cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Influence of Prior Oral Anticoagulation Therapy on the Anticoagulant Effect of Low Molecular Weight Heparin.

Low Molecular Weight Heparins (LMWHs) have been suggested by the ACCP as an alternative to UFH for the anticoagulation of patients on chronic oral anticoagulation therapy (OAT) with warfarin. However, the optimal way to manage these patients remains to be established particularly for high-risk patients who require any type of general surgery or urgent invasive PCI procedures. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the LMWH point-of-care (POC) HEMONOX TM assay (Edison, NJ) in patients on chronic OAT. This clot-based test uses rTF reagents and the Hemochron Jr. Signature+ system. The Hemonox clotting time (CT) was analyzed at baseline and at peak response post enoxaparin treatment. Following IRB approval, blood samples from patients on chronic OAT (5 to 20 years, n=13) were evaluated with the Hemonox assay within 12– 18 hours of their last warfarin dose, patients were evaluated weekly for 4 –12 consecutive weeks. In vitro enoxaparin dose response was evaluated by adding 1 U/ml to blood samples obtained from the OAT patients. In supplemental clinical evaluation, 2 PCI cases on OAT were performed at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, Newark, NJ. Patients were anticoagulated during their PCI procedure with enoxaparin at a final IV dose of 0.5 mg/kg Hemonox CT baseline response was patient specific and the same response profile was obtained for each patient on OAT who underwent consecutive weekly testing. The majority of patients on OAT (9/13; 69%) exhibited elevated Hemonox baseline CT (150–350 secs) when compared to the previously reported range for PCI patients without prior OAT (baseline CT in vitro with 1 U/ml enoxaparin, the Hemonox CT was 339 secs which was comparable with the peak response (386 and 308 secs; anti-Xa activity = 0.70 ± 0.01 U/ml; concentration of enoxaparin in the circulation = 0.77± 0.13) observed in the PCI patients receiving enoxaparin (0.5 mg/kg IV) and with a prior OAT who showed similar baseline values. Spiked samples from clinic patients with Hemonox baseline > 150 secs were > 700 secs. Our results demonstrate that prior to administration of LMWH, baseline monitoring may be helpful in patients on OAT to alert clinicians to appropriate alterations of enoxaparin dosing and target anticoagulation times due to the influence of warfarin.
Don’t Unplug: How Technology Saved My Life and Can Save Yours Too

Chris Dancy is a die-hard techie and a self-proclaimed consumption-aholic. Known as “the most connected person on earth” (21), Dancy used up to 700 sensors, devices, applications, and services to monitor, evaluate, and change his life—from his eating habits to his spirituality. Don’t Unplug consists of five main sections covering Dancy’s life from birth to age fifty. He shares a lot of his personal life in the book, which brings out feelings of sympathy, empathy, and pity in the reader. In each of the five sections, Dancy first shares his personal stories, and then offers his take-aways and advice from the experience. Dancy considers himself to have an obsessive and addictive personality. “By 2011, I understood that if a substance or situation could be abused, I would find a way to do so” (53). As you read the lengths Dancy goes to tracking his behaviors, it leaves you in no doubt that he did tend to take things to the extreme in every instance.
Competitive exclusion in phytoplankton communities in a eutrophic water column

We analyze a reaction-diffusion system modeling the competition of multiple phytoplankton species which are limited only by light. While the dynamics of a single species has been well studied, the dynamics of the two-species model has only begun to be understood with the recent establishment of a comparison principle. In this paper, we show that the competition of \begin{document}$ N $\end{document} similar phytoplankton species, for any number \begin{document}$ N $\end{document} , generically leads to competitive exclusion. The main tool is the theory of a normalized principal bundle for linear parabolic equations.
A case report of cardiogenic shock from takotsubo cardiomyopathy with left ventricular outflow tract obstruction: fundamental lessons in cardiac pathophysiology.

Background A subset of patients with takotsubo cardiomyopathy will develop significant dynamic left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) obstruction leading to cardiogenic shock. However, traditional therapies for cardiogenic shock that focus on increased inotropy and afterload reduction can be detrimental in this situation. Case summary We describe a 71-year-old woman who presented to the emergency department with typical, substernal chest pain found to be hypotensive with ST-elevations in the lateral leads. Coronary angiography showed no significant coronary artery disease, but a left ventriculogram demonstrated takotsubo cardiomyopathy. Right heart catheterization revealed cardiogenic shock and elevated filling pressures. Haemodynamics and symptoms worsened with the initiation of dopamine and placement of intra-aortic balloon pump but improved with the initiation of phenylephrine. Follow-up echocardiogram demonstrated dynamic LVOT obstruction with concomitant severe mitral regurgitation (MR). The patient recovered in the intensive care unit for 5 days after successful weaning of phenylephrine and initiation of low-dose beta-blocker. Repeat echocardiogram 3 weeks later showed complete resolution of apical akinesis, LVOT obstruction, and MR. Discussion Elucidating whether dynamic LVOT obstruction is contributing to cardiogenic shock physiology is paramount since the management radically differs depending on the presence or absence of obstruction. Corrective therapy focuses on reducing the LVOT gradient and includes fluid administration to improve preload, beta-blocker therapy to increase diastolic filling time, and vasopressors to raise afterload.
Carbocation-Mediated Cyclization of Trienes in Acid Zeolites

