cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Male heroin addicts and their female mates: Impact on disorder and recovery

A pilot investigation was undertaken to determine whether the social relationships between men who currently used heroin with their female mates differed from those of men who formerly used heroin, but were currently abstinent, with their female mates. Six couples were selected for study via the representative case method. Men currently abstinent from heroin had begun drug use later, had a family history of affective disorders, and had initiated their conjugal relationship after cessation of heroin use. Female mates of males currently abstinent from heroin had never used heroin with their mates in conjunction with sexual activity, had significantly positive ratings of their mates' performance of social roles, and were striving to obtain formal training to improve their employment skills. In contrast, the couples including actively using heroin addicts used opiates together, especially to enhance their sexual activity. The relationships of these couples were not as mutually supportive, and the male's role was less responsible and attracted less respect than that of the abstinent male. The females were depressed and had little positive aspects to their lives. Partners in all couples experienced a large number of stressful events, but current heroin use increased stress and hampered coping efforts. Interaction analysis of dynamics in relationships of men currently abstinent from heroin revealed that participation in mates' family life served to reshape their behaviors into more socially acceptable roles.
Case report of acute-on-chronic liver failure secondary to diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

Acute liver failure is a rare presentation of hematologic malignancy. Acute on chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a newly recognized clinical entity that describes acute hepatic decompensation in persons with preexisting liver disease. Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is an aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) with increasing incidence in older males, females and blacks. However, it has not yet been reported, to present with acute liver failure in patients with preexisting chronic liver disease due to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/hepatitis C virus (HCV) co-infection. We describe a case of ACLF as the presenting manifestation of DLBCL in an elderly black man with HIV/HCV co-infection and prior Hodgkin's disease in remission for three years. The rapidly fatal outcome of this disease is highlighted as is the distinction of ACLF from decompensated cirrhosis. Due to the increased prevalence of HIV/HCV co-infection in the African American 1945 to 1965 birth cohort and the fact that both are risk factors for chronic liver disease and NHL we postulate that the incidence of NHL presenting as ACLF may increase.
Lifestyle Practices and Nocturnal Sleep in Midlife Women with and without Insomnia

Relationships between common lifestyle practices important to sleep hygiene (e.g., smoking cigarettes, drinking alcohol, ingesting caffeine, exercising, bed times, getting-up times) and nocturnal sleep have not been documented for women with insomnia in their home environments. This community-based sample of 121 women, ages 40 to 55 years, included 92 women who had experienced insomnia for at least 3 months and 29 women with good-quality sleep. Women recorded lifestyle practices and sleep perceptions (time to fall asleep, awakenings during sleep, feeling rested after sleeping, and overall sleep quality) in diaries while undergoing 6 nights of somnographic sleep monitoring at home. Compared to women with good-quality sleep, women with insomnia reported greater night-to-night variation in perceived sleep variables, poorer overall sleep quality (M = 2.8, SD = 0.7 vs. M = 1.9, SD = 0.5, P < 0.05), and longer times to fall asleep (M = 25 min, SD = 14.2 vs. M= 12.9 min, SD = 5.8, P < 0.05). Correlations between mean individual lifestyle practice scores and mean perceived or somnographic sleep variables were low, ranging from 0 to 0.20. An aggregated sleep hygiene practice score was not associated with either perceived or somnographic sleep variables. Regression analysis using dummy variables showed that combinations of alcohol, caffeine, exercise, smoking, and history of physical disease explained 9% to 19% of variance in perceived or somnographic sleep variables. Lifestyle practices, and combinations thereof, do warrant consideration when assessing or treating insomnia, but these data fail to support a dominant relationship between lifestyle practices and either perceived or somnographic sleep variables.
Machining induced surface integrity in titanium and nickel alloys: A review

Abstract Titanium and nickel alloys represent a significant metal portion of the aircraft structural and engine components. When these critical structural components in aerospace industry are manufactured with the objective to reach high reliability levels, surface integrity is one of the most relevant parameters used for evaluating the quality of finish machined surfaces. The residual stresses and surface alteration (white etch layer and depth of work hardening) induced by machining of titanium alloys and nickel-based alloys are very critical due to safety and sustainability concerns. This review paper provides an overview of machining induced surface integrity in titanium and nickel alloys. There are many different types of surface integrity problems reported in literature, and among these, residual stresses, white layer and work hardening layers, as well as microstructural alterations can be studied in order to improve surface qualities of end products. Many parameters affect the surface quality of workpieces, and cutting speed, feed rate, depth of cut, tool geometry and preparation, tool wear, and workpiece properties are among the most important ones worth to investigate. Experimental and empirical studies as well as analytical and Finite Element modeling based approaches are offered in order to better understand machining induced surface integrity. In the current state-of-the-art however, a comprehensive and systematic modeling approach based on the process physics and applicable to the industrial processes is still missing. It is concluded that further modeling studies are needed to create predictive physics-based models that is in good agreement with reliable experiments, while explaining the effects of many parameters, for machining of titanium alloys and nickel-based alloys.
Marked reduction of free radical generation and contractile dysfunction by antioxidant therapy begun at the time of reperfusion. Evidence that myocardial "stunning" is a manifestation of reperfusion injury.

