cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
1493 COGNITIVE FUNCTIONS(CF) IN CHILDREN ON CHRONIC INTERMITTENT HEMODIALYSIS(H)

CF have rarely been studied in chronically uremic children. Six children on H were evaluated with 16 neuropsychologic tests pre, 12 and 24 hrs post dialysis. There were 5 boys and I girl II to 18 yrs old with duration of uremia 6 to 52 months. Mean pre-dialysis creatinine at the time of testing was 9.2mg% and the mean change post dialysis was -6.4 ± 2.1 mg%. Results, utilizing a Friedman two-way analysis of variance, revealed that 6/16 measures changed significantly and the Walsh test showed differences between each of the three time periods. + = improved, O = no change Similar changes were not observed in 6 age and sex matched normal children. The results indicate that uremia adversely affects selective higher cortical brain functions in children. The speed of central processing, particularly when coordination of visual and motor acts is required, is best at 24 hrs and least pre-dialysis. Attention and memory were more compromised at 12 hrs than at 24 hrs, despite increasing uremia,suggesting that rapid volume and/or electrolyte shifts contribute to decreased performance.
Humanitarian Technologies and Genocide Prevention: A Critical Inquiry

This Review Essay is brought to you for free and open access by the Tampa Library at Scholar Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Genocide Studies and Prevention: An International Journal by an authorized administrator of Scholar Commons. For more information, please contact scholarcommons@usf.edu. Recommended Citation Mazzucelli, Colette (2014) "Humanitarian Technologies and Genocide Prevention: A Critical Inquiry," Genocide Studies and Prevention: An International Journal: Vol. 8: Iss. 3: 87-99. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5038/1911-9933.8.3.8
Cerebral laterality effects in the dual processing of prose

Abstract The degree to which the concreteness of prose material presented in an auditory fashion would interact with learners' lateral preference under different right hemispheric presentation conditions was investigated with 96 normal adults. Forty-eight subjects with consistent right preference patterns and a like number of bilateral individuals were either instructed to image, given a visual-spatial interference task, or given no instructions before listening to passages which differed in abstractness. As predicted across conditions, learners recalled a significantly greater number of ideas when the passage was concrete. Importantly, the abstractness was found to interact with subjects' inferred cerebral dominance. Whereas instructions to image and visual interference had little significant effect on mixed dominant subjects, for more consistently lateralized subjects imagery instructions increased and right-hemispheric interference decreased concrete recall. The results were interpreted in terms of visual and verbal encoding concomitant with cerebral lateralization.
A critique of James Hillman's approach to the dream.

Les idees du «premier transfuge original de l'orthodoxie jungienne» sur le reve. Entre «mythos» et «logos»
Design and application of an in vivo reporter assay for phenylalanine ammonia-lyase

Phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) is an important enzyme that links primary metabolism to secondary metabolism. Its efficiency is often a critical factor that affects the overall flux of a related metabolic pathway, the titer of the final products, and the efficacy of PAL-based therapies. Thus, PAL is a common target for metabolic engineering, and it is of significant interest to screen efficient PALs for industrial and medical applications. In this study, a novel and efficient visible reporter assay for screening of PAL efficiency in Escherichia coli was established based on a plant type III polyketide biosynthetic pathway. The candidate PALs were co-expressed with a 4-coumarate:CoA ligase 4CL1 from Arabidopsis thaliana and curcuminoid synthase (CUS) from Oryza sativa in E. coli BL21(DE3) to form a dicinnamoylmethane biosynthetic pathway. Taking advantage of the yellow color of the product, a microplate-based assay was designed to measure the titer of dicinnamoylmethane, which was validated by HPLC analysis. The different titers of the product reflect the overall performance (expression level and enzymatic activity) of the individual PALs in E. coli. Using this system, we have screened three PALs (PAL1, PAL3, and PAL4) from Trifolium pratense, among which PAL1 showed the best performance in E. coli. The engineered E. coli strain containing PAL1, 4CL1, and CUS led to the production of dicinnamoylmethane at a high level of 0.36 g/l. Supplement of 2-fluoro-phenylalanine yielded two fluorinated dicinnamoylmethane derivatives, 6,6′-difluoro-dicinnamoylmethane and 6-fluoro-dicinnamoylmethane, of which the latter is a new curcuminoid.
Estimation of total coronary artery flow using measurements of flow in the ascending aorta.

This paper describes a technique for estimation of total (right + left) coronary artery flow using MRI flow measurements in the ascending aorta. The technique is based on the principle that the flow in a vessel branch is equal to the difference of the net flow measured above and below the branch ostia. Aortic net flow is measured at four or more axial oblique slices from below the aortic valve to above the highest location of the coronary vessel ostia in late diastole. A flow model properly interprets the flow measurements in slices that contain the coronary ostia. Results in five normal subjects show that total coronary artery flow can be measured with a standard error of about 90 cc/min, 30% of total coronary artery flow. Potential clinical uses include noninvasive measurement of coronary flow reserve. Pulse sequence improvements are necessary to reduce examination time and improve accuracy and precision.
Reward pretraining and discrimination learning set

Pigtailed monkeys were trained on discrimination problems involving objects that had been previously paired with reward, previously paired with nonreward, or objects not associated with any pretraining. In two separate studies, no differences on these various problem formats were observed, but performance improved considerably with practice. These results are contrary to the theories for learning set formation of Spence and Medin.
Notch signaling in the regulation of tumor angiogenesis.

