cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dynamic behavior and stability of simple fractional systems

Numerous authors have demonstrated that problems arise over existence and uniqueness of solution in quasi-static contact problems involving large coefficients of Coulomb friction. This difficulty was greatly elucidated by a simple two-degree-of-freedom model introduced by Klarbring. In the present paper, the dynamic behavior of Klarbring's model is explored under a wide range of loading conditions. It is demonstrated that the dynamic solution is always unique and deviates from the quasi-static only in a bounded oscillation for sufficiently low friction coefficients. Above the critical coefficient, slip in one of the two directions is found to be unstable so that the system never exists in this state for more than a short period of time compared with the loading rate. In the limit of vanishing mass, these periods become infinitesimal but permit unidirectional state changes with discontinuous displacements. A revised quasi-static algorithm is developed from this limit and is shown to predict the dynamic behavior of the system within a bounded oscillation for large coefficients of friction.
The Politics of Latino Education by David L. Leal and Kenneth J. Meier (Eds.)

Latinos in the United States have had a limited, if any, role in the public discourse around educational policy despite their growing numbers. Researchers have attributed this lack of Latino presen...
Hypertrophic osteoarthropathy of chronic inflammatory bowel disease

The case of a 14-year-old girl with painful periostitis and ulcerative colitis is reported. The association of chronic inflammatory bowel disease with osteoarthropathy is rare and has previously been reported in eight patients. The periosteal reaction found in association with inflammatory bowel disease is apparently related to a chronic disease course and may cause extreme localized pain.
Leukocyte-endothelial cell interactions in chronic vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Abstract Leukocyte-endothelial cell interactions appear to be the root cause of chronic vasospasm after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). Early clinical observations and indirect experimental evidence suggested an association between inflammation and chronic vasospasm. Early clinical observations in patients with post-hemorrhagic vasospasm included pyrexia, leukocytosis and the presence of circulating immune complexes. Inflammatory infiltrates and increased levels of immunoglobulins and complement fractions within spastic cerebral arteries also provided early evidence for an inflammatory mechanism underlying chronic vasospasm. Early indirect experimental evidence included the ability to reproduce chronic vasospasm with the introduction of inflammatory agents into the subarachnoid space and the inhibition of vasospasm with anti-inflammatory agents. Currently, however, there is an increasing body of direct molecular evidence that demonstrates the pivotal role of leukocyte-endothelial cell interacti...
Eclipses of the ablating binary pulsar PSR1744-24A

PSR1744–24A, a binary pulsar in the globular cluster Terzan 5, is eclipsed for up to half of each 109-minute orbit1,2. This is a much longer duration than its 0.09-solar-mass companion star could cause if it were confined within its Roche lobe, and has led to the suggestion that PSR1744–24A is ablating material from its companion, producing an extensive stellar wind that eclipses the radio signal. We have measured the pulsar light curve at a frequency of 1.67 GHz, and find that the eclipse is not total: maximum attenuation in some cases is only about 70 per cent. The pulsar signal is substantially delayed during the eclipse. We model these observations by means of free-free absorption and dispersion in an ionized wind, processes which also explain the frequency dependence of the eclipse duration3. A simplified model predicts a wind density at the Roche surface of ˜6x 107 electrons cm−3 and an electron temperature in the wind of (3.6–15) x 103 K, although some theoretical difficulties remain. Such a wind is unlikely to ablate the companion star entirely in less than a Hubble time, so that in this one case at least, ablation may not ultimately form an isolated millisecond pulsar.
Separation of Alcohols from Solution by Lignin Gels

Partition relationships of radioisotope labeled ethanol and 1-butanol between aqueous solutions and a hydrated commercial Kraft softwood lignin gel are presented. These initial evaluations indicate that lignin hydrogels preferentially concentrate 1-butanol and, to a lesser extent, ethanol. The process implications and potential use of lignin as an inexpensive extractant are discussed.
Palate morphogenesis in mouse embryos after x-irradiation.

The development of cleft palate was investigated by irradiating pregnant female C57BL and A/Jax mice on the 11 1/3 day of gestation with 300-r, whole-body doses and examining the fetuses at subsequent intervals. When palate stage was compared with chronological age, morphological rating, or embryonic weight, it was obvious that intermediate stages of palate closure persisted in x-irradiated embryos long after such stages had been passed in normal embryos. Thus, movement of the palatine shelves from the sagittal to the horizontal plane was retarded by x irradiation. Measurements of head and palate did not show any consistent disproportionality of palate growth in the xirradiated embryos except that which resulted from retardation of shelf movement. X irradiation affected A/Jax strain litters more severely than C57BL strain litters according to cleft palate frequency and average palate stage at 18 1/3 days postconception. Cleft palate was seen in 73.1% of strain C57BL fetuses and in 99.5% of A/Jax fetuses. A variety of malformations other than cleft palate were also observed in the offspring of treated mice. Morphologic analysis of cleft palate development after xray treatment gave essentially the same results as comparable analyses of cleft palates produced by cortisone, hypervitaminosis A, and riboflavinmore » deficiency. (TCO)« less
On the oxidation resistance of C/C composites obtained by liquid-phase impregnation/ carbonization of different carbon cloths