The mechanism by which acid zeolites catalyze the formation of aromatic species is not fully understood and is important in an array of industrial processes such as the methanol to gasoline reaction. The so-called "carbon pool" mechanism is generally agreed to be the main channel for the formation of hydrocarbons from methanol. There is, however, no agreed sequence of elementary steps that explains how linear intermediates transform to cyclic intermediates, let alone aromatic rings. Recent work suggests the formation of conjugated trienes during zeolite-catalyzed aromatization, but mechanisms involving triene-derived carbocations have never been investigated using modern computational tools. In this work, we propose a new mechanism for cyclization of hexatriene over the Bronsted acid site of faujasite zeolite. Microkinetic models (MKM) using the results of Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations predict selectivity for neutral 5-membered-ring intermediates over 6-membered-ring intermediates, as suggested by infrared and UV-vis spectroscopic results reported by others. Given that the products of aromatization are 6-membered rings, this result suggests that triene cyclization can only explain how linear hydrocarbons become cyclic intermediates but not the mechanisms that ultimately lead to the aromatic rings seen in industrial zeolite-catalyzed hydrocarbon processes.
Circulating plasmablasts in children with steroid-sensitive nephrotic syndrome.

The therapeutic efficacy of B cell–depleting anti-CD20 treatment in both pediatric and adult steroid-sensitive nephrotic syndromes (SSNS) suggests that B cells play a pathogenic role in the disease. In adults with minimal change disease (MCD), only circulating plasmablasts are increased during the active phase of the disease, among B cell subsets. These cells have not been studied yet in children with SSNS. We retrospectively quantified by flow cytometry analysis circulating plasmablasts in 107 pediatric patients with SSNS (51 at disease onset, 27 during relapse, and 29 in remission). Data were compared with an equal number of age- and sex-matched healthy donors (HD). Circulating plasmablast levels, expressed as percentage of total CD19+ B cells or as percentage of total lymphocytes, were normal in all SSNS subgroups, compared to HD. Patients in remission had significantly fewer circulating plasmablasts compared to patients at disease onset. No significant correlation was observed between plasmablast levels and proteinuria or serum proteins, at onset. Treatment with prednisone and mycophenolate mofetil significantly reduced circulating levels of plasmablasts, unlike treatment with prednisone and calcineurin inhibitors. The B cell phenotype of children with SSNS differs from that of adults with MCD. This may justify different therapeutic approaches.
A comparison of two safety-critical architectures using the safety related metrics

In this paper, we introduce two safety-related metrics to evaluate a safety-critical computer-based system, and the derivations of these metrics are reviewed using Markov models. We describe two Markov architectural configurations of the system, and the comparison based on the proposed safety-related metrics is demonstrated. The comparison results confirm and conclude that one of the two architectures performs safer than the other. After the analysis, we state that the set of safety-related metrics we have derived in this paper is a good set of measurements to evaluate the safety attribute of safety-critical systems.
Using a Computer Simulation Model to Help Students Think Like Economists in Intermediate Macroeconomics

A decade ago, a national conference of macroeconomic educators called for fundamental reform in the teaching of intermediate macroeconomics, urging instructors to employ a single analytic framework rather than responding to the fragmentation of macroeconomics by teaching a separate model for each school of thought (Erekson, Raynold, and Salemi 1996; Salemi and Siegfried 1999). This paper describes the theoretical structure and learning applications of a single-framework macroeconomic simulation model developed at Texas Christian University. When carefully integrated with other course activities, this computer-based learning tool can increase the intellectual value of intermediate macroeconomics by helping to strengthen students' understanding of basic macroeconomic principles and the types of complex causality, interdependence, and unintended consequences that arise in macroeconomic settings, i.e., students' ability to think like economists about macroeconomic phenomena.
Cancers beget mutations versus mutations beget cancers

Despite the plethora of "oncogenes" and "tumor suppressor genes," the hypothesis that cancer is usually the result of genomic mutations may be wrong. We should at least examine the alternative hypothesis, for which there is considerable evidence, that mutations do not commonly beget cancer, but rather that cancer phenotypes result from confused or aberrant patterns of normal-gene expression; the abnormal patterns are postulated to result from epigenetic mechanisms rather than from mutations. The epigenetic hypothesis that I am proposing suggests that cancers may exhibit mutations primarily because replicative errors at inactive sites in the cancer genome may be repaired slowly or not at all, but the mutations so produced, occurring at already inactivated sites in the genome, may have limited biological significance. Thus, it may be more correct to say that cancers beget mutations than it is to say that mutations beget cancers.
A 9-V/Lux-s 5000-frames/s 512/spl times/512 CMOS sensor