Recent evidence suggests that postischemic myocardial dysfunction ("stunning") may be mediated by oxygen free radicals, but the exact time window during which the critical radical-mediated damage develops remains unknown. Furthermore, the evidence for the oxyradical hypothesis is indirect and, therefore, inconclusive. Thus, the potent and cell-permeable antioxidant N-(2-mercaptopropionyl)-glycine (MPG) was administered as an intra-coronary infusion (8 mg/kg/hr) to three groups of open-chest dogs undergoing a 15-minute coronary occlusion followed by 4 hours of reperfusion. In group I (n = 8), the infusion of MPG was started 15 minutes before occlusion and ended 2 hours after reperfusion; in group II (n = 9), MPG was started 1 minute before reperfusion and ended 2 hours thereafter; in group III (n = 10), MPG was started 1 minute after reperfusion and ended 2 hours and 15 minutes thereafter. Control dogs (group IV) (n = 10) received vehicle. Recovery of contractile function (assessed as systolic wall thickening) was equivalent in groups I and II, and in both groups it was substantially greater than in controls (p less than 0.005 at 4 hours). In contrast, in group III recovery of function was indistinguishable from controls. To determine whether the protection afforded by MPG was due to inhibition of free radical reactions, myocardial production of free radicals was directly assessed by intracoronary infusion of the spin trap alpha-phenyl N-tert-butyl nitrone (PBN). In control dogs (group VII, n = 6), radical adducts of PBN were released in the coronary venous blood after reperfusion, with a burst occurring in the first 5 minutes. MPG given as in group II (group V, n = 5) markedly suppressed myocardial production of PBN adducts (delta = -98% over 3 hours, p less than 0.01 vs. controls); this effect was evident immediately after reperfusion. MPG given as in group III (group VI, n = 5) also suppressed PBN adduct production (delta = -83% over 3 hours, p less than 0.025 vs. controls), but this effect was delayed. Hence, the radicals important in myocardial stunning appear to be those generated immediately after reperfusion. In vitro studies demonstrated that MPG is an exceptionally powerful scavenger of .OH (rate constant = 8.1 x 10(9) M-1 sec-1 by pulse radiolysis) but has no significant effect on .O2- (rate constant less than 10(3) M-1 sec-1), H2O2 (rate constant = 1.6 M-1 sec-1), or non-.OH-initiated lipid peroxidation, suggesting that removal of .OH is the major mechanism of the beneficial effects of MPG.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
SU‐DD‐A1‐03: IMRT Quality Assurance: Dosimetric Assessment of Three Current Methods

Purpose: To compare traditional IMRTquality assurance using film dosimetry and small volume ionization chambermeasurements with two new commercial products, the Wellhofer® MatriXX ionization chamber array and Varian® Portal Dosimetry. Available analysissoftware,hardware requirements and approximate operator times for data preparation, measurement and analysis will also be examined. Method and Materials: Fluence patterns from several 6X and 18X IMRT treatment plans for pelvis and head and neck radiotherapy patients were measured using radiographic film, the MatriXX array, and the Portal Dosimetry array. In each case the fluence pattern predicted by the treatment planning system was compared to the measured fluence pattern using ordinary γ‐analysis. Absolute dose at a point in a low‐gradient region of the fluence was also measured in the solid water phantom with an ionization chamber and compared to the dose prediction of the TPS. The absolute dosemeasured at the same point by the MatriXX array was also compared. Results: The absolute dosemeasurements made in a region of low‐gradient using an ionization chamber were, on the average, within 3% of the TPS predicted dose. The absolute dosemeasurements made using the MatriXX were, on the average, within 5% of the predicted dose. The ion chamber and MatriXX agreed to within 3%. An average of about 4% of pixels failed an ordinary γ‐analysis using 5% dose agreement and 3mm DTA criteria for both film and MatriXX measurements. A smaller percentage of pixels measured using Portal Dosimetry failed. The time spent preparing the data was comparable for all methods. Data measurement and analysis times were significantly reduced using the MatriXX and Portal Dosimeter procedures. Conclusions: This work indicates significant time savings for the new methods. In addition, the MatriXX system measures absolute dose at each chamber position.
Aristotle's perfect syllogisms, predication, and thedictum de omni

L'A. souleve les faiblesses de l'interpretation de G. Patzig concernant le traitement des syllogismes modaux et assertoriques chez Aristote, et prouve l'existence dans les «Premiers Analytiques» d'un principe logique unique validant tous les syllogismes parfaits
Discussion of Presentation by Dr Robert H. Bedrossian

Abstract There is still some question whether atropine therapy for myopia is effective and safe. Decisions about effectiveness depend on measurements that have an inescapable variability. True biologic changes can be identified only after measurement variability has been determined by replicate measurements. All atropine studies have omitted replicate measurements and are, therefore, incapable of interpretation. Patients with widely dilated pupils receive about 25 times the normal amount of solar radiation on their retinas. This is harmful in some animals; its effects in human beings are not known.
Path expression in data flow program testing

