cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Rheological properties of living cytoplasm: a preliminary investigation of squid axoplasm (Loligo pealei)

A magnetic sphere viscoelastometer has been developed to perform rheological experiments in living axoplasm of Loligo pealei. The technique includes the use of a calibrated magnetic sphere viscoelastometer on surgically implanted ferro-magnetic spheres in intact squid giant axons. The axoplasm was discerned to be "living" by the biological criterion of tubulovesicular organelle motility, which was observed before and after experimentation. From these in vivo experiments, new structural characteristics of the axoplasm have been identified. First, analysis of magnetic sphere trajectories has shown the axoplasm to be a complex viscoelastic fluid. Directional experimentation showed that this material is structurally anisotropic, with a greater elastic modulus in the direction parallel to the axon long axis. Second, both magnetic sphere and in vivo capillary experiments suggested that the axoplasm is tenaciously anchored to the axolemma. Third, it was found that axoplasm could be modelled as a linear viscoelastic material in the low shear rate range of 0.0001 to 0.004 s-1. The simplest mechanical model incorporating the discovered properties of the material in this range is Burger's model.
Normal growth of the spine and skeletal maturation

While understanding spinal growth is important for the progression of spinal deformities, it is becoming increasingly important for growth modification, which is a promising technique for the future. The spine undergoes morphological and dimensional changes with growth, and our current knowledge base is built upon only a few studies with important limitations. Important future studies need to address changes that occur and how they vary between individuals.
Reliability Inference for Field Conditions from Accelerated Degradation Testing

Accelerated degradation testing (ADT) is usually conducted under deterministic stresses such as constant-stress, step-stress, and cyclic-stress. Based on ADT data, an ADT model is developed to predict reliability under normal (field) operating conditions. In engineering applications, the “standard” approach for reliability prediction assumes that the normal operating conditions are deterministic or simply uses the mean values of the stresses while ignoring their variability. Such an approach may lead to significant prediction errors. In this paper, we extend an ADT model obtained from constant-stress ADT experiments to predict field reliability by considering the stress variations. A case study is provided to demonstrate the proposed statistical inference procedure. The accuracy of the procedure is verified by simulation using various distributions of field stresses. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics, 2006.
Importance of the left ventricular filling pressure on diastolic filling in idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy

Both mitral regurgitation and elevated left ventricular (LV) filling pressures may normalize or enhance rapid filling in patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy. To assess the individual effects of the LV filling pressure and mitral regurgitation, 33 normal subjects, 14 patients with cardiomyopathy and normal LV filling pressures (measured as mean pulmonary capillary pressure) and 26 patients with elevated LV filling pressures (greater than 15 mm Hg) were studied with transmitral spectral tracings derived from pulsed Doppler echocardiography. Both cardiomyopathy groups demonstrated similarly dilated left ventricles with reduced systolic dysfunction. Patients with cardiomyopathy and normal LV filling pressures had prolonged isovolumic relaxation periods and a reduced ratio of the rapid filling to atrial filling integrals. Patients with cardiomyopathy and elevated LV pressures demonstrated an increased peak rapid filling velocity (97 +/- 21 cm/s) and rapid filling fraction (74.8 +/- 16.2%) compared with normal subjects (80 +/- 16 cm/s, p less than 0.01; 62.4 +/- 12.5%, p less than 0.05) and patients with cardiomyopathy and normal LV filling pressures (81 +/- 27 cm/s, p less than 0.05; 59.3 +/- 8.8%, p less than 0.05). Conversely, the atrial filling fraction was decreased in the cardiomyopathy group with elevated LV filling pressures compared with normal subjects and patients with cardiomyopathy and normal LV filling pressures. Mitral regurgitation increased the peak rapid filling velocity in both cardiomyopathy groups without altering the distribution of diastolic filling. In conclusion, elevated LV filling pressures appear to affect the distribution of diastolic filling, whereas mitral regurgitation affects the peak rate of rapid filling.
Using distinctive Fourier components to discriminate between complex patterns

Observers discriminated between a plaid pattern formed by summing vertical and horizontal cosine gratings, and a plaid formed by multiplying the gratings. Such patterns are alike with respect to many non-Fourier primitives, but differ in the Fourier domain by diagonal components which are present in the plaid formed by multiplication, but not in the one formed by summing. When discrimination performance is related to the contrast of the diagonal components, it is found that the contrast threshold for discrimination is approximately the same as the threshold for detection of the isolated components. However, the psychometric function for discrimination is shallower than that for detection, suggesting the presence of masking. Despite the masking, the results support the proposition that discrimination processes may operate directly on the representations of local Fourier components.
The Impact of Intra-Industry Trade on the Environment

By addressing environmental protection in the context of intra-industry trade, this paper offers a new perspective on the trade and environment debate. Empirical evidence has long suggested that an increasing share of international trade takes the form of intra- rather than inter-industry trade. Thus, it is essential to discuss the likely impact of trade on the environmental quality in the context of two-way trade. Using a simple intra-industry trade model a la Brander and Krugman (1983), this essay shows that environmental consequences of trade liberalization differ significantly when oligopolistic rivalry rather than comparative advantage drives international trade.
A distributed coordination framework for wireless sensor and actor networks

