated the influence of magnetic field on energy absorption properties. The energy absorption is decreased as the static magnetic field is increased if the cyclic stress amplitude is held constant. If however, we hold a constant magnetic field and vary the cyclic stress amplitude is held constant. If however, we hold a constant magnetic field and vary the cyclic mechanical loading amplitude, it has been observed that the peak energy absorption curve is shifted to higher stress values. This suggests stress tunable dampers are possible.© (2000) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
The Androgen-Dependent Mouse Seminal Vesicle Secretory Protein IV: Characterization and Complementary Deoxyribonucleic Acid Cloning

Seminal vesicle secretory protein IV of a mouse has been isolated, and the cDNA coding for its mRNA has been cloned and sequenced. The 556-nucleotides encode 16 amino acid signal peptides and 92 residues of mature protein. Considerable homology between mouse and rat SVS IV cDNA was found. In the leader peptide and 3′-noncoding region there is 92% and 85% homology, respectively. The other regional homologies are 86% for the first 12, 68.5% for the last 35, and 40% for the middle 44 amino acids. The expression of mouse SVS IV mRNA is under the control of androgen. Administration of testosterone to castrated mice resulted in induction of the mRNA level to 50% of the mature male in 96 h of hormone treatment. Secretion of the protein after testosterone injection follows a similar pattern
Possible discrepancies between transport and superconducting electron-phonon coupling due to anisotropic Fermi surface nesting

Abstract A model with Fermi surface nesting between k points on the same side of a flat Fermi surface can produce a large superconducting electron-phonon coupling constant λ and simultaneously a small transport electron-phonon coupling constant λtr.
Evaluation of the film and adhesive properties of some block copolymer polyhydroxypolyamides from esterified aldaric acids and diamines

A number of structurally different block copolymer polyhydroxypolyamides (PHPAs), produced by condensation polymerization of activated aldarates with 1o diamines, were evaluated for their water and methanol solubility and film-forming and adhesive properties. The polymers are composed of a single aldaric acid and a single diamine unit, a single aldaric acid and two diamine units, two aldaric acids and a single diamine unit, or two aldaric acids and two diamine units. The aldaryl monomer units in the polymers were derived from D-glucaric, xylaric, and galactaric (mucic) acids. A number of alkylenediamines and heteroatom (oxygen and nitrogen)-containing diamines were employed as comonomers. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 77: 3085–3092, 2000
The role of osmotic effects in fluid flow through shales

A transient flux model for fluid loss from the wellbore into shales during drilling has been developed. The model takes into account the coupled flow of water and ions due to hydraulic, osmotic, and electrical potential gradients imposed on the formation. Solute concentration profiles and hydraulic pressure propagation are calculated as a function of time and the flux of water and ions are obtained for various drilling conditions. The model provides a method to quantify interactions between drilling fluid and shales and constitutes a useful tool for formulating drilling fluids. It assists in the establishment of proper bottomhole hydraulic and osmotic drilling fluid pressures so as to minimize flow into or out of shales, which could result in wellbore instability problems.
Relation between photosynthetic starch formation and dry-weight partitioning between the shoot and root.

The possible relationship of partitioning of photosynthate between starch and sucrose to the distribution of dry weight between the shoot and root was examined in relation to genetic variation and ...
Listeria infection after liver transplantation: report of a case and review of the literature

Listeria monocytogenes is a well-recognized cause of bacteremia and meningitis in immunocompromised individuals, including recipients of solid organ transplants, but has only rarely been reported following orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). Most previously reported cases of listeriosis occurred months to years following liver transplantation; we describe a case of listeriosis that occurred within 1 wk of liver transplantation, shortly after discontinuation of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole prophylaxis, and review the English literature on Listeria infection after OLT. The patient developed abdominal pain and fever that suggested a bile leak, but was definitively diagnosed with Listeria infection by blood culture. The infection was successfully treated with 3 wk of intravenous ampicillin. We conclude that serious systemic infection with Listeria monocytogenes is uncommon following OLT, may occur early in the postoperative period, and responds well to treatment with high dose ampicillin.
Exploration of a Hybrid Locomotion Robot