The language of regular expressions is used for the identification of constructors of definition-use chains. Activation of the chains is essential for all data flow testing strategies. The algorithm is based on the node-elimination method of J.A. Brzozowski and E.J. McCluskey (1963). It generates a regular expression that represents the (possibly infinite) set of all constructors of the chain involved. A particular path can then be derived from that expression. The algorithm has been implemented as an extension to STAD, a recently implemented system for testing and debugging. >
Interactive computer-based exercises for engineering statics and mechanics of materials

Summary form only given. The ability to solve new problems is one of the most important skills to be learned in engineering courses. Successfully solving a wide range of engineering problems requires systematic thought processes and a physically-based, intuitive appreciation for principles which allows for them to be flexibly applied. While lectures are an opportunity for the instructor to explain the subject and to discuss and demonstrate problem solving, students become proficient at problem solving only through practice. Unfortunately, nearly all student attempts at solving problems occur away from the eye of instructors. In addition, in the normal course of events, students receive feedback in the form of graded homework several days after handing in their assignment, often too late to have much impact. Students can easily develop bad problem solving habits which may never be broken. An additional weakness observed even in students who do well by standard measures is an over-reliance on manipulating equations rather than on physical and geometric reasoning. Here, the author describes how the above observations have motivated the development of highly interactive computer-based exercises.
Self-Mutilation and Eating Disorders

Patients with eating disorders are at high risk for self-mutilation (e.g., skin cutting and burning), and vice versa. Evidence for this linkage comes from a literature review, from patient interviews, from responses to an instrument we have developed (the Self-Harm Behavior Survey), and from three instructive case reports. Even if the self-mutilation in these patients is regarded as a Borderline Personality Disorder symptom, DSM-IV should list it as an associated feature or a complication of Anorexia Nervosa/Bulimia Nervosa. In lieu of a dual diagnosis, we postulate that the combination of self-mutilation, anorexia, bulimia, and other symptoms (such as episodic alcohol abuse and swallowing foreign objects) may be manifestations of an impulse control disorder known as the "deliberate self-harm syndrome."
Transfusion indications for patients with cancer.

BackgroundDuring the last few years, considerable focus has been given to the management of anemia and coagulopathies. This article provides current concepts of red blood cell (RBC) and plasma coag...
Counselor- versus provider-based HIV screening in the emergency department: results from the universal screening for HIV infection in the emergency room (USHER) randomized controlled trial.

Objective We compare rates of rapid HIV testing, test offer, and acceptance in an urban emergency department (ED) when conducted by dedicated HIV counselors versus current members of the ED staff. Methods The Universal Screening for HIV Infection in the Emergency Room [USHER] trial is a prospective randomized controlled trial that implemented an HIV screening program in the ED of an urban tertiary medical center. ED patients were screened and consented for trial enrollment by an USHER research assistant. Eligible subjects were randomized to rapid HIV testing (oral OraQuick) offered by a dedicated counselor (counselor arm) or by an ED provider (provider arm). In the counselor arm, counselors—without other clinical responsibilities—assumed nearly all testing-related activities (consent, counseling, delivery of test results). In the provider arm, trained ED emergency service assistants (nursing assistants) consented and tested the participant in the context of other ED-related responsibilities. In this arm, ED house officers, physician assistants, or attending physicians provided HIV test results to trial participants. Outcome measures were rates of HIV testing and test offer among individuals consenting for study participation. Among individuals offered the test, test acceptance was also measured. Results From February 2007 through July 2008, 8,187 eligible patients were approached in the ED, and 4,855 (59%) consented and were randomized to trial participation. The mean age was 37 years, 65% were women, and 42% were white. The overall testing rate favored the counselor arm (57% versus 27%; P P P =.025). Conclusion Routine rapid HIV testing in the ED was accomplished more frequently by dedicated HIV counselors than by ED staff in the course of routine clinical work. Without dedicated staff, HIV testing in this setting may not be truly routine.
Spontaneous chiral symmetry breaking as condensation of dynamical chirality

Abstract The occurrence of spontaneous chiral symmetry breaking (SChSB) is equivalent to sufficient abundance of Dirac near-zeromodes. However, dynamical mechanism leading to breakdown of chiral symmetry should be naturally reflected in chiral properties of the modes. Here we offer such connection, presenting evidence that SChSB in QCD proceeds via the appearance of modes exhibiting dynamical tendency for local chiral polarization. These modes form a band of finite width Λ ch (chiral polarization scale) around the surface of otherwise anti-polarized Dirac sea, and condense. Λ ch characterizes the dynamics of the breaking phenomenon and can be converted to a quark mass scale, thus offering conceptual means to determine which quarks of nature are governed by broken chiral dynamics. It is proposed that, within the context of SU(3) gauge theories with fundamental Dirac quarks, mode condensation is equivalent to chiral polarization. This makes Λ ch an “order parameter” of SChSB, albeit without local dynamical field representation away from chiral limit. Several uses of these features, both at zero and finite temperature, are discussed. Our initial estimates are Λ ch ≈ 150 MeV ( N f = 0 ), Λ ch ≈ 80 MeV ( N f = 2 + 1 , physical point), and that the strange quark is too heavy to be crucially influenced by broken chiral symmetry.
Time-Resolved Voltage Measurements of Imploding Radiation Sources with a Vacuum Voltmeter at 6 MA

