cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Functional Tests of the Liver; A Clinical Review

Excerpt Progress in our knowledge of the function and diseases of the liver has unfortunately been slow. With few exceptions it is only in recent years that intensive, coordinated effort on the par...
Negative spatial regulation of the lineage specific CyIIIa actin gene in the sea urchin embryo.

The CyIIIa.CAT fusion gene was injected into Strongylocentrotus purpuratus eggs, together with excess ligated competitor sequences representing subregions of the CyIIIa regulatory domain. In this construct, the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) reporter gene is placed under the control of the 2300 nucleotide upstream regulatory domain of the lineage-specific CyIIIa cytoskeletal actin gene. CAT mRNA was detected by in situ hybridization in serial sections of pluteus stage embryos derived from the injected eggs. When carrier DNA lacking competitor CyIIIa fragments was coinjected with CyIIIa.CAT, CAT mRNA was observed exclusively in aboral ectoderm cells, i.e. the territory in which the CyIIIa gene itself is normally expressed (as also reported by us previously). The same result was obtained when five of seven different competitor subfragments bearing sites of DNA-protein interaction were coinjected. However, coinjection of excess quantities of either of two widely separated, nonhomologous fragments of the CyIIIa regulatory domain produced a dramatic ectopic expression of CAT mRNA in the recipient embryos. CAT mRNA was observed in gut, mesenchyme cells and oral ectoderm in these embryos. We conclude that these fragments contain regulatory sites that negatively control spatial expression of the CyIIIa gene.
Dual-domain microchip-based process for volume reduction solid phase extraction of nucleic acids from dilute, large volume biological samples.

A microfluidic device was developed to carry out integrated volume reduction and purification of nucleic acids from dilute, large volume biological samples commonly encountered in forensic genetic analysis. The dual-phase device seamlessly integrates two orthogonal solid-phase extraction (SPE) processes, a silica solid phase using chaotrope-driven binding and an ion exchange phase using totally aqueous chemistry (chitosan phase), providing the unique capability of removing polymerase chain reaction (PCR) inhibitors used in silica-based extractions (guanidine and isopropanol). Nucleic acids from a large volume sample are shown to undergo a substantial volume reduction on the silica phase, followed by a more stringent extraction on the chitosan phase. The key to interfacing the two steps is mixing of the eluted nucleic acids from the first phase with loading buffer which is facilitated by flow-mediated mixing over a herringbone mixing region in the device. The complete aqueous chemistry associated with the ...
Does the dawn phenomenon have clinical relevance in normal pregnancy

Objective The dawn phenomenon is a transient rise in blood glucose between 4 and 6 am that is attributed to the pulsatile release of pituitary growth hormone (GH). In pregnancy, GH is suppressed by placental GH. Hence, we hypothesize that there is no evidence for the dawn phenomenon in late pregnancy in healthy women. Study Design Twenty glucose-tolerant women with singleton gestations between 28 weeks and 36 weeks 6 days' gestation were recruited. The women were admitted overnight to the Clinical Research Unit and had continuous glucose monitoring. Insulin and GH were measured at 2-hour intervals from 8 pm to 8 am. GH was grouped into times 1A (8-10 pm), 2A (12-2 am), and 3A (4-8 am) for changes over time. Further analysis was performed with time 1B (8 pm to 2 am) and 2B (4-8 am). Insulin was measured between 4 and 8 am. Results Plasma glucose decreased over time ( P P = .45) or times 1B and 2B ( P = .12). Insulin concentrations increased after meals, but there were no changes from 4 am (8.5 ± 1.4 μU/mL) through 8 am (8.6 ± 1.1 μU/mL; P = .98). Conclusion Glucose and insulin concentrations show no increase from 4-8 am; although there is variability in GH, there is no evidence for the dawn phenomenon in late pregnancy in healthy women.
High efficiency inducible gene expression system based on activation of a chimeric transcription factor in transgenic pine

Inducible gene expression systems are needed in functional genomics of tree species. A glucocorticoid-inducible gene expression system was established in a gymnosperm species Virginia pine (Pinus virginiana Mill.) through Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated genetic transformation. The results demonstrate that expression of the m-gfp5-ER reporter gene was tightly controlled and 0.1 μM of the glucocorticoid hormone triamcinolone was able to induce m-gfp5-ER expression in transgenic cells. Differential expression of gfp in transgenic cells induced by different concentrations of triamcinolone was observed and confirmed by Northern Blot analysis and by quantitative green fluorescence analyses with Laser Scanning Microscopy. In transgenic plantlets, triamcinolone was taken up efficiently by roots. Triamcinolone was able to induce m-gfp5-ER activity throughout the whole plant. The phenotype of transgenic plantlets was not affected 6 weeks after treatment with 0.1–10 μM triamcinolone. However, 6-week inductions with 100 μM triamcinolone caused growth retardation and developmental defects, as well as inhibition of root formation and elongation. With careful selection of transgenic lines, the inducible gene expression presented in this study could be a very valuable alternative for functional identification of novel genes in plants, especially in pine.
Cook, Kannan and Schrijver’s example revisited