Wireless Sensor and Actor Networks (WSANs) are composed of a large number of heterogeneous nodes called sensors and actors. The collaborative operation of sensors enables the distributed sensing of a physical phenomenon, while the role of actors is to collect and process sensor data and perform appropriate actions.In this paper, a coordination framework for WSANs is addressed. A new sensor-actor coordination model is proposed, based on an event-driven clustering paradigm in which cluster formation is triggered by an event so that clusters are created on-the-fly to optimally react to the event itself and provide the required reliability with minimum energy expenditure. The optimal solution is determined by mathematical programming and a distributed solution is also proposed. In addition, a new model for actor-actor coordination is introduced for a class of coordination problems in which the area to be acted upon is optimally split among different actors. An auction-based distributed solution of the problem is also presented.Performance evaluation shows how global network objectives, such as compliance with real-time constraints and minimum energy consumption, can be reached in the proposed framework with simple interactions between sensors and actors that are suitable for large-scale networks of energy-constrained devices.
RUBBER GRINDING MILL LININGS AND RUBBER AS A MATERIAL TO RESIST ABRASION1

For the benefit of those who are skeptical about the ability of rubber to resist abrasion, attention is called to the fact that a rubber tire wears much less than skid chains on a brick pavement. Rubber linings in ball mills are found more efficient than steel linings in respect to capacity, fineness of grind, and power consumption. One test on cement using both a rubber and a steel lined mill showed a 20% greater capacity, 10% less power consumption and 0.9% more material through 200-mesh. Other advantages of rubber linings are: weight of mill decrease and volume increase, reduction of maintenance costs, minimum contamination of materials being ground, and possibility of jointless and detachable linings.
The role of effective leaf mixing length in the relationship between the δ18 O of stem cellulose and source water across a salinity gradient.

Previous mangrove tree ring studies attempted, unsuccessfully, to relate the δ18O of trunk cellulose (δ18OCELL) to the δ18O of source water (δ18OSW). Here, we tested whether biochemical fractionation associated with one of the oxygen in the cellulose glucose moiety or variation in leaf water oxygen isotope fractionation (ΔLW) can interfere with the δ18OSW signal as it is recorded in the δ18OCELL of mangrove (saltwater) and hammock (freshwater) plants. We selected two transects experiencing a salinity gradient, located in the Florida Keys, USA. The δ18OCELL throughout both transects did not show the pattern expected based on that of the δ18OSW. We found that in one of the transects, biochemical fractionation interfered with the δ18OSW signal, while in the other transect ΔLW differed between mangrove and hammock plants. Observed differences in ΔLW between mangroves and hammocks were caused by a longer effective leaf mixing length (L) of the water pathway in mangrove leaves compared to those of hammock leaves. Changes in L could have caused the δ18OCELL to record not only variations in the δ18OSW but also in ΔLW making it impossible to isolate the δ18OSW signal.
An innate immune response of blood cells to tumors and tissue damage in Drosophila

Studies in mice and humans have demonstrated a role for the immune system in preventing the growth of tumors. Deciphering the mechanisms involved in the immune response to tumors is essential to our understanding of immune recognition and cancer progression. Here we report an innate immune response to tumors in Drosophila melanogaster. We found that circulating blood cells, termed hemocytes, adhere to tumors upon detection of basement membrane disruption, and subsequently counter their growth. Basement membrane components are remarkably conserved throughout the animal kingdom, providing a unique structure for the immune system to sense tissue integrity. Further, we show that tissue damage activates JNK signaling in both tumors and aseptic wounds, causing expression of JAK/STAT-activating cytokines. Cytokine secretion from the injured tissue is amplified into a systemic response through the induction of additional cytokine expression in the hemocytes and the fat body, resulting in hemocyte proliferation. Our findings reveal common mechanisms in the response to tumors and wounds in flies. A similar innate reaction may underlie the response to tumors and tissue damage in vertebrates and humans.
Low-Voltage Cathodoluminescent Properties of Europium-Activated Anion-Deficient Fluorites

We have examined the optical bandgap, particle size distribution, photoluminescence spectra, and cathodoluminescent response of fifteen phosphors that contain transition-metal and main-group sensitizers. We determined luminance versus applied voltage curves for electron energies from 5 to 1000 eV. Seven phosphors exhibit threshold voltages less than 110 V. Y1.96Eu0.04O3 exhibits a threshold voltage of 13 V and, at 300 V, displays a luminance of 25 fL and a luminous efficiency of 0.02 lm/W.
Atypical attachment in infancy and early childhood among children at developmental risk. V. Maltreatment, negative expressivity, and the development of type D attachments from 12 to 24 months of age

