cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Animating automata: a cross-platform program for teaching finite automata

The FSA Simulator is a Java program created to allow computer science students to experiment with finite state automata. The program is able to simulate both deterministic and nondeterministic automata. Pre-defined automata can be loaded from files or students can create their own. Although this project is similar to others, it has its own unique features. The development history, features, and future plans for this program are discussed.
Identification of bacterial proteins observed in MALDI TOF mass spectra from whole cells.

Characteristic ions in the MALDI TOF mass spectra from bacterial cells have been associated with four known proteins. The proteins, observed both from cells and in filtered cellular suspensions, were isolated by HPLC and identified on the basis of their mass spectra and their partial amino acid sequence, determined using the Edman method (10−15 residues). The acid resistance proteins HdeA and HdeB give rise to ions near m/z 9735 and 9060 in MALDI TOF mass spectra from cells and from extracts of both Escherichia coli 1090 and Shigella flexneri PHS-1059. However, the proteins associated with proteolytic cleavage by the peptidase Lep, rather than the precursor proteins, were observed, both using cells and from cellular extracts. A cold-shock protein, CspA, was associated with the ion near m/z 7643 from Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Similarly, a cold-acclimation protein, CapB, was identified as the source of the ion near m/z 7684 in P. putida. This last protein was homologous with a known CapB from P. fragi. While ...
A hardware platform for performance evaluation of in-body sensors

Body area network is expected to be the next breakthrough invention with great potential due to miniaturization of wireless communication devices. One of the major challenges for design of sensor devices for wireless communications inside human body is the accessibility of the medium for performance evaluation. It is practically impossible to install a development module for a sensor inside the human body and when the sensor designed we need expensive procedure with physician supervisions to examine the performance of the sensors. In this paper, we introduce an interference controllable, repeatable real-time hardware platform for performance evaluation of a typical in-body sensor chipset used in most implant applications (Zarlink ZL70101 ADK operating at 402–405 MHz) utilizing an existing multipath channel emulator (Elektrobit PROPSim™ C8) to analyze the performance of the communication link between a sensor located inside the human body and a body mounted sensor. We show how link quality is analyzed by observing the packet reception rate under three different transmission alternatives.
Visual attention in driving: the effects of cognitive load and visual disruption

OBJECTIVE: This study investigates the effect of cognitive load on guidance of visual attention. BACKGROUND: Previous studies have shown that cognitive load can undermine driving performance, particularly drivers' ability to detect safety-critical events. Cognitive load combined with the loss of exogenous cues, which can occur when the driver briefly glances away from the roadway, may be particularly detrimental. METHOD: In each of two experiments, twelve participants engaged in an auditory task while performing a change detection task. A change blindness paradigm was implemented to mask exogenous cues by periodically blanking the screen in a driving simulator while a change occurred. Performance measures included participants' sensitivity to vehicle changes and confidence in detecting them. RESULTS: Cognitive load uniformly diminished participants' sensitivity and confidence, independent of safety relevance or lack of exogenous cues. Periodic blanking, which simulated glances away from the road-way, undermined change detection to a greater degree than did cognitive load; however, drivers' confidence in their ability to detect changes was diminished more by cognitive load than by periodic blanking. CONCLUSION: Cognitive load and short glances away from the road are additive in their tendency to increase the likelihood of drivers missing safety-critical events. APPLICATION: This study demonstrates the need to consider the combined consequence of cognitive load and brief glances away from the road in the design of emerging in-vehicle devices and the need to provide drivers with better feedback regarding these consequences. Keywords: Driver distraction; Language: en
Polymeric Hollow-Fiber Heat Exchangers for Thermal Desalination Processes

Metallic shell-and-tube heat exchangers used in thermal desalination require huge capital investments, suffer from corrosion/erosion, create heavy metal pollution, and display a large footprint. This paper has explored their potential replacement by polymeric solid hollow fiber-based heat exchangers. Using solid hollow-fibers of polypropylene (PP) (wall thickness 75 μm, outside diameter 575 μm) a number of heat exchangers were fabricated in the laboratory (heat exchange area, 195−960 cm2) and at a commercial manufacturing facility (heat exchange area, 0.15−0.44 m2). The heat transfer performances of these devices were studied for a hot brine (4% NaCl, ca. 80−98 °C)−cold water (8−25 °C) system as well as for a steam (101−113 °C)−cold water (8−25 °C) system; these systems are typically encountered in thermal desalination plants. Overall heat transfer coefficient values of as much as 2000 W/(m2 K) were achieved. This is close to the limiting value imposed by the PP wall thickness, namely, 2660 W/(m2 K). Heat...
The unique molecular behavior of water at the chloroform-water interface.