Abstract In 1990, Cook, Kannan and Schrijver [W. Cook, R. Kannan, A. Schrijver, Chvatal closures for mixed integer programming problems, Mathematical Programming 47 (1990) 155–174] proved that the split closure (the 1st 1-branch split closure) of a polyhedron is again a polyhedron. They also gave an example of a mixed-integer polytope in R 2 + 1 whose 1-branch split rank is infinite. We generalize this example to a family of high-dimensional polytopes and present a closed-form description of the k th 1-branch split closure of these polytopes for any k ≥ 1 . Despite the fact that the m -branch split rank of the ( m + 1 )-dimensional polytope in this family is 1, we show that the 2-branch split rank of the ( m + 1 )-dimensional polytope is infinite when m ≥ 3 . We conjecture that the t -branch split rank of the ( m + 1 )-dimensional polytope of the family is infinite for any 1 ≤ t ≤ m − 1 and m ≥ 2 .
The valence of a-site copper and b-site manganese in the spinel CuMnGaO4

Abstract Magnetic measurements have been made on the spinel CuMnGaO 4 . The observed Curie constant, the Curie-Weiss θ and the shape of the inverse susceptibility versus temperature curve indicate the ionic configuration Cu 2+ [Mn 3+ Ga 3+ ]O 4 .
Petrology and U-Pb SHRIMP Geochronology of a Garnet Peridotite, Sulu UHP Terrane, East-Central China

Garnet clinopyroxenite at Rizhao occurs as a lens 100 x 225 m2 within a serpentinized peridotite body, in fault contact with felsic gneiss. Minor dunite also occurs within the same peridotite. The clinopyroxenite consists of porphyroblastic Grt-bearing (type 1), megacrystic Grt-bearing (type 2), porphyroblastic Cpx-bearing (type 3), and equigranular (type 4) garnet clinopyroxenite. Lamellaerich, coarse-grained Cpx occurs as inclusions in megacrystic Grt from type 2 clinopyroxenite, and as porphyroblasts in a matrix of Cpx + Grt + Ilm from type 3 clinopyroxenite; these clinopyroxenes contain abundant exsolution lamellae of Grt (Prp16-19Grs62Alm19-21Sps1) + Ilm ± Mag ± Amp (Mg#: 0.88-0.98; Na2O: 0.5-3.3 wt%; K2O: 0.7-1.0 wt%; TiO2: 0.1-0.2 wt%). Megacrystic and porphyroblastic garnet (Prp35-42Grs34-45Alm19-24Sps1) also occurs in a matrix of fine-grained Cpx + Grt + Ilm; spinel (Mg#: 0.60-0.62) is present as inclusions in both porphyroblastic Grt and lamellae-rich Cpx. Petrochemical data support a mantle ori...
Hydrogen peroxide induces apoptosis in cerebral vascular smooth muscle cells: possible relation to neurodegenerative diseases and strokes

Recently, reactive oxygen species (ROS) have been suggested as important mediators of brain damage in a number of disease states, including traumatic brain injury, neurodegenerative diseases and strokes. Apoptosis has been suggested to play an important role in neurodegenerative diseases, traumatic brain injury and strokes. The aim of this study was to determine whether or not cerebral vascular smooth muscle cells (CVSMCs) undergo apoptosis following treatment with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Herein, we demonstrate, for the first time, that H2O2 can induce apoptosis in a concentration-dependent manner in primary cultured CVSMCs, as measured by several morphological and biochemical criteria. H2O2-induced apoptosis may be initiated by stimulating Ca2+-dependent endonuclease activity. The present new data suggest that apoptosis in cerebral VSMCs, induced by ROS, such as H2O2, could play important roles in neruodegenerative processes, traumatic brain injury and strokes.
High dynamic range video with ghost removal

We propose a new method for ghost-free high dynamic range (HDR) video taken with a camera that captures alternating short and long exposures. These exposures may be combined using traditional HDR techniques, however motion in a dynamic scene will lead to ghosting artifacts. Due to occlusions and fast moving objects, a gradient-based optical flow motion compensation method will fail to eliminate all ghosting. As such, we perform simpler block-based motion estimation and refine the motion vectors in saturated regions using color similarity in the adjacent frames. The block-based search allows motion to be calculated directly between adjacent frames over a larger search range, yet at the cost of decreased motion fidelity. To address this, we investigate a new method to fix registration errors and block artifacts using a cross-bilateral filter to preserve the edges and structure of the original frame while retaining the HDR color information. Results show promising dynamic range expansion for videos with fast local motion.
New N-methyl pyrrole and thiophene based D–π–A systems for dye-sensitized solar cells

Abstract Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) containing novel DP-T and DP-P organic sensitizers having thiophene and N-methyl pyrrole moieties as π bridges in a D–π–A system were assembled and characterized. Incorporation of a thiophene bridge to give sensitizer DP-T enhanced solar energy capture, while impedance spectroscopy showed a much longer electron recombination lifetime (τ) for the DSSCs based on pyrrole containing sensitizer DP-P. The observed kinetics led to increased open circuit voltage (Voc) for the device based on DP-P, regardless of types of additives (TBP or DCA) employed in the devices. Better photovoltaic performance was achieved using DP-T.
Big data and the future