In this longitudinal follow-up study of maltreated and demographically comparable nonmaltreated children, the issue of whether child negative expressivity was related to the formation of an Insecure-Disorganized/ Disoriented, Type D, attachment pattern was examined. In addition, the stability of the Type D pattern and its influence on children's negative expressivity over time was investigated. Developing a secure attachment predisposes children toward social and emotional well-being (Ainsworth & Bowlby, 1991; Carlson & Sroufe, 1995). Central to attachment theory is the idea that secure attachments result from infants receiving consistent, sensitive, responsive, and contingent care from their attachment figures, and not as a result of a constitutionally based child predisposition toward security (Ainsworth & Bowlby, 1991; Sroufe, 1985). Indeed, sensitive, empathic parenting repeatedly has been found to predict the development of secure attachments among infants (e.g., Ainsworth, Blehar, Waters, & Wall, 1978; Belsky & Isabella, 1988; De Wolff & van IJzendoorn, 1997). Research also has supported the notion that infant temperament variables such as difficulty and distress proneness have not consistently been found to exert a direct influence on the development of secure attachments (Goldsmith & Alansky, 1987; Sroufe, 1985).
Changes in Sediment and Water Yield Downstream on a Small Watershed

In this study, sediment variation and water yield in a downstream direction over a six month period are presented for a watershed with mixed land use/cover, located in eastern Alabama, USA. The relative effects of pastoral, forested, and clear-cut areas on soil erosion, sediment delivery, and water yield are compared, and the efficacy of a streamside management zone (SMZ) at trapping sediment from a clear-cut was also explored. As expected, water and sediment yields increased in a downstream direction in the watershed study area. The furthest downstream section generally had the highest sediment concentration with the forested middle section having the lowest. The highest sediment yield per unit area originated from the pastoral portion of the watershed during rainfall events. The forested section generated less sediment than other parts of the watershed during storm events. Sediment loading increased due to clear cutting on the downstream section. The SMZ appeared incapable of trapping the sediment originating from the clear-cut during storm events. This study shows the importance of factoring in upstream land use/cover conditions when designing SMZs for sediment trapping.
Situational Ambiguity and Gendered Patterns of Arrest for Intimate Partner Violence

Using data from the 2005 National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS), this analysis focuses on the impacts that domestic violence mandatory arrest policies have on arrest outcomes in "situationally ambiguous" cases: cases where both the female and male partners have been identified by police as both a victim and an offender. Results indicate that although officers arrest male partners more frequently than female partners, after controlling for incident and individual factors, mandatory arrest policies disproportionately affect women. Furthermore, correlates of arrest differ for male-only arrests versus female-only arrests. These findings are discussed in the context of changing legal responses to domestic violence.
Analysis of the FoodNet case-control study of sporadic Salmonella serotype Enteritidis infections using persons infected with other Salmonella serotypes as the comparison group

Use of well persons as the comparison group for laboratory-confirmed cases of sporadic salmonellosis may introduce ascertainment bias into case-control studies. Data from the 1996-1997 FoodNet case-control study of laboratory-confirmed Salmonella serogroups B and D infection were used to estimate the effect of specific behaviours and foods on infection with Salmonella serotype Enteritidis (SE). Persons with laboratory-confirmed Salmonella of other serotypes acted as the comparison group. The analysis included 173 SE cases and 268 non-SE controls. SE was associated with international travel, consumption of chicken prepared outside the home, and consumption of undercooked eggs prepared outside the home in the 5 days prior to diarrhoea onset. SE phage type 4 was associated with international travel and consumption of undercooked eggs prepared outside the home. The use of ill controls can be a useful tool in identifying risk factors for sporadic cases of Salmonella.
Cooperative Load Transport: A Formation-Control Perspective

We consider a group of agents collaboratively transporting a flexible payload. The contact forces between the agents and the payload are modeled as gradients of nonlinear potentials that describe the deformations of the payload. The load-transport problem is then treated in a similar fashion to the formation-control problem. Decentralized control laws are developed such that without explicit communication, the agents and the payload converge to the same constant velocity; meanwhile, the contact forces are regulated. Experimental results illustrate the effectiveness of our designs.
Determination of adequate coronary stent expansion using StentBoost, a novel fluoroscopic image processing technique

