cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Body fat and fat distribution by anthropometry and the response to high-fat cholesterol-containing diet in monkeys.

Considerable variability exists among individuals in the response of plasma cholesterol to changes in dietary fat and cholesterol, and obesity is one variable reported to affect this response. This study was performed to determine the relationship between body fat and changes in plasma cholesterol in cynomolgus monkeys fed a high-fat cholesterol-containing diet for 12 months. The animals gained significant body weight (body mass index increased from 30.5 ± 0.5 to 35.7 ± 2.8 kg/m2) and skinfold parameters of body fat increased as well. Total cholesterol increased from 109 ± 4 to 390 ± 25 mg/dl (P < 0.001), and there were also significant increases in LDL- and HDL-cholesterol and triglyceride. While there was very little relationship between body fat and plasma lipids before the diet, after 12 months, there were significant negative correlations between total and LDL-cholesterol and anthropometric measures of body fat (r ranged from -0.37 to -0.55, P < 0.01). The correlations were not affected when the effects of baseline body mass index and serum cholesterol and total food intake were controlled by partial correlation analysis. In this sample of animals, the acquisition of greater body fat appeared to protect against rises in cholesterol in response to consumption of a high-fat cholesterol-containing diet.
Etodolac: effect on prostaglandin concentrations in gastric mucosa of rats.

Etodolac is a structurally novel compound exhibiting potent analgesic and anti-inflammatory activity in laboratory animals and man, with excellent G.I. tolerance. Like other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) etodolac inhibits prostaglandin (PG) biosynthesis. In view of the cytoprotective role of PGE2, we have investigated in normal rats the effect of etodolac on the gastric mucosal concentration of PGE2, as well as of 6-keto-PGF1α, the stable metabolite of prostacyclin; naproxen and piroxicam served as reference NSAIDs. The orally effective anti-inflammatory doses in the chronic arthritic rat model (3 mg/kg for etodolac and naproxen; 0.5 mg/kg for piroxicam), and their arbitrarily selected multiples of 10 were used. Rats were killed at 1, 2, 6 and 24 hr after single doses and the PG concentrations were measured by RIA. With the low dose, 2 and 6 hr after dosing, etodolac diminished the PGE2 concentration by 20–25% (vs control) while naproxen and piroxicam caused a fall of 53–65%; the difference between etodolac and the untreated control group is not statistically significant but the difference between etodolac and both piroxicam and naproxen is significant (p < 0.001). At the high doses, the lowering in PGE2 was similar after all three drugs, i.e. about 70% at 1 and 2 hr; 50% at 6 hr, and 20–50% at 24 hr after dosing. Except for the consistently smaller reduction of concentrations after etodolac, the effects on 6-keto-PGF1α concentration followed a similar pattern but the differences are not significant. The lack of the G.I. irritation of etodolac in rats and man at therapeutically effective doses may be attributed to the benefits of the relatively short-lived and slight decrease in gastric mucosal PGE2 concentrations found in this study.
Efficient Algorithm for Crack Detection in Sewer Images from Closed-Circuit Television Inspections

AbstractThis paper presents a new algorithm for automated crack detection in sewer inspection closed-circuit television (CCTV) images. Cracks often have a long and thin rectangular shape with a dar...
Embryonic zebrafish neuronal growth is not affected by an applied electric field in vitro.

Abstract Naturally occurring electric fields (EFs) have been implicated in cell guidance during embryonic development and adult wound healing. Embryonic Xenopus laevis neurons sprout preferentially towards the cathode, turn towards the cathode, and migrate faster towards the cathode in the presence of an external EF in vitro. A recent Phase 1 clinical trial has investigated the effects of oscillating EFs on human spinal cord regeneration. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether embryonic zebrafish neurons respond to an applied EF, and thus extend this research into another vertebrate system. Neural tubes of zebrafish embryos (16–17 somites) were dissected and dissociated neuroblasts were plated onto laminin-coated glass. A 100 mV/mm EF was applied to cell cultures for 4 or 20 h and the responses of neurons to the applied EFs were investigated. After 4 h in an EF neurites were significantly shorter than control neurites. No other statistically significant effects were observed. After 20 h, control and EF-exposed neurites were no different in length. No length difference was seen between cathodally- and anodally-sprouted neurites. Application of an EF did not affect the average number of neurons in a chamber. Growth cones did not migrate preferentially towards either pole of the EF and no asymmetry was seen in neurite sprout sites. We conclude that zebrafish neurons do not respond to a 100 mV/mm applied EF in vitro. This suggests that neurons of other vertebrate species may not respond to applied EFs in the same ways as Xenopus laevis neurons.
Climate response to Amazon forest replacement by heterogeneous crop cover