At the beginning of her career Sherri Rose discusses big data and stands amazed at its potential.
Glutamatergic Neurotransmission in Alcoholism

Substance abuse and dependence is the most common psychiatric problem. Alcohol is the most commonly abused substance and most people who abuse other substance(s) abuse alcohol at the same time. Accumu
Centralizers of elements inp-groups

Proof. Let IX[ =n, let I=Ip be the ring of p-adic integers and let M = I X be the group ring of X over I viewed as a right X-module. Thus, M m N = Z X , the integral group ring of X, also viewed as a right X-module. Let L be the centralizer of Y in M, so that L r N is the centralizer of Y in N, and L has an /-basis of the shape {xa}, where a = l + y + ... + y pl , ( y ) = Y and where x ranges over a transversal to Y in X. The module M has a topological structure given by I[ f[, where t[m [[ = p " if 0 :~ mep"M, m~.p a+ 1M. The resulting metric p (m, m') = 11 m m' 11 converts M to a complete metric space. Thus, every Cauchy sequence of M has a limit. We argue that there is an integer r > 0 with the following properties: if rn~M and mCpM+L, then m ( 1 y ) ( s p r M + L . Suppose false. Then for every r=0 , 1, ..., we can choose mr such that
Apoptotic Killing of HIV-1–Infected Macrophages Is Subverted by the Viral Envelope Glycoprotein

Viruses have evolved strategies to protect infected cells from apoptotic clearance. We present evidence that HIV-1 possesses a mechanism to protect infected macrophages from the apoptotic effects of the death ligand TRAIL (tumor necrosis factor–related apoptosis-inducing ligand). In HIV-1–infected macrophages, the viral envelope protein induced macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF). This pro-survival cytokine downregulated the TRAIL receptor TRAIL-R1/DR4 and upregulated the anti-apoptotic genes Bfl-1 and Mcl-1. Inhibition of M-CSF activity or silencing of Bfl-1 and Mcl-1 rendered infected macrophages highly susceptible to TRAIL. The anti-cancer agent Imatinib inhibited M-CSF receptor activation and restored the apoptotic sensitivity of HIV-1–infected macrophages, suggesting a novel strategy to curtail viral persistence in the macrophage reservoir.
Adult higher education from an international perspective

Adult higher education, the active participation of adults in formal degree or certificate programs of study in higher education, has become an important movement internationally. This movement is focused upon adults who are typically 25 years of age or older and who have had a previous interruption in their formal schooling, have assumed adult life responsibilities such as work, family, or military commitments, and are now enrolled in formal higher education programs. This article will present a synthesis of current international policies, programs, and perspectives in adult higher education. As a background overview, key societal forces, local characterizing terminology, and select national descriptive statistics of adult student enrolments will be presented. Three organizational patterns of international adult higher education will be suggested.
Global Regularizing Flows With Topology Preservation for Active Contours and Polygons

Active contour and active polygon models have been used widely for image segmentation. In some applications, the topology of the object(s) to be detected from an image is known a priori, despite a complex unknown geometry, and it is important that the active contour or polygon maintain the desired topology. In this work, we construct a novel geometric flow that can be added to image-based evolutions of active contours and polygons in order to preserve the topology of the initial contour or polygon. We emphasize that, unlike other methods for topology preservation, the proposed geometric flow continually adjusts the geometry of the original evolution in a gradual and graceful manner so as to prevent a topology change long before the curve or polygon becomes close to topology change. The flow also serves as a global regularity term for the evolving contour, and has smoothness properties similar to curvature flow. These properties of gradually adjusting the original flow and global regularization prevent geometrical inaccuracies common with simple discrete topology preservation schemes. The proposed topology preserving geometric flow is the gradient flow arising from an energy that is based on electrostatic principles. The evolution of a single point on the contour depends on all other points of the contour, which is different from traditional curve evolutions in the computer vision literature
The measurement of the absorption strengths of some lines in the ν1 + ν2 and ν2 + ν3 bands of ammonia

Abstract The absorption strengths of more than 200 lines in the combination bands ν1 + ν2 (parallel) and ν2 + ν3 (perpendicular) of ammonia at 2.3 μm have been measured, using the curve of growth method and an average spectral resolution of 0.05 cm−1. The measurements have been performed at low pressures so that the lines are nearly Doppler shaped, thereby reducing the effects of collision broadening. The measured line strengths deviate, to a considerable extent, from those calculated on the basis of a rigid symmetric top model, revealing the effects of vibration-rotation interactions. Nonlinear least-squares analyses were performed on the observed line strengths, using the intensity formulas derived by Kwan, which include the effects of vibration-rotation interaction up to first order approximation. Values for the intensity parameters were determined from the analysis. They are x1 = 2.71 ± 0.03 cm−2 atm−1; x2 = −0.0132 ± 0.0016 for the parallel band ν1 + ν2, and x 1 = 19.00 ± 0.07 cm −2 atm −1 ; x 2 = 0.0180 ± 0.0012 ; x 3 = 0.0178 ± 0.0009 for the perpendicular band ν2 + ν3.
Pain in the Healthy Full- Term Neonate: Efficacy and Safety of Interventions

