cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comprehensive Capital Analysis and Review (CCAR) and the Dodd–Frank Stress Testing

The CCAR evaluates a BHC’s capital adequacy, capital planning process, and planned capital distributions, such as any common stock repurchases and dividend payments, whereas the Dodd-Frank Act stress testing on the other hand is a forward-looking quantitative evaluation of the impact of stressful and economic financial market conditions on BHC’s capital. The Dodd–Frank test also requires that BHCs conduct their own stress tests twice per year and report the result to the Federal Reserve.
Bayesian network meta-analysis of multiple outcomes in dental research

Abstract Objectives Dental research typically targets multiple outcomes. Interdental cleaning devices such as interdental brushes (IB) and water jet devices (WJ) share a sizable portion of the medical device market. However, recommendations for device selection are limited by the conflicting evidence from multiple outcomes in available studies and the lack of an appropriate synthesis approach to summarize evidences taken from multiple outcomes. In particular, both pairwise meta-analyses and single-outcome network meta-analyses can give discordant results. The purpose of this multioutcome, Bayesian network meta-analysis is to introduce this innovative method to the dental research community using data from interdental cleaning device studies for illustrative purposes. Methods We reanalyzed a network meta-analysis of interproximal oral hygiene methods in the reduction of clinical indices of inflammation, which included 22 trials assessing 10 interproximal oral hygiene aids. We focused on the primary outcome of gingival inflammation, which was measured by 2 correlated outcome variables, the Gingival Index (GI) and bleeding on probing (BOP). Results In our previous single-outcome analysis, we concluded that IB and WJ rank high for reducing gingival inflammation while toothpick and flossing rank last. In this multioutcome Bayesian network meta-analysis with equal weight on GI and BOP, the surface under the cumulative ranking curve was 0.87 for WJ and 0.85 for IB. WJ and IB remained ranked as the 2 best devices across different sets of weightings for the GI and BOP. Conclusion In conclusion, multioutcome Bayesian network meta-analysis naturally takes the correlations among multiple outcomes into account, which in turn can provide more comprehensive evidence.
Acute scrotum as the first symptom of Henoch-Schonlein purpura: report of 14 cases

Objective To summarize the characteristics and clinical outcome of 14 cases of Henoch-Schonlein purpura (HSP) in children with acute scrotum as its first symptom.Methods We retrospectively reviewed the clinical data of 14 male children with HSP between July 2001 and March 2010.None of the children had skin eruption at the time of admission.Eight children were diagnosed as epididymo-orchitis.Three were diagnosed as torsion of the testicular appendage.Two children were diagnosed as testicular torsion.And one child was diagnosed as having bilateral testicular contusions.One case had associated abdominal pain,one case had left knee joint swelling and pain.Results Five children developed skin purpura 2-8 hours after admission.In eight cases,eruptions were found 12 36 hours after admission in 12 to 36 hours.In the patient who had right knee joint swelling and pain,skin eruption developed on the second day.The scrotal symptoms gradually disappeared in all after medical treatment.No complication was noted during follow up 3 months- 5years (mean 30 months) after discharge.Conclusions Henoch-Schonlein purpura (HSP) in children with acute scrotum as its first symptom is a relatively rare event,but should be borne in mind for doctors.Ultrasonography has high diagnostic accuracy in children with an acute scrotum,and this should be performed with careful physical examination to avoid unnecessary surgery. Key words: Scrotum,injuries; Henoch-Schonlein purpura; Ultrasonography; Prognosis
Accessing HID Devices on the Web With the WebHID API: How to play the Chrome Dino Game by Jumping With a Nintendo Joy-Con Controller in One's Pocket.

In this demonstration, we show how special hardware like Nintendo Joy-Con controllers can be made accessible from the Web through the new WebHID API. This novel technology proposal allows developers to write Web drivers in pure JavaScript that talk to Human Interface Device (HID) devices via the HID protocol. One such example of a driver has been realized in the project Joy-Con-WebHID, which allows for fun pastimes like playing the Google Chrome browser's offline dinosaur game by jumping. This works thanks to the accelerometers built into Joy-Con controllers whose signals are read out by the driver and used to control the game character in the browser. A video of the experience is available.
Nucleophosmin blocks 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate mediated mitochondrial localization of p53 and apoptosis

