cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt before and after Liver Transplantation

The transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) has long been referred to as a procedure performed as “a bridge to transplantation” since, like many other portosystemic shunts, it decompresses the portal circulation and stabilizes patients but does not definitively treat portal hypertension. One of the major advantages of TIPS over surgically placed portosystemic shunts in the transplant era is that the TIPS is intrahepatic and is removed in situ with the native liver, and usually does not need additional surgery (unlike takedown/ligation of surgical shunts). There are several studies that evaluate TIPS before transplantation—not as a bridge/temporizing measure, but as a prelude to the transplant to decompress the portal circulation and reduce portosystemic engorgement and collaterals and thus, in theory, reduce intraoperative bleeding during liver transplantation. However, these studies, mostly in the transplant literature, have been equivocal from an intraoperative and posttransplant clinical outcome standpoint. TIPS creation in liver transplant recipients is another interesting aspect of TIPS. There has been a debate about whether or not liver transplantation adds additional technical difficulty to the TIPS procedure. Initially, many theories were proposed as to the technical difficulty of TIPS in a transplanted liver. However, recent opinions and published studies demonstrate that whole-graft liver transplantation does not pose a significant technical difficulty to TIPS. Moreover, there are several recent studies evaluating the outcomes of TIPS in liver transplant recipients, showing that outcomes are less favorable when compared with TIPS in nontransplanted patients. This article discusses the results of TIPS as a preoperative prelude to liver transplantation. In addition, it discusses the technical and clinical outcomes of TIPS in liver transplant recipients.
Contribution to the Chemistry and Pharmacology of the Digitalis Purpurea Glycosides

Pure samples of gitoxin, digitoxin, and their aglucones have been prepared. An analytical method has been devised for the determination of the proportion of digitoxin and gitoxin plus gitalin in a mixture. The principle involved depends upon the colors developed by the action of concentrated sulfuric acid on digitoxigenin and gitoxigenin.
A multitrait-multimethod analysis of the MCMI-II clinical syndrome scales.

Multitrait-multimethod procedures and factor analyses were utilized to assess convergent/discriminant validity of the revised version of the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory (MCMI-II) clinical syndrome scales and effects of item overlap on scale performance. Except for the Delusional Disorder Scale (PP), convergent validity was supported, but poor discriminant validity was found for the Alcohol Dependence (B) scale, Drug Dependence (T) scale, and Scale PP. Item overlap did not influence performance for many scales. In fact, results indicate that some scales, such as Bipolar: Manic (N), may perform better in overlapping form, whereas others, such as Somatoform (H) and Scales B and T, are most affected by item overlap. Factor structure was generally stable, regardless of whether overlapping or nonoverlapping scales were utilized. However, substance abuse/ dependence emerged as an independent factor when common item artifact was removed. Findings are discussed in terms of their implications for clinical ...
Lindera melissifolia responses to flood durations and light regimes suggest strategies for recovery and conservation

Passive management to preserve endangered plant species involves measures to avoid anthropogenic disturbance of natural populations, but this approach may not sustain plants that require disturbance-maintained habitats. Active management is often necessary to maintain existing habitats or provide new habitats for endangered species recovery. Our objective was to examine the effects of two disturbances in floodplain forests, soil flooding and light availability, on survival, stem length, stem diameter and ramet production of endangered Lindera melissifolia (Walt.) Blume. We used a water impoundment facility to control the timing and duration of flooding (0, 45 or 90 days) and shade houses to vary light availability (70, 63 or 5 % ambient light). Hydroperiod had little direct effect on steckling survival, stem length growth and stem diameter growth, supporting indications that soil flooding may be important for reduction of interspecific competition in L. melissifolia habitat. Greater ramet production by stecklings receiving no soil flooding likely resulted from longer periods of favorable soil conditions during each growing season. Positive stem length growth and stem diameter growth under all light levels demonstrates the plasticity of this species to acclimate to a range of light environments, though, greatest survival and stem length growth occurred when L. melissifolia received 37 % light, and stem diameter growth was greatest beneath 70 % light. Further, female clones produced more ramets as light availability increased. These results indicate that passive management absent natural disturbance could jeopardize sustainability of extant L. melissifolia populations, and this species would respond favorably to active management practices that create canopy openings to increase understory light availability.
Recent advancements in photonic converters

Analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) are an essential component of digital receiver systems. Progress at advancing the electronic ADC modules has been very slow due in large part to the difficulties in fabricating the electronic circuitry required for very high resolution and high sampling rate converters. This slow progress has resulted in a bottleneck between the received analog signal and the digital signal processing system. Single or multiple analog signal down conversion stages are required in digital receivers to down convert the received analog signal to an intermediate frequency (IF) that can be processed by the electronic ADC. There has been much recent interest in the use of photonics for direct digitization of the analog signal at the received RF frequency thus eliminating the need for analog down conversion. This paper reviews some of the recent research advancements in photonic ADCs. We will especially focus on the development of a novel photonic ADC module that uses semiconductor saturable absorbers to perform the data quantization. We will also present recent results in the development of a mode-locked fiber laser used as the sampling source in this photonic ADC architecture.
Down syndrome screening: Suitability of a WHO 5 standardized total hCG assay