Healthy neonates are exposed to the noxious stimulus of pain during routine care. Venipuncture and heel sticks are a regular part of a newborn’s life. Circumcision is another common procedure for male infants, at least in the United States. The exposure to noxious stimuli enacts the stress response and has specific negative physiological effects. Research suggests that multiple painful experiences have a negative impact on future pain responses. Several interventions for the amelioration of pain during these procedures have been suggested. They include use of anesthetics, oral sweet solutions, pharmacological agents, nonnutritive sucking, breastfeeding, music, and other mechanical comfort measures. This article discusses the efficacy and safety of these interventions in the neonatal period.
Water quality of two streams near Yellowstone Park, Wyoming, following the 1988 Clover-Mist wildfire

In 1988, wildfire burned over 50% of the Jones Creek watershed near Yellowstone Park, Wyoming. Crow Creek, an adjacent watershed, was unburned. Water quality data collected from 1989–1993 may show the fire's effect on weathering and nutrient transport. Jones Creek had 25–75% larger concentrations of dissolved solids than Crow Creek during the sampling period. Both streams revealed molar ratios consistent with the stoichiometry of andesine and pyroxene hydrolysis in the trachyandesites that underlie the basins. During 1989, nitrate transported from the unburned Crow Creek basin peaked at 2 mmol ha–1 s–1. This was twice as much as Jones Creek, possibly indicating a source from ash fallout. By 1992 these rates diminished to 0.1 mmol ha–1 s–1 in Crow Creek and increased to 1.8 mmol ha–1 s–1 in Jones Creek, suggesting later nitrate mobilization in the burned watershed. Phosphorus transported from Jones Creek basin averaged 0.011 mmol ha–1 s–1 during summer 1989, but fell to 0.004 mg ha–1 s–1 in subsequent years.
Properties of cannabinoid-dependent long-term depression in the leech

Previously, a cannabinoid-dependent form of long-term depression (LTD) was discovered at the polysynaptic connection between the touch mechanosensory neuron and the S interneuron (Li and Burrell in J Comp Physiol A 195:831-841, 2009). In the present study, the physiological properties of this cannabinoid-dependent LTD were examined. Increases in intracellular calcium in the S interneuron are necessary for this form of LTD in this circuit. Calcium signals contributing to cannabinoid-dependent LTD are mediated by voltage-dependent calcium channel and release of calcium from intracellular stores. Inositol triphosphate receptors, but not ryanodine receptors, appear to mediate this store-released calcium signal. Cannabinoid-dependent LTD also requires activation of metabotropic serotonin receptors, possibly a serotonin type 2-like receptor. Finally, this form of LTD involves the stimulation of nitric oxide synthase and a decrease in cyclic adenosine monophosphate signaling, both of which appeared to be downstream of cannabinoid receptor activation. Based on these findings, the cellular signaling mechanisms of cannabinoid-dependent LTD in the leech are remarkably similar to vertebrate forms of cannabinoid-dependent synaptic plasticity.
The importance of the techniques employed during the enzymatic preparation of isolated liver parenchymal cells.

The endogenous respiration of isolated rat liver parenchymal cells prepared by two enzymatic techniques has been measured. Despite the production of a high percentage of viable cells by both methods, as measured by the exclusion of trypan blue, the cells obtained by one of the techniques consume oxygen at only one-half the rate of those obtained by the other technique. It is suggested that the lower rate is the result of an insufficient oxygen supply and also a lack of control of the pH of the incubation medium during the preparation of the cells.
User behavior during the book selection process

We study user behavior during the stage of the book selection process in which people study the content of a book to decide whether it will be useful for their intended purpose. 24 undergraduates participated in a balanced study in which they were given a topic-book pair and asked to decide whether the book was useful for the topic; we report on the accuracy of the participants’ decisions, the extent to which they use the table-of-contents and the index, and the impact of the medium on the book selection process. We discuss barriers to accurate book selection and consider what can be learned, at the applied and theoretical levels, from further study of this activity.
25 Hours in Family: How Family Internships Can Help School Leaders Transform from Within

This article describes the ways in which a 25-hour internship with families who have children with disabilities impacted four doctoral students in educational leadership. We discuss the lessons we learned as a result of our experiences and provide insight into the structural components of the internship experience that were critical to enhancing our professional development. Key lessons include: (1) the realization that disability is a socially-constructed term that does not describe the talents, feelings, and aspirations of individuals with disabilities; (2) increased knowledge and strategies about how school leaders can provide support to families by listening to their hopes, dreams, and challenges; and (3) the critical need to include families in decision-making processes to ensure that the family perspective is represented. Important structural components of the internship experience included spending time with families in their homes and communities for extended periods of time. Implications for the ...
Serum ferritin: Past, present and future.

