cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The occipital artery for posterior circulation bypass: microsurgical anatomy

Object The microsurgical anatomy of the occipital artery (OA) was studied to describe the diameter, length, and course of this vessel as it pertains to revascularization procedures of the posterior cerebral circulation. Methods The authors studied 12 OAs in 6 cadaveric heads that had been injected with colored latex. They evaluated the OA's ability to serve as a conduit for extracranial–intracranial (EC–IC) bypass in the posterior circulation. They measured the length of the OA and its diameter at common sites of anastomosis and compared these values with the diameters of the recipient vessels (V3 and V4 segments of the vertebral artery, caudal loop of the posterior inferior cerebellar artery [PICA], and anterior inferior cerebellar artery [AICA]). Results The mean thickness of the suboccipital segment of the OA was found to be 1.9 mm. The mean distance of the OA from the external occipital protuberance was found to be 45 mm. The mean length of the suboccipital segment of the OA was 79.3 mm. The mean thic...
What do we really know about prostate cancer

The appropriate management of localized prostate cancer remains an enigma. As urologists, we are all too familiar with the tragic course followed by men with advancing metastatic disease. From a urologist’s perspective, disease progression is inevitable and justifies aggressive screening for prostatespecific antigen (PSA) and treatment of localized disease with either surgery or radiation. Unfortunately, this may not be the appropriate strategy to care for many patients. In their manuscript in this issue of European Urology Adolfsson et al remind us that only 42 of 112 patients presenting with localized prostate cancer between 1978 and 1982 died of their disease [1]. The other 70 men died from a cause unrelated to prostate cancer. Even if we assume that all men with clinically localized disease can be cured with surgery or radiation, their study suggests that at most only 38% of men are likely to benefit from a program of screening and treatment. Public health officials and administrators who control health care budgets are becoming increasingly aware of these data. Therefore, as urologists, we need to develop more sophisticated algorithms for diagnosing and treating prostate cancer if we are to remain the experts who manage this disease. What do we know about prostate cancer? First, it is clear that prostate cancer is a chronic disease in the vast majority of patients. Adolfsson and several others have shown us that most men can live with prostate cancer for a very long time [1–3]. Many require no treatment. Second, these same studies have shown us that prostate cancer continues to
Maintenance of the Tropical Night-time F Layer

Tropical night F layer maintenance mechanism, noting airglow enhancement and ionization source association with plasma drifts
The Influence of Business Ethics Education on Moral Efficacy, Moral Meaningfulness, and Moral Courage: A Quasi-experimental Study

The research described here contributes to the extant empirical research on business ethics education by examining outcomes drawn from the literature on positive organizational scholarship (POS). The general research question explored is whether a course on ethical decision-making in business could positively influence students’ confidence in their abilities to handle ethical problems at work (i.e., moral efficacy), boost the relative importance of ethics in their work lives (i.e., moral meaningfulness), and encourage them to be more courageous in raising ethical problems at work even if it is unpopular (i.e., moral courage). Specifically, the study used a rigorous quasi-experimental pretest–posttest research design with a treatment (N = 30) and control group (N = 30) to investigate whether a graduate-level course in business ethics could influence students’ levels of moral efficacy, meaningfulness, and courage. Findings revealed that participants in the business ethics treatment course experienced significant positive increases in each of the three outcome variables as compared to the control group. The largest increase was in moral efficacy, followed by moral courage, and finally, moral meaningfulness. These findings are discussed in the context of the current research on business ethics education and POS. Implications for future research are discussed.
Enhanced Na+-dependent bile salt uptake by WIF-B cells, a rat hepatoma hybrid cell line, following growth in the presence of a physiological bile salt.

Although bile salts are toxic to the liver at high plasma concentrations, the effects of physiological concentrations of bile salts on normal hepatic function are poorly understood. We examined the effect of taurocholate (TC) on the basolateral uptake of [3H]TC in WIF-B cells, a hybrid cell line stably exhibiting in vitro the structural and functional polarity of hepatocytes. Cells were grown in the absence or presence of TC (50 micromol/L) over 12 days, and then incubated with [3H]TC concentrations ranging from 1 to 250 micromol/L. For both control and TC-grown cells, uptake of [3H]TC was linear over 2 minutes. In control cells, the Km for [3H]TC Na+-dependent uptake over 1 minute was 6 +/- 5 micromol/L, and the Vmax was 45 +/- 6 pmol TC/mg protein/min (+/- SEM). TC-grown cells exhibited no significant change in Km but showed a doubling of Vmax to 87 +/- 6 pmol TC/mg protein/min (P < .005). In both control and TC-grown cells, maximal uptake of [3H]TC occurred following 10 to 12 days in culture, with TC-grown cells consistently showing greater rates of [3H]TC uptake from 4 to 14 days in culture. Western blots immunostained for the basolateral Na+-dependent plasma membrane protein, ntcp, revealed the appropriate approximately 50-kd band in control and TC-grown cells, and confocal immunofluorescence microscopy demonstrated staining along the basolateral plasma membrane. Northern blots hybridized with a cDNA probe directed against ntcp indicated a modest TC-induced increase in mRNA levels. Reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) using RNA isolated from WIF-B cells and oligonucleotide primers specific for rat ntcp or human NTCP transcripts revealed only the presence of the rat ntcp transcript. We conclude that bile salts, at concentrations normally found in mammalian portal blood, may be capable of promoting enhanced hepatocellular bile salt uptake via an increase in basolateral Na+-dependent plasma membrane transport capacity.
Impact ionization wavefront in ϱ-InSb

