cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Protective actions of ovarian hormones in the serotonin system of macaques

The serotonin neurons of the dorsal and medial raphe nuclei project to all areas of the forebrain and play a key role in mood disorders. Hence, any loss or degeneration of serotonin neurons could have profound ramifications. In a monkey model of surgical menopause with hormone replacement and no neural injury, E and P decreased gene expression in the dorsal raphe nucleus of c-jun n-terminal kinase (JNK1) and kynurenine mono-oxygenase (KMO) that promote cell death. In concert, E and P increased gene expression of superoxide dismutase (SOD1), VEGF, and caspase inhibitory proteins that promote cellular resilience in the dorsal raphe nucleus. Subsequently, we showed that ovarian steroids inhibit pivotal genes in the caspase-dependent and caspase-independent pathways in laser-captured serotonin neurons including apoptosis activating factor (Apaf1), apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) and second mitochondria-derived activator of caspases (Smac/Diablo). SOD1 was also increased specifically in laser-captured serotonin neurons. Examination of protein expression in the dorsal raphe block revealed that JNK1, phosphoJNK1, AIF and the translocation of AIF from the mitochondria to the nucleus decreased with hormone therapy, whereas pivotal execution proteins in the caspase pathway were unchanged. In addition, cyclins A, B, D1 and E were inhibited, which would prevent re-entry into the cell cycle and catastrophic death. These data indicated that in the absence of gross injury to the midbrain, ovarian steroids inhibit the caspase-independent pathway and cell cycle initiation in serotonin neurons. To determine if these molecular actions prevented cellular vulnerability or death, we examined DNA fragmentation in the dorsal raphe nucleus with the TUNEL assay (terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase nick end labeling). Ovarian steroids significantly decreased the number of TUNEL-positive cells in the dorsal raphe. Moreover, TUNEL staining prominently colocalized with TPH immunostaining, a marker for serotonin neurons. In summary, ovarian steroids increase the cellular resilience of serotonin neurons and may prevent serotonin neuron death in women facing decades of life after menopause. The survival of serotonin neurons would support cognition and mental health.
Effect of acute physostigmine-hyoscine pretreatment on the neurochemical changes produced by soman in the guinea-pig

Abstract The protective effects of two dose regimes of the organophosphate pretreatment combination, physostigmine and hyoscine, were assessed on the central neurochemical changes produced following soman intoxication. The lower dose combination (physostigmine 20 μg/kg, hyoscine 10 μg/kg, s.c.) inhibited brain regional acetylcholinesterase (AChE) by between 13.5 and 37.6% in all regions except the striatum, where there was no statistically significant inhibition. This low dose pretreatment failed to protect a measureable proportion of brain AChE from soman and did not prevent the neurotransmitter changes produced by soman. Signs of intoxication were indistinguishable from those seen with soman alone, however more animals survived longer than 24 h. The higher dose combination (physostigmine 196 μg/kg and hyoscine 113 μg/kg s.c.) inhibited brain regional AChE by between 56.8 and 67.3%, but had significant effects alone on the levels of ACh and NA. The high dose pretreatment effectively protected 20–30% of the enzyme following soman challenge. This protected enzyme became available as the physostigmine was eliminated from the body after 60–120 min. Animals exhibited mild signs of poisoning, such as hyperactivity and chewing, during the first 30–60 min, after which they recovered. Transmitter changes following soman were completely prevented with high dose pretreatment. Both dose levels of pretreatment decreased lethality but only the high dose, which protected a measurable amount of AChE and prevented neurotransmitter changes, decreased incapacitation.
A research prototype of a control system based on smart transducers

Abstract A research prototype of a control system based on smart transducers is described. The smart transducers are self-configuring and support a wide variety of sensors and actuators. Closed loop control has been demonstrated based on peer-to-peer communications. Each smart node consists of three modules: 1. 1. A communication transceiver allows selection of wired or wireless communication media. 2. 2. A common core execution module performs configuration, conversion and management of data, and runs optional application-specific software such as control algorithms. 3. 3. A transducer interface module conditions the transducer output signal and contains an “electronic data sheet” which describes the transducer to the common core module. The contributions of this system are in three areas: 1. 1. A network interface which defines a common data model, a set of node operations, and a consistent way to add application-specific behavior. 2. 2. A set of node behaviors which simplify the installation and use of the system. 3. 3. A transducer interface which supports the “electronic data sheet”.
Napoleon Bonaparte and Apocalyptic Discourse in Early Nineteenth‐Century Russia

