cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mechanism of Intracellular pH Increase During Parthenogenetic Activation of In Vitro Matured Porcine Oocytes

Abstract Parthenogenetic activation of porcine oocytes by using 7% ethanol, 50 or 100 μM A23187 results in an increase in intracellular pH as does prolonged exposure to thimerosal. We attempt to specify which transporters or mechanisms are involved in the observed increase in intracellular pH during oocyte activation. Experiments were performed in the absence of sodium; the presence of 2.5 mM amiloride, a potent inhibitor of the Na+/H+ antiport; in the absence of bicarbonate; and in the presence of 4,4′-diisothiocyanatodihydrostilbene-2,2′-di-sulfonic acid, disodium salt (H2DIDS) for all three activation methods. These treatments had no effect on the increase in intracellular pH induced by the calcium ionophore or thimerosal, but all reduced the increase in pH (P < 0.001) in the 7% ethanol group. This suggests that the Na+/H+ antiport and the HCO3−/Cl− exchangers are not playing a role during treatment with calcium ionophore or thimerosal, and the pH increase observed during treatment with 7% ethanol may ...
The acetylcholinesterase inhibitor di-isopropyl-fluorophosphate increases REM sleep in rats

In this experiment, rats were treated chronically with moderate doses of the acetylcholinesterase inhibitor di-isopropyl-fluorophosphate (DFP). After an initial injection of 1.0 mg/kg DFP, the rats received a 0.5 mg/kg injection every third day thereafter for a total of 5 injections (13 days). Following the treatment regimen, the rats were found to have increased amounts of REM sleep compared to vehicle control rats. The time spent awake and in slow wave sleep was relatively unaffected. The increase in REM sleep appears to be due to increased numbers of REM sleep episodes and not an increase in the average length of the REM sleep episodes. Furthermore, the increased REM sleep does not appear to be due to REM rebound or to disruptions of circadian rhythm.
Prognosis of refractory neurosarcoidosis altered by thalidomide: a case report

Introduction Sarcoidosis is a multisystem disease characterized by noncaseating granulomas in the lungs, skin, lymph nodes, and, rarely, the nervous system. Granuloma formation in sarcoidosis is mediated by increased secretion of interferon-gamma, interleukin-2, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha. 25% of patients with neurosarcoidosis are steroid resistant and another 20–40% are resistant to any conventional immunosuppression, but the typical agents suppress the immune system in a non-specific fashion. Thalidomide has been shown to have activity specific to the inflammatory mediators of sarcoidosis, has been shown to be beneficial in cutaneous sarcoidosis, and provides an interesting observation in our patient with refractory neurosarcoidosis.
Achieving high input power factor for DCM boost PFC converters by controlling variable duty cycle

Power factor correction converters have been widely used in ac-dc power conversions to achieve high power factor (PF) and low harmonic distortion. A discontinuous-current-mode (DCM) boost power factor correction (PFC) converter features zero-current turn-on for the switch, no reverse recovery in diode, and constant frequency operation. But the input power factor (PF) is relatively low when the duty cycle is constant. The proposed work achieves high input power factor by controlling the variable duty cycle for DCM boost power factor correction converters. A new method has been introduced for the accurate measurement of power factor. The proposed technique achieves a lower output voltage ripple and higher efficiency compared to constant duty cycle control.
Applications of a Theory of Drug Use to Prevention Programs

An interactive theory of drug use is outlined which provides the framework for integrating current knowledge and initiating new research. The theory has as its major characteristics: 1) attempted c...
Anaerobic biodegradation of alkylbenzenes and trichloroethylene in aquifer sediment down gradient of a sanitary landfill

Abstract The objective of this investigation was to evaluate the anaerobic biodegradability of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, ortho-, meta- and para-xylene (BTEX) and trichloroethylene (TCE) in aquifer sediment down gradient of an unlined landfill. The major organic contaminants identified in the shallow unconfined aquifer are cis -dichloroethylene ( c -DCE) and toluene. The biodegradative potential of the contaminated aquifer was measured in three sets of microcosms constructed using anaerobic aquifer sediment from three boreholes down gradient of the landfill. The degradability of BTEX and TCE was examined under ambient and amended conditions. TCE was degraded in microcosms with aquifer material from all three boreholes. Toluene biodegradation was inconsistent, exhibiting biodegradation with no lag in one set of microcosms but more limited biodegradation in two additional sets of microcosms. TCE exhibited an inhibitory effect on toluene degradation at one location. The addition of calcium carbonate stimulated TCE biodegradation which was not further stimulated by nutrient addition. TCE was converted to ethylene, a harmless byproduct, in all tests. Benzene, ethylbenzene and xylene isomers were recalcitrant in both ambient and amendment experiments. Biodegradation occurred under methanogenic conditions as methane was produced in all experiments. Bromoethane sulfonic acid (BES), a methanogenic inhibitor, inhibited methane and ethylene production and TCE biodegradation. The results indicate the potential for intrinsic bioremediation of TCE and toluene down gradient of the Wilder's Grove, North Carolina, landfill. The low concentrations of TCE in monitoring wells was consistent with its biodegradation in laboratory microcosms.
Impact of forskolin and amino acid depletion upon System A activity and SNAT expression in BeWo cells

