cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pathophysiology of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is likely the most prevalent condition afflicting the GI tract in the USA. However, most GERD patients do not have esophagitis, and as esophagitis has become less of a problem, largely because of more effective treatments, the issue of symptom control has become a more substantial one. From a pathophysiological viewpoint, GERD results from the excessive reflux of gastric contents into the esophagus which is normally prevented as a function of the esophagogastric junction (EGJ), the integrity of which is dependent upon both physiological and anatomical factors, inclusive of, but not limited to, hiatus hernia. The net result is of an increased number of reflux events, an increasing diversity of potential mechanisms of reflux. Once reflux has occurred, the duration of resultant esophageal acid exposure is determined by the effectiveness of esophageal acid clearance, the dominant determinants of which are peristalsis, salivation, and, again, the anatomical integrity of the EGJ. About half of GERD patients have abnormal acid clearance and the major contributor to this is hiatus hernia. Abnormalities of acid clearance are probably the major determinant of developing esophagitis as opposed to symptomatic GERD. In summary, GERD is a multifactorial disease involving both physiological and anatomical abnormalities.
Influence of solute size and the non-polar interaction term on the selection of test solutes for the classification of stationary phase selectivity in gas chromatography

Abstract A new parameter ΔGSINT (X) is introduced for the determination of the capacity of a stationary phase to enter into orientation and hydrogen-bonding interactions. ΔGSINT (X) is defined as the component of the free energy of solution that is equivalent to the solute—solvent interactions of solute (X) that exceeds those interactions typified by an n-alkane of identical volume in solvent S reduced by the identical interactions of solute (X) in a hydrocarbon solvent (squalane). ΔGSINT (X) provides a quantitative scale of orientation and proton donor—acceptor interactions that is independent of solute size and non-polar solute—solvent interactions. Multivariate analysis of ΔGSINT (X) values for 21 test solutes on 20 stationary phases was used to identify acceptable test solutes for characterizing specific intermolecular interactions and to classify the stationary phases based on their capacity for these interactions. Several highly correlated solutes were identified as suitable for determining orientation and solvent proton acceptor capacity of which nitrobenzene and n-octanol, respectively, are recommended as the preferred solutes. Benzene and dioxane were identified as the most favorable test solutes for solvent proton donor capacity within the data set. It seems likely that a more appropriate solute could be found for this interaction. The classification of stationary phases by ΔGSINT (X) is informative and shows a logical clustering of phases of similar type and a linearly related change in properties for the homologous series of poly(methylphenylsiloxane) solvents as the mole percentage of phenyl groups is increased.
Performance of a high-speed transcutaneous link with error correction coding

Several low-power communication strategies have been studied for interfacing with cortical implants via mutual inductance links. In this paper, we consider performance optimization strategies for a mutual-inductance link based on the Pulse Harmonic Modulation method. We consider two enhancements that may allow for increased throughput in the PHM system. First, a low-power error-correcting code is used to improve the system's robustness against noise, timing jitter and other non-ideal factors. Second, the system is adapted for multi-level modulation as a means of increasing the data rate. Our results characterize each systems' bit error rate as a function of pulse jitter, power interference and comparator offset.
Protohemin in bile during primate development.

Protohemin is excreted in biles of primate fetuses and premature newborns. It also was found in relatively large quantities in the lower ileum and mesenteric lymph-nodes of newborn primates.
Development of PCR markers for wheat leaf rust resistance gene Lr47

The leaf rust resistance gene Lr47 confers resistance to a wide spectrum of leaf rust strains. This gene was recently transferred from chromosome 7S of Triticum speltoides to chromosome 7A of hexaploid wheat Triticum aestivum. To facilitate the transfer of Lr47 to commercial varieties, the completely linked restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) locus Xabc465 was converted into a PCR-based marker. Barley clone ABC465 is orthologous to the type-I wheat sucrose synthase gene and primers were designed for the conserved regions between the two sequences. These conserved primers were used to amplify, clone and sequence different alleles from T. speltoides and T. aestivum. This sequence information was used to identify the T. speltoides sequence, detect allele-specific mutations, and design specific primers. Cosegregation of the PCR product of these primers and the T. speltoides chromosome segment was confirmed in four backcross-populations. To complement this dominant marker, a cleavage amplified polymorphic sequence (CAPS) was developed for the 7A allele of Xabc465. This CAPS marker is useful to select homozygous Lr47 plants from F2 or backcross-F2 segregating populations, and in combination with the T- speltoides specific primers is expected to facilitate the deployment of Lr47 in new bread wheat varieties.
Student Typologies in Higher Education.

This chapter reviews various student typologies developed over time and the stability and change in American college students' characteristics, attitudes, and behaviors the typologies reflect.
Asymmetries of beta activity in epilepsy, brain tumor, and cerebrovascular disease.