Previous modeling studies with atmospheric general circulation models and basic land surface schemes to balance energy and water budgets have shown that by removing the natural vegetation over the Amazon, the region's climate becomes warmer and drier. In this study we use a fully coupled Earth system model and replace tropical forests by a distribution of six common tropical crops with variable planting dates, physiological parameters and irrigation. There is still general agreement with previous studies as areal averages show a warmer (+1.4 K) and drier (−0.35 mm day −1 ) climate. Using an interactive crop model with a realistic crop distribution shows that regions of vegetation change experience different responses dependent upon the initial tree coverage and whether the replacement vegetation is irrigated, with seasonal changes synchronized to the cropping season. Areas with initial tree coverage greater than 80 % show an increase in coupling with the atmosphere after deforestation, suggesting land use change could heighten sensitivity to climate anomalies, while irrigation acts to dampen coupling with the atmosphere.
Mental Health Professionals' Exposure to Clients with Problematic Internet Experiences

ABSTRACT This paper examines clients' exposure to problematic Internet experiences among a national sample of 2,098 social workers, psychologists, marriage and family therapists, and other mental health professionals. This analysis finds that mental health professionals are working with clients experiencing a range of problems related to Internet use. However, these professionals have generally not been exposed to training or information in the professional literature on the topic of working with clients with problematic Internet experiences. We identify several areas in which additional training is needed and review practical implications for mental health professionals.
Effects of isoproterenol on Na+ and K+ transport in frog skin epithelium.

Abstract The acute effects of isoproterenol on Na + extrusion and K + uptake across the basolateral membrane of the isolated epithelium of the frog skin were examined. A chloride-free sulfate Ringer was used in all experiments. Isoproterenol caused an approximate doubling of the short-circuit current ( I sc ) and the transepithelial Na + flux ( J 13 Na ). I sc remained equal to J 13 Na . After isoproterenol treatment, ouabain inhibited I sc and J 13 Na in a manner similar to control tissues. Ouabain-sensitive K + uptake was also measured under comparable conditions. In two sets of experiments, K + uptake was increased on average by only 5 and 17 percent after isoproterenol treatment. Thus, isoproterenol caused Na + flux to more than double while K + uptake increased by only 5–17%. These data cannot be readily accounted for by a pump with a fixed Na + /K + exchange ratio.
A probabilistic stationary speed–density relation based on Newell’s simplified car-following model

Abstract Probabilistic models describing macroscopic traffic flow have proven useful both in practice and in theory. In theoretical investigations of wide-scatter in flow–density data, the statistical features of flow density relations have played a central role. In real-time estimation and traffic forecasting applications, probabilistic extensions of macroscopic relations are widely used. However, how to obtain such relations, in a manner that results in physically reasonable behavior has not been addressed. This paper presents the derivation of probabilistic macroscopic traffic flow relations from Newell’s simplified car-following model. The probabilistic nature of the model allows for investigating the impact of driver heterogeneity on macroscopic relations of traffic flow. The physical features of the model are verified analytically and shown to produce behavior which is consistent with well-established traffic flow principles. An empirical investigation is carried out using trajectory data from the New Generation SIMulation (NGSIM) program and the model’s ability to reproduce real-world traffic data is validated.
Iron and Cobalt Complexes of 2,6-Diacetylpyridine-bis(R-thiosemicarbazone) (R=H, phenyl) Showing Unprecedented Ligand Deviation from Planarity

Abstract The syntheses, characterization, and single-crystal X-ray crystal structures are reported for four complexes of iron and cobalt with the pentadentate ligands, 2,6-diacetylpyridinebis(thiosemicarbazone) (H2L1) and 2,6-diacetylpyridinebis(phenylthiosemicarbazone) (H2L2), including a cobalt dimer displaying a deviation from planarity which is unprecedented for this class of ligands and allows the ligand to occupy five positions of a pseudo-octahedral coordination sphere. This dimer reacts with KCN to produce a mononuclear complex of relevance to the active site of cobalt nitrile hydratase.
A stochastic model of a temperature-dependent population

Abstract The theoretical basis is developed for a population model which allows the use of constant temperature experimental data in predicting the size of an insect population for any variable temperature environment. The model is based on a stochastic analysis of an insect's mortality, development, and reproduction response to temperature. The key concept in the model is the utilization of a physiological time scale. Different temperatures affect the population by increasing an individual's physiological age by differing rates. Conditions for the temperature response properties are given which establish the validity of the model for variable temperature regimes. These conditions refer to the relationship between chronological and physiological age. Reasonable agreement between the model and field populations demonstrates the practicality of this approach.
Molecular phylogeny of the genus Ceanothus (Rhamnaceae) using rbcL and ndhF sequences

Intrageneric phylogeny among ten representative Ceanothus species was investigated using DNA sequences of the chloroplast encoded ndhF and rbcL genes. Parsimony analysis of the ndhF sequences identified two main clades corresponding to two subgenera Ceanothus and Cerastes. The phylogenetic results suggest that three monophyletic clades within the subgenus Ceanothus can be delimited on the basis of (1) evergreen or (2) deciduous leaves and (3) thorn presence within the evergreen clade. The estimated divergence time based on rbcL sequences suggests that the two subgenera diverged 18–39 million years ago whereas species within each subgenus diverged more recently. Taken together, the results support the division of Ceanothus into two monophyletic subgenera and are consistent with the postulated recent divergence of many species within each subgenus.
Cervical spine screening with CT in trauma patients: a cost-effectiveness analysis.