Abstract An impact ionization wavefront if found to cause avalanching in ϱ-InSb at 77 K. The front velocity of 3 × 108 cm/sec, is measured by a simple but accurate technique. Injected electrons initiate the front immediately after penetrating past the cathode or after drifting some distance beyond it, depending on the magnitude of the electric field strength.
The rise of wage labour in the cotton south: A global analysis

Much of the existing literature on the replacement of sharecropping by wage labour in the cotton South during the post‐Depression era tends to focus on developments internal to the United States and to the South as a region. As such, it fails to provide a more global analysis which takes into account the fact that Southern cotton production was integrally tied to a world economy. This article addresses these shortcomings by examining how changes in the class structure of Southern cotton production had an impact on both foreign cotton production and the rise of the man‐made fibre industries between 1930 and 1950. This analysis attempts to avoid some of the major criticisms levelled against dependency theories and world‐system approaches, while showing how a global approach provides a more complete understanding of the relationships between the internal and external socio‐conomic factors which contributed to this historical transformation.
A review of contemporary solid rocket motor performance prediction techniques

Solid rocket motor performance prediction including motor pressure, thrust and propellant parameters, discussing mathematical modeling of flow fields
A framework for terrain-induced uncertainty quantification in vehicle dynamics simulation

This paper outlines a methodology for determining the statistics associated with the time evolution of a non-linear multi-body dynamic system operated under input uncertainty. The focus is on the dynamics of ground vehicle systems in environments characterised by multiple sources of uncertainty: road topography, friction coefficient at the road/tyre interface and aerodynamic force loading. Drawing on parametric, maximum likelihood estimation, the methodology outlined is general and can be applied to systematically study the impact of sources of uncertainty characterised herein by random processes. The proposed framework is demonstrated through a study that characterises the uncertainty induced in the loading of the lower control arm of an SUV type vehicle by uncertainty in the road topography.
Radiating fluid spheres in general relativity

We study the time-dependent field equations for radiating fluid spheres, where we take the energy-momentum tensor as the sum of the energy-momentum tensor for a perfect fluid and a radially expanding radiation. We present four new exact analytic solutions with the corresponding pressure, density, and luminosity distributions. We also present a case where two of the three metric coefficients are given as a function of the other, thus reducing the problem to choosing one of the metric elements such that distribution of physical quantities is reasonable. The solutions we have considered correspond to fluids at rest and have radius independent of time. Hence they represent fluid spheres in equilibrium.
Artificial particulate fouling of hyperfiltration membranes IV. Dynamic protection from fouling

Abstract Experimental results are presented and analyzed for an inexpensive method of membrane protection from colloidal fouling. An inexpensive dynamic precoat protective cover using diatomaceous earth is placed on the high pressure feed-water side of the asymmetric cellulose acetate membrane. Increased water and salt fluxes with the precoat as high as 2.3 times that without precoat were measured. The presence of submicron pin-holes in the membrane skin is used to explain the mechanism of protection against submicron colloids. This method of protection is most attractive for high-flux and medium-salt rejection applications for colloidal containing feed solutions. Such applications include the treatment of municipal, industrial, and agricultural waste-waters for reuse and as a possible pretreatment step for sea water reverse osmosis desalination.
Revolting anatomy in the Farce nouvelle des cinq sens de l’homme

The late medieval French Farce nouvelle des cinq sens de l’homme stages Man served by his deconstructed sense organs. The harmonious integration of part and whole is disrupted by the filthy Cul (Asshole) who, stymied in his effort to infiltrate the ranks of the five senses, gives the Man indigestion before locking himself in the lavatory. The disintegration of the body, and its reconfiguration according to a new sensory hierarchy, are accomplished through a series of disabling gestures. In this text that repeatedly undermines the legitimacy of the traditional hierarchy of the senses, the Asshole assumes a position of prime importance, the ‘lower’ senses take on the intimate tasks of washing and scratching him whenever he pleases, and sight and hearing are, by the end of the farce, effectively marginalized. Only by stigmatizing Man's five senses can the revolting Cul reign supreme.
Adipose tissue lipolysis in rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss, is modulated by phosphorylation of triacylglycerol lipase