Within the Kate Gleason College of Engineering (KGCOE) at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), there has arisen a need for an efficient, variable-terrain robotic platform, with the ability to carry a payload with precision. This paper provides an overview of the work done toward the development of a hybrid locomotion robotic platform. The platform combines the benefits of both walking and rolling into a single integrated system. The robot will be shown to have the ability to traverse various terrain and obstacles.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Urinary 3-methylhistidine excretion in juvenile-onset diabetics: Evidence of increased protein catabolism in the absence of ketoacidosis

Abstract Urinary 3-methylhistidine excretion (an indicator of protein catabolism) was measured in ten diabetic patients and in age and weight matched control subjects. The diabetic group, while receiving their usual insulin dose, excreted 42% more 3-methylhistidine than the control group (2.7 versus 1.9 μmole/kg body weight/24 hr). When the insulin dose of the diabetic subjects was reduced by 15% or 25%, the concentrations of blood and urinary glucose were significantly increased but the rate of urinary 3-methylhistidine excretion was not increased further. These findings demonstrate augmented protein catabolism in diabetics even in the absence of ketoacidosis. It appears that blood and urine glucose levels are more sensitive to changes in insulin availability than protein catabolism.
Changes in situation-specific pain catastrophizing precede changes in pain report during capsaicin pain: A cross-lagged panel analysis among healthy, pain-free participants

Abstract Considerable evidence has linked catastrophizing to pain responses, and recent experimental pain research has suggested that situational catastrophizing, measured during or immediately after laboratory pain procedures, is strongly related to pain ratings of standardized noxious stimuli. However, given that most experimental pain protocols involve “static” assessments of pain ratings and catastrophizing at a single time point, the direction by which these factors may affect each other remains unclear. Does catastrophizing influences one's subsequent pain responses or do individual differences in the perceived severity of pain lead to differential rates of catastrophizing? Little is known regarding the course of these variables. Using a cross-lagged panel analysis, we evaluated whether changes in situation-specific catastrophizing preceded changes in laboratory-induced pain responses, or vice versa, during tonic capsaicin pain stimulation. Topical application of a 10% capsaicin cream was applied to the dorsal aspect of the nondominant hand of 38 healthy participants. Situation-specific catastrophizing and pain ratings were obtained at Early (0 to 15 minutes), Mid (15 to 30 minutes), and Final (30 to 35 minutes) periods during capsaicin pain. Analyses revealed that Early-to-Mid changes in catastrophizing ratings prospectively accounted for unique variance in subsequent Mid-to-Final changes in pain ratings, whereas Early-to-Mid changes in pain ratings did not account for unique variance in Mid-to-Final changes in catastrophizing ratings. That is, participants who showed the largest initial increases in catastrophizing reported the greatest subsequent increases in pain. Controlling for the reported change in stress did not affect this pattern of results. These findings provide empirical evidence that a situation-specific catastrophizing process might precede and contribute to subsequent increases in pain experience. Limitations of the present study and possible future research directions are discussed. Perspective The present study adds to a growing literature on prospective associations between catastrophizing and pain. These results provide initial evidence, in healthy individuals, that changes in catastrophizing may precede changes in pain response.
Survival of Naegleria fowleri primary amebic meningocephalitis (PAM) could be improved with an intensive multi-route chemo- and biotherapeutic regimen

Summary Background Naegleria fowleri primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) has a very high mortality rate, probably exceeding 95%. A few people have survived after getting intravenous and intrathecal amphotericin, variably coupled with other agents that include dexamethasone, diflucan, chloramphenicol and rifampin, but even with prompt initiation of therapy, it is still a very uphill battle. Presentation of the hypothesis Survival could be improved by combined intrathecal, intranasal and intravenous amphotericin, diflucan and rifampin, with aduvant intravenous chloramphenicol, muramyl dipeptide, azithromycin, minocycline and linezolid, intramuscular trifluoperazine, intranasal Cry1C protoxin and intrathecal anti- Naegleria immune globulin and dexamethasone. Hypothesis rationale Instilling medications intranasally, intravenously and intrathecally would target the primary reservoir of infection and its common sites of spread. Intrathecal dexamethasone should attenuate cerebral edema, a primary cause of death in PAM. Azithromycin and minocycline appear to have synergy with amphotericin in killing N. fowleri in animal models, and the other agents, which also showed efficacy in animal models, should also be additive or synergistic as well. In essence one would approach PAM in the manner of chemotherapy for tuberculosis and cancer, with multidrug therapy to assure complete eradication. Testing the hypothesis The hypothesis could be validated using murine and bovine models of N. fowleri PAM. Implications of the hypothesis PAM may be emerging as a significant public health threat, underscoring the need for effective therapeutic regimens.
Mental illness and intensification of diabetes medications: an observational cohort study.