A high-responsivity 9-V/Lux-s high-speed 5000-frames/s (at full 512/spl times/512 resolution) CMOS active pixel sensor (APS) is presented in this paper. The sensor was designed for a 0.35-/spl mu/m 2P3M CMOS sensor process and utilizes a five-transistor pixel to provide a true parallel shutter. Column-parallel analog-to-digital converter (ADC) architecture yields fast readout from pixels and digitization of the data simultaneously with acquiring a new frame. The chip has a two-row SRAM to store data from the ADC and read previous rows of data out of the chip. There are a total of 16 parallel ports operating up to 90 MHz delivering /spl sim/1.3 Gpixel/s or 13 Gb/s of data at the maximum rate. In conclusion, a comparison between two high-speed digital CMOS sensor architectures, which are a column-parallel APS and a digital pixel sensor (DPS), is conducted.
Parallel computation of 3-D small-scale turbulence via additive turbulent decomposition

Implementation and parallelization of additive turbulent decomposition is described for the small-scale incompressible Navier-Stokes equations in 3-D generalized coordinates applied to the problem of turbulent jet flow. It is shown that the method is capable of producing high-resolution local results, and that it exhibits a high degree of parallelizability. Results are presented for both distributed- and shared-memory architectures, and speedups are essentially linear with number of processors in both cases.
Deterministic and Statistical Models of Chemical Fate in Aquatic Systems

This paper has several purposes: (a) to summarize the basic models of the steady state transport and fate of chemicals in aquatic systems including uptake and distribution in the aquatic food chain, (b) to illustrate the deterministic time variable behavior of chemical fate models with several applications to the Great Lakes and (c) to develop some statistical models of chemical variability in aquatic organisms, specifically, the fish.
The Gap Between Spanish-speakers' Word Reading and Word Knowledge: A Longitudinal Study

This longitudinal study modeled growth rates, from ages 4.5 to 11, in English and Spanish oral language and word reading skills among 173 Spanish-speaking children from low-income households. Individual growth modeling was employed using scores from standardized measures of word reading, expressive vocabulary, and verbal short-term language memory. The trajectories demonstrate that students’ rates of growth and overall ability in word reading were on par with national norms. In contrast, students’ oral language skills started out below national norms and their rates of growth, although surpassing the national rates, were not sufficient to reach age-appropriate levels. The results underscore the need for increased and sustained attention to promoting this population’s language development.
Nonverbal Communication and Early Language Acquisition in Children With Down Syndrome and in Normally Developing Children

Many children with Down syndrome display asynchrony in development with the acquisition of language preceding at a slower pace than the acquisition of other cognitive skills. Recent research suggests that the expressive language delays that are displayed by these children may be associated with an earlier disturbance in the development of nonverbal requesting skills (Mundy, Sigman, Kasari, & Yirmiya, 1988; Smith & von Tetzchner, 1986). To test this hypothesis, a longitudinal study of 37 children with Down syndrome and 25 children with normal development was conducted. The results of the study indicated that this sample of children with Down syndrome exhibited a disturbance in nonverbal requesting. Furthermore, individual differences in nonverbal requesting were associated with the subsequent development of expressive language in these children. This association was observed even after taking into account initial variance in developmental level and language status. These data suggested that some of the processes involved in the expressive language delay of children with Down syndrome were not unique to linguistic development. Instead, some aspects of this delay appeared to be associated with problems in an earlier nonverbal phase of communication development. Additionally, the results suggested that measures of nonverbal communication skills also made a unique contribution to the prediction of language development among children with normal development. These data supported the hypothesis that the acquisition of nonverbal communication skills provides an important foundation for the emergence of language in atypical as well as typical development.
Open-field social behavior in rats as a function of septal lesions in infancy and group versus isolated rearing conditions

Normal rat pups and pups with septal lesions produced at 7 days of age were reared after weaning under group and isolated housing conditions. Contact time between pairs of animals in the open field was observed at 90-110 days of age. Gregariousness was increased by both septal lesion treatment and isolated rearing conditions. The housing condition variable accounted for a greater proportion of treatment variance than did the lesion variable. These results stress the importance of housing conditions as a confounding variable in studies of recovery from infant brain damage.
Real time optical correlator architectures using a deformable mirror spatial light modulator

The recent production of a deformable mirror device (DMD) spatial light modulator has naturally led to techniques of using this device in popular optical correlator architectures. In this paper, the DMD is used in both joint transform and VanderLugt arrangements. In some cases, the DMD is used as the input device to a single stage joint transform correlator, and in other cases it is used as the filter device in a VanderLugt correlator. A liquid crystal TV is also used for real time addressing of filters displayed on the DMD.
Solution and solid state studies on the interactions of protonated cytosine salts. I. Influence of anions on 1H nmr spectra and degree of protonation in mixtures of protonated and unprotonated cytosine and derivatives

Abstract Protonated salts of cytosine, cytidine, and 1-methylcytosine have been prepared and studied in dimethylsulfoxide using 1H nmr spectroscopy. Evidence is presented that moderately strong interactions occur between the protonated base and the counterions for chloride salts whereas no interaction was detected for nitrate or perchlorate salts. The 1H nmr spectra of mixtures of 1-methylcytosine and cytidine with some of the corresponding protonated salts did not reveal base pairing. However, such mixtures for cytosine had 1H nmr spectra in which some resonances were displaced to lower field than predicted by the composition of the mixtures. Calculations suggest that the especially large downfield shifts observed for the “amino” NH resonances in such mixtures result from chemical exchange of the amino group, with the N(I)H and N(3)H groups, which are normally found at much lower field. In the absence of added unprotonated species, the 1H nmr spectra revealed that the protons of the −NH2 group of the cytosine derivatives were magneticallv inequivalent, regardless of counteranion. In the presence of the corresponding unprotonated species, these resonances are broadened and difficult to detect. This observation sheds new light on the reason for some errors in pioneering studies aimed at establishing the predominant cytosine tautomer with 1H nmr.
SPECTRAL METHODS OF FORECASTING STORM SURGES