A vacuum-voltmeter (WM) was fielded on the Saturn pulsed-power generator during a series of 12-MA short-circuit, 6-MA aluminum wire-array z-pinch, and 6-MA argon Plasma Radiation Source (PRS) shots. The WM was mounted inside the conical, magnetically-insulated-transmission-line (MITL) structure, in the vacuum chamber above the load. This arrangement permitted the WM to directly measure the time-resolved voltage between the ground side of the MITL (anode) and the negative high-voltage (cathode) feed to the load. The time-resolved voltage and the separately-measured load current are used to determine several dynamic properties as the wire or gas-puff load implodes, namely, the inductance, L(t), net energy delivered to the load, En(t), and the load diameter, a(t). We report here the results of these tests for a fixed inductance short-circuit load, a 2-cm diameter wire-array load and a 12-cm diameter, argon-gas-puff load. We correlate the time dependent electrical parameters with the radiation output from the imploding loads. In particular, we observe electrical energy being delivered to the pinch during the radiation pulse.
Noninvasive Determination of 2-[18F]-Fluoroisonicotinic Acid Hydrazide Pharmacokinetics by Positron Emission Tomography in Mycobacterium tuberculosis-Infected Mice

Tuberculosis (TB) is a global pandemic requiring sustained therapy to facilitate curing and to prevent the emergence of drug resistance. There are few adequate tools to evaluate drug dynamics within infected tissues in vivo. In this report, we evaluated a fluorinated analog of isoniazid (INH), 2-[(18)F]fluoroisonicotinic acid hydrazide (2-[(18)F]-INH), as a probe for imaging Mycobacterium tuberculosis-infected mice by dynamic positron emission tomography (PET). We developed a tail vein catheter system to safely deliver drugs to M. tuberculosis aerosol-infected mice inside sealed biocontainment devices. Imaging was rapid and noninvasive, and it could simultaneously visualize multiple tissues. Dynamic PET imaging demonstrated that 2-[(18)F]-INH was extensively distributed and rapidly accumulated at the sites of infection, including necrotic pulmonary TB lesions. Compared to uninfected animals, M. tuberculosis-infected mice had a significantly higher PET signal within the lungs (P 0.85), suggesting that 2-[(18)F]-INH accumulated at the site of the pulmonary infection. Furthermore, our data indicated that similar to INH, 2-[(18)F]-INH required specific activation and accumulated within the bacterium. Pathogen-specific metabolism makes positron-emitting INH analogs attractive candidates for development into imaging probes with the potential to both detect bacteria and yield pharmacokinetic data in situ. Since PET imaging is currently used clinically, this approach could be translated from preclinical studies to use in humans.
GENE TRANSFECTION OF LUNG CELLS IN VITRO AND IN VIVO

This review focuses on the use of gene transfection as a tool with which to examine pulmonary function at the molecular, cellular, and whole organ level. The term transfection is defined as the introduction of one or more copies of a gene or cDNA into eukaryotic cells in order to permit either transient or permanent transcription and, usually, translation of a gene product, whose presence can be detected directly or inferred from functional assays. Although the term has also been applied to the introduction of DNA into embryonal cells to produce trans genic animals, this topic is not discussed in our review. Rather we describe various transfection techniques as well as experiments in which transfection-based methods have yielded new insights into pulmonary biology. We also discuss recent reports of successful in vivo lung cell transfection. In general, there are three reasons to consider gene transfection as an experimental approach. First, DNA can be transfected into a eukaryotic cell in order to produce a normal or mutated protein; the protein can then be characterized in terms of its structure and function in a physiologically relevant context. Two experiments utilizing the cystic fibrosis (CF) transmembrane conductance regulator (CFfR) gene illustrate this approach. In the first experiment, the CFfR cDNA was transfected into cells that lacked cAMP­ regulated chloride conductance (1 , 2); this ion transport capability is known to be absent or reduced in cells obtained from patients with CF. Both
Protein Engineering in the Development of Functional Hydrogels

Proteins, which are natural heteropolymers, have evolved to exhibit a staggering array of functions and capabilities. As scientists and engineers strive to tackle important challenges in medicine, novel biomaterials continue to be devised, designed, and implemented to help to address critical needs. This review aims to cover the present advances in the use of protein engineering to create new protein and peptide domains that enable the formation of advanced functional hydrogels. Three types of domains are covered in this review: (a) the leucine zipper coiled-coil domains, (b) the EF-hand domains, and (c) the elastin-like polypeptides. In each case, the functionality of these domains is discussed as well as recent advancements in the use of these domains to create novel hydrogel-based biomaterials. As protein engineering is used to both create and improve protein domains, these advances will lead to exciting new biomaterials for use in a variety of applications.
CORTISOL SUPPRESSES THE LH, BUT NOT THE FSH, RESPONSE TO GONADOTROPIN-RELEASING HORMONE AFTER ORCHIDECTOMY