Abstract Rainbow trout were used to evaluate the activation of adipose tissue lipolysis in fish. Triacylglycerol lipase, isolated and partially purified from adipose tissue, was activated up to 137% in the presence of cAMP, ATP, and MgCl2. Activation of the adipose tissue triacylglycerol lipase enzyme was reversible. Activation of the adipose tissue triacylglycerol lipase resulted in cAMP-dependent phosphorylation of the enzyme.
Short-term accumulation of cadmium by embryos, larvae, and adults of an Hawaiian bivalve, Isognomon californicum

Abstract The short-term accumulation of cadmium by embryos, veligers, pediveligers and adults of an Hawaiian bivalve, Isogmomon californicum, was evaluated over a 24-h period. With embryos, there was an 8-h lag period, which coincided with the time of hatching, before accumulation was observed. With veligers and pediveligers, accumulation began at the time of exposure. Embryos had the highest cadmium accumulation rates. Larval rates were significantly greater than adult rates, but were not believed to be explained by differences in age-specific metabolic rates. Older larvae, pediveligers, had slightly greater accumulation rates than veligers, suggesting that surface area may play an important role in determining short-term accumulation rates. Differences in stage-specific accumulation rates suggest that there may be important differences in metal metabolism during development that are essential to developmental processes.
Flooding and implosive therapy: Are they harmful?

A mail survey was conducted to investigate in a preliminary way the widespread belief that implosive therapy and flooding may have “serious negative side effects”. The survey, returned by 83% of those polled, included 70 practitioners of these procedures representing 3,493 clients. Of the latter, two (.06%) clients with no known history of psychosis were reported to have experienced “acute psychotic reactions” during treatment. Two known psychotics were also reported to have had similar reactions. “Brief panic reactions” were reported to have occurred in another 0.14% of the sample. No other serious negative side effects were reported. Eighty-seven percent of the therapists judged implosive therapy and flooding to produce the same, or fewer, side effects as compared to other forms of therapy that they had used. It was concluded that implosive therapy and flooding are relatively “safe” procedures.
Structures and Energies of Symmetrical 〈001〉 Tilt Grain Boundaries in Silicon

The energies and atomic structures of a series of symmetrical 〈001〉 tilt grain boundaries in silicon are calculated using the tight-binding type electronic theory (the bond orbital model). There exists a continuity of boundary structures in the ranges 0° ≦ θ < 53.13° and 53.13° ≦ 90°. The type of boundary structures changes at the Σ = 5(130) boundary (θ = 53.13°); for this boundary, the model by Bacmann et al. is shown to be more energetically favorable. At the Σ = 5(120) (θ = 36.87°) and Σ = 5(130) (θ = 53.13°) boundaries, there exist comparatively deep cusps in the energy against θ curve. The discrepancy between the present results in silicon and the experimental observations in germanium for the Σ = 25(170) and Σ = 41(190) boundaries is discussed. Die Energien und Atomstrukturen einer Reine symmetrischer 〈001〉-Neigungskorngrenzen in Silizium werden mit der Elektronentheorie in der Naherung starker Kopplung (the bond orbital model) berechnet. In den Bereichen 0° ≦ θ < 53,13° und 53,13° ≦ θ < 90° existieren kontinuierliche Korngrenzenstrukturen. Der Typ der Korngrenzenstrukturen andert sich bei der Σ = 5(130) Korngrenze. Fur diese Korngrenze wird gezeigt, das das Modell von Bacmann et al. das energetisch gunstigere ist. Fur die Σ = 5(120) Korngrenze (θ = 36,87°) und die Σ = 5(130) Korngrenze (θ = 53,13°) existieren relativ tiefe Spitzen im Verlauf der Korngrenzenenergie uber θ. Der Unterschied zwischen den vorliegenden Resultaten in Silizium und den experimentellen Beobachtungen in Germanium fur die Σ = 25(170) und Σ = 41(190) Korngrenzen wird diskutiert.
Dispersion control of near-infrared surface plasmon polariton using hyperbolic metamaterials

We demonstrate dispersion control of near-infrared surface plasmon polariton by tuning the filling fraction of a multilayer metallo-dielectric hyperbolic metamaterial. We show that effective medium approximation accurately provides the dispersion behavior for a structure with only 2.5 periods.
Poster: Real-time gesture detection for multi-touch devices

We are motivated to seek a fast and accurate multi-touch gesture detection algorithm that can be utilized for 3D navigation. Our current approach tries to solve the online gesture detection for multi-touch devices for translation, rotation and zooming gestures.
Ecological effects on song learning: delayed development is widespread in wild populations of brown-headed cowbirds