Amino acid transport System A (SysA) plays an important role in mediating the transplacental transfer of neutral amino acids from mother to fetus. Given that prior work has demonstrated that SysA activity is regulated, both over gestation and in response to dietary restriction during pregnancy, we examined the response of SysA activity and sodium-dependent neutral amino acid transporter (SNAT; responsible for SysA activity) expression to cAMP analogues and amino acid deprivation in BeWo cells, an accepted model of placental syncytia. SysA activity was unaffected by forskolin, a cAMP agonist, at 48 and 72 h. Amino acid depletion was associated with an up-regulation of SysA activity, largely mediated through an enhancement of SNAT2 (Slc38a2) expression at both the protein and mRNA level. SNAT1 (Slc38a1) expression did not change in response to amino acid depletion, while SNAT4 (Slc38a4) could not be detected. In summary, SysA activity in BeWo cells responds to amino acid depletion through the differential regulation of SNAT subtypes.
The impact of insurance and socioeconomic status on outcomes for patients with left ventricular assist devices

Background There has been a steady increase of patients living in the community with Left Ventricular Assist Devices (LVADs). There is a significant gap in our fund of knowledge with respect to the impact that insurance and socioeconomic status has on outcomes for LVAD patients. We thus hypothesize that low neighborhood socioeconomic status and receipt of Medicaid, respectively, lead to earlier readmissions, earlier death, as well as longer time to transplantation among LVAD patients.
Electron transport properties of individual gallium nitride nanowire decorated with gold nanoparticles

Variations in the electron transport properties of individual n-type gallium nitride (n-GaN) nannowires decorated with gold (Au) nanoparticles as a function of nanowire diameter (∼50nm – 400nm) have been studied. GaN nanowires were grown by vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) process and single nanowire devices were fabricated by photolithography techniques. Gold nanoparticle (∼5nm–10nm) decoration was achieved by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD). Two orders of magnitude drop of the current in gold decorated GaN nanowires compared to the bare GaN nanowires were observed. This effect is attributed to carrier depletion formed at the n-GaN nanowire/Au nanoparticle interface due to the formation of a metal-semiconductor Schottky junction. Variation in electrical conductivity of the nanowires with and without nanoparticles was highly dependent upon nanowire diameter for a constant nanowire length of 5µm. Bare GaN nanowire shows an exponential decrease in resistance (∼ 450 KΩ to 1 KΩ) with increase in nanowire diameter (∼ 50nm – 400nm). In case of Au-GaN nanowire, current-voltage measurements exhibited clear rectifying behavior, with the forward bias threshold voltage decreasing linearly with increasing nanowire diameter
Attraction to psychotherapy: influences of therapist status and therapist-patient age similarity.

Therapist-patient age similarity and therapist status were examined in relation to interpersonal attraction in the psychotherapy dyad. Psychiatric inpatients who comprised three age groupings were assigned randomly to one of four audiovisual treatments that depicted a dyadic psychotherapy situation (N = 60). For each treatment, therapist age and status were differentially presented on color slides with the same accompanying audiotape. Results indicated that age similarity was significantly (p less than .05) more relevant for the younger patients, whereas therapist status had greater significance for older patients. There were several significant interactions that concerned therapist-patient age similarity and therapist status effects on psychotherapeutic attraction. These results suggest that therapist-patient matching on age and/or therapist status should be considered carefully as a potential influence on therapeutic outcome.
Robust regression using iteratively reweighted least-squares

The rapid development of the theory of robust estimation (Huber, 1973) has created a need for computational procedures to produce robust estimates. We will review a number of different computational approaches for robust linear regression but focus on one—iteratively reweighted least-squares (IRLS). The weight functions that we discuss are a part of a semi-portable subroutine library called ROSEPACK (RObust Statistical Estimation PACKage) that has been developed by the authors and Virginia Klema at the Computer Research Center of the National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. in Cambridge, Mass. with the support of the National Science Foundation. This library (Klema, 1976) makes it relatively simple to implement an IRLS regression package.
Diesterified Nitrone Rescues Nitroso-Redox Levels and Increases Myocyte Contraction Via Increased SR Ca2+ Handling