Abstract Background Serum ferritin was discovered in the 1930s, and was developed as a clinical test in the 1970s. Many diseases are associated with iron overload or iron deficiency. Serum ferritin is widely used in diagnosing and monitoring these diseases. Scope of review In this chapter, we discuss the role of serum ferritin in physiological and pathological processes and its use as a clinical tool. Major conclusions Although many aspects of the fundamental biology of serum ferritin remain surprisingly unclear, a growing number of roles have been attributed to extracellular ferritin, including newly described roles in iron delivery, angiogenesis, inflammation, immunity, signaling and cancer. General significance Serum ferritin remains a clinically useful tool. Further studies on the biology of this protein may provide new biological insights.
Complex Task Performance under Speed-Accuracy Tradeoff: Single Task versus Dual Task

The effects of speed and accuracy conditions on single and double stimulation task performance were investigated and compared along with the effects of the stimulus complexity and interstimulus interval. The proportion of error responses increased when the complexity of the stimuli increased under speed and accuracy conditions in both single and double stimulation tasks. There was, however, no trend in the proportion of error responses as a function of ISI under speed and accuracy emphases.
Pharmacogenetics of paraoxonases: a brief review

The human paraoxonase (PON) gene family consists of three members, PON1, PON2, and PON3, aligned next to each other on chromosome 7. By far the most-studied member of the family is the serum paraoxonase 1 (PON1), a high-density lipoprotein-associated esterase/lactonase. Early research focused on its capability to hydrolyze toxic organophosphates, and its name derives from one of its most commonly used in vitro substrates, paraoxon. Studies in the last 2 decades have demonstrated PON1's ability to protect against atherosclerosis by hydrolyzing specific derivatives of oxidized cholesterol and/or phospholipids in oxidized low-density lipoprotein and in atherosclerotic lesions. Levels and genetic variability of PON1 influence sensitivity to specific insecticides and nerve agents, as well as the risk of cardiovascular disease. More recently, the other two members of the PON family, PON2 and PON3, have also been shown to have antioxidant properties. A major goal in present research on the paraoxonases is to identify their natural substrates and to elucidate the mechanism(s) of their catalytic activities.
The practical implementation of time-optimal control for robotic manipulators

Abstract This paper presents experimental results for time-optimal control of robotic manipulators along specified paths. The implementation of time-optimal control represents several unique problems: (1) the control is generally discontinuous (bang-bang), (2) actuator dynamics are usually ignored in order to reduce the system order, and (3) the optimal control leaves no control authority to compensate for tracking errors caused by unmodeled dynamic and the delays introduced by the on-line feedback controller. To overcome these difficulties, we compensate for motor dynamics using a simplified friction model, and account for the dynamics of the feedback controller using trajectory preshaping. Implemented for the UCLA Direct Drive Arm, this is shown to drastically reduce the tracking errors compared to the errors obtained with no preshaping and no compensation for motor dynamics. The experimental results demonstrate the merit of time optimal control for reducing motion time as well as for increasing tracking accuracy.
A Lagrangean based branch-and-cut algorithm for global optimization of nonconvex mixed-integer nonlinear programs with decomposable structures

In this work we present a global optimization algorithm for solving a class of large-scale nonconvex optimization models that have a decomposable structure. Such models, which are very expensive to solve to global optimality, are frequently encountered in two-stage stochastic programming problems, engineering design, and also in planning and scheduling. A generic formulation and reformulation of the decomposable models is given. We propose a specialized deterministic branch-and-cut algorithm to solve these models to global optimality, wherein bounds on the global optimum are obtained by solving convex relaxations of these models with certain cuts added to them in order to tighten the relaxations. These cuts are based on the solutions of the sub-problems obtained by applying Lagrangean decomposition to the original nonconvex model. Numerical examples are presented to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed method compared to available commercial global optimization solvers that are based on branch and bound methods.
Evidence for near equality of neutron and proton radii in the N = 82 isotones

Abstract Quasielastic (p, n) data have been taken on the 138 Ba, 142 Nd and 144 Sm isotones at E p = 26 MeV. Analysis with a folding model suggests a ratio of neutron-to-proton rms radii near unity which does not increase with increasing neutron excess.
Male Sympathy with the Situation of Women: Does Personal Experience Make a Difference?

Opinions and feelings about the situation of working women were assessed among a sample of men in high-prestige and low-prestige occupations interviewed in 1979 and 1980. The men varied considerably in how much sympathy they felt with working women. Men in high-prestige occupations were reliably more aware of and upset about the true extent of sex discrimination than were men in low-prestige occupations. Men's attitudes were not connected to the employment status of their wives or mothers, or to the experiences of women in their own lives.
Inter-Scorer Reliability of Davids' Three Projective Measures of Alienation

Inter-scorer reliability of 3 projective measures of alienation was determined by computing the percentages agreement and Pearsonian correlations between 2 independent scorers. A random sample of h...
Osmotic pressures of aqueous bovine serum albumin solutions at high ionic strength