Abstract The timing and extent of early exposure to conspecific song can have critical influence on subsequent male vocal development in songbirds. Opportunities to memorize local song models may vary among populations depending on local ecological conditions that determine the length of the breeding season. In populations with comparatively short breeding seasons, such as northern or high-elevation populations, restricted access to local songs may delay development in a large proportion of juveniles. Previous studies have described extreme examples of delayed development in high-elevation populations of brown-headed cowbirds, Molothrus ater , in the Sierra Nevada of California, U.S.A. In the current study, we determined that delayed development also occurs in a low-elevation population located at a more northerly latitude than those in the Sierra. We recorded two kinds of songs from yearling and adult males who had been given testosterone (testosterone increased song output but did not change the nature of songs in males' repertoires) soon after being trapped at two adjacent sites in New York state, U.S.A. The average size of ‘perched’ song repertoires of 17 yearlings was significantly smaller than that of 20 local adults (2.8 versus 4.6 types, respectively) and yearlings generally lacked the shared songs typically found in adult repertoires. Only 40% of yearlings trapped at one site produced the correct local dialect ‘flight whistle’ compared with 91.7% of adults. These results strongly suggest that juvenile access to local songs is also restricted in this population and that delayed vocal development is widespread in cowbirds. In addition, these findings indicate that reliance on field recordings may underestimate adult–yearling differences in vocal competency in cowbirds because yearlings that sing readily in nature may not be representative of yearlings in general, a result that may also apply to other songbird species.
Error Modeling in a Reconfigurable Machine Tool

This paper proposes a new approach for tool tip error estimation for reconfigurable machine tools by linearly adding the module errors represented by a screw in global coordinate. The presented method is ideal for modular structured reconfigurable machine tools since the errors are represented in modules’ coordinate system in coordinate independent screw representation method. The contribution of each error sources is then estimated by linear combination (AKA parallel combination) after the error screws are transformed into the global coordinate system of the machine tools. The presented method is verified through the comparison with the serial matrix multiplication method proposed by Moon et al. [3] Simulations for the above mentioned methods are run and total tool tip errors are compared to study the feasibility of parallel method. The study shows the errors are smaller for parallel combination and both methods have similar trends over the work volume.© 2005 ASME
Antihypertensive effect of ragaglitazar : A novel PPARα and γ dual activator

Ragaglitazar is a novel and potent dual peroxisome proliferators activated receptor (PPAR) alpha and gamma activator. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of ragaglitazar on blood pressure and endothelial function in insulin resistant animal model and non-insulin resistant hypertensive models. The effects ragaglitazar were tested in Zucker fa/fa, spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR), 2 kidney 1clip rat (2K1C) and Wistar Kyoto rats (WKY). Pioglitazone was taken as a comparative standard. Ragaglitazar showed significant reduction (P<0.001) of systolic blood pressure (SBP) in insulin resistant fa/fa rats, with concomitant reduction in plasma triglycerides (TG) and insulin levels while pioglitazone (10 mg kg(-1)) showed significant (P<0.05) but comparatively less reduction. Ragaglitazar in contrast to pioglitazone showed significant reduction (P<0.05) of SBP in SHR, 2K1C while the same dose did not have any effect on normotensive WKY. Ragaglitazar also showed significant improvement in acetylcholine-induced relaxation in isolated aorta of Zucker fa/fa, SHR, 2K1C and also potentiated the insulin-induced vasorelaxation in Zucker fa/fa rats. These findings summarize that ragaglitazar shows significant reduction of BP and improvement in endothelial function not only in insulin resistant but also in non-insulin resistant hypertensive models where standard thiazolidinediones are ineffective. These data indicates that dual PPARalpha and gamma activator ragaglitazar can be beneficial for the treatment of hypertension and vascular disease commonly associated with type 2 diabetes.
What is the Role of Epidural Injections in the Treatment of Lumbar Discogenic Pain: A Systematic Review of Comparative Analysis with Fusion

BACKGROUND Lumbar discogenic pain without pain mediated by a disc herniation, facet joints, or the sacroiliac joints, is common and often results in chronic, persistent pain and disability. After conservative treatment failure, injection therapy, such as an epidural injection, is frequently the next step considered in managing discogenic pain. The objective of this systematic review is to determine the efficacy of lumbar epidural injections in managing discogenic pain without radiculopathy, and compare this approach to lumbar fusion or disc arthroplasty surgery. METHODS A systematic review of randomized trials published from 1966 through October 2014 of all types of epidural injections and lumbar fusion or disc arthroplasty in managing lumbar discogenic pain was performed with methodological quality assessment and grading of evidence. The level of evidence was based on the grading of evidence criteria which, was conducted using 5 levels of evidence ranging from levels I to V. RESULTS Based on a qualitative assessment of the evidence for both approaches, there is Level II evidence for epidural injections, either caudal or lumbar interlaminar. CONCLUSIONS The available evidence suggests fluoroscopically directed epidural injections provide long-term improvement in back and lower extremity pain for patients with lumbar discogenic pain. There is also limited evidence showing the potential effectiveness of surgical interventions compared to nonsurgical treatments.
Environment, Wealth, and Authority: Global Climate Change and Emerging Modes of Legitimation