Nitric oxide (NO) and superoxide (O2−) are important cardiac signaling molecules that regulate myocyte contraction. For appropriate regulation, NO and O2.− must exist at defined levels. Unfortunately, the NO and O2.− levels are altered in many cardiomyopathies (heart failure, ischemia, hypertrophy, etc.) leading to contractile dysfunction and adverse remodeling. Hence, rescuing the nitroso-redox levels is a potential therapeutic strategy. Nitrone spin traps have been shown to scavenge O2.− while releasing NO as a reaction byproduct; and we synthesized a novel, cell permeable nitrone, 2–2–3,4-dihydro-2H-pyrrole 1-oxide (EMEPO). We hypothesized that EMEPO would improve contractile function in myocytes with altered nitroso-redox levels. Ventricular myocytes were isolated from wildtype (C57Bl/6) and NOS1 knockout (NOS1−/−) mice, a known model of NO/O2.− imbalance, and incubated with EMEPO. EMEPO significantly reduced O2.− (lucigenin-enhanced chemiluminescence) and elevated NO (DAF-FM diacetate) levels in NOS1−/− myocytes. Furthermore, EMEPO increased NOS1−/− myocyte basal contraction (Ca2+ transients, Fluo-4AM; shortening, video-edge detection), the force-frequency response and the contractile response to β-adrenergic stimulation. EMEPO had no effect in wildtype myocytes. EMEPO also increased ryanodine receptor activity (sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ leak/load relationship) and phospholamban Serine16 phosphorylation (Western blot). We also repeated our functional experiments in a canine post-myocardial infarction model and observed similar results to those seen in NOS1−/− myocytes. In conclusion, EMEPO improved contractile function in myocytes experiencing an imbalance of their nitroso-redox levels. The concurrent restoration of NO and O2.− levels may have therapeutic potential in the treatment of various cardiomyopathies.
Health and Human Security: The Public Health Impact of Violent Conflict

The consequences of violent conflict permeate countless aspects of society, and are not limited to the political and economic institutions of a state. The concept of human security extends traditional, state-centric notions of security to include the security and well-being of people that live within states. Adhering to the human security framework, I examine the effect of militarized conflict on the populations of states by evaluating the relationship between war and public health while taking into account relevant political and economic factors, including democracy and wealth. I argue that interstate and intrastate conflict negatively influences the health achievement of states and, therefore, the human security of their populations. I assess this relationship by analyzing data on summary measures of public health in all states between 1999 and 2001. My analysis suggests that the negative effect of war on health is particularly intense in the short term following the onset of a conflict.
PS-OCT of natural pigmented and nonpigmented interproximal caries lesions

Previous studies have demonstrated that Polarization Sensitive Optical Coherence Tomography (PS-OCT) can be used to image early dental caries. The purpose of this study was to compare the measured reflectivity of natural caries lesions with the mineral loss measured using digital microradiography. An all polarization-maintaining fiber based PS-OCT system operating at 1310-nm was used to acquire polarization resolved images of natural white spot lesions and pigmented lesions on the smooth surfaces of extracted teeth. There was a strong positive correlation between the increase in the integrated reflectivity in the perpendicular polarization axis of the PS-OCT system and the increase in the integrated mineral loss or lesion severity for both white-spot and pigmented lesions, P <0.001. Therefore, PS-OCT is well-suited to assess the severity of natural caries lesions and resolve the internal structure of early caries lesions for the potential assessment of the lesion activity.
Distance-function design and fusion for sequence data

Sequence-data mining plays a key role in many scientific studies and real-world applications such as bioinformatics, data stream, and sensor networks, where sequence data are processed and their semantics interpreted. In this paper we address two relevant issues: sequence-data representation, and representation-to-semantics mapping. For representation, since the best one is dependent upon the application being used and even the type of query, we propose representing sequence data in multiple views. For each representation, we propose methods to construct a valid kernel as the distance function to measure similarity between sequences. For mapping, we then find the best combination of the individual distance functions, which measure similarity of different views, to depict the target semantics. We propose a super-kernel function-fusion scheme to achieve the optimal mapping. Through theoretical analysis and empirical studies on UCI and real world datasets, we show our approach of multi-view representation and fusion to be mathematically valid and very effective for practical purposes.
The ipsilateral retinocollicular projection in the rabbit: An autoradiographic study of postnatal development and effects of unilateral enucleation

The postnatal development of the ipsilateral retinocollicular projection in the rabbit and the effects of unilateral enucleation (performed on the day of birth, day 0) on that development were studied by using the anterograde axonal transport of tritiated proline injected intraocularly. Material from 1-, 6-, and 10-day-old (i.e., at days 1, 6, and 10) and adult animals was examined. On day 1, autoradiographically labelled optic fibers from the ipsilateral eye formed distinct patches and bands within the superior colliculus (SC), which were restricted primarily to the lateral one-half and anterior one-third to one-half of the nucleus. At subsequent ages no major changes in the location of this projection were found for normal animals or animals enucleated on day 0 (0-DE animals). From dorsal-view reconstructions, the pattern of the ipsilateral projection appeared wedge-shaped with a broad base aligned with the lateral SC border for all normal and 0-DE animals at the various postnatal ages examined. In normal animals the surface area of this projection increased with age and maintained a constant proportion of the increasing surface area of the total SC. In 0-DE animals the surface area of the projection initially increased more rapidly than in normal animals. Thus, by day 6 the area was already within the normal adult range but did not exceed this range at later postnatal ages. The only obvious difference in the appearance of the ipsilateral retinocollicular projection between normal and 0-DE animals at corresponding ages was an enhanced radial distribution of the projection across laminae in the 0-DE animals. Taken together these findings suggest that, in the rabbit, once topographically appropriate connections are established between the SC and the ipsilateral retinal projection, they are maintained regardless of substantial postnatal growth of the SC and removal of the contralateral retinal projection to the SC.
Direct mail recruitment to home-based smoking and weight control programs: a comparison of strategies.