Castration leads to a rapid increase in LH and FSH secretion, and exogenous gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) elicits supernormal secretion of LH and FSH after orchidectomy. Superimposition of adrenalectomy or pretreatment with cortisol prevents the acute castration-induced LH and FSH response seen within 24 h. The gonadotropin response to exogenous GnRH is not suppressed by adrenalectomy, indicating that adrenalectomy acts by preventing hypothalamic GnRH secretion and not by diminishing pituitary responsiveness to GnRH. Cortisol treatment severely reduces the response of LH to injected GnRH after castration, suggesting that cortisol suppression is at the pituitary level. Surprisingly, FSH secretory response to GnRH after orchidectomy is not suppressed by cortisol treatment, indicating a striking point of separate regulation of the two gonadotropins.
3.1.2 System Verification and Validation through Reliability, Availability, Maintainability (RAM) Analysis & Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs)

The Next Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP) Project, managed by the Idaho National Laboratory (INL), is authored by the Energy Policy Act of 2005, to research, develop, design, construct, and operate a prototype fourth generation nuclear reactor to meet the needs of the 21st Century. A section in this document proposes that the NGNP will provide heat for process heat applications. As with all large projects developing and deploying new technologies, the NGNP is expected to meet high performance and availability targets relative to current state of the art systems and technology. One requirement for the NGNP is to provide heat for the generation of hydrogen for large scale productions and this process heat application is required to be at least 90% or more available relative to other technologies currently on the market. To reach this goal a RAM Roadmap was developed highlighting the actions to be taken to ensure that various milestones in system development and maturation concurrently meet required availability requirements. Integral to the RAM Roadmap was the use of a RAM analytical/simulation tool which was used to estimate the availability of the system when deployed based on current design configuration and the maturation level of the system.
Development and testing of a real-time terrain navigation method for AUVs

Underwater localization is still a significant challenge for an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) during long endurance missions. Typically the vehicle must rely on external infrastructure such as Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites or underwater acoustic positioning system transponders to provide navigation corrections. These options will not always be feasible during some missions. This paper describes applied research into addressing this challenge through the development of a Monte Carlo Localization (MCL), or particle filter framework. The goal is to supplement an AUV navigation system with independent position fixes based on environmental observations. A particle filter framework for bathymetric terrain navigation is developed and tested using real in-water vehicle and sensor data collected with NUWCs 12¾″ Mid-Size Autonomous Reconfigurable Vehicle (MARV) AUV. The results illustrate how this technique can be successfully applied to allow an AUV to recover from significant position uncertainty and errors during a mission. Additionally it is concluded that extending the particle filter to three dimensions to account for depth measurement bias is preferable to other techniques for handling tidal bias.
Prenatal prescription corticosteroids and offspring diabetes: A national cohort study

BACKGROUND Foetal exposure to excess glucocorticoids has been associated with altered development of multiple foetal systems that may persist after birth and lead to an increased risk of diseases. The purpose of this study is to investigate the role of prenatal prescription corticosteroids for the development of diabetes among offspring. METHODS We conducted a national birth cohort study of children from singleton pregnancies born in Denmark between 1 January 1997 and 31 December 2004 with follow-up through 31 December 2008. Four Danish nationwide administrative registries were linked to identify specific exposures, outcomes and covariates of interest among 505 386 children from singleton pregnancies born alive to 360 484 women. We calculated hazard ratios (HRs) comparing diabetes incidence (separately for type 1 and type 2 diabetes/elevated blood glucose) in children exposed vs unexposed to prescription corticosteroids prenatally. RESULTS Prenatal exposure to prescription corticosteroids was associated with a small increase in offspring type 1 diabetes incidence rate [HR = 1.20, 95% confidence limits (CL) = 0.94, 1.53] and with a 51% increase in type 2 diabetes/elevated blood glucose hazard ratio when comparing children exposed prenatally to prescription corticosteroids with those unexposed (HR = 1.51, 95% CL = 0.69, 3.31). The data were consistent with a monotonic increase in overall diabetes hazard ratios with increasing strength of the corticosteroid. CONCLUSIONS There may be a relation between prenatal prescription corticosteroid use and childhood diabetes but further studies with more extensive assessment of foetal exposures are warranted. If prenatal prescription corticosteroids contribute to the development of offspring diabetes, the public health implications could be substantial.
ISCCP cloud properties associated with standard cloud types identified in individual surface observations