Mental health condition (MHC) comorbidity is associated with lower intensity care in multiple clinical scenarios. However, little is known about the effect of MHC upon clinicians’ decisions about intensifying antiglycemic medications in diabetic patients with poor glycemic control. We examined whether delay in intensification of antiglycemic medications in response to an elevated Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) value is longer for patients with MHC than for those without MHC, and whether any such effect varies by specific MHC type. In this observational study of diabetic Veterans Health Administration (VA) patients on oral antiglycemics with poor glycemic control (HbA1c ≥8) (N =52,526) identified from national VA databases, we applied Cox regression analysis to examine time to intensification of antiglycemics after an elevated HbA1c value in 2003–2004, by MHC status. Those with MHC were no less likely to receive intensification: adjusted Hazard Ratio [95% CI] 0.99 [0.96-1.03], 1.13 [1.04-1.23], and 1.12 [1.07-1.18] at 0–14, 15–30 and 31–180 days, respectively. However, patients with substance use disorders were less likely than those without substance use disorders to receive intensification in the first two weeks following a high HbA1c, adjusted Hazard Ratio 0.89 [0.81-0.97], controlling for sex, age, medical comorbidity, other specific MHCs, and index HbA1c value. For most MHCs, diabetic patients with MHC in the VA health care system do not appear to receive less aggressive antiglycemic management. However, the subgroup with substance use disorders does appear to have excess likelihood of non-intensification; interventions targeting this high risk subgroup merit attention.
Differential effects of human recombinant interferons on the expression of two early gene products of Epstein-Barr virus.

Abstract Two human Burkitt's lymphoma (BL) cell lines, Raji and Daudi, have been previously characterized as resistant and sensitive, respectively, to the anti-Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) effects of human leukocyte interferon. These cells are equally susceptible to P3HR-1 EBV superinfection as determined by EBV early antigen (EA) expression. The cell lines were pretreated with human recombinant interferons α 2 , β, or γ and subsequently superinfected with P3HR-1 EBV. Their expression of two distinct EBV early gene products was evaluated by fluorescence microscopy. Monoclonal antibodies to the diffuse (EA-D) and restricted (EA-R) components of the EA complex were used to determine the number of cells expressing each of these antigens in the treated cell lines. As previously described with human leukocyte interferon, EA-D expression in Raji cells was relatively resistant to interferon- α 2 pretreatment. Also, EA-D expression in Daudi cells was relatively sensitive. However, interferon α 2 pretreatment produced an opposite pattern with respect to the expression of EA-R in these two cell lines; Raji cells were sensitive and Daudi cells relatively resistant. Interferon β had the most uniformly effective anti-EBV activity on both cell lines;
Neural control of the heart: recent concepts and clinical correlations.

Areas distributed throughout the neuraxis, including the anterior insula, anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), amygdala, hypothalamus, periaqueductal gray matter, parabrachial nucleus, and several regions of the medulla, exert a beat-to-beat control on cardiac function. These areas are critically involved in emotional behavior, stress responses, and homeostatic reflexes and exert their influence on heart rate (HR) and cardiac contractility via the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. Over the past several years, advances in neuroanatomical, neurophysiologic, and functional imaging studies have provided insight into the central and peripheral mechanisms of neural control of cardiac function in humans. Whereas some issues, such as lateralization of this central control, remain unresolved, the adverse cardiac consequences of a wide variety of neurologic disorders emphasize the need to better understand the functional anatomy and neurochemical mechanisms of the neural control of the heart. Important examples are severe arrhythmias and myocardial injury in the setting of neurologic catastrophes and sudden unexplained death in epilepsy. This review will focus on some of the current experimental and clinical information related to these relevant issues for the neurologist.
Personal and educational background predictors of physician practice profiles: the case of Colorado