Abstract The EEG's of 100 patients with epilepsy, 75 patients with vascular disease (65 occlusive, 10 non-occlusive), and 55 patients with brain tumor were analyzed for beta asymmetries, occurring in the fronto-central region. Potentiation of beta rhythms on the side of the lesion was most commonly associated with focal epilepsy and invasive tumors (glioma). Depression of the beta rhythm on the side of the lesion was most commonly associated with occlusive vascular disease. The importance of considering asymmetries of normal rhythms in the interpretation of the electroencephalogram is re-emphasized.
Analyzing Vehicle Impact Test Data

Vehicle impact tests have three basic differences from most other automotive tests: 1. the duration of the test is short -less than one-quarter of a second; 2. the test item is destroyed -it is impossible to go back and run the test again if something goes wrong; and 3. they tend to be complex -several items are tested for any given impact.
Former Carboniferous overburden in the northern Appalachian Basin: a reconstruction based on vitrinite reflectance

Abstract Elevated vitrinite reflectance values have been observed in the Upper Devonian West Falls Group of the northern New York Appalachian Basin in New York. Lopatin modeling suggests that the high thermal maturity of these and associated strata was caused by the presence of a Devonian and Carboniferous overburden that has subsequently been eroded from the northern Appalachian Basin. Devonian overburden, reconstructed from extrapolation of stratigraphic data, thickens from west (0.4 km) to east (2.0 km) across the field area. In contrast Carboniferous overburden, reconstructed by Lopatin modeling, thins from west (2.0–3.4 km) to east (0.7–1.2 km). The inferred geometry of a northeasterly-thinning wedge of sediment is compatible with the existing distribution of late Paleozoic sediments in the Appalachian Basin and suggests the northern part of the basin experienced only moderate subsidence during Carboniferous time.
ON THE DENSITY OF STATES OF PERIODIC MEDIA IN THE LARGE COUPLING LIMIT

ABSTRACT Let Ω0 be a domain in the cube , and let be a function that equals 1 inside Ω0, equals τ in , and that is extended periodically to R n . It is known that, in the limit , the spectrum of the operator exhibits the band-gap structure. We establish the asymptotic behavior of the density of states function in the bands.
Thermal stability of thiol and silane monolayers: A comparative study

The stability of self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) at elevated temperatures is of considerable technological importance. The thermal stability of 1-octadecanethiol (ODT), 16-mercaptohexadecanoic acid (MHDA) and 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorodecanethiol (PFDT) SAMs on gold surfaces, and of 4-aminobutyltriethoxysilane (ABTES) and 1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-perfluorodecyltriethoxysilane (PFDS) assembled on hydroxylated silicon surfaces, was studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The samples were heated in ultrahigh vacuum to temperatures in excess of that required for SAM degradation. ODT monolayers were stable to ca. 110 °C, while MHDA and PFDT SAMs were stable to ca. 145 °C. ABTES SAMs were found to be indefinitely stable to 250 °C, while PFDS SAMs were stable to 350 °C. These studies demonstrate the advantages of using silane monolayers for moderate to high temperature applications and illustrate differences that arise due to the nature of the tail group. To demonstrate the feasibility of silanes for template-directed patterning, a hydroxylated silicon oxide surface containing microcontact-printed PFDS patterns was spin-coated with a mainly hydrophilic block copolymer. Annealing the surface at 90 °C for 2 h caused the block copolymer to dewet the hydrophobic PFDS-patterned regions and adsorb exclusively on the unpatterned regions of the surface.
Binary consensus through binary communication

The problem of binary consensus for an undirected, synchronous, fixed topology network through noiseless, binary communication is the focus of this paper. We propose a binary consensus protocol that guarantees network convergence to the initial network majority via binary communication among one-hop neighbors. The proposed protocol requires the nodes to keep track of an internal state, which accounts for the local disagreement and the local average of the network vote. Convergence of the algorithm to the initial global majority is proved using the lossy S-procedure. Numerical simulations are included to demonstrate the performance of the proposed protocol.
PLASMA LEVELS OF OESTRONE AND OESTRADIOL‐17β IN POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMEN

The plasma oestrone and oestradiol levels of 34 postmenopausal women were studied and related to various of their other characteristics. The plasma oestrone and oestradiol-17beta levels (Mean +/- SE) were, respectively, 32.09 +/- 4.6 pg/ml and 13.9 +/- 3.1 pg/ml. There was a highly significant negative linear association between the years elapsed since the menopause and oestrone levels (P less than 0.001) and oestradiol levels (P less than 0.02). Both plasma oestrone and oestradiol levels were directly related to weight, but the relation was only significant for oestradiol. A significant positive correlation was found between vaginal bleeding and excess weight. The degree of oestrogenicity of the vaginal smear was directly related to the levels of oestrone (P less than 0.08) and oestradiol (P less than 0.005) and to the degree of endometrial hyperplasia (P less than 0.02).
Studies on paraherquamide biosynthesis: synthesis of deuterium-labeled 7-hydroxy-pre-paraherquamide, a putative precursor of paraherquamides A, E, and F

