cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Serum Prolactin Levels in Patients with Gynecomastia

Prolactin activity in the sera of 29 patients with gynecomastia associated with a variety of clinical conditions has been assayed by a new and highly specific bioassay method, which relates the rate of 32P-casein formation by cultured mouse mammary cells to the concentration of prolactin. The lower limit of detection in this assay is 2 ng/ml (0.06 mU/ml) above normal control levels. Prolactin was not detectably elevated in any patients with gynecomastia except those being treated with tranquillizer drugs or reserpine. Elevated levels of chorionic somatomammotrophin were found in one patient with gynecomastia and testicular choriocarcinoma, although a similar level in a second patient with choriocarcinoma was not associated with gynecomastia. Although elevated prolactin levels may be an associated finding in some patients with gynecomastia, these results fail to provide evidence that prolactin is etiologically related to the development of this condition.
Minority mothers’ perceptions of children's body size

Objective. To investigate African-American and Hispanic mothers’ perceptions of their children's body size using a scale with child figure silhouettes and compare those perceptions with their children's actual body mass index. Methods. A set of child figure silhouettes was developed depicting 4 and 5 year-old African-American and Hispanic children. Body mass index was systematically estimated for each child figure on the set of silhouettes. Minority mothers with children enrolled in ten Head Start centers (n = 192) were interviewed using the silhouettes, and height and weight measurements were taken on their children. Head Start, a comprehensive child development program that serves children aged 3 to 5 years old, was chosen because of the large percentage of minorities, the low-income status of the families, and the age of the children. Results. Significant differences were found between mothers’ perceptions of their children's body size and the actual body size of the children. On average, mothers perce...
Formation of synapses between parasympathetic neurones deprived of preganglionic innervation

MUSCLE fibres will accept innervation from a foreign nerve only if synaptic transmission from the appropriate nerve has been interrupted1. The native nerve supply thus exerts an influence which renders muscle resistant to abnormal innervation. Do such influences act to prevent neurones from receiving inappropriate synapses ? In the central nervous system (CNS) surviving inputs to partially denervated neurones will sprout to form additional synapses on those same neurones2–4. Furthermore, in partially denervated autonomic ganglia, surviving inputs will sprout to form synapses on postganglionic neurones they did not innervate originally5–7. But there has been no electro-physiological demonstration that denervated neurones will spontaneously receive synapses from a class of nerve cells with which there is normally no contact. We report here that the parasympathetic ganglion cells of the frog heart form functional synaptic connections with each other when their preganglionic synaptic input is removed; these intraganglionic connections do not occur normally.
Paternal social enrichment effects on maternal behavior and offspring growth

Paternal environmental experiences are significant predictors of developmental outcomes in offspring and can occur even in the absence of paternal care. Although there has been a recent focus on the role of environmentally induced changes in the male germline in producing these effects, the potential mediating role of mothers has not been investigated. A role for mothers in the transmission of paternal effects has been well acknowledged in behavioral ecology, which predicts that females will dynamically adjust their reproductive investment in response to the qualities of their mate. In the present study, we show that a lifetime of socially enriched compared with impoverished housing conditions shifts anxiety-like behavior and gene expression of male mice. Females that mate with enriched-reared males exhibit increased levels of pup nursing and licking toward their offspring, which are associated with changes in gene expression within the maternal hypothalamus. Significantly, these changes in maternal behavior are correlated with the general levels of anxiety exhibited by their male mates. Further, we show that paternal environmental enrichment results in increased growth of their offspring. These results suggest that maternal–paternal interactions at mating may guide offspring development, with significant implications for the transgenerational transmission of paternal environmental experiences.
Naltrexone blocks the response-latency increasing effects but not the discriminative effects of diazepam in rats.

Abstract Interactions between diazepam and naltrexone were evaluated in male F344 rats that were trained to discriminate between saline and 3.0 mg/kg of diazepam in a two-choice discrete-trial avoidance task. Naltrexone, up to 100 mg/kg s.c., had no effect on the discriminative effects of diazepam (0.1−10.0 mg/kg s.c.), but produced a dose-related attenuation of the increase in response latency produced by 3.0 and 10.0 mg/kg of diazepam. These results suggest that the effects of diazepam on response latency, but not the drug's discriminative effects, are mediated by a naltrexone-sensitive mechanism.
Processing of Sexual Media Messages Improves Due to Media Literacy Effects on Perceived Message Desirability

This study tested the double-edged desirability hypothesis to investigate whether a lack of reduction in desirability perceptions signified failure of a media literacy intervention to reduce the appeal of sexual portrayals or whether it instead represented an improved awareness of message-design techniques and, therefore, a successful intervention. Data from two media literacy curriculum evaluations, both pretest–posttest quasi-experiments with control groups (N1 = 922, M = 14.13, SD = 1.07; N2 = 1,098, M = 14.26, SD = 1.06) showed that the media literacy treatment in both studies eliminated the effect of desirability on participants’ attitudes, reduced the effect of message desirability on participants’ expectancies, and reduced the effect of message desirability on participants’ efficacy in one of the evaluations. The results supported the double-edged desirability hypothesis, which holds that media literacy education can diminish the influence of desirable but unrealistic sexual media messages on adole...
Keeping Children With Congenital Heart Disease Healthy

Keeping children with congenital heart disease healthy is vital to their long-term survival and quality of life. Nurse practitioners are in an excellent position to keep these sometimes fragile children healthy before, between, and after their cardiac surgeries. Primary care visits should address developmental morbidity. Referral for in-depth evaluations and intervention should be initiated for children with hemodynamically significant heart disease. Infants may also experience poor feeding. Nutritional guidance may include fortifying formulas or enteral tube feedings. Attention to immunization status and prevention of winter illnesses and endocarditis may reduce complications in this high-risk group of children.
GTP-binding proteins and regulated exocytosis.