Objective: We tested the hypothesis that the use of motion-corrected fluoroscopic images results in enhanced coronary stent visualization and improved detection of inadequate stent expansion. Background: Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) more accurately detects inadequate stent expansion when compared with coronary angiography. Stent under-expansion is associated with stent restenosis and thrombosis. Developing a technique to improve fluoroscopic-based assessment of stent expansion is desirable. Methods: We analyzed measurements of 48 coronary stents implanted in 30 patients using quantitative coronary angiography (QCA), IVUS, and StentBoost (SB), a novel fluoroscopic image processing technique. Correlations of stent diameter between the modalities were determined. Using established IVUS criteria for adequate stent deployment, we assessed the diagnostic test characteristics of SB to detect inadequate stent expansion. Results: Correlations of minimum stent diameter were highest between IVUS and SB (r = 0.75; P < 0.0001) when compared with QCA and IVUS (r = 0.65; P < 0.0001), and QCA and SB (r = 0.49; P = 0.0004). IVUS and SB demonstrated a small difference in minimum stent diameter, 0.043 mm (95% CI: 0.146–0.061 mm). The correlation between IVUS and SB was lower for vessels with intimal calcification (r = 0.57; P = 0.002) when compared with vessels with deeper calcification (r = 0.84; P < 0.0001). A SB minimum diameter of <2.5 mm predicted inadequate stent expansion by IVUS with 88% sensitivity, 70% specificity, and a positive likelihood ratio of 2.9. Conclusions: SB had superior correlations for stent expansion measured by IVUS when compared with QCA. A minimum stent diameter by SB measurement <2.5 mm is associated with inadequate stent expansion using IVUS criteria. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
History of the Development of Arsenic Derivatives in Cancer Therapy

Arsenic is a natural substance that has been used medicinally for over 2,400 years. In the 19th century, it was the mainstay of the materia medica. A solution of potassium arsenite (Fowler's solution) was used for a variety of systemic illnesses from the 18th until the 20th century. This multipurpose solution was also primary therapy for the treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia until replaced by radiation and cytotoxic chemotherapy. The past 100 years have seen a precipitous decline in arsenic use and, by the mid-1990s, the only recognized indication was the treatment of trypanosomiasis. Much of this decline was due to concerns about the toxicity and potential carcinogenicity of chronic arsenic administration. The rebirth of arsenic therapy occurred in the 1970s when physicians in China began using arsenic trioxide as part of a treatment for acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). Their accumulated experience showed that a stable solution of arsenic trioxide given by intravenous infusion was remarkably safe and effective both in patients with newly diagnosed APL leukemia and in those with refractory and relapsed APL. The mechanisms of action of arsenic derivatives in this disease and other malignancies are many and include induction of apoptosis, partial cytodifferentiation, inhibition of proliferation, and inhibition of angiogenesis. Molecular studies and ongoing clinical trials suggest that, as a chemotherapeutic agent, arsenic trioxide shows great promise in the treatment of malignant disease.
An analysis of pancreas transplantation outcomes based on age groupings--an update of the UNOS database.

Introduction Previously, increasing age has been a part of the exclusion criteria used when determining eligibility for a pancreas transplant. However, the analysis of pancreas transplantation outcomes based on age groupings has largely been based on single-center reports. Methods A UNOS database review of all adult pancreas and kidney-pancreas transplants between 1996 and 2012 was performed. Patients were divided into groups based on age categories: 18–29 (n = 1823), 30–39 (n = 7624), 40–49 (n = 7967), 50–59 (n = 3160), and ≥60 (n = 280). We compared survival outcomes and demographic variables between each age grouping. Results Of the 20 854 pancreas transplants, 3440 of the recipients were 50 yr of age or above. Graft survival was consistently the greatest in adults 40–49 yr of age. Graft survival was least in adults age 18–29 at one-, three-, and five-yr intervals. At 10- and 15-yr intervals, graft survival was the poorest in adults >60 yr old. Patient survival and age were found to be inversely proportional; as the patient population's age increased, survival decreased. Conclusion Pancreas transplants performed in patients of increasing age demonstrate decreased patient and graft survival when compared to pancreas transplants in patients <50 yr of age.
Culture and neuroscience: additive or synergistic?

The investigation of cultural phenomena using neuroscientific methods-cultural neuroscience (CN)-is receiving increasing attention. Yet it is unclear whether the integration of cultural study and neuroscience is merely additive, providing additional evidence of neural plasticity in the human brain, or truly synergistic, yielding discoveries that neither discipline could have achieved alone. We discuss how the parent fields to CN: cross-cultural psychology, psychological anthropology and cognitive neuroscience inform the investigation of the role of cultural experience in shaping the brain. Drawing on well-established methodologies from cross-cultural psychology and cognitive neuroscience, we outline a set of guidelines for CN, evaluate 17 CN studies in terms of these guidelines, and provide a summary table of our results. We conclude that the combination of culture and neuroscience is both additive and synergistic; while some CN methodologies and findings will represent the direct union of information from parent fields, CN studies employing the methodological rigor required by this logistically challenging new field have the potential to transform existing methodologies and produce unique findings. Language: en
Translocation (6;17)(q23;q11.2): a novel cytogenetic abnormality in congenital acute myeloid leukemia?