1828 Activation of p53 is an important mechanism in apoptosis. Previously, we demonstrated that p53 localization to mitochondria precedes its nuclear translocation upon activation by the tumor promoter 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA). However, whether the presence of p53 in mitochondria plays an important role in p53 mediated apoptosis is unclear. Here, we demonstrate that over-expression of nucleophosmin (NPM) significantly suppresses TPA mediated apoptosis by blocking the mitochondrial localization of p53. Following TPA treatment of the skin epithelial JB6 cells p53 rapidly accumulated in mitochondria within an hour. Over-expression of NPM enhances p53 levels in the nucleus but suppresses mitochondrial p53 as determined by immunocytochemistry, sub-cellular localization and Western blot analysis. Confocal microscopy and co-localization experiments using p53 and NPM antibodies demonstrate that NPM and p53 co-localized in the nucleus. Kinetic studies reveal that p53 has longer half-life in NPM over-expressing cells compared to vector control cells treated in a similar manner. Stabilization of p53 by NPM enhances the expression of p53 target genes p21 and Bax with the concomitant increase of Bcl2 levels. However, the increased level of Bax alone in absence of p53 in the mitochondria did not led to an increase in TPA-induced apoptosis suggesting that the presence of p53 in mitochondria is important for TPA-induced apoptosis. Consistent with this finding, Bcl2 and Bax ratio was found to be higher and caspase 3 activity was lower in NPM over-expressing cells after TPA treatment. Protection from apoptosis was independent of the higher level of Bcl2 expression in NPM over-expressed cells, confirmed by co-transfection of NPM expression vector and Bcl2 siRNA coupled with apoptosis assay. Suppression of NPM by NPM siRNA leads to an increase of p53 levels in mitochondria with the concomitant increase of apoptosis as determined by Western analysis of p53 in purified mitochondria and the presence of TUNEL positive cells after TPA treatment, respectively. These results confirm the effect of NPM on p53 localization in mitochondria and apoptosis in TPA treated cells. Together, the data indicate that the presence of p53 in the mitochondria plays an important role in TPA-induced apoptosis and suggest that NPM could protect cells from TPA-induced apoptosis by preventing the translocation of p53 to mitochondria.
Concept Adapting Real-Time Data Stream Mining for Health Care Applications

Developments in sensors, miniaturization of low-power microelectronics, and wireless networks are becoming a significant opportunity for improving the quality of health care services. Vital signals like ECG, EEG, SpO2, BP etc. can be monitor through wireless sensor networks and analyzed with the help of data mining techniques. These real-time signals are continuous in nature and abruptly changing hence there is a need to apply an efficient and concept adapting real-time data stream mining techniques for taking intelligent health care decisions online. Because of the high speed and huge volume data set in data streams, the traditional classification technologies are no longer applicable. The most important criteria are to solve the real-time data streams mining problem with ‘concept drift’ efficiently. This paper presents the state-of-the art in this field with growing vitality and introduces the methods for detecting concept drift in data stream, then gives a significant summary of existing approaches to the problem of concept drift. The work is focused on applying these real time stream mining algorithms on vital signals of human body in health care environment.
Balancing nonlinear systems near attracting in variant manifolds

The notion of a balanced realization for a general nonlinear time-varying system is introduced for state space systems that have an attracting invariant regular sub-manifold. This is viewed as a generalization of the usual case where balancing is done near a stable equilibrium point. The special case of balancing an unstable linear time-invariant systems is considered as an example.
Exploring Python as a learning and teaching language: tutorial presentation

Since adopting Python for our first two computer science courses we have come to appreciate its simplicity and power. We have also seen Python creep into other courses in our curriculum because it makes the presentation of concepts so easy and clear. In this workshop, participants will explore the Python programming language and consider ways that it can be used to facilitate the understanding of typical introductory computer science concepts. After a brief introduction to the Python essentials, we will implement a number of examples ranging from graphics and image processing to data structures, recursion, threading, and network programming. Participants will leave the workshop with an understanding of the basic features of Python as well as an appreciation for the ease and clarity it can bring to the problem solving process.
Efficient on-the-fly analysis of program behavior and static cache simulation

The main contributions of this paper are twofold. First, a general framework for control-flow partitioning is presented for efficient on-the-fly analysis, i.e. for program behavior analysis during execution using a small number of instrumentation points. The formal model is further refined for certain analyses by transforming a program's call graph into a function-instance graph. Performance evaluations show that the number of measurement points can be reduced by one third using these methods.
Blood flow in peripheral nerves

Abstract Regional blood flow has been measured in the sciatic nerve of cats utilizing the method of hydrogen polarography. The mean baseline flow of the sciatic nerve in cats was found to be 43 ml 100 g min ± 1.6 SD . Flow rates were somewhat erratic in both the proximal and distal segments of the nerve following nerve severance. The erratic flows were observed over the first 30 min following nerve cutting and by 1 hr had essentially stabilized at approximately the pre-severance flow level.
Hospital Overhead Costs: The Neglected Driver of Health Care Spending?

Objective : To examine temporal trends in hospital overhead costs relative to total hospital costs, hospital inpatient beds, and inpatient days in United States hospitals. Methods : Using Medicare data regarding nonfederal acute care hospitals in the United States, we conducted analyses of hospital overhead costs, total hospital costs, inpatient bed capacity, and inpatient days for nonfederal acute care hospitals from 1996 through 2010. Overhead costs were examined as a function of total beds, total inpatient days, and overall costs during this time period. Results : In 1996, baseline hospital overhead costs were $220,497 per inpatient bed and $1,361 per inpatient day in 2010 dollars; mean hospital overhead costs represented 46.1% of total hospital costs. Relative to medical inflation, overhead costs per inpatient bed grew 3.02% per year and overhead costs per inpatient day grew 1.86% per year. Overhead costs as a share of total costs remained unchanged. Conclusions : Overhead costs represent approximately half of total hospital costs. Between 1996 and 2010, mean hospital overhead costs per inpatient bed and per inpatient day increased faster than medical inflation. To adequately constrain rising health care costs, hospitals must address overhead costs as well as direct patient costs.
Interactions of APOE genotype and RXR agonists on soluble Aβ and oAβ levels (LB624)