Leo Tolstoy's great epic novel War and Peace begins in 1805 with an ominous salon conversation in which Napoleon Bonaparte is likened to the Antichrist for his increasingly expansionist policies in Europe.' Later in the book, with the French emperor already on Russian soil and threatening Moscow itself, Pierre Bezukhov discovers a Masonic tract, which attempts to discern in Napoleon's name and title the sign of the Beast of the Apocalypse-666 and in the year 1812 the limit of his power. Excited and agitated by his discovery, Pierre tries to figure out his own role in the apocalyptic drama, imagines himself to be the emperor's worthy opponent, and naively sets out to destroy Napoleon and thus save the world from the enemy he regards as the Antichrist.2 It is this wellknown episode from Tolstoy's novel recounting Pierre's cosmological speculations that is perhaps most familiar to readers confronted with the topic of this article. Yet the identification of Napoleon with the Antichrist, as well as a general sense of apocalyptic foreboding associated with the Napoleonic Wars was evident throughout Europe (as well as the newly independent United States) during the emperor's meteoric rise to power and during the height of his military conquests, with Russia being no exception.3 Moreover, as the lone major continental power still free of French domination, Russia (led by its increasingly pious and mystically inclined Emperor Alexander I) was expected by many
Comparison of transmittance and reflectance to detect insect infestation in Montmorency tart cherry

Different measurement modes, reflectance and transmittance, were compared for their ability to identify the internal insect infestation in tart cherry (c.v. Montomorency) using visible and near infrared spectroscopy. The cherries were collected in the summers of 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007 from different orchards in Michigan. The samples included intact (Level 0) as well as infested cherries with different damage levels (Levels 1-5). The spectra were recorded for whole cherries with a spectroradiometer within a wavelength region between 550 and 950nm. MANOVA analysis indicates that the spectral data, both of the transmittance or reflectance, basically falls into three clusters, showing that the intact cherries and the cherries with Level 1 infestation (slightly infested) are in one cluster; Samples with infestation degree from Levels 3 to 5 (seriously infested) are clearly distinguishable from the intact and slight infested samples; the cherries with Level 2 infestation degree are scattered in between the intact and serious infested samples. According to the results of the discriminant analysis, transmittance works slightly better than reflectance in terms of the total classification accuracy. Spectroscopic technology should provide the cherry industry with a valuable tool for rapidly detecting insect infestation in tart cherry.
Practical issues in drug selection and dosing.

Abstract Current guidelines recommend initiating antihypertensive therapy at a diastolic blood pressure greater than 90 mm Hg when nonpharmacologic measures have been unsuccessful. The risk of heart attack and stroke is increased regardless of whether the elevation of blood pressure is primarily systolic alone, diastolic alone, or both. In treating mild to moderate hypertension and in prevention and wellness programs in normotensive persons with a family history of the disease, the initial approach should be nonpharmacologic. Patients who remain hypertensive should proceed to drug therapy. Low-dose thiazide diuretics remain the preferred first step in elderly patients. In patients younger than age 40 years, especially those with tachycardia, a β blocker may be used as the first step. Treatment should be initiated with less than a full dose, only proceeding to a full dose if necessary. If there is any appearance of extrasystoles, or a decrease in potassium levels to below 3.5 mEq/liter in the elderly, a potassium-sparing diuretic combination should be used. Although there is growing evidence that the effects of diuretic drugs on potassium may contribute to arrhythmias and sudden death, there is also increasing data suggesting that conserving electrolytes during diuretic therapy may obviate these ill effects.
Measurements of power distribution between lateral modes of broad area laser diode

Analysis of optical power of broad-area laser diode lateral modes is performed using spatially resolved spectrometer with 1GHz-spectral resolution. The lateral mode thresholds and slope efficiencies were compared with laterally resolved gain depletion model.
Some aspects of nutrition in parasites

Some selected examples of food-getting mechanisms in animal parasites are reviewed. The range of adaptations includes: (1) mechanical devices for biting or sucking plus internal or external digestive capacity, (2) internal digestive capacities only, or (3) no mechanical feeding mechanisms and no digestive capacities. In the latter case, feeding mechanisms are restricted to absorptive capacity. Available data on absorption are briefly reviewed. Questions concerning the food of parasites in hosts are posed, and the following examples are analyzed to demonstrate the difficulties in answering these questions: Fasciola , hookworms, Trichuris , and some nematode parasites of vertebrates.
Mitochondrial instability during regional ischemia–reperfusion underlies arrhythmias in monolayers of cardiomyocytes