The Notch signaling pathway is conserved in vertebrates and invertebrates and is involved in many developmental processes. Notch receptors and ligands are expressed on the cell surface enabling interactions between adjacent cells upon receptor–ligand binding. Notch signaling molecules have an important well-documented role in vascular development, differentiation, proliferation, apoptosis and tumorigenesis. Recently, several groups have identified the importance of Notch signaling in tumor angiogenesis. Notch activity increases specifically in tumor endothelium and in various tumors types and, in some studies, Notch signaling suppresses angiogenic processes. Because the Notch signaling pathway can mediate communication between various cell types in the tumor microenvironment, interactions between tumor cells and endothelial cells might promote angiogenesis, therefore targeting the Notch pathway might provide a novel strategy for anti-angiogenic therapies. Here, we discuss recent insights of Notch signaling in tumor angiogenesis.
Genres of digital documents

There has recently been an upsurge of interest in document genres - the fusion of form and function that makes a document instantly recognizable to its community of users. The utility of genre identification is now accepted as a premise, but many interesting and challenging questions remain. The papers assembled here create a truly interdisciplinary body of work, drawing on literary and communication theories, library and information science, natural language processing, writing, and machine learning, among others. One of the most challenging aspects of research in genre is to create a rigorous yet flexible way of representing document genres that will reflect their form and properties, as well as their communicative role as embedded in a particular community of discourse.
Flux profiles in bulk DyBa2Cu3O7 at 4.2 and 77 K

Flux penetration measurements on bulk specimens of DyBa2Cu3O7 were performed at 4.2 and 77 K in magnetic fields up to 7 Tesla using Campbell's ac method. There are two distinct regions of flux penetration: 1. For very low ac fields ( < 1 mT ) a certain amount of flux penetrates the specimen and is then moved almost reversibly as the ac field is increased. 2. For higher ac fields at 4.2 K flux penetration occurs in a manner consistent with the critical state model with negligible surface contribution. At 77 K the surface contribution is very large, resulting in an apparent penetration of 50% or more with comparatively small bulk current densities.
INFLUENCE OF INSECT ASSOCIATED CUES ON THE JUMPING BEHAVIOR OF ENTOMOPATHOGENIC NEMATODES (STEINERNEMA SPP.)

Summary The infective stage juveniles of insect parasitic nematodes in the family Steinernema search for hosts using strategies ranging from ambush to cruise foraging. Infective juveniles attach to passing insects by standing on their tails and contacting an insect directly when standing or by jumping. We determined how species with differing degrees of ambush foraging specialization differ in their behavioral responses to different sources of information. Mechanical contact, air movement, and host associated volatile cues were important triggers of jumping behavior for some species of Steinernema. Three species that are ambush foragers (S. carpocapsae, S. scapterisci, and S. siamkayai) responded to small air movements by increased waving and jumping behavior, and jumps were directionally biased towards the source of the movement. For S. carpocapsae and S. scapterisci, host-associated volatile cues were strong triggers to jump, but host cues did not increase the proportion of S. siamkayai jumping. In contrast, two intermediate foraging species, S. ceratophorum and S. monticolum,
Effect of cold storage of adult Trichogramma brassicae, T. cacoeciae and T. evanescens (Hym.: Trichogrammatidae)

Abstract Trichogramma cacoeciae Marchall, T. brassicae Bezdenko and T. evanescens Westwood could be useful in biological control programmes of agricultural insect pest. The possibility of storing adult Trighogramma species at low temperatures, and the effect of such storage on the quality of the parasitoids and its fecundity were studied. Trighogramma cacoeciae, T. brassicae and T. evanescens adults were stored for 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 days at 4 ± 1°C in a refrigerator, 60 – 70%RH and full darkness. Storage at 4 ± 1°C reduced fecundity and longevity of female parasitoids.
Analysis of coronary responses to nifedipine alone and in combination with intracoronary nitroglycerin in patients with coronary artery disease