Abstract Objective To determine how the adoption of the new WHO 5th International Standard (IS 07/364) will affect the suitability of total βhCG as a marker for second trimester Down syndrome screening, compared to the current WHO 3rd IS (75/537). Design and methods Assays employing both standards were evaluated on the Beckman Coulter DxI platform. Matched βhCG results from 232 fresh second trimester maternal serum samples were compared. In addition, stored samples from 51 Down syndrome and 251 matched control sera were also tested with both assays and results converted to weight-adjusted multiples of the median (MoMs). These results were combined with maternal age and the existing alpha-fetoprotein, unconjugated estriol and inhibin-A MoM levels to compute patient-specific Down syndrome risk. Results Correlation between the two sets of results on fresh samples was high (r = 0.993), but showed a proportional increase of 33% (95% CI 31% to 35%) in results using the new versus old assay across the range of measurements. βhCG results in the case/control dataset were also highly correlated (0.994) and showed a similar proportional increase (34%). After computing assay-specific MoMs, the resulting ‘triple’ and ‘quadruple’ Down syndrome risks were highly correlated, and resulted in no difference in either of the two detection rates (78% and 88%, respectively) or false positive rates (6.4%, 6.8%). Conclusions Laboratories using the DxI platform with the new total βhCG 5th IS assay will need to compute new reference (medians), but can expect no impact on the clinical validity of the associated Down syndrome screening programs.
Performance Specifications for Real-Time Hybrid Testing of 1:50-Scale Floating Wind Turbine Models

This paper presents performance requirements for a real-time hybrid testing system to be suitable for scale-model floating wind turbine experiments. In the wave basin, real-time hybrid testing could be used to replace the model wind turbine with an actuation mechanism, driven by a wind turbine simulation running in parallel with, and reacting to, the experiment. The actuation mechanism, attached to the floating platform, would provide the full range of forces normally provided by the model wind turbine. This arrangement could resolve scaling incompatibilities that currently challenge scale-model floating wind turbine experiments.In this paper, published experimental results and a collection of full-scale simulations are used to determine what performance specifications such a system would need to meet. First, an analysis of full-scale numerical simulations and published 1:50-scale experimental results is presented. This analysis indicates the required operating envelope of the actuation system in terms of displacements, velocities, accelerations, and forces. Next, a sensitivity study using a customization of the floating wind turbine simulator FAST is described. Errors in the coupling between the wind turbine and the floating platform are used to represent the various inaccuracies and delays that could be introduced by a real-time hybrid testing system. Results of this sensitivity study indicate the requirements — in terms of motion-tracking accuracy, force actuation accuracy, and system latency — for maintaining an acceptable level of accuracy in 1:50-scale floating wind turbine experiments using real-time hybrid testing.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
How long is coal's future?

Nearly all scenarios for future U.S. energy supply systems show heavy dependence on coal. The magnitude depends on assumptions as to reliance on nuclear fission, degree of electrification, and rate of GNP growth, and ranges from 700 million tons to 2300 million tons per year. However, potential climate change resulting from increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations may prevent coal from playing a major role. The carbon in the carbon dioxide produced from fossil fuels each year is about 1/10 the net primary production by terrestrial plants, but the fossil fuel production has been growing exponentially at 4.3% per year. Observed atmospheric CO2 concentrations have increased from 315 ppm in 1958 to 330 ppm in 1974 - in 1900, before much fossil fuel was burned, it was about 290–295 ppm. Slightly over one-half the CO2 released from fossil fuels is accounted for by the increase observed in the atmosphere; at present growth rates the quantities are doubling every 15–18 years. Atmospheric models suggest a global warming of about 2 K if the concentration were to rise to two times its pre-1900 value - enough to change the global climate in major (but largely unknown) ways. With the current rate of increase in fossil fuel use, the atmospheric concentration should reach these levels by about 2030. A shift to coal as a replacement for oil and gas gives more carbon dioxide per unit of energy; thus if energy growth continues with a concurrent shift toward coal, high concentrations can be reached somewhat earlier. Even projections with very heavy reliance on non-fossil energy (Neihaus) after 2000 show atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations reaching 475 ppm.
Effective surveillance of gastroschisis and omphalocele: separate International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision codes!