Abstract The stereocontrolled, asymmetric synthesis of triply deuterium-labeled 7-hydroxy-pre-paraherquamide (27) was accomplished, employing a diastereoselective intramolecular SN2′ cyclization strategy. The deuterium-labeled substrate was interrogated in a precursor incorporation experiment in the paraherquamide-producing organism Penicillium fellutanum. The isolated sample of paraherquamide A revealed incorporation of one of the two geminal deuterons of the CD2-group at C-12 exclusively. The lack of signals for the second deuteron of the CD2-group at C-12 and for the CH2D-group (C-22/C-23) suggests that this substrate suffered an unexpectedly selective catabolic degradation and metabolic re-incorporation of deuterium thus casting doubt on the proposed biosynthetic intermediacy of 27. Consideration of alternative biosynthetic pathways, including oxidation of the indole C-6 position prior to hydroxylation at C-7 or oxidative spiro-contraction of pre-paraherquamide prior to construction of the dioxepin is discussed. The synthesis of 27 also provides for a concise, asymmetric stereocontrolled synthesis of an advanced intermediate that will be potentially useful in the synthesis of paraherquamides E and F.
Molecular Dynamics Simulation Studies of the Effect of Phosphocitrate on Crystal-Induced Membranolysis

In this study, following our earlier work on calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate (CPPD) crystal-induced membranolysis, we demonstrate, using the CHARMM method of molecular dynamics simulation, the protective role of phosphocitrate (PC) against solvated dimyristoyl phosphatidylcholine phospholipid bilayer disintegration on contact with the CPPD crystal. Our molecular dynamics simulations studies show that coverage of the CPPD crystal with a layer of phosphocitrate molecules results in the conservation of phospholipid bilayer integrity. We show that the rupture of the lipid bilayer in presence of CPPD and the protective effect of PC are primarily due to electrostatic interactions. The protective role of PC, which may also play an important and potentially therapeutic function against crystal-induced membranolysis is also discussed.
AN INQUIRY INTO THE ORIGINS OF LIFE ON EARTH— A SYNTHESIS OF PROCESS THOUGHT IN SCIENCE AND THEOLOGY

. An initiating event in the development of life on earth is thought to have been the generation of self-replicating catalytic molecules (SRCMs). Despite decades of work to reveal how SRCMs could have formed, a chemically detailed hypothesis remains elusive. I maintain that this is due, in part, to a failure of metaphysics and question this research program's ontologic foundation of materialism. In this essay I suggest another worldview that may provide more adequate ontologic underpinnings: Whitehead's process philosophy of dynamic, relational becoming. Here we come to see molecules not as unchanging objects but rather as processes that possess the capacity for subjective experience. Molecular transformation is driven by experience, both internal and external. Process thought accounts for the world's creative impulse by positing a God who lures the becoming of all entities toward greater complexity and value. Chemical evolution is now seen as divine motivation of molecular becoming and, as such, possesses the potential for introducing true novelty into the world. The “causal joint” between God and world is hypothesized to be an energy transduction at the molecular level that allows divine action without violation of chemical principles or physical laws.
Lysine(164)alpha of protein farnesyltransferase is important for both CaaX substrate binding and catalysis.

Protein farnesyltransferase (FTase) catalyses the formation of a thioether linkage between proteins containing a C-terminal CaaX motif and a 15-carbon isoprenoid. The involvement of substrates such as oncogenic Ras proteins in tumour formation has led to intense efforts in targeting this enzyme for development of therapeutics. In an ongoing programme to elucidate the mechanism of catalysis by FTase, specific residues of the enzyme identified in structural studies as potentially important in substrate binding and catalysis are being targeted for mutagenesis. In the present study, the role of the positive charge of Lys(164) of the alpha subunit of FTase in substrate binding and catalysis was investigated. Comparison of the wild-type enzyme with enzymes that have either an arginine or alanine residue substituted at this position revealed unexpected roles for this residue in both substrate binding and catalysis. Removal of the positive charge had a significant effect on the association rate constant and the binding affinity of a CaaX peptide substrate, indicating that the positive charge of Lys(164)alpha is involved in formation of the enzyme (E).farnesyl diphosphate (FPP).peptide ternary complex. Furthermore, mutation of Lys(164)alpha resulted in a substantial decrease in the observed rate constant for product formation without alteration of the chemical mechanism. These and additional studies provide compelling evidence that both the charge on Lys(164)alpha, as well as the positioning of the charge, are important for overall catalysis by FTase.
The Effect of Managed Care on Primary Care Services for Women

The purpose of this article is to discuss the effect of managed care on the delivery of primary care for women. Managed care is at the forefront of current efforts to control rising health care costs. An estimated 58.2 million Americans (22% of the population) are enrolled in managed care plans today, a 60% increase from 1990.1 Relatively little is known systematically about the effect of managed care on women’s access to care, the quality of services they receive, and their expenditures. The existing typology of managed care, which divides health plans into group, staff, independent practice association, and network models, is no longer useful for predicting or interpreting variations in access, cost, or quality because the organizational and financial structures that constitute these entities may be as varied or similar within a particular type as between types. About one third of all managed care enrollees are now in ‘‘mixed’’ models (any combination of group, staff, independent practice association, and network), and these models are the fastest growing category of managed care plans.2 Even traditional fee-for-service insurance has adopted some elements of managed care, making the distinction between managed and ‘‘nonmanaged’’ care somewhat artificial. The options used to manage care are changing more rapidly than evaluations of the effects of these various strategies on the health of the public. Because many managed care plans today are characterized by ‘‘mix and match’’ combinations of the elements of managed care, a components approach to constructing a typology may be a more useful tool for describing similarities and differences among organizations. Taking this approach allows us to consider the incentives and disincentives associated with each component and to evaluate the likely effect of different combinations of these components. Further, the locus of control over each component can be identified and targeted selectively for change. For example, it is a common misperception that managed care organizations make all of the decisions about the delivery and financing of care; purchasers play a significant role in setting up the conditions under which benefit packages are constructed and administered. Purchasers should examine how benefit structures contribute to suboptimal delivery of care. The Institute of Medicine defines primary care as ‘‘the provision of * This paper was prepared for the Jacobs Institute of Women’s Health for presentation at a conference on June 4, 1997 in Washington, DC. The opinions expressed in the paper are those of the author and do not reflect the official positions of RAND, the Jacobs Institute, or any of the conference sponsors.
Comments on the Randomized Kaczmarz Method

