cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Structural and Functional Determinates of Metabolic Rate

SYNOPSIS. Standard metabolic rates are principally determined by relatively few factors: temperature, mass, and phylogenetic affinities. 1) Temperature. Body temperature has pervasive effects on biological processes through the influence of temperature on the activity of metabolically important enzymes: metabolic rates double or triple when body temperature increases 10°C. The absolute levels of metabolism that any temperature establishes may be subject to acclimatory or evolutionary change by alteration of enzyme composition or structure. In endotherms, the effects of this basic thermal dependence may be overcome by the physiological regulation of body temperature, but such regulation is very energetically expensive. 2) Body mass. Metabolic rate scales interspecifically with body mass0.75. We understand to a degree how animals are structured to produce this observed allometric dependence of metabolism on mass, principally by quantitative differences in cellular metabolism that can be attributed to differential mitochondrial content. But we do not understand why animals are so structured or what exactly is the reason for this particular mass exponent. 3) Phylogeny. Metabolic level varies among taxa, and the phylogenetic history and relative associations of an animal are important determinates of energy expenditure. Mammals and birds have substantially greater metabolic rates than do ectothermic vertebrates, even at common body temperatures. However, even within vertebrate classes, metabolic level varies among orders. The principle of symmorphosis has been proposed to describe the structural consequences of functional design and the morphogenetic response of biological systems to functional need.
Anesthetic efficacy of unilateral and bilateral inferior alveolar nerve blocks to determine cross innervation in anterior teeth

Objective: The purpose of this prospective randomized study was to measure the degree of anesthesia obtained with unilateral and bilateral inferior alveolar nerve blocks to determine whether cross innervation occurs in anterior teeth. Study Design: Through use of a repeated-measures design, 38 subjects randomly received unilateral or bilateral inferior alveolar nerve blocks at two separate appointments. Each inferior alveolar nerve block used 3.6 mL of 2% lidocaine with 1:100,000 epinephrine. Mandibular anterior teeth were blindly pulp-tested at 4-minute cycles for 60 minutes’ postinjection. No response from the subject to the maximum output (80 reading) of the pulp tester was used as the criterion for pulpal anesthesia. Anesthesia was considered successful when 2 consecutive 80 readings were obtained. Results: One hundred percent of the subjects had lip numbness with each of the inferior alveolar nerve block techniques. Anesthetic success rates of the unilateral inferior alveolar nerve block were 39% for the central incisor, 50% for the lateral incisor, and 68% for the canine. For the bilateral inferior alveolar nerve blocks, success rates were 66% for the central incisor, 74% for the lateral incisor, and 76% for the canine. The bilateral inferior alveolar nerve block success rates were significantly (P <.05) higher for the central and lateral incisors when compared with the success rates of the unilateral inferior alveolar nerve block. Conclusions: Cross innervation does seem to occur in mandibular central and lateral incisors. However, the success rates in these teeth with bilateral inferior alveolar nerve blocks were below 75%. The failure of the inferior alveolar nerve blocks to anesthetize the anterior teeth was the overriding reason for failure. Clinically, bilateral inferior alveolar nerve blocks to provide profound pulpal anesthesia in mandibular anterior teeth are not recommended on the basis of the results of this study. (Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod 2001;92:132-5)
Orthopedic Implant Particle-Induced Tumor Necrosis Factor-α Production in Macrophage–Monocyte Lineage Cells Is Mediated by Nuclear Factor of Activated T Cells

Wear particles produced from artificial joint prostheses are known to cause macrophage-monocyte lineage cells to produce proosteoclastogenic cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha. The specific molecular mechanism, however, is not yet known. Bioinformatic analysis showed that the promoter region of TNF-alpha has several consensus sequences for NFAT binding. Consequently, we examined the role of nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) in TNF-alpha production. Our investigation has shown that treatment with titanium nanoparticles increased TNF-alpha gene expression along with TNF-alpha protein secretion in murine macrophage-like RAW264.7 and primary monocyte-macrophage cells. Titanium particle-induced TNF-alpha induction was inhibited by VIVIT, a peptide inhibitor that targets the calcineurin/NFAT axis, which suggests that NFAT mediates metallic particle-induced TNF-alpha expression in monocyte-macrophage lineage cells.
ALIENATION, LEARNING OR GRADE ORIENTATION, AND ACHIEVEMENT AS CORRELATES OF ATTITUDES TOWARD CHEATING

154 undergraduate students were given Gardner and Melvin's Attitudes Toward Cheating Scale, Ray's General Alienation Scale, and Eison's Learning Orientation/Grade Orientation Scale. Scores indicating condemnatory (unfavorable) attitudes toward cheating were positively correlated with grade point average and negatively correlated with alienation. Our results are consistent with a previous study which showed an association between cheating and alienation.
Ethylene hydrogenation on evaporated iridium films