To the Editor: Many birth defects surveillance programs use the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) coding system for identification of cases and data collection. It is critical to effectively code birth defects for accurate surveillance, monitoring, and prevention strategies. A major challenge in interpreting data on gastroschisis and omphalocele results from inaccurate coding. Until just recently, both gastroschisis and omphalocele have been coded by a common ICD-9 code 756.79, even though they are completely different abdominal wall defects [1]. However, in the 2010 version of the Ingenix ICD-9-CM expert for physicians [2], both gastroschisis and omphalocele have separate specific ICD-9 codes (Fig. 1): 756.72 for omphalocele and 756.73 for gastroschisis. It is also important to note that the 2 ICD-9 codes, 756.79 and 756.7, that were previously used to identify cases of gastroschisis [3,4] now exclude both gastroschisis and omphalocele and represent “Other congenital anomalies of the abdominal wall” and “Anomalies of the abdominal wall,” respectively. These 2 older ICD-9 codes, therefore, should henceforth not be used for identification of cases of gastroschisis because of the potential for error in interpretation. Rising prevalence of gastroschisis, especially in adolescent mothers, has been of recent concern globally because of several reports published worldwide [5]. The cause of this phenomenon has been elusive, and research evaluating it is in need of resources [6]; however, the barrier of effective coding for this defect, at least, has been crossed. Further studies, including public health evaluation, are needed to help identify the potential risk factors associating gastroschisis and low maternal age.
A lifelong model for the female reproductive cycle with an antimüllerian hormone treatment to delay menopause

A system of 16 non-linear, delay differential equations with 66 parameters is developed to model hormonal regulation of the menstrual cycle of a woman from age 20 to 51. This mechanistic model predicts changes in follicle numbers and reproductive hormones that naturally occur over that time span. In particular, the model illustrates the decline in the pool of primordial follicles from age 20 to menopause as reported in the biological literature. Also, model simulations exhibit a decrease in antimullerian hormone (AMH) and inhibin B and an increase in FSH with age corresponding to the experimental data. Model simulations using the administration of exogenous AMH show that the transfer of non-growing primordial follicles to the active state can be slowed enough to provide more follicles for development later in life and to cause a delay in the onset of menopause as measured by the number of primordial follicles remaining in the ovaries. Other effects of AMH agonists and antagonists are investigated in the setting of this model.
The modern epidemiological aspects of rabies in the world

The most recent advances in rabies epidemiology in various wildlife and domestic reservoirs are presented, especially in foxes, bats and dogs. Rabies epidemiology in the dog reservoir is directly associated to dog ecology which needs to be better understood in order to implement appropriate rabies control measures in the dog population. The progress of molecular biology, especially the development of the Polymerase Chain Reaction technique offers many interesting possibilities in epidemiological investigations.
Temporal Stability of Inner Zone Protons

The purpose of this paper is to present experimental evidence for the temporal stability of inner zone protons as determined from measurements made with instruments aboard the satellite Injun I in the period July-December, 1961. The analysis reported here was carried out at the Applied Physics Laboratory of The Johns Hopkins University and is a part of a more extensive study carried out with C. O. BOSTROM and A. J. ZMUDA and published elsewhere (PIEPER et al., 1965; BOSTROM et al., 1965; ZMUDA et al, 1965).
Monoclonal antibodies to the major Lolium perenne (rye grass) pollen allergen Lol p I (Rye I)

Abstract Thirteen monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) were produced against Lol p I (Rye I), the major Lolium perenne (rye grass) pollen allergen. Spleen cells from A/J and SJL mice immunized with highly purified Lol p I ( Lol I) were allowed to fuse with cells from the non-secreting Sp2/0-Ag14 myeloma cell line. Each MAb was analyzed for antigenic specificity by radioimmunoassay (RIA) using 125 I- Lol I. The epitope specificities of seven of the MAbs were examined by competitive binding against a labelled standard MAb for the Lol I antigen (Ag). The dissociation constant, K d , of one MAb (No. 3.2) that was studied most extensively was determined by double Ab RIA to be 3.5 × 10 −6 L/M. This MAb recognized the related 27,000–30,000 Group I glycoproteins found in the pollens of nine other species of grass pollens tested, including weak binding to Bermuda grass Group I ( Cyn d I), which by conventional analysis using polyclonal anti- Lol I serum shows no detectable binding. Monoclonal antibody No. 3.2 was coupled covalently to Sepharose 4B and used to prepare highly purified Lol I from a partially purified rye pollen extract. Finally, an RIA was developed which permitted the analysis of the Group I components in rye grass and nine other grass pollen species. The latter assay is likely to prove useful in the standardization of grass pollen extracts according to their Group I contents.
Adaptation of amoebae to cooling tower biocides.