In this short note we respond to some concerns raised by Y. Censor, G. Herman, and M. Jiang about the randomized Kaczmarz method that we proposed in [5]. The Kaczmarz method is a well-known iterative algorithm for solving a linear system of equations Ax = b. For more than seven decades, this method was useful in practical applications, and it was studied in many research papers. Despite of this, little is known about the rate of convergence of this method. The classical scheme of Kaczmarz’s method sweeps through the rows of A in a cyclic manner, projecting in each substep the last iterate orthogonally onto a hyperplane associated with a row of A. One variation of Kaczmarz’s method consists of randomly choosing in each iteration the row for the projection. Our algorithm in [5] (labeled Algorithm 1 there) is based on this approach. The idea of choosing the rows randomly is certainly not new. It has been mentioned for instance by Natterer [4], and later also by Feichtinger et al. [1] and by G. Herman and L. Meyer [3]. In these papers, improvement of performance is observed in numerical experiments, but none of these papers contain any proof of the rate of convergence. We consider the main contribution of [5] that (i) it contains the first proof for a rate of convergence for the Kaczmarz’s method that is applicable to general matrices (and not just to very restricted special cases); (ii) the algorithm achieves an exponential rate of convergence; and (iii) the rate
Photodissociation dynamics of Fe(CO)5: Excited state lifetimes and energy disposal

By examining the competition between fragmentation and photoionization of selectively photoexcited Fe(CO)5 in a pulsed jet, we have been able to estimate wavelength dependent upper limits for excited state lifetimes. These range from 0.6 to 1.0 ps over the region from 290 to 310 nm. The nascent CO produced by this dissociation and subsequent multiple fragmentation is detected with rovibronic specificity by two‐photon resonant four‐photon ionization. Results on dynamics and lifetimes favor a dissociation model involving an unbound lowest ligand field state densely mixed with higher‐lying ligand‐field and charge transfer states. We also report the observation of highly efficient ion–molecule fragmentation reactions of Fe(II) with cold Fe(CO)5, in which fragmentation branching ratios depend critically on the Fe(II) states produced by preceding resonance‐enhanced two‐photon ionization of free Fe atoms.
SOME EVIDENCE ON THE EFFICACY OF SECURITY CREDIT REGULATION IN THE OTC EQUITY MARKET

Security credit regulations are administered by the Federal Reserve Board of Governors (Fed) as a result of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These regulations extend to individual over-the-counter (OTC) firms via the 1969 Amendment to that Act. Apart from catastrophe prevention, five objectives for extending these regulations to OTC stocks are articulated by the Fed. This paper provides empirical evidence on the efficacy of three of the objectives. The evidence suggests the Fed has been successful in pursuing its objectives.
Increased tyrosine hydroxylase activity after drug-induced alteration of sympathetic transmission.

AFTER the destruction of sympathetic nerve endings by 6-hydroxydopamine1,2, there is a compensatory increase in the catecholamine synthesis and tyrosine hydroxylase activity in the adrenal gland3. We have examined the actions of reserpine and phenoxybenzamine on adrenal tyrosine hydroxylase activity. These drugs, like 6-hydroxydopamine2, interfere with postganglionic sympathetic transmission, but by different mechanisms4–6. We also studied the alterations of this enzyme in an embryologically related tissue, the superior cervical sympathetic ganglion. Reserpine and phenoxybenzamine increased the activity of adrenal tyrosine hydroxylase, and reserpine also increased the activity of tyrosine hydroxylase in the superior cervical ganglion. This increase in enzyme activity was prevented by interruption of nerve impulses by decentralization.
Exposed and control human blood levels from Guam and Binghamton workers and Yusho patients

Abstract The blood of some potentially PCB exposed Guam and Binghamton workers were analyzed by comparing the polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) levels with those of Yusho patients and examining the concentration ratios of 2,3′,4,4′,5-penta-CB and 2,3,3′,4,4′,5-hexa-CB which pattern is characteristic for Yusho patients. The average total PCB level of some Guam and Binghamton workers was less than that of Yusho patients and higher than that of Fukuoka controls. Typical Yusho patterns of low 2,3′,4,4′,5-penta-CB/2,2′,4,4′,5,5′-hexa-CB ratio and high 2,3,3′,4,4′,5-hexa-CB/2,2′,4,4′,5,5′-hexa-CB ratio was not observed in the blood PCBs of Guam and Binghamton workers. However, one of the Guam workers having high PCB levels in blood showed low 2,3′,4,4′,5-penta-CB/2,2′,4,4′,5,5′-hexa-CB ratio similar to that of Yusho patients.
Deconstructing design: a strategy for defending science.