Interactions of APOE genotype and RXR agonists on soluble Aβ and oAβ levels Kevin Koster1, Jia Luo2, Sue Lee2, Varsha Shete2, Gregory RJ Thatcher2, Mary Jo LaDu1, Leon M Tai1 There is a critical need to develop novel Alzheimer’s disease (AD) therapeutics that lower amyloid beta (Aβ) levels, as current therapeutics are failing in clinical trials. APOE4 (encodes apolipoprotein E; apoE) is the greatest AD genetic risk factor compared to APOE3. ApoE represents a promising target for modulating A levels, as it has been shown to have genotype-specific effects on Aβ pathology in humans and mice. Recently, bexarotene (Bex), a retinoid X receptor (RXR) agonist, was shown to reduce soluble and insoluble levels of Aβ via increasing mouse apoE levels. However, subsequent data have raised concerns over the activity and mechanism of action of Bex. A major issue is that the effect of modulating human apoE on Aβ levels is unclear. Further, the levels of Aβ pathology at time of treatment may determine RXR agonist activity...
Measurement of pesticide vapor pressures

Volatilization and vapor phase transport are important in the dissipation and movement of most pesticides from soil, plant, and water systems. Vapor pressure is the key parameter controlling pesticide vapor behavior and its use, along with other basic physical properties of water solubility, adsorption, and persistence can be used to estimate relative vaporization rates of pesticides under environmental conditions (Spencer et al. 1973). The vapor pressures of many pesticides increase three- to four-fold for each 10°C increase in temperature. Consequently, reliable values for vapor pressure at various temperatures are necessary to estimate vapor losses of chemicals from surface deposits and to calculate their partitioning between soil, water, and air for predicting volatility from water or from wet soils and to calculate atmospheric residence times of chemicals in droplets and aerosols.
Cation–π interactions: computational analyses of the aromatic box motif and the fluorination strategy for experimental evaluation

Cation-π interactions are common in biological systems, and many structural studies have revealed the aromatic box as a common motif. With the aim of understanding the nature of the aromatic box, several computational methods were evaluated for their ability to reproduce experimental cation-π binding energies. We find the DFT method M06 with the 6-31G(d,p) basis set performs best of several methods tested. The binding of benzene to a number of different cations (sodium, potassium, ammonium, tetramethylammonium, and guanidinium) was studied. In addition, the binding of the organic cations NH4(+) and NMe4(+) to ab initio generated aromatic boxes as well as examples of aromatic boxes from protein crystal structures were investigated. These data, along with a study of the distance dependence of the cation-π interaction, indicate that multiple aromatic residues can meaningfully contribute to cation binding, even with displacements of more than an angstrom from the optimal cation-π interaction. Progressive fluorination of benzene and indole was studied as well, and binding energies obtained were used to reaffirm the validity of the "fluorination strategy" to study cation-π interactions in vivo.
Military Operations Research Society (MORS)

The Military Operations Research Society (MORS) is a professional society that has been leading the national security analytic community for over 40 years. Dedicated to promoting excellence in analysis within in the national security community, the society does so through the advancement and application of the interdisciplinary field of operations research to national security issues. Under the sponsorship of the army, navy, air force, marine corps, Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Joint Staff, and the Department of Homeland Security, the objective of MORS is to enhance the quality and effectiveness of operations research as applied to national security issues. Members of the society include a cross section of professional analysts, operators, and managers from government, industry, and academia. Their involvement fosters professional interchange within the military operations research community, the sharing of insights and information on challenging national security issues, and specific support to decision makers in the many organizations and agencies that address national defense. MORS provides an array of meetings and publications to expose its members to the broad spectrum of thought by distinguished analysts and senior members of our community. In particular, the society provides a unique environment in which classified presentations and discussions can take place with joint service participation and peer criticism from the full range of students, theoreticians, practitioners, and users of military analysis. Throughout its activities, the society promotes the highest standards of professional methodology, individual excellence, and ethical conduct. Keywords: national security; analysis; operations research; military; professional development
A Diploid, Interspecific, Fertile Hybrid from Cultivated Sorghum, Sorghum Bicolor, and the Common Johnsongrass Weed Sorghum Halepense