Abstract Obesity and smoking remain major public health problems. Because of their widespread prevalence, large scale community-wide programs are needed to have an impact on public health. The purpose of this study was to determine the magnitude of response to four variations in recruitment and demographic characteristics of people enrolling in self-help programs for weight control and smoking cessation. A total of 76,900 households from three communities were offered correspondence-based programs in weight control and smoking cessation. Rates of enrollment ranged from 0.1 to 5% for smoking and from 0.3 to 12% for weight after adjusting for estimated prevalence of smoking and obesity. Recruitment rates were positively related to amount of money spent on recruitment per household. Sending sign-up packages only to those returning interest cards was less costly than sending sign-up packages to everyone. Those who received announcements of the program prior to receiving sign-up packages enrolled at a higher rate than those not receiving announcements. Mass media campaigns did not clearly increase enrollment. A flat fee/materials only option was about 10 times more popular than an incentive option which required a deposit and was refunded proportional to success. Enrollees were somewhat older, better educated and less overweight than those enrolling in traditional programs. Average recruitment costs per enrollee ranged from $14 to $27 in the three communities. Total enrollment was 1990 for weight and 298 for smoking across the three communities in what may be the largest direct mail recruitment effort and intervention program of its kind yet attempted.
The nucleotide composition of the total ribonucleic acid in subcellular fractions of resting and regenerating rat liver.

Abstract The ribonucleic acid in the mitochondria, submicroscopic particles, supernatant, and purified nucleic of both resting and regenerating rat liver has been analyzed for its constituent purine and pyrimidine components without prior isolation of the nucleic acid. All of the fractions show essentially the same ratio of guanine to adenine, uridylic acid to cytidylic acid, and pyrimidine to purine, except for a significantly higher uridylic acid ratio in purified nuclei. Phosphorus analyses show that all the RNA phosphorus has been accounted for in the form of purine or pyrimidine bases, with the ratios of analytical RNA phosphorus to calculated pyrimidine plus purine phosphorus averaging about 0.90. This suggests that the intact ribonucleic acid macromolecule has more than one mole of base per mole of phosphorus. The significance of these results is discussed.
Confirmational properties of 3-phenylpiperidine and 3-phenylpyrrolidine opioid analgesics

Conformational energy calculations have been performed on 3-phenylpiperidine and 3-phenylpyrrolidine opioids using the MM2 method. Phenyl equatorial conformers were found to be preferred for 1,2,3-trimethyl-3-phenylpiperidines while phenyl axial conformers were preferred for the 2-demethyl derivative and 1-methyl-3-isobutyl-3-phenylpyrrolidine. These conformational differences may account for differences in their structure-activity relationships. The geometries of these compounds were superimposed onto a rigid phenyl-axial opioid with the result that the more active antipodes of alpha-2,3-dimethyl-3-phenylpiperidine and 3-isobutyl-3-phenylpyrrolidine antagonists were found to be a better fit. However, for the beta derivative, which has not yet been resolved, the opposite antipode was found to be a better fit though the orientation of NH bond was quite different. There is a good agreement between the computed molecular geometries and those observed by x-ray crystallography.
Analytic Description of Dip Moveout In Anisotropic Media

Dip-moveout (DMO) processing is usually based on the cosine-of-dip correction for moveout velocity valid for homogeneous, isotropic media. Some recently developed DMO algorithms allow for a velocity gradient above the reflector, but still ignore anisotropy. Here, I present an analytic treatment of normal moveout velocities for dipping reflectors valid for a wide range of homogeneous anisotropic models including transverse isotropy with a tilted symmetry axis and symmetry planes in orthorhombic media.
158. Prenatal depressive symptoms, oxytocin and birth-weight in Urban African American women

Low-income African American women (AAW) report elevated prenatal depressive symptoms more often (42%) than the national average (20%). In the USA in 2012, 13% of AAW had low-birth-weight infants (
POSTER: Mobile Device Identification by Leveraging Built-in Capacitive Signature

This work presents on-top, a new device identification method that exploits off-the-shelf capacitive touchscreens to extract its capacitive signatures. The method relies on a key observation that each capacitive touch screen has a unique capacitive signature which are caused by either the difference in touch sensing technologies or the imperfections of the sensor during its fabrication. In particular, the voltage pattern generated by commercial of-the-shelf (COTS) capacitive touchscreens during finger touch sensing are uniquely identifiable. Our preliminary evaluation with actual hardware prototype on 14 mobile touchscreens shows that on-top achieves a promising performance of 100% detection rate without any false positive. We also show that on-top can be used to securely trigger wireless communication while it consumes a very little amount of power (3.5 times lower than triggering using NFC and 2 times lower than using Bluetooth low energy (BLE)).
Quantitative studies on trehalose in the oyster, Crassostrea virginica Gmelin.