A central feature of modernity is that state authority has been conceived as resting on the consent of the governed, which in turn depends upon governments' ability to promote economic prosperity. The performance criteria upon which political authority has been judged in large part are positively correlated with the exponential growth in the use of fossil fuels. An international scientific consensus has emerged: the burning of fossil fuels will cause global climate change sometime in this century. This suggests that the authority of science presents a challenge to a key source of the state's political authority: its role as guarantor of wealth production. Moreover, since the real impact of global climate change will not be felt for several decades, the notion of intergenerational responsibility is implicit in contemporary efforts to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Given that the liberal notion of political authority entails consent of currently living self-interested citizens, efforts to promote intergenerational responsibility suggest that the basis of political authority is being revised by efforts to cope with global environmental degradation.
Effects of stacking faults on refinement of single crystal X-ray diffraction data for Sr5Ir3O11

Abstract Single crystals with the composition Sr 5 Ir 3 O 11 were found to grow in the system SrO-IrO 2 . A single-crystal structure determination [tetragonal, space group I4/mmm, with a = 3.890(1) and c = 16.890(10) A˚, and R = 0.050] revealed alternate stacking of single and double IrO 6 perovskite layers interleaved with SrO layers along the c -axis. Although the refined metal-oxygen distances were quite reasonable, the thermal parameters of one “heavy” atom (iridium) and one “light” atom (oxygen) were non-positive definite. Careful examination of Weissenberg and transmission electron microscopy photographs showed that the single crystals actually contained random distributions of single and double IrO 6 perovskite layers arising from the intergrowth of Sr 2 IrO 2 4 and Sr 3 Ir 2 O 7 phases. This paper serves as a cautionary tale for those who rely solely on diffractometer data for their structural analyses.
Constancy of equilibrium interest rates for power utility functions and stochastic constant returns to scale technologies

Abstract Metron (1969, 1971) examined, inter alia the consumption and portfolio rules in a partial equilibrium context wherein the preferences are represented by a time additive power utility function. In these papers he exogenously assumed a constant instantaneously risk free rate of interest. In this paper we naturally embellish the results of Merton in a closed production economy where there are a number of stochastic constant returns to scale technologies with correlated outputs and show that the endogenously determined interest rate is a constant. While this result is recognized by researchers, explicit analytical characterization of equilibrium interest rate obtained in this paper is a new result. This paper establishes the internal consistency of the assumptions found in Metron (1969, 1971).
Studies on the nucleoside phosphotransferase of carrot. III. On the synthetic ability of the transfer enzyme.

Abstract The purified nucleoside phosphotransferase of carrot, which has been deprived of most of the contaminating phosphomonoesterase, is a versatile enzyme permitting the conversion to the 5′ nucleotides of unusual nucleosides, such as the ribosides of purine, 2,6-diaminopurine, and 5-bromouracil, and the glucoside or arabinoside of adenine. It is, moreover, able to use cyclic or 2′ nucleotides as phosphate acceptors, as shown by the production of adenosine 2′,5′-diphosphate and the cyclic adenosine (2′,3′), 5′-diphosphate. The latter is hydrolyzed by alkali to the 2′,5′- and 3′,5′-diphosphates of adenosine.
Treatment of Boutonniere Finger Deformity in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Boutonniere finger deformities occur frequently in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. The deformity consists of flexion of the proximal interphalangeal joint and hyperextension of the distal interphalangeal joint. Treatment decisions are based on the degree of joint deformity, joint motion, passive joint correctability, and the status of the articular surface. Treatment options can then be based on the classification of the deformity; options consist of corrective splinting, injections, synovectomy, terminal tenotomy, extensor reconstruction, or salvage surgery (arthrodesis or arthroplasty).
Dietary broccoli mildly improves neuroinflammation in aged mice but does not reduce lipopolysaccharide-induced sickness behavior

Aging is associated with oxidative stress and heightened inflammatory response to infection. Dietary interventions to reduce these changes are therefore desirable. Broccoli contains glucoraphanin, which is converted to sulforaphane (SFN) by plant myrosinase during cooking preparation or digestion. Sulforaphane increases antioxidant enzymes including NAD(P)H quinone oxidoreductase and heme oxygenase I and inhibits inflammatory cytokines. We hypothesized that dietary broccoli would support an antioxidant response in brain and periphery of aged mice and inhibit lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation and sickness. Young adult and aged mice were fed control or 10% broccoli diet for 28 days before an intraperitoneal LPS injection. Social interactions were assessed 2, 4, 8, and 24 hours after LPS, and mRNA was quantified in liver and brain at 24 hours. Dietary broccoli did not ameliorate LPS-induced decrease in social interactions in young or aged mice. Interleukin-1β (IL-1β) expression was unaffected by broccoli consumption but was induced by LPS in brain and liver of adult and aged mice. In addition, IL-1β was elevated in brain of aged mice without LPS. Broccoli consumption decreased age-elevated cytochrome b-245 β, an oxidative stress marker, and reduced glial activation markers in aged mice. Collectively, these data suggest that 10% broccoli diet provides a modest reduction in age-related oxidative stress and glial reactivity, but is insufficient to inhibit LPS-induced inflammation. Thus, it is likely that SFN would need to be provided in supplement form to control the inflammatory response to LPS.
Thermoregulation in complex situations: combined heat exposure, infectious fever and water deprivation