PURPOSE: To investigate the cost-effectiveness of computed tomography (CT) relative to radiography for cervical spine screening in trauma patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A decision analysis model was constructed to compare the incremental cost-effectiveness of radiography and CT as primary cervical spine screening modalities in trauma patients. Analyses were performed from a societal perspective, and probability and cost estimates from the literature and institutional experience were used. In separate cost-effectiveness analyses, hypothetical cohorts of trauma patients from three defined clinical scenarios were considered: high, moderate, and low risk for cervical spine fracture. Outcome measures included cases of paralysis prevented, total cost of screening strategies, and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios. RESULTS: In high-risk patients, screening with CT is a dominant strategy that prevents cases of paralysis and saves money for society. In moderate-risk patients, screening with CT is cost-effecti...
Stretch Receptor Models I - Single-Efferent Single-Afferent Innervation

Two lumped parameter models of muscle stretch receptors are described quantitatively on the basis of experimental data from crustacean, amphibian, and mammalian muscle spindles. These models have single-efferent (input) and single-afferent (output) innervation. It is shown that these simple mechanical models can account for many of the behavioral characteristics exhibited by muscle spindle, but are inadequate for a complete model. These inadequacies are discussed. The two models are shown to be sufficiently similar in their transient and steady-state responses to be physiologically equivalent from a systems viewpoint.
World population distribution: smoothed representations

Population densities and latitudes and longitudes for more than two thousand regions of the nations of the world are collected. Spline functions are fit to the logarithms of the densities. For the most smooth spline, more than 80% of the variation can be explained by latitude alone by predicting steady increases from south to north. For the most rough, more than 92% is accounted for by latitude and longitude. The data set is then expanded to 6,520 observations, primarily through the incorporation of detailed units for the United States, Canada, Brazil and India-and smoothed. Among the highest fitted values are those in the Tokyo area. Denver, Winnipeg and Salt Lake City, population concentrations in broad sparsely settled areas, are among the largest residuals. Local maxima (Mexico City, Calcutta and Dusseldorf, for instance) and minima (points in the Sahara and Northern Tibet) are identified, after fitting the spline on a fine spherical grid.
The preparation and properties of a stable factory V from bovine plasma

Abstract 1. 1. Examination of highly purified bovine factor V revealed that under controlled conditions it is extremely stable even at 37° and therefore can be utilized in studies of its role in blood coagulation. The main requirement for stability in solution is simply that the total protein concentration be at least 0.1 mg/ml. More dilute solutions of factor V can be stabilized by addition of crystalline bovine plasma albumin. 2. 2. The effects of Ca2+ on the factor V preparation have been investigated and the possible role of Ca2+ in stabilizing factor V in plasma is discussed. 3. 3. On addition of a small amount of thrombin an immediate increase in activity measurable in the factor V assay was observed; at the same time, thrombin caused an increased retention of factor V during chromatography on Sephadex G-200 columns. The mechanism of this effect has not been firmly established. 4. 4. The preparation of factor V from bovine plasma in good yield and in a high state of purity is described. This technique, which is a modification of a previously reported procedure (see ref. 4), involves five steps; BaSO4 adsorption, chromatography of the “adsorbed” plasma on TEAE-cellulose and on cellulose phosphate, rechromatography on cellulose phosphate and precipitation with CaCl2. Factor V is obtained in 25–40% yield and 6000-10 000-fold purified. 5. 5. Factor V prepared as described can react with highly purified activated factor X, phospholipid and Ca2+ generating a potent prothrombinase activity.
The Relations Between Traumatic Exposures, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, and Anger in Male and Female Veterans

Military personnel who have served in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom have experienced high rates of combat exposure, which is associated with posttraumatic stress disorder. Less is known about the relations between military sexual trauma (sexual harassment, assault, and rape while serving in the military) and posttraumatic stress disorder. Little is known about anger problems in this Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom veteran population, which research from prior conflicts suggests may be a consequence of both traumas and posttraumatic stress disorder. Anger is an emotional state closely related to aggression, hostility, and violence. Veterans who have difficulty controlling anger are at greater risk of interpersonal and employment problems. Uncontrolled anger can lead to aggressive or violent behavior, posing health risks to those around the veteran and increasingly the likelihood that the veteran will come into conflict with the law. This article contributes a rev...
Spatial Heterogenity of Iris Elasticity Measured by Indentation