Abstract Congenital leukemia occurring within 4 weeks of birth is extremely rare and, excluding transient neonatal myeloproliferation associated with Down syndrome, makes up approximately 1% of childhood leukemias. It is usually seen as acute myeloid leukemia (AML), most frequently French–American–British (FAB) types M4 and M5. Recurrent cytogenetic abnormalities have been reported in this group, and in approximately one third of cases the MLL gene at 11q23 is involved. These patients generally have a poor prognosis. We present a case of congenital leukemia (AML FAB type M1) with an acquired translocation between chromosomes 6 and 17.
Faster, better, or both? Looking at both sides of online question‐answering coin

Online question-answering (Q&A) services are becoming increasingly popular among information seekers. We divide them in two domains: social Q&A (SQA) and virtual referencing (VR) and ask what the demands and expectations are for both in satisfying information seeking needs. Using more than 30 interviews and their qualitative analysis of both experts (librarians) and end users (students), we present our findings that indicate the mismatch in experts’ and end-users’ understanding of how and when each service should be used. More importantly, we show how SQA and VR differ in their functionalities and offerings, commenting on their pros and cons, and the ways in which one could create better hybrid solutions for online Q&A services.
Ventral Striatum and Orbitofrontal Cortex Are Both Required for Model-Based, But Not Model-Free, Reinforcement Learning

In many cases, learning is thought to be driven by differences between the value of rewards we expect and rewards we actually receive. Yet learning can also occur when the identity of the reward we receive is not as expected, even if its value remains unchanged. Learning from changes in reward identity implies access to an internal model of the environment, from which information about the identity of the expected reward can be derived. As a result, such learning is not easily accounted for by model-free reinforcement learning theories such as temporal difference reinforcement learning (TDRL), which predicate learning on changes in reward value, but not identity. Here, we used unblocking procedures to assess learning driven by value- versus identity-based prediction errors. Rats were trained to associate distinct visual cues with different food quantities and identities. These cues were subsequently presented in compound with novel auditory cues and the reward quantity or identity was selectively changed. Unblocking was assessed by presenting the auditory cues alone in a probe test. Consistent with neural implementations of TDRL models, we found that the ventral striatum was necessary for learning in response to changes in reward value. However, this area, along with orbitofrontal cortex, was also required for learning driven by changes in reward identity. This observation requires that existing models of TDRL in the ventral striatum be modified to include information about the specific features of expected outcomes derived from model-based representations, and that the role of orbitofrontal cortex in these models be clearly delineated.
The Alcoholic Stigma and the Disease Concept

Acceptance by the client of the label “alcoholic” is viewed by many practitioners as a prerequisite to alcohol abuse recovery. This study demonstrates, however, that the label is a highly stigmatized term associated with the skid row habitue. The 1956 American Medical Association acceptance of alcoholism as within the “purview of medical practice” was an important step for those who believed alcoholism could be destigmatized under the disease label. This study demonstrates that although the disease concept is widely held, the image of the term “alcoholic” remains highly stigmatized. These findings have implications for clinicians in the areas of labeling and the phenomenon of client denial.
Literature-Based Reading Instruction: An Analysis.

Abstract This paper reviews the literature relative to the theory and practice of literature‐based reading instruction. The study seeks to bring greater clarity concerning the concept of literature‐based reading instruction. It is pointed out that from a theoretical point of view advocates of literature‐based reading instruction draw upon the whole language philosophy, psycholinguistics, and cognitive psychology. Proponents of literature‐based reading instruction propose that reading should develop naturally and functionally. Instruction should be guided by the needs and interests of learners; it should begin with real literature and meaningful print rather than with fragmented language or language constructed for instructional purposes. Varied studies are reported that support a holistic literature‐based approach to reading instruction. This review suggests, however, that more studies are needed relative to the implementation of literature‐based reading programs.
Myogenesis in paraxial mesoderm: Preferential induction by dorsal neural tube and by cells expressing Wnt-1

Previous studies have demonstrated that the neural tube/notochord complex is required for skeletal muscle development within somites. In order to explore the localization of myogenic inducing signals within the neural tube, dorsal or ventral neural tube halves were cultured in contact with single somites or pieces of segmental plate mesoderm. Somites and segmental plates cultured with the dorsal half of the neural tube exhibited 70% and 85% myogenic response rates, as determined by immunostaining for myosin heavy chain. This response was slightly lower than the 100% response to whole neural tube/notochord, but was much greater than the 30% and 10% myogenic response to ventral neural tube with and without notochord. These results demonstrate that the dorsal neural tube emits a potent myogenic inducing signal which accounts for most of the inductive activity of whole neural tube/notochord. However, a role for ventral neural tube/notochord in somite myogenic induction was clearly evident from the larger number of myogenic cells induced when both dorsal neural tube and ventral neural tube/notochord were present. To address the role of a specific dorsal neural tube factor in somite myogenic induction, we tested the ability of Wnt-1-expressing fibroblasts to promote paraxial mesoderm myogenesis in vitro. We found that cells expressing Wnt-1 induced a small number of somite and segmental plate cells to undergo myogenesis. This finding is consistent with the localized dorsal neural tube inductive activity described above, but since the ventral neural tube/notochord also possesses myogenic inductive capacity yet does not express Wnt-1, additional inductive factors are likely involved.
RENAL TRANSPLANTATION IN PATIENTS ON PERITONEAL DIALYSIS

The authors reviewed the course of 56 peritoneal dialysis patients after renal transplantation to determine the influence of this mode of dialysis on the results of transplantation.Three subgroups ...
Systemic hemodynamics and renal function during long-term pathophysiological increases in circulating endothelin