Abstract Left coronary artery (CA) dilation responses to nifedipine and nitroglycerin (NTG) were studied in patients with CA disease. Quantitative angiography was used to measure the diameter of CAs before and after nifedipine (10 mg buccal) and the addition of NTG (200 μg) given into the left CA. Ninety-three CA segments were measured. The CA diameter was unchanged in 60 segments after nifedipine and was increased in only 27. Diameters of six other segments decreased. The average percentage of dilation of the various CA segments after nifedipine ranged from −2% to 14%. After NTG, CA dilation compared with control diameters occurred in 84 of the 93 segments. Only eight CA segments were unchanged and one other decreased. The average percentage of dilation of the various CA segments after NTG ranged from 8% to 35% compared with control diameters. Compared with diameters observed after nifedipine, NTG caused dilation in 82 of 93 CA segments; 10 appeared unchanged and one decreased. The diameter of eight coronary stenoses was also measured and was increased in three after nifedipine. After NTG the diameter of six of the eight stenoses increased compared with control diameter, and in four of the six that showed dilation, the diameter was larger than after nifedipine alone. These data suggest that nifedipine does not cause appreciable dilation of epicardial CA in patients with coronary disease. The capacity of NTG to induce dilation appears preserved after nifedipine. Although dilation of epicardial CAs and coronary stenoses was not apparent after nifedipine in our patients at rest, it is possible that nifedipine's clinically beneficial effects are mediated in some patients through prevention of increases in coronary tone.
"Typical" cystic fibrosis in an elderly woman.

ystic fibrosis is an autosomal recessive genetic disease that is characterized by an abnormality in exocrine gland function. Most of its clinical manifestations are secondary to obstruction of organ passages by abnormal mucous secretions. The cardinal diagnostic feature is an elevated sweat chloride level greater than 60 mEq/L. Cystic fibrosis is considered to be a disease of childhood and adolescence. A number of cases in the medical literature describe the disease in adults, although most of these patients were 20 to 30 years old [l-5]. One patient had cystic fibrosis diagnosed at the age of 46 years [6]. Stern et al [7] in 1978 described three forms of cystic fibrosis: “variant” cystic fibrosis, “typical” cystic fibrosis, and “classic” cystic fibrosis. The cystic fibrosis variant has preservation of exocrine pancreatic function, chronic Pseudomonas bronchitis, and intermediate-range sweat chloride concentrations, 40 to 60 mEq/L. Typical cystic fibrosis has high sweat chloride levels, chronic Pseudomonas bronchitis, and normal exocrine pancreatic function. They described a 23-year-old man with this typical cystic fibrosis and a sweat chloride value of 105 mEq/L. Finally, they described classic cystic fibrosis with high sweat chloride levels, chronic Pseudomonas bronchitis, and exocrine pancreatic deficiency. Brown et al [8] in 1986 described a case of a 69-year-old man with variant cystic fibrosis having sweat chloride levels of 55 to 60 mEq/L. We present the case of a 65-year-old woman who has had chronic respiratory problems since early childhood, including bronchitis, sinusitis, and nasal polyposis, and a positive family history for cystic fibrosis, who was found to have a high sweat chloride level. This case report describes perhaps the oldest reported patient, at the time of diagnosis, with typical cystic fibrosis.
Putting on Their Sunday Best: Romania, Hungary, and the Puzzle of Peace

The absence of conflict between Romania and Hungary after the end of the Cold War presents a fascinating puzzle on which various strains of international relations theory can be brought to bear. Contrary to the expectations of realism, cooperative behavior has been pursued by these two historic antagonists. Expectations from realism, liberalism, liberal institutionalism, and social constructivism are tested on this dyad and results are compared to other cases. The investigation concludes that both international institutional norms and changes in the domestic governments of these states were necessary as factors in this anomalous behavior.
A Vessel for the Replicate Culture of Cells in Monolayer

Modification of a commercially available Carrel-type of disposable plastic flask with 10 compartments, by removing the central junctions of the two middle divisions to create 6 intercommunicating chambers, provides a vessel for easy preparation and handling of exact replicate cell cultures on coverglasses. Periodic sampling, fluid changes, attainment of identical inoculation and culture conditions, and microscopic observation are greatly facilitated in radio-isotope, virological and pharmacological experiments.
An Overview of Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Issues in Botswana

In Botswana, homosexuality is criminalized, stigmatized, and considered by some to be “un-African.” Unsurprisingly in this context there has been scant research on lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) issues. This paper reviews what research has been done in the areas of HIV risk, substance abuse, and mental health; explores the issues facing LGBs in Botswana; and offers recommendations for policy and future research. Notable findings reviewed include high rates of men who have sex with men also engaging in heterosexual relationships, and high rates of suicidal thoughts and substance use in the LGB community. Human rights practitioners and health professionals have called for repealing sodomy laws and creating programs specific for LGBs in order to effectively promote health in this population.
Nordihydroguaiaretic acid attenuates NMDA neurotoxicity--action beyond the receptor