Angle-closure glaucoma, pigment dispersion syndrome, and intraoperative floppy iris syndrome (IFIS) are all ocular disorders that involve abnormal morphologies of the iris. In angle-closure glaucoma, for example, the iris bows anteriorly and impedes the natural flow of the fluid (aqueous humor), which then increases the intraocular pressure (IOP) leading to vision loss. The iris contour is determined by a combination of external stresses arising from the flow of the aqueous humor [1] and internal stresses due to the passive and active components of the constituent tissues. We have previously shown that the iris has a mechanical asymmetry [2] and that posterior positioning of the dilator muscle within the iris contributes to the anterior bowing during dilation [3]; however, the relative contributions of the individual components of the iris are unknown.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Talk Leads to Recruitment How Discussions about Politics and Current Events Increase Civic Participation

There is a positive relationship between how much we talk about politics and current events and how much we participate in civic activities. However, analytical biases make it difficult to accurately estimate the causal influence of talk on individual behavior. Moreover, existing data sources do not include information on the mechanisms that might explain how individuals translate talk into action. These problems are addressed with new data that were collected through a natural experiment. The results show that civic discussions promote civic participation largely because during such discussions we are recruited to become involved.
FAULT DIAGNOSIS IN COMPLEX CHEMICAL PLANTS USING ARTIFICIAL NEURAL NETWORKS

We illustrate a neural network approach to fault detection and diagnosis in a large complex chemical plant. We demonstrate the ability of a neural network to learn nonlinear mappings in the presence of noisy inputs. We also show that neural network models can exhibit the rule-following behavior of knowledge-based expert systems without containing any explicit representations of the rules. We conclude that, given a valid database, fault detection and diagnosis is a promising area for the application of artificial neural networks in industry
Nonlinear Dynamics Support a Linear Population Code in a Retinal Target-Tracking Circuit

A basic task faced by the visual system of many organisms is to accurately track the position of moving prey. The retina is the first stage in the processing of such stimuli; the nature of the transformation here, from photons to spike trains, constrains not only the ultimate fidelity of the tracking signal but also the ease with which it can be extracted by other brain regions. Here we demonstrate that a population of fast-OFF ganglion cells in the salamander retina, whose dynamics are governed by a nonlinear circuit, serve to compute the future position of the target over hundreds of milliseconds. The extrapolated position of the target is not found by stimulus reconstruction but is instead computed by a weighted sum of ganglion cell outputs, the population vector average (PVA). The magnitude of PVA extrapolation varies systematically with target size, speed, and acceleration, such that large targets are tracked most accurately at high speeds, and small targets at low speeds, just as is seen in the motion of real prey. Tracking precision reaches the resolution of single photoreceptors, and the PVA algorithm performs more robustly than several alternative algorithms. If the salamander brain uses the fast-OFF cell circuit for target extrapolation as we suggest, the circuit dynamics should leave a microstructure on the behavior that may be measured in future experiments. Our analysis highlights the utility of simple computations that, while not globally optimal, are efficiently implemented and have close to optimal performance over a limited but ethologically relevant range of stimuli.
The sympathetic nervous system modulates antibody response to thymus-independent antigens

Sympathetic nerve endings were destroyed with 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) and the response to thymus-dependent and -independent antigens compared in 6-OHDA-treated and control mice. A significantly enhanced plaque-forming cell response to 2 thymus-independent antigens was observed in the 6-OHDA-treated mice; in contrast the response to a thymus-dependent antigen was normal. The findings point to selective modulation of antibody response by the sympathetic nervous system.
A NONINTRUSIVE PACKET-BASED METHODOLOGY TO DYNAMICALLY MONITOR SENSOR-BASED SYSTEMS

Application specific tuning has been shown to be beneficial for a variety of platforms, sensor-based systems are no exception. However, accurately capturing external stimuli or modeling application specific stimuli remains a challenge. Tuning a sensor-based system to erroneous or incomplete application information can limit the optimization achieved or even negatively impact the resulting system performance. We propose to obtain accurate application stimuli by dynamically observing the sensor-based system in the intended deployment location, storing application characteristics for later analysis or optimization. A packet-based profiling methodology is introduced incurring overheads ranging from 0.07% to 27.8%, depending on the amount of sensor activity within the deployed system. Additionally, the profiler module and proposed packet-based profiling methodology have been implemented on the eBlocks platform to demonstrate the feasibility of the approach.
Control of the Fe2+ concentration in iron-doped lithium niobate

The conversion of Fe3+ to Fe2+ in LiNbO3 has been investigated and two techniques for accomplishing this without producing reduction of the host crystal are described. Annealing Fe-doped crystals in argon or argon-oxygen mixtures converts up to about 90% of the Fe to Fe2+. Greater amounts are converted by annealing the crystals in oxygen or air while they are packed in powdered Li2CO3. These techniques are of use to optimize crystals for various holographic storage applications.
Continuous 24-hour oxygen consumption studies of Myotis velifer.

Abstract o 1. Monitoring of oxygen consumption for 24-hr intervals described bursts in metabolism as well as resting and minimal values at temperatures ranging from 35 to 5°C. 2. Metabolic rate measurements at 5 and 10°C correlate with weight loss of bats in natural hibernacula.
Tertiary structure of an RNA pseudoknot is stabilized by "diffuse" Mg2+ ions.