Although recent studies have reported endogenous plasma endothelin levels to be elevated two- to fivefold in chronic pathophysiological states, whether such an increase in circulating endothelin levels alone can lead to significant long-term alterations in cardiovascular and renal function is not known. The purpose of this study was to examine the long-term systemic hemodynamic and renal effects of a pathophysiological increase in plasma endothelin concentration in chronically instrumented, conscious dogs (n = 7). Infusion of endothelin-1 (2.5 ng.kg-1.min-1) for 8 days increased plasma concentration of immunoreactive endothelin approximately two- to threefold from 6.7 +/- 0.4 to 16.0 +/- 2.2 pg/ml. Mean arterial pressure increased 21% from a control value of 86.7 +/- 2.1 to 105.0 +/- 2.5 mmHg during the endothelin infusion period. Cardiac output averaged 2,200 +/- 205 ml/min during control and fell by 33% on day 4 of endothelin infusion (1,484 +/- 146 ml/min) and was still 14% below control after day 8 of endothelin infusion (1,885 +/- 154 ml/min). Endothelin increased total peripheral resistance from 42.0 +/- 3.1 to 80.3 +/- 9.1 mmHg.l-1.min. Increasing plasma endothelin two- to threefold was associated with an increase in renal vascular resistance and decreases in glomerular filtration rate and renal plasma flow. Endothelin-1 had no long-term effect on plasma renin activity or aldosterone concentration. These data indicate the importance of pathophysiological levels of endothelin in controlling renal and cardiovascular function in chronic conditions. Furthermore, the results indicate that endothelin may play a role as a mediator of chronic hypertension in pathophysiological states associated with endothelial dysfunction.
Privatization and Competition: Industry Effects of the Sale of British Airways and Air Canada

Previous studies evaluating the effect of privatization have relied on accounting data. While this approach has provided significant results, the accounting data are vulnerable to manipulation especially by the new management. In this paper, we examine the effect of privatization on i) the product prices in the markets where the privatized firms provided service, and the effect on ii) the stock prices of competing firms. We believe that the product prices and stock prices will present a truer picture of privatization. For our analysis, we choose the privatization of British Airways and Air Canada. We find that i) airfares in both the British Airways and Air Canada markets fell significantly when the control passed from government to private ownership - reflecting (expected) improvements in economic efficiency and keener competition. Simultaneously, we also find that ii) stock prices of competitors (the US airlines) fell significantly upon announcement. The abnormal stock returns to the privatized airlines' competitors are related to their exposure in the markets served British Airways and Air Canada. The results imply that change to private ownership improves economic efficiency; and privatization benefits consumers through lower prices.
AN ANALYSIS OF ONE HUNDRED X-RAYS OF PATELLAE IN CHILDREN BETWEEN THE AGES OF TWO AND ONE-HALF AND SIX YEARS WITH ESPECIAL REFERENCE TO THE CENTER OF OSSIFICATION AND A REPORT OF ONE CASE OF DELAYED OSSIFICATION OF THE PATELLAE

(1) An analysis of one hundred x-rays of knees of children between the ages of two and one-half and six years shows an absence of the ossification center of the patella in thirty-two. (2) Tuberculosis has a definite effect on the development of the ossification of the patella, rickets has a definite effect on the time of appearance of the ossification center, while congenital lues has no constant effect on either. (3) In the case reported of delayed appearance of the ossification centers of the patellae, the undernutrition of the patient stands out as the most important factor. (4) Two cases are observed with two ossification centers for the patella.
Do cognitive factors in motor performance become nonfunctional with practice

Cognitive factors in motor behavior were defined as verbal and imagery mediators for a discrete, sequential motor task. The question was asked whether these mediators become nonfunctional with extended practice. Non-motor interference training was given in inappropriate verbal and imagery mediation. If cognitive factors in the motor task involve verbal and/or imagery dimensions, and they dominate early in learning, then the nonmotor interference training should produce relatively large negative transfer effects in motor performance early in learning and little or no such effects late in learning. The results did not conform to expectation; small negative transfer effects were found both early and late in learning. The discussion considered several possible reasons for the outcome: the motor task was dominated by visual and proprioception factors rather than cognitive ones, the method of delivering knowledge of results may have minimized cognitive factors, or the hypothesis is wrong.
Transcript Abundance of Putative Lipid Phosphate Phosphatases During Development of Trypanosoma brucei in the Tsetse Fly.