Individual surface weather observations from land stations and ships are compared with individual cloud retrievals of the International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP), Stage C1, for an 8-year period (1983-1991) to relate cloud optical thicknesses and cloud-top pressures obtained from satellite data to the standard cloud types reported in visual observations from the surface. Each surface report is matched to the corresponding ISCCP-C1 report for the time of observation for the 280x280-km grid-box containing that observation. Classes of the surface reports are identified in which a particular cloud type was reported present, either alone or in combination with other clouds. For each class, cloud amounts from both surface and C1 data, base heights from surface data, and the frequency-distributions of cloud-top pressure (p(sub c) and optical thickness (tau) from C1 data are averaged over 15-degree latitude zones, for land and ocean separately, for 3-month seasons. The frequency distribution of p(sub c) and tau is plotted for each of the surface-defined cloud types occurring both alone and with other clouds. The average cloud-top pressures within a grid-box do not always correspond well with values expected for a reported cloud type, particularly for the higher clouds Ci, Ac, and Cb. In many cases this is because the satellites also detect clouds within the grid-box that are outside the field of view of the surface observer. The highest average cloud tops are found for the most extensive cloud type, Ns, averaging 7 km globally and reaching 9 km in the ITCZ. Ns also has the greatest average retrieved optical thickness, tau approximately equal 20. Cumulonimbus clouds may actually attain far greater heights and depths, but do not fill the grid-box. The tau-p(sub c) distributions show features that distinguish the high, middle, and low clouds reported by the surface observers. However, the distribution patterns for the individual low cloud types (Cu, Sc, St) occurring alone overlap to such an extent that it is not possible to distinguish these cloud types from each other on the basis of tau-p(sub c) values alone. Other cloud types whose tau-p(sub c) distributions are indistinguishable are Cb, Ns, and thick As. However, the tau-p(sub c) distribution patterns for the different low cloud types are nevertheless distinguishable when all occurrences of a low cloud type are included, indicating that the different low types differ in their probabilities of co-occurrence with middle and high clouds.
A Systematic Analysis of a Deep Mouse Epididymal Sperm Proteome

Spermatozoa are highly specialized cells that, when mature, are capable of navigating the female reproductive tract and fertilizing an oocyte. The sperm cell is thought to be largely quiescent in terms of transcriptional and translational activity. As a result, once it has left the male reproductive tract, the sperm cell is essentially operating with a static population of proteins. It therefore is theoretically possible to understand the protein networks contained in a sperm cell and to deduce its cellular function capabilities. To this end, we performed a proteomic analysis of mouse sperm isolated from the cauda epididymis and confidently identified 2850 proteins, which to our knowledge is the most comprehensive sperm proteome for any species reported to date. These proteins comprise many complete cellular pathways, including those for energy production via glycolysis, beta-oxidation and oxidative phosphorylation, protein folding and transport, and cell signaling systems. This proteome should prove a useful tool for assembly and testing of protein networks important for sperm function.
Neonatal resuscitation: evolving strategies.

Birth asphyxia accounts for about 23% of the approximately 4 million neonatal deaths each year worldwide (Black et al., Lancet, 2010, 375(9730):1969-87). The majority of newborn infants require little assistance to undergo physiologic transition at birth and adapt to extrauterine life. Approximately 10% of infants require some assistance to establish regular respirations at birth. Less than 1% need extensive resuscitative measures such as chest compressions and approximately 0.06% require epinephrine (Wyllie et al. Resuscitation, 2010, 81 Suppl 1:e260–e287). Transition at birth is mediated by significant changes in circulatory and respiratory physiology. Ongoing research in the field of neonatal resuscitation has expanded our understanding of neonatal physiology enabling the implementation of improved recommendations and guidelines on how to best approach newborns in need for intervention at birth. Many of these recommendations are extrapolated from animal models and clinical trials in adults. There are many outstanding controversial issues in neonatal resuscitation that need to be addressed. This article provides a comprehensive and critical literature review on the most relevant and current research pertaining to evolving new strategies in neonatal resuscitation. The key elements to a successful neonatal resuscitation include ventilation of the lungs while minimizing injury, the judicious use of oxygen to improve pulmonary blood flow, circulatory support with chest compressions, and vasopressors and volume that would hasten return of spontaneous circulation. Several exciting new avenues in neonatal resuscitation such as delayed cord clamping, sustained inflation breaths, and alternate vasopressor agents are briefly discussed. Finally, efforts to improve resuscitative efforts in developing countries through education of basic steps of neonatal resuscitation are likely to decrease birth asphyxia and neonatal mortality.
Parametric amplification of metric fluctuations during reheating in two field models

We study the parametric amplification of super-Hubble-scale scalar metric fluctuations at the end of inflation in some specific two-field models of inflation, a class of which is motivated by hybrid inflation. We demonstrate that there can indeed be a large growth of fluctuations due to parametric resonance and that this effect is not taken into account by the conventional theory of isocurvature perturbations. Scalar field interactions play a crucial role in this analysis. We discuss the conditions under which there can be nontrivial parametric resonance effects on large scales.
Cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase 5 and sildenafil: promises realized.

PDEs belong to a large superfamily [11 different gene families (PDEs 1–11)] of structurally related, functionally distinct, and highly regulated enzymes ([Francis et al., 2001][1]). Most PDE families comprise more than one gene (∼20 PDE genes), which generate multiple protein products (>50 PDE
Junctional tachycardia during radiofrequency ablation of the slow pathway in patients with AV nodal reentrant tachycardia: effects of autonomic blockade.