Abstract Using osmometers similar to those described by Vilker et al. [V.L. Vilker, C.K. Colton, K.A. Smith, J. Colloid and Interface Sci. 79 (1981) 548–566] and Amos et al. [D.A. Amos, C.J. Radke, S. Lynn, J. Phys. Chem. B 102 (1998) 2739–2753], osmotic pressures of aqueous bovine serum albumin (BSA) solutions were measured at three pH (4.5, 5.4, 7.4) and at different sodium chloride concentrations (from 1 to 5 M). Experimental data were compared with results calculated from two van der Waals-type models using a potential of mean force including hard-sphere and double-layer repulsions, and van der Waals attraction. In both models, the Carnahan–Starling equation of state represents the contribution of the hard-sphere repulsion to the osmotic pressure. Van der Waals attraction and double-layer repulsion are represented by their contributions to the osmotic second virial coefficient in the first model, or in the second, to the random-phase-approximation (RPA). Although both models give a semi-quantitative description of the osmotic pressures of BSA solutions at various conditions, the first model represents the data slightly better than the second, using the same number of adjustable parameters. Further improvement of modeling requires a more accurate potential of mean force for protein molecules in salt solution.
Critique of: “Ranking Procedures and Subjective Probability Distributions”

Professor Smith's article “Ranking Procedures and Subjective Probability Distribution” Smith, L. H. 1967. Ranking procedures and subjective probability distributions. Management Sci.14 4, December B-236--B-249. is a worthwhile attempt at making the Bayesian decision theory concepts more operational; however, he has fallen far short of this objective. The example he chose obtaining a subjective probability distribution on market share is in many ways inappropriate for Smith's technique, and although his procedure is more “mathematical” than some existing methods, it is not as relevant. There are some relatively minor points in Smith's article on which one might quibble, but there are also enough major, substantive matters that we will direct our critique to these issues.
Rapidly installed temporary gauging for hurricane waves and surge, and application to Hurricane Gustav

Abstract Hurricanes can produce extreme nearshore waves and surge, but permanent gauging stations are often much sparser than is desired. This paper describes the rationale behind and outline for rapidly installed temporary coastal gauges, and presents results during Hurricane Gustav (2008). Within 48 h prior to landfall, twenty self-recording pressure gauges were deployed in depths of 1.4–23 m over more than 700 km of coastline, using helicopters to cover the large distances. Results showed a complex picture that was strongly dependent on location. East of the Mississippi Delta, open coast waves were large, and surge reached 3.8 m NAVD88 in marshes. West of the delta but near landfall, waves and surge were generally smaller as the river levees blocked flow from East to West. West of landfall, both waves and surge were very small and the most prominent feature was a water level drawdown that reached 1.5 m. Wave spectra varied strongly depending both on location and time from landfall. This type of rapid gauging program is straightforward to duplicate: with multiple localized deployment centers to ensure coverage, dense nearshore hurricane wave and surge records could increase substantially in the future.
Combining Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy and Milnacipran for Fibromyalgia: A Feasibility Randomized-controlled Trial

Objectives:To evaluate the feasibility of a randomized-controlled trial and to obtain estimates of the effects of combined cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and milnacipran for the treatment of fibromyalgia.Methods:Fifty-eight patients with fibromyalgia were randomized to 1 of the 3 treatment arms:
Correlation of adenosine thallium 201 perfusion patterns with markers for inducible ischemia

Abstract To determine the frequency of true myocardial ischemia caused by hemodynamic, metabolic, and regional functional abnormalities after intravenous adenosine infusion in patients with coronary artery disease, 13 patients—11 with coronary artery disease—received intravenous adenosine and thallium 201 during cardiac catheterization. Intracoronary adenosine levels increased by an average of 9.4-fold over baseline. Of the 11 patients, all had ≥70% stenoses with a mean number of redistribution defects per patient of 3.3 ± 0.7. Only two (18%) patients had new wall motion abnormalities detected by echocardiography during adenosine infusion. Pulmonary capillary wedge pressure did not significantly rise (13 ± 7 to 17 ± 8 mm Hg, p = NS). Lactate production occurred in two patients. Coronary sinus oxygen saturation levels rose from 29% ± 6% to 68% ± 8%, consistent with less myocardial oxygen extraction. Thus, despite a high prevalence of defects detected by 201 Tl, the prevalence of true myocardial ischemia in patients with coronary artery disease undergoing pharmacologic stress imaging with intravenous adenosine is low. Perfusion defects induced by vasodilator stress are predominantly caused by heterogeneity of flow reserve rather than true ischemia. (Am Heart J 1997;133:406-12.)
Binary Peak Power Multiplier and its Application to Linear Accelerator Design

This paper describes a new method of pulse compression, the binary power multiplier (BPM), a device which multiplies RF power in binary steps. It comprises one or more stages, each of which doubles the input power and halves the input pulse length. Practical designs are described and expressions for their compression efficiency are derived. The usefulness of pulse compression for accelerator design is illustrated and compared with the pulse compression system currently in use at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center.
Uses and Abuses of Quarkonium Theory

We survey a few applications of recent theoretical ideas to problems in heavy quarkonium physics. We discuss the utility and limitations of fragmentation approximations for studying Psi and Upsilon production at several collider facilities. We also review the circumstances under which color-octet contributions to quarkonium cross sections are important. We emphasize that results obtained from methods stretched beyond their domains of validity should be regarded with caution.
The effect of Zircaloy-4 substrate surface condition on the adhesion strength and corrosion of SiC coatings