ABSTRACT A method of predicting the storm surges in a water body using the normal modes of the basin is described. Such a procedure eliminates the explicit use of a finite difference mesh in space and reduces the prediction equations to a system of ordinary time-dependent equations which can be solved in several ways. Application of the spectral (or normal mode) expansion technique to an ideal case is presented.
Evolution of Instrumentation for the Study of Gas-Phase Ion/Ion Chemistry via Mass Spectrometry

The scope of gas-phase ion/ion chemistry accessible to mass spectrometry is largely defined by the available tools. Due to the development of novel instrumentation, a wide range of reaction phenomenologies has been noted, many of which have been studied extensively and exploited for analytical applications. This perspective presents the development of mass spectrometry—based instrumentation for the study of the gas-phase ion/ion chemistry in which at least one of the reactants is multiply charged. The instrument evolution is presented within the context of three essential elements required for any ion/ion reaction study: the ionization source(s), the reaction vessel or environment, and the mass analyzer. Ionization source arrangements have included source combinations that allow for reactions between multiply charged ions of one polarity and singly charged ions of opposite polarity, arrangements that enable the study of reactions of multiply charged ions of opposite polarity and, most recently, arrangements that allow for ion formation from more than two ion sources. Gas-phase ion/ion reaction studies have been performed at near atmospheric pressure in flow reactor designs and within electrodynamic ion traps operated in the mTorr range. With ion trap as a reaction vessel, ionization and reaction processes can be independently optimized and ion/ion reactions can be implemented within the context of MS n experiments. Spatial separation of the reaction vessel from the mass analyzer allows for the use of any form of mass analysis in conjunction with ion/ion reactions. Time-of-flight mass analysis, for example, has provided significant improvements in mass analysis figures of merit relative to mass filters and ion traps.
Toxic air pollutants and trucking productivity in the US

Abstract This paper introduces toxic air pollutants into the measurement of trucking productivity to obtain true productivity growth. Our results show that omitting or ignoring toxic air pollutants in measuring trucking productivity yields statistically significant biased productivity estimates in for 2002–2005. Trucking productivity growth was understated by the traditional productivity measure, because the latter did not account for reductions in truck air pollution over time. We also find that the difference between traditional and environmental efficiency scores was negligible, suggesting that environmental constraint did not distort efficiency in the trucking sector.
Release and Establishment in the Southeastern United States of Neohydronomus affinis (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), an Herbivore of Waterlettuce

The South American weevil Neohydronomus affinis Hustache was first released in North America as a biological control for waterlettuce, Pistia stratiotes L., at Kreamer Island, Lake Okeechobee, Fla., on 29 April 1987. Releases were made at six additional sites in southern Florida. Periodic observations at several of these sites indicate the weevils have become established and are dispersing. At some sites, weevil-infested plants are exhibiting symptomology typical of plants in other countries where N. affinis has been used successfully to control this aquatic weed.
Interannual and seasonal variability in short-term grazing impact of Euphausia superba in nearshore and offshore waters west of the Antarctic Peninsula

Le centre d'interet de cet article est l'interaction entre les brouteurs macroplanctoniques et les producteurs primaires, ainsi que la variabilite interannuelle et saisonniere dans la zone d'etude du Projet Palmer de Recherche Ecologique a Long Terme (Palmer LTER), entre l'Ile Anvers et l'Ile Adelaide. Les estimations de broutage a court terme sont obtenues en integrant: (1) des estimations theoriques et experimentales de taux d'ingestion en reponse au stock disponible de phytoplancton, et (2) des mesures in situ du stock de phytoplancton et de la biomasse des brouteurs. Les donnees de terrain proviennent de trois campagnes en ete austral (janvier-fevrier 1993, 1994 et 1995) et d'une sequence de campagnes saisonnieres (ete, automne et hiver 1993). Les abondances absolue et relative des brouteurs macroplanctoniques dominants, Euphausia superba et Salpa thompsoni, varient d'au moins un ordre de grandeurs aux echelles spatiale et temporelle des observations. Sur trois campagnes estivales, les taux de broutage moyen varient de 0.4 a 0.9 μg chlorophyll m -2 h -1 pour les populations de krill antarctique et de salpes. Il en decoule une variablite a la meme echelle du flux de carbone des producteurs primaires aux brouteurs. La variabilite spatiale et temporelle de l'impact du broutage et de la production de pelotes fecales est forte.
Effect of cyclodextrin complexation on the photochemistry of p-methoxy-β-phenylpropiophenone