Regulated exocytosis, which occurs inresponse tostimuli, isatwo-step process involving thedocking ofsecretory gran- ules (SGs) atspecific sites ontheplasma membrane(PM), withsubsequent fusion andrelease ofgranule contents. Thisprocess plays acrucial role inanumber oftissues, including exocrine glands, chromaffin cells, platelets, andmastcells. Overtheyears, our understanding oftheproteins involved invesicular trafficking hasincreased dramatically. Evidence fromgenetic, biochemical, immunological, andfunctional assays supports arole forras-like monomeric GTP-binding proteins (smgs) aswell asheterotrimeric GTP-binding protein (G-protein) subunits invarious steps ofthevesicular trafficking pathway, including thetransport ofsecretory vesicles tothePM.Datasuggest that thefunction ofGTP-binding proteins islikely related totheir localization tospecific cellular compartments. Thepresence ofbothG-proteins andsmgsonsecretory vesicles/granules implicates arole forthese proteins inthe final stages ofexocytosis. Molecular mechanisms ofexocytosis havebeenpostulated, withtheidentification ofanumberofproteins that modify, regulate, andinteract with GTP-binding proteins, andwiththeadvent ofapproaches that assess thefunctional impor- tance ofGTP-binding proteins indownstream, exocytotic events. Further, insight into vesicle targeting andfusion hascomefromthe characterization ofaSNAPreceptor (SNARE) complex composed ofvesicle, PM,andsoluble membrane trafficking components, and identification ofafunctional linkage between GTP-binding andSNARES.
HOW AFRICAN AMERICAN MOTHERS ASSIST THEIR EARLY ADOLESCENT DAUGHTERS WITH READING TASKS

Three African American mothers and their daughters participated in three, 30-minute reading sessions. During each session, daughters read narrative text for 15 minutes and expository text for the other 15 minutes. Categories of interaction emerged from those reading sessions. Results revealed nine mother interaction reading categories and seven daughter interaction categories. Irrespective of the type of reading, the categories were linked to the transmission, maturational, and transactional points of view. Implications provide suggestions for helping parents develop reading experiences that foster positive reading behaviors for their children.
LiBOB as Additive in LiPF6-Based Lithium Ion Electrolytes

Lithium bis(oxalato)borate (LiBOB) was tested as an additive in propylene carbonate (PC)-rich electrolytes that uses as the conductive solute. At as low as 5% molar LiBOB showed a distinctive additive effect, i.e., its participation in the initial surface chemistry on graphitic anode surface effectively prevented exfoliation. This property of LiBOB provides an opportunity of formulating PC-rich electrolytes with improvements in rate capabilities and performances at both high and low temperatures, as compared with the electrolytes based on or LiBOB as the sole electrolyte solute.
Evaluating a Networked Virtual Environment for Globally Distributed Avionics Software Development

Increasingly, business pressures drive development projects to use systems and software engineers distributed over two or more geographical locations. Previous observations indicate that improving the speed and cost of software development while distributing it across a globally distributed team requires remediation - i.e., commonly used collaboration technologies provide an inadequate level of shared understanding among developers at different regional facilities. This paper describes an ongoing corporate evaluation of an immersive networked virtual environment (NVE) to determine its potential for improving globally distributed software development.
Graph-based ontology-guided data mining for D-matrix model maturation

In model-based diagnostic algorithms, it is assumed that the model is correct. If the model is incorrect, the diagnostic algorithm may diagnose the wrong fault, which can be costly and time consuming. Using past maintenance events, one should be able to make corrections to the model in order for diagnostic algorithm to correctly diagnosis faults. In this paper, a maturation approach is proposed which uses the graph-theoretic representations of Timed Failure Propagation Graph (TFPG) models and diagnostic sessions based on recently standardized diagnostic ontologies to determine statistical discrepancies between that which is expected by the models and that which has been encountered in practice. These discrepancies are then analyzed to generate recommendations for maturing the diagnostic models. Maturation recommendations include identifying new dependencies and erroneous or tenuous dependencies. 1 2
The Cytoplasmic Tail of MUC1: A Very Busy Place

The role of mucin 1 (MUC1) in protecting epithelia from microbial infection, enzymatic digestion, and other irritants has been appreciated for some time. In addition, MUC1 serves as a barrier to embryo implantation. MUC1 is highly abundant in many tumors in which its role in barrier function may serve to protect cells from the host immune system, whereas MUC1 is less abundant in certain other cells-for example, in trophoblasts and hematopoietic cells. Most of the functions of MUC1 depend upon its large, extracellular ectodomain. Nonetheless, a series of studies have demonstrated a surprisingly diverse role for the small, highly conserved cytoplasmic domain of MUC1 in intracellular signaling. These intracellular activities have potential roles in the physiology of both malignant and nonmalignant cells.
Positive selection of DNA-protein interactions in mammalian cells through phenotypic coupling with retrovirus production.