The reaction of ethylene with hydrogen to form ethane and methane is studied over evaporated iridium thin film catalysts. The rate law obtained at total pressures up to 1000 μ and temperatures between 110 and 200°K is of the form R=KP0C2H4P1/2H2 exp(−3.3 kcal/mole/RT), where 0 and 1/2 are the reaction orders in ethylene and hydrogen, respectively. Over a wider temperature range (up to 100 °C) the reaction is characterized by the use of 13C labeled ethylene or deuterium in the place of hydrogen. The kinetic results taken in conjunction with the isotope studies are consistent with a Langmuir–Hinshelwood hydrogenation mechanism involving the half‐hydrogenated ethyl species C2H5 (a) first postulated by Polanyi. At temperatures greater than ∼150°K the rate of a surface dehydrogenation reaction becomes significant. The extent of this surface reaction can be determined by monitoring the amount of ethane produced when only ethylene is dosed on a clean Ir film or by observing nonlinearities in the Arrhenius plots ...
Fibrogenesis in pancreatic cancer is a dynamic process regulated by macrophage–stellate cell interaction

Pancreatic cancer occurs in the setting of a profound fibrotic microenvironment that often dwarfs the actual tumor. Although pancreatic fibrosis has been well studied in chronic pancreatitis, its development in pancreatic cancer is much less well understood. This article describes the dynamic remodeling that occurs from pancreatic precursors (pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasias (PanINs)) to pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, highlighting similarities and differences between benign and malignant disease. Although collagen matrix is a commonality throughout this process, early stage PanINs are virtually free of periostin while late stage PanIN and pancreatic cancer are surrounded by an increasing abundance of this extracellular matrix protein. Myofibroblasts also become increasingly abundant during progression from PanIN to cancer. From the earliest stages of fibrogenesis, macrophages are associated with this ongoing process. In vitro co-culture indicates there is cross-regulation between macrophages and pancreatic stellate cells (PaSCs), precursors to at least some of the fibrotic cell populations. When quiescent PaSCs were co-cultured with macrophage cell lines, the stellate cells became activated and the macrophages increased cytokine production. In summary, fibrosis in pancreatic cancer involves a complex interplay of cells and matrices that regulate not only the tumor epithelium but the composition of the microenvironment itself.
External and middle ear effects on infant hearing screening test results

This study investigated the relationship between external and middle ear factors and hearing screening results by automated auditory brain stem response (ABR) and transient-evoked otoacoustic emissions (EOAEs). The ears of 200 healthy newborns aged 5 to 48 hours underwent screening by ABR and EOAE, followed by otoscopic examination. The pass rates for ABR and EOAE were 91% and 58.5%, respectively. On otoscopic examination, 28% (112/400) ears had occluding vernix obscuring the view of the tympanic membrane. Cleaning of vernix was successfully performed in all but 2 ears that had occluding vernix. Cleaning of vernix significantly increased the pass rates of all 400 ears for ABR and EOAE to 96% and 69%. Decreased tympanic membrane mobility was found in 22.7% (90/396) of ears that were evaluated otoscopically. Decreased tympanic membrane mobility had a significant effect on EOAE screening; only 33.4% of ears passed EOAE testing. Decreased tympanic membrane mobility did not significantly affect pass rates for ABR screening; 95% of these ears passed the automated ABR screen. Implications for newborn hearing screening are discussed.
Galactose Metabolism and Its Regulation

Abstract Galactose, a constituent of milk sugar, is a major source of calories in the young as well as an important component of glycolipids and glycoproteins. The conversion of galactose to glucose is mediated by a series of four enzymes. Deficiency of the first two enzymes of the Leloir pathway are associated with two clinical entities: galactokinase deficiency galactosemia and uridyl transferase deficiency galactosemia. The latter condition in which phosphorylation by the galactokinase takes place is the more severe clinical state. Regulation of galactose metabolism in the higher organism has been examined from the point of view of genetic, developmental, and enzymatic considerations. The genetic heterogeneity encountered with both the galactokinase and unridyl transferase is explored. The developmental pattern of the enzymes involved in galactose metabolism are reviewed along with studies involving excretion of 14C-galactose, which negate the impression that patients with transferase deficiency demonstrate increasing ability to dispose a galactose with advancing age. Four alternate pathways of galactose utilization are discussed, with particular emphasis on explaining the ability of Caucasion galactosemics, who have no detectable transferase activity to excrete small amounts of CO2 after galactose administration. The control characteristics of the enzymes of the Leloir pathway are examined, with reference to the relationship of substrate and cofactor levels acting as constraints on this pathway. Finally, animal models of galactosemia are discussed and their heuristic value is considered.
Arabidopsis UDP-sugar pyrophosphorylase: Evidence for two isoforms

Abstract Arabidopsis UDP-sugar pyrophosphorylase (AtUSP, EC 2.7.7.64) is a broad substrate pyrophosphorylase that exhibits activity with GlcA-1-P, Gal-1-P and Glc-1-P. Immunoblots using polyclonal antibodies raised to recombinant AtUSP demonstrated the presence of two USP isoforms of approximately 70 kDa (USP1) and 66 kDa (USP2) in crude extracts of Arabidopsis tissues. The 66 kDa isoform was not the result of proteolytic cleavage of USP1 during extraction. Trypsin digestion of bands on SDS gels corresponding to the location of the two isoforms followed by tandem mass spectrometry confirmed that USP peptides were present in both bands. Both USP isoforms were detected in the cytosol as determined by immunoblots of cellular fractions obtained by differential centrifugation. However, some USP1 was also detected in the microsomal fraction. Immunoprecipitation assays demonstrated that AtUSP antibodies removed USP activity (UDP-GlcA→GlcA-1-P) measured in floret extracts. These results indicate that USP is the only pyrophosphorylase that utilizes UDP-GlcA as a substrate and suggest that it serves as the terminal enzyme of the myo-inositol oxidation pathway.
Sprouting of sympathetic fibers in the hippocampus in the absence of major target cell candidates