Abstract p-Methoxy-β-phenylpropiophenone triplets undergo efficient intramolecular deactivation by a mechanism that involves quenching of the carbonyl triplet by the aromatic ring. Inclusion of the ketone in either β- or γ-cyclodextrins leads to protection from external, water-soluble quenchers, such as nitrite or cupric ions. The triplet lifetime for the included ketone is longer in γ-cyclodextrin than in water; in contrast, β-cyclodextrin has virtually no effect on the lifetime in spite of quenching experiments which suggest that inclusion is efficient. It is suggested that the long lifetime in γ-cyclodextrin reflects inclusion of both rings, which cannot be achieved in the smaller cyclodextrin cavities.
An evaluation of the cardiac sensitizing potential of a fabric protector in aerosol form, containing 1,1,1-trichloroethane

Abstract Experiments were designed to assess the cardiac sensitizing potential of Scotchgard Brand Fabric Protector FC-4101 [which contains 1,1,1-trichloroethane (TCE)] under simulated misuse conditions. Beagle dogs were prepared for telemetric monitoring of their electrocardiogram (ECG) and placed in a 290-liter chamber. They were observed for possible effects of inhalation exposure to FC-4101, alone or in combination with intravenous epinephrine (8 and 16 μg/kg) and/or stress induced by a 2-sec blast from an air horn. The effects of inhaled pure TCE with Freon 12 propellant were also investigated. Changes in heart rate consisted of a bradycardia (presumably of reflex origin) due to epinephrine and stress, and a mild tachycardia following exposure to FC-4101 producing a concentration of 5000 ppm TCE in air. Following exposure to FC-4101 producing a concentration of 10,000 ppm TCE in air and following exposure to concentrations of 5000 ppm TCE in air and 10,000 ppm TCE in air with Freon 12 propellant, no tachycardia occurred. Inhalation of FC-4101 did not act synergistically with exogenous epinephrine (8 μg/kg) or endogenous epinephrine released in response to stress to induce cardiac arrhythmias. The arrhythmias induced by 16 μg/kg of epinephrine and stress were not intensified by the concurrent inhalation of FC-4101, 5000 ppm TCE. It is concluded that the simulated misuse conditions utilized in this study, FC-4101 and pure TCE with Freon 12 propellant did not cause cardiac sensitization.
Origins of the sympathetic innervation of the cervical end of the uterus in the rat

A retrograde neuronal tracer (Fast Blue) was injected in the cervical end of the uterine horn of virgin rats. The majority of the retrogradely labeled post-ganglionic sympathetic neurons were found in the sympathetic chain (74%). The superior mesenteric ganglia, inferior mesenteric ganglia and suprarenal ganglia accounted for 22, 3 and < 1%, respectively. The distribution of neurons in the sympathetic chain labeled from the uterus resembles that described for other pelvic organs.
Orientation of monolayers of half-esters of poly(methyl vinyl ether maleic anhydride)

Abstract The effects of subphase pH and certain water-soluble plasticizers on the surface pressure (π)-area (A) isotherms of monolayers of the ethyl and hexyl half-esters of poly (methyl vinyl ether/maleic anhydride) ( PVM MA ) were investigated. An increase in subphase pH (above pH 3.9) causes a decrease in the surface area of the ethyl half-ester monolayer at constant surface pressure but the π-A curve of the monolayer of the hexyl half-ester undergoes little change over a pH range of 3.0 to 6.7. Films of both PVM MA half-esters were found to interact with water-soluble plasticizers. When the plasticizers are compared at the same initial surface pressure, the degree of penetration of monolayers of the ethyl half-ester of PVM MA is practically the same. However, dibutyl phthalate penetrates the hexyl half-ester to a greater extent than does dibutyl adipate or succinate. Based on the results of these experiments, inferences are drawn as to polymer orientation at the air-water interface.
Vasopressin Facilitates GABAergic Transmission in Rat Hippocampus via Activation of V1A receptors

Whereas vasopressin has been shown to enhance memory possibly by increasing long-term potentiation and direct excitation of the pyramidal neurons in the hippocampus, the effects of vasopressin on GABAergic transmission in the hippocampus remain to be determined. Here we examined the effects of vasopressin on GABAergic transmission onto CA1 pyramidal neurons and our results demonstrate that bath application of [Arg(8)]-vasopressin (AVP) dose-dependently increased the frequency of spontaneous IPSCs (sIPSCs) recorded from CA1 pyramidal neurons via activation of V(1A) receptors. Immunohistological staining and western blot further confirmed that both CA1 pyramidal neurons and interneurons expressed V(1A) receptors. Bath application of AVP altered neither the frequency nor the amplitude of miniature IPSCs in the presence of tetradotoxin and failed to change significantly the amplitude of evoked IPSCs recorded from CA1 pyramidal neurons. AVP increased the firing frequency of action potentials by depolarizing the GABAergic interneurons in the stratum radiatum of CA1 region. AVP-mediated depolarization of interneurons was mediated by inhibition of a background K(+) conductance which was insensitive to extracellular tetraethylammonium, Cs(+), 4-aminopyridine, tertiapin-Q and Ba(2+). AVP-induced depolarization of interneurons was dependent on Gα(q/11) but independent of phospholipase C, intracellular Ca(2+) release and protein kinase C. The inhibitory effects of AVP-mediated modulation of GABA release onto CA1 pyramidal neurons were overwhelmed by its strong excitation of CA1 pyramidal neurons in physiological condition but revealed when its direct excitation of the pyramidal neurons was blocked suggesting that AVP-mediated modulation of GABAergic transmission fine-tunes the excitability of CA1 pyramidal neurons.
Influence of functionalized carbon nanofibers on the single carbon fiber-epoxy matrix interface