There is widespread interest in the neurotoxicity of the endogenous excitatory amino acid neurotransmitter glutamate. Excessive glutamate release or accumulation leads to neuronal injury or death in a variety of experimental models of ischemia, anoxia and hypoglycemia. This injury appears to be caused by overactivation of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) subclass of glutamate receptors since a variety of competitive and uncompetitive NMDA antagonists can attenuate this process, sometimes in a dramatic fashion. Given the clinical context in which this form of neuronal injury occurs, it would be desirable if we could identify agents that blocked NMDA toxicity, after initial receptor binding and ion channel fluxes had transpired. Because NMDA receptor activation initiates the arachidonic acid cascade, we have recently looked at whether the phospholipase A2 and lipoxygenase inhibitor nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA) can reduce NMDA neurotoxicity in vitro. In the concentration range 1-30 microM, NDGA diminished the death of cultured rodent hippocampal neurons produced by 100 microM NMDA. When 30 microM NDGA was present both before and after NMDA exposure, death declined by over 50%. NDGA did not block NMDA-induced inward currents in voltage-clamped neurons, so the drug is not a direct NMDA receptor antagonist. It also had no effect on the elevation in intracellular calcium produced by NMDA exposure. It is likely that NDGA acts at a site(s) distal to the NMDA receptor and the neuronal membrane to limit NMDA toxicity. We are hopeful that strategies for limiting excitotoxicity, which halt destructive intracellular events, can be developed for use in human neurological diseases linked to excessive stimulation of glutamate receptors.
Gonadal Stage-Dependent Effects of Gonadal Steroids on Gonadotropin II Secretion in the Atlantic Croaker (Micropogonias undulatus)

Involvement of gonadal steroids in the control of gonadotropin II (GTH II) (homologous to LH) secretion was investigated in the Atlantic croaker (Micropogonias undulatus) using gonadectomy (Gx) and steroid replacement paradigms. Gonadectomy in males and females during the late gonadal recrudescence phase elicited significant increases in the gonadotropin response to stimulation by an LHRH analog (LHRHa), without altering basal GTH II secretion. Slow-release silicone elastomer implants of testosterone or estradiol significantly inhibited LHRHa-induced GTH II secretion in gonad-intact and Gx males, and in Gx females, whereas 5a-dihydrotestosterone, a nonaromatizable androgen, was ineffective. Pretreatment of fish with an aromatase inhibitor, 1,4,6-androstatrien-3,17-dione, 2 days before the administration of testosterone implants, completely blocked the negative effect of testosterone on LHRHa-induced GTH II secretion in males, but only partially restored it in females. This suggests that the negative feedback of testosterone in males is primarily mediated by its conversion to estradiol at the level of the hypothalamus and/or pituitary gland, while in females the androgen may also exert a direct inhibitory effect on GTH II secretion, probably mediated via an androgen receptor. In addition, estradiol and testosterone exerted positive effects on basal and LHRHa-induced GTH II secretion during the early-recrudescence phase of the gonadal cycle. The steroids switched to a negative effect on LHRHa-induced GTH II secretion once the fish had fully developed gonads, possibly as a mechanism that prevents a precocious surge in GTH II secretion and final gamete maturation until gametogenesis is complete and the environmental conditions are appropriate for spawning.
Has radical behaviorism lost its right to privacy

The role of privacy and private events is a most challenging problem in the analysis and understanding of behavior, and many questions remain unanswered or, at the least, controversial. The set of papers on this topic included in a recent issue of Behavior and Philosophy (2009) illustrates that even among those who are quite sympathetic to a behavioristic perspective, there is much diversity and disagreement over many fundamental issues.
England expects: English newspapers’ narratives about the English football team in the 2006 World Cup

The essence of global sports has been competition among nations at the international level. For football, arguably the world’s most popular sport, global rivalries are paramount, and every four years since 1930, it has been the World Cup that has provided this excitement. English newspaper narratives about the English men’s national football team competing in the 2006 World Cup were examined to gain insight into how English national identity was portrayed. Using a qualitative textual analysis methodology, this study drew on Anderson’s (1983) theory of the imagined community, Hobsbawm’s (1983) notion of invented traditions, and the Eliasian (1991) concept of habitus codes. Set against the contemporary trends of devolution, globalization, and a post-7/7 discourse the newspapers relied on a reductionist, essentialist construction to elicit an emotional connection with a homogenous form of English national identity. The narratives seemed designed to galvanize support for the English team through references to historic English military victories
Characterization of Atherosclerosis Plaque in OCT Images Using Texture Analysis and Parametric Equations

It has been long thought that the main cause of a heart attack is the narrowing of an artery from the buildup of fatty plaque inside the artery wall. Postmortem autopsy studies on patients who have died after a myocardial infarction (heart attack) found that many of those did not have their arteries severely narrowed by plaque. Instead, thrombosis (blood clots)near ruptured lesions were identified as the actual main cause. The search for the type of culprit lesions has established that the formation of a lipid-rich pool covered by a thin fibrous cap(thickness less than 65 micrometer) was structurally unstable and likely to rupture. Subsequently, the term vulnerable plaque has been used to refer to this type of plaque. Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) is a new imaging modality capable of providing the required micrometer scale resolution to detect such tissue. With a resolution of approximately15 micrometer, OCT is considered the most promising imaging modality for identifying vulnerable plaque. We present a complete framework for reliable tissue characterization of different plaque types using OCT images. Our framework utilizes texture analysis as delineating features. In addition, a parametric classification technique is presented. The characterization performance of the proposed framework is assessed and evaluated.
Mixed finite element method for axisymmetric shells