Abstract Professional practice profiles for 5767 physicians who had completed residency training were determined from a statewide survey mailed along with 1995 license renewal materials by the Colorado Board of Medical Examiners. The effects of personal and educational background variables and their interactions on 4 characteristics of physician practice relevant to access to care for the medically indigent and general populations were evaluated. Multivariate analyses focused particularly on whether certain experiences; up-bringing, medical school attendance and residency training had occurred in-state. Physicians who had spent their youth in rural Colorado were strongly inclined to establish primary care practices (61.5%) in relatively underserved non-metropolitan areas of the state (44.0%). This phenomenon was not significantly mediated by medical education variables. These results have implications for representatives of schools of medicine and residency training programs involved with admissions and education policies.
In-Channel Electrochemical Detection for Microchip Capillary Electrophoresis Using an Electrically Isolated Potentiostat

A new electrode configuration for microchip capillary electrophoresis (CE) with electrochemical (EC) detection is described. This approach makes it possible to place the working electrode directly in the separation channel. The “in-channel” EC detection was accomplished without the use of a decoupler through the utilization of a specially designed, electrically isolated potentiostat. The effect of the working electrode position on the separation performance (in terms of plate height and peak skew) of poly(dimethylsiloxane)-based microchip CEEC devices was evaluated by comparing the more commonly used end-channel configuration with this new in-channel approach. Using catechol as the test analyte, it was found that in-channel EC detection decreased the total plate height by a factor of 4.6 and lowered the peak skew by a factor of 1.3. A similar trend was observed for the small, inorganic ion nitrite. Furthermore, a fluorescent and electrochemically active amino acid derivative was used to directly compare t...
Mini-profile: a day in the life of a health sciences library director

My day begins with a beautiful commute along the foothills, as I live about ten minutes’ drive from the entrance of two canyons and four ski resorts. The University of Utah is on the east side of Salt Lake City and backs right onto the foothills of the Wasatch Mountains. During my drive, I think about one or two things that I really want to accomplish, besides the many meetings that typically comprise my day.
Personalization of Mail Surveys: Too Much of a Good Thing?:

Cover letters with and without pictures of the researcher were included with questionnaires to test the effects of this type of personalization on responses to a mail survey. In addition, the researcher's attire, title, and affiliation were varied across different forms of the cover letter to evaluate the effects of status, role-clothing consistency, and similarity to the perceiver on perceiver's willingness to return the survey form. The questionnaires were mailed to a sample of 384 university alumni. The total number of returned questionnaires, after the initial mailing and two personalized follow-ups, were lower in the researcher-pictured cover letter conditions than in the control conditions. This finding offers some support for the hypothesis that repeated use of personalized mailings may have a negative effect on response rate. Response latencies suggest that within the researcher-pictured conditions, inconsistency of cues may also inhibit questionnaire returns.
Network sensor management for tracking and localization

This paper addresses the problem of sensor management for a large network of agile sensors. Sensor management refers to the process of dynamically retasking agile sensors in response to an evolving environment. Sensors may be agile in a variety of ways, e.g., the ability to reposition, point an antenna, choose sensing mode, or waveform. The goal of sensor management in a large network is to choose actions for individual sensors dynamically so as to maximize overall network utility. Sensor management in the multiplatform setting is a challenging problem for several reasons. First, the state space required to characterize an environment is typically of very high dimension and poorly represented by a parametric form. Second, the network must simultaneously address a number of competing goals. Third, the number of potential taskings grows exponentially with the number of sensors. Finally, in low communication environments, decentralized methods are required. The approach we present addresses these challenges through a novel combination of particle filtering for nonparametric density estimation, information theory for comparing actions, and physicomimetics for computational tractability. The efficacy of the method is illustrated in a realistic surveillance application by simulation, where an unknown number of ground targets are to be detected and tracked by a network of mobile sensors.
Adsorption of Bone Sialoprotein on Hydroxyapatite-A Combination Study with Bioinformatics and Molecular Dynamics Simulations