Abstract Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) coatings of silicon carbide were deposited on various Zircaloy-4 substrates having different surface preparations to increase the corrosion resistance. The effects of several different surface treatments of the Zircaloy-4 substrate, such as surface roughness, the presence of interlayer, and pickling, on the adhesion and corrosion resistance of the SiC coatings have been evaluated using a scratch test method, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The scratch test was found to be a good tool for qualitative measurement of adhesion strength of thin coating films. Higher adhesion strengths were obtained for a moderate level of substrate roughness and the corrosion resistance of these films was closely related with the adhesion of the film on the substrate, as measured by impedance.
Involvement and opinion leadership in tourism

Abstract Nature-based tourism, science tourism, and ecotourism are some of the emerging and growing trends in special-interest tourism. This study utilized a southeastern sample of the United States who had an interest in travel and the environment. A modified Dillman total design method survey was used to collect the data. The study demonstrated that widely used concepts of marketing are applicable for nature-based tourism. Results indicate that highly involved nature-oriented travelers tend to be more receptive to information concerning the travel product or destination and spread that information willingly. Findings of this study suggest that opinion leaders take more trips and use slightly more information sources.
How Faculty Identity Discourses of Community College Part-Time Faculty Change Over Time

Building on previous research (Thirolf, 2012), this longitudinal qualitative study uses positioning theory (Harre & van Lagenhove, 1999) and discourse analysis methods (Gee, 2011; Johnstone, 2007) to closely examine the faculty identities of three community college adjuncts who teach in the humanities. Results reveal that these adjuncts initially experienced positive faculty identity development through their teaching and interactions with students, but over time, these feelings of professional pride and commitment lessened. Furthermore, when they positioned themselves vis-a-vis full-time faculty, feelings of disconnectedness and isolation emerged and ultimately intensified over time. The rare, chance connections they made with a limited number of colleagues over time, however, proved helpful and positively affirming of their faculty identities. Implications for practice and future research are also discussed.
Increasing the speed of an internal clock: The effects of nicotine on interval timing

This experiment assessed the effects of nicotine on the ability of rats to time short intervals. Ten rats were trained to discriminate 20 and 60 s signals and were then tested using the peak-interval timing procedure for their ability to reproduce these intervals. Testing continued for 33 days on a weekly schedule in which five saline-injection days were followed by two nicotine-injection days. When they were administered 0.2 mg/kg nicotine on the first day after saline, the rats showed a proportional leftward shift in their timing functions. When the rats were given nicotine again on the subsequent day, their timing functions renormalized. On the following saline-injection day, the rats' timing functions showed a rebound in the opposite direction. This pattern of data implies that nicotine is speeding up the internal clock. Nicotinic interactions with the nigrostriatal dopamine system suggest a possible physiological mechanism for the observed increase in clock speed.
Celsius: a community resource for Affymetrix microarray data

Celsius is a data warehousing system to aggregate Affymetrix CEL files and associated metadata. It provides mechanisms for importing, storing, querying, and exporting large volumes of primary and pre-processed microarray data. Celsius contains ten billion assay measurements and affiliated metadata. It is the largest publicly available source of Affymetrix microarray data, and through sheer volume it allows a sophisticated, broad view of transcription that has not previously been possible.
Dynamic MR Defecography: Assessment of the Usefulness of the Defecation Phase

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study was to assess the usefulness of the defecation phase during dynamic MR defecography.MATERIALS AND METHODS. The images from 85 MR defecographic examinations (83 patients; age range, 20–88 years; mean, 52.7) were retrospectively reviewed in consensus by two observers. Images from each of four phases (rest, maximal sphincter contraction and squeezing, maximal straining, and defecation) were evaluated and scored independently with a modified previously published grading system. Features evaluated included the presence and degree of bladder, vaginal, and rectal descent and the presence and size of rectocele, enterocele, and intussusception. Statistical analysis was performed with a variety of tests.RESULTS. Compared with images obtained in the other phases, defecation phase images helped in identification of additional cases of abnormal bladder descent in 43 examinations (50.6%), abnormal vaginal descent in 52 examinations (61.2%), and abnormal rectal descent in 11 examinat...
A study of human papillomavirus on vaginally inserted sex toys, before and after cleaning, among women who have sex with women and men

Objectives The objective of the study was to determine the potential of human papillomavirus (HPV) transmission via shared sex toys, and determine whether cleaning practices implemented by the study participants were effective. Methods Vibrator 1 was composed of thermoplastic elastomer. Vibrator 2 was composed of silicone. Twelve women, recruited from a university, used each vibrator on separate occasions and provided self-collected vaginal and vibrator samples (obtained from the vibrator shaft and handle), collected immediately after use, immediately after cleaning with a commercially available cleaner, and 24 h after cleaning. Vaginal and vibrator samples were assessed for HPV DNA by the Roche Linear Array HPV Genotyping Test. Results HPV was detected in the vaginal samples of 9/12 (75%) women. Vibrator 1 shaft swabs were HPV positive before cleaning in 89% (8/9), immediately after cleaning in 56% (5/9), and 24 h after cleaning in 40% (2/5) of those that were HPV positive immediately after cleaning. Vibrator 2 shaft swabs were HPV positive before cleaning in 67% (6/9), immediately after cleaning in 44% (4/9), and 24 h after cleaning in none. Conclusions HPV was detected on at least one vibrator immediately after use in the women with vaginal HPV. This supports the potential for HPV transmission via shared sex toy use, and is additionally supported by continued detection of HPV up to 24 h after standard cleaning. The data add to understanding of the range of sexual behaviours associated with HPV transmission, and the need for evidence-based recommendations for sex toy cleaning.
Postegression feeding enhances growth, survival, and nutrient acquisition in the endoparasitoid Toxoneuron nigriceps (Hymenoptera: Braconidae).