Valuable agronomic traits are often present but inaccessible in the wild relatives of cultivated crop species. Utilization of wild germplasm depends on the production of fertile interspecific hybrids. Several unsuccessful attempts have been made to hybridize cultivated sorghum with its wild relatives to broaden its genetic base and enhance agronomic value. The successful approach used in this study employed the nuclear male sterility gene ms3 to generate a diploid fertile hybrid between the diploid cultivated sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L) Pers.) and its weedy tetraploid wild relative Johnsongrass (Sorghum halepense (L.) Pers.). Eight sorghum plants were selected from a Nebraska stiff stalk collection that contains the male sterility gene ms3 and were used as the female parent. About 36,000 florets of male sterile sorghum were pollinated with Johnsongrass pollen to produce an average of one well-developed and 180 severely shriveled seed/18,000 crosses. The well-developed seed gave rise to a self-fertile diploid, while none of the shriveled seed were able to germinate. The F1 hybrid was confirmed by using cultivated sorghum SSR markers and was selfed to produce an F2 population. A sub-sample of 96 segregating F2 plants was examined with 36 sorghum polymorphic SSR markers. Thirty-four markers showed a normal 1:2:1 segregation ratio, evidence of normal recombination across the genome. Preliminary results showed that several desirable traits from Johnsongrass, including resistance to greenbug and chinch bug and adaptability to cold temperatures, were expressed in the resulting progenies. These observations suggest that speciation within the genus Sorghum, giving rise to widely divergent phenotypes, is effected largely by ploidy-maintained crossing barriers but apparently not by extensive genomic divergence.
Measuring the Learning-Centered Leadership Expertise of School Principals

We as a field believe that school principals can acquire new expertise by participating in principal preparation and professional development programs; however, we have few methodologies to measure leadership expertise, especially expertise that links leadership to improved student learning. In this article, we present the results of a study that examines two instruments for measuring leadership expertise, principal surveys and open-ended scenarios. First we make the case regarding the need for measurements of expertise. Next we discuss the conceptual definitions of expertise in general and present the specific domains of leadership expertise we attempt to measure. Finally, we present the results of a study that implemented two measures of leadership expertise: principal surveys and open-ended scenarios. The descriptive statistics, correlations, and examples we present in this article offer mixed results regarding the strengths and weaknesses of the various methods to conceptualize and measure leadership ...
Stability of stated reinforcers as measured by the reinforcement survey schedule

The Reinforcement Survey Schedule (RSS) is designed to assess therelative reinforcing values of a variety of stimuli and stimulus situations. While the scale apparently is a valid assessment device, its stability over time had not been established. The present study is a test-retest reliability study of the RSS over three time intervals of 1,3, and 5 weeks, respectively. Subjects were 313 undergraduate psychology students at Western Washington State College. Median correlations for the 140 items, across subjects were .734, .665, and .709 for 1, 3, and 5 week intervals, respectively. Median correlations for subjects, across items for the same intervals were .829, .775, and .801. These reliability coefficients are of sufficient magnitude to render the scale useful as a clinical and research instrument. Implications and further refinements are discussed.
Metabolic control in diabetic patients: Assessment by hemoglobin A1 values

Hemoglobin A1 concentrations were measured in 230 patients with diabetes mellitus. Diabetic patients controlled by diet alone had significantly lower HbA1 levels compared to the insulin or oral hypoglycemic treated groups. Only 13% of insulin-treated patients had HbA1 levels below 10%, while 26% of the oral agent treated group and 70% of the diet treated group fell into this range. The HbA1 levels correlated with fasting and nonfasting plasma glucose concentrations. However, in certain patients, discrepant results between these two variables were found. Hemoglobin A1 was measured on three or more occasions in 60 patients over a 1-yr period. An improvement was noted in 40%, no change in 38%, and a deterioration in 22%. Hemoglobin A1 measurements have proved to be useful in the follow-up and treatment of diabetic patients.
Necklaces of beads in k colors and k-ary de Bruijn sequences

Abstract This paper constructs a decreasing lexicographic list of necklaces of length n in beads of k colors. This list, somewhat modified, produces a k-ary de Bruijn sequence of length k n .
An Anatomic and Biomechanical Study of the Oblique Retinacular Ligament and Its Role in Finger Extension

Purpose To analyze the anatomy and contribution of the oblique retinacular ligament (ORL) to distal interphalangeal (DIP) joint extension force with varying angles of proximal interphalangeal (PIP) and metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joint flexion. Methods Forty fresh-frozen fingers were dissected. The fingers were mounted in a custom jig, and the force required to flex the DIP joint was assessed with the PIP joint flexed 0°, 30°, 60°, and 90° and with the MCP joint flexed 0°, 45°, and 90°. The force was measured in the intact specimen, and then all measurements were repeated following sectioning of the ORL and then the central slip. Results The ORL was present on the radial and ulnar aspects of all but 2 fingers. The ORL tended to be the most robust in the ring finger. In the intact specimen, DIP flexion resistance force was maximum at 30° of PIP joint flexion and minimum at 90° of PIP joint flexion. There was a significant difference between the 90° position and all other positions of the PIP joint with respect to flexion force in the intact specimen. This meant that less force was required to flex the DIP joint at 90° of PIP joint flexion. Sectioning of the ORL revealed that it contributed 25% to the total force required to flex the DIP joint with the PIP joint at 0°, 31% at 30°, 18% at 60°, and 3% at 90° of flexion. The MCP joint position had no effect. Sectioning the central slip produced a significant increase in force required to flex the DIP joint at 90° of PIP joint flexion. Conclusions In this study, the ORL was usually present, and it contributed up to 30% of the passive resistance to DIP joint flexion. The intact central slip accounted for the decrease in DIP joint extensor tone at 90° of PIP joint flexion. Clinical relevance The ORL plays a small role in passively resisting DIP flexion.
The Application of an Analytic Element Model to Investigate Groundwater-Lake Interactions at Pretty Lake, Wisconsin