Abstract 1. 1. Trehalose was identified in the oyster, Crassostrea virginica Gmelin, and found to be present throughout the period of one year in amounts ranging from 0·188 mg/g wet wt. to 3·300 mg/g wet wt. 2. 2. Trehalose levels remained constant except for February and July, when they were significantly elevated. 3. 3. The amount of trehalose relative to glycogen in normally very small except immediately after spawning, when the glycogen level is drastically reduced.
Providing Care for Previvors: Implications for Oncology Nurses

Previvors are individuals who are survivors of a genetic predisposition for developing cancer. They often are confronted with difficult decisions about management of risks that might include aggressive screening and prophylactic surgery. Psychosocial challenges exist for the affected individual, their partners, and offspring. Oncology nurses need to be aware of the complex and special needs of this ever-growing population.
Effects of recombinant human interferon-gamma (Met-Gln form) on expression of Fc receptor and Ia-like antigen on human peripheral monocytes and lymphocytes : A comparative study with natural human interferon-alpha and-beta.

The effects of recombinant human interferon (IFN) -gamma (Met-Gln form), having the same amino acid sequence as that of natural human IFN-gamma except for the N-terminal Met residue, on the expression of Fc receptor (FcR) and Ia-like antigen in human monocytes and lymphocytes were comparatively investigated with those of natural human IFN-alpha and -beta. IFN-gamma (Met-Gln form) increased dose-dependently the number of FcRs binding to anti-chicken red blood cell (CRBC) immunoglobulin G on monocytes and the number of monocytes bearing the FcR, whereas the two natural IFNs did not. IFN-gamma (Met-Gln form) also enhanced the expression of Ia-like antigen on monocytes but the natural IFNs did not. On the other hand, IFN-gamma (Met-Gln form) had no effect on the expression of the FcR and Ia-like antigen on lymphocytes or on antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxic activity against CRBCs, as was also the case with the natural IFNs. These results indicate that IFN-gamma (Met-Gln form) has a potent ability to induce or enhance the expression of FcR and Ia-like antigen on human monocytes though IFN-alpha and -beta do not, whereas IFN-gamma (Met-Gln form) has no effect on the expression on human lymphocytes, like the natural IFNs.
Effects of polyhydroxyl alcohols on protein synthesis in brain slices.

Abstract: Stressors such as tissue slicing, toxic chemicals, and heat shock applied to cultured cells, organ tissues, or whole animals in vivo induce the synthesis of a 71,000-kilodalton stress protein (SP71) that is not normally present in most organ tissues. In the present experiment, an attempt was made to inhibit selectively the synthesis of SP71 in rat brain tissue slices. Of several manipulations to the brain slice incubation medium that were examined, only addition of very high concentrations of certain polyhydroxyl alcohols, i.e., 1.0 M glycerol, selectively inhibited SP71 synthesis. Glycerol also selectively inhibited SP71 synthesis in heat-shocked cerebral microvascular cells in culture but failed to inhibit SP71 synthesis in anesthetized rats in vivo in response to heat shock. The effects of glycerol on SP71 synthesis are discussed in relationship to current hypotheses concerning the function of SP71.
Electrophysiological Effects of Direct Current Countershock before and after Ouabain Sensitization and after Diphenylhydantoin Desensitization in the Dog

The effects of synchronized direct current countershock on ventricular automaticity, intraventricular conduction, and atrioventricular conduction were studied before and after ouabain administration and after diphenylhydantoin. At the level of electrical energy that induced ventricular arrhythmias, averaging 159 watt-seconds, countershock transiently increased ventricular automaticity and prolonged both intraventricular and atrioventricular conduction time. Immediately after ouabain-induced ventricular tachycardia returned to regular sinus rhythm, underlying ventricular automaticity and intraventricular and atrioventricular conduction times were increased. An average of 23 watt-seconds produced overt and persistent ventricular tachycardias due to enhanced automaticity or re-entry. Atrioventricular and intraventricular conduction times were also prolonged, and transient complete heart block occurred in two experiments. Diphenylhydantoin administration at this time depressed ventricular automaticity, caused a speeding of atrioventricular and intraventricular conduction times and increased the electrical energy necessary to produce ventricular tachycardia to 355 watt-seconds.
Cognitive aspects of depression