A mixed variational formulation is used as basis for developing a mixed finite element method for axisymmetric shell. The independent unknowns of the method are the axial and radial displacement components, the rotation of the normal to the middle surface and the meridional bending stress couple. The basic element is a frustrum of curved meridian. General advantages of the mixed method are presented, one of which is the possibility of using piece-wise linear functions of the meridional arclength to represent the basic unknowns. Test results are presented for plate bending, transverse shear deformation, membrane behaviour, edge-zone bending, bending near the junction of two shells, convergence of the method and accuracy of middle surface curvature interpolation. Shell geometries considered are cylindrical, conical, spherical and ellipsoidal. Good results are obtained which should increase interest in the relatively less known and less tested mixed method as compared to the stiffness method.
While Tinkering With the β-Cell… Metabolic Regulatory Mechanisms and New Therapeutic Strategies: American Diabetes Association Lilly Lecture, 2001

A common feature of the two major forms of human diabetes is the partial or complete loss of insulin secretion from β-cells in the pancreatic islets of Langerhans. In this article, we review the development of a set of tools for studying β-cell biology and their application to understanding of fuel-mediated insulin secretion and enhancement of β-cell survival. Insights into these basic issues are likely to be useful for the design of new drug and cell-based diabetes therapies.
Modeling acoustic diversity using soundscape recordings and LIDAR-derived metrics of vertical forest structure in a neotropical rainforest

We determined the relationship between acoustic diversity and metrics of vertical forest structure derived from light detection and ranging (LIDAR) data in a neotropical rainforest in Costa Rica. We then used the LIDAR-derived metrics to predict acoustic diversity across the forest landscape. Sound recordings were obtained from 14 sites for six consecutive days during dusk chorus (6 pm). Acoustic diversity was calculated for each day as the total intensity across acoustic frequency bands using the Shannon index and then averaged over the 6 days at each site. A 10 m radius around each site was used to obtain several LIDAR- derived metrics describing the vertical structural attri- butes of the forest canopy. Multiple linear regression (MLR) with Akaike information criterion was used to determine a top-ranked model with acoustic diversity as the dependent variable and the LIDAR metrics as independent variables. Acoustic diversity was modeled for forested areas (where canopy height was (20 m) at 20 m resolution using coefficients obtained from the MLR, and a hotspot analysis was conducted on the resulting layer. Acoustic diversity was strongly corre- lated (R 2 = 0.75) with the LIDAR metrics suggesting that LIDAR-derived metrics can be used to determine canopy structural attributes important to vocal fauna species. The hotspot analysis revealed that the spatial distribution of these canopy structural attributes across the La Selva forest is not random. Our approach can be used to identify forest patches of potentially high acoustic diversity for conservation or management purposes.
Identification and Analysis of Dominant Electromigration Failure Modes in Copper/Low-K Dual Damascene Interconnects

We investigate the electromigration ? induced void morphologies that dominate the reliability of Cu / low ? dual damascene vias. We observe that while voids form in both the upper and lower metal levels during electromigration stress, slit ? type voids underneath vias fundamentally dominate the reliability of vias. Early failure distributions are common ? place for Cu dual ? damascene vias, and we show that multi ? link structures are a necessary and efficient means to ensure that all potential voiding modes are characterized during accelerated testing. Additionally we find via reliability is a function of width of the stripe attached to vias, and electromigration must be investigated across a wide width range to ensure that the limiting geometry is correctly identified.
Emulation of the Sparcle microprocessor with the MIT Virtual Wires emulation system

Describes a complete FPGA-based emulation software system using Virtual Wires technology and present the results of emulating an 18K-gate ASIC implementation of a modified Sparc microprocessor. Virtual Wires overcomes the pin-count limitation that formerly restricted the efficiency of FPGA-based logic emulators. The MIT Virtual Wires softwire compiler accepts a netlist description of the system to be emulated and produces programming information for the FPGA hardware, an inexpensive ($3000) board designed for Virtual Wires in-circuit emulation. The compiler also provides an interface to standard logic simulator tools for hardware accelerated simulation. We discuss innovative features of the compiler system and knowledge gained during its construction. A comparison is made of different implementations of the on-chip Virtual Wires circuitry synthesized by the compiler. Several enhancements to the original Virtual Wires concept are presented that improve the emulation speed and FPGA utilization. >
The application of real-time PCR to the analysis of T cell repertoires