ABSTRACT Pretty Lake is a 64 acre, sandy-bottomed groundwater flow-through lake that has a history of hydrologic disturbance. Residents and regulators require a better understanding of lake-groundwater interaction to develop measures to protect the lake's hydrologic system and water quality. A groundwater flow model was constructed as a tool to synthesize field data collected at the site, delineate recharge areas that supply groundwater to the lake, and predict die effect of dredging an adjacent drainage ditch. The one layer, two-dimensional steady-state areal model used analytic element (AE) methods because they are quick to apply and include sophisticated simulation of groundwater-surface water interaction. The model calibrated well to groundwater heads (mean absolute difference = 0.05 m), lake stage (within 0.05 m) and ditch fluxes (mean absolute difference = 0.0023 m3·s−1). Model results showed that a single 1000 m wide recharge area supplies all the groundwater inflow to the lake. In addition, the mo...
Quadratic program based control of fully-actuated transfemoral prosthesis for flat-ground and up-slope locomotion

This paper utilizes a novel optimal control strategy that combines control Lyapunov function (CLF) based model independent quadratic programs with impedance control to achieve flat-ground and up-slope walking on a fully-actuated above-knee prosthesis. CLF based quadratic programs have the ability to optimally track desired trajectories; when combined with impedance control-implemented as a feed-forward term-the end result is a prosthesis controller that utilizes only local information while being robust to disturbances. This control methodology is applied to a bipedal robot with anthropomorphic parameters “wearing” a fully-actuated transfemoral prosthesis. Traditional human-inspired control methods are applied to the human component of the model-simulating nominal human walking-while the novel control method is applied to the transfemoral prosthesis. Through simulation, walking on flat-ground and up-slope is demonstrated, with the resulting gait achieved using the novel prosthesis control yielding walking that is nearly identical to the “healthy” human model. Robustness tests indicate that the prosthesis controller can endure large uncertainties and unknown disturbances.
Atomic structures of symmetric tilt grain boundaries in hexagonal close packed (hcp) crystals

Molecular dynamics simulation and interface defect theory are used to determine the relaxed equilibrium atomic structures of symmetric tilt grain boundaries (STGBs) in hexagonal close-packed (hcp) crystals with a \( [0\bar{1}10] \) tilt axis. STGBs of all possible rotation angles θ from 0 deg to 90 deg are found to have an ordered atomic structure. They correspond either to a coherent, defect-free boundary or to a tilt wall containing an array of distinct and discrete intrinsic grain boundary dislocations (GBDs). The STGBs adopt one of six base structures, \( P_{B}^{(i)} \), i = 1, …, 6, and the Burgers vector of the GBDs is related to the interplanar spacing of the base structure on which it lies. The base structures correspond to the basal plane (θ = 0 deg, \( P_{B}^{(1)} \)); one of four minimum-energy, coherent boundaries, \( (\bar{2}111),\;(\bar{2}112),\;(\bar{2}114) \), and \( (\bar{2}116)\;\left( {P_{B}^{(2)} - P_{B}^{(5)} } \right) \); and the \( \left( {11\bar{2}0} \right) \) plane (θ = 90 deg, \( P_{B}^{(6)} \)). Based on these features, STGBs can be classified into one of six possible structural sets, wherein STGBs belonging to the same set i contain the same base boundary structure \( P_{B}^{(i)} \) and an array of GBDs with the same Burgers vector \( b_{\text{GB}}^{(i)} \), which vary only in spacing and sign with θ. This classification is shown to apply to both Mg and Ti, two metals with different c/a ratios and employing different interatomic potentials in simulation. We use a simple model to forecast the misorientation range of each set for hcp crystals of general c/a ratio, the predictions of which are shown to agree well with the molecular dynamics (MD) simulations for Mg and Ti.
Learning the Mosaic: Unsupervised Identification of Sensor Spectral Types

Accurate processing of color information requires knowledge of the spectral class of each light-sensitive receptor. Unsupervised learning algorithms can identify the class of individual sensors in a mosaic from the sensor responses to natural images. Article not available.
"Click" labeling strategy for M(CO)(3) (M = Re, (99m)Tc) prostate cancer targeted flutamide agents

Two distinct "click" chemistry labeling approaches were investigated with dipyridylamine alkyne derivatives and M(CO)(3)(+) (M = Re, (99m)Tc). The triazole ring was found uncoordinated and was incorporated into the preparation of a crossover androgen receptor targeting inhibitor for prostate cancer.
The rate of turnover of cortical GABA from [1-13C]glucose is reduced in rats treated with the GABA-transaminase inhibitor vigabatrin (γ-vinyl GABA)