Abstract Two commercial carbons (an activated carbon cloth and a rayon-derived carbon cloth) having vastly differing properties were used as substrates for the preparation of low- and high-temperature carbon/carbon composites by the liquid-phase impregnation/carbonization technique with two different pitches and one resin system as matrix precursors. The percentage of matrix in the composites was dependent on the surface area of the carbon cloth substrate. The oxidation behavior of the composites and their individual components was studied over the entire burn-off range (0–100%). The structure of the starting and partially reacted composites was investigated by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and polarized-light optical microscopy. For the low-temperature composites, no synergism was found when thermoplastic matrices were used. When the thermosetting resin matrix was used, the oxidation behavior of the composites could not be predicted from that of their constituents. For the high-temperatures composites, synergistic effects were observed: composites obtained using high-surface-area activated carbon cloth showed improved oxidation resistance with respect to their individual components. In contrast, a simple additive effect was observed for the low-surface-area rayonbased composites.
Production and purification of murine monoclonal antibodies: Aberrant elution from protein A-Sepharose 4B

A rapid, one-step method for the efficient purification of murine monoclonal antibodies from tissue culture supernatants is described. This process is based on affinity chromatography on protein A-Sepharose columns. It was found that murine monoclonal antibodies raised against tick-borne encephalitis virus frequently eluted at more than one pH value and these pH values did not always correspond to those of antibodies of the same subclass from polyclonal mouse sera. The two populations of antibody molecule eluting at different pH values showed no variation in molecular weight, isoelectric profiles, specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay titer, or antibody subclass.
Electrified fibrous air filters

THERE are two principal methods of separating suspended particles from air: mechanical separation and electrostatic precipitation. Mechanical separation includes dry-type filters, cyclones, water scrubbers, and gravity settling chambers. Dry-type filters are commonly used in air conditioners. Mechanical separators depend on inherent differences in size and density existing between particles and the gas in which the particles are suspended. In contrast, electrostatic precipitators cause a difference between properties of particle and gaseous medium; that is, either the particle is charged in an ionizer1 or, without an ionizer, the particle undergoes polarization in the field existing between charged plates of the precipitator.
Comparison of penetration electric fields created by the solar wind with Jicamarca data using SWAGE

[1] SWAGE (Solar Wind Acting on the Geophysical Environment) calculates the global ionospheric electric field generated by high-latitude electrodynamics drivers determined from the time-shifted solar wind data measured at L1 by joining the Hill-Siscoe polar cap potential model with the N-C ionospheric potential solver. Of particular interest are the conditions under which the eastward equatorial penetration electric field near twilight contributes to the pre-reversal enhancement (PRE). In the present model, it is found that a steeper terminator conductance gradient leads to a more pronounced PRE. The model is statistically consistent with the Jicamarca vertical drift data at twilight during quiet times for eighty-two days in the years 1998–2005. The model is also consistent with the Jicamarca vertical drift data during the November 2004 magnetic superstorms (Dst < −250 nT) and highlights the importance of including the LT dependence of the ionospheric response. In this comparison, disturbance dynamo (DD) effects are also included. Comparison is much better using the conductance model with a shallower terminator gradient and indicates that the conductance LT profile was relatively unchanged throughout the storms.
Microgravity Combustion: Fire in Free Fall

Microgravity Combustion brings together, for the first time, a large and growing literature on combustion in microgravity, as collated and described by recognized experts in the field of combustion science, who are active in the specialty of combustion science in microgravity. Surprisingly, no one has provided a detailed description of how microgravity conditions are obtained in the various facilities available to researchers (e.g. drop towers, low-gravity aircraft flying Keplerian trajectories, Space Shuttle, International Space Station). This is provided in the book. The book also stresses the importance of forces and transport phenomena often neglected (sometimes without justification) in combustion processes, because these neglected or weak forces become apparent when the masking effects of buoyancy are eliminated. These forces are generally poorly taught or described in the previous literature. Examples include thermal radiative heat transfer from small flames, thermophoresis, thermocapillary flows, and purely diffusive transport. It also answers long-held questions about flammability in spacecraft. It was once thought that there would be no flammability limits in microgravity, but such limits are in fact observed and now predicted experimentally.
Post-diagnosis statin use and breast cancer recurrence in a prospective cohort study of early stage breast cancer survivors.

Purpose We examined the association between post-diagnosis statin use (3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A [HMG-CoA] inhibitors) and risk of breast cancer recurrence.
Teaching Social Skills to Preschoolers with Special Needs

(1996). Teaching Social Skills to Preschoolers with Special Needs. Childhood Education: Vol. 72, No. 3, pp. 137-140.
Biocrude production by activated sludge microbial cultures using pulp and paper wastewaters as fermentation substrate.