Heat exposure, infectious fever and water deprivation are stressors that, individually, produce disturbances in more than one regulated system, calling for diverse compensatory responses. A potential conflict is created when these stimuli are combined and impose concurrent stressful loads on the body because the homeostatic defenses mobilized against one are also partly needed against the other stressors. To learn how the competing demands of combined stressors for shared regulatory systems are met, rabbits were exposed to 32°C and 37°C (heat), administered lipopolysaccharide (Salmonella enteritidis LPS, 2 µg/kg, i.v.) in temperatures of 22°C or 27°C, or water-deprived for 1 or 2 days in 22°C or 27°C, in separate experiments. The corresponding controls were exposed to 22°C or 27°C, administered pyrogen-free saline i.v. in 22°C or 27°C, or normally hydrated in 22°C or 27°C. In subsequent experiments, two or all three of these treatments were applied concurrently. Core and ear skin temperatures and respiratory rates were monitored continuously. The results indicated that the concomitant needs of moderate heat exposure, fever and 1 day of water deprivation were generally met by the regulatory systems involved, but different patterns of thermoeffector activities were evoked and the eventual body temperature changes produced were different under each condition. However, when the test conditions were severe, their combined needs were not met adequately and the eventual compensatory response depended not only on the particular stimulus intensity, but also on the immediate importance for survival of the functions being defended. Thus, dehydration was the most dangerous factor to the physiological integrity of the animals. In sum, conflicting physiological stimuli appear to result in responses that are different from the responses to a single perturbation, the eventual output representing the resultant of the inputs rather than a singular output dictated by one dominant drive to the exclusion of the others.
Helping schoolchildren with asthma breathe easier: Partnerships in community-based environmental health education

Hospitalizations and deaths attributed to asthma are increasing, and the disease has disproportionate impacts on children and minority populations, particularly African-Americans. Because asthma hospitalizations and deaths are viewed by many experts as preventable events, and because asthma's toll is so significant in economic terms, increased efforts to reverse these trends, particularly among the most affected groups, are warranted. Reducing exposures to airborne pollutants known to trigger asthma in both indoor and outdoor environments is one important preventive strategy. The public-private partnership effort to implement the Open Airways for Schools asthma management curriculum in urban elementary schools, with its emphasis on pollution prevention, is an example of a community-based effort that may help decrease the toll asthma takes on society.
Riverscape-level patterns of riparian plant diversity along a successional gradient, Willamette river, Oregon

Riparian forest communities dominated by Populus balsamifera ssp. trichocarpa L. (Torr. and Gray ex Hook.) Brayshaw are important contributors to biodiversity in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems of the Western United States. Species composition along a successional gradient from stand initiation to late-succession of P. balsamifera-dominated riparian forests was investigated along 145 km of the Willamette River, Oregon. There were 151 total species encountered across 28 stands and a mean species richness of 33.3 species per stand. Young stands were dominated by P. balsamifera and Salix tree spp. and opportunistic herbaceous species. Understory trees, shrubs, and herbaceous species as well as late-successional tree species established 12–15 years after stand initiation. Fraxinus latifolia Benth. was the dominant late-successional tree species. Vertical structural diversity, P. balsamifera mean diameter at breast height, large tree biomass, and stand age were strongly correlated with understory species presence and abundance based on non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMS) ordination. There were no young stands on mid and high terraces and this was reflected in geomorphic position being strongly correlated with the stand age gradient. Abundance of Phalaris arundinacea L. an invasive grass species, was also significantly correlated with plant species composition and abundance. This study indicates that Willamette River riparian forests are diverse and therefore important to the biodiversity of the Willamette River valley and that their presence as a mosaic of communities of different successional stages may be threatened by human interventions, including influences exerted by introduced plant species.
Effects of the starting value and stopping rule on robust estimates obtained by iterated weighted least squares

To obtain certain estimators in statistical models, for example, M-estimators, it is often necessary to use an iterative computational technique. One such technique is the iterated weighted least squares method, while another is the well-known Newton1s method. Both methods require a starting value as well as a stopping rule incorporated into their iterative scheme. This paper attempts to indicate the possible effects of using various combinations of starting values and stopping rules on M-estimators, especially when applied to results of Monte Carlo studies. In this paper, H-estimators are computed for the first-order autoregressive model
EPA releases progress report on hydraulic fracturing study

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provided a 21 December progress report on its ongoing national study about the potential impacts of hydraulic fracturing on drinking water resources. The agency said that a draft of the congressionally requested study will be released in 2014 for public and peer review and that its progress report does not draw conclusions about the potential impacts of hydraulic fracturing, often referred to as fracking.
Secondary-electron production cross section for 800-eV electron-impact ionization of carbon monoxide.