Brain GABA levels rise and plateau following prolonged administration of the irreversible GABA-transaminase inhibitor vigabatrin (γ-vinylGABA). Recently it has been shown that increased GABA levels reduces GAD67 protein, one of two major isoforms of glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD). The effects of GABA elevation on GABA synthesis were assessed in vivo using1H and13C-edited NMR spectroscopy. Rates of turnover of cortical glutamate and GABA from intravenously administered [1-13C]glucose were measured in α-chloralose anesthetized rats 24 hours after receiving vigabatrin (500 mg/kg, i.p.) and in non-treated controls. GABA concentration was increased 2-fold at 24 hours (from 1.3±0.4 to 2.7±0.9 μmol/g) and GABA-T activity was inhibited by 60%. Tricarboxylic acid cycle flux was not affected by vigabatrin treatment compared to non-treated rats (0.47±0.19 versus 0.52±0.18 μmol/g, respectively). GABA-C2 fractional enrichment (FE) measured in acid extracts rose more slowly in vigabatrin-treated compared to nontreated rats, reaching >90% of the glutamate FE after 3 hours. In contrast, GABA FE≥glutamate FE in non-treated rats. A metabolic model consisting of a single glutamate pool failed to account for the rapid labeling of GABA from glutamate. Metabolic modelling analysis based on two (non-communicating) glutamate pools revealed a ∼70% decrease in the rate of GABA synthesis following vigabatrin-treatment, from 0.14 (non-treated) to 0.04 μmol/g/min (vigabatrin-treated). These findings, in conjunction with the previously reported differential effects of elevated GABA on the GAD isoforms, suggests that GAD67 may account for a major fraction of cortical GABA synthesis in the α-chloralose anesthetized rat brain in vivo.
Heat Baths and Computational Agent-Based Modeling

In this paper, we examine an agent-based model and an equation-based model in the form of a mean field model. We show how the mean field model is a small, fast model that identifies the high level properties of a subject, in this case financial time series’ stylized facts. The agent based model generates the granularity needed to understand the conditions and factors that generate the stylized financial facts. We conclude with the recommendation that both models be used in sequence so a complete description of a process be established or approximated.
Symptoms of Anxiety and Depression as Risk Factors for Development of Asthma

To test the hypothesis that symptoms of anxiety and depression are associated with increased risk of developing asthma, a population-based cohort of 5,23! baseline and non-asthmatic persons aged 25 to 74 was followed for 13 years. The association between asthma incidence and anxiety and depression was analyzed using Cox proportional hazards regression. For nonsmokers and persons without respiratory symptoms or predicted-to-observed FEVI ratio less than 65% (FEV1 < 65%), high levels of anxiety and depression remained independent predictors of asthma. The effects of anxiety and depression were particularly strong among nonsmokers without baseline respiratory symptoms or FEVI < 65%. We hypothesize that the baseline presence of strong risk factors such as smoking, respiratory symptoms, or FEV1 < 65% may obscure the effects of anxiety and depression symptomatology on the subsequent development of asthma. These analyses point out the need to move toward more sophisticated stratified models in the study of psychological factors and asthma.
Effect of Coil Collapse on Photon-Harvesting Polymers with Carbazole Chromophores

Steady-state and time-dependent fluorescence measurements were made for copolymers with pendant carbazole chromophores as a function of polymer coil collapse induced by the addition of a nonsolvent. The results show that although the efficiency of electronic energy transport to a covalently bound trap increases with coil contraction, this increase is part of a complex chain of events, the most important being a decrease in donor quantum yield. It was found that classical excimer formation is small for the polymers studied, while self-quenching is prevalent and competes for donor energy. The result is that, as the efficiency of energy transfer increases, the quantum yield and fluorescence lifetime of the donor decrease while the fluorescence intensity of the acceptor increases. It is quite likely that if self-quenching were eliminated, the efficiency of electronic energy transfer would approach unity for a small degree of coil collapse.
Diffractive, diffusive, and statistical aspects of deep inelastic heavy-ion collisions

Deep inelastic collisions between ''light'' heavy ions are considered in a formalism containing diffractive, diffusive, and statistical aspects. A closed-form diffractive cross section is derived, with the deflection function being parametrized in a classically-motivated way. A statistical argument is used to demonstrate how the observed double differential cross section is built up from different diffractive contributions each with its own weight. The form of the weighting function is derived. The observed forward-peaked exponentially-decaying form of deep inelastic collision angular distributions is accounted for. The possibility of exciting a nonzero spin state is explicitly included, enabling the same formalism to be used to explain the spin polarization occurring in deep inelastic collisions. This quantity is much more sensitive than the angular distribution to the choice of deflection function parametrization. Reasonable fits to data are obtained with only one free parameter, apart from an overall normalization factor.
Three distinct epitopes of the human MSK20 cell surface antigen are expressed on human and nonhuman primate cells.