Abstract African trypanosomes (Trypanosoma brucei spp.) cause devastating diseases in sub-Saharan Africa. Trypanosomes differentiate repeatedly during development in tsetse flies before gaining mammalian infectivity in fly salivary glands. Lipid phosphate phosphatases (LPPs) are involved in diverse biological processes, such as cell differentiation and cell migration. Gene sequences encoding two putative T. brucei LPP proteins were used to search the T. brucei genome, revealing two additional putative family members. Putative structural features and transcript abundance during parasite development in tsetse fly were characterized. Three of the four LPP proteins are predicted to have six transmembrane domains, while the fourth shows only one. Semiquantitative gene expression revealed differential regulation of LPPs during parasite development. Transcript abundance for three of the four putative LPP genes was elevated in parasites infecting salivary glands, but not mammalian-infective metacyclic cells in fly saliva, indicating a potential role of this family in parasite establishment in tsetse salivary glands.
Nest-Defense Behavior of the American Crow in Urban and Rural Areas

The American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) has traditionally been persecuted as a pest and hunted for sport. As recently as 1980 there were an estimated 4,530,000 crow hunter-days in the United States (USDI and USDC 1982a). In recent decades crows, which in the past were typically rural birds, have begun nesting in cities where ordinances prohibit the discharge of firearms. As a result of this colonization of urban areas, two adjacent crow populations exist in many regions, a persecuted rural one and a protected urban one. We took advantage of this situation to examine how the nest-defense behavior of crows has been modified by the presence or absence of persecution. We examined two complementary hypotheses: (1) in an area of high human density and low persecution, crows should habituate to human beings near their nests and (2) in areas of high persecution, crows should show avoidance behavior to human intruders near their nests.
The clinical study on correlated problems about operative treatment for transsexualism

Objective To discuss how to resolve the correlated problems when treating transsexualism with surgical methods. Methods Ablating part or total sexual organs in existence and reconstructing part or total heterologous sexual organs according to patients needs and objective condition. Results The 12 patients in this group all have been treated by operation and have got satisfied results, their mental stress have been released. Except for 1 case of urethral fistula and 1 case of vaginal stricture no other complication occurred. Conclusion Transsexualism patients mental stress can be freed by sex-change surgery.
Investigation of knowledge, attitudes and behaviors about occupational disease prevention of employees in clean room in a district, Shenzhen City

Objective To investigate knowledge, attitudes and behaviors about occupational disease prevention of employees in clean room in a district of Shenzhen City. Methods The cluster random sampling method was used to conduct the survey. We compared the difference between educational levels and between seniorities among 1029 employees in 30 enterprises. Results The labors with high school technical school and college education or above knew more about the 'Law of Occupational Disease Prevention of PRC', definitions of occupational diseases as well as harms of occupational diseases than the labors with junior middle school education or below(P0.05). Besides, labors with high school technical school and college education or above are more likely to wear protective equipments and when they feel limbs anesthesia, the demands for occupational diseases diagnosis were higher(P0.05). Employees with 4-5 working-year were more familiar with 'Law of Occupational Disease Prevention of PRC',potential occupational hazards as well as anesthesia symptoms caused by n-hexane than the employees with 1-3 working-year and less than 1 working-year(P0.05). Employees with 4-5 working-year were more likely to wear protective equipments and when they feel limbs anesthesia, the they had higher demands for occupational diseases diagnosis than employees with 1-3 working-years and less than 1 working-year(P0.05). Conclusion Enterprises and occupational disease prevention institutions should pay close attention to the knowledge training of occupational disease prevention among the low-educated and new employees to reduce the risk of occupational poisoning.
Development of Prothrombinase Induced Clotting Time (Pefakit ®, PiCT) Assay and its Validation in the Monitoring of Anti-Xa and Anti-FIIa Drugs.

Unfractionated heparin (UFH), low molecular weight heparin (LMWH), fondaparinux, danaparoid, direct and indirect (via a cofactor) acting anti-FIIa and anti-Xa anticoagulant drugs are being used in patients for the prophylaxis and treatment of thrombosis. The aPTT does not reliably measure the effects of these drugs. Therefore, there is no simple/reliable method for monitoring patients administered these drugs, particularly those with renal insufficiency and obesity. The newly developed Prothrombinase Induced Clotting Time (PiCT) assay (Pefakit®; Pentapharm, Ltd.; Basel, Switzerland) was developed for monitoring heparins. The PiCT is based on the activation of plasma coagulation by a defined amount of activated FXa, phospholipid and Russell’s viper venom (RVV). The prothrombinase complex formed following recalcification is independent of endogenous thrombin mediated FV activation because the RVV directly activates FV. In this study, the PiCT was used to determine the relative anticoagulant actions of UFH, LMWH, anti-FIIa and anti-FXa drugs. Drugs were supplemented to normal human pooled plasma in a concentration range of 10- 0.08 μg/ml. Plasma samples were analyzed using the PiCT, aPTT, Heptest, thrombin time (TT), ecarin clotting time (ECT), chromogenic anti-FIIa, chromogenic anti-FXa and fibrinopeptide A (FPA) generation assays. In addition, plasma samples from patients treated with these drugs were also tested. The UFH, LMWH, anti-FIIa drugs and the indirect acting anti-FXa drugs produced a concentration-dependent prolongation of the PiCT. Different responses were obtained for each drug. The anti-FIIa drugs gave the strongest dose-response response followed by UFH, LMWH and fondaparinux, in that order. The direct acting anti-FXa agents showed a weak response in the PiCT. Compared to the other assays, the PiCT response showed better sensitivity, reproducibility and linearity over a broader dose range than the aPTT, Heptest, TT, ECT, anti-FIIa and anti-FXa assays. Samples from patients treated with enoxaparin (0.5 mg/kg IV) gave peak concentrations of 0.92± 0.11 U/ml by the PiCT, compared to 0.95± 0.24 U/ml by the anti-FXa assay. Samples from patients treated with bivalirudin, lepirudin or argatroban gave comparable values by the PiCT, aPTT and ECT. The relative prolongation of the PiCT was proportional to the inhibition of thrombin generation as measured by FPA. The PiCT is as simple to perform as the aPTT and can be adapted to any instrument capable of detecting a fibrin clot. Unlike other clot-based tests, the PiCT is sensitive to most old and new anticoagulant drugs and the results are linear through both the therapeutic and interventional dosing ranges. The PiCT may offer the first available single assay that can be universally used for monitoring most of the new anticoagulant drugs regardless of their mechanism of action.
Four Lessons Learned From the Person-Situation Debate: A Review and Research Agenda.