Measurements of the doubly differential cross sections with respect to the ejected energy W and the solid angle of detection for electron-impact ionization of carbon monoxide are reported at an incident energy of 800 eV. The ejected angle was varied from 30/sup 0/ to 150/sup 0/ in steps of 15/sup 0/. The cross sections were obtained by use of a crossed-beam time-of-flight apparatus with an effusive gas source and pulsed electron beam. The relative measurements were placed on an absolute scale by matching the experimental elastic differential cross sections to absolute measurement. Singly differential and total ionization cross sections are presented along with an analysis of the near-threshold autoionization spectrum.
Polymer matrix, polymer ribbon-reinforced transparent composite materials

Abstract Composites of a polymer–matrix reinforced by polymer ribbon monofilaments are investigated as mechanically robust, transparent composite materials. Transparent nylon monofilaments are mechanically worked to form flattened nylon ribbons, which are then combined with index-matched epoxy resin to create transparent composites. A range of optical and mechanical experiments are performed on composites and surrogate systems in order to quantify properties and guide system design. The results show that these polymer–polymer composites provide good transparency over a wide temperature range, and superior ballistic penetration resistance compared to monolithic transparent polymers.
One-dimensional model of a liquid metal in the effective-medium approximation in the random limit

In this paper it is shown that the effective-medium approximation (EMA) of Roth [Phys. Rev. B 9, 2476 (1974)] corresponds to the approximation No. 5 of Klauder [Ann. Phys. 14, 43 (1961)] in the random limit for the one-dimensional delta-function model of a liquid metal. The random EMA results are compared with the exact results obtained by Frisch and Lloyd [Phys. Rev. 120, 1175 (1960)] for this model.
Transient down-regulation of neonatal rat brain mu-opioid receptors upon in utero exposure to buprenorphine.

Abstract Gestational actions of the mixed agonist-antagonist buprenorphine on μ-and κ 1 -opioid binding in neonatal and maternal rat brain were investigated. Upon exposure of pregnant rats to 0.5 mg/kg buprenorphine for 7 days prior to birth, postnatal day-one (P1) and P7 offspring brain μ-binding parameters ( K d and B max ) were assessed with 3 H-labeled [ d -Ala 2 ,Mephe 2 ,Gly-ol 5 ] enkephalin (DAMGE). DAMGE binding was attenuated by 64% in P1 membranes, whereas P7 preparations showed no changes. The same buprenorphine regimen resulted in diminished DAMGE B max values in mothers' brains, 2 but not 7 days after cessation of drug administration. Receptor density changes were not accompanied by alteration of μ-binding affinities. Although the postnatal developmental profile of κ 1 opioid receptors in rat brain measured with [ 3 H]U69593 revealed the presence of an ample number of sites for detection, their binding parameters in P1, P7 pups and mothers were unaffected by 0.5 mg/kg buprenorphine. In summary, buprenorphine administration to pregnant rats transiently down-regulates μ opioid receptors in neonatal and maternal brain.
Topology of radial jet reattachment

Topological features of the flow emanating from a radial jet nozzle and its subsequent reattachment on a flat surface were investigated using a variety of flow visualization techniques in the Texas A & M University (TAMU) water tunnel. Dominant features of the flow were observed to be the bifurcation of streamsurface after a turbulent reattachment into inner and outer flows. The inner flow was dominated by a sequence of events consisting of the recirculation, formation and breakup of the ring vortex into foci structures, mass entrainment and ejection. Outer flow exhibited formation of secondary vortices, and shear layer instabilities.
Potential and range of application of elastic backscatter lidar systems using polarization selection to minimize detected skylight noise