Depression is a prevalent and impairing psychiatric disorder that affects how we feel and how we think about ourselves and the world around us. Cognitive theories of depression have long posited that various thought processes are involved in the development, maintenance, and recurrence of depressive episodes. Contemporary research has utilized experimental procedures to examine cognitive processes in depressed individuals as well as the nature of the relation of these processes to the emotion dysregulation that is central to the disorder. For example, investigators have assessed the ways in which depression alters aspects of information processing, including attention and perception, interpretation, and memory processes; this research has generated relatively consistent findings. In addition, researchers have attempted to identify and elucidate the cognitive mechanisms that may link these biases in information processing to emotion dysregulation in depression. These mechanisms include inhibitory processes and deficits in working memory, ruminative responses to negative mood states, and the inability to use positive and rewarding stimuli to regulate negative mood. Results of these investigations converge on the formulation that depression is associated with increased elaboration of negative information, difficulties in cognitive control when processing this information, and difficulties disengaging from this information. Research examining cognitive aspects of depression not only enhances our understanding of this common and costly disorder, but also has implications for the treatment of depression and for future investigations of the biological foundations of this disorder.
Revisiting the role of mutagenesis in the induction of lung cancers in rats by diesel emissions

Abstract Recent studies have reported the induction of lung tumors in rats chronically exposed to levels of diesel-engine emissions which interfered with lung clearance. The present analysis suggests that the mutagenic substances (e.g. dinitropyrenes, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) present in diesel particulates are not major contributors to rat-lung carcinogenesis. The cancers presumably result from lung “overloading” and the ensuing inflammatory response. In the absence of additional data, this putative mechanism of diesel-caused cancer cannot be exptrapolated to other species at risk from exposure to diesel emissions.
Three somatic responses in grief.

The special instance in which the manifestations of grief are expressed principally in the somatic realm is discussed. Three case histories are presented to illustrate varieties of physical response t
Cardiovascular effects of pancuronium, vecuronium, and atracurium during induction of anesthesia with sufentanil and lorazepam for myocardial revascularization.

The hemodynamic effects of three commonly used muscle relaxants, pancuronium, vecuronium, and atracurium were investigated during induction of anesthesia with sufentanil and lorazepam in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery. Direct hemodynamic variables were recorded, and indirect parameters were calculated using standard formulae. Changes in heart rate differed with the three muscle relaxants. Pancuronium increased the heart rate whereas vecuronium and atracurium produced a decrease 5 minutes after induction (P < 0.05). No differences were found in any other parameter during the study. A slow induction with sufentanil, lorazepam, and any of the three muscle relaxants was shown to minimize the hemodynamic changes.
Psychological Sense of School Membership Scale: Method Effects Associated With Negatively Worded Items

The Psychological Sense of School Membership (PSSM) scale has been used widely to measure adolescent perceptions of sense of school belonging in research investigating associations between the relational quality of educational contexts and motivational and achievement outcomes. Previous research examining the factor structure of the PSSM scale consistently identifies a factor named perception of rejection that consists of only negatively worded items. This study extends previous research by considering potential method effects associated with negatively worded items. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses of a diverse U.S. high school sample (N = 890) identified three substantive factors—identification and participation in school, perception of fitting in among peers, and generalized connection to teachers. Our investigation determined the presence of method effects in this scale, and such method effects are best represented with a common negative wording factor.
Optimal use of G-CSF administration after hematopoietic SCT

After hematopoietic SCT (HSCT), G-CSF is commonly used to enhance stem cell engraftment to minimize the morbidity and mortality associated with prolonged neutropenia. However, there is no consensus on the optimal use of G-CSF after high-dose chemotherapy followed by HSCT. This review was performed to evaluate the evidence regarding the use of G-CSF after autologous and allogeneic HSCT. Studies investigating the use of G-CSF in comparison to control (observation or placebo), early vs delayed initiation of G-CSF, and other approaches driven by patient-specific parameters to identify optimal use of G-CSF have been reviewed. Various outcomes such as neutrophil and platelet engraftment, post-transplant length of hospital stay, post-transplant complications such as infection and GVHD, and survival have been assessed. Finally, we provide the level of evidence for each of the outcomes analyzed while evaluating strategies for using G-CSF in patients undergoing autologous or allogeneic HSCT.
Seismic damage prediction by deterministic methods: Concepts and procedures

Although the prediction of seismic damage is primarily a probabilistic problem, deterministic analysis can nevertheless be a valuable tool. This paper reviews the concepts which have been used in damage prediction, and identifies and classifies several specific techniques. Techniques of two types are considered, the first based on the balance between some demand on the structure and its corresponding capacity, and the second on the degradation of some structural property. For each technique, one or more damage parameters can be computed, and from these a damage index can be estimated. Several alternative choices for the damage parameters are identified. Procedures for computing values for these parameters, and relating them to damage indices, are suggested.
The structural organization of connections between hypothalamus and cerebral cortex.