Abstract Noradrenergic fibers of sympathetic origin enter the hippocampal formation following removal of the cholinergic septal afferents. These sympathetic fibers apparently form synaptic contacts with cells in the hippocampus, but the identity of the postsynaptic cell is unknown. As the two major cell types of the hippocampal formation are the pyramidal cells and the dentate granule cells, we sought to determine how their absence would affect the ingrowth and distribution of the sympathetic fibers following septal lesions. Hippocampal pyramidal cells were selectively removed with kainic acid and granule cells were selectively removed with colchicine 4 days before lesions were placed in the medial septal-diagonal band nuclear complex. Animals were sacrificed 4–5 weeks after the septal lesions and the brains prepared for catecholamine fluorescence histochemistry. Sympathetic fibers innervate the hippocampal formation of brains depleted of pyramidal cells or granule cells. Thus, it appears that neither cell type is an obligatory postsynaptic target or is necessary for the ingrowth of sympathetic fibers. The anomalous sympathetic fibers may be contacting interneurons or glia.
Mechanisms of dopant impurity diffusion in silicon

We present a comprehensive investigation of dopant diffusion in silicon under equilibrium and nonequilibrium concentrations of intrinsic point defects. Using first-principles total-energy calculations combined with available experimental data, we seek to resolve a series of outstanding controversies regarding the diffusion mechanisms of B, P, As, and Sb in silicon. We find that, under equilibrium conditions, vacancies and interstitials mediate the diffusion of all dopants with comparable activation energies, except Sb, for which the interstitial component has a high activation energy. Under nonequilibrium conditions, e.g., under injection of excess point defects, we derive the relevant expressions for the activation energy for a variety of possible diffusion mechanisms and injection conditions. Under oxidation, the calculated values are in excellent agreement with the available experimental data. In addition, theory and experiment suggest that the concerted exchange mechanism, involving no point defects, plays only a minor role in dopant diffusion.
Radin forcing and its iterations

We provide an exposition of supercompact Radin forcing and present several methods for iterating Radin forcing.
Adapting a patient satisfaction instrument for low literate and Spanish-speaking populations: comparison of three formats.

Abstract Objective To compare responses to print versions of the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems 2.0 survey (CAHPS™) to those for an illustration enhanced format and a telephone based interactive voice response format. Methods First, 2015 adult patients awaiting primary care visits completed: demographic information, Test of Functional Health Literacy (S-TOFHLA), CAHPS in one of three formats: print, illustrated, or interactive voice. A second sample of 4800 active patients was randomized to receive alternative formats. Results Response rates for the illustrated (31.3%) and print (30.4%) formats were significantly higher than for the interactive voice format (18.1%). The results of the illustrated format were comparable to the traditional text version, but required about 2 min more to complete by both low and high literacy groups. There were almost no invalid responses for the interactive voice format, but the format was associated with lower CAHPS satisfaction scores. Conclusion Despite extensive efforts to produce formats tailored to individuals with limited literacy, surprisingly we found no consistent advantages to either alternative format. In fact, the interactive voice format yielded lower satisfaction scores and lower response rates. Practice implications Practitioners need to ensure the health instruments they use are aligned with literacy skills and delivery preferences of their consumers. The lack of benefit of the illustrated form does not support investment of resources in these formats to measure satisfaction. The interactive voice response deserves more study—do lower scores register limited access to or use of telephones, irritation or true signal?
Maternal and umbilical serum concentrations of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor and its messenger RNA during clinical chorioamnionitis

Objective: To determine whether women with chorioamnionitis developed elevated serum granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) concentrations and, if so, whether the G-CSF crossed to the fetus. Methods: We quantified G-CSF before, during, and after delivery and in the cord blood of 12 women with clinical chorioamnionitis and 12 matched controls. We also measured G-CSF messenger RNA (mRNA) transcripts in mononuclear cells isolated from maternal and cord blood at delivery. Results: At study entry, G-CSF concentrations were much higher in women with chorioamnionitis (1397 ± 950 pg/mL, mean ± standard error of mean) than in controls (17 ± 5 pg/mL, P P P P Conclusion: Serum G-CSF concentrations were elevated during clinical chorioamnionitis, and similar levels were found in maternal and cord serum. Because G-CSF mRNA levels were very low in cord mononuclear cells, the G-CSF in cord serum might be maternal in origin.
Peroneal Palsy Produced by Intravenous Fluid Infiltration in a Newborn

A premature infant developed peroneal palsy as a result of infiltration of intravenous fluids, a previously unrecognized cause. Electrophysiological evidence of peroneal-nerve injury is presented. Caution is advocated in the placement of intravenous lines in small infants.
Patient attitudes to surgeons' attire in an outpatient clinic setting: substance over style