Screening a library of artificial zinc fingers for transcriptional activators in mammalian cells can be laborious. Now a strategy is described that couples the screening to production of retroviral particles that will carry the positive clones, allowing iterative rounds of selection.
Potassium t‐Butoxide–Dimethyl Sulfoxide

(t-BuOK) [865-47-4] C4H9KO (MW 112.23) InChI = 1S/C4H9O.K/c1-4(2,3)5;/h1-3H3;/q-1;+1 InChIKey = LPNYRYFBWFDTMA-UHFFFAOYSA-N (DMSO) [67-68-5] C2H6OS (MW 78.15) InChI = 1S/C2H6OS/c1-4(2)3/h1-2H3 InChIKey = IAZDPXIOMUYVGZ-UHFFFAOYSA-N (highly basic reagent; useful for β-elimination and alkene isomerization reactions1) Preparative Methods: prepared in situ from anhydrous t-BuOK and anhydrous DMSO.2a Anhydrous DMSO is prepared by distillation from Calcium Hydride or Sodium Hydride under reduced pressure at 60 °C. Handling, Storage, and Precautions: see Potassium tert-Butoxide and Dimethyl Sulfoxide. Store over 4 molecular sieves.2b Use in a fume hood.
On the capacity of broadband relay networks

This paper studies a broadband relay network model with multiple source nodes, multiple relay nodes and a single destination node. The capacities using different multiple access schemes (joint coding/decoding and OFDMA) under two relay schemes are derived, respectively. Numerical results are evaluated to compare the two multiple access schemes.
Negatively-charged helices in the gas phase

A polyalanine-based peptide which forms a stable, negatively-charged α-helix in the gas phase is reported. Addition of an N-terminal acidic residue forms a stabilizing hydrogen bond network and an electrostatic interaction with the helical dipole. Formation of this secondary structure was demonstrated using ion mobility-mass spectrometry and molecular modelling techniques.
Fault location in multi-modular redundant systems

This paper describes a systematic design of a general m-order fault location network to detect and locate all possible subcritical faults in a multi-modular redundant system using decision elements. The fault distribution pattern propagating through various levels of the fault location network of a multi-modular redundant system is presented. The conditions for fault detection and location are also developed.
Regeneration of Sensory Hair Cells Requires Localized Interactions between the Notch and Wnt Pathways

In vertebrates, mechano-electrical transduction of sound is accomplished by sensory hair cells. Whereas mammalian hair cells are not replaced when lost, in fish they constantly renew and regenerate after injury. In vivo tracking and cell fate analyses of all dividing cells during lateral line hair cell regeneration revealed that support and hair cell progenitors localize to distinct tissue compartments. Importantly, we find that the balance between self-renewal and differentiation in these compartments is controlled by spatially restricted Notch signaling and its inhibition of Wnt-induced proliferation. The ability to simultaneously study and manipulate individual cell behaviors and multiple pathways in vivo transforms the lateral line into a powerful paradigm to mechanistically dissect sensory organ regeneration. The striking similarities to other vertebrate stem cell compartments uniquely place zebrafish to help elucidate why mammals possess such low capacity to regenerate hair cells.
Isolation, tissue distribution, and molecular characterization of Toxoplasma gondii from chickens in Grenada, West Indies

The prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in free-range chickens is a good indicator of the prevalence of T. gondii oocysts in the soil because chickens feed from the ground. The prevalence of T. gondii in 102 free-range chickens (Gallus domesticus) from Grenada was determined. Antibodies to T. gondii were assayed by the modified agglutination test (MAT). Antibodies were found in 53 (52%) chickens with titers of 1:5 in 6, 1:10 in 4, 1:20 in 4, 1:40 in 4, 1:80 in 15, 1:160 in 9, 1: 320 in 5, 1:640 in 4, and 1:1,280 or greater in 2. Hearts, pectoral muscles, and brains of 43 seropositive chickens with MAT titers of 1:20 or greater were bioassayed individually in mice. Tissues of each of 10 chickens with titers of 1:5 and 1:10 were pooled and bioassayed in mice. Tissues from the remaining 49 seronegative chickens were pooled and fed to 4 T. gondii-free cats. Feces of cats were examined for oocysts; they did not shed oocysts. T. gondii was isolated from 35 of 43 chickens with MAT titers of 1:20 or greater; from the hearts, brains, and pectoral muscles of 2, hearts and brains of 20, from the hearts alone of 11, and brains alone of 2. T. gondii was isolated from 1 of 10 chickens with titers of 1:5 or 1:10. All 36 T. gondii isolates were avirulent for mice. Genotyping of these 36 isolates using polymorphisms at the SAG2 locus indicated that 29 were Type III, 5 were Type I, 1 was Type II, and 1 had both Type I and Type III. Genetically, the isolates from Grenada were different from those from the United States; Type II was the predominant type from the United States. Phenotypically, all isolates from Grenada were avirulent for mice, whereas those from Brazil were mouse-virulent. This is the first report of isolation of T. gondii from chickens from Grenada, West Indies.
Injection Drug Users in the United States, 1979-2002 An Aging Population