Regional depolarization of the mitochondrial network can alter cellular electrical excitability and increase the propensity for reentry, in part, through the opening of sarcolemmal KATP channels. Mitochondrial inner membrane potential (ΔΨm) instability or oscillation can be induced in myocytes by exposure to reactive oxygen species (ROS), laser excitation, or glutathione depletion, and is thought to be a major factor in arrhythmogenesis during ischemia–reperfusion. Nevertheless, the correlation between ΔΨm recovery kinetics and reperfusion-induced arrhythmias has been difficult to demonstrate experimentally. Here, we investigate the relationship between subcellular changes in ΔΨm, cellular glutathione redox potential, electrical excitability, and wave propagation during coverslip-induced ischemia–reperfusion (IR) in neonatal rat ventricular myocyte (NRVM) monolayers. Ischemia led to decreased action potential amplitude and duration followed by electrical inexcitability after ~ 15 min of ischemia. ΔΨm depolarization occurred in two phases during ischemia: in phase 1 (< 30 min ischemia), mitochondrial clusters within individual NRVMs depolarized, while phase 2 ΔΨm depolarization (30–60 min) was characterized by global functional collapse of the mitochondrial network across the whole ischemic region of the monolayer, typically involving a propagating metabolic wave. Oxidation of the glutathione (GSSG:GSH) redox potential occurred during ischemia, followed by recovery upon reperfusion (i.e., lifting the coverslip). ΔΨm recovered in the mitochondria of individual myocytes quite rapidly upon reperfusion (< 5 min), but was highly unstable, characterized by subcellular oscillations or flickering of clusters of mitochondria in NRVMs across the reperfused region. Electrical excitability also recovered in a heterogeneous manner, providing an arrhythmogenic substrate which led to formation of sustained reentry. Treatment with 4′-chlorodiazepam, a peripheral benzodiazepine receptor ligand, prevented ΔΨm oscillation, improved GSH recovery rate, and prevented reentry during reperfusion, indicating that stabilization of mitochondrial network dynamics is important for preventing post-ischemic arrhythmias. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled "Mitochondria: From Basic Mitochondrial Biology to Cardiovascular Disease".
Implementation of Evidence-Based Practice in Community Behavioral Health: Agency Director Perspectives

Despite a growing supply of evidence-based mental health treatments, we have little evidence about how to implement them in real-world care. This qualitative pilot study captured the perspectives of agency directors on the challenge of implementing evidence-based practices in community mental health agencies. Directors identified challenges as limited access to research, provider resistance, and training costs. Director leadership, support to providers, and partnerships with universities were leverage points to implement evidenced-based treatments. Directors’ mental models of EBP invoked such concepts as agency reputation, financial solvency, and market niche. Findings have potential to shape implementation interventions.
Aggressive local therapy combined with systemic chemotherapy provides long‐term control in grade II stage 2 canine mast cell tumour: 21 cases (1999–2012)

This retrospective case series evaluates the outcome of 21 dogs with grade II stage 2 mast cell tumour (MCT) treated with adequate local therapy and adjuvant systemic chemotherapy (prednisone, vinblastine and CCNU). The median survival for all dogs was 1359 days (range, 188-2340). Median disease-free interval was 2120 days (149-2325 days). Dogs treated with surgery and chemotherapy had shorter survival (median, 1103 days; 188-2010 days) than those that underwent surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy as part of their treatment (median, 2056 days; 300-2340 days). Two patients had local recurrence in the radiation field and four patients had de novo MCT. Distant metastasis was not observed in any dogs. The results of this study suggest that, in the presence of loco-regional lymph node metastasis in grade II MCT, the use of prednisone, vinblastine and CCNU after adequate local-regional therapy can provide a median survival in excess of 40 months.
Sequence analysis and transcriptional regulation by heat shock of polyubiquitin transcripts from maize.

We have isolated a maize ubiquitin cDNA clone which encodes one partial and three full-length, identical 76 amino acid repeats, in a polyprotein conformation. The deduced amino acid sequence of the mature monomeric polypeptide is identical to that determined for three other plants, barley, oat, and Arabidopsis, and differs from yeast and animal ubiquitin by only two and three amino acids, respectively. Hybridization of the cDNA clone to restriction endonuclease-digested genomic DNA revealed that ubiquitin is encoded by a small multigene family in maize. Northern blot analysis of poly(A)+ RNA indicated that multiple ubiquitin mRNAs of 2.1, 1.6 and 0.8 kb are produced in maize shoots and roots. The abundance of the largest (2.1 kb) of these transcripts increased transiently 3- to 4-fold over the first 1 to 3 h in seedlings that were subjected to heat shock, and then returned dramatically within 1 h almost to the preshocked level. In contrast, the two smaller transcripts showed little or no change following heat shock. Run-on transcription assays in isolated maize nuclei showed a heat shock-induced increase in ubiquitin run-on transcripts that paralleled the increase in mature 2.1 kb mRNA levels over the first 3 h following the heat shock treatment. This result indicates that heat shock regulates ubiquitin gene expression at least in part at the transcriptional level. The subsequent rapid decline in steady-state mRNA levels, on the other hand, was not preceded by decreased ubiquitin gene transcription, raising the possibility of both transcriptional and posttranscriptional regulation. The run-on transcription assays also revealed a transient 5-fold reduction in rRNA gene transcription following heat shock, indicating that the transcriptional machinery for these genes is selectively sensitive to this stress.
Laser-based fabrication of polymer micropump

Diffuser micropumps are commonly fabricated using the standard lithography techniques with silicon as the base material. The important components of this type of micropumps are flow-directing diffusers and a moving diaphragm. Different diffuser designs show various flow rates and pump efficiency. In this work a polymer is used as the base material instead of silicon. It is demonstrated that polymer-based micropumps can be conveniently fabricated using the laser machining technique. Moreover, because of the flexibility of polymer materials, there is great potential to improve the performance of the polymer micropumps. The fluid flow inside the diffuser polymer micropump is also calculated using computational fluid dynamics methods and the simulated results are compared with the experimental data.
Recognizing Excellence in Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Epidemiology: The 2012 Co-hosted 18th MCH Epidemiology Conference and 22nd CityMatCH Urban MCH Leadership Conference, the 25th Anniversary of the MCH Epidemiology Program, and the National MCH Epidemiology Awards

In December 2012, multiple leading agencies in the field of Maternal and Child Health (MCH) partnered to co-host a national MCH Epidemiology Conference. The Conference offered opportunities for peer exchange; presentation of new scientific methodologies, programs, and policies; dialogue on changes in the MCH field; and discussion of emerging MCH issues relevant to the work of MCH professionals. During the Conference, the MCH Epidemiology Program celebrated 25 years of success and partnership, and 16 MCH agencies presented six deserving health researchers and leaders with national awards in the areas of advancing knowledge, effective practice, outstanding leadership, excellence in teaching and mentoring, and young professional achievement. In September 2014, building on knowledge gained and changes in the field of MCH, leading agencies including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Health Resources and Services Administration, CityMatCH, and the Association of MCH Programs plan to replicate the achievements of 2012 through the implementation of a fully integrated national conference: the CityMatCH Leadership and MCH Epidemiology Conference.
Polymer sorbents for phosphorus esters: II. Hydrogen bond driven sorption in fluoro‐carbinol substituted polystyrene

A series of copolymers containing styrene and a fluorocarbinol substituted styrene, vinyl benzyl hexafluorodimethyl carbinol, were prepared by substitution of hexafluoroacetone on polystyrene followed by hydrolysis, and by copolymerization of styrene and substituted styrene monomers. Sorption of dimethyl methyl phosphonate, DMMP, vapor in the copolymers was examined at 135°C by the piezoelectric sorption method and at 135 to 165°C by Inverse Gas Chromatography, IGC, and the results were analyzed by the Flory-Huggins equation. Both methods yield similar negative values of the Flory-Huggins Chi parameter at 135°C, and the Chi values are observed to become increasingly negative to −4.9 as the percent substitution of the aromatic rings In the copolymer is increased to 54 mole percent. A simplified thermodynamic analysis, based on experimental studies of the hydrogen bond formed between DMMP and hexafluoro-isopropanol, an analog of the fluoro-carbinol, through infrared spectroscopy and calorimetry at ambient conditions, is shown to predict the Chi dependency on copolymer composition observed at 135°C to within the accuracy of the experimental observations, however, the analysis predicts a decrease in Chi with increasing temperature that is too high relative to values observed by IGC at temperatures greater than 135°C.
Surprise Moves in Negotiation

In a game-theoretic model of a negotiation, a surprise move always has the potential to create uncertainty. This uncertainty can be beneficial to just the player making the move, or it can be beneficial to all the players involved. Moreover, there are situations in which a surprise move can change the very nature of the interactions. In particular, if the interactions follow specified procedures, the surprise move can reduce the effect of the procedures on the outcome. By showing that these results hold in the precisely defined world of game theory, it is argued that they are applicable in the more ambiguous world of real negotiations. At a broader level, the game-theoretic results imply that there is a sense in which the context can never be known for sure. The results also imply that the uncertainty created by surprise moves can be strategically useful.
Evidence for the deficiency of short cosmic ray pathlengths and a physically realistic explanation — The no-near-sources model

From our recent observations of the charge and energy spectra of cosmic-ray nuclei we have constructed secondary-to-primary charge ratios at the two ends of the charge spectrum. These ratios are found to be inconsistent with thead hoc leaky-box model of cosmic-ray propagation which leads to an exponential pathlength distribution. Models for which the pathlength distribution function is deficient in short pathlengths provide a more consistent picture. Several of these models are investigated, bothad hoc and physical. The physical model considered here is one for which detailed galactic propagation parameters and boundary conditions are used and for which there exists no near sources of cosmic rays over a time interval corresponding to a few times the cosmic-ray age.
Mental Skills as Protective Attributes Against Eating Disorder Risk in Dancers

The aim of this study was to determine whether negative affect (anxiety and depression) mediates the relationship between environmental weight pressures and eating disorder risk (measured by the Eating Disorder Inventory-3rd Edition [EDI-3]—risk composite); and furthermore, whether mental skills (Athletic Coping Skills Inventory-28 [ACSI-28]) can decrease strength of said relationship (serving as protective factors) in dancers. Our study revealed that negative affect partially mediated the relationship between environmental pressure and eating disorder (ED) risk, and that mental skills did serve a protective factor, thus, decreasing the risk. Specifically, coping with adversity, freedom from worry, and self-confidence emerged as the most protective skills against eating disorders.
CIN85 phosphorylation is essential for EGFR ubiquitination and sorting into multivesicular bodies