Bone sialoprotein (BSP), an acidic non-collagenous protein specific to bone, is proposed previously to modulate hydroxyapatite (HAP) nanocrystal growth. Two highly conserved phosphorylated acidic amino-acid sequences in BSP are hypothesized as the functional motifs. Specifically, we choose one of them, (Sp)2E8, where Sp represents a phosphoserine, as a model peptide to study the interactions between BSP and the HAP (001) face. A bioinformatics method helps predict the likely peptide conformations adsorbed on the HAP surface, which, subsequently, is subject to further examinations using molecular dynamics simulations with the explicit solvent model. The bioinformatics method predicts a Sp residue binds strongly to the surface, and the Glu residues show propensity to form a helical conformation. Long-time molecular dynamic simulations observe some variations of the sidechain orientations compared to the bioinformatics-predicted conformation, however, the backbone structure and the major binding features are largely preserved. In addition, no apparent geometrical templating between the peptide residues and the studied HAP surface sites is noticed, which implies that adsorption and subsequent crystal growth modulation by BSP may be structurally non-specific.
An adjustable thickness Li/Be target for fragmentation of 4-kW heavy ion beams

As a first step towards developing liquid lithium target technology for a future high-power nuclear physics fragmentation facility, an adjustable thickness Li/Be hybrid target is being constructed for use at the NSCL. This target will use beryllium windows with flowing lithium. The lithium serves as a part of the target as well as the coolant. Up to 1 kW of beam power is dissipated in the target and is carried away by the recirculating liquid lithium loop. It is designed for high power beams in the mass range from oxygen to calcium. Tapered beryllium windows combined with a uniform thickness lithium channel gives an overall target thickness ranging from 0.7 to 3 g/cm2, which is adjusted by moving the target vertically. The target system design is complete and is described in this paper.
Comment on “A simple empirical forward model for combined nuclear and multiple Coulomb scattering in proton radiography of thick objects”

Abstract A recent paper presents the view “a deterministic forward model that includes the essential physics of all of the elements of the radiographic chain is required to extract volume density distributions and material interface surface positions from proton transmission radiographs by iterative nonlinear fitting of parametric forward models” and presents a model that includes nuclear absorption, multiple Coulomb scattering, coherent nuclear elastic scattering and quasi-elastic nuclear scattering. In this note we point out that the data used in the above paper is not consistent with all of the points mentioned above. Specifically the quasi-elastic scattering term is not required to explain the data if the experimental setup is correctly modeled. Results from Monte Carlo modeling are presented verifying this point.
Is resection of colorectal liver metastases after a second-line chemotherapy regimen justified?

BACKGROUND: Patient outcomes following resection of colorectal liver metastases (CLM) after second-line chemotherapy regimen is unknown. METHODS: From August 1998 to June 2009, data from 1099 patients with CLM were collected prospectively. We retrospectively analyzed outcomes of patients who underwent resection of CLM after second-line (2 or more) chemotherapy regimens. RESULTS: Sixty patients underwent resection of CLM after 2 or more chemotherapy regimens. Patients had advanced CLM (mean number of CLM ± standard deviation, 4 ± 3.5; mean maximum size of CLM, 5 ± 3.2 cm) and had received 17 ± 8 cycles of preoperative chemotherapy. In 54 (90%) patients, the switch from the first regimen to another regimen was motivated by tumor progression or suboptimal radiographic response. All patients received irinotecan or oxaliplatin, and the majority (42/60 [70%]) received a monoclonal antibody (bevacizumab or cetuximab) as part of the last preoperative regimen. Postoperative morbidity and mortality rates were 33% and 3%, respectively. At a median follow-up of 32 months, 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year overall survival rates were 83%, 41%, and 22%, respectively. Median chemotherapy-free survival after resection or completion of additional chemotherapy administered after resection was 9 months (95% confidence interval, 4-14 months). Synchronous (vs metachronous) CLM and minor (vs major) pathologic response were independently associated with worse survival. CONCLUSIONS: Resection of CLM after a second-line chemotherapy regimen was found to be safe and was associated with a modest hope for definitive cure. This approach represents a viable option in patients with advanced CLM. Cancer 2011;. © 2011 American Cancer Society.
Ampicillin/Sulbactam versus Cefotetan for the Prevention of Infection following Cesarean Delivery in High-Risk Patients: A Randomized Double-Blind Trial