Background Injection drug use (IDU) is important in the epidemiology of blood-borne pathogens. Herein, trends in IDU from 1979 to 2002 are analyzed. Methods The National Household Survey on Drug Abuse is an ongoing survey of drug use among the US population 12 years and older. Participants were chosen using a multistage sampling design and interviewed by written questionnaire (1979-1998) or audio computer-assisted self-interviewing (1999-2002). Herein, we examine the prevalence of a history of IDU at any time in the past (IDU-ever) or within the past year. Results In the 2000-2002 surveys, 1.5% (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.4%-1.6%) reported IDU-ever (weighted estimate, 3.4 million persons). Prevalence was highest in persons aged 35 to 49 years (3.1%; 95% CI, 2.8%-3.4%), was higher in men (2.0%; 95% CI, 1.8%-2.2%) than women (1.0%; 95% CI, 0.9%-1.1%), and was higher in whites (1.7%; 95% CI, 1.5%-1.8%) than blacks (0.8%; 95% CI, 0.7%-1.1%) or Hispanics (1.1%; 95% CI, 0.8%-1.4%). Prevalence decreased with increasing annual income and educational level. Of all participants, 0.19% (95% CI, 0.16%-0.23%) reported IDU within the past year (weighted estimate, 440 000 persons). Ten years earlier (1990-1992), 1.6% (95% CI, 1.5%-1.8%) reported IDU-ever; prevalence did not differ by race. From 1979 through 2002, the mean age of participants with IDU within the past year increased from 21 to 36 years; the age of participants with IDU-ever increased from 26 to 42 years. From 2000 to 2002, 59.4% of all persons with IDU-ever were aged 35 to 49 years. Conclusions The mean age of injection drug users has increased substantially. Persons born between the late 1940s and early 1960s have the highest prevalence of IDU-ever. Self-reported IDU rates are now lower among young blacks than young whites.
Flexible parametrization of generalized parton distributions from deeply virtual Compton scattering observables

We present a physically motivated parametrization of the chiral-even generalized parton distributions in the non-singlet sector obtained from a global analysis using a set of available experimental data. Our analysis is valid in the kinematical region of intermediate Bjorken $x$ and for $Q^2$ in the multi-GeV region which is accessible at present and currently planned facilities. Relevant data included in our fit are from the nucleon elastic form factors measurements, from deep inelastic scattering experiments. Additional information provided by lattice calculations of the higher moments of generalized parton distributions, is also considered. Recently extracted observables from Deeply Virtual Compton Scattering on the nucleon are reproduced by our fit.
A capacitor-free LDO using a FD Si-MESFET pass transistor

The rapid growth in portable electronics has driven the market for ultra low dropout regulators (LDOs) that are more power efficient and lead to longer battery lifetime. Over the years various topologies based on P- or N-channel pass transistors have been introduced to meet these demands. For each of these implementations, the LDO has had a significant disadvantage whether it is stability issues and lower current drive associated with P-channel devices or the need for a charge pump to overcome the threshold voltage drop for enhancement mode N-channel devices. This paper presents a design methodology for an LDO that features a depletion-mode N-MESFET as the pass device that combines the advantages of both P and N devices allowing for ultra low dropout voltage and minimum layout area. The LDO also saves board space and simplifies design by achieving stability across all load and temperature conditions without the need of an output capacitor.
Direct numerical simulation of stenotic flows, Part 2 : Pulsatile flow.

Direct numerical simulations (DNS) of stenotic flows under conditions of steady inlet flow were discussed in Part 1 of this study. DNS of pulsatile flow through the 75% stenosed tube (by area) employed for the computations in Part 1 is examined here. Analogous to the steady flow results, DNS predicts a laminar post-stenotic flow field in the case of pulsatile flow through the axisymmetric stenosis model, in contrast to previous experiments, in which intermittent disturbed flow regions and turbulent breakdown were observed in the downstream region. The introduction of a stenosis eccentricity, that was 5% of the main vessel diameter at the throat, resulted in periodic, localized transition to turbulence. Analysis in this study indicates that the early and mid-acceleration phases of the time period cycle were relatively stable, with no turbulent activity in the post-stenotic region. However, towards the end of acceleration, the starting vortex, formed earlier as the fluid accelerated through the stenosis at the beginning of acceleration, started to break up into elongated streamwise structures. These streamwise vortices broke down at peak flow, forming a turbulent spot in the post-stenotic region. In the early part of deceleration there was intense turbulent activity within this spot. Past the mid-deceleration phase, through to minimum flow, the inlet flow lost its momentum and the flow field began to relaminarize. The start of acceleration in the following cycle saw a recurrence of the entire process of a starting structure undergoing turbulent breakdown and subsequent relaminarization of the post-stenotic flow field. Peak wall shear stress (WSS) levels occurred at the stenosis throat, with the rest of the vessel experiencing much lower levels. Turbulent breakdown at peak flow resulted in a sharp amplification of instantaneous WSS magnitudes across the region corresponding to the turbulent spot, accompanied by large axial and circumferential fluctuations, even while ensemble-averaged axial shear stresses remained mostly low and negative. WSS levels dropped rapidly after the mid-deceleration phase, when the relaminarization process took over, and were almost identical to laminar, axisymmetric shear levels through most of the acceleration phase.
The effect of temporal artery biopsy on the treatment of temporal arteritis