Adaptation of amoebae to four cooling tower Biocides, which included a thiocarbamate compound, tributyltin neodecanoate mixed with quaternary ammonium compounds (TBT/QAC), another QAC alone, and an isothiazolin derivative, was studied. Previously we found that amoebae isolated from waters of cooling towers were more resistant to cooling tower biocides than amoebae from other habitats. Acanthamoeba hatchetti and Cochliopodium bilimbosum, obtained from American Type Culture Collection and used in the previous studies, were tested to determine whether they could adapt to cooling tower Biocides. A. hatchetti was preexposed to subinhibitory concentrations of the four Biocides for 72h, after which they were tested for their resistance to the same and other biocides. C. bilimbosum was exposed to only two biocides, as exposure to the other two was lethal after 72 h. Preexposure to the subinhibitory concentrations of the Biocides increased the resistance of the amoebae, as indicated by a significant increase in the minimum inhibitory concentration (up to 30-fold). In addition, cross-resistance was also observed, i.e., exposure to one biocide caused resistance to other biocides. These results show that amoebae can adapt to biocides in a short time. The phenomenon of cross-resistance indicates that regularly alternating biocides, as is done to control microbial growth in cooling towers, may not be effective in keeping amoeba populations in check. On the contrary, exposure to one biocide may boost the amoebae's resistance to a second biocide before the second biocide is used in the cooling tower. Since amoebae may harbor Legionella, or alone cause human diseases, these results may be important in designing effective strategies for controlling pathogens in cooling towers.
The ratio of aspartate aminotransferase to alanine aminotransferase: potential value in differentiating nonalcoholic steatohepatitis from alcoholic liver disease.

The ratio of aspartate aminotransferase to alanine aminotransferase: potential value in differentiating nonalcoholic steatohepatitis from alcoholic liver disease
Airway pressure release ventilation in a neonatal lamb model of acute lung injury.

OBJECTIVE To determine if airway pressure release ventilation (APRV) is feasible in a neonatal animal model with acute lung injury. DESIGN Nonrandomized, repeated, bracketed measures. SETTING University research laboratory. SUBJECTS Seven neonatal sheep (5.6 +/- 0.6 kg), less than 10 days of age. INTERVENTIONS Acute lung injury was induced by oleic acid infusion and cardiorespiratory profiles were compared during spontaneous ventilation at ambient airway pressure, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), APRV, and conventional positive-pressure ventilation (PPV). MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS Oleic acid resulted in acute lung injury with stable cardiorespiratory status during the 3-hr study period. Mean airway pressure (Paw) was comparable for all three positive-pressure modes (CPAP 13.4 +/- 1.5, APRV 13.5 +/- 1.4, PPV 13.9 +/- 1.4 cm H2O, NS). After acute lung injury, CPAP increased arterial oxygenation compared with spontaneous ventilation (77.3 +/- 6.9 vs. 57.7 +/- 4.2 torr [10.3 +/- 0.9 vs. 7.7 +/- 0.6 kPa], p less than .05), and this increase was maintained during APRV (73.3 +/- 5.6 vs. 77.3 +/- 6.9 torr [9.8 +/- 0.7 vs. 10.3 +/- 0.9 kPa], NS). Alveolar ventilation was increased by APRV compared with CPAP (PaCO2 29 +/- 1 vs. 41 +/- 2 torr [3.9 +/- 0.1 vs. 5.4 +/- 0.3 kPa], p less than .05) without impairment of cardiovascular performance (cardiac output 1.18 +/- 0.16 vs. 1.20 +/- 0.17 L/min, NS). To achieve ventilation equivalent to APRV during PPV, peak Paw was greater (36.4 +/- 3.2 vs. 19.7 +/- 1.7 cm H2O, p less than .05) and cardiac output (0.94 +/- 0.11 vs. 1.18 +/- 0.16 L/min, p less than .05) and mean arterial pressure (91 +/- 7 vs. 96 +/- 6 mm Hg, p less than .05) were decreased during PPV compared with APRV. CONCLUSIONS In this neonatal laboratory model of acute lung injury, APRV maintained oxygenation and augmented alveolar ventilation compared with CPAP. Compared with PPV, APRV provided similar ventilation and oxygenation, but at lower peak Paw than PPV, without compromising cardiovascular performance.
Dendrimer−Dendrimer Copolymer Melts

We determine the strongly segregated phase boundaries between block copolymers formed by joining dendrimers of different generations by their central segments. In all cases, the phase lines between...
Web Crippling Strength of Steel Deck Subjected to End One Flange Loading

Cold-formed steel deck profiles are extensively used in building construction due to their versatility and economy. Web crippling is one of the failure modes of these multiweb profiles. The provisions for web crippling contained in the 1996 AISI Specification for the Design of Cold-Formed Steel Structural Members are believed to be conservative for multiweb deck sections. They are based on unfastened specimens and are limited to the use of decks with certain geometric parameters. The unified web crippling equation of the 2001 North American Specification for the Design of Cold-Formed Steel Structural Members is also limited to certain geometric parameters. Although new web crippling coefficients for different load cases and different end conditions are contained in the specification, coefficients for the unfastened configuration in the end one flange loading case were used as a conservative solution for the fastened case because there are no test data available in the literature that are applicable to mul...
Local existence and Gevrey regularity of 3-D Navier-Stokes equations with ℓ p initial data