Motivated behavior requires coordinated somatic, autonomic, and endocrine responses, and may be divided into initiation, procurement, and consummatory phases (Swanson, L.W. and Mogenson, G.J., Neural mechanisms for the functional coupling of autonomic, endocrine and somatomotor responses in adaptative behavior, Brain Res. Rev., 3 (1981) 1-34). Obviously, such behavior may involve the entire central nervous system, although it is important to identify circuitry or systems that mediate the behavior directed toward specific goal objects. This problem has recently been clarified by the identification of hypothalamic subsystems important for the execution of instinctive behaviors related to ingestion, reproduction, and defense. These subsystems are modulated by sensory (reflex), central control (e.g., circadian), and voluntary (cortical) inputs. The latter are dominated by inputs from the ventral temporal lobe and medial prefrontal region, which are both direct and via associated parts of the basal nuclei (ganglia). Hypothalamic output is characterized by descending projections to brainstem and spinal motor systems, and by projections back to the cerebral cortex, which are both direct and via a continuous rostromedial part of the dorsal thalamus. This thalamic region includes the anterior, medial, and midline groups, which in turn innervate a continuous ring of cortex that includes the hippocampal formation and the cingulate, prefrontal, and insular regions. Parts of this thalamic region also innervate the ventral striatum, which receives a massive input from the cortical rings as well.
Approximate solutions to nonlinearly-constrained optimal control problems

The use of variational methods in optimal control problems involves solving a two-point boundary-value problem (for states and costates) and satisfying an optimality condition. For problems with quadratic integral cost that have linear state dynamics and unconstrained controls, the co-state equations are also linear. Adjoining control constraints to the objective function introduces non linearity to the costate equation, and iterative numerical methods are required to converge upon the optimal control trajectory. The nonlinear costate terms arise at times in which the control constraints are active. In the numerical methodology proposed in this paper, an approximately optimal solution is converged upon from a feasible sub-optimal initial control trajectory. In each iteration the control trajectory moves toward the unconstrained optimum solution while remaining feasible. Importantly, the state and costate equations are linear and the method is applied to a multi-input system designed to minimize the response of a vibration isolation system by adjusting only the damping characteristics of a variable damping device.
Mock Juror Judgment and the Insanity Plea: Effects of Incrimination and Sanity information1

Mock jurors were given information about a stabbing incident which varied in incrimination value (high or low) and a psychological profile of the perpetrator which varied in the degree of indicated insanity (high, medium, or low) in four replications of a 2 × 3 design. In one replication, the information was presented in the context of a sanity hearing where guilt was not an issue. In three other replications, the context was a criminal trial in which the defendant pleaded not guilty on the facts, not guilty by reason of insanity (NGI), or both. Judgments in the insanity plea replication were significantly affected by incrimination information even though sanity is legally the only issue. Insanity information predictably affected judgments in the sanity hearing but had only weak effects in the insanity plea context. It was concluded that the judgment dimension which equates insanity with not guilty results in a conflict which subjects resolved by viewing the dimension as more of a guilt dimension.
Temperature-dependent measurements of an inverted metamorphic multijunction (IMM) solar cell

The inverted metamorphic multijunction (IMM) solar cell has demonstrated efficiencies as high as 40.8% at 25°C and 326 suns concentration. The actual operating temperature in a commercial module, however, is likely to be as much as 50–70°C hotter, reaching as high as 100°C. In order to be able to evaluate the cell performance under these real-world operating conditions, we have measured the open-circuit voltage, short-circuit current density and efficiency at temperatures up to 125°C and concentrations up to 1000 suns, as well as the temperature coefficients of these parameters. Spectral response and one-sun current-voltage characteristics were measured by carefully adjusting the incident spectrum to selectively current-limit the different subcells. Concentrator measurements were taken on a pulsed solar simulator to minimize any additional heating due to the high intensity illumination. We compare our measured values to predictions based on detailed models of various triple junction solar cells. By choosing the optimum bandgaps for high temperature operation, the IMM can potentially result in greater energy production and lower temperature sensitivity under real operating conditions than a Ge-based solar cell.
Uncertainties Associated With the Surface Texture of Ice Particles in Satellite-Based Retrieval of Cirrus Clouds—Part I: Single-Scattering Properties of Ice Crystals With Surface Roughness

Surface roughness of ice crystals is a morphological parameter important to the scattering characteristics of these particles. The intent of this paper, reported in two parts (hereafter, Parts I and II), is to investigate the accuracy associated with some simplifications in calculating the single-scattering properties of roughened ice crystals and to quantify the effect of surface roughness on the retrieval of the optical and microphysical properties of ice clouds from satellite observations. In Part I, two ray-tracing schemes, a rigorous algorithm and an approximate algorithm with a simplified treatment of surface roughness, are employed to calculate the single-scattering properties of randomly oriented hexagonal ice crystals with size parameters in the geometric optics regime. With the rigorous approach, it requires substantial computational effort to accurately account for the multiple external reflections between various roughness facets and the reentries of outgoing rays into the particles in the ray-tracing computation. With the simplified ray-tracing scheme, the ray-tracing calculation for roughened particles is similar to that for smooth particles except that, in the former case, the normal of the particle surface is statistically perturbed for each reflection-refraction event. The simplified ray-tracing scheme can account for most the effects of surface roughness on particle single-scattering properties without incurring substantial demand on computational resources and, thus, provides an efficient way to compute the single-scattering properties of roughened particles. The effect of ice-crystal surface roughness on the retrieval of the optical thicknesses and effective particle sizes of cirrus clouds is reported in Part II.
A practical biomedical engineering planning and decision making model

A quality planning and decision making model is presented. This model was developed by the quality improvement task group at the hospital. It presents a practical example of how such a model could be used by a biomedical engineering department.
Chemical, enzymatic and ultrastructural characterization of 5-hydroxytryptamine-containing neurons from the ganglia of Aplysia californica and Tritionia diomedia.