Abstract Amine-functionalized carbon nanofibers (A-CNFs) were deposited on the surface of individual sized carbon fibers using electrophoretic deposition (EPD), and the average interfacial shear strength (IFSS) was determined using the single fiber fragmentation test in conjunction with Weibull analysis. The IFSS decreased by 25% for fibers acting as the negative electrode in water without CNFs, and the impact of agglomerates on IFSS estimation is discussed. Further, a 187% IFSS increase was achieved for fibers undergoing a two-stage A-CNF EPD approach.
Robustness, Optimization, and Architectures

This paper will review recent progress on developing a unified theory for complex networks from biological systems and physics to engineering and technology. Insights into what the potential universal laws, architecture, and organizational principles are can be drawn from three converging research themes: growing attention to complexity and robustness in systems biology, layering and organization in network technology, and new mathematical frameworks for the study of complex networks. We will illustrate how tools in robust control theory and optimization can be integrated towards such unified theory by focusing on their applications in biology, physics, network design, and electric grid.
The Complex Relationship between Forecast Skill and Forecast Value: A Real-World Analysis

Abstract For routine forecasts of temperature and precipitation, the relative skill advantage of human forecasters with respect to the numerical–statistical guidance is small (and diminishing). Since the relationship between forecast skill and the value of those forecasts is complex, the authors have examined their value across a range of real-world user contexts. It is found that although in most cases the meteorological information possessed considerable value to the users, human intervention in making those forecasts (as measured by National Weather Service forecasts) has generally led to minimal gains in value beyond that which is obtainable through direct use of numerical–statistical guidance. An important exception is the use of meteorological information by gas utilities during peak wintertime periods; in those circumstances, the value of human intervention was considerable. The presence of information in the National Weather Service forecasts independent of that contained in the numerical–statisti...
Excitation-Contraction Coupling in Crayfish

High-sensitivity recording techniques demonstrate a continuous relation between the onset and magnitude ot tension and the membrane depolarization that is induced by increasing K in the bathing medium or by intracellularly applied outward currents. This finding is not consistent with the mechanism of signalling e-c coupling by electrotonic spread of a “critical” depolarization inward along the membrane of the transverse tubular system. It is in accord, however, with the channelled current mechanism that is based on the known anion-permselectivity of the membrane in the terminals of the TTS. The channelled-current model also predicts a direct role of Cl and a possible interaction between Ca and CI in e-c coupling. The initiation and maintenance of tension as well as its magnitude, are in fact dependent upon the concentrations of Ca and Cl in the medium. Thus, both the signalling to, and the activation of, the contractile system appear to be performed by a flow of current in the loop: cell membrane – cell interior – TTS membrane – TTS channels – exterior, as is envisaged in the channelled-current model of e-c coupling.
Microreplication and Design of Biological Architectures Using Dynamic‐Mask Multiphoton Lithography

A strategy for rapidly printing three-dimensional (3D) microscopic replicas using multiphoton lithography directed by a dynamic electronic mask is reported. Morphological descriptions of 3D structures are encoded as stacks of 2D slices created from tomographic and computer-designed instruction sets. In this manner, digital images serve as input for a sequence of reflective photomasks on a digital micromirror device to direct replication of a structure. By scanning a laser focus across the face of the intrinsically aligned masks, tomographic and computed data can be translated into protein-based 3D reproductions with submicrometer feature sizes within 1 min. This straightforward and highly versatile approach may provide improved routes for the development of 3D cellular scaffolds, rapid prototyping of microanalytical devices, and production of custom tissue replacements.
Acute acalculous cholecystitis-like phenotype in scavenger receptor A knock-out mice.

Background Sepsis is a major health problem in the United States that affects more than three-quarters of a million people every year. Previous studies have shown that scavenger receptor A (Sra), also known as macrophage scavenger receptor 1 (Msr1), is a modifier of interleukin 10 (IL-10) expression after injection of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Therefore, we investigated the response to sepsis in Sra knock out mice. Materials and Methods C57BL/6J (B6) ( n = 88) and Sra (–/–) mice ( n = 88) were subjected to cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) using 18G or 16G needles, sham operation, or non-operated controls. At the end, mice were autopsied for the determination of abnormalities after the procedure. Cytokine gene expression was examined in lung and liver samples by quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR), and circulating cholesterol levels were also measured. Results Sra (–/–) mice displayed an enlargement of the gallbladder after CLP that was not detected in sham or non-operated mice or in B6 mice (wild-type) after CLP. The enlarged gallbladder resembles a condition of acute acalculous cholecystitis observed in humans. Sra (–/–) mice presented high cholesterol levels in circulation as opposed to wild type B6 mice. Moreover, Sra (–/–) mice exhibited a reduction in IL-10 mRNA levels in lungs compared to wild-type B6 mice after CLP. Conclusions The development of acute acalculous cholecystitis may be the combination of pre-existing conditions, such as hypercholesterolemia associated with a defect in Sra (Msr1) and a robust inflammation induced by sepsis.
Foliar residue calculations: For one leaf you get two sides