The diversity of T-cell populations is determined by the spectrum of antigen-specific T-cell receptors (TCRs) that are heterodimers of α and β subunits encoded by rearranged combinations of variable (AV and BV), joining (AJ and BJ), and constant region genes (AC and BC). We have developed a novel approach for analysis of β transcript diversity in mice with a real-time PCR-based method that uses a matrix of BV- and BJ-specific primers to amplify 240 distinct BV–BJ combinations. Defined endpoints (Ct values) and dissociation curves are generated for each BV–BJ combination and the Ct values are consolidated in a matrix that characterizes the β transcript diversity of each RNA sample. Relative diversities of BV–BJ combinations in individual RNA samples are further described by estimates of scaled entropy. A skin allograft system was used to demonstrate that dissection of repertoires into 240 BV–BJ combinations increases efficiency of identifying and sequencing β transcripts that are overrepresented at inflammatory sites. These BV–BJ matrices should generate greater investigation in laboratory and clinical settings due to increased throughput, resolution and identification of overrepresented TCR transcripts.
Ultracold fermions with repulsive interactions

An ultracold Fermi gas with repulsive interaction has been studied. For weak interactions, the atomic gas is metastable, and the interactions were characterized by obtaining the isothermal compressibility from atomic density profiles. For stronger interactions (kFa ≈ 1), rapid conversion into Feshbach molecules is observed. When the conversion rate becomes comparable to the Fermi energy divided by , the atomic gas cannot reach equilibrium without forming pairs. This precludes the predicted transition to a ferromagnetic state (Stoner transition). The absence of spin fluctuations proves that the gas stays paramagnetic. In free space, a Fermi gas with strong short-range repulsion does not exist because of the rapid coupling to molecular states.
Measurement of Optic Disc Compliance by Digitized Image Analysis in the Normal Monkey Eye

Abstract Purpose: To characterize the compliance of the normal monkey optic disc under conditions of induced short-term fluctuations in intraocular pressure (IOP). Methods: In 10 monkeys, one eye was compliance tested on three separate days followed by a single test of the contralateral eye (40 compliance tests). In a testing session, the optic disc was imaged at 2 and 47 minutes (baseline time point) after IOP was lowered to 10 mmHg; then at 2, 17, 32, and 47 minutes after IOP was elevated to 45 mmHg; then at 2, 47, and, in some cases, 92 minutes after IOP was lowered back to 10 mmHg. Eight digitized images were analyzed at each time point, yielding two parameters to characterize the position of the disc: the Mean Position of the Disc (MPD) and the Change from MPD Baseline (the value of MPD at a given time point minus the value for MPD at the baseline time point of that testing session). Analysis of variance (ANOVA) testing was used to evaluate the overall effect of IOP on both parameters while taking into account the effects of variability due to different monkeys and repetitions of the test as well as differences between the two eyes of an individual monkey. With the addition of data from 11 compliance tests performed on eight additional monkeys, the overall results were calculated in terms of the mean Change from MPD Baseline at each time point for a total of 51 compliance testing sessions. Results: The mean Change from MPD Baseline was -28 μm (95% confidence interval, -23 to -33 μm) 47 minutes after elevation of IOP. The disc surface returned to its baseline position 92 minutes after IOP was lowered back to 10 mmHg. Elevation of IOP within a compliance test had a significant effect on the position of the optic disc surface ( P = 0.0002, ANOVA), as characterized by the parameter Change from MPD Baseline -Neither the difference in the amount of movement between -the two eyes of an individual monkey nor the variability within the three repetitions of the test in a given eye was statistically significant. Conclusion: Small, reversible (elastic) posterior deformations of the optic disc surface follow acute elevations of IOP in the normal monkey eye. Detection of acute IOP-induced deformations of the optic disc surface may represent a means by which to mechanically test the deeper load-bearing tissues of the optic nerve head.
Modification and prototype test of staple gun

This paper presents how to design a staple gun and verify its data through simulation. The staple gun was estimated and analyzed using 'ANSYS' software and the results were compared with those obtained through experiments. In this research, a supporting position for the spring inside the staple gun was damaged after hundreds of loads, and there was no data about the impact force when staples were shot into the targets. Therefore, a prototype test system is developed to validate the data through simulation. In this case, the results are quite close to each other before they can be used to help the manufacturer to improve its structure. This prototype test system is completed through PC-based automation software. The simulation model was modified to develop the next new products for saving costs and time. Because the impact force, coming out from the staple gun is pretty large, it should be restricted within a certain limit to keep the user safe.
Relationship Between Homocysteine and Mortality in Chronic Kidney Disease

Background— The relationship between total homocysteine (tHcy) and outcomes has not been investigated in patients with chronic kidney disease stages 3 to 4. Methods and Results— The Modification of Diet in Renal Disease Study was a randomized, controlled trial of 840 patients. Serum tHcy was measured in frozen samples collected at baseline (n=804). Survival status and cause of death were obtained from the National Death Index. To evaluate its association with all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality, tHcy was evaluated both as tertiles (<14.7, 14.7 to 19.5, ≥19.6 μmol/L) and as a continuous variable (per 10/μmol/L). Participants had a mean age of 52±12 years and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) of 33±12 mL/min per 1.73 m2; 60% were male, and 85% were white. During a median follow-up of 10 years, 195 (24%) died from any cause, and 118 (15%) from CVD. The level of GFR was lower and proteinuria higher in the highest tHcy tertile. There was no association between the highest tertile of tHcy and al...
Comparing Two Forms of Dynamic Assessment and Traditional Assessment of Preschool Phonological Awareness