Municipal wastewater activated sludge contains a mixed microbial community, which can be manipulated to produce biocrude, a lipid feedstock for biodiesel production. In this study, the potential of biocrude production by activated sludge microorganisms grown in three different types of pulp and paper mill wastewaters was investigated. A 20% (v/v) activated sludge was inoculated into pulp and paper wastewater, supplemented with glucose (60 g/L) and nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) to obtain a high carbon to nitrogen ratio (70:1). The culture was incubated aerobically for seven days. The results showed that the activated sludge microorganisms were able to grow and accumulate lipids when cultivated in amended wastewaters. Microorganisms growing in anaerobic settling pond effluent water showed the highest lipid accumulation of up to 40.6% cell dry weight (CDW) after five days of cultivation compared with pulp wash wastewater (PuWW) (11.7% CDW) and mixed wastewater (MWW) (8.2% CDW) after seven days of culti...
Experimental and Numerical Investigation on the Motion of Discrete Air Pockets in Pressurized Water Flows

AbstractEntrapped air pockets are linked to various operational issues in closed pipe flows. Tracking of entrapped air pockets is a relevant task in numerical simulation of hydraulic systems subjected to air pocket entrapment. However, few studies have focused on the kinematics of discrete air pockets and the motion of these at various combinations of pipe flow velocities, air pocket volumes, and pipe slopes. Such information is relevant for the improvement of current numerical models for the simulation of transition between pressurized and free surface flows, and related air pocket entrapment. This work explores the link between pipe flow velocity, pipe slope, and entrapped air pocket celerities. Systematic experimental studies were performed and provided insights on the nature of entrapped air pocket motion in cases when buoyancy forces are either summed or opposed to flow drag. Results indicated that when flow drag and buoyancy forces are summed, the observed air pocket celerity can be approximated by ...
Hepatitis C virus NS2 protease inhibits host cell antiviral response by inhibiting IKKε and TBK1 functions

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) encodes for several proteins that can interfere with host cell signaling and antiviral response. Previously, serine protease NS3/4A was shown to block host cell interferon (IFN) production by proteolytic cleavage of MAVS and TRIF, the adaptor molecules of the RIG-I and TLR3 signaling pathways, respectively. This study shows that another HCV protease, NS2 can interfere efficiently with cytokine gene expression. NS2 and its proteolytically inactive mutant forms were able to inhibit type I and type III IFN, CCL5 and CXCL10 gene promoters activated by Sendai virus infection. However, the CXCL8 gene promoter was not inhibited by NS2. In addition, constitutively active RIG-I (ΔRIG-I), MAVS, TRIF, IKKe, and TBK1-induced activation of IFN-β promoter was inhibited by NS2. Cotransfection experiments with IKKe or TBK1 together with interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3) and HCV expression constructs revealed that NS2 in a dose-dependent manner inhibited IKKe and especially TBK1-induced IRF3 phosphorylation. GST pull-down experiments with GST-NS2 and in vitro-translated and cell-expressed IKKe and TBK1 demonstrated direct physical interactions of the kinases with NS2. Further evidence that the IKKe/TBK1 kinase complex is the target for NS2 was obtained from the observation that the constitutively active form of IRF3 (IRF3-5D) activated readily IFN-β promoter in the presence of NS2. The present study identified HCV NS2 as a potent interferon antagonist, and describes an explanation of how NS2 downregulates the major signaling pathways involved in the development of host innate antiviral responses.
Soccer Injuries in Female Youth Players

A cross-sectional survey of injuries among female youth soccer players found 44.6% (95% confidence interval 34.9%-54.8%) had ever been injured. The injury incidence rate for the current season was 2.2/1000 soccer exposure hours (95% CI 1.5-3.1). Future studies should evaluate modifiable risk factors in youth to identify injury prevention strategies.
Simulation input modeling

Discrete-event simulation models typically have stochastic components that mimic the probabilistic nature of the system under consideration. Successful input modeling requires a close match between the input model and the true underlying probabilistic mechanism associated with the system. The general question considered is how to model an element (e.g., arrival process, service times) in a discrete-event simulation given a data set collected on the element of interest. For brevity, it is assumed that data is available on the aspect of the simulation of interest. It is also assumed that raw data is available, as opposed to censored data, grouped data, or summary statistics. Most simulation texts (e.g., Law and Kelton, 1991) have a broader treatment of input modeling than presented in the paper. Nelson et al. (1995) and Nelson and Yamnitsky (1998) survey advanced techniques.
An FPGA-based Spur-reduced numerically controlled oscillator

Direct digital synthesizers (DDS), or numerically controlled oscillators (NCO), are important components in many digital communication systems, such as digital radios and modems, software-defined radios, digital down/up converters for cellular and PCS base stations, etc. A common method for digitally generating a complex or real valued sinusoid employs a lookup table scheme. This paper presents a FPGA-based method which can significantly reduce the Spurious Free Dynamic Range (SFDR). The proposed design is implemented on Xilinx Virtex 5 FPGA and the simulation results are compared with previous results to demonstrate significant improvement in reducing SFDR.
THE COGNITIVE FACE OF AVIAN LIFE HISTORIES: The 2003 Margaret Morse Nice Lecture