The objective of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety of a single intravenous dose of 1 g ampicillin plus 0.5 g sulbactam to a single intravenous dose of 1 g cefotetan in the prevention of postoperative infection following cesarean delivery in high-risk patients. In this single-center comparative study, women who were to undergo cesarean delivery and who were at high risk of developing postoperative infection were randomized into two treatment groups. At the time the umbilical cord was clamped, one group was treated intravenously with 1 g ampicillin plus 0.5 g sulbactam, and the other was treated intravenously with 1 g cefotetan. The two groups were evaluated for evidence of postoperative infections and adverse experiences. A total of 170 women who were at high risk of developing postoperative infection following cesarean delivery (87 in the ampicillin/sulbactam group and 83 in the cefotetan group) were analyzed. Successful prophylaxis, absence of any infection including absence of febrile morbidity with no other symptoms, was reported in 69 of 87 (79%) patients receiving ampicillin/sulbactam and in 60 of 83 (72%) patients receiving cefotetan. One patient in each group had an infection at the incision site. There were no statistically significant differences in the rates of endometritis or urinary tract infections. The mean duration of hospitalization was 5.5 days for patients receiving ampicillin/sulbactam and 5.7 days for patients receiving cefotetan. A single intravenous dose of the combination of ampicillin/sulbactam was as safe and effective as a single intravenous dose of cefotetan when administered for the prevention of infections following cesarean delivery in patients at high risk of developing postoperative morbidity. Both antibiotics were safe and well tolerated with no unusual or unexpected events.
Effect of various degrees of stomach loading on the sucking response in puppies.

Rather large injections of gruel directly into the stomach of 7 puppies deprived from 3½ to 4 hr. did not terminate the sucking response. The amount injected varied from 1 gm. gruel to 10 gm. body weight to 1 gm. to 49 gm. body weight. On tests in which the amount injected was determined by the puppies' natural intake on the previous day, all Ss sucked after injection. These data emphasize the vigor of the sucking response in puppies and its occurrence relatively independent of a full stomach.
SDMA for 60GHz Gigabit Wireless Networks

With the opening of the 60 GHz spectrum for WLANs, there has been a great deal of interest in academia and industry on how best to exploit the more than 5 GHz of available bandwidth. One goal in the wireless community has been delivering gigabit data rates to end users. For this, a variety of approaches have been studied in the past. In this paper, we present two SDMA (Spatial Division Multiple Access) algorithms that exploit the peculiar propagation properties of this part of the frequency. We show that in typical indoor environments, one access point can deliver over 8 gbps total throughput while using only 640 MHz of the bandwidth. We generalize the algorithms to the case when multiple channels are available and show that with seven channels, we get aggregate throughput of over 31 gbps.
Determination of Required Falling Weight Deflectometer Testing Frequency for Pavement Structural Evaluation at the Network Level

Recently, a structural condition index (SCI) was developed for the Texas Department of Transportation as a screening tool to discriminate between pavements that need structural reinforcement from those that do not. For the successful implementation of the SCI concept at the network level, one of the critical issues is to determine the minimum falling weight deflectometer (FWD) testing frequency. The paper discusses how to determine the required FWD testing frequency, or the required FWD test spacing needed for implementing the SCI at the network level. In this study, the risk-based method was employed, where the variance of the SCI at the network level was assessed by randomly selecting a small sample of the pavement sections that were representative of the whole network. Due to the limited number of such sections and the lack of knowledge of underlying distribution of the SCI variances at the network level, the bootstrap method was used to obtain the mean and the confidence intervals on the mean of the SCI variances at the network level.
Special problems associated with the isolation and identification of intestinal bacteria in fecal flora studies.