I t r e c e n t l y came to my a t t e n t i o n t h a t t h e r e p r e s e n t l y e x i s t s two d i f f e r e n t p h i l o s o p h i c approaches to the c a l c u l a t i o n o f f o l i a r r e s i d u e s . I t i s now accep ted p r a c t i c e f o r bo th d i s l o d g e a b l e r e s i d u e s (GUNTHER, e t a l . , 1974) and a v a i l a b l e r e s i d u e s (POPENDORF, e t a l . , 1975) to r e p o r t f o l i a r r e s i d u e v a l u e s as mass o f p e s t i c i d e per u n i t a rea . However , i t has no t been common to r e p o r t w h e t h e r the a u t h o r c o n s i d e r e d one s i d e o r two s i d e s o f the l eaves in the c a l c u l a t i o n o f the l e a f a rea . A l t h o u g h t h i s d i f f e r e n c e o r i g i n a t e s in p h i l o s o p h y , a f a c t o r o f two can become i m p o r t a n t when compar ing the r e s u l t s o f d i f f e r e n t a u t h o r s o r l a b o r a t o r i e s .
Cucurbitacins fromCucurbita texana: Evidence for the role of isocucurbitacins.

In addition to cucurbitacins E andI, cucurbitacins D,1, 3-epi-isocucurbitacin D,2, and B,3, were isolated from the fruits ofCucurbita texana and structurally identified by UV, IR,1H NMR,13C NMR, and MS, and 2-O-Β-glucopyranosylcucurbitacin I was identified. These compounds have not been reported previously as constituents of this species. The isolation of 3-epi-isocucurbitacin D2 together with normal cucurbitacins suggests that isocucurbitacins occur naturally. Evidence is also discussed that isocucurbitacins are biosynthesized one step ahead of normal cucurbitacin.
Biological consequences of antigen and cytokine co-expression by recombinant Streptococcus gordonii vaccine vectors

To test the effect of co-expression of immunomodulatory molecules, together with target antigen, two recombinant Streptococcus gordonii strains were constructed which secreted either murine interleukin-2 (IL-2) or interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) in addition to a surface anchored test antigen (the conserved C-repeat region (CRR) of the M6 protein of Streptococcus pyogenes). The secretion of functional cytokines by S. gordonii was achieved by in-frame fusion of sequences encoding mature IL-2 or IFN-γ to the sequences encoding the leader signal of the M6 protein. Expression of the M protein CRR region from a separate chromosomal site produced double recombinants expressing a secreted cytokine and the M protein CRR region anchored to the surface. Protein expression was verified by streak blot, immunoblot, and ELISA on both the single and double recombinants. A cytokine bioassay using HT-2 cells verified biological activity of recombinant IL-2 secreted from S. gordonii. When mice were immunized subcutaneously with the different S. gordonii expression strains, cytokine co-expression apparently modulated the systemic immune response. These results show that streptococci can deliver biologically active molecules such as cytokines along with antigens to the immune system. These results demonstrate that a cytokine-secreting, noninvasive, bacterial vaccine vector can be used to modulate immune responses to a co-expressed antigen.
Autoprothrombin II-A: Thrombin removal and mechanism of induction of fibrinolysis☆

Abstract Traces of thrombin were removed from purified preparations of autoprothrombin II-A. This thrombin-free protein, when infused intravenously into a dog, retarded blood coagulation, stopped autoprothrombin III (Factor X) utilization, and induced plasmin activity. There were no associated changes in heart rate, respiratory rate or blood pressure. In experiments with purified components, it was found that autoprothrombin II-A possessed only weak ability to directly activate either bovine or canine plasminogen to plasmin, but did depress the function of plasmin inhibitors. Autoprothrombin II-A thus induced fibrinolysis by an indirect mechanism. There is clearly a pathway from the coagulation system to fibrinolysis. Autoprothrombin II-A retarded the activity of soybean trypsin inhibitor.
Interfacial Studies on Cr and Ti Deposited on Benzocyclobutene (BCB) Film

Interfacial characteristics such as chemical reaction, metal diffusion, and morphology were investigated for Cr/BCB and Ti/BCB structures. Using Auger and XPS depth profiling, the formation of Ti carbide and Cr oxide was confirmed at the metal/BCB interface. Annealing at 250 °C for extended time periods resulted in diffusion of Cr and Ti into the BCB and subsequent formation of CrSi 2 and Ti-Si compound precipitates. The reaction is a thermal diffusion controlled process which was dependent on time and temperature. It was also found that Ar backsputtering treatment on BCB film before metallization was found to roughen the surface resulting in metal spikes which penetrate into the BCB film.
The generation of superoxide anion by the UVA irradiation of human lens proteins.