Toxoneuron nigriceps Viereck (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), a koinobiont endoparasitoid of the tobacco budworm, Heliothis virescens F. (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), derives nutrition from the host hemolymph during the internal portion of its larval development but feeds destructively on host tissues externally after egression. To investigate the importance of this tissue-feeding phase, and to evaluate the behaviors associated with postegression feeding, T. nigriceps larvae were subjected to one of four treatments: 1) allowed to carry out normal tissue feeding, 2) deprived of tissue feeding, 3) presented with tissues scraped away from the host remains, and 4) fed tissues scraped from an unparasitized H. virescens larva. Additionally, total carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins were quantified from pre and posttissue feeding T. nigriceps larvae to examine the effect of postegression feeding on parasitoid nutritional physiology. Parasitoids that received no tissues after egression, or that received tissue from an unparasitized H. virescens larva, had significantly smaller body masses at all stages than those allowed to feed naturally or fed tissues scraped from a parasitized host. Parasitoids that underwent normal host feeding after egression also reached larger masses then those fed scraped host tissue. Parasitoids that received no tissue after egression survived to adulthood significantly less often than those that were presented with any H. virescens tissue. This suggests that postegression tissue feeding is a vital developmental step for T. nigriceps, and that T. nigriceps will not only feed when normal postegression behavior is disrupted, but will also feed on unparasitized tissue. The quantification of macronutrients in the tissues of pre and posttissue feeding T. nigriceps larvae showed significantly elevated proportions of proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates in the tissues of larvae that had completed feeding, with the greatest difference being in total lipids.
Composition of cerebral lipids in murine sudanophilic leucodystrophy: the Jimpy mutant.

— The composition of sphingolipids and phospholipids of mouse brain during myelination was determined in normal animals and in mice with a genetically-determined disorder of myelin formation. Myelination was normally characterized by a two-fold increase in total phospholipids of brain, a four-fold increase in total sphingolipids, and a six-fold increase in cerebrosides. The Jimpy mutant, with defective formation of myelin in the central nervous system, demonstrated a marked deficiency of cerebrosides and a significantly lower content of total sphingolipids, without alteration of the composition of phospholipids. The increasing content of cerebrosides in the brains of the leucodystrophic mutant at the time in development when myelination is most active and the subsequent relative deficit suggest that the failure of myelin formation is not the result of a defect in biosynthesis of cerebrosides.
Aging, Antiretrovirals, and Adherence: A Meta Analysis of Adherence among Older HIV-Infected Individuals

Introduction Older adults are generally considered to be at greater risk for medication non-adherence due to factors such as medication complexity, side effects, cost, and cognitive decline. However, this generalization may not apply to older adults with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Regardless of age, suboptimal adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) can lead to increased viral load, immunosuppression, drug-resistant viral strains, co-morbidities, and opportunistic infections. Understanding trends of adherence to ART among older adults is critical, especially as the population of people living with HIV grows older.
Historians’ testimony on “common knowledge” of the risks of tobacco use: a review and analysis of experts testifying on behalf of cigarette manufacturers in civil litigation

A qualitative analysis of the trial and deposition testimony of professional historians who have testified on behalf of the tobacco industry shows that defence historians present a view of past knowledge about tobacco in which the public was frequently warned that cigarettes were both deadly and addictive over the broad historical period. While defence historians testify to conducting significant levels of independent research, they also draw upon a common body of research conducted by industry counsel to support its litigation efforts. Defence historians unduly limit their research materials, ignoring industry records and, therefore, critically undermine their ability to evaluate industry activity in the smoking and health controversy as it unfolded in historical time. A consequence is that defence historians present a skewed history of the cigarette in which the tobacco industry all but ceases to exist.
Measurements of the magnetic fields produced by the human heart, brain, and lungs

Magnetic fields produced by organs of the human body are being measured in the M.I.T. shielded room, using both a SQUID magnetometer and second-derivative gradiometer. Measurements of the field around the human body can yield new information about the organs which generate current, not available to surface electrodes, and also about organs which contain foreign, ferromagnetic particles. Magnetocardiograms of normal and abnormal heart subjects are being analyzed and visually displayed in order to assess their information content. Magnetoencephalograms recorded from normal and abnormal brain subjects are also under analysis. Measurements have been made of magnetite dust in the lung, with two potential medical applications: the first is the use of pure magnetite dust as a deliberately inhaled tracer (harmless) for pulmonary diagnosis; the second is the assessment of the amount of asbestos accumulated in the lungs of heavily-exposed workers, since most asbestos (harmful) occurs with adhered magnetite.