Abstract Background It is believed that patients prefer that surgeons convey a professional appearance with traditional business attire and white laboratory coat. We performed a prospective study to assess patient opinions regarding traditional attire versus the wearing surgical scrubs in the outpatient setting. Methods During a 5-month period, surgeons alternated wearing traditional clothing and surgical scrubs. Adult patients were given a questionnaire assessing their preferences regarding surgeons' clothing. Results Six hundred twelve patients returned the questionnaire. The majority felt that scrubs were appropriate attire for physicians. Half of the patients felt that wearing white laboratory coats is necessary. A minority felt that their surgeon's dress affects their opinion regarding the care they received. There was no difference between responses regardless of the attire actually worn. Conclusions Surgeon's clothing choice does not significantly influence patient's opinion of the care they receive. Patients do not have strong preferences for white coats or more traditional surgical attire.
Analytical calculation of anode current in relativistic magnetron

An analytical expression for the anode current in a relativistic magnetron is derived. The anode current is described as the cathode-to-anode drift of the electron guiding centers in the crossed external dc and induced rf magnetic and electric fields. The drift of the electron guiding centers is analyzed in the frame of reference moving with the phase velocity of the induced rf electric field. The anode current determined by this drift is calculated under the assumption that the cathode of the relativistic magnetron operates in a space-charge-limited mode, where the external dc electric field at the cathode surface is zero.
Optimization of the hybrid silicon photonic integrated circuit platform

In the hybrid silicon platform, active III/V based components are integrated on a silicon-on-insulator photonic integrated circuit by means of wafer bonding. This is done in a self-aligned back-end process at low temperatures, making it compatible with CMOS-based silicon processing. This approach allows for low cost, high volume, high quality and reproducible chip fabrication. Such features make the hybrid silicon platform an attractive technology for applications like optical interconnects, microwave photonics and sensors operating at wavelengths around 1.3 μm and 1.55 μm. For these applications energy efficient operation is a key parameter. In this paper we present our efforts to bring the III/V components in the hybrid silicon platform, such as lasers and optical amplifiers, on par with the far more mature monolithic InP-based integration technology. We present our development work to increase hybrid silicon laser and amplifier wall-plug efficiency. This is done by careful optimization of III/V mesa geometry and guiding silicon waveguide width. We also discuss current injection efficiency and thermal performance. Furthermore we show the characterization of the low-loss and low-reflection mode converters that couple the hybrid III/V components to silicon waveguides. Reflections below -41 dB and passive loss of 0.3 dB per converter were obtained.
Families caring for frail and demented elderly: A review of selected findings.

In this article, the caregivers for the physically frail family members and the caregivers for demented family members are considered separately. The two populations are described, the burdens experienced by each group are examined, and reports of intervention programs for each group are discussed. The two groups are compared and contrasted. And finally, supportive programs for each type of caregiver are recommended. The number of frail elderly suffering from chronic disorders and the number of demented elderly cared for in their homes by family members is increasing. Soldo and Myllyluoma (33) used 1976 Survey of Income and Education data to estimate that 1.1 million households in this country had at least one person over age 65 who required moderate assistance with either activities in daily living or mobility. There are two or three times as many bedfast and housebound elderly at home as there are in institutions (16). For most patients, home care is preferable to the alternative of institutionalization (17). Brody (3, 4) dispels the frequently cited myth that the contemporary family is alienated from its elderly members and does not take care of them as was done in the past. As the longevity of the population increases, and the absolute number of individuals over the age of 65 increases from 25 million now to approximately 40 million by the year 2020 (2), the number of frail and elderly cared for in their homes by family members will also increase.
The individual and beyond: a socio-rational choice model of service participation among homeless adults with substance abuse problems.

While substance user service programs can help homeless adults solve their substance use and housing problems, relatively few needy individuals use and complete these programs. The lack of participation is poorly explained by typical empirical studies, most of which consider the role in service participation of various personal traits and client problems. The current article instead seeks to explain service participation through the application of an alternative, “socio-rational choice” model. This model has three premises: Clients weigh the costs and benefits of participating in services against alternative uses of their time and resources.The clients’ weighing procedures reflect their personal situations and perceptions of the treatment environment.The perceptions of their personal situations and perceptions of the treatment environment are affected by the manner in which clients react to representatives of service systems, members of their social network including both housed and homeless persons, and ...
Strategic incentives for climate geoengineering coalitions to exclude broad participation

Solar geoengineering is the deliberate reduction in the absorption of incoming solar radiation by the Earth’s climate system with the aim of reducing impacts of anthropogenic climate change. Climate model simulations project a diversity of regional outcomes that vary with the amount of solar geoengineering deployed. It is unlikely that a single small actor could implement and sustain global-scale geoengineering that harms much of the world without intervention from harmed world powers. However, a sufficiently powerful international coalition might be able to deploy solar geoengineering. Here, we show that regional differences in climate outcomes create strategic incentives to form coalitions that are as small as possible, while still powerful enough to deploy solar geoengineering. The characteristics of coalitions to geoengineer climate are modeled using a ‘global thermostat setting game’ based on climate model results. Coalition members have incentives to exclude non-members that would prevent implementation of solar geoengineering at a level that is optimal for the existing coalition. These incentives differ markedly from those that dominate international politics of greenhouse-gas emissions reduction, where the central challenge is to compel free riders to participate.
Concurrent androgen deprivation therapy during salvage prostate radiotherapy improves treatment outcomes in high-risk patients.