Cognition includes the acquisition, processing, retention of, and acting upon information from the environment. Avian cognition has been investigated by the approaches of experimental psychology and in the context of specific tasks, such as spatial memory. However, the costs and benefits of cognitive ability have not been considered in a life-history context. I explore possible relationships between behaviors that might indicate cognitive function and other attributes, particularly brain size, rate of development, age at maturity, and life span. Large brain size and prolonged development are seen as potential costs of intelligent behavior. Long life span may permit the extended learning periods that support experienced-based cognitive function. Play behavior, which plausibly supports the development of motor and social skills, and, to a lesser extent, foraging innovations, are related to brain size. The challenge of foraging in a spatially and temporally varying environment, experienced for example by pelagic seabirds, is associated with prolonged embryonic development. Although these connections lack mechanistic foundations, they suggest that cognition can be considered as a part of the life history of the individual and that potential costs of cognition might provide guidelines for directing the comparative study of intelligent behavior.
PalimPost: information convergence using sticky notes

In today's world, the digital information retrieval experience is inherently a sparse device-centric activity. Users rely on the ability of the currently used device to supply the requested information, in some disconnection from past activities on other devices. There is a growing need to develop new methods of connecting cross-context information retrieval sessions. We present PalimPost, a converged system for storing, searching, and sharing digital and physical world information using sticky notes and mobile devices. PalimPost extracts contextual cues from a user's physical environment and activities, and connects them to the user's digital world research. Subsequently, the system presents systematically categorized information that is relevant to the moment of interaction in a just-in-time manner. PalimPost uses physical sticky notes with embedded QR codes, as well as virtual sticky notes on mobile devices. The system incorporates Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR), Optical Character Recognition (OCR), and Natural Language Processing (NLP) techniques for understanding and categorizing the content.
Multiple pion production (without annihilation) in\(\bar p - p\) collisions at 7 GeV/ccollisions at 7 GeV/c

Preliminary results of an investigation of multiple pion production without annihilation in antiproton-proton collisions at 7 GeV/c exhibit highly peripheral characteristics. The experimental distributions in the reaction\(\bar p + p \to \bar p + p + \pi ^ + + \pi ^ - \) are consistent with a one-pion-exchange mechanism particularly for low four-momentum transfers. The cross-section for multipion production without annihilation is ∼20 mb.
Influence of Estradiol-17β, Progesterone and Hydrocortisone on 3-Methylcholanthrene-Induced Mammary Cancer in Intact and Ovariectomized Sprague-Dawley Rats

Intact, ovariectomized and ovariectomized-adrenalectomized Sprague- Dawley rats, at the age of 50 days, were fed 10 mg of 3-methylcholanthrene (3-MC) by gastric tube 3 or 6 times each week for 7 weeks. Steroids were administered concurrently by the subcutaneous or intramuscular route. Mammary adenocarcinoma was observed in all intact rats. Mean tumor induction time was 52.7 ± 3.9 days for the group injected with sesame oil, 44.1 ± 1.5 for the group injected with progesterone (4 mg) and 47.5 ± 3.9 for the group injected with estradiol-17β (0.01 βg). In rats ovariectomized at 42 days of age, one week prior to treatment with 3-MC and steroids, breast cancer occurred in 63 % of the group injected with sesame oil, in 67 % of the group injected with progesterone, in 12% of the group injected with estradiol-17β and in 81 % of the groups injected with progesterone (4 mg) in combination with estradiol-17β (0.01 or 0.1 βg)- Mean tumor induction time was significantly prolonged in all ovariectomized groups. In rats ...
Anisotropy of the semiclassical gluon field of a large nucleus at high energy

The McLerran-Venugopalan model describes a highly boosted hadron/nucleus as a sheet of random color charges which source soft classical Weizs\"acker-Williams gluon fields. We show that due to fluctuations, individual configurations are azimuthally anisotropic. We present initial evidence that impact parameter dependent small-$x$ Jalilian-Marian, Iancu, McLerran, Weigert, Leonidov and Kovner (JIMWLK) resummation preserves such anisotropies over several units of rapidity. Finally, we compute the first four azimuthal Fourier amplitudes of the S-matrix of a fundamental dipole in such background fields.
Prevalence of Mastitis Pathogens in Herds Participating in a Mastitis Control Program