Abstract Background Temporal artery biopsy (TAB) is frequently used to guide treatment for suspected temporal arteritis. Our purpose was to determine the influence on subsequent temporal arteritis treatment, particularly the initiation, termination, or continuation of corticosteroids after a histologically negative TAB. Methods This is a retrospective analysis from a single regional referral center on all patients undergoing TAB March 2003 through November 2010. Demographic, clinical, and surgical informations were recorded including changes in treatment based on biopsy results. Results In all, 237 patients had complete documentation for review; the average age was 71 years (range 34 to 94) and 56% were women. Thirty-six patients had 42 positive biopsies; 26 biopsies were bilateral. Positive biopsy results were defined as having marked intimal thickening, transmural inflammation, and “giant cells.” Neither length of biopsy specimen nor preoperative steroid use affected pathologic diagnosis (2.41 vs 2.38 cm, P = .46, and 52% vs 50%, P = .8, respectively). Symptoms included new-onset headache (75%), preauricular tenderness and jaw claudication (32%), erythrocyte sedimentation rate greater than 50 mm/h (60%), and a score of 3 or more using the American College of Rheumatology criteria (56%). Among the 56% of patients who met the criteria for the clinical diagnosis of temporal arteritis, 22% demonstrated a positive biopsy. Biopsy results had no significant impact on subsequent treatment in 69% of patients who met clinical diagnostic criteria ( P = .7); in the remaining 31%, biopsy results altered subsequent treatment with either corticosteroid initiation or discontinuation. Conclusions The pathologic results of the TAB did not significantly affect treatment in most patients.
Winter weather decision-making: North Carolina school closures, 2010-2011

The use of weather forecasts for emergency management decision-making requires that those making decisions have access to information they can understand and can put into operation in a timely manner. This can create a gap between what emergency management decision-makers need and what is available. Using school decision-making under conditions of severe winter weather in North Carolina as a case study, this project traces decision-making processes and use of weather information to identify the nature of these gaps and to test prototypes that might fill those gaps. A mixed methods approach including focus groups, interviews and surveys provided an evaluation of the critical decisions and specific information needs of this group of decision-makers. All these methods collect information from a variety of sources, including on-line forecasts, conversations with other school districts and riding the roads to check conditions. The findings suggest that some of the needed forecast information is available, but is either misinterpreted or school officials were not aware of its existence. Location-specific and time-sensitive information is crucial. By delving into the decision-making processes, including needs and networks, and by developing prototypes to address the needs, the results provide a step in the direction of enhancing the infusion of weather and climate information into severe weather decision processes.
Optical Cross Sections from Intensity-Density Measurements*

Optical cross sections corresponding to spectral lines of Li, Na, K, Ca, Sr, Ba, Tl, Cu, Ag, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, and Ni, emitted by an acetylene-air flame, have been determined. The evaluation of the cross section is based on intensity-density graphs, constructed from photoelectric measurements of the total line intensities as a function of the density of the emitting atoms in the flame.When the cross section corresponding to the line has been determined, the measured intensity-density curves yield the absolute values of the product Nf of the number of atoms in the flame capable of absorbing the line, and the oscillator strength for the line. If the f value for the line is known, the degree of dissociation of the element in the flame can be found. If the f value for the line is not known, the product Nf allows, in some cases, the evaluation of the absolute f value for the line; in other cases only a lower limit of the absolute f value can be obtained. The results are compared with those of previous investigators.
Accurate and Efficient Fault Simulation of Realistic CMOS Network Breaks

We present a new fault simulation algorithm for realistic break faults in the p-networks and n-networks of static CMOS cells. We show that Miller effects can invalidate a test just as charge sharing can, and we present a new charge-based approach that efficiently and accurately predicts the worst case effects of Miller capacitances and charge sharing together. Results on running our fault simulator on ISCAS85 benchmark circuits are provided.
Weighted-Fairness AIMD Congestion Control for Streaming Media Delivery