Abstract We obtain local existence and Gevrey regularity of 3-D periodic Navier–Stokes equations in case the sequence of Fourier coefficients of the initial data is in l p ( p 3 / 2 ) . The l p norm of the sequence of Fourier coefficients of the solution and its analogous Gevrey norm remains bounded on a time interval whose length depends only on the size of the body force and the l p norm of the Fourier coefficient sequence of the initial data. The control on the Gevrey norm produces explicit estimates on the analyticity radius of the solution as in Foias and Temam (J. Funct. Anal. 87 (1989) 359–369). The results provide an alternate approach in estimating the space-analyticity radius of solutions to Navier–Stokes equations than the one presented by Grujic and Kukavica (J. Funct. Anal. 152 (1998) 447–466).
A case study of assessment applied to the “Cashless Society” concept

Abstract In previous papers [1–3] Mitroff and Turoff have introduced the relationships between technological forecasting and assessment and modern views of philosophical inquiry. This paper transcends discussions of theory and philosophy by providing the reader with a case history description of utilizing these concepts of philosophical inquiry in formulating the approach to a particular problem in technology assessment.
The I‐E scale, ideological bias, and political participation1

Summary This study was undertaken to examine ambiguities in the ability of the I-E scale to predict complex social behavior. An analysis of the items in the I-E scale suggested that the scale might contain a conservative bias Further, it was suggested that responses to the items may be determined by the individual's political and social ideology, which in turn are influenced by the political and social norms to which he has been exposed The sample consisted of one parent and a college-aged child from 60 upper-middle-class families in which the parent was visible in the community for political and social participation, half the parents interviewed were liberal, and half conservative in their political views A number of measures of political and social participation were administered, along with a shortened version of the I-E scale The findings of the study supported the contention that the “internal” items on the I-E scale are more congenial to persons holding conservative political views than for those holding liberal views. Perceived internal causality, as measured by the I-E scale, was found to be nonsignificantly correlated with any of the measures of political participation for the parent sample, with five of the six correlations being in the opposite direction from that predicted by social learning theory The results of the study were discussed in terms of White's distinction between the “moralizer” and “reformer” approach to social problems The validity of the I-E scale as a measure of a stable personality trait was called into question, as was its usefulness in predicting complex social behavior
Seasonal cycle of manganese in seawater in Harima Sound

Vertical and horizontal distributions of manganese in Harima Sound (Harima Nada, Seto Inland Sea) were measured in August and December 1979. High concentrations of dissolved and particulate manganese were found in bottom waters in August, suggesting that the bottom enrichment is probably due to the diffusion of dissolved manganese out of the sediment.
Separation of the apoprotein and reconstitution of the holoprotein from the long-lived intermediate in bacterial bioluminescence

A long-lived intermediate in bacterial bioluminescence, which has been suggested to be an FMN flavoprotein, has been separated as an apoprotein plus free FMN and the holoprotein reconstituted by addition of FMN (Ka = 7 × 105 M−1). The apoprotein preparation reacts with long-chain aldehyde to give the full quantum yield observed for the complete system. Only after removal of all remaining FMN in the apoprotein preparation by prior dialysis of luciferase against KBr and inclusion of apoflavodoxin in the reaction mixture, can a dependence of the light output on FMN be observed. Bacterial bioluminescence therefore appears to be in the class of sensitized chemiluminescence with FMN acting as the specific sensitizing agent.
The Blitz and its Legacy: wartime destruction to post-war reconstruction

The twentieth century saw rapid development in the technologies of both flight and warfare. When combined, these innovations invited unprecedented devastation of the built environment from above. I...
Baring the soul: Paul Bindrim, Abraham Maslow and 'nude psychotherapy'.

Nude psychotherapy is one of the most flamboyant therapeutic techniques ever developed in American psychology. Largely forgotten today, the therapy was an academic and popular sensation upon its introduction in 1967. Developed by psychologist Paul Bindrim, the therapy promised to guide clients to their authentic selves through the systematic removal of clothing. This paper explores the intellectual, cultural and ethical context of nude therapy and its significance as a form of unchurched spirituality. Although nude therapy has an indisputable tabloid character, it is also rooted in a long-standing academic search for authenticity and ultimate meaning through science. Bindrim's career demonstrates the historically long-standing interweaving of spirituality and science within American psychology while simultaneously highlighting the field's extraordinary capacity for adaptive reinvention. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Application of the free electron model to the study of light absorption of enzyme-substrate complexe

Summary The free-electron model as developed by Kuhnm Bayliss, and others is briefly discussed. The model appears to be particularly well suited for the interpretation of spectral shifts that occur on formation of enzymesubstrate compounds.
Oscillation of a liquid-vapor interface during flow film boiling