Bacteriological data from herd surveys by the Massachusetts Mastitis Laboratory were analyzed. Comparisons of percent cows and quarters with major mastitis pathogens and types of bacteria isolated were between Streptococcus agalactiae-positive (1105 cows from 17 herds) and Streptococcus agalactiae-negative herds (1088 cows from 17 herds). Major mastitis pathogens were isolated from 58.5% of cows and 37.0% quarters in Streptococcus agalactiae-positive herds. The most frequently isolated bacteria were Streptococcus agalactiae and Staphylococcus aureus, and together these accounted for 87% of organisms isolated. In contrast, major mastitis pathogens were isolated from only 26.3% of cows and 10.2% of quarters in Streptococcus agalactiae negative herds. Streptococci other than Streptococcus agalactiae, Staphylococcus aureus, and coliforms were the predominant organisms isolated. Seventeen additional Streptococcus agalactiae negative herds were surveyed annually over 6 yr. An average of 25.8% of cows and 10.3% of quarters were positive for major mastitis pathogens during this time. The predominant bacteria isolated were streptococci other than Streptococcus agalactiae, Staphylococcus aureus, and coliforms. There was little variation between years.
Impact of insulin resistance on ventricular function in pulmonary arterial hypertension

Background Insulin resistance (IR) is an independent prognostic marker in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), although the mechanism by which it engenders risk is unknown. We prospectively investigated the clinical, laboratory, hemodynamic, and echocardiographic characteristics of insulin-sensitive (IS) and IR patients with PAH. Methods This was a prospective cohort study including well-phenotyped patients with PAH proven at cardiac catheterization. Patients were classified as IS or IR on the basis of the well-validated triglyceride/high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol ratio. Clinical, laboratory, and hemodynamic characteristics were compared between cohorts. Distance walked on the 6-minute walk test (6MWT) and echocardiograms were compared between IS and IR for the sub-set of patients that had these tests within 1 month of cardiac catheterization. Results Of the 111 PAH patients enrolled, 59 were IS, 25 were IR, and 27 were classified as indeterminate. Mean age was 45.8 ± 15.0 years. IR was associated with worse New York Heart Association class ( p = 0.02). There were no differences in hemodynamics, biomarkers, 6MWT distance, or parameters of right ventricular function (i.e., tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion, myocardial performance index, and fractional area change) between groups. Despite similar systemic vascular resistance, parameters of left ventricular diastolic function were more favorable for IS vs IR, including mitral inflow E wave velocity (82 ± 17 vs 64 ± 19 msec, p = 0.02), E/A ratio (1.2 ± 0.4 vs 0.8 ± 0.2, p = 0.01), and lateral mitral valve E' velocity (13.9 ± 3.5 vs 10.4 ± 2.2 msec, p = 0.01). Conclusions IR is associated with worse functional class and diastology compared with IS in PAH, although other prognostic parameters are similar.
Abstract IA15: Epigenetics of hormone dependence

A detailed understanding of interplay between genetics and epigenetics in the progression and hormone dependence of distinct cancer subtypes is critical to the development of new approaches to prevention and therapy. Steroid hormones and their receptors play essential roles in the development and progression of both breast and prostate cancers. It remains unknown what role an epigenetically defined cell of origin plays in determining hormone responsiveness. In addition whether acquired resistance to endocrine therapy is the result of clonal evolution or the presence of hormone independent tumor-initiating cells, or both remains to be determined. Gain of function mutations and gene amplification of the androgen receptor (AR) in prostate cancer and the estrogen receptor (ER) in breast cancer in a subset of hormone refractory cases supports clonal evolution as the dominant mechanism of resistance in in these patients. We have investigated how the pathways downstream of AR and ER are activated in cases where they are not genetically altered and whether these depend on mutations in other epigenetic regulators including other transcription factors involved in steroid receptor networks and chromatin modifying enzymes involved in transcriptional regulation mediated by these receptors. Renewed success in targeting the steroid receptors themselves and promising advances in inhibiting the activity of the chromatin modifying enzymes provides new opportunities for the treatment of patients with breast and prostate cancer. Citation Format: Myles Brown. Epigenetics of hormone dependence. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Chromatin and Epigenetics in Cancer; Jun 19-22, 2013; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(13 Suppl):Abstract nr IA15.
Reduction of Dimension of a Chemically Realistic Model for the Peroxidase−Oxidase Oscillator

We develop a low-dimensional model of the peroxidase−oxidase oscillator based on the higher-dimensional Urbanalator model. The low-dimensional model is consistent with the chemical foundations of the Urbanalator, accurately reproduces its oscillatory behavior, and also bears some similarities to the simpler abstract models. The remaining differences may suggest directions for further model refinements.
Software for Petascale Computing Systems

Developing software for highly scalable systems with nearly a million processors or cores raises unique challenges. To succeed, application developers must reconsider both their code's structure and the tools they use to develop, tune, and run that code. Petascale systems aren't just bigger versions of the current terascale systems. The degree of concurrency as well as increasingly complex processors means that existing algorithmic and software approaches no longer work. Although a few applications might be nearly ready for petascale systems, others need more extensive changes to exploit the system's scale and power. To ensure that applications are ready, we must reexamine everything in light of the system's massive size. Still, the situation isn't as grim as that sounds. Researchers are creating new tools to develop, debug, and tune applications that rely on adaptively determining and grouping behavior, as well as creating new programming models and languages that could enhance scalability by reducing communication overhead. Petascale system size and complexity can force developers to use well-designed components, both in the applications themselves and in the tools and middleware they use to develop them. Ultimately, while applications must adapt to petascale systems, the changes required is relatively modest and software tools can available to help.
Structural Basis of Neurogenic Bladder Dysfunction. III. Intrinsic Detrusor Innervation