Streaming media applications require acceptable levels of quality of service (QoS). Appropriate rate control mechanism is needed to make streaming media applications to adapt to dynamic network conditions. This paper discusses a window-based weighted-fairness AIMD (WF-AIMD) congestion control algorithm which allows competing flows to share a common bandwidth according to their weights. By making flows to reduce their congestion window sizes with respect to their weights upon detection of congestion indications, flows can be made to unevenly share a common network path. The queueing scheme adopted at the bottleneck link largely impact the bandwidth share of a flow. Following a fluid modeling approach, we derived the modeling of the sending rate of a flow that is controlled under a WF-AIMD algorithm. This modeling has been validated under the DropTail FIFO queueing scheme and the RED scheme. We found that our modeling works well for both the RED scheme and for the DropTail FIFO queueing scheme with a relatively small queue size limit. Our modeling fails when flows become synchronized. The synchronization usually happens when the bottleneck queue adopts a DropTail FIFO queueing scheme with a large queue size limit.
The Legal, Ethical and Therapeutic Advantages of Informed Consent

This article summarizes the process of informed consent from its legal, ethical and therapeutic vantage points. Helping the patient understand procedures provides legal protection to the technologist, fulfills ethical duties and helps the patient by making the process of patient care therapeutic.
Targeting Soil Conservation Incentive Payments

An economic criterion to identify the minimum variable incentive payment rates needed to induce farmers to adopt conservation practices is presented. The Erosion Productivity Economics Model (EPEM) was used to compare various conservation management systems to achieve established levels of erosion control. Findings suggest that there could be substantial net savings by targeting and recognizing the productivity impacts.
Iodide, bromide, and ammonium in hydraulic fracturing and oil and gas wastewaters: environmental implications.

The expansion of unconventional shale gas and hydraulic fracturing has increased the volume of the oil and gas wastewater (OGW) generated in the U.S. Here we demonstrate that OGW from Marcellus and Fayetteville hydraulic fracturing flowback fluids and Appalachian conventional produced waters is characterized by high chloride, bromide, iodide (up to 56 mg/L), and ammonium (up to 420 mg/L). Br/Cl ratios were consistent for all Appalachian brines, which reflect an origin from a common parent brine, while the I/Cl and NH4/Cl ratios varied among brines from different geological formations, reflecting geogenic processes. There were no differences in halides and ammonium concentrations between OGW originating from hydraulic fracturing and conventional oil and gas operations. Analysis of discharged effluents from three brine treatment sites in Pennsylvania and a spill site in West Virginia show elevated levels of halides (iodide up to 28 mg/L) and ammonium (12 to 106 mg/L) that mimic the composition of OGW and mi...
Electrical and optical properties of single crystalline α-Al2O3 doped with nickel

Nickel, substituting for aluminium in α-Al2O3 acts as an acceptor with a level ∼2.46 eV above the conduction band if a large polaron model applies, ≅ 2.57eV−H(μ h) above the band if a small polaron model applies. It is present as Ni3+ at high, and as Ni2+ at low, oxygen pressures, the concentration of Ni3+ being reduced to one-half of its high $$p_{o_2 } $$ value at $$p_{o_2 } $$ =1 Pa. Analysis of the data provides proof that the native defect compensating the charge of Ni2+ (=ni al ′ ) is V O 2. , Al i 3. being a minority species; H F,Al−1/2H s=121 kJ mol−1.
EFFECTS OF PILOCARPINE ON EXCHANGE OF K42 IN SLICES OF SUBMAXILLARY GLAND.

SummaryThe presence of pilocarpine led to an increase in loss and uptake of K42 in slices of rat submaxillary gland incubated under selected conditions. The influence of pilocarpine on the loss of K42 was found to be inhibited in the presence of atropine. These effects on the exchange of K42 in slices bear at least a qualitative resemblance to effects known to occur during stimulation of salivary glands in vivo.
Analysis on epidemiological characteristics of public health emergency in Fangchenggang City during 2005-2012

[Objective]To understand the epidemiological characteristics of public health emergencies in Fangchenggang City,provide scientific basis for making the prevention and control measures. [Methods]The public health emergencies which were reported by national public health emergency management information system in Fangchenggang city from 2005-2012 were analyzed by descriptive epidemiological method.[Results]27 public health emergencies were reported in Fangchenggang City from 2005-2012, including 2 serious events,7 general events and 18 unrated events; 22 cases of infectious diseases,3 cases of food poisoning,2 cases of other poisoning. The mortality rate of poisoning was high( 4. 17%). September was the peak incidence. Patients were mainly students,followed by the scattered children and kindergarten children. The school was the main place,17 events occurred in middle and primary schools,2 events occurred in childcare institutions and 8 cases occurred in other places. Respiratory infectious diseases were the main school infectious diseases,followed by intestinal infectious diseases. [Conclusion] Respiratory infectious diseases and poisoning are the major public health emergencies in Fangchenggang City,schools are the key place and students are the key population. The government,health and education departments at all levels should strengthen the leadership of prevention and control of school infectious diseases and the relevant prevention and control measures should be implemented to control the public health emergencies.
A urokinase receptor mRNA binding protein from rabbit lung fibroblasts and mesothelial cells