Abstract For both pool and flow film boiling, the liquid-vapor interface is rarely stationary, stable film boiling exhibits a continuously wavy interface with an amplitude of oscillation dependent on parameters such as liquid saturation temperature, amount of superheat, amount of subcooling, liquid velocity, and heater geometry. The present analysis treats from a theoretical point of view stagnation point flow film boiling on a sphere and on a cylinder immersed in a subcooled liquid. The effects of system parameters on the dynamic behavior as well as the response of a liquid-vapor interface to changes in the temperature and velocity fields are investigated.
Monoclonal antibodies against conformationally dependent epitopes on porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus

Monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) were prepared and characterized. Four MAbs were developed from the mice immunized with the recombinant GP4 protein expressed in insect cells, and six MAbs were derived from the immunization with recombinant GP5 protein. All of the MAbs showed strong perinuclear fluorescence in PRRSV VR2385 infected cells by immunofluorescence staining. Among the MAbs to GP5 protein, one showed strong reactivity in ELISA and recognized a 26 kDa band of PRRSV in a western blot assay, while another showed neutralizing activity against the VR2385 isolate. Out of the four MAbs to GP4 protein, one showed mild reactivity in ELISA with detergent extracted antigen, but had no reactivity in a western-blot assay. The failure of MAb binding to detergent extracted antigen in ELISA or in western-blot analysis indicated that the MAbs were against conformationally dependent epitopes. Reactivity patterns of the MAbs with PRRSV field isolates tested by fixed-cell ELISA showed that there are antigenic variations in PRRSV GP4 and GP5 proteins. Development of these MAbs will benefit further studies on PRRSV structural proteins as well as in understanding their roles in PRRSV pathogenesis.
Help Seeking for Personal Concerns About Developing Alzheimer’s Disease:

This study examined the patterns and predictors of help-seeking behavior for personal concerns about developing Alzheimer’s disease (AD) among middle-aged persons. Data were obtained from a survey of two subsamples of 40- to 60-year-old adults with concerns about AD: (a) 99 adult children with a living parent with a diagnosis of probable AD and(b)70 adults in a matched group with no parental history of AD. Descriptive analyses of the types and levels of help seeking show that respondents who are concerned about developing AD take their fears mainly to their informal rather than formal networks. Bivariate and multivariate analyses identified significant correlates of help seeking within three clusters: memory assessment, AD experience, and sociodemographics. The most robust predictors were aspects of AD experience. Understanding the patterns and correlates of help seeking for AD concerns can help health care professionals to develop more effective models of early intervention with implications for early de...
Caregiver influence on looking behavior and brain responses in prelinguistic development.

Much is known about the development of speech perception, but there remain gaps in understanding in the development of speech production. Social interaction is a popular topic among researchers of human development, and the development of speech production is clearly dependent upon social interaction (Goldstein et al., 2003; Goldstein and Schwade, 2008). The importance of social interaction becomes particularly apparent when infants begin to speak the language of their ambient environment (Lewkowicz and Hansen-Tift, 2012). Prior to first word production, however, an exchange between caregivers and infants occurs, such that infant vocalizations and other changes in development directly influence caregiver responses, which in turn influence various components of interaction.
Incorporation of clad effects into Sauer's method for computing Dancoff factors

Abstract A simple method is presented to modify Sauer's approximation for the lattice Dancoff factor to account for clad interactions. It is shown that for some tight-pitch lattices the difference in Dancoff factors with and without clad present may cause up to 0.5% difference in k eff . The present technique has the advantages of: (a) being easy to implement into existing codes; (b) having negligible impact on execution time; and (c) showing good agreement with sophisticated methods.
Screening for glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency as a preventive measure: Prevalence among 1,286,000 Greek newborn infants

We evaluated the Greek screening program for glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency, which was incorporated into the existing national phenyketonuria (PKU) screening program to identify infants with G6PD deficiency and eliminate the induction of acute hemolytic crisis by informing the families about the extrinsic factors that G6PD-deficient patients should avoid. Between 1977 and 1989, 1,286,000 infants were screened. The fluorescent spot test was used on samples extracted from dried blood spots. Abnormal fluorescence due to G6PD deficiency (severe or partial) was found in 3.14% of the samples (1 in 22 males and 1 in 54 females). The sensitivity of the test for homozygosity and hemizygosity was 100%. In heterozygosity the test identifies only subjects who have considerably diminished enzyme activity. The test is inexpensive when added to the PKU screening program ($0.90 US per test). We believe that screening a population for G6PD deficiency is justified if the incidence of the deficiency in the population is high and the clinical manifestations serious. The fluorescent spot test is recommended because it is reliable, easy to perform, and inexpensive. The test must be performed within a fortnight from sampling, and the cards must not be exposed to high temperature or humidity.
The effect of solute precipitation on the resistivity of alloys

Abstract The effect of clustering upon the residual resistivity of alloys is treated using a free-electron model. The effects of lattice strain are taken into account as a change in the effective valence of the solute.
Raf-1 kinase regulates smooth muscle contraction in the rat mesenteric arteries.