This study provides new insights into the mechanisms by which CIN85 regulates targeting of the EGF receptor for degradation. It is the first to demonstrate that CIN85 is phosphorylated by src, phos...
Longitudinal data indicate that hemispheric independence increases during early adolescence

Hemispheric cooperation is traditionally thought of as the ability to share information between the hemispheres. In addition to hemispheric sharing, cooperation between the hemispheres may involve hemispheric shielding. This requires inhibition or restriction of information rather than sharing of information and enables the two hemispheres to work with minimal interference. Results of our longitudinal study suggest that the ability to use the two cerebral hemispheres as relatively independent work stations undergoes an important developmental transition during early adolescence. This study was a follow‐up of 65 of 120 children from a previous study by Merola and Liederman (1985). The mean ages of the children were 12.0 years, 13.9 years, and 15.9 years at follow‐up. Results indicated that (a) almost all the children who could not use their hemispheres independently at age 10 were able to do so at age 12.0, (b) almost all the children with this ability retained it 1½ years later, and (c) this developmental...
An integrated approach to government publication collection development

Abstract This article suggests that the overall effectiveness and integration of government publications will be determined largely by the degree to which government publications are included in the overall philosophy of library collection development. A model is suggested as an aid to integrate government publication collection development. The model emphasizes needs assessment and collection development objectives as a means of further administrative integration. Also included is a worksheet to assist the documents librarian in translating community and collection needs into objectives. After discussing a number of myths related to government publications collection development, the article concludes with suggestions to implement an integrated approach to government publication collection development.
Enhancing Throughput of Hadoop Distributed File System for Interaction-Intensive Tasks

The performance of the Hadoop Distributed File System (HDFS)decreases dramatically when handling interaction-intensive files, i.e., files that have relatively small size but are accessed frequently. The paper analyzes the cause of throughput degradation issue when accessing interaction-intensive files and presents an enhanced HDFS architecture along with an associated storage allocation algorithm that overcomes the performance degradation problem. Experiments have shown that with the proposed architecture together with the associated storage allocation algorithm, the HDFS throughput for interaction-intensive files increase 300% in average with only a negligible performance decrease for large data set tasks.
Ethnic Variation in Parenting Characteristics and Adolescent Smoking

Abstract Purpose To examine ethnic variation in parenting characteristics and in associations among parenting characteristics and adolescent smoking, and to assess the strength of those associations separately by ethnic subgroup. Methods Data were collected from a diverse sample (48.4% Hispanic/Latino, 22.9% Asian, 12.1% Non-Hispanic white, and 16.6% Multiethnic) of 1846 Southern California 6th-graders (mean age 11.3 years). Lifetime smoking and parenting characteristics (parental smoking status, adolescents' perceptions of parent–child communication, and parental monitoring) were assessed. Across ethnic groups, descriptive statistics for parenting and smoking variables were calculated and compared. Logistic regression analyses controlled for demographics (socioeconomic status, generation status, family structure, age, and gender) and interaction terms (parenting characteristics × ethnicity), and were also run separately by ethnicity. Results Asian adolescents reported less parental monitoring than Latino/Hispanics and less parental communication than other ethnic subgroups. Odds ratios indicated parental monitoring (OR = .63; CI=.53-.74; p p p p p Conclusion Ethnic differences in parenting characteristics and adolescent smoking should be considered when designing prevention curriculum. Future research should investigate the nature of parent–child communication among Asian immigrant populations.
Acoustic and temporal correlates of perceived age

Summary This research was carried out in an effort to discover which, of a number of factors, relate to perceived age as determined from speech samples generated in a previous study of age perception. Three groups of 10 male talkers each were formed whose perceived ages were 27–35, 53–57, and 75–85 years, respectively. Acoustic and temporal measures were made of subjects' one-sentence recordings. Analysis of these data led to group measures and contrasts. Metrics that differentiated among the groups were: speech rate (total time and syllables per second), breath management (number of breaths and breath pause duration), and fundamental frequency.
Continuity of Health Insurance Coverage for Children with Special Health Care Needs