Purpose To determine whether concurrent androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) during salvage radiotherapy (RT) improves prostate cancer treatment outcomes. Methods and Materials A total of 630 postprostatectomy patients were retrospectively identified who were treated with three-dimensional conformal RT. Of these, 441 were found to be treated for salvage indications. Biochemical failure was defined as prostate-specific antigen (PSA) of 0.2 ng/mL or greater above nadir with another PSA increase or the initiation of salvage ADT. Progression-free survival (PFS) was defined as the absence of biochemical failure, continued PSA rise despite salvage therapy, initiation of systemic therapy, clinical progression, or distant failure. Multivariate-adjusted Cox proportional hazards modeling was performed to determine which factors predict PFS. Results Low-, intermediate-, and high-risk patients made up 10%, 24%, and 66% of patients, respectively. The mean RT dose was 68 Gy. Twenty-four percent of patients received concurrent ADT (cADT). Regional pelvic nodes were treated in 16% of patients. With a median follow-up of 3 years, the 3-year PFS was 4.0 years for cADT vs. 3.4 years for cADT patients ( p = 0.22). Multivariate analysis showed that concurrent ADT ( p = 0.05), Gleason score ( p p = 0.03) were independent predictors of PFS. When patients were stratified by risk group, the benefits of cADT (hazard ratio, 0.65; p = 0.046) were significant only for high-risk patients. Conclusions This retrospective study showed a PFS benefit of concurrent ADT during salvage prostate RT. This benefit was observed only in high-risk patients.
Ponseti Casting and Achilles Release Versus Classic Casting and Soft Tissue Releases for the Initial Treatment of Arthrogrypotic Clubfeet

Background:Wide soft tissue releases (STRs) are considered the classic operative approach to the arthrogrypotic clubfoot, but recently the Ponseti method with Achilles tenotomy has been proposed as the initial treatment for those deformities.Methods:A retrospective comparison of clinical results and treatment course after 5 to 10 years of follow-up (FU) in arthrogrypotic clubfeet treated initially with STRs or the Ponseti method was performed. Mann-Whitney and χ2 tests were used to assess significant differences between variables.Results:Twenty-nine children with 57 arthrogrypotic clubfeet were divided into 2 subgroups: the Ponseti subgroup (9 children, 18 clubfeet, mean FU: 7.3 years), which achieved 14 good and 4 satisfactory final results. The complication rate was 5.5%. Reoperation rate was 1.2 per foot, with 90.9% being STRs and 9.1% wedge osteotomies. The mean total anesthesia and surgery time equaled 116.6 and 77.4 minutes, respectively. The interval between primary and redo surgery was 27.3 months...
Multiply stochastic representations for K distributions and their Poisson transforms

The K distribution is used in a number of areas of scientific endeavor. In optics, it provides a useful statistical description for fluctuations of the irradiance (and the electric field) of light that has been scattered or transmitted through random media (e.g., the turbulent atmosphere). The Poisson transform of the K distribution describes the photon-counting statistics of light whose irradiance is K distributed. The K-distribution family can be represented in a multiply stochastic (compound) form whereby the mean of a gamma distribution is itself stochastic and is described by a member of the gamma family of distributions. Similarly, the family of Poisson transforms of the K distributions can be represented as a family of negative-binomial transforms of the gamma distributions or as Whittaker distributions. The K distributions have heretofore had their origins in random-walk models; the multiply stochastic representations provide an alternative interpretation of the genesis of these distributions and their Poisson transforms. By multiple compounding, we have developed a new transform pair as a possibly useful addition to the K-distribution family. All these distributions decay slowly and are difficult to calculate accurately by conventional formulas. A recursion relation, together with a generalized method of steepest descent, has been developed to evaluate numerically the photon-counting distributions and their factorial moments with excellent accuracy.
Brownian Motion on Compact Manifolds: Cover Time and Late Points

Let $M$ be a smooth, compact, connected Riemannian manifold of dimension $d>2$ and without boundary. Denote by $T(x,r)$ the hitting time of the ball of radius $r$ centered at $x$ by Brownian motion on $M$. Then, $C_r(M)=\sup_{x \in M} T(x,r)$ is the time it takes Brownian motion to come within $r$ of all points in $M$. We prove that $C_r(M)/(r^{2-d}|\log r|)$ tends to $\gamma_d V(M)$ almost surely as $r\to 0$, where $V(M)$ is the Riemannian volume of $M$. We also obtain the ``multi-fractal spectrum'' $f(\alpha)$ for ``late points'', i.e., the dimension of the set of $\alpha$-late points $x$ in $M$ for which $\limsup_{r\to 0} T(x,r)/ (r^{2-d}|\log r|) = \alpha >0$.
Myocardial Adeno-Associated Virus Serotype 6–βARKct Gene Therapy Improves Cardiac Function and Normalizes the Neurohormonal Axis in Chronic Heart Failure

Background— The upregulation of G protein–coupled receptor kinase 2 in failing myocardium appears to contribute to dysfunctional β-adrenergic receptor (βAR) signaling and cardiac function. The peptide βARKct, which can inhibit the activation of G protein–coupled receptor kinase 2 and improve βAR signaling, has been shown in transgenic models and short-term gene transfer experiments to rescue heart failure (HF). This study was designed to evaluate long-term βARKct expression in HF with the use of stable myocardial gene delivery with adeno-associated virus serotype 6 (AAV6). Methods and Results— In HF rats, we delivered βARKct or green fluorescent protein as a control via AAV6-mediated direct intramyocardial injection. We also treated groups with concurrent administration of the β-blocker metoprolol. We found robust and long-term transgene expression in the left ventricle at least 12 weeks after delivery. βARKct significantly improved cardiac contractility and reversed left ventricular remodeling, which was...
Comment on FTC Strategic Plan 2014-2018

This comment on the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) draft Strategic Plan FY 2014-FY 2018 addresses two areas that the Commission should consider. First, the Commission should integrate economic analysis into its consumer protection mission to the same degree that it has into its competition mission. Such integration will aid the Commission in allocating resources in the manner that maximizes consumer benefits. Second, the FTC should include countervailing negative impacts on consumers – through, for example, adverse effects on competition, reductions in marketplace information, or reduced incentives to innovate – when setting priorities for, and assessing the performance of, its consumer protection mission.
Improvement in heat dissipation by transfer of IV-VI epilayers from silicon to copper

A successful metallization (Au-InSn alloy) bonding and substrate removal procedure is described for improving epilayer heat dissipation. Two IV-VI semiconductor multiple quantum well (MQW) structures grown on silicon host substrates by molecular beam epitaxy with a CaF/sub 2/ (or CaF/sub 2/-BaF/sub 2/) buffer layer were bonded epilayer down to the tips of a copper bar assembly and then the Si substrates were removed by dissolving the CaF/sub 2/ (or CaF/sub 2/-BaF/sub 2/) buffer layer in water. The bonded IV-VI epilayers were cleaved by separation of the copper bars. Photoluminescence (PL) data before and after transfer showed that an increase in diode laser pumping caused a smaller blue shift in the PL energies for the structures bonded to copper when compared to the as-grown samples. Calculations revealed that epilayers transferred to copper were at least 20/spl deg/C cooler than the same epilayers on silicon when illuminated with a continuous wave (/spl lambda/=911 nm) laser at a power density of about 25 W/cm/sup 2/.
Discrete scintillator coupled mercuric iodide photodetector arrays for breast imaging

Multi-element (4/spl times/4) imaging arrays with high resolution collimators, size matched to discrete CsI(Tl) scintillator arrays and mercuric iodide photodetector arrays (HgI/sub 2/ PDA) were developed as prototypes for larger 16/spl times/16 element arrays for breast imaging. The compact nature of the arrays allows detector positioning in close proximity to the breast to eliminate activity not in the line-of-sight of the collimator, thus reducing image background. Short collimators, size matched to 11.5/spl times/1.5 mm/sup 2/ scintillators show a factor of 2 and 3.4 improvement in spatial resolution and efficiency, respectively, compared to high resolution collimated gamma cameras for the anticipated compressed breast geometries. Monte Carlo simulations, confirmed by measurements, demonstrated that scintillator length played a greater role in efficiency and photofraction for 140 keV gammas than cross sectional area, which affects intrinsic spatial resolution. Simulations also demonstrated that an increase in the ratio of scintillator area to length corresponds to an improvement in light collection. Electronic noise was below 40 e/sup -/ RMS indicating that detector resolution was not noise limited. The high quantum efficiency and spectral match of prototype unity gain HgI/sub 2/ PDAs coupled to 1/spl times/1/spl times/2.5 mm/sup 3/ and 2/spl times/2/spl times/4 mm/sup 3/ CsI(Tl) scintillators demonstrated energy resolutions of 9.4% and 8.8% FWHM at 140 keV, respectively, without the spectral tailing observed in standard high-Z, compound semiconductor detectors. Line spread function measurements matched the scintillator size and pitch, and small, complex phantoms were easily imaged.
Electrostatic self-calibration of vibratory gyroscopes

This paper introduces a new approach to self-calibration of Coriolis-based vibratory gyroscopes that does not require the use of any additional moving parts or a calibration stage. Instead, the effect of the Coriolis force on the device is mimicked by the application of a rotating excitation to the device drive and sense modes. This calibration method is based on the theoretical analysis of an equivalent 2-DOF mass-spring model, which can be used to describe the behavior of a variety of MEMS gyroscopes. The method is validated both by the results of finite-element simulations and by experimental measurement.
Defensive Rekeying Strategies for Physical-Layer-Monitored Low-Rate Wireless Personal Area Networks

ZigBee networks are integrating rapidly into critical infrastructures such as the smart grid and public health centers. Numerous ZigBee-based smart meters have been installed in metropolitan areas and hospitals commonly employ ZigBee technology for patient and equipment monitoring. The associated ZigBee networks transport sensitive information and must be secured against exfiltration and denial-of-service attacks. Indeed, novel tools that exploit and disrupt ZigBee networks are already under development. Security monitors that can uniquely identify nodes by their radio frequency characteristics can be a valuable countermeasure if implemented in a practical manner. This paper investigates rekeying in response to suspected malicious devices that may be internal or external to a ZigBee network. It extends prior discussions of practical physical layer monitor implementation, and introduces a novel backward-compatible ZigBee message obfuscation technique based on preamble modifications. Experimental results demonstrate that common wireless ZigBee sniffers can be thwarted with 100% effectiveness without reducing packet reception to specific transceiver models.
Failure of oral water loading and intravenous hypotonic saline to suppress plasma prolactin in man.

To test the effect of acute changes in plasma osmolality on plasma prolactin concentrations, the hormone was measured before and during oral water loading, hypotonic saline infusion, and hypertonic saline infusion in normal subjects. In 10 normal men there was a small but statistically significant rise in mean prolactin, from 7.6 to 12.3 ng/ml, occurring within half an hour after the ingestion of a water load of 20 ml/kg. A small but statistically insignificant rise in mean plasma prolactin was observed in 11 normal women, although there was a significant negative correlation between plasma prolactin and plasma osmolality in these subjects. No effect of the intravenous infusion of either hypotonic saline (0.45%) or hypertonic saline (5%) on mean plasma prolactin was noted in 5 normal men. These studies do not confirm a previously reported suppression of prolactin concentrations by oral water loading or hypotonic saline infusions in normal subjects. While the data suggest a negative correlation between pla...
Theory of Unsteady Combustion of Solids: Investigation of Quasisteady Assumption

A numerical model was developed to investigate the applicability of activation energy asymptotics (AEA) in unsteady combustion of solids, and specifically, the quasisteady condensed phase (surface) reaction assumption. It was found that while condensed phase global decomposition activation energies are typically large enough for accurate prediction of steady burning rate and surface temperature by AEA, the criterion for comparable accuracy in predicting unsteady burning rate (e.g., linear response function) is more stringent For realistic material properties the error in the linear response because of the quasisteady condensed phase reaction assumption is significant, both in magnitude and phase. The results also show that at moderate pressures (10-100 atm), condensed phase reaction zone unsteadiness should be considered before, or at least in conjunction with, gas phase unsteadiness. Nonlinear combustion response was also investigated. The primary effect of nonlinearity was to convert low-frequency response (particularly that near the peak) to higher frequencies. Validation of numerical results was accomplished by comparing the linear surface reaction response with the predictions of analysis.
Response to Bucy's Comment on a Paper by Udwadia and Kalaba

We disagree with Bucy’s comments (Bucy 1994) on our (Udwadia &; Kalaba 1992) paper. The reasons are as follows. 1. Just as the Gibbs-Appell equations (which use quasi-coordinates) are not the same as the Lagrange equations (which use Lagrange multipliers), the equations of motion obtained by us are not the same as the Gibbs-Appell equations. Some of the steps required to obtain the Gibbs-Appell equations are (Pars 1979; Whittaker 1937): (1) choice of quasi-coordinates; (2) elimination of certain quasicoordinates in terms of other preferred quasi-coordinates; (3) setting up of the Gibbs function; and (4) differentiation of the Gibbs function with respect to the preferred quasi-coordinates. None of these steps is used in obtaining our equations of motion. 2. Yet, the equations of motion obtained by us are equivalent to the Lagrange equations with multipliers (Kalaba et al. 1995) and to the Gibbs-Appell equations (Udwadia & Kalaba 1996). By equivalent we mean each set of equations implies the other. In fact all these different sets of equations are simply different, yet equivalent, ways of stating D’Alembert’s principle for bilinear constraints. Thus what applies to one set of equations applies to the others. Any deficiency in the equations derived in our paper (say regarding rank changes of the matrix A) is therefore present in the Gibbs-Appell equations and Lagrange’s equations as well, because of their equivalence.
Maternal Supervision of Children During Their First 3 Years of Life: The Influence of Maternal Depression and Child Gender

OBJECTIVE: The present study examined the effect of child gender and maternal depressive symptoms on routine supervisory practices of mothers longitudinally. METHOD: Self-report supervision practices were obtained at various time points from 3 months through 3 years of age. RESULTS: From 3 to 36 months, the quantity of time mothers reported supervising decreased from 7.1 to 6.3 hours, and the proportion of time spent in an intense style decreased from 63 to 46%, whereas that spent in a peripheral style increased from 14 to 32%. Mothers reported more time supervising girls and a greater proportion of this was in an intense style. Mothers with elevated depressive symptoms reported more time supervising but a lower proportion in an intense style. CONCLUSION: Over the first 36 months of life, routine patterns of supervision change and these vary as a function of maternal depression symptoms and child gender. Implications for child injury risk are discussed. Language: en
RadioimmunoPET: detection of colorectal carcinoma with positron-emitting copper-64-labeled monoclonal antibody

Detection of tumor foci may be improved by combining the selective tumor-targeting properties of a monoclonal antibody with the superior sensitivity and contrast resolution of PET. An anti-colorectal carcinoma monoclonal antibody (MAb 1A3) was labeled with {sup 64}Cu, a positron-emitting radionuclide, by use of a bifunctional chelate (bromoacetamidobenzyl-TETA) and evaluated in 36 patients with suspected advanced primary or metastatic colorectal cancer. After radiopharmaceutical injection (5-20 mg protein, 10 mCi {sup 64}Cu), PET was performed once or twice, 4 to 36 hr later. All patients had CT scans and 18 patients were also studied with [{sup 18}F]fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)PET. In 29 patients, one or more tumor sites (n= 56) were proven, in 5 patients the absence of active tumor was confirmed and in the remaining 2, tumor status is not yet confirmed. Of the 56 confirmed tumor sites, 40 were detected by MAb-PET as foci of increased activity (sensitivity 71%). The positive predictive value of MAb-PET was excellent, ranging from 89% (40/45) to 96% (43/45), depending on the ultimate classification of three image-positive, but as yet unconfirmed tumor sites. Also, MAb-PET detected 11 new occult tumor sites, including 9 small abdominopelvic foci less than 2.0 cm in diameter that were not detected more » by CT or MRI. There were no complications, but significantly elevated HAMA titers were found in 28% of the 29 patients tested 1 to 12 mo after injection. There was no apparent dose-related effect from 5 to 20 mg MAb 1A3. These Phase I/II results suggest that PET with radiolabeled MAbs (radioimmunoPET) may have important applications in clinical oncology, particulary for detecting smaller colorectal tumor foci in the abdomen or pelvis and for determining accurate dosimetry. 34 refs., 5 figs., 4 tabs. « less
Mitral valve dissection: an unusual case of acute severe mitral regurgitation.

A 52-year-old female patient in cardiogenic shock was sent to our hospital. Three years ago, she had suffered from rheumatic aortic endocarditis, which resulted in a sinus valsalva aneurysm and dissection of the anterior mitral leaflet due to a fistula arising from …
Direct power control of a dual converter operating as synchronous rectifier

This work presents a dual converter employed as a rectifier with power factor regulation and bidirectional power flow. The active and reactive power flowing into the converter is controlled using an optimized direct power control algorithm. The multilevel structure of the converter is exploited to control the voltage level in each sub converter by selecting the modulation method from one commonly found in the literature, with the option of clamping one of the sub converters. These modulation methods are used to control the power taken by each sub converter, providing limited DC link voltage regulation. The system is first simulated in SIMULINK and the results were experimentally validated using a digital signal processor (DSP) based test rig.
Gonadotropin-releasing hormone-induced desensitization may account for the decrease in pituitary responsiveness after the preovulatory luteinizing hormone surge.

The LH secretory response of gonadotropes to GnRH varies during the estrous cycle of the rat. The increased secretion of estrogens during the 24-48 h before the preovulatory surge of LH secretion and the enhanced quantities of progesterone secreted acutely during the surge elevate the responsiveness of hypophysial gonadotropes to GnRH. However, the cause of the massive decline in GnRH responsiveness that occurs during or after the surge remains unknown. In the present studies, we investigated the possibility that it is due to GnRH-induced desensitization of gonadotropes. Dispersed pituitary cells from proestrous and estrous rats were preincubated with GnRH (3 or 6 h, 10(- 10) or 10(-9) M), progesterone (13 h, 100 or 200 nM), GnRH plus progesterone, or medium alone. Then, the cells were retrypsinized to permit performance of the reverse hemolytic plaque assay for measurement of LH secretin, during which they were treated with GnRH(0,10(-11),10(-10), and 10(-8)M) for 2 h. The cells from estrous animals show...
Water Flow Through Sand-based Root Zones Atop Geotextiles

An alternative to the time-tested gravel drainage layer beneath a sand-based root zone of a sports field or golf putting green can be constructed from a geotextile atop a highly porous drainage material or structure. The geotextile serves to support the root zone mixture on the drainage layer whose pores can be too large for the sand to support itself by bridging. In such an application, the geotextile should have high enough strength and resistance to stretching to support the root zone mixture atop the pores of the drainage layer and should contain internal pores of appropriate size to retain the bulk of particles in the root zone mixture and to allow free passage of drainage water and eluviating fine particles. The objective of this study was to determine whether geotextiles selected to meet these criteria affect the drainage rates of sand-based root zones and whether they affect the size of particles lost from the root zone-geotextile systems. In a 1-year laboratory study that made use of 150-mm diameter polyvinyl chloride (PVC) test cells, measurements of drainage rates and saturated hydraulic conductivities were made on replicated combinations of 10 geotextiles and three 300-mm deep root zone mixtures. Size distributions and total masses of particles that passed from the root zones through the geotextiles were measured. Statistical analyses showed that drainage rate, saturated hydraulic conductivity, and size distribution and mass of eluviated particles were unaffected by the properties of the geotextiles. The results gave of no reason to prohibit theuseofgeotextilestosupportsand-basedrootzonesingolfputtinggreensorsportsfields.