Junctional Tachycardia of AV Nodal Reentrant Tachycardia. Introduction: Theautonomic nervous system richly innervates the peri-AV nodal region and may be activated during radiofrequency (RF) ablation for AV nodal reentrant tachycardia, resulting in the generation of junctional tachycardia. The purpose of this prospective study was to determine the role of the autonomic nervous system in the genesis of junctional tachycardia. Methods and Results: We compared the characteristics of junctional tachycardia in patients with (n = 10) and without (n = 10) autonomic blockade undergoing RF ablation for AV nodal reentrant tachycardia. Intravenous administration of atropine (0.04 mg/kg) and propranolol (0.2 mg/kg) were used to block the autonomic nervous system. There were no differences in clinical variables and baseline electrophysiologic characteristics between the two groups except for slightly longer effective refractory periods of the fast pathway and of the atrium in the autonomic blockade group. The autonomic blockade shortened the baseline sinus cycle length and effective refractory period of the ventricle only but not other electrophysioiogic characteristics of the AV node. The junctional tachycardia was observed during ablation in each patient, but its occurrence and cycle length, as well as numbers of consecutive junctional beats, were not altered by the autonomic blockade. Conclusion: Our results indicate that the muscarinic and beta-adrenergic components of the autonomic nervous system play no role in the genesis of junctional tachycardia.
Evolutionary history of woodpeckers and allies (Aves: Picidae): placing key taxa on the phylogenetic tree.

We analyzed 2995 base pairs of nucleotide sequence data (nuclear β-fibrinogen intron 7 and mitochondrial cytochrome b and ND2 genes), using parsimony and model-based approaches to infer phylogenetic relationships of the woodpeckers and allies, yielding novel hypotheses for several critical gaps in the knowledge of picid phylogeny. We tested the monophyly of sub-families within the Picidae, and sampled from widely distributed and diverse genera (Celeus, Colaptes, Dryocopus, Melanerpes, Picoides, Picumnus, Sasia, Piculus, and Picus). Relationships of three poorly known Southeast Asian genera (Dinopium, Reinwardtipicus, and Blythipicus) were also examined, revealing unexpected sister relationships. All phylogenetic approaches recovered largely congruent topologies, supporting a monophyletic Picinae and paraphyletic Picumninae, with the monotypic piculet, Nesoctites micromegas, as sister to the Picinae. We report paraphyly for Celeus and Piculus, whereas the broadly distributed genera Picumnus and Dryocopus were supported as monophyletic. Our phylogenetic results indicate a complex geographic history for the Picidae, with multiple disjunct sister lineages distributed between the New World and Asia. The relationships and geographic distribution of basal picid lineages indicates an Old World origin of the Picidae; however, the geographic origin of the Picinae remains equivocal, as the sister relationship between the Caribbean N. micromegas and the true woodpeckers presents the possibility of a New World origin for the Picinae.
MULTI-SEASON CLIMATE SYNCHRONIZED FOREST FIRES THROUGHOUT THE 20TH CENTURY, NORTHERN ROCKIES, USA

We inferred climate drivers of 20th-century years with regionally synchronous forest fires in the U.S. northern Rockies. We derived annual fire extent from an existing fire atlas that includes 5038 fire polygons recorded from 12 070 086 ha, or 71% of the forested land in Idaho and Montana west of the Continental Divide. The 11 regional-fire years, those exceeding the 90th percentile in annual fire extent from 1900 to 2003 (.102 314 ha or ;1% of the fire atlas recording area), were concentrated early and late in the century (six from 1900 to 1934 and five from 1988 to 2003). During both periods, regional-fire years were ones when warm springs were followed by warm, dry summers and also when the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) was positive. Spring snowpack was likely reduced during warm springs and when PDO was positive, resulting in longer fire seasons. Regional-fire years did not vary with El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) or with climate in antecedent years. The long mid-20th century period lacking regional-fire years (1935-1987) had generally cool springs, generally negative PDO, and a lack of extremely dry summers; also, this was a period of active fire suppression. The climate drivers of regionally synchronous fire that we inferred are congruent with those of previous centuries in this region, suggesting a strong influence of spring and summer climate on fire activity throughout the 20th century despite major land-use change and fire suppression efforts. The relatively cool, moist climate during the mid-century gap in regional-fire years likely contributed to the success of fire suppression during that period. In every regional-fire year, fires burned across a range of vegetation types. Given our results and the projections for warmer springs and continued warm, dry summers, forests of the U.S. northern Rockies are likely to experience synchronous, large fires in the future.
Do echinoderm genomes measure up

Echinoderm genome sequences are a corpus of useful information about a clade of animals that serve as research models in fields ranging from marine ecology to cell and developmental biology. Genomic information from echinoids has contributed to insights into the gene interactions that drive the developmental process at the molecular level. Such insights often rely heavily on genomic information and the kinds of questions that can be asked thus depend on the quality of the sequence information. Here we describe the history of echinoderm genomic sequence assembly and present details about the quality of the data obtained. All of the sequence information discussed here is posted on the echinoderm information web system, Echinobase.org.
Genomic and Proteomic Approaches Against Q Fever