The goal of the current study was to compare two forms of dynamic assessment and standard assessment of preschool children's phonological awareness. The first form of dynamic assessment was a form of scaffolding in which item formats were modified in response to an error so as to make the task easier or more explicit. The second form of dynamic assessment was direct instruction of the phonological awareness tasks. The results indicate that preschool children's phonological awareness can be assessed using standard assessment procedures, provided the items require processing units larger than the individual phoneme. No advantage was found in reliability or validity for either dynamic assessment condition relative to the standard assessment condition. Dynamic assessment does not appear to improve reliability or validity of phonological awareness assessments when preschool children are given tasks that they can perform using standard administration procedures.
Size of blood pressure reduction from renal denervation: insights from meta-analysis of antihypertensive drug trials of 4121 patients with focus on trial design: the CONVERGE report

Objective 30 mm Hg drops in office systolic blood pressure are reported in trials of renal denervation, but ambulatory reductions are much smaller. This disparity is assumed to have a physiological basis and also be present with antihypertensive drugs. Design We examine this office-ambulatory discrepancy through meta-analysis of drug and denervation trials, categorising by trial design. Patients (studies) 31 drug trials enrolling 4121 patients and 23 renal denervation trials enrolling 720 patients met the criteria. Results In drug trials without randomisation or blinding, pressure reductions are 5.6 mm Hg (95% CI 2.98 to 8.22 mm Hg) larger on office measurements than ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (p<0.0001). By contrast, with randomisation and blinding, office reductions are identical to ambulatory reductions (difference −0.88 mm Hg, 95% CI −3.18 to 1.43, p=0.45). For renal denervation, there are no randomised blinded trial results. In unblinded trials, office pressure drops were 27.6 mm Hg versus pretreatment, and 26.6 mm Hg versus unintervened controls. By contrast, ambulatory pressure drops averaged 15.7 mm Hg across all trials. Among those where the baseline ambulatory pressure was not the deciding factor for enrolment (avoiding regression to the mean), ambulatory drops averaged only 11.9 mm Hg. Conclusions Discrepancies in drug trials between office and ambulatory blood pressure reductions disappear once double-blinded placebo control is implemented. Renal denervation trials may also undergo similar evolution. We predict that as denervation trial designs gradually improve in bias-resistance, office and ambulatory pressure drops will converge. We predict that it is the office drops that will move to match the ambulatory drops, that is, not 30, but nearer 13.
A small conserved surface in SUMO is the critical structural determinant of its transcriptional inhibitory properties

Small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) modification of sequence-specific transcription factors has profound regulatory consequences. By providing an intrinsic inhibitory function, SUMO isoforms can suppress transcriptional activation, particularly at promoters harboring multiple response elements. Through a comprehensive structure-function analysis, we have identified a single critical sector along the second beta sheet and the following alpha helix of SUMO2. This distinct surface is defined by four basic residues (K33, K35, K42, R50) that surround a shallow pocket lined by aliphatic (V30, I34) and polar (T38) residues. Substitutions within this area specifically and dramatically affected the ability of both SUMO2 and SUMO1 to inhibit transcription and revealed that the positively charged nature of the key basic residues is the main feature responsible for their functional role. This highly conserved surface accounts for the inhibitory properties of SUMO on multiple transcription factors and promoter contexts and likely defines the interaction surface for the corepressors that mediate the inhibitory properties of SUMO.
Special Hysteresis Effects in N2-Sorption and Mercury-Porosimetry Measurements

Model pore structures were prepared from dispersions of submicron monodispersed silica particles by a sedimentation process. Ordered dense sphere packing structures were observed with scanning electron microscopy. Nitrogen sorption- as well as Hg-porosimetry measurements confirmed the calculated values of the pore openings in those structures. In Hg-porosimetry measurements a two step extrusion curve was observed, when the pore system was only partially filled during the intrusion process. This two step curve was not observed in case the pore system was filled with mercury to more than 95% during the intrusion run. The mercury porosimetry results can be interpreted in terms of the coexistence of octahedral and tetrahedral voids (pores) in the examined sphere packing structure and their special arrangement within the structure (connectivity). Two models will be described to explain the general occurrence of hysteresis in Hg-porosimetry. The actual pore geometry is shown to have a profound influence on the hysteresis shape as well as a change in the contact angle (constant within each measurement) can result in totally different hysteresis curves. Nitrogen adsorption and desorption measurements on the same powders did not reveal any fine structure within the hysteresis range.
Coronatine and salicylic acid: the battle between Arabidopsis and Pseudomonas for phytohormone control

SUMMARY The phytotoxin coronatine is a jasmonate mimic produced by Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato (Pst). Coronatine acts as a virulence factor in Arabidopsis and mutants insensitive to coronatine are resistant to Pst and have higher levels of salicylic acid (SA). In this work we used the SA-deficient lines NahG and sid2-2 to determine if coronatine acts directly as a virulence factor or indirectly by SA suppression. Using coronatine-deficient Pst mutants we demonstrated that the lack of coronatine compromises Pst virulence in both wild-type and SA-deficient Arabidopsis. Thus, the action of coronatine is not due to SA suppression. Rather, SA-independent jasmonate-responses are the most likely mechanism for its action.
Normal paraffin profiles of pelagic tar samples from the marmap survey

Pelagic tar samples from twenty stations on cruises of the research vessels ALBATROSS IV (72-6) and DELAWARE II (72-19) were analyzed by gas chromatography to obtain semi-quantitative profiles of normal paraffins in the range from C10 to C35 and a qualitative indication of the relative amount of other compounds having a volatility in that same range. These samples are essentially all weathered residues of waxy paraffinic crude oils, and are similar (with respect to the parameters measured) to numerous samples collected in the Sargasso Sea near Bermuda.
DNA Array Decoding from Nonlinear Measurements by Belief Propagation

We propose a signal recovery method using Belief Propagation (BP) for nonlinear Compressed Sensing (CS) and demonstrate its utility in DNA array decoding. In a CS DNA microarray, the array spots identify DNA sequences that are shared between multiple organisms, thereby reducing the number of spots required. The sparsity in DNA sequence commonality between different organisms translates to conditions that render Belief Propagation (BP) efficient for signal reconstruction. However, an excessively high concentration of target DNA molecules has a nonlinear effect on the measurements ? it causes saturation in the measurement intensities at the array spots. We use a modified BP to estimate the target signal coefficients since it is flexible to handle the nonlinearity unlike l1 decoding or other greedy algorithms and show that the original signal coefficients can be recovered from saturated measurements of their linear combinations.
Continuation or breakdown in tornado-like vortices

Laboratory experiments on swirling flows through tubes often exhibit a phenomenon called vortex breakdown, in which a bubble of reversed flow forms on the axis of swirl. Mager has identified breakdown with a discontinuity in solutions of the quasicylindrical flow equations. In this study we define a tornado-like vortex as one for which the axial velocity falls to zero for sufficiently large radius, and seek to clarify the conditions under which the solution of the quasi-cylindrical flow equations can be continued indefinitely or breaks down at a finite height. Vortex breakdown occurs as a dynamical process. Hence latent-heat effects, though doubtless important to the overall structure and maintenance of the tornado, are neglected here on the scale of the breakdown process. The results show that breakdown occurs when the effective axial momentum flux (flow force) is less than a critical value; for higher values of the flow force, the solution continues indefinitely, with Long's (1962) similarity solution as the terminal state. When applied to the conditions of the 1957 Dallas tornado, the computed breakdown location is in agreement with Hoecker's analysis of the observations.
A compact planar folded-dipole antenna for wireless applications

A new miniaturized printed antenna is presented as a dual structure to the miniature folded slot antenna. It is referred to as a miniaturized printed folded-dipole. This antenna requires neither a ground plane, nor any matching network. Considering its size, this resonant antenna has a fairly wide bandwidth. If a large enough ground plane is readily available, the miniaturized slot antenna exhibits superior efficiency compared to its printed dual.
Putting heads and hands together to change knowledge and behaviours: Community Health Clubs in Port-au-Prince, Haiti

Although interventions that emphasize the role of knowledge in invoking behaviour change have recently become unpopular, the Community Health Club (CHC) model has demonstrated how group knowledge, consensus building, and peer pressure can be applied to achieve hygiene behaviour change. To date, the model has predominantly been implemented in rural settings, with limited testing in urban communities. In 2012, CHCs started in Haiti as a grassroots initiative, growing from six clubs in six Port-au-Prince communities to 66 clubs across 30 communities in 2015. This paper focuses on the 23 clubs formed between March 2012 and July 2014, when a retrospective process and outcome evaluation was conducted. Using a mixed methods study design, this evaluation used interviews with CHC facilitators and household surveys in three case neighbourhoods to assess how the CHC model was implemented and if differences exist between CHC graduates and non-members. The CHCs have successfully facilitated social bonding, while gradu...
The Health Insurance and Life Satisfaction Connection

Prior studies indicate that perceived health is strongly associated with a sense of well-being. The effect of health insurance is much less clear: there has been little rigorous empirical research assessing whether health coverage has an independent impact on individual happiness. This topic is especially important in the US where recently an estimated 18 % of the non-elderly were uninsured and extension of coverage through means such as the Affordable Care Act has been controversial. The present study addresses this question. Drawing from a large survey that collected comprehensive health and personal information about the US adult population, controlling for a wide variety of factors known to influence well-being, and addressing the possible endogeneity of having health insurance, we find that individuals without health insurance coverage were less likely to be “very satisfied” or “satisfied” with life. This may be because health insurance reduces uncertainty. Regardless of other benefits it may bring, the expansion of health insurance coverage should increase the life satisfaction of American society.