— Several identified neurons in Aplysia and Tritonia ganglia were shown to contain measurable quantities (4–6 pmol/cell body) of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT). A metabolic correlate for the limited distribution of 5-HT among the neurons of Tritonia is provided by the finding that the enzyme, aromatic acid decarboxylase (AAD), is 500 times more active in nerve cells containing 5-HT than in neurons devoid of the amine. Although all Aplysia neurons have some AAD activity, 5-HT cell bodies in this species are 10-fold more active than cell bodies which do not contain 5-HT. The cytoplasm of 5-HT cell bodies in Aplysia and Tritonia characteristically contains granules that have minimum diameters of approx. 1000 A and eccentric opaque cores. This type of granule was not found in somata which did not contain measurable 5-HT. These data illustrate the metabolic and morphological specialization in 5-HT-containing neurons of molluscs.
Mechanical properties and cytocompatibility of biomimetic hydroxyapatite-gelatin nanocomposites

A hydroxyapatite-gelatin nanocomposite system has been developed to resemble the composition and ultrastructure of natural bone for the application of tissue engineering. In the current study, variations in composition—content of gelatin and glutaraldehyde crosslinker—were examined in the context of mechanical properties and material biocompatibility. It was found that increasing the gelatin concentration resulted in a decreased hydroxyapatite crystal length and was associated with a slight increase in elastic modulus. Increases in gelatin and glutaraldehyde content were associated with increased material fracture toughness. Cellular biocompatibility tests, including cellular attachment and proliferation assays, were also used to assist in the process of optimizing gelatin and glutaraldehyde content. Optimized biomimetic nanocomposite materials for in vivo applications will likely be a compromise between the improved mechanical properties and decreased cytocompatibility associated with increased glutaraldehyde contents.
Electric machines as metamaterials: Induction machine design using planar layer models

This work develops accepted layer-based analysis techniques to support the preliminary stages of electric machine design. The approach pairs a simplified geometric model with an analytical solution for magnetic diffusion to make computations for optimization tractable. The flexibility of the method supports exploration of unusual material parameter combinations, and is illustrated through a three-layer composite system. Design tradeoffs associated with rotor material parameters are studied, and subsequent reduced-order system optimization is shown to act as a preliminary objective within electric machine realization. Emphasis is placed on induction machines.
Development of an Adenovirus-Based Respiratory Syncytial Virus Vaccine: Preclinical Evaluation of Efficacy, Immunogenicity, and Enhanced Disease in a Cotton Rat Model

The lack of a vaccine against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a challenging and serious gap in preventive medicine. Herein, we characterize the immunogenicity of an adenovirus serotype 5-based RSV vaccine encoding the fusion (F) protein (Ad5.RSV-F) and the protection provided following immunization with Ad5.RSV-F and assess its potential for producing enhanced disease in a cotton rat (CR) model. Animals were immunized intranasally (i.n.) and/or intramuscularly (i.m.) and subsequently challenged with RSV/A/Tracy (i.n.) to assess protection. Robust immune responses were seen in CRs vaccinated with Ad5.RSV-F given i.m. or i.n., and these responses correlated with reduced replication of the virus in noses and lungs after challenge. Neutralizing antibody responses following immunization with a single dose of Ad5.RSV-F at 1 × 1011 viral particles (v.p.) elicited antibody titers 64- to 256-fold greater than those seen after natural infection. CRs boosted with Ad5.RSV-F i.n. 28 days after an i.m. dose also had significant increases in neutralizing antibody titers. Antibody affinity for different F-protein antigenic sites revealed substantial differences between antibodies elicited by Ad5.RSV-F and those seen after RSV infection; differences in antibody profiles were also seen between CRs given Ad5.RSV-F i.m. and CRs given Ad5.RSV-F i.n. Ad5.RSV-F priming did not result in enhanced disease following live-virus challenge, in contrast to the histopathology seen in CRs given the formalin-inactivated RSV/A/Burnett vaccine. IMPORTANCE Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the most common cause of acute lower respiratory infection in infants and young children and a serious health threat in the immunocompromised and the elderly. Infection severity increased in children in an immunization trial, hampering the over 4-decade-long quest for a successful RSV vaccine. In this study, we show that a genetically engineered RSV-F-encoding adenoviral vector provides protective immunity against RSV challenge without enhanced lung disease in cotton rats (CRs). CRs were vaccinated under a number of different regimens, and the immunity induced by the recombinant adenoviral RSV vaccine administered by use of an intramuscular prime-intranasal boost regimen may provide the best protection for young infants and children at risk of RSV infection, since this population is naive to adenoviral preformed immunity. Overall, this report describes a potential RSV vaccine candidate that merits further evaluation in a phase I clinical study in humans.