Coxiella burnetii is an obligate intracellular bacterium that causes a worldwide zoonotic disease,Q fever. The organism is an occupational hazard and can develop as an acute self-limiting illness or occasionally manifest as a chronic infection, with poor prognosis of resolution. The organism passively enters host cells via actin-based cytoskeletal reorganization and replicates in a parasitophorus vacuole with markers similar to typical phagolysosomes. Recent progress with genomic and proteomic technologies provide a variety of new research opportunities for understanding the molecular pathogenesis of the agent as well as developing diagnostic and vaccine strategies to respond to disease outbreaks. Review of host parasite interactions, insights provided by genomic analysis of the prototype isolate, Nine Mile, and immune response to infection and protective vaccination are included in this chapter. Additionally, new opportunities for research are highlighted.
Using simulation to evaluate wildlife survey designs: polar bears and seals in the Chukchi Sea.

Logistically demanding and expensive wildlife surveys should ideally yield defensible estimates. Here, we show how simulation can be used to evaluate alternative survey designs for estimating wildlife abundance. Specifically, we evaluate the potential of instrument-based aerial surveys (combining infrared imagery with high-resolution digital photography to detect and identify species) for estimating abundance of polar bears and seals in the Chukchi Sea. We investigate the consequences of different levels of survey effort, flight track allocation and model configuration on bias and precision of abundance estimators. For bearded seals (0.07 animals km−2) and ringed seals (1.29 animals km−2), we find that eight flights traversing ≈7840 km are sufficient to achieve target precision levels (coefficient of variation (CV)<20%) for a 2.94×105 km2 study area. For polar bears (provisionally, 0.003 animals km−2), 12 flights traversing ≈11 760 km resulted in CVs ranging from 28 to 35%. Estimators were relatively unbiased with similar precision over different flight track allocation strategies and estimation models, although some combinations had superior performance. These findings suggest that instrument-based aerial surveys may provide a viable means for monitoring seal and polar bear populations on the surface of the sea ice over large Arctic regions. More broadly, our simulation-based approach to evaluating survey designs can serve as a template for biologists designing their own surveys.
Radioresistance of Brain Tumors

Radiation therapy (RT) is frequently used as part of the standard of care treatment of the majority of brain tumors. The efficacy of RT is limited by radioresistance and by normal tissue radiation tolerance. This is highlighted in pediatric brain tumors where the use of radiation is limited by the excessive toxicity to the developing brain. For these reasons, radiosensitization of tumor cells would be beneficial. In this review, we focus on radioresistance mechanisms intrinsic to tumor cells. We also evaluate existing approaches to induce radiosensitization and explore future avenues of investigation.
Enhanced binding of apolipoprotein A-I variants associated with hypertriglyceridemia to triglyceride-rich particles.

Hypertriglyceridemia (HTG) is a common lipid abnormality in humans. However, its etiology remains largely unknown. It was shown that severe HTG can be induced in mice by overexpression of wild-type (WT) apolipoprotein E (apoE) or specific apoA-I mutants. Certain mutations in apoE4 were found to affect plasma triglyceride (TG) levels in mice overexpressing the protein. HTG appeared to positively correlate with the ability of the apoE4 variants to bind to TG-rich particles, protein destabilization, and the exposure of protein hydrophobic surface in solution. Here, we propose that the apoA-I mutations that cause HTG may also lead to changes in the conformation and stability that promote binding of apoA-I to TG-rich lipoproteins. To test this hypothesis, we studied binding to TG-rich emulsion and biophysical properties of the apoA-I mutants that induce HTG, apoA-I[E110A/E111A] and apoA-I[Δ(61−78)], and compared them to those of WT apoA-I and another apoA-I mutant, apoA-I[Δ(89−99)], that does not induce HTG bu...
Additional Research Needed for A Centralized Cloud-Based RadiologyImaging System in The United States Health Care System

The United States healthcare system continues to use outdated methods of imaging transfer from one hospital to another, such as compact disks. When patients are transferred from outside hospitals, the receiving clinicians often lose imaging, are unable to upload imaging, or receive imaging incompatible with different computer systems. This results in significant transfer delays, missing diagnostic information, loss of imaging, unnecessary irradiation to patients, and increased cost to the healthcare system affecting millions of children, adults, and elderly in the United States receiving healthcare. Such issues are prevalent in the hospitals of the United States and pose a host of safety, medico-legal, security, and financial concerns related to quality control and resource utilization. Cloud-based radiology is widely available. Utilization of a nationalized cloud-based radiology system will result in tremendous health care cost savings, improvement in patient safety, and increase efficiency in the healthcare delivery. However, more research needs to be performed by Agency for Healthcare and Research Quality (AHQR) on the efficiency of the current method of medical radiologic image handling across the United to strengthen the argument for a centralized cloud-based radiology system.