ABSTRACTPurpose: We studied the ultrastructure of intrinsic detrusor innervation in long-standing neurogenic bladder dysfunction in the human.Materials and Methods: Endoscopic or open detrusor biopsies were obtained from 15 female and 31 male patients 7 to 96 years old who had hyperreflexic neurogenic bladder dysfunction for less than 1 to 43 years. Of the patients 9 had meningomyelocele, 25 had spinal cord injury and 12 had a brain disorder. Changes in intrinsic detrusor nerves were evaluated by electron microscopy qualitatively and quantitatively according to predefined criteria.Results: Axonal degeneration was observed in 44 of the 45 biopsies with discernible intrinsic nerves. Structurally normal axons were 5½ or 4 times more common in brain disorder than meningomyelocele or spinal cord injury group biopsies (median 33%, 6%, 8%, respectively). Axonal regeneration, not encountered in nonneuropathic dysfunctional detrusors, was observed in restricted distribution in most biopsies (76%) and was independe...
Synthesis of alanine-based colorimetric sensors and enantioselective recognition of aspartate and malate anions

Two chiral colorimetric sensors (1,2) were synthesized and characterized by spectroscopic techniques and their enantioselective recognition of chiral dicarboxylic anions (D/L-aspartate and D/L-malate) was examined by UV-vis and 1H NMR spectroscopy. Interaction of the receptors 1 and 2 with the enantiomers of aspartate or malate caused different color changes, and they act as optical chemosensors for the recognition of D-aspartate vs.L-aspartate and D-malate vs.L-malate. Receptor 1 exhibits high enantioselective binding for aspartate anions [KA(D)/KA(L) = 12.15].
Superconductivity in Pure La and La-Gd

Superconducting La doped with the magnetic impurity Gd has been investigated to determine whether the thermodynamic properties show evidence for "gapless" superconductivity. The measurements show that the specific heat of pure hcp La closely follows the predictions of the BCS theory. The addition of small amounts of Gd does not appreciably change the normal-state electronic specific heat, but it drastically alters the superconducting characteristics. An increase in the Gd content decreases the rate at which the normalized superconducting specific heat $\frac{{C}_{\mathrm{es}}}{\ensuremath{\gamma}{T}_{c}}$ approaches zero. This may be due to a diminishing ratio of the energy of the energy gap to the critical temperature, or it may be due to ordering of the Gd ions. The measurements do not extend to low enough temperatures to distinguish between these two possibilities. The magnitude of the specific-heat jump at ${T}_{c}$ is depressed by the Gd somewhat more rapidly than $1.43\ensuremath{\gamma}{T}_{c}$, but less rapidly than is suggested by the electron-tunneling energy-gap measurements. These alloys can support current densities greater than 5\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{4}$ A/${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$, and they show no latent heat at the transition in a magnetic field. The latter two characteristics are qualitatively similar to behavior of type II superconductors.
Kidney Transplantation: The Ideal Immunosuppression Regimen

Kidney transplantation today has excellent short-term outcomes, but long-term graft survival has not improved in a parallel fashion. The goal of immunosuppressive therapy is to balance the beneficial effects of reducing acute rejection while minimizing adverse effects from oversuppression including the development of infections, malignancy, and cardiovascular risk factors. In general, current immunosuppressive protocols use combinations of immunosuppressive agents with different mechanisms of action to maximize efficacy and minimize the toxicity of each drug. During the past decade, there has been a growing interest in identifying regimens that permit the minimization of calcineurin inhibitors or corticosteroids in an attempt to decrease nephrotoxicity and metabolic side effects. The emergence of new immunosuppressive agents and tolerance protocols appear promising as a means to deliver immunosuppression without long-term toxicity. Ultimately, the goal of prescribing immunosuppression is to transition from empiric therapy to one of individualized therapy.
Electromechanochemical Model of Mitochondrial Structure and Function

Abstract A new model of mitochondrial structure and function is proposed on the basis of four fundamental assumptions: (a) electrons and protons are separated in the electron transfer complexes; (b) the ATPase undergoes conformational state-transitions induced by an electric field; (c) energy is transferred by an electric field effect; and (d) a conformationally strained protein system can be relaxed via a bond-forming chemical reaction. The model can explain all of the mitochondrial coupled processes and, in addition, it provides a reasonable rationalization of the correlation between mitochondrial structure and function.
Measurement of interfacial fracture parameters using coherent gradient sensing (CGS)