Abstract Five monoclonal antibodies which indirectly agglutinate human rbc were isolated and designated 2D8, 4E12, 4H10, 5A8, and 5H5. Expression of the antigen denned by 2D8 was 100% concordant with the presence of human chromosome 19 in a panel of human-Chinese hamster somatic cell hybrids. Secondary clones isolated from antigen positive hybrids exposed to antibody 2D8 and complement were shown to have lost both the cell surface antigen and chromosome 19. Small terminal deletions of 19p were observed in the karyotypes of two antigen negative clones that continued to express human GPI. All five monoclonal antibodies and the previously isolated F10 labelled the surface of parental cells and did not label the surface of deletion mutants, and the five monoclonal antibodies produced in this study inhibited the binding of F10 to the human rbc surface. Therefore, all must recognize the MSK20 cell surface antigen which was defined previously by antibody F10. Chimpanzee cells bind 5A8 and 5H5, orangutan cells bind 4E12, and neither bind 2D8 and 4H10. Therefore, the monoclonal antibodies produced in this study must recognize at least three distinct epitopes of the MSK20 cell surface antigen which are expressed on the human rbc.
Photoactivable fluorophores. 1. Synthesis and photoactivation ofo-nitrobenzyl-quenched fluorescent carbamates.

Abstract The synthesis and photoactivation of a new type of fluorescent probe, the photoactivable fluorophore (PAF) are described. The PAFs described in this paper consist of fluorescent aromatic amines coupled to substituted nitrobenzyl quenching chromophores via a carbamate linkage. Photoactivation occurs by an intramolecular photo-redox reaction, converting the o-nitrobenzyl group to a labile o -nitrosobenzaldehyde hemiacetal which fragments with loss of CO 2 to liberate the fluorescent amine. Photoactivation quantum yields also are reported.
An evaluation of anti-multiplier factors in kidneys with obstructed ureters.

Ureteral obstruction has been known to reduce the renal concentration gradients of chloride, sodium, urea, and osmolality. A quantitative analysis of the factors responsible for the decrease in the gradients has been performed. By applying the equation of conservation of matter to data obtained in this laboratory it is concluded that:a. at least, 62.5 per cent of the decrease in concentration gradients is due to drainage by circulatory vessels;b. at most, 25 per cent of the decrease is due to increase in water content of medulla; andc. at most, 12.5 per cent of the decrease is due to diffusion of solutes through the interstitium.
Bone fragment detection in chicken breast fillets using diffuse scattering patterns of back-illuminated structured light

This paper is concerned with the detection of bone fragments embedded in de-boned skinless chicken breast fillets by modeling images made by back-lighting and embedded bone fragments. Imaging of chicken fillets is often dominated by strongly multiple scattering properties of the fillets. Thus, resulting images from multiple scattering are diffused, scattered and low contrast. In this study, both transmittance and reflectance hyperspectral imaging, which is a nonionized and non-destructive imaging modality, is investigated as an alternative method to the conventional transmittance X-ray imaging technique which is an ionizing imaging modality. As a way of reducing the influence of light scattering on images and thus increasing the image contrast, the use of a structured line light is examined along with an image formation model that separates undesirable lighting effects from an image. The image formation model based on an illumination-transmittance model is applied for correcting non-uniform illumination effects so that embedded bones are more easily detected by a global threshold. An automated image processing algorithm to detect bones is also proposed. Experimental results with chicken breast fillets and bone fragments are provided.
Macqueen, Susy. The Emergence of Patterns in Second Language Writing: A Sociocognitive Exploration of Lexical Trails. Bern, Switzerland: Peter Lang, 2012. Pp. 325. $100.95, paper. ISBN 978–3–03431–010–9.

A review of the book "The Emergence of Patterns in Second Language Writing: A Sociocognitive Exploration of Lexical Trails," by Susy MacQueen, is presented.
A Microtiter-Based Assay for Hyaluronidase Activity Not Requiring Specialized Reagents☆

A sensitive, rapid microtiter-based assay for hyaluronidase activity is described that does not require highly specialized biological reagents, as required heretofore. The free carboxyl groups of hyaluronan are biotinylated in a one-step reaction using biotin-hydrazide. This substrate is then covalently coupled to a 96-well microtiter plate. At the completion of the enzyme reaction, residual substrate is detected with an avidin-peroxidase reaction that can be read in a standard ELISA plate reader. Because the substrate is covalently bound to the microtiter plate, artifacts such as pH-dependent displacement of the biotinylated substrate do not occur. The sensitivity permits rapid measurement of hyaluronidase activity from cultured cells and biological samples with an interassay variation of less than 5%. Using this new assay, we measured the distribution profile of plasma hyaluronidase levels in normal human sera. A 1-microl sample of plasma was sufficient for assays in triplicate. Hyaluronidase activity in human foreskin primary keratinocyte cultures was also quantitated. A 25-fold increase in hyaluronidase activity was observed in keratinocyte cultures induced to differentiate in high calcium (1.5 mM), compared to levels in low calcium (0.05 mM) media. The microtiter-based assay may be used as a routine clinical laboratory procedure.
Thermoacoustic energy analysis of transverse-pin and tortuous stacks at large acoustic displacements

A simplified method based on Rayleigh's criterion is developed for evaluating thermoacoustic power conversion in transverse-pin and tortuous stacks. Heat transfer and viscous losses are approximated by steady-flow correlations valid at large acoustic displacements with respect to a longitudinal pitch of a pin stack or a characteristic pore size of a random stack. A Lagrangian approach is employed to calculate temperature fluctuations of oscillating gas parcels inside the stack. A computational example is presented for a stack with an inline pin arrangement placed in a standing acoustic wave. Power conversion and efficiencies are evaluated for conditions relevant to a small-scale system. An indirect comparison is also made between theoretical results and experimental data for a prime mover with a wire mesh stack.
Spin-orbit anomaly in the dielectric function of 2D electron gas