Objectives: To assess the continuity of health insurance coverage and its associated factors for children with special health care needs (CSHCN). Methods: Logistic regression and proportional hazard models were estimated on monthly insurance enrollment for 5594 children in the 1996 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. CSHCN were identified using a non-categorical approach. Stratified analyses were conducted to determine whether any characteristics differentiated the effects of CSHCN status on children's coverage. Results: In 1996, more than 8% of CSHCN were uninsured for the entire year. For those who were insured in January 1996, 14% lost their coverage by December 1996. CSHCN were more likely than other children to be insured (92% vs. 89%), mainly due to their better access to public insurance (35% vs. 23%). Conversely, CSHCN were less likely than other children to stay insured if they were school-aged, non-Hispanic White, from working, low-income families or the US Midwest region. Higher parental education improved health insurance enrollment for CSHCN, whereas higher family income or having activity limitations protected them from losing coverage. Regardless of CSHCN status, being publicly insured was associated with a higher risk of losing coverage for children. Conclusions: Despite increased health care needs, a considerable proportion of CSHCN is unable to access or maintain coverage. Compared to other children, CSHCN are more likely to have coverage but no more likely to stay insured. Improving continuity of coverage for publicly insured children is needed, especially CSHCN who are more likely to obtain their coverage through public programs.
Building an environment to facilitate discoveries for plant sciences

The iPlant Collaborative is an NSF-funded cyberinfrastructure (CI) effort directed towards the plant sciences community. This paper enumerates the key concepts, middleware, tools, and extensions that create the unique capabilities of the iPlant Discovery Environment (DE) that provide access to our CI. The DE is a rich web-based application that brings flexible CI capabilities to a wide audience affiliated with the plant sciences, from computational biologists, bioinformaticians, applications developers, to bench biologists.The inherent interdisciplinary nature of plant sciences research produces diverse and complex data products that range from molecular sequences to satellite imagery as part of the discovery life cycle. With the constant creation of novel analysis algorithms, the advent and spread of large data repositories, and the need for collaborative data analysis, marshaling resources to effectively utilize these capabilities necessitates a highly flexible and scalable approach for implementing underlying CI.The iPlant infrastructure simultaneously supports multiple interdisciplinary projects providing essential features found in traditional science gateways as well as highly customized direct access to its underlying frameworks through use of APIs (Application Programming Interfaces). This allows the community to develop de novo applications. This approach allows us to serve broad community needs while providing flexible, secure, and creative utilization of our platform that is based on best practices and that leverages established computational resources.
Experience cooperative sharing in cross-layer cognitive radio for real-time multimedia communication

The central problem in cognitive radio (CR) is how to adapt, given a wireless environment, so as to operate while meeting the constraints of a primary incumbent in a spectrum band. Adaptation for transmission of real-time multimedia lends itself to a cross-layer approach. This paper discusses a cross-layer CR scheme for real-time multimedia transmission that jointly adapt transmit bit rate and source-channel coding when sharing the spectrum with a primary network through DS-CDMA. While a cross-layer approach results in a notable reduction in distortion and congestion rate, it increases the complexity of the algorithm. This issue is addressed by introducing a novel cross-layer cooperative scheme that without performance loss reduces by as much as thirty times the number of iterations needed to achieve convergence by the cognitive algorithm. This scheme extends to a cross-layer setting, the docitive paradigm, by having secondary nodes share with a newcomer node their learned awareness of the environment and the associated results for actions.
A potential energy scaling Monte Carlo simulation of thin film nucleation and growth

The initial growth of thin Ge fims on the (100) surface of an Fe substrate is investigated theoretically by means of Monte Carlo simulations based on a potential-energy-scaling technique. The substrate is modeled as a 20 x 20-square array with periodic boundary conditions, as described by Heinbockel et al. (1983), and the movement of surface atoms under the influence of the substrate interaction potential and the lateral interaction of neighboring atoms is explored via continuous updating (on the time scale of single events) of the potential energy at each site in the array. Results for the clustering of nine dispersed atoms over 1.0 s at 600 K and for deposition at 5 x 10 to the -14th/sq cm s over 2.0 s at 500 K are presented graphically.
Mesenchymal and stem-like cell properties targeted in suppression of chronically-induced breast cell carcinogenesis

Stem-like cells and the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) program are postulated to play important roles in various stages of cancer development, but their roles in breast cell carcinogenesis and intervention remain to be clarified. We investigated stem-like cell- and EMT-associated properties and markers in breast epithelial cells chronically exposed to low-dose 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone and benzo[a]pyrene in the presence and absence of the preventive agents green tea catechins and grape seed extract. Our results indicate that stem-like cell- and EMT-associated properties and markers should be seriously considered as new cancer-associated indicators for detecting breast cell carcinogenesis and as endpoints for intervention of carcinogenesis.
Partial replica selection for spatial datasets

The implementation of partial or incomplete replicas, which represent only a subset of a larger dataset, has been an active topic of research. Partial Spatial Replicas extend this functionality to spatial data, allowing us to distribute a spatial dataset in pieces over several locations. Accessing only a subset of a spatial replica usually results in a large number of relatively small read requests made to the underlying storage device. For this reason, an accurate model of disk access is important when working with spatial subsets. We make two primary contributions in this paper. First, we describe a model for disk access performance that takes filesystem prefetching into account and is sufficiently accurate for spatial replica selection. Second, making a few simplifying assumptions, we propose a fast replica selection algorithm for partial spatial replicas. The algorithm uses a greedy approach that attempts to maximize performance by choosing a collection of replica subsets that allow fast data retrieval by a client machine. Experiments show that the performance of the solution found by our algorithm is on average always at least 91% and 93.4% of the performance of the optimal solution in 4-node and 8-node tests respectively.
The cholecysto-sphincter of Oddi reflex