This chapter uses four lessons learned from the person-situation debate of personality and social psychology to review research related to the role of personality traits in work organizations. These lessons include the notions that traits predict behavior only in relevant situations, that traits relate most strongly to behavior when situational cues are weak, that a person’s traits can alter a situation, and that people choose situations that are congruent with their traits. As an illustration of how these lessons can guide future research,we also develop amodel that builds on the ﬁrst lesson. The model classiﬁes organizational situations and describes how motivational intentionsmediate the effects of personality in cooperative and competitive settings.
A Place for Subjectivity in Psychiatry

The data collected by Gilbert and colleagues (2017) from 17 patients with Parkinson's disease who have undergone deep brain stimulation (DBS) offer a detailed and distressing example of a larger is...
Heart rate variability alters cardiac repolarization and electromechanical dynamics.

Abstract Heart rate continuously varies due to autonomic regulation, stochasticity in pacemaking, and circadian rhythm, collectively termed heart rate variability (HRV), during normal physiological conditions. Low HRV is clinically associated with an elevated risk of cardiac arrhythmias. Alternans, a beat-to-beat alternation in action potential duration (APD) and/or intracellular calcium (Ca) transient, is a well-known risk factor associated with cardiac arrhythmias that is typically studied under conditions of a constant pacing rate, i.e., the absence of HRV. In this study, we investigate the effects of HRV on the interplay between APD, Ca, and electromechanical properties, employing a nonlinear discrete-time map model that governs APD and intracellular Ca cycling with a stochastic pacing period. We find that HRV can decrease variation in APD and peak Ca at fast pacing rates for which alternans is present. Further, increased HRV typically disrupts the alternating pattern for both APD and peak Ca and weakens the correlation between APD and peak Ca, thus decoupling Ca-mediated instabilities from repolarization alternation. We find that the efficacy of these effects is regulated by the sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca uptake rate. Overall, these results demonstrate that HRV disrupts arrhythmogenic alternans and suggests that HRV may be a significant factor in preventing life-threatening arrhythmias.
A simulation of Local Power Distribution control strategies

This paper presents an architecture for digitally managing dc power distribution within a building using a network model, a system for simulating specific systems, and results from initial use of the model. The architecture implements the Local Power Distribution model [7] based on networks of nanogrids, with local prices as the mechanism for determining the direction, magnitude, and timing of power flows. The simulation model implements this fully distributed architecture using an event-based model. Simulation results show improved performance of systems with communications over ones which lack such mechanisms.
Evaluating the distribution of invasive woody vegetation around riparian corridors in relation to land use.

Invasive species have been causing important and irreversible impacts to native species and communities of ecosystems. They distort ecosystem functions by degrading forest lands, wetlands, and agricultural habitats and replace the native vegetation and reduce biodiversity, forest productivity, and suitable wildlife habitat. To address disturbances caused by invasive species occurrence, further information is needed regarding the occurrence, extent, and dispersal of invasive species and how land use may increase the spread of these species. The objective of this study was to find the frequency and dominance of three invasive species common to riparian areas of east Alabama: Ligustrum sinense (Chinese privet), Elaeagnus pungens (silverthorn), and Triadica sebifera (Chinese tallow tree). Surveys of these species in riparian forests in and around Auburn, Alabama were conducted to show the relative extent of these shrubs and their relation to urban land use. It was expected to see the highest levels of invasive species in the city center with decreasing levels radiating outward into rural areas. Another objective was how urban land use may affect the presence-absence and prevalence of these non-native plant species within study sites. The results showed that around the city center and suburban lands, cover of both Chinese privet and silverthorn tended to increase. In contrast, Chinese tallow tree density percent cover showed an opposite trend with landscapes close to city center often having slightly less cover. This study shows that urban land use may be an important association with distribution of invasive plant species.