Abstract We demonstrate that the static dielectric function e ( q ) of 2D electron system with spin–orbit (SO) coupling exhibits an anomaly at small q = q 0 , where q 0 is the distance between two SO-splitted Fermi surfaces. In contrast to the conventional Kohn anomaly, the SO anomaly is not smeared out with increasing temperature. In addition to conventional Friedel oscillations of the screening potential the anomaly leads to the long-period high-temperature oscillations δV ( ρ )∝cos( q 0 ρ )/ ρ 2 .
Mayo's Older African Americans Normative Studies: Norms for Boston Naming Test, Controlled Oral Word Association, Category Fluency, Animal Naming, Token Test, Wrat-3 Reading, Trail Making Test, Stroop Test, and Judgment of Line Orientation

Normative data for older African Americans are presented for several clinical neuropsychological measures, including Boston Naming Test, Controlled Oral Word Association, Category Fluency, Token Test, WRAT-3 Reading, Trail Making Test, Stroop Color and Word Test, and Judgment of Line Orientation. Age-adjusted norms were derived from a sample of 309 cognitively normal, community-dwelling individuals, aged 56 through 94, participating in Mayo's Older African Americans Normative Studies (MOAANS). Years of education were modelled on age-scaled scores to derive regression Equations that may be applied for further demographic correction. These data should enhance interpretation of individual test performances and facilitate analysis of neuropsychological profile patterns in older African American patients who present for dementia evaluations.
Removal of Dabigatran by Hemodialysis

Dabigatran is a newly available oral direct thrombin inhibitor approved for anticoagulation therapy to prevent strokes in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation. Unlike warfarin, dabigatran's observed therapeutic window and minimal drug-to-drug interaction suggest that invasive laboratory testing and dose adjustment is not necessary. In circumstances of excessive anticoagulation, such as overdoses, decreased kidney function, or instances of significant bleeding, reversing dabigatran's effects may be necessary. Unlike warfarin, no rapid-acting antidote to reverse the effects of dabigatran is known. However, hemodialysis has been suggested as a method of removing dabigatran and thereby reducing its anticoagulant effect. We describe a case in which hemodialysis was used in an attempt to remove dabigatran in a patient with excessive anticoagulation from dabigatran and severe intracranial hemorrhage. Serial dabigatran levels suggested that hemodialysis removed the drug. However, given the large volume of distribution of dabigatran in the terminal phase of elimination, a rebound in drug level was noted. We suggest that a longer duration of therapy or more continuous modality of hemodialysis may be needed in conjunction with the initial hemodialysis treatment of dabigatran coagulopathy.
A decomposition-based approach to stability analysis of large-scale stochastic systems

We analyse the stability of large-scale nonlinear stochastic systems using appropriate stochastic passivity properties of their subsystems and the structure of their interactions. Stochastic stability, and noise-to-state stability, of the network is established from the diagonal stability of a dissipativity matrix that incorporates information about the passivity properties of the subsystems and their interconnection. Next, equilibrium-independent conditions for the verification of the relevant passivity properties of the subsystems are derived. Finally, the decomposition-based approach is illustrated on a class of biological reaction networks.
Disparities In Access To Medicare Managed Care Plans And Their Benefits

Concern about the variation in rates paid to Medicare managed care plans across the United States led to the passage of major reforms of formulas for setting these rates as part of the Balanced Budget Act (BBA) of 1997. However, observers have focused much more on the variation in the rates per se than on the disparity in benefits offered by these plans and in the premiums they charge. This analysis shows that there is considerable variation in the range of risk plans available to Medicare beneficiaries, the premiums charged, and the benefits offered and that the variation is strongly related to the payment made by the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) on behalf of the beneficiary and to the beneficiary's area of residence.
Exploitation of MODTRAN4 capabilities to predict at-sensor radiance

Top-of-atmosphere radiance is computed between 350 and 2500 nm for atmospheres containing one of three aerosol models (rural, maritime and dust) inherent to MODTRAN, over different surface reflectance values, and compared with those computed using a model of the same aerosol species derived from measurements by a global network of ground-based radiometers (AERONET). It is observed that even over high reflectance targets (R=0.5), care must be taken in the prescription of aerosol optical properties so as to limit uncertainty resulting from aerosols in the top-of-atmosphere radiance to less than 2%. It is found that, for grass and desert sites, using a simple power law exponent derived from measured spectral optical depths reduces uncertainty in the computed satellite radiance resulting from prescription of aerosol properties to less than approximately 1.5% for the aerosol species examined. Uncertainty in the computed top-of-atmosphere radiance during vicarious sensor calibration over desert sites that may result from this simple prescription of the aerosol size distribution is thus less than uncertainty in the TOA radiance resulting from measurements of the site reflectance. The new aerosol and multiple scattering capabilities of the most recent version of MODTRAN have made such studies possible and are promising for attempts to use MODTRAN in the vicarious calibration of airborne and spaceborne sensors.