Multiple factors including hormonal and neural influences as well as intravascular volume, body temperature, and pharmacologic agents have been shown to influence sphincter of Oddi function. Recent studies have also suggested that mechanical or electrical stimulation of the gallbladder and the degree of gallbladder filling may affect the frequency and amplitude of sphincter of Oddi phasic contractions. However, the effect of gallbladder filling on sphincter of Oddi phasic wave direction has not previously been studied. In acute terminal experiments, eight adult male prairie dogs underwent cannulation of the gallbladder with a pressure-monitored perfusion catheter. The common bile duct was cannulated proximally with a drainage catheter and distally with a triple-lumen, side-hole, closed-tipped catheter. The distal port of this catheter was positioned in the sphincter of Oddi (SO) while the proximal port was in the distal common bile duct (CBD). Distal CBD and SO phasic wave activity was recorded first with the gallbladder perfused with lactated Ringer's solution at 0.1 ml/min (mean intragallbladder pressure 8.1 ± 0.3 mm Hg) and then with the gallbladder (GB) empty. Sphincter of Oddi phasic wave frequency was 6.7 ± 0.9/min with the GB full and 5.4 ± 0.6/min with the GB empty (P < 0.02). Phasic wave amplitude was also greater with the GB full versus empty in both the distal CBD (6.4 ± 0.6 vs 4.3 ± 0.5 mm Hg, P < 0.05) and the SO (9.5 ± 1.5 vs 6.4 ± 0.8, P = 0.075). Baseline pressures and the direction of phasic waves were unaffected by the degree of gallbladder filling. It is concluded that the degree of gallbladder filling reflexly influences sphincter of Oddi phasic wave activity and should be considered in future studies of the choledochoduodenal junction.
The Significance and Application of Informed Consent

Bringing well-informed patients to the OR is a challenge for all who participate in surgical patients' care. Although the issue of informed consent has been around for a long time, it was not until the latter half of the twentieth century that health care professionals and patients began to focus on informed consent as a central concern in health care. This article explains the roots of informed consent, the path it has traveled, and the importance that health care professionals, especially perioperative nurses, play in ensuring that patients are fully informed about their impending procedures.
Heesch's Tiling Problem

1. INTRODUCTION. Let T be a tile in the plane. By calling T a tile, we mean that T is a topological disk whose boundary is a simple closed curve. But also implicit in the word “tile” is our intent to use congruent or reflected copies of T to cover the plane without gaps or overlapping; that is, we want to tessellate the plane with copies of T . In a minor abuse of language, one often speaks of T (as opposed to copies of it) as tiling or tessellating the plane, in the sense that T generates a tessellation. A tessellation by T may or may not be possible, so in order to learn something of T ’s abilities with regard to tessellating the plane, we perform the following procedure: around a centrally placed copy of T , we attempt to form a full layer, or corona ,o f congruent copies of T . We require as part of the definition that no point of T should be visible from the exterior of a corona to a Flatland creature in this plane. Also, we should form the corona without allowing gaps or overlapping, just as if we were building a tessellation. If a corona can be formed, then we attempt to surround this corona with yet another corona, and then another, and so on; if we get stuck, we go back and change a previously placed tile and try again. If T tessellates the plane, then this procedure will never end. On the other hand, if T does not tessellate the plane, and if we check all of the possible ways of forming a first corona, a second corona, and so forth, we will find that there is a maximum number of coronas that can be formed. This maximum number of layers that can be formed around a single centrally placed copy of T is called the Heesch number of T and is denoted by H (T ). We consider a few examples before proceeding. Consider first a regular hexagon. All bees know that a regular hexagon tessellates the plane, so H =∞ for a regular
Dysgerminoma-100% control with combined therapy in six consecutive patients with advanced disease

Abstract Six patients with either Stage II or III disease are all alive with no evidence of disease 2–8 years following treatment. All but 1 patient had total hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. All patients had pelvic, abdominal and mediastinal radiation therapy. This is the treatment policy that is recommended for patients with disease beyond the unilateral encapsulated stage.
Electron microscopy of nucleation and growth of indium and tin films

Abstract The results of measurements of island density and grain size variations as a function of film thickness and substrate temperature of vapour-deposited indium and tin films are given. It was observed that the nucleation and growth characteristics of indium and tin films are different even when the substrate temperatures are in the same ratio of their melting points. These differences are ascribed to the differences in interfacial surface energy, nucleation barrier, and critical thickness. The saturation density of indium was found to be 2 × 1011 cm−2 at 85°C while that of tin was 4 × 1011 cm−2 at 130°c. Island density curves systematically illustrate the occurrence of primary, secondary, and tertiary nucleation. This feature is also apparent from transmission and scanning electron micrographs of films deposited at 130°c. The presence of broad peaks in island density curves and dips in average grain size curves is due to the formation and growth of secondary nucleated islands. The spherical shape of...
Interlayer adhesion of coextruded films: Effect of biaxial stretching

In order to understand the effect of thermoforming on the interlayer adhesion of coextruded films, a peel test was performed for coextruded films after being stretched. To simulate the non-uniaxial stretching nature of actual thermoforming processes, planar stretching and biaxial stretching were applied to the coextruded films prior to the peel test. Both the planar stretching and biaxial stretching were performed at an optimum thermoforming temperature under well-controlled stretch rates to a predetermined stretch ratio. It was found that there was a significant amount of reduction of interlayer adhesion due to stretching. Furthermore, the loss of interlayer adhesion at the optimum thermoforming temperature was linearly related to thickness drawdown as a result of stretching regardless of stretching modes. Therefore, it is suggested that the effect of thermoforming on interlayer adhesion of coextruded films can be easily estimated from the thickness distribution of thermoformed parts. Polym. Eng. Sci. 44:948–954, 2004. © 2004 Society of Plastics Engineers.
Land Use Change in NW Arkansas: Implications for Runoff Potential on the West Fork Watershed

Northwest Arkansas is rated as one of the top 10 fastest growing metropolitan areas in the U.S. This urban growth has resulted in a rapid change in land use/land cover patterns over the last 30 years. Land use/land cover in turn affects weather patterns, extreme weather events, rainfall runoff and water quality. This paper evaluates the changes in land use patterns in the Northwest Arkansas region for the period 1977 through 2006. Five Landsat images were classified into 5 land use types. The traditional soil conservation service-curve number (SCS-CN) method of determining runoff was applied to the 321 km2 watershed of the West Fork of White River in Northwest Arkansas to evaluate the landscape's runoff generating potential. Maps of distributed runoff generation potential were developed in a geographic information system (GIS) environment from the runoff model for each year of study. Overall classification accuracy ranged between 85% and 97% with Kappa coefficients between 0.78 and 0.95. Results indicate a linear increase in runoff generating areas coming from urban and grassed areas. This study has direct implications on water quality and quantity and the methods could be adopted as a tool for land management.
Parallel processing of central difference transient analysis for three-dimensional nonlinear framed structures

The central difference algorithm is a simple but effective time-integration algorithm suitable for parallel processing. This paper discusses the development and implementation of the method for the fully nonlinear, transient dynamic analysis of three-dimensional framed structures. A data structure is presented in which only one nearest-neighbor communication is required per time step, and potentially little overhead is incurred for the parallel implementation. Because this explicit method is only conditionally stable, the large disparity of natural vibrational frequencies of framed structures indicates that central difference analysis is more useful for applications having short-duration loading. An example is presented indicating the speed-up and efficiency of the algorithm when implemented in a distributed-memory, coarse-grained parallel processing environment.
Responses of mechanoreceptor neurons in the cat knee joint capsule before and after anterior cruciate ligament transection

It is known that afferent neurons play a protective role in knees made unstable by transection of the anterior cruciate ligament. However, it is not known whether cutting the anterior cruciate ligament has an effect on the response of the sensory neurons that innervate the joint. In this study, the responsiveness (activation threshold and position sensitivity) of single, mechanically sensitive afferent neurons from the cat knee was evaluated by a series of extension, internal, and external rotations. The anterior cruciate ligament then was cut and the same procedure was repeated. Transection of the ligament increased joint laxity for all types of rotation. The responsiveness of the neurons was not changed significantly by cutting the ligament (p > 0.05). Therefore, capsule afferents continue to behave normally in joints in which the anterior cruciate ligament has been transected.
A temperature-dependent Hartree approach for excess proton transport in hydrogen-bonded chains

We develop a temperature-dependent Hartree (TeDH) approach to solving the N-dimensional Schrodinger equation, based on the time-dependent Hartree (TDH) approximation. The goal is to describe the dynamics of protonated hydrogen-bonded water chains in condensed phases, where the medium fluctuations drive the proton transfer. An adiabatic simulation method (ASM) that couples the TeDH wavefunction to classical molecular dynamics (MD) propagation is used to obtain the real-time dynamics of the quantum protons that interact with the nuclear degrees of freedom. Iteration of the TeDH-ASM provides a trajectory from which the quantum dynamics of the protonated chains can be obtained. The method is applied to proton transfer in cytochrome c oxidase (CcO), which has a glutamate residue whose carboxylate may become protonated, as part of the mechanism of proton translocation. By using MD, we find that this glutamate can be hydrogen bonded to two water molecules in a cyclic structure. Application of the TeDH-ASM shows that a proton can transfer from one of the hydrogen-bonded waters to protonate this glutamate.