The urokinase receptor (uPAR) influences several biological functions relevant to lung injury and repair, including proteolysis, cell migration, and adhesion. In malignant mesothelioma cells, we recently found that a posttranscriptional mechanism involving a cis-trans interaction between a uPAR mRNA sequence and a cytoplasmic uPAR mRNA binding protein (mRNABP) regulates uPAR gene expression (S. Shetty, A. Kumar, and S. Idell. Mol. Cell Biol. 17: 1075-1083, 1997). In this study, we sought to determine if uPAR expression in lung and pleural cells involves a similar posttranscriptional pathway. We first identified and characterized the uPAR mRNABP in rabbit tissues using gel mobility shift, ultraviolet (UV) cross-linking, and RNase protection assays and detected it in liver, heart, brain, spleen, colon, and lung. Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate, lipopolysaccharide, transforming growth factor-beta, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, or cycloheximide induced uPAR and uPAR mRNA expression in cultured rabbit pleural mesothelial cells and lung fibroblasts and concurrently reduced the uPAR mRNA-uPAR mRNABP interaction. Using conventional and affinity chromatography, we purified a 50-kDa uPAR mRNABP that selectively binds to a 51-nucleotide fragment of the uPAR coding region. This protein migrates as a monomer when analyzed by SDS-PAGE and UV cross-linking and does not possess intrinsic RNase activity in vitro. A uPAR mRNABP physicochemically and functionally similar to that of human malignant mesothelioma is constitutively expressed in the rabbit lung and other nonneoplastic tissues. In rabbit lung fibroblasts and mesothelial cells, expression of uPAR involves posttranscriptional regulation whereby the uPAR mRNABP appears to interact with a specific coding region cis-element to decrease the stability of uPAR mRNA.
Abstract B03: Oncogenic PIK3CA mutations reprogram glutamine metabolism in colorectal cancers

Abstracts: AACR Special Conference: Metabolism and Cancer; June 7-10, 2015; Bellevue, WA Glutamine addiction is a major metabolic reprogramming event that occurs in cancer cells. Many tumors exhibit oncogene-dependent addiction to glutamine. PIK3CA, which encodes the p110 alpha catalytic subunit of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, is the most frequently mutated oncogene in human cancers. However, whether PIK3CA mutations reprogram cancer metabolism is an important unaddressed question. Using isogenic cell lines expressing either wild-type (WT) or oncogenic mutant allele of PIK3CA, we demonstrated that colorectal cancer cells harboring PIK3CA mutations are more dependent on glutamine to grow. In contrast, the isogenic PIK3CA WT and mutant cell lines did not show differential sensitivity to glucose deprivation. Through gene expression analyses, we showed that glutamate pyruvate transaminase 2 (GPT2) is up-regulated in the colorectal cancer cell lines with PIK3CA mutations compared to the isogenic cell lines expressing WT PIK3CA. We demonstrated that induction of GPT2 by mutant p110 alpha is necessary and sufficient to render colorectal cancer cells dependent on glutamine. Moreover, aminooxyacetate, which inhibits enzymatic activity of aminotransferases including GPT2, suppresses xenograft tumor growth of colorectal cancers with PIK3CA mutations, but not colorectal cancers with WT PIK3CA. Thus our data suggest that targeting glutamine metabolism may be an effective approach to treat colorectal cancer patients harboring PIK3CA mutations. Mutant p110 alpha up-regulates GPT2 gene expression through an AKT-independent PDK1-RSK2-ATF4 signaling axis. We showed that ATF4 is a transcription factor that activates GPT2 gene expression. We further demonstrated that mutant p110 alpha activates RSK2 kinase through PDK1. Activated RSK2 then phosphorylates ATF4 at the serine residue 245, which in turn recruits deubiquitinase USP8 and protects ATF4 from ubiquitin-mediated degradation. Lastly, using [13C5-]glutamine isotope-tracing technology, we showed that PIK3CA mutant colorectal cancer cells convert more glutamine to alpha-keto-glutarate to replenish the tricarboxylic acid cycle to generate ATP. Together, our data establish oncogenic PIK3CA mutations as a cause of glutamine addiction in colorectal cancers. Citation Format: Zhenghe Wang. Oncogenic PIK3CA mutations reprogram glutamine metabolism in colorectal cancers. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference: Metabolism and Cancer; Jun 7-10, 2015; Bellevue, WA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Res 2016;14(1_Suppl):Abstract nr B03.
Spironolactone in combination drug therapy for unresponsive hirsutism

Clinical and laboratory evaluations of nine hirsute women were performed for determination the efficacy of combination drug therapy. Each patient had previously failed to respond to single drug therapy with oral contraceptives (OC), dexamethasone (DEX), or spironolactone (S) and received S (100 to 150mg) and either an ОС (mestranol, 0.05 to 0.08mg, and norethindrone, 1mg) or DEX (0.5mg) daily. Total testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, free testosterone, and sex-hormone-binding globulin were measured before therapy and 4 to 6 weeks after initiation of therapy and were compared with the responses to OC ( n = 7), DEX ( n = 8), and S ( n = 6). A satisfactory clinical response in the rate of hair growth was defined as at least a doubling of the time interval between adjunctive therapies (electrolysis, shaving, or bleaching) and patient satisfaction with treatment. The responses of the androgenic parameters were not statistically different between combination and single drug therapy. Although all patients noted a subjective improvement in hair growth, eight of nine fulfilled the criteria for a clinical response ( P
Membrane dynamics in relation to fluid absorption in reptilian proximal renal tubules

Net fluid absorption (Jv), cell volume, and cell membrane area have been studied in isolated, perfused snake (Thamnophis spp.) proximal tubules. With Na+ in both perfusate and bathing medium, Jv averages approximately 0.9 nl.min-1.mm-1. When choline replaces Na+ in perfusate, Jv nearly ceases. When choline also replaces Na+ in bathing medium, so that both solutions are identical, Jv returns to the control rate. The results are the same when tetramethylammonium replaces Na+, when sucrose replaces Na+ and the equivalent amount of Cl-, and when methyl sulfate replaces Cl- alone. However, when Li+ replaces Na+ in perfusate alone or in both perfusate and bathing medium, Jv is unchanged. Jv at control rates is isosmotic and can be partially inhibited by cold and cyanide. When choline replaces Na+ in perfusate and bathing medium, cell volume doubles, and intercellular space volume nearly quintuples. The areas of the lateral and apical cell membranes also approximately double, so that the surface area-to-volume ratio remains constant. These morphological changes in the absence of Na+ occur concomitantly with maintenance of Jv, suggesting that they may play a permissive role in such maintenance.
Detecting the small island effect and nestedness of herpetofauna of the West Indies.

To detect the small island effect (SIE) and nestedness patterns of herpetofauna of the West Indies, we derived and updated data on the presence/absence of herpetofauna in this region from recently published reviews. We applied regression-based analyses, including linear regression and piecewise regressions with two and three segments, to detect the SIE and then used the Akaike's information criterion (AIC) as a criterion to select the best model. We used the NODF (a nestedness metric based on overlap and decreasing fill) to quantify nestedness and employed two null models to determine significance. Moreover, a random sampling effort was made to infer about the degree of nestedness at portions of the entire community. We found piecewise regression with three segments performed best, suggesting the species–area relationships possess three different patterns that resulted from two area thresholds: a first one, delimiting the SIE, and a second one, delimiting evolutionary processes. We also found that taxa with lower resource requirement, higher dispersal ability, and stronger adaptation to the environment generally displayed lower corresponding threshold values, indicating superior taxonomic groups could earlier end the SIE period and start in situ speciation as the increase of island size. Moreover, the traditional two-segment piecewise regression method may cause poor estimations for both slope and threshold value of the SIE. Therefore, we suggest previous SIE detection works that conducted by two-segment piecewise regression method, ignoring the possibility of three segments, need to be reanalyzed. Antinestedness occurred in the entire system, whereas high degree of nestedness could still occur in portions within the region. Nestedness may still be applicable to conservation planning at portions even if it is antinested at the regional scale. However, nestedness may not be applicable to conservation planning at the regional scale even if nestedness does exist among sampling islands from a portion.
John Bates Clark and His Times

To understand the debate between Henry George and John Bates Clark, one must appreciate the times within which each of them lived.
CoSS: proposing a contract-based storage system for HPC

Data management is a critical component of high-performance computing, with storage as a cornerstone. Yet the traditional model of parallel file systems fails to meet users' needs, in terms of both performance and features. In this paper, we propose CoSS, a new storage model based on contracts. Contracts encapsulate in the same entity the data model (type, dimensions, units, etc.) and the intended uses of the data. They enable the storage system to work with much more knowledge about the input and output expected from an application and how it should be exposed to the user. This knowledge enables CoSS to optimize data formatting and placement to best fit user's requirements, storage space, and performance. This concept paper introduces the idea of contract-based storage systems and presents some of the opportunities it offers, in order to motivate further research in this direction.
Purine and pyrimidine metabolism in Leishmania

Purines and pyrimidines are indispensable to all life, performing many vital functions for cells: ATP serves as the universal currency of cellular energy, cAMP and cGMP are key second messenger molecules, purine and pyrimidine nucleotides are precursors for activated forms of both carbohydrates and lipids, nucleotide derivatives of vitamins are essential cofactors in metabolic processes, and nucleoside triphosphates are the immediate precursors for DNA and RNA synthesis. Unlike their mammalian and insect hosts, Leishmania lack the metabolic machinery to make purine nucleotides de novo and must rely on their host for preformed purines. The obligatory nature of purine salvage offers, therefore, a plethora of potential targets for drug targeting, and the pathway has consequently been the focus of considerable scientific investigation. In contrast, Leishmania are prototrophic for pyrimidines and also express a small complement of pyrimidine salvage enzymes. Because the pyrimidine nucleotide biosynthetic pathways of Leishmania and humans are similar, pyrimidine metabolism in Leishmania has generally been considered less amenable to therapeutic manipulation than the purine salvage pathway. However, evidence garnered from a variety of parasitic protozoa suggests that the selective inhibition of pyrimidine biosynthetic enzymes offers a rational therapeutic paradigm. In this chapter, we present an overview of the purine and pyrimidine pathways in Leishmania, make comparisons to the equivalent pathways in their mammalian host, and explore how these pathways might be amenable to selective therapeutic targeting.