The aim of this study is to obtain a comprehensive experimental and theoretical description of the contributions of Mg2+ ions to the free energy of folding a pseudoknot RNA tertiary structure. A fluorescence method for measuring the effective concentration of Mg2+ in the presence of an RNA was used to study Mg2+−RNA interactions with both folded and partially unfolded forms of an RNA pseudoknot. These data established the excess number of Mg2+ ions accumulated by the folded or partially unfolded RNAs as a function of bulk Mg2+ concentration, from which free energies of Mg2+−RNA interactions were derived. Complementary thermal melting experiments were also used to obtain RNA-folding free energies. These experimental data were compared with the results of calculations based on the nonlinear Poisson−Boltzmann equation, which describes the interaction of “diffuse” (fully hydrated) Mg2+ ions with the different RNA forms. Good agreement between the calculations and experimental data suggests that essentially al...
CHILDREN'S VOICES: SINGING AND LITERACY IN SIXTEENTH-CENTURY FRANCE

Around 1600, students in France learnt to read with printed primers. They began with the letters of the alphabet, learning them by playing with little wooden or cardboard tablets or picking them out of books, and then moved on to syllables, which were learnt from syllabaries printed in large letters and containing the Pater noster, Ave Maria, Credo, Confiteor and the Benedicite. When they began to spell out whole words, children moved on to another syllabary containing the Magnificat, the Nunc Dimittis, Salve Regina, the Seven Penitential Psalms and the litanies of the Saints, all of them common prayers. Two pages from Jacques Cossard's Methodes pour apprendre a lire, a escripre, chanter le plain chant, et compter (Paris, 1633) can give us some idea of what these early modern primers looked like (see Figures 1–2). In the first lesson the text of the Pater noster is broken into syllables, whereas in the second lesson the students must discern the syllables of the Ave Maria themselves, a task aided by the small numbers Cossard has placed beneath the text to show how many letters should be read together as a syllable.
Diagnosis and Treatment of a Child With X-polysomy

Abstract The identification of previously undetected X-polysomy in a 12-year-old Caucasian girl is described. For this patient, identification of the chromosomal abnormality followed by supportive psychotherapy was moderately successful in improving her self-esteem, affect, academic performance, self-care, and interpersonal skills. Psychological gains were found to be stable 16 months after termination. The importance of a high index of suspicion for X chromosome polysemy is highlighted for children presenting with a combination of cognitive impairment, emotional immaturity, abnormal facial features, history of recurrent urinary tract infection, enuresis, skin abnormalities, and hematological abnormalities.
Streptomycin Blood Levels following Inhalation of Steam Generated Aerosols.

Streptomycin in aerosol form as produced by a combined steam generator and aerosolizer is readily absorbed through the lung into the blood stream. Administered in this fashion its action would, therefore, be twofold in the treatment of respiratory infections with streptomycin—topically and by systemic action following absorption. With the use of the breathing box, and with propylene glycol as a vehicle, serum levels of streptomycin of six hours' duration are readily obtained.
Abstract 5611: Interleukin-2 receptor α (IL-2R α/CD25)-specific antibodies eliminate regulatory T-cells (TRegs) and enhance tumor-specific immune responses

Interleukin-2 Receptor α (IL-2R α / CD25)-specific Antibodies Eliminate Regulatory T-cells (T Regs ) and enhance Tumor-specific Immune Responses Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA Introduction: Immunotherapy is an attractive therapeutic alternative for glioblastoma (GBM), but is limited by the lack of frequent and homogeneously-expressed tumor-specific antigens. The nearly universal presence and homogeneous expression of antigens derived from Cytomegalovirus (CMV) in GBM, but not normal brain, has now been well-established and may provide ideal antigens for tumor-specific immunotherapy. Despite the potential immunogenicity of CMV antigens, CMV immune responses in patients with GBM are blunted which may be a result of immunosuppressive regulatory T cells (T Regs ) which are present at high levels in patients with GBM. Monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) that block IL-2Rα have been shown to abrogate T Reg function in animal models, but also inhibit effective antitumor immune responses in the context of established tumors and attenuate immune responses in humans with autoimmune disorders or allogeneic organ transplants. Material and Methods: The interleukin-2 receptor α (IL-2R α)-specific MAbs, PC61 (250 µg/mouse) and daclizumab (1 mg/kg), were administered during the recovery from TMZ-induced lymphopenia in mice and humans with GBM, respectively, concurrent with tumor-specific vaccination targeting the model antigen OVA or CMV pp65. Results: As expected, in normal mice, anti-IL2Rα MAb treatment depletes and functionally impairs T Regs , but it also abrogates vaccine-induced immune responses. However, in direct contrast, when IL-2Rα-specific MAbs are administered during recovery from temozolomide (TMZ)-induced lymphopenia, anti-IL2Rα MAb administration depletes T Regs while simultaneously augmenting vaccine-induced effector T-cell responses and antitumor efficacy. Similarly, in a randomized Phase II trial, administration of the humanized IL-2Rα-specific MAb daclizumab after therapeutic TMZ dramatically reduces T Reg levels (73.9% + 8.2 S.D.) and increases pp65-specific CD8 + T-cell responses (4.3 fold) in response to vaccination with CMV pp65 mRNA transfected DCs. Time-to-progression in the cohort of patients treated with daclizumab exceeds 24 months with a likelihood of 2 year progression-free survival of 66.7% (CI 95 19.5%, 90.4%). Conclusions: Therapeutic TMZ-induced lymphopenia provides a unique window of opportunity in which the presence of anti-IL-2Rα antibodies selectively inhibits T Regs , but potentiates ongoing anti-tumor effector T cell responses. Note: This abstract was not presented at the AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010 because the presenter was unable to attend. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 5611.
The influence of sodium, potassium and calcium on spontaneous miniature potentials in frog sympathetic ganglion neurons

Abstract The effect of alterations in sodium, potassium and calcium concentrations on the frequency and amplitude of spontaneous miniature excitatory post-synaptic potentials (MEPSPs) have been studied in frog sympathetic ganglion neurons. In normal Ringer solution, MEPSPs were detected in about two-thirds of the cells impaled, and the mean frequency was about 3.7/min. When the potassium concentration was increased to 10 mM or more, MEPSPs were observed in all cells and MEPSP frequency increased sharply as the potassium concentration was increased from 10 to 30 mM. A reduction in sodium concentration further increased MEPSP frequency in ganglia bathed in potassium-enriched solutions but had no effect on MEPSP frequency in ganglia bathed in normal Ringer solution. When the calcium concentration was increased to 4–10 times greater than normal, potassium-induced transmitter release was decreased. It is suggested that potassium-induced release of transmitter from preganglionic nerves in frog sympathetic ganglia is dependent upon the activities of a number of ions, the most important being sodium and calcium. Changes in the ionic composition of the bathing media have effects on the spontaneous release of transmitter from preganglionic sympathetic nerves which are similar to those on the release of transmitter from motor nerve terminals. However, MEPSPs have a lower probability of occurrence and a larger variation in amplitude than miniatures recorded at the motor end-plate.
Size-dependent piezoelectricity: A 2D finite element formulation for electric field-mean curvature coupling in dielectrics

Abstract The classical theory of piezoelectricity defines linear size-independent electromechanical response in non-centrosymmetric dielectrics that involves coupling between the electric field and the mechanical strains. However, with the continuing push to develop novel micro- and nano-scale materials, structures and devices, there is a need to refine and explore size-dependent electro-mechanical coupling phenomena, which have been observed in experiments on centrosymmetric dielectrics. Here a finite element variational formulation is developed based upon a recent consistent size-dependent theory that incorporates the interactions between the electric field and the mechanical mean curvatures in dielectrics, including those with centrosymmetric structure. The underlying formulation is theoretically consistent in several important aspects. In particular, the electric field equations are consistent with Maxwell's equations, while the mechanical field equations are based upon the recent consistent couple stress theory, involving skew-symmetric mean curvature and couple stress tensors. This, in turn, permits the development of a fully-consistent finite element method for the solution of size-dependent piezoelectric boundary value problems. In this paper, an overview of size-dependent piezoelectricity is first provided, followed by the development of the variational formulation and finite element representation specialized for the planar response of centrosymmetric cubic and isotropic materials. The new formulation is then applied to several illustrative examples to bring out important characteristics predicted by this consistent size-dependent piezoelectric theory.
Adaptive Knowledge-Based Visualization for Accessing Educational Examples

A number of research teams are working to organize personalized access to the modern repositories of educational resources. The goal of personalized access is to help students locate resources that match their individual goals, interests, and current knowledge. The project presented in this paper is focused on the least explored way of personalized access - adaptive visualization. Here, we present the NavEx ADVISE visualization system, which provides personalized access to a repository of educational examples. The system combines spatial, similarity-based visualization with adaptive annotations of resources. The spatial layout and the adaptive annotations are generated using a knowledge-based indexing of examples with domain concepts.
Personal and Perceived Peer Attitudes Supporting Sexual Aggression as Predictors of Male College Students’ Willingness to Intervene Against Sexual Aggression

Male college students ( N = 395) completed anonymous surveys to report personal attitudes supporting sexual aggression and estimated the attitudes of their peers. Participants also indicated their willingness to intervene against a peer if they witnessed sexual aggression. Although both personal and peer attitudes were correlated with willingness to intervene, in regression analyses only perceived peer attitudes emerged as a significant predictor of willingness to intervene. Results suggest that personal attitudes supporting sexual aggression are not as relevant to men’s willingness to intervene against sexual aggression as are perceived peer norms regarding sexual aggression. Findings are relevant to sexual assault prevention education with men, suggesting that attempts to encourage bystander intervention may be best presented in the context of challenging perceived norms.
In Vitro Resistance to Thrombin-Induced Platelet Microbicidal Protein in Isolates of Staphylococcus aureus from Endocarditis Patients Correlates with an Intravascular Device Source

Platelet microbicidal proteins (PMPs) are small antimicrobial peptides secreted by mammalian platelets. In vitro resistance of Staphylococcus aureus strains to PMPs correlates with more extensive disease in experimental infective endocarditis (IE). To determine whether this same relationship exists in human S. aureus IE, we evaluated the in vitro PMP susceptibility phenotype of isolates from 58 prospectively-identified patients with definite S. aureus IE. On multivariate analyses, patients with S. aureus IE complicating an infected intravascular device were significantly more likely to have IE caused by a PMP-resistant strain ( ). No P p .0193 correlations were detected between in vitro PMP resistance among S. aureus strains and the severity of human IE. This work supports the concept that in vitro PMP resistance in clinical S. aureus strains is associated with important clinical characteristics of S. aureus endovascular infections in vivo.
TGF-beta 1 inhibits both endotoxin-induced prostaglandin synthesis and expression of the TIS10/prostaglandin synthase 2 gene in murine macrophages.

Activated macrophages produce substantial quantities of paracrine mediators, including cytokines, nitric oxide, and prostaglandins. Transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-beta) is a potent modulator of immune function. TGF-beta inhibits the cytotoxic activity of en- dotoxin/lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated macrophage cell lines and primary macrophage cultures, reducing their expression of cytokines and nitric oxide. In this report we demonstrate that TGF-beta also attenuates the LPS-induced synthesis and secretion of prostaglandin E2 in murine RAW 264.7 macrophage cells. Macrophage ac- tivation also induces accumulation of the recently described ligand-responsive prostaglandin synthase (PGS) TIS1OIPGS-2. While TGF-beta alone has no effect on expression from the TIS1O/PGS-2 gene, this cytokine inhibits LPS-induced TIS1O/PGS-2 protein accumula- tion and synthesis, as well as LPS-induced TIS1O/PGS-2 message accumulation in RAW 264.7 cells. TGF-beta con- centrations in the range of 0.1-1.0 ng/ml (4-40 pM) max- imally inhibit LPS-induced TIS1O/PGS-2 message ac- cumulation. In contrast, neither LPS nor TOF-beta has any effect on the level of PGS-1 (EC 1.14.99.1) message. TGF-beta also attenuates LPS-induced accumulation of unspliced TIS1O/PGS-2 transcripts in RAW 264.7 cells, suggesting that this cytokine exerts its effects on TIS1O/PGS-2 expression at the transcriptional level. TGF-beta inhibits the LPS-induced accumulation of TIS1OIPGS-2 protein and message in cultured murine peritoneal macrophages, as well as in macrophage cell lines.J. Leukoc. Biol. 55: 192-200; 1994.
Mobile complex atherosclerotic aortic plaque

A 64-year-old man with a history of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF) and transient ischaemic attack was admitted with complaints of palpitations and fatigue. He was found to be having AF with sustained rapid ventricular response. He had failed rate control therapy with calcium channel blockers and antiarrhythmic therapy (dronedarone), and was on dabigatran for anticoagulation. Prior to undergoing direct current cardioversion, he underwent a transoesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) to rule out left atrial appendage (LAA) thrombus which revealed a large, complex atherosclerotic plaque …
A Systematic Review of HIV/AIDS Knowledge Measures

HIV/AIDS knowledge measures are widely used to determine the efficacy of HIV/AIDS prevention and education efforts. While much research has looked at the interventions, less attention has been paid...
Acidic properties of montmorillonite in selected solvents

Montmorillonites saturated with A1 a+, H+-A1 a+, and K + were titrated in H20, acetonitrile (AN), and dimethylformamide (DMF) to investigate the acidic properties of the clay in these solvents and to evaluate the application of nonaqueous titration procedures for studies of the acidic properties of 2:1 swelling clays. Samples were titrated with tetramethylammonium hydroxide using a combination glass electrode for potentiometric determination. Titers of base required to reach the final potentiometric endpoints were greater in AN than in DMF and H20. The larger titers in AN compared to H20 were attributed to pH-dependent sites for which an inflection was not observed in the latter solvent. Titration curves of Al-saturated montmorillonite in AN showed evidence of a salt-induced hydrolysis which was confirmed by titration curves of salt extracts. The hydrolysis reaction was more evident in AN than in H20 and was probably due to a disruption of the H20 structure by AN and a polarization of the H20 of solvation. The hydrolysis reaction was enhanced in the presence of excess salt due to the ion exchange of H § from the exchange surface. These studies indicate that acidic properties of clays may be drastically altered in organic solvents. The acidic properties may be used to advantage, for example, in the deter- mination of edge-site acidity. In addition, they have implications concerning possible chemical reactions and/or alterations of clay in organic solvents.
Nitrification rates in a headwater stream: influences of seasonal variation in C and N supply