We investigated the potential role of Raf-1 kinase in mesenteric arterial contraction. Inhibitors of Raf-1 kinase, GW5074, L779450 and ZM 336372 reversed phenylephrine (PE)-induced mesenteric vascular contraction. Studies in vivo in rats showed that GW5074 inhibited PE-induced increase in mean arterial pressure in adult female Sprague-Dawley rats. Isometric tension studies in mesenteric arteries of rats showed that GW5074 did not change the KCl-evoked contraction but significantly inhibited the contractions to PE, 5-HT, U46619, endothelin 1, angiotensin II and phorbol 12, 13-dibutyrate (PDBu). In mesenteric vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), PE stimulated increase in Raf-1 phosphorylation which was inhibited by GW5074. Measurement of [Ca2+]i with Fura-2 showed that GW5074-mediated inhibition of PE-induced contraction was not associated with decreases in [Ca2+]i. VSMCs treated with PE exhibited higher levels of the contractile proteins, p-MYPT1 and p-MLC20, which was inhibited by GW5074. Similarly, PDBu induced increases in phosphorylation of Raf-1, MLC20 and MYPT1 and this was inhibited by GW5074. However, GW5074 did not have any significant effect on PE/PDBu-induced MEK/ERK activation. The results indicate that Raf-1 kinase plays an important role in the regulation of vascular contractility through regulation of calcium sensitization.
Term structure of forward exchange premiums: evidence from the 1920s

Following Clarida and Taylor, the term structure of forward exchange premiums can be interpreted as multiple cointegration vectors, if it is assumed that departures from the risk‐neutral efficient markets hypothesis are stationary. This hypothesis is tested using spot rates and one‐month and three‐month forward rates for six European countries during the 1920s floating rate era. Beginning in late 1924, speculation about a return to gold may have resulted in a non‐stationary forward premium. However, except for this speculative period, the term structure of forward premiums was stationary for three currencies. Thus the empirical results presented are broadly consistent with the analysis of Taylor and McMahon, MacDonald and Taylor and Miller and Sutherland.
Simulation studies of a klystronlike amplifier operating in the 10-100 GW regime

A coaxial drift tube allows propagation of an ultra high-power relativistic electron beam (500 keV, >or=100 kA, 100 ns). The modulation of a large-diameter (12.6 cm) intense, relativistic electronic beam (500 keV, 16 kA) by an external microwave source via particle simulation is studied. The annular beam, enclosed within a coaxial drift tube, is found to be fully modulated by a low-power external RF source at a frequency of 1.3 GHz. It is shown that for such an intense beam, a highly nonlinear interaction takes place at the modulating gap, producing highly coherent bunches of electrons. This finding is similar to earlier research in which such modulations were studied for an intense beam propagating in a hollow drift tube. It is further shown that, unlike the hollow drift tube case, the coaxial configuration is easily scaled to high power. Here, a very large diameter (26 cm) intense beam (460 keV, 100 kA) is fully modulated at 1.3 GHz to obtain 31 GW of RF beam power. >
p53 and ΔNp63α Coregulate the Transcriptional and Cellular Response to TGFβ and BMP Signals.

The TGFβ superfamily regulates a broad range of cellular processes, including proliferation, cell-fate specification, differentiation, and migration. Molecular mechanisms underlying this high degree of pleiotropy and cell-type specificity are not well understood. The TGFβ family is composed of two branches: (i) TGFβs, activins, and nodals, which signal through SMAD2/3, and (ii) bone morphogenetic proteins (BMP), which signal through SMAD1/5/8. SMADs have weak DNA-binding affinity and rely on coactivators and corepressors to specify their transcriptional outputs. This report reveals that p53 and ΔNp63α act as transcriptional partners for SMAD proteins and thereby influence cellular responses to TGFβ and BMPs. Suppression of p53 or overexpression of ΔNp63α synergistically enhance BMP-induced transcription. Mechanistically, p53 and ΔNp63α physically interact with SMAD1/5/8 proteins and co-occupy the promoter region of inhibitor of differentiation (ID2), a prosurvival BMP target gene. Demonstrating further convergence of these pathways, TGFβ-induced canonical BMP regulated transcription in a ΔNp63α- and p53-dependent manner. Furthermore, bioinformatic analyses revealed that SMAD2/3 and ΔNp63α coregulate a significant number of transcripts involved in the regulation of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. Thus, p53 and ΔNp63α are transcriptional partners for a subset of TGFβ- and BMP-regulated SMAD target genes in the mammary epithelium. Collectively, these results establish an integrated gene network of SMADs, p53, and ΔNp63α that contribute to EMT and metastasis. Implications: This study identifies aberrant BMP activation as a result of p53 mutation or ΔNp63α expression. Mol Cancer Res; 13(4); 732–42. ©2015 AACR .
Linking snake behavior to nest predation in a Midwestern bird community.