We examine the potential, range of application, and limiting factors of a polarization selection technique, recently devised by us, which takes advantage of naturally occurring polarization properties of scattered sky light to minimize the detected sky background signal and which can be used in conjunction with linearly polarized elastic backscatter lidars to maximize lidar receiver SNR. In this approach, a polarization selective lidar receiver is aligned to minimize detected skylight, while the polarization of the transmitted lidar signal is rotated to maintain maximum lidar backscatter signal throughput to the receiver detector, consequently maximizing detected signal to noise ratio. Results presented include lidar elastic backscatter measurements, at 532 nm which show as much as a factor of √10 improvement in signal-to-noise ratio over conventional un-polarized schemes. For vertically pointing lidars, the largest improvements are limited to symmetric early morning and late afternoon hours. For non-vertical scanning lidars, significant improvements are achievable over much more extended time periods, depending on the specific angle between the lidar and solar axes. A theoretical model that simulates the background skylight within the single scattering approximation showed good agreement with measured SNR improvement factors. Diurnally asymmetric improvement factors, sometimes observed, are explained by measured increases in PWV and subsequent modification of aerosol optical depth by dehydration from morning to afternoon. Finally, since the polarization axis follows the solar azimuth angle even for high aerosol loading, as demonstrated using radiative transfer simulations, it is possible to conceive automation of the technique. In addition, it is shown that while multiple scattering reduces the SNR improvement, the orientation of the minimum noise state remains the same.
A new strategy for MALDI on magnetic sector mass spectrometers with point detectors.

We have developed a new strategy to perform matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) on magnetic sector instruments equipped with nonintegrating point detectors. This approach is based o...
Computer and cell phone access for individuals with mobility impairments: an overview and case studies.

Computers , telephones , an d assistiv e technolog y hol d promis e fo r increasin g th e independence , productivity , an d participatio n of individual s wit h disabilitie s in academic , employment , recreation , an d othe r activities . However , to reac h thi s goal , technolog y mus t be accessibl e to, availabl e to , an d usabl e by everyone . Th e author s of thi s articl e shar e compute r an d telephon e acces s challenge s face d by individual s wit h neurologica l an d othe r impairments , assistiv e technolog y solutions , issue s that impac t produc t adoptio n an d use , need s fo r ne w technologies , an d recommendation s fo r practitioner s an d researchers . The y highligh t th e storie s of thre e individual s wit h neurological/mob ilit y impairments , th e technolog y the y hav e foun d usefu l to them , an d thei r recommendation s fo r futur e produc t development .
Symbolic time series analysis via wavelet-based partitioning

Symbolic time series analysis (STSA) of complex systems for anomaly detection has been recently introduced in literature. An important feature of the STSA method is extraction of relevant information, imbedded in the measured time series data, to generate symbol sequences. This paper presents a wavelet-based partitioning approach for symbol generation, instead of the currently practiced method of phase-space partitioning. Various aspects of the proposed technique, such as wavelet selection, noise mitigation, and robustness to spurious disturbances, are discussed. The wavelet-based partitioning in STSA is experimentally validated on laboratory apparatuses for anomaly/damage detection. Its efficacy is investigated by comparison with phase-space partitioning.
Down-regulation of epidermal growth factor receptor-dependent signaling by Porphyromonas gingivalis lipopolysaccharide in life-expanded human gingival fibroblasts.

Background and Objective: Human gingival fibroblasts exhibit proliferative responses following epidermal growth factor exposure, which are thought to enhance periodontal regeneration in the absence of bacterial products such as lipopolysacharide. However, lipopolysaccharide challenge activates human gingival fibroblasts to release several inflammatory mediators that contribute to the immune response associated with periodontitis and attenuate wound repair. We tested the hypothesis that Porphyromonas gingivalis lipopolysaccharide-activated signaling pathways down-regulate epidermal growth factor receptor-dependent events. Material and Methods: To study lipopolysaccharide/epidermal growth factor interactions in human gingival fibroblasts, we introduced the catalytic subunit of human telomerase into human gingival fibroblasts, thereby generating a more long-lived cellular model. These cells were characterized and evaluated for lipopolysaccharide/epidermal growth factor responsiveness and regulation of epidermal growth factor-dependent pathways. Results: Comparison of human telomerase-transduced gingival fibroblasts with human gingival fibroblasts revealed that both cell lines exhibit a spindle-like morphology and express similar levels of epidermal growth factor receptor, CD14 and Toll-like receptors 2 and 4. Importantly, human telomerase-transduced gingival fibroblasts proliferation rates are increased 5–9 fold over human gingival fibroblasts and exhibit a longer life span in culture. In addition, human telomerase-transduced gingival fibroblasts and human gingival fibroblasts exhibit comparable profiles of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2) activation upon epidermal growth factor or P. gingivalis lipopolysaccharide administration. Interestingly, treatment with P. gingivalis lipopolysaccharide leads to a down-regulation of epidermal growth factor-dependent extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2, p38 and cyclic-AMP response element binding protein phosphorylation in both cell types. Conclusion: These studies demonstrate that human telomerase-transduced gingival fibroblasts exhibit an extended life span and recapitulate human gingival fibroblasts biology. Moreover, this system has allowed for the first demonstration of lipopolysaccharide down-regulation of epidermal growth factor activated pathways in human gingival fibroblasts and should facilitate the analysis of signaling events relevant to the pathogenesis and treatment of periodontitis.