AbstractNitrification, the chemoautotrophic process by which NH4-N is converted to NO3-N, is an integral biogeochemical transformation in stream ecosystems. Previous research has shown that experimental addition of dissolved organic C inhibits rates of nitrification, and that NH4-N addition stimulates rates of nitrification. In many streams, large amounts of C and N may be present in particulate and sorbed forms. Hugh White Creek, a headwater stream located in the southern Appalachian mountains of North Carolina, USA, has very low concentrations of dissolved N and receives large inputs of allochthonous particulate organic matter (POM) each autumn. We conducted a seasonal survey of organic matter (OM) standing stocks and nitrification rates, and we experimentally manipulated dissolved C and N supplies in stream-sediment microcosms to determine: 1) how rates of nitrification compare across seasons, and 2) to what extent nitrification rates are influenced by seasonal changes in standing stocks and relative a...
Variable Neutralization of Several Nonspecific Antibacterial Systems in Fresh, Defibrinated Human Blood by Sodium Polyanetholsulfonate and Sodium Amylosulfate

Fresh, defibrinated human blood (80 vol%, i.e., 80% [vol/vol] of a 2-ml final assay volume) from two healthy adult donors killed "delayed serum-sensitive" (DSS) and "promptly serum-sensitive" (PSS) strains of Serratia marcescens, PSS control strain Escherichia coli C, Bacillus subtilis strain ATCC 6633, and Micrococcus lysodeikticus ATCC 4698 in a kinetic manner comparable to that of fresh human serum (80 vol%). However, heat-inactivated (56 degrees C, 30 min), defibrinated human blood revealed markedly reduced or a total lack of beta-lysin activity against the B. subtilis assay strain. Similarly, lysozyme activity of defibrinated blood was diminished somewhat by heat treatment, as determined with the M. lysodeikticus assay strain. Addition of 500 mug of sodium polyanetholsulfonate (SPS) per ml to 80 vol% of fresh, defibrinated human blood completely neutralized blood bactericidal activity against all assay strains of S. marcescens, E. coli C, and B. subtilis; however, SPS at this concentration failed to abolish lysozyme activity for prolonged periods of incubation. Addition of 500 mug of sodium amylosulfate (SAS) per ml to 80 vol% of fresh defibtinated human blood resulted in protection of cell inocula of DSS strains of S. marcescens only; SAS failed to protect cell inocula of the PSS strains of S. marcescens, E. coli C, B. subtilis, and M. lysodeikticus for extended periods of observation. Based on these data, it is recommended that blood culture specimens that are first drawn into specimen containers (such as Vacutainer tubes or the like) at the patient's bedside, and which contain >/=250 mug of SPS per ml, be diluted into suitable broth media with at least >/=250 mug of SPS per ml by the receiving laboratory within 2 to 4 h after procurement of the specimen. This procedure would ensure continued, adequate neutralization of the specimen's inherent beta-lysin, lysozyme, and complement- and antibody-mediated bactericidal activities.
A Case Study of a New High School Principal: Instructional Challenges and Administrative Interventions Relating to Immigrant Students and Teacher Apathy on the U.S./Mexico Border

This case study provides a contemporary look at a first year rural high school principal who is on the frontlines of the U.S./Mexico border struggles. Having taken over an underperforming school, this principal – in one year – moved the school accountability rating to Recognized status and is now focusing on the highest or Exemplary status for the forthcoming school year.
AGGRESSION AS POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT IN MICE UNDER VARIOUS RATIO- AND TIME-BASED REINFORCEMENT SCHEDULES

There is evidence suggesting aggression may be a positive reinforcer in many species. However, only a few studies have examined the characteristics of aggression as a positive reinforcer in mice. Four types of reinforcement schedules were examined in the current experiment using male Swiss CFW albino mice in a resident-intruder model of aggression as a positive reinforcer. A nose poke response on an operant conditioning panel was reinforced under fixed-ratio (FR 8), fixed-interval (FI 5-min), progressive ratio (PR 2), or differential reinforcement of low rate behavior reinforcement schedules (DRL 40-s and DRL 80-s). In the FR conditions, nose pokes were maintained by aggression and extinguished when the aggression contingency was removed. There were long postreinforcement pauses followed by bursts of responses with short interresponse times (IRTs). In the FI conditions, nose pokes were maintained by aggression, occurred more frequently as the interval elapsed, and extinguished when the contingency was removed. In the PR conditions, nose pokes were maintained by aggression, postreinforcement pauses increased as the ratio requirement increased, and responding was extinguished when the aggression contingency was removed. In the DRL conditions, the nose poke rate decreased, while the proportional distributions of IRTs and postreinforcement pauses shifted toward longer durations as the DRL interval increased. However, most responses occurred before the minimum IRT interval elapsed, suggesting weak temporal control of behavior. Overall, the findings suggest aggression can be a positive reinforcer for nose poke responses in mice on ratio- and time-based reinforcement schedules.