Accurate characterization of the bacterial population of the human fecal flora represents one of the most complex and ambitious studies ever undertaken by bacteriologists. The magnitude of the problem is often difficult to visualize, partly because it is difficult to think in terms of hundreds of billions. The population of viable bacterial cells in each gram of a human fecal specimen is 2 to 4 X 10’’; therefore, the number of bacteria defecated by one person at one time usually is more than 1,000 times greater than the human population of the world. Although thousands of experiments have been run on the “bacterial fecal flora,” it is inadequately characterized and the factors which control its development and its relationships with the host are unknown. Since 1960, however, with the application of improved anaerobic techniques and improved media, bacteriologists have been able to culture up to 85% of the cells present and make some progress in characterizing the flora.
RGS6/Gβ5 Complex Accelerates IKACh Gating Kinetics in Atrial Myocytes and Modulates Parasympathetic Regulation of Heart Rate

Rationale:The parasympathetic reduction in heart rate involves the sequential activation of m2 muscarinic cholinergic receptors (m2Rs), pertussis toxin–sensitive (Gi/o) heterotrimeric G proteins, and the atrial potassium channel IKACh. Molecular mechanisms regulating this critical signal transduction pathway are not fully understood. Objective:To determine whether the G protein signaling regulator Rgs6/Gβ5 modulates m2R-IKACh signaling and cardiac physiology. Methods and Results:Cardiac expression of Rgs6, and its interaction with Gβ5, was demonstrated by immunoblotting and immunoprecipitation. Rgs6−/− mice were generated by gene targeting, and the cardiac effects of Rgs6 ablation were analyzed by whole-cell recordings in isolated cardiomyocytes and ECG telemetry. Loss of Rgs6 yielded profound delays in m2R-IKACh deactivation kinetics in both neonatal atrial myocytes and adult sinoatrial nodal cells. Rgs6−/− mice exhibited mild resting bradycardia and altered heart rate responses to pharmacological manipu...
Durability Quantification of TiO2 Surface Coating on Concrete and Asphalt Pavements

AbstractThe use of nanosized titanium dioxide in photocatalytic pavements is a promising approach to combat air pollution. Past research focused on the effects of environmental and operational parameters on photocatalytic efficiency and its performance under laboratory and field conditions. Few studies have attempted to quantify the durability of the technology integrated with in-service photocatalytic pavements. This study developed and tested a new photocatalytic quantification method used to quantify the short-term durability of a TiO2 spray application on two pavement surfaces: concrete and asphalt. This was accomplished through developing a nitrate extraction method that could be used on in-service pavements without requiring core extraction. Results of the proposed method were compared to results obtained from the Japanese Industrial Standards (JIS) method. The experimental program included testing photocatalytic samples in the laboratory for NOx reduction and nitrate accumulation based on the JIS m...
MRDB: a Multi-user Real-time DataBase testbed

Transactions in real-time database systems should be scheduled considering both data consistency and timing constraints. In addition, a real-time database must adapt to changes in the operating environment and guarantee the completion of critical tasks. The effects of scheduling decisions and concurrency control mechanisms for real-time database systems have typically been demonstrated in a simulated environment. In this paper, we present a functional real-time relational database manager, called MRDB, which provides an operational platform for research in real-time database issues. Current research issues involving the development of runtime estimates for use in scheduling decisions, temporal consistency characteristics, and our efforts in using these are also discussed. >
Indomethacin antagonizes furosemide's intratubular effects during loop segment microperfusion.

To determine if indomethacin antagonizes the effect of intraluminal furosemide, superficial loop segments were microperfused from latest proximal to earliest distal tubules at 20 nl/min with 10(-5) M furosemide in rats treated with indomethacin or vehicle. Base-line loop chloride reabsorption was determined in the presence and absence of indomethacin in a third and fourth group perfused with a similar solution with furosemide omitted. Arterial pressure, whole kidney inulin clearance and urinary chloride excretion were not different among groups. Fractional loop chloride reabsorption was less (P less than .05) in vehicle-treated rats perfused with furosemide than in time control rats perfused without furosemide (30.8 +/- 2.8 vs. 50.3 +/- 2.8%). Fractional chloride reabsorption was greater (P less than .05) in furosemide-perfused loops of indomethacin-treated rats than furosemide-perfused loops of vehicle-treated rats (44.2 +/- 1.9 vs. 30.8 +/- 2.8%). Addition of 10(-4) M prostaglandin E2 to perfusate did not potentiate furosemide's effect in vehicle-treated rats but restored furosemide's potency in indomethacin-treated rats. Thus, indomethacin had no effect on base-line loop chloride uptake but attenuated furosemide's luminal effect. This response could be reversed by luminal prostaglandin E2. This study demonstrates that indomethacin antagonizes furosemide's tubular effects in the absence of furosemide-induced vasodilatation.