Despite its legal and scientific failings, the “intelligent design” (ID) movement has been a public relations success story in the United States. By first creating doubts about the adequacy of evolution to account for the complexity of life, the ID movement has invoked the values of “fairness” and “openness” to argue for inclusion in the classroom and curriculum. In this way, it has attempted to lay claim to the very principles of critical analysis and open discussion at the heart of the scientific enterprise, leaving many researchers in doubt as to how to respond to these challenges. Specific case studies, including the blood-clotting cascade and data from the human genome, show how scientists can have a leading role in deconstructing the arguments advanced in favor of ID. The key to this strategy is remarkably simple and was at the heart of the landmark 2005 Kitzmiller v. Dover trial on ID. It is for researchers to take the claims made by ID proponents seriously, and then to follow them to their logical scientific conclusions. When this is done effectively, the hypothesis of “design” can be publicly falsified in ways that are understandable to laypeople and decision makers in education.
The Effect of Musical Attention Control Training (MACT) on Attention Skills of Adolescents with Neurodevelopmental Delays: A Pilot Study

Background Given the effect of musical training on the rate and accuracy of processing auditory information, therapeutic uses of music may potentially have remedial benefits for individuals with neurodevelopmental deficits. However, additional studies are needed to establish efficacy of music therapy interventions for attention skills in children/adolescents with neurodevelopmental disabilities including those with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Objective To establish feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a group music therapy protocol to improve attention skills (sustained, selective, attentional control/switching) in adolescents diagnosed with autism and/or developmental delays. Methods This single group pretest/posttest study took place in a private school for high functioning adolescents with neurodevelopmental delays. Nine students (4 males, 5 females), ages 13 to 20, participated in the study. Autism severity was assessed using the CARS2-HF and indicated the following distribution for study participants: severe (n = 3), mild (n = 4), or minimal/no (n = 2) symptoms. We assessed feasibility of implementing a 45-min Musical Attention Control Training (MACT) intervention delivered by a board-certified music therapist eight times over 6 weeks in a school setting. We also examined preliminary efficacy of the MACT to improve attention skills using the Test of Everyday Attention for Children (TEA-Ch). Results Parental consent rate was 100%. All nine participants successfully completed testing measures and 6 weeks of the intervention. Average participation rate was 97%. Data analysis showed positive trends and improvements on measures of attentional control/switching and selective attention. Conclusions The results showed that the intervention and testing measures were feasible to implement and acceptable to the participants who all completed the protocol. Data analysis demonstrated positive trends indicating that more research on the use of music therapy attention training in high-functioning adolescents with neurodevelopmental disabilities is warranted.
Demonstration of a symmetric bidirectional 60-GHz radio-over-fiber transport system at 2.5-Gb/s over a single 25-km SMF-28

We designed and experimentally show the first demonstration of a 60-GHz radio-over-fiber system simultaneously transmitting 2.5-Gb/s data for both directions over a single span of 25-km SMF-28. OCS-based spectral-broadening technology is used to relieve backreflecting impairments.
Targeting protein kinase C subtypes in pancreatic cancer

In preclinical studies, protein kinase C (PKC) enzymes have been implicated in regulating many aspects of pancreatic cancer development and progression. However, clinical Phase I or Phase II trials with compounds targeting classical PKC isoforms were not successful. Recent studies implicate that mainly atypical and novel PKC enzymes regulate oncogenic signaling pathways in pancreatic cancer. Members of these two subgroups converge signaling induced by mutant Kras, growth factors and inflammatory cytokines. Different approaches for the development of inhibitors for atypical PKC and novel PKC have been described; and new compounds include allosteric inhibitors and inhibitors that block ATP binding.
Velocimetry in laminar and turbulent flows using the photothermal deflection effect with a transient grating.

An enhanced-precision, high-signal method for velocity measurements with photothermal deflection spectroscopy is presented. A transient refractive-index grating is formed by the interference of two pulsed, pump-laser beams in an absorbing gas. The motion of the grating is detected by the oscillatory deflection of a probe beam, which has a diameter smaller than the fringe spacing. This two-beam pump improves on single-beam pumps because there are more markers for the velocity determination, and the larger thermal gradients increase the probe deflection. The method is illustrated by velocity maps in a laminar ethylene/nitrogen jet using a CO2 pump laser. Velocity distributions and noise levels were also measured with grid-induced turbulence above the jet.
Follicle-stimulating hormone and bioavailable estradiol are less important than weight and race in determining bone density in younger postmenopausal women

Summary The association between follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and bone density was tested in 111 postmenopausal women aged 50–64 years. In the multivariable analysis, weight and race were important determinants of bone mineral density. FSH, bioavailable estradiol, and other hormonal variables did not show statistically significant associations with bone density at any site.
Narrative Skills in Young Adults with High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorders.

In this study, the author investigated narrative performances of 10 high-functioning young adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) across personal and storybook narratives. Narratives were elic...
The Pan-African Studies Effect and Its Impact on Undergraduate Students

Black students enrolled in predominantly White colleges and universities (PWCs) have historically had difficulty persisting and graduating at the same rate as their White counterparts. In constructing services for Black students in their transition to college, institutions have overlooked the academic programs designed to support Black students and their intellectual and interpersonal development and thereby positively impacting their retention and graduation rates. At the University of Louisville, the growth and development of the Department of Pan-African Studies (PAS) over the past 40 years has contributed to the “Black Studies Effect.” This article examines the empirical research on students who have taken courses in or graduated from PAS and its impact on their academic performance, rate of persistence, and racial identity formation from the theoretical viewpoint of resiliency.
Linguistic science and nationalist revolution: Expert knowledge and the making of sameness in pre-independence Ireland

This article examines the linguistic ideological work entailed in the analyses of Irish by the "revolutionary scholar" and cofounder of the Gaelic League, Eoin MacNeill. It does so to discern one central way in which the essential ized link between the Irish language and a unified Irish people became an efficacious political construction during the armed struggle for indepen dence in the early 20th century. It shows how MacNeill used authoritative linguistic science to engender nationalist sentiment around Irish through se miotic processes even as he challenged a dominant conception of language prevalent in European nationalist movements and social thought. The essay argues that MacNeill wrote against the unilateral valorization of codified linguistic homogeneity and embraced the heterogeneous variation of spoken discourse even as he sought to consolidate Irish national identity through sameness claims. This critical examination suggests that scholars of nation alism reconsider the taken-for-granted homogenizing efforts of nationalist endeavors that are ubiquitously presumed to negatively sanction linguistic variation. (Nationalism, linguistic ideology, Ireland, semiotics, heterogeneity,
Efficient Differentiation of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells to Endothelial Progenitors via Small-Molecule Activation of WNT Signaling

Human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC)-derived endothelial cells and their progenitors may provide the means for vascularization of tissue-engineered constructs and can serve as models to study vascular development and disease. Here, we report a method to efficiently produce endothelial cells from hPSCs via GSK3 inhibition and culture in defined media to direct hPSC differentiation to CD34+CD31+ endothelial progenitors. Exogenous vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) treatment was dispensable, and endothelial progenitor differentiation was β-catenin dependent. Furthermore, by clonal analysis, we showed that CD34+CD31+CD117+TIE-2+ endothelial progenitors were multipotent, capable of differentiating into calponin-expressing smooth muscle cells and CD31+CD144+vWF+I-CAM1+ endothelial cells. These endothelial cells were capable of 20 population doublings, formed tube-like structures, imported acetylated low-density lipoprotein, and maintained a dynamic barrier function. This study provides a rapid and efficient method for production of hPSC-derived endothelial progenitors and endothelial cells and identifies WNT/β-catenin signaling as a primary regulator for generating vascular cells from hPSCs.
The effect of benzamide riboside on the VX2 model of liver cancer in rabbits.

PURPOSE Benzamide riboside (BR) causes apoptosis in multiple tumor cell lines by its inhibition of guanylate biosynthesis. The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility of the use of BR as a therapeutic agent for hepatic artery infusional cancer therapy in a rabbit VX2 papilloma tumor model. MATERIALS AND METHODS VX2 tumor was implanted into the left lobe of the liver of each of 14 New Zealand White rabbits and allowed to grow for 19 days ± 3. The proper hepatic artery was selected with a 3-F catheter via right femoral cutdown. The animals were treated with one infusion of 0.9% saline solution ( n = 2), 1 mg/kg BR ( n = 4), 5 mg/kg BR ( n = 4), or 10 mg/kg BR ( n = 4). One animal treated with 5 mg/kg BR did not develop tumor. Livers were explanted after 24 hours and sectioned through the tumor. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase–mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) staining was performed on the slides and they were imaged at a magnification of 40 to detect apoptotic cells. Four random fields were obtained from each slide and the percentage of apoptotic cells was calculated by dividing the number of TUNEL-positive cells by the total number of cells. Sections of liver not involved with tumor were seen in five animals: two that received 1 mg/kg BR, one that received 5 mg/kg, and two that received 10 mg/kg. RESULTS The mean tumor apoptosis rates were 1.3% with saline solution treatment, 44.8% with 1 mg/kg BR, 52.7% with 5 mg/kg BR, and 70.7% with 10 mg/kg BR. The mean tumor apoptosis in treated animals was significantly greater than in control animals ( P = .003) and mean tumor apoptosis was significantly greater with 10 mg/kg BR than with 1 mg/kg BR ( P = .03). There were no apoptotic cells in normal liver treated with 1 mg/kg BR or 10 mg/kg BR. The animal that received 5 mg/kg BR exhibited 10.5% apoptotic cells in the field examined (eight of 76 cells). In the animal treated with 5 mg/kg BR but in which tumor did not grow, only one of 76 cells (0.65%) was apoptotic in the area of the injection scar. CONCLUSION BR induces apoptosis in VX2 tumor in the rabbit model with minimal apoptosis in normal liver.
Transient Receptor Potential (TRP) Channels

The transient receptor potential (TRP) ion channels are encoded by ∼ 30 distinct genes in mammals. TRP channels may be generally described as cation channels that increase intracellular Ca 2 + levels. They are activated by diverse stimuli such as changes in temperature, pH, and osmolarity, and are modulated by growth factor and G-protein-coupled receptor pathways. TRPs thus integrate multiple concomitant stimuli as cellular sensors. They are grouped into six subfamilies, named C, V, M, A, P, and ML, on the basis of amino acid sequence homology: Canonical, Vanilloid, Melastatin, Ankyrin repeat, Polycystins, and Mucolipins, respectively.
Thermodynamics and Kinetics of a Brownian Motor

Nonequilibrium fluctuations, whether generated externally or by a chemical reaction far from equilibrium, can bias the Brownian motion of a particle in an anisotropic medium without thermal gradients, a net force such as gravity, or a macroscopic electric field. Fluctuation-driven transport is one mechanism by which chemical energy can directly drive the motion of particles and macromolecules and may find application in a wide variety of fields, including particle separation and the design of molecular motors and pumps.
Correlation of dosimetric factors and radiation pneumonitis for non-small-cell lung cancer patients in a recently completed dose escalation study.

Purpose: To determine dosimetric factors for lung, lung subregions, and heart that correlate with radiation pneumonitis (Radiation Therapy Oncology Group Grade 3 or more) in the 78 evaluable patients from a Phase I dose escalation study (1991-2003) of three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3D-CRT) of non-small-cell lung cancer. Methods and Materials: There were 10 {>=}Grade 3 pneumonitis cases within 6 months after treatment. Dose-volume factors analyzed for univariate correlation with {>=}Grade 3 pneumonitis were mean dose (MD), effective uniform dose (d{sub eff}), normal tissue complication probability (NTCP), parallel model f{sub dam} and V{sub D} for 5 {<=} D {<=} 60 Gy for whole, ipsilateral, contralateral, upper and lower halves of the lungs and heart D{sub 05}, and mean and maximum doses. Results: The most significant variables (0.005 < p < 0.006) were ipsilateral lung V{sub D} for D <20 Gy. Also significant (p < 0.05) for ipsilateral lung were V{sub D} for D <50 Gy, MD, f{sub dam} and d{sub eff}; for total lung V{sub D} (D <50 Gy), MD, f{sub dam}, d{sub eff} and NTCP; for lower lung V{sub D} (D <60 Gy), MD, f{sub dam} and d{sub eff}. All variables for upper and contralateral lung were insignificant, as weremore » heart variables. Conclusions: Previously reported correlations between severe pneumonitis and whole lung V{sub 13} and with other dose-volume factors of total lung and lower lung are confirmed. The most significant correlations were for (V{sub 05}-V{sub 13}) in ipsilateral lung.« less
Evaluation and Treatment of Severe Obesity in Childhood

Pediatric obesity is highly prevalent in developed countries globally (and worsening in developing countries) and threatens to shorten the lifespan of the current generation. At highest risk for weight-related comorbidities including Type 2 diabetes mellitus, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and dyslipidemia is a sub-set of children with severe obesity, often defined as a body mass index (BMI) percentile ≥99th percentile for age and sex. The pathophysiology of severe obesity in childhood is complex, resulting from the dynamic interplay of a myriad of individual and societal factors including genetic predisposition and health behaviors contributing to energy imbalance. Approximately 4–6% of children have severe obesity, representing a common scenario encountered by providers, and intervention is critical to halt ongoing weight gain and, when possible, reverse the trend. Clinical approaches promoting behavioral weight loss may result in modest, albeit clinically significant, reductions in BMI; however, such changes are often difficult to maintain long-term. Data regarding the impact of targeted pharmacotherapy including agents such as orlistat are limited in the pediatric population and again only suggest modest results. However, increasing evidence suggest that surgical treatment, as an adjunct to ongoing lifestyle changes, may be a promising option in carefully-screened adolescents with severe obesity and weight-related comorbidities who are motivated to adhere to the long-term treatment needs.
Sukuk vs. Eurobonds: Is There a Difference in Value-at-Risk?

This paper assesses the impact of bonds issued according to Islamic principles (Sukuk), on the cost and risk structure of investment portfolios by using the Value-at-Risk (VaR) framework. The market for Sukuk has grown tremendously in recent years at about 45 percent a year. Sukuk provide sovereign governments and corporations with access to the huge and growing Islamic liquidity pool, in addition to the conventional investor base. The paper analyzes whether secondary market behavior of Eurobonds and Sukuk issued by the same issuer are significantly different to provide gains from diversification. The analysis, employing the delta-normal as well as Monte-Carlo simulation methods, implies such gains are present and in certain cases very significant.
Effect of naloxone on appetitive and consummatory phases of ethanol self-administration.

Background : The opioid system has been implicated in ethanol self-administration. Morphine, an opiate agonist, can sometimes increase the amount of ethanol consumed, and opiate antagonists such as naloxone and naltrexone decrease the amount of ethanol consumed in both animals and humans. The objective of this study was to examine the effect of naloxone on appetitive (or seeking) and consummatory behaviors by using an operant model developed to separate these two phases of self-administration. Methods: Intraperitoneal injections of naloxone (0.3–10 mg/kg) or vehicle were given before operant self-administration sessions to assess the effect on lever pressing (appetitive behavior) and subsequent consumption. Effects were measured in two groups of rats: one self-administered a 3% sucrose solution and the other a 10% ethanol solution. Results: Naloxone dose-dependently decreased ethanol and sucrose consumption by an earlier cessation of drinking in the session compared with vehicle injection days. There were some effects on appetitive responding after treatment with naloxone, but none was statistically significant. Conclusions: Naloxone may decrease ethanol self-administration by decreasing the postingestive or pharmacological effects of alcohol. This model provides a new method for examining the effects of potential pharmacotherapeutics on alcohol self-administration behavior.
Detectability in computed tomographic images

The detection limitations inherent in statistically limited computed tomographic (CT)images are described through the application of signal detection theory. The detectability of large‐area, low‐contrast objects is shown to be chiefly dependent upon the low‐frequency content of the noise power spectral density. For projection data containing uncorrelated noise, the resulting ramplike, low‐frequency behavior of the noise power spectrum of CT reconstructions may be conveniently characterized by the number of noise‐equivalent x‐ray quanta (NEQ) detected in the projection measurements. The NEQ for a given image may be determined either from a measurement of the noise power spectrum or from the noise granularity computed with an appropriate weighting function. A measure of the efficiency of scanner dose utilization is proposed which compares the average dose to that required by an ideal scanner to obtain the same NEQ.
Chromosome races of gaillardia pulchella (Asteraceae)

Gaillardia pulchella Foug. is subdivided into partially interfertile cytotypes which are in some cases morphologically recognizable. The greatest morphological and cytological variation occurs in the southern and eastern portions of the species range. The evolutionary history of the species cannot be determined from the cytological information presented here although paleoclimatic information suggests the species or its ancestral form would have occupied areas to the south or west of the present distribution during the late Pleistocene-Recent climatic shifts.
Organic enrichment of submarine-canyon and continental-shelf benthic communities by macroalgal drift imported from nearshore kelp forests

Remotely operated vehicle (ROV) surveys were conducted over a 3-year period to evaluate the importance of macroalgal drift exported from nearshore forests of giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) to adjacent submarine-canyon and continental-shelf benthic habitats. Abundant macroalgal drift was found in the Carmel Submarine Canyon (153454-m depth) but was rare at Pt. Joe, a continental shelf habitat 9 km away (87-357-m depth). Most of the drift parcels consisted of brown algae, but 10 other categories were found, including green and red algae and the surfgrass Phyllospadix spp. M. pyrifera drift accounted for as much as 20% of the density of drift parcels in the Carmel Submarine Canyon, and up to 50% of the drift parcels at Pt. Joe. From previously determined turnover rates of drift M. pyrifera and the standing stock estimates from the present study, we estimated that the rate of carbon flux associated with drift M. pyrifera to the benthos of the Cannel Submarine Canyon was 45.2 mg C m z d I. Based on published estimates of carbon flux from vertically sinking particulate organic carbon at 400-m depth in the nearby Monterey Submarine Canyon, and our estimates of kelp-derived carbon flux, drift M. pyrifera can account for 20-83% of the total particulate organic carbon reaching the sea floor in the Carmel Submarine Canyon. We conclude that drift macrophytes provide significant enrichment of organic carbon to the benthos above that provided by vertically sinking particulate organic material. The extent to which this alters the structure of benthic communities compared to areas without organic enrichment by drift macrophytes remains unknown and awaits further study. Deep-sea benthic communities are entirely dependent on imported primary production for metabolic energy (except hydrothermal vent and cold-seep communities, whose energy is provided by chemolithoautotrophy). Organic carbon arrives at the sea floor as small detrital particles, episodic deliveries of large organic parcels such as large animal carcasses, actively swimming zooplankton, turbidity currents, and macrophyte detritus (Rowe 1981). The relative importance of these organic carbon pathways no doubt varies with habitat and distance from shore, although quantification of these pathways is still in its infancy (Gage and Tyler 1991; Pilskaln et al. 1996; Rowe 1981). The macrophyte detritus pathway may be particularly important in deep-sea environments adjacent to productive neat-shore habitats such as seagrass meadows or kelp forests, where macrophyte detritus removed from these habitats may be transported offshore to deep-sea benthic communities via bottom currents (Josselyn et al. 1983; Menzies et al. 1967; Suchanek et al. 1985; Vetter and Dayton, in press). Forests of giant kelp,
Displaying Updated Stock Quotes

This paper describes how to extract stock quote data and display it with a dynamic update (using free, but delayed data streams). As a part of the architecture of the program, we make use of the observer, mediator and command design patterns. We also make use of the JTable and JTableModel. Finally we show how a multi-threaded update can be performed, using the web as a data source. The methodology for converting the web data source into internal data structures is based on using HTML as input. This type of screen scraping has become a popular means of inputting data into programs. Simple string manipulation techniques are shown to be adequit for these types of well-formed data streams.