Abstract In this study we report the generation of superoxide anion and hydrogen peroxide by a water-insoluble protein fraction from aged human lenses in response to UVA light. Irradiation with 1.5kJcm-2of UVA light (>338nm) over a 1hr period caused the formation of 20±0.1μ m superoxide radical and 37±0.5μ m hydrogen peroxide. A linear photolysis of SH-groups (21nmolml-1, 26%), His (117nmolml-1, 26%) and Trp (72nmolml-1, 27%) residues was seen following 60min of irradiation. The addition of SOD, however, had no effect on the photolytic destruction of any of these amino acid residues. Incubation of the human WISS proteins and bovine α-crystallin in the presence of 43–49μ m of O2-generated in a xanthine oxidase/hypoxanthine system over a 1hr period, caused no loss of histidine, little or no loss of tryptophan and loss of 7–9nmolml-1of sulfhydryl groups with both proteins. This argues that O2-can only account for the destruction of at most 4–8nmol SH-groups in human water-insoluble proteins following 1hr of UVA irradiation.
Design and Implementation of A Low Cost, Integrated Platform for Delivering Super-Broadband Dual Services Simultaneously

We demonstrated an optical-wireless testbed delivering wired and wireless services simultaneously in an integrated ROF and WDM-PON access network. It was successfully transmitted 270Mbit/s uncompressed SDTV and 2.5Gbit/s data over 25km fiber and 10.2m wireless link.
Use of VA Aftercare Following Military Discharge Among Patients With Serious Mental Disorders

Objective: This study examined the use of Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) aftercare services among patients with serious mental disorders who were discharged from the military after a first admission to a Department of Defense (DoD) hospital. Methods: Administrative data from the DoD and VA health systems were linked to identify active-duty servicemen and -women who were hospitalized in a military hospital with a diagnosis of major depression, bipolar disorder, or schizophrenia between 1993 and 1996 and who were subsequently discharged from the military. Split population survival analysis was used to examine separately the correlates of contact with VA outpatient mental health services and, among those who had contact, the time to contact after military discharge. Results: Fifty-two percent of 2,861 identified individuals had received outpatient care from VA mental health clinics by the end of September 1998. The rate of contact was lower than in virtually all studies of aftercare following hospital discharge. Women, older persons, and persons with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder were more likely to contact VA outpatient mental health services than men, younger persons, and those with major depression. Among those who made contact, older persons had a longer time to contact. Conclusions: Many people who leave the military because of serious mental illness do not receive aftercare from the VA. The reasons for such low rates of contact are not clear. Identifying patients who need aftercare but do not receive it and ensuring that they have access to needed services remains an important challenge for the DoD and the VA. (Psychiatric Services 54:383–388, 2003)
The string merging problem

The string merging problem is to determine a merged string from a given set of strings. The distinguishing property of a solution is that the total cost of editing all of the given strings into this solution is minimal. Necessary and sufficient conditions are presented for the case where this solution matches the solution to the string-to-string correction problem. A special case where deletion is the only allowed edition operation is shown to have the longest common subsequence of the strings as its solution.
Nek4 Status Differentially Alters Sensitivity to Distinct Microtubule Poisons

While microtubule poisons are commonly used for the treatment of diverse malignancies, relatively little is known about cellular factors that determine the relative efficacy of these drugs. Here, we identified the NIMA kinase, Nek4, in a genetic screen for mediators of the response to the front-line chemotherapeutic taxol. To identify the mechanism underlying taxol resistance in Nek4-deficient cells, we examined Nek4 function in mitosis and microtubule homeostasis. Notably, we found that Nek4 promotes microtubule outgrowth following transient depolymerization. Additionally, cells lacking Nek4 showed an impaired G2/M arrest following taxol treatment, as well as a decrease in mitotic-like asters, further suggesting a role for Nek4 in the regulation of microtubule assembly. Interestingly, Nek4 suppression also sensitized cancer cells to vincristine, another microtubule poison with a distinct mechanism of action. Therefore, Nek4 deficiency may either antagonize or promote the effects of microtubule poisons, depending on whether an individual drug hyper- or hypo-stabilizes microtubule polymers. While this phenomenon has previously been documented for cells bearing specific tubulin mutations, these data provide yet another example of how an alteration promoting drug resistance in a particular tumor can simultaneously enhance the efficacy of another, similar conventional chemotherapeutic. Of note, Nek4 is located in a commonly deleted genomic locus in non-small cell lung cancer. Consequently, these data also suggest a rationale for the selective use of particular microtubule poisons in specific lung cancer patients.
The contribution of preterm birth to infant mortality rates in the United States.

OBJECTIVE. Although two thirds of infant deaths in the United States occur among infants born preterm ( METHODS. We identified the top 20 leading causes of infant death in 2002 in the US linked birth/infant death file. The role of preterm birth for each cause was assessed by determining the proportion of infants who were born preterm for each cause of death and by considering the biological connection between preterm birth and the specific cause of death. RESULTS. Of 27970 records in the linked birth/infant death file for 2002, the 20 leading causes accounted for 22273 deaths (80% of all infant deaths). Among infant deaths attributable to the 20 leading causes, we classified 9596 infant deaths (34.3% of all infant deaths) as attributable to preterm birth. Ninety-five percent of those deaths occurred among infants who were born at CONCLUSIONS. On the basis of this evaluation, preterm birth is the most frequent cause of infant death in the United States, accounting for at least one third of infant deaths in 2002. The extreme prematurity of most of the infants and their short survival indicate that reducing infant mortality rates requires a comprehensive agenda to identify, to test, and to implement effective strategies for the prevention of preterm birth.