An optical interferometry called coherent gradient sensing (CGS) has been extended, for mapping interface crack tip fields and for evaluating fracture parameters. The optical technique is a double grating shearing interferometer with an on line spatial filtering arrangement. The method offers real time full field measurements and can be used both in transmission mode anti reflection mode. The interferometer measures small angular deflections of light rays which can be further related to in plane gradients of (σ x +σ y ) in transmission through elasto-optic relations. Direct interfacial crack tip measurements in a high stiffness mismatch PMMA-aluminium bimaterial system are performed. A variety of crack tip mode mixities are studied using asymmetric four point bend specimens subjected to different far field mechanical loads. The complex stress intensity factors and the associated phase angles are measured from CGS patterns using an asymptotic expansion field. The measurements are compared with finite element results.
The Effects of Social Stories on the Social Engagement of Children with Autism

A multiple-probe design across participants was used to evaluate the effects of social stories on the duration of appropriate social engagement and the frequency of 4 social skills in 3 elementary-...
Sensitization of C6 glioma to carboplatin cytotoxicity by hyperthermia and thymidine

Thymidine (a nucleoside metabolite) and 41.8° C hyperthermia were used to sensitize C6 glioma cells to carboplatin cytotoxicity in vitro. Clinically achievable thymidine concentrations (0, 200, 400, or 1000 µg/ml × 24 hours) significantly enhanced carboplatin killing. Clinically achievable hyperthermia exposures (40.5 or 41.8° C x 1 hour) also enhanced carboplatin killing; 41.8° C was more effective than was 40.5° C. Thymidine and 41.8°C hyperthermia together enhanced carboplatin killing significantly more than did the thymidine-carboplatin or hyperthermia-carboplatin combinations. These results illustrate the concept of ‘combination chemosensitization’ for simultaneously addressing the divergent drug resistance mechanisms of malignant gliomas.
The use of DOE-2 to determine the relative energy performance of daylighted retail stores covered with tension supported fabric roofs

Abstract With increasing interest amongst the architectural and engineering community in daylighted buildings, there is a need to evaluate the relative energy performance of those buildings. One means of daylighting a building is to use a coated glass fiber fabric roof. With such a roof, it has been found that sufficient daylight is admitted to allow most artificial lighting to be turned off during the daytime hours. However, solar cooling loads and conductive loads may be greater than for conventionally roofed commercial buildings. With the fabric roofed buildings capable of using considerably less energy for artificial lighting, yet possibly requiring greater use of energy for space heating and cooling, the relative energy performance is a matter of trade-offs. To determine this relative energy performance of fabric roofed and conventionally roofed retail stores, a modified version of DOE-2.1A was used with weather data from 19 cities located within the United States. In the analyses, both single-layer and double-layer roofs were studied as were stores with different levels of electric power for artificial lighting. In general, the results suggest that a fabric roofed store will use less total energy than a conventional roofed store in a geographic area with a mild climate but that it will use more energy in a cold climate area.
Haemodynamic-guided fluid administration for the prevention of contrast-induced acute kidney injury: the POSEIDON randomised controlled trial

Summary Background The administration of intravenous fluid remains the cornerstone treatment for the prevention of contrast-induced acute kidney injury. However, no well-defined protocols exist to guide fluid administration in this treatment. We aimed to establish the efficacy of a new fluid protocol to prevent contrast-induced acute kidney injury. Methods In this randomised, parallel-group, comparator-controlled, single-blind phase 3 trial, we assessed the efficacy of a new fluid protocol based on the left ventricular end-diastolic pressure for the prevention of contrast-induced acute kidney injury in patients undergoing cardiac catheterisation. The primary outcome was the occurrence of contrast-induced acute kidney injury, which was defined as a greater than 25% or greater than 0·5 mg/dL increase in serum creatinine concentration. Between Oct 10, 2010, and July 17, 2012, 396 patients aged 18 years or older undergoing cardiac catheterisation with an estimated glomerular filtration rate of 60 mL/min per 1·73 m 2 or less and one or more of several risk factors (diabetes mellitus, history of congestive heart failure, hypertension, or age older than 75 years) were randomly allocated in a 1:1 ratio to left ventricular end-diastolic pressure-guided volume expansion (n=196) or the control group (n=200) who received a standard fluid administration protocol. Four computer-generated concealed randomisation schedules, each with permuted block sizes of 4, were used for randomisation, and participants were allocated to the next sequential randomisation number by sealed opaque envelopes. Patients and laboratory personnel were masked to treatment assignment, but the physicians who did the procedures were not masked. Both groups received intravenous 0·9% sodium chloride at 3 mL/kg for 1 h before cardiac catheterisation. Analyses were by intention to treat. Adverse events were assessed at 30 days and 6 months and all such events were classified by staff who were masked to treatment assignment. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01218828. Findings Contrast-induced acute kidney injury occurred less frequently in patients in the left ventricular end-diastolic pressure-guided group (6·7% [12/178]) than in the control group (16·3% [28/172]; relative risk 0·41, 95% CI 0·22–0·79; p=0·005). Hydration treatment was terminated prematurely because of shortness of breath in three patients in each group. Interpretation Left ventricular end-diastolic pressure-guided fluid administration seems to be safe and effective in preventing contrast-induced acute kidney injury in patients undergoing cardiac catheterisation. Funding Kaiser Permanente Southern California regional research committee grant.
Circatidal rhythms of locomotion in the American horseshoe crab Limulus polyphemus: Underlying mechanisms and cues that influence them