Nest predators can adversely affect the viability of songbird populations, and their impact is exacerbated in fragmented habitats. Despite substantial research on this predator–prey interaction, however, almost all of the focus has been on the birds rather than their nest predators, thereby limiting our understanding of the factors that bring predators and nests into contact. We used radiotelemetry to document the activity of two snake species (rat snakes, Elaphe obsoleta; racers, Coluber constrictor) known to prey on nests in Midwestern bird communities and simultaneously monitored 300 songbird nests and tested the hypothesis that predation risk should increase for nests when snakes were more active and in edge habitat preferred by both snake species. Predation risk increased when rat snakes were more active, for all nests combined and for two of the six bird species for which we had sufficient nests to allow separate analyses. This result is consistent with rat snakes being more important nest predators...
Human detection based on pyramidal statistics of oriented filtering and online learned scene geometrical model

We study the problem of robust human detection. In this paper, a new descriptor, Pyramidal Statistics of Oriented Filtering (PSOF), is proposed for human shape representation. Unlike traditional one-scale gradient-based methods, the PSOF descriptor utilizes a Gabor filter bank to obtain multi-scale pixel-level orientation information and makes use of locally normalized pyramidal statistics of these Gabor responses to represent object shape, which shows great robustness to image noise and blur. Besides, to exclude detection outliers that violate perspective projection in image sequence, a geometrical model is learned online to describe the relationship between object's average height and the foot-point coordinate. Experimental results on both static images and video sequences show that PSOF detector performs much better than one of the state-of-the-art detectors.
Hypotonic induction of SGK1 and Na+ transport in A6 cells

Serum and glucocorticoid-regulated kinase-1 (SGK1) is a serine-threonine kinase that is regulated at the transcriptional level by numerous regulatory inputs, including mineralocorticoids, glucocort...
Diffusion rates in porous catalysts

Rates of diffusion of helium, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide through alumina pellets were measured at atmospheric pressure and room temperature. The cylindrical pellets, ¾ in. diameter and ⅜ in. in length, were prepared from α-alumina particles with a mean pore radius of 65 A. Surface area and pore volume data indicated that the corresponding mean pore radius of the micro and macropores in the whole pellet was 96 A. The results showed that Knudsen type of diffusion was the controlling transport process despite the large fraction of void volume in the macropores. Carbon dioxide diffused more rapidly than expected, suggesting the possibility of migration of physically adsorbed molecules along the pore walls. The diffusion rates were about 16% higher than predicted, with a mean pore radius (Wheeler model) based upon the void volume of both micro and macropores used. However there is no logical basis for using this mean pore radius for a pellet having widely separated, micro and macropore size distributions.
Electromechanical wave imaging for noninvasive mapping of the 3D electrical activation sequence in canines and humans in vivo

Cardiovascular diseases rank as America's primary killer, claiming the lives of over 41% of more than 2.4 million Americans. One of the main reasons for this high death toll is the severe lack of effective imaging techniques for screening, early detection and localization of an abnormality detected on the electrocardiogram (ECG). The two most widely used imaging techniques in the clinic are CT angiography and echocardiography with limitations in speed of application and reliability, respectively. It has been established that the mechanical and electrical properties of the myocardium change dramatically as a result of ischemia, infarction or arrhythmia; both at their onset and after survival. Despite these findings, no imaging technique currently exists that is routinely used in the clinic and can provide reliable, non-invasive, quantitative mapping of the regional, mechanical, and electrical function of the myocardium. Electromechanical Wave Imaging (EWI) is an ultrasound-based technique that utilizes the electromechanical coupling and its associated resulting strain to infer to the underlying electrical function of the myocardium. The methodology of EWI is first described and its fundamental performance is presented. Subsequent in vivo canine and human applications are provided that demonstrate the applicability of Electromechanical Wave Imaging in differentiating between sinus rhythm and induced pacing schemes as well as mapping arrhythmias. Preliminary validation with catheter mapping is also provided and transthoracic electromechanical mapping in all four chambers of the human heart is also presented demonstrating the potential of this novel methodology to noninvasively infer to both the normal and pathological electrical conduction of the heart.
An experimental study of phase equilibria and Fe oxy-component in kaersutitic amphibole; implications for the f H2 and alpha H2O in the upper mantle

Experiments have been carried out from 500 to 1200 °C, 1 atm to 10 kbar, and fH2from that of the IQF buffer to air, to quantify the variation of Fe oxy-component content in a titanian pargasite megacryst amphibole from Vulcan's Throne, Arizona. The results document the operation of the following substitution mechanism in the amphibole crystal structure: FeH + OH - = Fe3+ + 02- + I/zH2whereby the Fe3+/Fetot of the amphibole is controlled by T, P, and fH2' For the amphibole composition that was investigated, there is a linear variation of log fH2 as a function of log (Fe3+ /FeH) at fixed T and P of the form log fH2 = a + b 10g(Fe3+ /FeH ). Values of a and bare: