cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Real-Time Phase Unwrapping Algorithm For EPSI Material Deformation Measurements

Electronic Phase-Stepped Interferometry (EPSI) is a laser-based NDE technique capable of providing out-of-plane displacement and surface topography measurements on the order of a nanometer [1]. The technique has the potential for providing real-time measurement capabilities provided data capture and data reduction rates could be minimized. This in turn could provide an opportunity for studying and characterizing surface defect information in advanced materials such as Ti-6A1-4V and A120204-T3 using time-sequenced studies and methods. The possibility of characterizing defect precursor information may then become possible through time-evolution history studies.
'Just Not the Future': Electronic Literature After the Fall

The article examines the position of electronic literature, as a disruption of traditional literary practice, in the context of the dominance of social media, and particularly their potential for social harm.
Overview of Communication Disorders

In this chapter the reader is introduced to what a communication disorder is, the type of communication disorders primary care providers are most likely to see, the terminology most frequently used to describe communication disorders, and the prevalence of communication disorders in children. This chapter also outlines the content for the remaining chapters of the book.
Endothelial Activation and Oxidative Stress in Neurovascular Defects of the Retina.

Background The eye is considered as a window of the disease, and a better understanding of neurodegenerative changes in the eye may help diagnose and manage neurodegenerative diseases including the diseases of brain, heart, kidney and liver. In the eye, the blood retinal barrier (BRB] is maintained by a combination of endothelial cells, pericytes, and glia. This BRB integrity is fundamental to the physiology of retinal cellular function and accurate vision. The role of endothelial dysfunction as a consequence of endothelial activation in the initiation and prolongation of neurovascular diseases of the retina is emerging. Methods The observations made in this article are a result of our research over the years in the subject matter and also based on a literature search using PubMed with keywords including but not limited to endothelial, permeability, oxidative stress, ROS, TNF-α, retina, injury, and neurodegeneration. Several studies were identified that fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Overall, published studies support an association between endothelial activation, inflammation and oxidative stress in retinal diseases. Although the selection of specific endothelial activation biomarkers in the retina is less clear, there is an increased association between inflammation in the severity of diabetic retinopathy. Studies in other clinically relevant studies demonstrated a strong association of endothelial activation to alterations in mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes, pericyte integrity, microglial activation, neutrophil extracellular traps and elevated plasma concentrations of TNF-α. Conclusion The compromise in BRB as a consequence of the neurovascular unit in the retinal tissue has gained a lot of attention and studies addressing these should result in a better understanding of the pathophysiology of retinal diseases. Although there are no specific retinal markers of endothelial activation and inflammation, future studies using specific models that display endothelial activation, inflammation and oxidative stress likely yield better understanding on the cause or effect relationship of endothelial activation in retinal diseases.
Discordance between the QuantiFERON Gold In-Tube and QuantiFERON Gold Plus assays associated with country of birth TB incidence.

Abstract Background The new QuantiFERON Gold Plus (QFT+) assay is used for diagnosing tuberculosis (TB) infection and has 2 phlebotomy methods: direct (QFT + D) and single tube transfer (QFT + T). Little data is available on how the TB incidence in the country of birth (COB) of healthcare workers (HCWs) can impact the assay results. Methods QuantiFERON Gold In-Tube (QFT-G), QFT + D and QFT + T assays were obtained from a single blood draw and compared for HCWs annually tested for TB infection. HCWs COB was ranked as: high (≥150 per 100,000), medium (20–149), and low TB incidence ( Results In 265 HCWs, QFT-G/+D/+T results from medium TB incidence COB (15.6%, 16.9% and 22.1%) were more likely to be positive than high (9.7%, 11.8% and 16.1%) or low incidence COB (6.3%, 8.4% and 10.5%). Agreement between assay results for high, medium and low TB incidence COB were: 95.7%, 83.1%, and 95.8% between QFT-G/QFT + D (p = 0.003), 91.4%, 88.3% and 95.8% between QFT-G/QFT + T (p = 0.187), and 91.4%, 76.6%, and 91.6% between QFT + D/QFT + T (p = 0.005). Conclusion Lower agreement and a higher proportion of positivity were found in QFT-G/+D/+T results in individuals from medium TB incidence COB. QFT + may be more sensitive than QFT-G in HCWs from medium TB incidence COB.
Fully Bayesian Recurrent Neural Networks for Safe Reinforcement Learning.

Reinforcement Learning (RL) has demonstrated state-of-the-art results in a number of autonomous system applications, however many of the underlying algorithms rely on black-box predictions. This results in poor explainability of the behaviour of these systems, raising concerns as to their use in safety-critical applications. Recent work has demonstrated that uncertainty-aware models exhibit more cautious behaviours through the incorporation of model uncertainty estimates. In this work, we build on Probabilistic Backpropagation to introduce a fully Bayesian Recurrent Neural Network architecture. We apply this within a Safe RL scenario, and demonstrate that the proposed method significantly outperforms a popular approach for obtaining model uncertainties in collision avoidance tasks. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the proposed approach requires less training and is far more efficient than the current leading method, both in terms of compute resource and memory footprint.
Petroleum pitch: Exploring a 50-year structure puzzle with real-space molecular imaging

Abstract Petroleum pitch has played a significant role in carbon science as a key abundant resource for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in making various higher value carbon materials. Despite many detailed studies using advanced characterization techniques over 50 years, the exact nature of the molecular structures of petroleum M-50 pitch and their mesophase products remains unclear, due to the molecular diversity and the low solubility of this material. In this study, we applied real-space single molecule imaging non-contact atomic force microscopy to obtain exact structures of individual molecules, and compared the results from other characterization techniques to validate some of the previously hypothesized average structures. We identified a diverse slate of largely catacondensed polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons with short alkyl chains, such as methyl and methylene groups. Furthermore, both single core and multi-core structures have been observed, in contrast to previous assertions that only one type would be present. The presence of these structures enables a mechanistic rationalization for their formation and allows potential mechanisms for the thermal conversion of pitch into larger bonding networks to be postulated.
Cross-Disciplinary Team Design, Communication Overload, and Innovation

Our highly globalized and technologically-enabled world is allowing organizations to solve more complex challenges than ever before. Thus, organizations are increasingly focusing on their ability t...
Coalbed methane characterization and modeling: review and outlook

Recently, coalbed methane (CBM) has become one of the major unconventional gas resources in the world. In 2017, the US CBM proved reserves were estimated at 336 Billion Cubic Meter (BCM) while the ...
Engaging endogenous opioid circuits in pain affective processes

The pervasive use of opioid compounds for pain relief is rooted in their utility as one of the most effective therapeutic strategies for providing analgesia. While the detrimental side effects of these compounds have significantly contributed to the current opioid epidemic, opioids still provide millions of patients with reprieve from the relentless and agonizing experience of pain. The human experience of pain has long recognized the perceived unpleasantness entangled with a unique sensation that is immediate and identifiable from the first-person subjective vantage point as "painful." From this phenomenological perspective, how is it that opioids interfere with pain perception? Evidence from human lesion, neuroimaging, and preclinical functional neuroanatomy approaches is sculpting the view that opioids predominately alleviate the affective or inferential appraisal of nociceptive neural information. Thus, opioids weaken pain-associated unpleasantness rather than modulate perceived sensory qualities. Here, we discuss the historical theories of pain to demonstrate how modern neuroscience is revisiting these ideas to deconstruct the brain mechanisms driving the emergence of aversive pain perceptions. We further detail how targeting opioidergic signaling within affective or emotional brain circuits remains a strong avenue for developing targeted pharmacological and gene-therapy analgesic treatments that might reduce the dependence on current clinical opioid options.
Determinants of Various Aspects of Smoking Behaviour in the United States

Using state-level data for the United States, this study uniquely examines the effects of cigarette prices and income on seven dimensions of smoking behaviour. Results show that income-based policies are relatively more effective than price- or tax-based policies. Smokers considering quitting smoking respond in expected ways to changing cigarette prices and income. Strong habit effects in most cases stress the need for early intervention programmes.
Deep-learning-based machine vision system for defect detection of fiber interlock cable

We have designed and built a machine vision system for the inspection and monitoring at the production line of fiber interlock armor cables. Fiber interlock armor cable is a highly reflective continuous cylindrical product, making the inspection task optically challenging. Our economical solution for the design approach has been to utilize a vision system based on a single camera and a tunnel source of uniform illumination in conjunction with two flat mirrors to obtain a 360-degree view of the product. The resolution of imaging system was determined based on the smallest features sizes expected on the cables, such that it allows the detection of defects and imperfections as well as geometrical measurements on the order of tens of microns. The measurement and imperfection methods utilize a deep learning algorithm to intelligently detect manufacturing defects in the cable in-line with the production. Our optical system can detect imperfections in real time during the manufacturing process and alert operators while marking the defective region on the cable, which reduces wasted product and ultimately cost on the production line. Our vision system is able to inspect a variety of interlock armor cables with different sizes and shapes, making it uniquely versatile. Our deep-learning system is 78.9% accurate with an initial training size of 10,000 samples. Our machine vision solution is highly replicable, maximizing the use of off-the-shelf parts for ease of replication to serve and operate on multiple manufacturing lines.
Pacific Worlds: A History of Seas, Peoples, and Cultures

Asia, the Pacific Islands and the coasts of the Americas have long been studied separately. This essential single-volume history of the Pacific traces the global interactions and remarkable peoples that have connected these regions with each other and with Europe and the Indian Ocean, for millennia. From ancient canoe navigators, monumental civilisations, pirates and seaborne empires, to the rise of nuclear testing and global warming, Matt Matsuda ranges across the frontiers of colonial history, anthropology and Pacific Rim economics and politics, piecing together a history of the region. The book identifies and draws together the defining threads and extraordinary personal narratives which have contributed to this history, showing how localised contacts and contests have often blossomed into global struggles over colonialism, tourism and the rise of Asian economies. Drawing on Asian, Oceanian, European, American, ancient and modern narratives, the author assembles a fascinating Pacific region from a truly global perspective.
The Kepler Conjecture and Its Proof

This paper describes work on the Kepler conjecture starting from its statement in 1611 and culminating in the proof of Hales-Ferguson in 1998–2006. It discusses both the difficulty of the problem and of its solution.
Socially-aware content retrieval using random walks in Disruption Tolerant Networks

In this paper, we propose a distributed content retrieval scheme for Disruption Tolerant Networks (DTNs). Our scheme consists of two key components: a content discovery (lookup) service and a routing protocol for message delivery. Both components rely on three key social metrics: centrality, social level, and social tie. Centrality guides the placement of the content lookup service. Social level guides the forwarding of content requests to a content lookup service node. Social tie is exploited to deliver content requests to the content provider, and content data to the requester node. We leverage bounded random walks to estimate a node's centrality. The X-means clustering algorithm is used to compute a node's social level. Lastly, a node's social tie is computed based on the frequency and recency of node contacts. Extensive real-trace-driven simulation results show that our scheme requires less control overhead while maintaining comparable performance for content retrieval applications.
Beta-delayed α-emission from 24Al and 24mAl

Abstract Alpha particles emitted from levels in 24Mg following the β-decay of 24Al have been measured. In addition to the α-groups previously reported in the β-decay of the 4+ ground state of 24Al, new groups were observed as a result of using special techniques to reduce the β-background and to increase particle energy resolution. Alpha-particle groups associated with the β-decay of the 1+ isomeric state of 24Al were observed for the first time. The α-particle transitions observed in this work have been correlated with known energy levels. Log ft values have been calculated or estimated from the relative intensities of the delayed α-particle groups.
A clinical survey of ninety-two patients with carcinoma of the ovary.

Abstract 1. 1. A clinical study of 92 cases of varied forms of primary and secondary carcinoma of the ovary with the results of a 5 year follow up of 84 of the patients has been reported. 2. 2. Factors noted in this clinical study which may aid in lowering mortality are presented for consideration.
Begleitmedikation: Notwendigkeit, nebenwirkungen und interaktionen in der perioperativen phase

Arzneimittelinteraktionen sind aufgrund der Polymedikation vor allem der alteren Bevolkerung bei hospitalisierten Patienten haufig und oft mit unerwunschten Nebenwirkungen behaftet. Im Rahmen einer Allgemeinanasthesie kommen eine Reihe sehr potenter Wirkstoffe mit zum Teil geringer therapeutischer Breite zur Anwendung. Um unerwunschte Arzneimittelinteraktionen zu vermeiden, mus eine gezielte Medikamentenanamnese erhoben werden und das Spektrum der Interaktionen mit den in der perioperativen Phase verwendeten Substanzen bekannt sein. Nur wenige der dauerhaft von den Patienten eingenommenen Medikamente mussen vor einer Narkose abgesetzt werden. Dazu zahlen MAO-Hemmer der 1. Generation, lang wirkende ACE-Hemmer, wenn mit erheblichen Volumenverlusten gerechnet wird, Thrombozytenaggregationshemmer bei geplanter ruckenmarknaher Regionalanasthesie, lang wirkende Sulfonylharnstoff-Antidiabetika und das orale Antidiabetikum Metformin. Meist kann durch Modifikation der Narkosefuhrung die Vormedikation berucksichtigt und dadurch entweder kritische Kombinationen von Substanzen oder unerwunschte Wirkungen vermieden werden. Dies gelingt um so leichter, da die meisten in der Anasthesie eingesetzten Medikamente ohnehin nach ihrer Wirkung dosiert werden. Oft birgt gerade das praoperative Absetzen der Dauertherapie die eigentlichen Gefahren: dies gilt insbesondere fur die Behandlung mit β-Blockern, Antihypertensiva, Nitraten, Antiarrhythmika, bestimmten Psychopharmaka und die medikamentose Behandlung des Morbus Parkinson. Bei perioperativ eingeschrankten Organfunktionen kann der Serumspiegel von Substanzen mit geringer therapeutischerBreite (Digitalis, Theophyllin, Antiepileptika, Lithium, Aminoglykoside) bestimmt werden. Etwa 10% der mitteleuropaischen Bevolkerung weisen genetisch determinierte Enzymdefekte des Cytochrom P450-Systems auf, die eine verlangsamte Metabolisierung auch perioperativ eingesetzter Arzneimittel zur Folge haben. Nur wenig bekannt ist uber Medikamenteninteraktionen bei Therapie mit zahlreichen hochpotenten Medikamenten im Bereich der Intensivmedizin und gleichzeitiger Multiorgandysfunktion.
Aging and sister chromatid exchange: II. The effect of the in vitro passage level of human fetal lung fibroblasts on baseline and mutagen-induced sister chromatid exchange frequencies

Abstract The frequencies of baseline and mutagen-induced sister chromatid exchanges (SCE) were examined in human fetal lung fibroblasts (IMR-90, WI38) as a function of in vitro serial passage (in vitro aging). Although baseline SCE levels remained relatively constant throughout the in vitro lifespan of these cell cultures, a significant decline was observed at middle and late passage in the levels of SCE induced by mitomycin-C, ethyl methane-sulfonate and N-acetoxy-2-acetylaminofluorene. These findings indicate that cellular aging results in an altered response to certain types of induced DNA damage.
Formation and development of fissures at the East Pacific Rise: Implications for faulting and magmatism at mid-ocean ridges

Fissures control the gross permeability of ocean crust, providing critical pathways for hydrothermal fluids and magma and lending important clues to the cycling of volcanic and hydrothermal processes and the spatial and temporal stability of ridge segments. And yet due to limitations in mapping technology that existe until the late 1980s, the critically important parameters of fissure abundance, spacing, length, width, and depth have rarely een reported anywhere on the seafloor, with the exception of the fast-spreading EPR. However, with the increasing availability of high resolution mapping tools, research agendas at various international workshops are now citing the determination of these parameters as a high priority for morphotectonic studies of the mid-ocean ridge that seek to more fully understand the nature of extensional failure of the ocean crust. This chapter reviews the fundamentals of fissure formation and development, as well as the only known studies to have focussed specifically on fissuring at mid-ocean ridges. Also discussed are the distinctions between tectonic and eruptive fissuring, the implications of fissures changing into faults within the neovolcanic zone, and the use of fissures for mapping out fourth-order ridge segment boundaries and assessing the cycling of magmatic and hydrothermal processes therein. The chapter concludes y posing research questions to guide future studies of fissuring in the neovolcanic zone, as well as faulting and eruption on the mid-ocean ridge crest and flanks.
Radiologic Imaging in the Critically Ill Patient

After studying this chapter, you should be able to do the following: Develop a systematic approach for the interpretation of ICU chest radiographs. Be aware of the most common causes of abnormal pulmonary opacities and air collections on ICU chest radiographs. Know when to obtain a portable chest radiograph (PCR), thoracic computed tomography (CT), sonography, and ventilation.perfusion (VP) scans in ICU patients. Be familiar with the roles of abdominal and pelvic imaging procedures, including plain film examinations, barium contrast studies, US, MRI, and CT in the assessment of the ICU patient with acute abdominal and pelvic disease. Be aware of the relative merits of CT and MR imaging in the evaluation of the ICU patient with suspected acute neurologic abnormalities.
Metastatic breast carcinoma in the ovary.

Abstract We have reviewed 91 cases of oophorectomy done for breast carcinoma and found 23 cases, or 25 per cent, with metastatic disease in the ovary. A clinical review of the patients' ovarian functions involved in metastatic breast carcinoma showed no alteration. A review of the microscopic pathology indicated multiple mechanisms of metastases. The breast carcinoma may gain entrance to the ovary both from the surface and through the hilar vessels. Bilateral involvement was common and the ovarian masses resulting from the metastatic involvement were occasionally large enough to be palpable vaginally. In these cases it was impossible to eliminate primary ovarian disease.
Variable Intensive Early Walking Poststroke (VIEWS) A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background. Converging evidence suggests that the amount of stepping practice is an important training parameter that influences locomotor recovery poststroke. More recent data suggest that steppin...
Care needed when selecting response inducements in mail surveys of commercial populations

A number of studies have shown that return deadlines and handwritten postscripts have increased returns in mail surveys of the general public. These two techniques have not previously been tested in mail surveys of commercial populations. However, evidence exists to support the hypothesis that the techniques which influence returns to mail surveys of general public populations may not necessarily do so in surveys of commercial populations. Thus, two essentially similar, yet separate, experiments were designed to determine whether a return deadline and/or a handwritten P. S. would increase response in a mail survey of commercial populations. The results of this investigation revealed that neither a handwritten postscript nor the addition of a return time limit significantly increased returns in two mail surveys of commercial populations. Further, no significant interactions were detected. To the extent that the results may be generalized, mail surveyors of commercial populations would be well advised not to waste scarce resources by relying on either of these two techniques to increase returns. Contrasting these results with earlier investigations supports the hypothesis that the response rates to mail surveys of commercial populations are not necessarily increased by the same methods that increase returns from the general public. In order to avoid wasted resources, surveyors of commercial populations should not assume that the techniques which increase response from the general public will necessarily do so among commercial populations.
Italy and the European crisis: panel discussion

The Crisis of 2008/2009 brutally ruptured a fault line that had separated northern European countries and countries to the east, south and west. The trade deficits of the not-north of Europe rapidly reversed. This reversal came hand in hand with drastic increases in unemployment. The north's pre-crisis trade surpluses continued into the post-crisis era with Europe as a whole replacing China as the largest surplus bloc in the world. Unemployment in the north has also largely returned to pre-crisis levels. This fissure between the two parts of the continent exposed serious contradictions in the financial architecture of Europe. Some are design flaws fixable within the existing institutional framework and are being addressed. But these fixes cannot overcome the harm imposed by stretching a currency union over what remains a very diverse and disconnected continent. But while Italy was on the wrong side of the fissure, a closer look at the data reveals that it was not among the most critically wounded. Rather ...
Phenotypic variation in fruit and seed characteristics of buffalo gourd

Eighty-five accessions of Buffalo gourd,Cucurbita foetidissima HBK., were assayed for variation in seven fruit and seed characteristics: fruit diameter (−x = 65 mm); seed weight per 100 seeds (−x = 3.8 g); seed weight per fruit (−x = 8.4 g); seed number per fruit (−x = 225); percentage embryo in seed (−x = 67.3%); percent crude fat of whole seed (−x = 32.9%); and percent crude protein of defatted embryo (−x = 69.5%). The variation in amino acid distribution (12) accessions) and in oil composition (15 accessions) was obtained. Relationships among traits were explored. Agronomic improvement through breeding was also discussed.
1 Gastric myoelectrical activity compared to pyloric pressure in patients with gastroparesis

Background: Gastric emptying is a function of gastric contraction, electrical activity, pyloric and duodenal resistance. Pylorospasm (basal pyloric pressures >10 mmHg; Mearin et al. Gastro 1986) has been implicated in gastroparesis. Currently, pyloric pressures can be measured invasively, using a Dent sleeve (Mui Scientific, Inc.) manometry catheter. Electrogastrography (EGG) is a noninvasive tool for measuring gastric myoelectrical activity. EGG has been shown to distinguish gastric outlet obstruction from idiopathic gastroparesis (Brzana et al. Amer J Gastro 1998). Aims: The aims of this study were to 1) determine whether EGG can distinguish patients with gastroparesis who have pylorospasm and 2) correlate basal pyloric pressure with various EGG parameters. Methods and Results: 23 patients with gastroparesis (19 diabetics, mean age 40.4 ± 2.3, mean 4 hr gastric retention 43.0 ± 5.1%) had basal pyloric pressure measurements and EGG. Stationary basal pyloric pressures were measured using a Dent sleeve that was placed across the pyloric channel during endoscopy with fluoroscopic guidance. 60.9% (14/23) of patients had elevated pyloric pressures (21.8 ± 3.4 mmHg vs. 5.5 ± 0.8 mmHg). There was no difference in the postprandial power ratio and gastric emptying as measured by scintigraphy between the 2 groups. The fasting dominant slow wave frequency (SWF) in the elevated pyloric pressure group was significantly higher compared to the normal pyloric pressure group (3.1 ± 0.1 cpm vs. 2.4 ± 0.3 cpm; p = 0.013). There was significantly less dysrhythmia in the elevated pyloric pressure group (75.5 ± 6.0% normal rhythm vs. 54.8 ± 9.7% normal; p = 0.03). More patients in the elevated pyloric pressure group had normal fasting electrical rhythm (>70% normal electrical rhythm) compared to the normal pyloric pressure group (64.3% vs. 22.2%; p = 0.03). There was a correlation between pyloric pressure and fasting slow wave frequency (r = 0.53, p = 0.005) but no correlation with the percentage of dysrhythmia, postprandial power ratio or gastric emptying. Conclusion: Patients with normal pyloric pressure and delayed gastric emptying have significantly more abnormalities in slow wave frequency and dysrhythmia compared to patients with abnormal pyloric pressure. This suggests that patients with delayed gastric emptying with normal pyloric pressures have abnormalities in gastric conduction as a cause of their gastroparesis.
Oedipal dynamics in panic disorder.

Both research and clinical work have revealed factors that can lead to the onset and persistence of panic disorder. Preoedipal conflicts intensify the danger of oedipal longings for panic patients. Competition with the same-sex parent is linked with angry preoedipal fantasies and associated fears of disruption in attachments. Fantasied or actual successes can thus trigger panic episodes. Regression to a helpless, dependent state such as panic defends against the danger of aggressive, competitive fantasies and actual achievements. However, the regressive state can also be experienced as dangerous, and can be linked with frightening homosexual fantasies. A reactive aggressive oedipal stance can sometimes result, triggering escalating turmoil. The panic episode serves a series of compromise formations in dealing with these conflicted wishes.
CD4 T lymphocyte activation in BLV-induced persistent B lymphocytosis in cattle.

Bovine leukemia virus (BLV) is an oncogenic retrovirus in the human T cell leukemia virus family. BLV infects B lymphocytes and induces a nonmalignant persistent lymphocytosis (PL) and leukemia/lymphoma in cattle. There is evidence that CD4 T lymphocytes are activated during BLV infection and promote the development of PL. How CD4 T lymphocytes are activated by BLV infection is not known. We observed that CD4 T lymphocytes from PL cattle proliferated in the presence of autologous, irradiated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), whereas no proliferation occurred in cell cultures from BLV-infected non-PL cattle. Proliferation required direct contact with metabolically active irradiated PBMC but was not associated with viral protein expression or inhibited by antibodies to BLV. Unexpectedly, B lymphocytes alone failed to account for the irradiated PBMC stimulation of CD4 T lymphocytes. These observations and the magnitude of the proliferative response suggest that activation is polyclonal and involves mechanisms other than BLV antigen-specific stimulation.
Involvement of multiple cytochrome P450 isoforms in naproxen O-demethylation

Objective: A series of studies was undertaken to determine the cytochrome P450 isoform(s) involved in naproxen demethylation and whether this included the same isoforms reported to be involved in the metabolism of other NSAIDs. Methods: (S)-Naproxen was incubated with human liver microsomes in the presence of a NADPH-generating system and the formation of desmethylnaproxen was measured by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). To further clarify the specific isoforms involved, experiments were conducted with preparations expressing only a single P450 isoform (vaccinia virus-expressed cells and microsomes derived from a lymphoblastoid cell line, each transfected with specific P450 cDNAs) as well as inhibition studies using human liver microsomes and putative specific P450 inhibitors. Results: In human liver microsomes (n=7), desmethylnaproxen formation was observed with a mean kM of 92 (21) μmol · l−1, Vmax of 538 pmol · min−1 · mg−1 protein and Cint2 (reflective of a second binding site) of 0.36 μl · min−1 · mg−1 protein. This Cint2 term was added since Eadie-Scatchard analysis suggested the involvement of more than one enzyme. Studies using putative specific P450 inhibitors demonstrated inhibition of this␣reaction by sulfaphenazole, (apparent Ki= 1.6 μmol · l−1), warfarin (apparent Ki=27 μmol · l−1), piroxicam (apparent Ki=23 μmol · l−1) and tolbutamide (apparent Ki=128 μmol · l−1). No effect was observed when α-naphthoflavone and troleandomycin were employed as inhibitors, but reaction with furafylline produced, on average, a maximum inhibition of 23%. At a naproxen concentration of 150 μmol · l−1, formation of desmethylnaproxen was observed in cells expressing P450 1A2, 2C8, 2C9 and its allelic variant 2C9R144C. To further characterize these reactions, saturation kinetics experiments were conducted for the P450s 1A2, 2C8 and 2C9. The kM and Vmax for P450 1A2 were 189.5 μmol · l−1 and 7.3 pmol · min−1 · pmol−1 P450, respectively. Likewise, estimates of kM and Vmax for P450 2C9 were 340.5 μmol · l−1 and 41.4 pmol · min−1 · pmol−1 P450, respectively. Reliable estimates of kM and Vmax could not be made for P450 2C8 due to the nonsaturable nature of the process over the concentration range studied. Conclusion: Multiple cytochrome P450 isoforms (P450 1A2, 2C8 and 2C9) appear to be involved in naproxen demethylation, although 2C9 appears to be the predominant form.
Vibrational relaxation in isotopically disordered naphthalene crystals

Abstract Vibrational relaxation in low temperature pure and isotopically mixed crystals of naphthalene is studied by picosecond coherent Raman scattering. Studies of pure and mixed crystals of naphthalene with several deuteronaphthalenes have allowed the comparison of vibrational relaxation under conditions where the level energies, state densities and coupling matrix elements are different.
MIMO radar detection with heterogeneous propagation losses

A multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) radar can utilize distributed antennas to improve detection performance. Some existing works model bistatic path gains as identically and independently distributed random variables, and the known distinct features between propagation paths are neglected. Based on the bistatic radar equation, a path gain is a product of target reflection gain and propagation loss. Since the latter depends on geometry and system parameters, the true path gains are not necessarily identically distributed. In this paper, the propagation loss is incorporated into the MIMO radar signal model and the binary hypothesis test is explored. The test statistic is a sum of weighted Chi-square random variables under either hypothesis, and its distribution is a Gamma mixture. The probabilities of detection and false alarm can be explicitly obtained. In addition, a saddlepoint approximation based performance analysis is suggested, and it may be less sensitive to numerical errors, particularly when weighting coefficients are similar.
The Kinesin Related Motor Protein, Eg5, is Essential for Maintenance of Pre-implantation Embryogenesis

Eg5 is a plus end directed kinesin related motor protein (KRP) previously shown to be involved in the assembly and maintenance of the mitotic spindle. KRPs are molecular motors capable of generating forces upon microtubules (MTs) in dividing cells and driving structural rearrangements necessary in the developing spindle. In vitro experiments demonstrate that loss of Eg5 results in cell cycle arrest and defective centrosome separation resulting in the development of monopolar spindles. Here we describe mice with a genetrap insertion in Eg5. Heterozygous mutant mice appear phenotypically normal. In contrast, embryos homozygous for the Eg5 null allele recovered at embryonic days 2.5-3.5 display signs of a proliferation defect as reduced cell numbers and failure of compaction and progression to the blastocyst stage was observed. These data, in conjunction with previous in vitro data, suggest that loss of Eg5 results in abnormal spindle structure, cell cycle arrest and thereby reduced cell proliferation of early cleavage pre-implantation embryos. These observations further support the conclusion that Eg5 is essential for cell division early in mouse development, and that maternal contribution may sustain the embryo through the maternal to zygotic transition at which point supplies of functional Eg5 are exhausted, preventing further cell cleavage.
Fluorine NMR spectra of some 9α-fluorosteroids

Fluorine NMR spectra of 23 9α-fluorocorticosteroid analogs established that the 9α-fluorine is subject to deshielding effects by remote structural features (A-ring olefinic unsaturation, A-ring 1α- and 2β-hydroxy and acetoxy features and D-ring 16α-methyl substitution) and to minor shielding effects by vicinal 11β-alcohol dehydrogenation and acetylation, and by B-ring olefinic unsaturation. Substitutions in the 6α-, 6β-, 16α- and 16β-positions and D-ring homoannulation do not alter the 19F chemical shift significantly. Coupling constants of the 9α-fluorine to vicinal 8β- and 11α-hydrogens are not altered appreciably by structural changes, except for introduction of a Δ6-double bond or 11β-alcohol dehydrogenation, indicating that the conformations of the tetracyclic ring system and particularly the B/C-ring junction were very similar for these 9α-fluorosteroids.
Thermal stability and thermo-mechanical properties of hemp-high density polyethylene composites: Effect of two different chemical modifications

Abstract This study investigates the effect of silane and NaOH treatments of hemp fiber on the thermal and thermo-mechanical properties of hemp-high density polyethylene composites. The results indicated that thermal stability of composites decreased with increase in fiber loading and treated composites had higher thermal stability in comparison to untreated hemp composites. Dynamic mechanical analysis revealed an increase in the storage modulus of the treated composites compared to untreated ones. The increase in storage modulus was observed up to 40% fiber volume fraction, but at 50%, it dropped drastically. Silane treated hemp composites exhibited higher storage modulus compared to NaOH treated ones suggesting a better fiber–matrix interface.
The role of dilution and differential predation in brood adoptions of the Midas cichlid (Amphilophus xiloaensis)

Laboratory experiments were conducted to determine if the addition of conspecific “foreign” fry affects the survival of “host” fry in the Midas cichlid, Amphilophus xiloaensis. The study consisted of two separate experiments: (1) adoption treatments simulated by adding 75 foreign fry to a host brood containing 150 fry and parents (10 trials where host fry were larger, 10 trials where foreign fry were larger); (2) control treatments in which no foreign fry were added to a host brood containing 150 fry and parents (20 trials). Predation was imposed by introducing three bigmouth sleepers (Gobiomorus dormitor). No significant differences were found between the survival of host, foreign, and control fry after 24 h. Survival was significantly affected by fry size, leading to differential predation on smaller fry. Mean predation rate increased proportionally with brood size, therefore the addition of conspecific foreign fry did not result in dilution of the host brood.
The spider toxin, argiotoxin636, binds to a Mg2+ site on the N‐methyl‐d‐aspartate receptor complex

1. The mechanism of action of the arylalkylamine spider toxin, argiotoxin636, on the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor was investigated by use of [3H]-dizocilpine binding to well-washed membranes obtained from rat brain. 2. Argiotoxin636 decreased [3H]-dizocilpine binding with an apparent potency of about 3 microM. The inhibition of [3H]-dizocilpine by argiotoxin636 was insensitive to the concentration of glutamate, glycine and spermidine in the assay. 3. Argiotoxin636 alone had no effect on the dissociation of [3H]-dizocilpine. However, argiotoxin636 reversed the actions of Mg2+ on the dissociation of [3H]-dizocilpine by decreasing the apparent potency of Mg2+. Argiotoxin636 also reversed the action of Ca2+ on the dissociation of [3H]-dizocilpine. 4. These results suggest that argiotoxin636 exerts a novel inhibitory effect on the NMDA receptor complex by binding to one of the Mg2+ sites located within the NMDA-operated ion channel.
The Effective Methods in Refolding and Activation of Cathepsin L-like Soybean Protease D3

A novel cysteine protease D3, which was purified from germinating soybean cotyledons, showed high homology with cathepsin L and cathepsin K. In our previous study, because of the specificity of the enzyme, hydroly-sates treated with D3 treatment showed a prominent property of less bitterness than other hydrolysates treated with commercially available proteases. However, active recombinant D3 prepared from Escherichia coli inclusion bodies was so intricate and less productive that it made further studies on this protease and hydrolysates difficult. In the concrete, the refolding process of the immature proD3 from inclusion bodies takes more than a day, and autocatalytic activation of refolded immature proD3 at low pH was difficult to control. In this study, we aimed to establish an efficient refolding and activating method of protease D3. In the refolding step, the procedures could be simplified by using a size-exclusive column-based method. In the activation step from immature proD3, we utilized another protease, subtilisin, rather than autocatalytic activation by D3 itself. After subtilisin treatment, the peptide having 12 amino acids-length of N-terminal pro sequence was initially cleaved, and residual proD3 showed only a half proteolytic activity of active D3. However, when the pH was shifted lower (pH4.5), D3 automatically changed to have the same proteolytic activity as active one, and this activated recombinant had the same N-terminal sequence as purified D3 from germinating soybean cotyledons. By using this method, all preparation processes of D3 from inclusion bodies to active D3 could be completed within a few hours, and it became possible to carry out the investigation on hydrolysates on a large scale.
The evolution of software evolvability

We analyze two trends that have influenced the evolvability of component-based applications: increase of component exchangeability and increase of component distance. Exchangeability mechanisms can be classified either as code reuse or as service reuse. Component distance can vary from file scope to Internet scope. We discuss the various stages of evolvability in these dimensions, describe the state of the art, and speculate on future developments.
Baldcypress and water tupelo sapling response to multiple stress agents and reforestation implications for Louisiana swamps

Abstract Forested wetlands in Louisiana are hydrologically isolated from the Mississippi river, impacted by saltwater intrusion, and are sinking, resulting in more frequent flooding for longer periods; and these problems are exacerbated in some areas by impoundment from manmade structures. Additionally, defoliation of the two dominant trees, baldcypress and water tupelo, occurs frequently during spring. In Louisiana, the baldcypress leafroller, BCLR, ( Archips goyerana Kruse) and the forest tent caterpillar, FTC, ( Malacosoma disstria Hubner) defoliate up to 120,000 ha of baldcypress-tupelo swamps annually. In combination, these factors have led to severely degraded forested wetlands with reduced basal area, dieback, and tree mortality over extensive, formerly productive, swamplands. Restoration plans call for creating diversions to reintroduce Mississippi river water to increase sediment elevation, promote natural regeneration, and enhance primary and secondary productivity. In this study, insect-tree-health relationships were evaluated in a multifactor, greenhouse experiment incorporating these environmental stressors as well as nutrient enhancements under simulated diversion conditions. The combination of nutrient deprivation and flooding led to “poor” sapling growth, while nutrient enhancement under flood conditions led to significantly higher growth and saplings grew as well as, or better than those that were non-flooded and unfertilized. Importantly, nutrient deprived saplings had growth similar to salt-stressed (3 ppt) saplings. Defoliated saplings had significantly lower growth, with the largest differences seen in the fresh, nutrient-rich treatments, while salinity and the combined effects of nutrient deprivation and flooding still remained the most important factors contributing to sapling growth. Taken collectively, these experiments demonstrated that river diversions may be a viable management tool for improving health and productivity of declining forested wetlands. Findings from this study are meaningful for post-harvest management in existing forests because they describe a variety of local environmental conditions that predict which areas may be successfully regenerated.
Synovial fluid biomarker levels predict articular cartilage damage following complete medial meniscectomy in the canine knee

Abstract The purposes of this study were to document the histological changes present in the tibial plateaus 12 weeks after complete medial meniscectomy in dogs and to determine if synovial lavage fluid biomarker levels are predictive of the severity of joint damage. Twelve adult dogs underwent complete unilateral medial meniscectomy and synovial lavage fluid biomarker levels, including cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP), keratan sulfate (5D4), 3B3(−), and 3B3(+), were measured serially at 4-week intervals. The dogs were euthanized 12 weeks after surgery and each medial and lateral tibial plateau from the meniscectomized and contralateral knees was graded histologically. Histological data were analyzed using principal components analysis, which resulted in 4 factors that explained 70% of the variation in the data. Factor 2 (weighted most heavily by subchondral bone thickness) and Factor 3 (representative of articular cartilage damage) were significantly affected by compartmental site ( P P
Sepsis and treatment-induced immunosuppression in the patient with cancer.

The diagnosis of cancer is perceived as a devastating life event and often as a ‘‘death sentence.’’ This perception is not necessarily attributable to the malignancy but, rather, may relate to the treatment, responses to treatment, or the potential complications following treatment. When the expected outcome of treatment is cure, eradication of the malignancy may involve the destruction of healthy dividing cells as well as the aberrant cells through the use of chemotherapeutic agents and irradiation. Immunosuppression is a common outcome following chemotherapy and, depending on the site and dosage, following irradiation. Therefore, immunosuppression places the patient with cancer at significant risk for infection, and once infection exists, the potential for sepsis becomes a major concern. The diagnosis of infection connotes a life-threatening event for the patient with cancer who is immunosuppressed. For this reason, prevention of infections and effective treatment of existing infections are essential to survival. Immune dysfunction is not only associated with specific cancer-related treatments but also may be related to an underlying malignancy such as leukemia. The focus of this article is treatment-induced immunosuppression and associated infections. Topics discussed include the prevention and treatment of infections related to immune dysfunction in the patient with cancer, with the goal of prohibiting progression to sepsis. Other articles in this issue discuss interventions appropriate for patients diagnosed with sepsis, and such interventions are also relevant to the patient who has cancer and sepsis.
Finite-Difference Grid for a Doublet Well in an Anisotropic Aquifer

The U.S. Geological Survey is modeling hydraulic flow and thermal-energy transport at a two-well injection/ withdrawal system in St. Paul, Minnesota. The design of the finite-difference model grid for the doublet-well system is complicated because the aquifer is anisotropic and the principal axes of transmissivity are not aligned with the axis between the two wells. An analytical solution for flow in a doublet-well system in an infinite anisotropic aquifer was employed in the design of a grid with artificial boundaries placed in the midst of the flow field. Flow-net analysis was used to determine water flux across an cquipotential boundary and to assign approximate flux values at model boundaries. This enabled the simulation of the effects of the entire flow field, although only a small part was modeled. The validity of the flux values at the model boundaries for the isothermal case was tested by simulation of an eight-day injection test of ambient-temperature water. Model-computed pressures compared very favorably with field-observed pressures. The validity of boundary-flux values also was tested for nonisothermal conditions by simulation of injection of 300o F water at 300 gallons per minute for eight days.