While eye sensitivity in the American horseshoe crab Limulus polyphemus has long been known to be under the con- trol of an endogenous circadian clock, only recently has horseshoe crab locomotion been shown to be controlled by a separate clock system. In the laboratory, this system drives clear activity rhythms throughout much of the year, not just during the mating season when horseshoe crabs express clear tidal rhythms in the field. Water temperature is a key factor influencing the expression of these rhythms: at 17 o C tidal rhythms are expressed by most animals, while at 11 o C expression of circatidal rhythms is rarely seen, and at 4 o C rhythms are suppressed. Neither long (16:8 Light:Dark) nor short (8:16) photoperiods modify this behavior at any of these temperatures. Synchronization of these circatidal rhythms can be most readily effected by water pressure cycles both in situ and in the lab, while temperature and current cycles play lesser, but possibly contributory, roles. Interestingly, Light:Dark cycles appear to have synchronizing as well as "masking" effects in some individuals. Evidence that each of two daily bouts of activity are independent suggests that the Limulus circatidal rhythm of locomotion is driven by two (circalunidian) clocks, each with a period of 24.8h. While the anatomical locations of either the circadian clock, that drives fluctuations in visual sensitivity, or the circatidal clock, that controls tidal rhythms of locomotion, are currently unknown, preliminary molecular analyses have shown that a 71 kD protein that reacts with antibodies directed against the Drosophila PERIOD (PER) protein is found in both the pro- tocerebrum and the subesophageal ganglion (Current Zoology 56 (5): 499-517, 2010).
Impact of Cash Holdings on Investment Value

This paper has been revised into one subsequent SSRN working paper and another paper in progress.Popular press has argued that firms holding cash should be regarded highly by investors because firms will access good prospects. This view contradicts with the Jensen (1986) free cash flow proposition. This study examines the investor viewpoint by investigating investment returns of portfolios created according to trading strategies based on cash holdings and predictions of cash holdings. Data is organized into quintiles categorized by PE ratios and then each quintile is divided into high and low cash-holding portfolios. Evidence is found in favor and against popular press contentions depending on the definition of cash holding.
Acquisition of topological action maps through teleoperation

It has been demonstrated that a robot can learn to interact purposefully with its environment through a developmental acquisition of sensory-motor coordination. Teleoperation can bootstrap the process by enabling the robot to observe its own sensory responses to actions that lead to specific outcomes within an environment. This paper reports the results of learning to navigate an indoor environment by a simple mobile platform using only LIDAR and odometry. Descriptors of sensory-motor coordination in the form of LIDAR scan images coupled to concurrent motor activity are extracted from five teleoperated trials of driving the robot through the environment. From these a topological action map of the environment is constructed. A hierarchical discrete event dynamical system is defined wherein higher levels encompass increasing time intervals, longer sensory and motor histories, more complex behaviors, and higher degrees of abstraction. An event that cannot be handled at the current level precipitates a jump to the next higher level for processing. The sensory-motor associations learned and encoded in the action-map enable autonomous navigation while avoiding localization errors. Test results are given that demonstrate the robustness of autonomous navigation through the learned environment in the face of both stationary and moving obstacles.
Social Projection to Ingroups and Outgroups: A Review and Meta-Analysis:

Social projection is the tendency to expect similarities between oneself and others. A review of the literature and a meta-analysis reveal that projection is stronger when people make judgments about ingroups than when they make judgments about outgroups. Analysis of moderator variables further reveals that ingroup projection is stronger for laboratory groups than for real social categories. The mode of analysis (i.e., nomothetic vs. idiographic) and the order of judgments (i.e., self or group judged first) have no discernable effects. Outgroup projection is positive, but small in size. Together, these findings support the view that projection can serve as an egocentric heuristic for inductive reasoning. The greater strength of ingroup projection can contribute to ingroup-favoritism, perceptions of ingroup homogeneity, and cooperation with ingroup members.
Video Analysis of Sensory-Motor Features in Infants with Fragile X Syndrome at 9–12 Months of Age

This study utilized retrospective video analysis to distinguish sensory-motor patterns in infants with fragile X syndrome (FXS) (n=11) from other infants [i.e., autism (n=11), other developmental delay (n=10), typical (n=11)] at 9–12 months of age. Measures of development, autistic features, and FMRP were assessed at the time of entry into the study. Home videos collected from families were edited and coded with previously validated procedures. Findings revealed a pattern of sensory-motor features (e.g., repetitive leg movements, posturing, less sophistication/repetitive use of objects) associated with FXS, and suggest these infants were most similar to the group of infants with other developmental delays, irrespective of co-existing autistic symptoms later in life. Infant sensory-motor features in the FXS group were more predictive of an early developmental milestone (i.e., age walking) than later, more broad, developmental outcomes, or FMRP. Implications for early identification and differential diagnosis are discussed.