The molecular bonding and orientation of water at the chloroform–water interface has been examined in this study using vibrational sum-frequency spectroscopy (VSFS). The results provide a key puzzle piece towards our understanding of the systematic changes in the interfacial bonding and orientation of water that occur with variations in the polarity of the organic phase, especially when compared with previous studies of different liquid–liquid interfacial systems. In these VSFS studies the OH spectral responses of interfacial water molecules are used to characterize the interactions between water and the organic phase. The spectral analysis, aided by isotopic dilution studies, shows that the moderate polarity of the chloroform phase results in a mixed interfacial region with stronger organic–water bonding and fewer bonding interactions between adjacent water molecules than was previously found for studies of non-polar organic liquid–water interfaces. Even with the more mixed interfacial region and stronger organic–water interactions, interfacial water retains a significant amount of orientational ordering. These results are compared with recent predictions from molecular dynamics simulations about how molecules behave at the chloroform–water interface.
Database mining for selection of SNP markers useful in admixture mapping

New technologies make it possible for the first time to genotype hundreds of thousands of SNPs simultaneously. A wealth of genomic information in the form of publicly available databases is underutilized as a potential resource for uncovering functionally relevant markers underlying complex human traits. Given the huge amount of SNP data available from the annotation of human genetic variation, data mining is a reasonable approach to investigating the number of SNPs that are informative for ancestry information. The distribution and density of SNPs across the genome of African and European populations were extensively investigated by using the HapMap, Affymetrix, and Illumina SNP databases. We exploited these resources by mining the data available from each of these databases to prioritize potential candidate SNPs useful for admixture mapping in complex human diseases and traits. Over 4 million SNPs were compared between Africans and Europeans on the basis of a pre-specified recommended allele frequency difference (delta) value of ≥ 0.3. The method identified 15% of HapMap, 11% of Affymetrix, and 14% of Illumina SNP sets as candidate SNPs, termed ancestry informative markers (AIMs). These AIM panels with assigned rs numbers, allele frequencies in each ethnic group, delta value, and map positions are all posted on our website http://www.ssg.uab.edu/downloads/admixture_mapping/SNPAIMs.txt . All marker information in this data set is freely and publicly available without restriction. The selected SNP sets represent valuable resources for admixture mapping studies. The overlap between selected AIMs by this single measure of marker informativeness in the different platforms is discussed.
Effects of atrial natriuretic factor on coronary hemodynamics and myocardial energetics in patients with heart failure.

Synthetic analogues of atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) have been developed for potential use as therapeutic agents in the treatment of congestive heart failure and hypertension. We studied the effects of 14 intravenous infusions of synthetic ANF (anaritide, human ANF 102–126) on coronary hemodynamics and myocardial energetics in six patients with heart failure. ANF infusion caused no change in coronary blood flow and a fall in coronary vascular resistance from 1.22 ± 0.22 to 1.08 ± 0.18 mm Hg-min/ml (p < 0.05). Myocardial oxygen and lactate consumption were unchanged from baseline values. Mean arterial pressure fell from 91 ± 4 to 78 ± 3 mm Hg (p < 0.01), right atrial pressure fell from 10 ± 1 to 8 ± 1 mm Hg (p < 0.01), pulmonary capillary wedge pressure fell from 21 ± 3 to 16 ± 2 mm Hg (p < 0.01), heart rate and cardiac index were unchanged, and systemic vascular resistance fell from 1346 ± 130 to 1087 ± 98 dyne-sec/cm5 (p < 0.05). We conclude that infusion of ANF in hemodynamically effective doses in patients with heart failure decreases coronary vascular resistance with no change in coronary blood flow or myocardial oxygen or lactate metabolism.
Single-photon Fourier spectroscopy of excitons and biexcitons in single quantum dots

We report on the direct measurement of the linewidth of the exciton and biexciton emission in single self-assembled InP quantum dots. The measurements were performed using a Michelson interferometer combined with a Hanbury-Brown and Twiss correlator. The setup allowed to demonstrate single-photon emission from single dots by detecting antibunching and to determine the coherence length of single photons emitted from the very same dots. A charge-coupled device camera used as detector in the Michelson interferometer allowed to determine the emission linewidth of many dots in parallel under identical experimental conditions at different temperatures.
Obesity and crime: Is there a relationship?

Abstract This paper considers the extent to which individual crime hazards increase with four measures of clinical obesity. Cox proportional hazard parameter estimates suggest that reductions in the incidence of obesity will improve public health and public safety by reducing crime.
The Depiction of Female and Male Professionals in Business Communication Textbooks

This study of textbooks in business communication focused on the number of times men and women were shown in photographs and the professional roles implied by their appearance and demeanor. While the numbers were in bal ance, the physical appearance and role portrayal perpetuated traditional stereotypes of men and women in the workplace.
Irreversible corneal decompensation in patients treated with topical dorzolamide

Abstract Purpose: To describe irreversible corneal decompensation after topical dorzolamide hydrochloride (Trusopt; Merck and Co, Inc, West Point, Pennsylvania) therapy in nine patients who had histories consistent with corneal endothelial compromise. Methods: Multicenter review of patients’ charts. Results: Nine eyes of nine patients developed overt corneal decompensation after starting topical dorzolamide, a condition that did not resolve with drug cessation. This occurred after 3 to 20 weeks (mean, 7.8) of therapy. All nine patients had undergone intraocular surgery. Eight patients had undergone cataract surgery; three were aphakic and three had posterior chamber intraocular lenses. Two patients had anterior chamber intraocular lenses and also had undergone trabeculectomies. Four patients had undergone penetrating keratoplasties, each case complicated by episodes of corneal allograft rejection that were successfully treated. Two patients had asymptomatic Fuchs endothelial dystrophy. Seven patients have since undergone successful penetrating keratoplasties. Conclusions: The reports suggest that dorzolamide can cause irreversible corneal edema in a subset of glaucoma patients with endothelial compromise. The findings suggest a rationale for research into the long-term effects of dorzolamide on the corneal endothelium.
Effect of aging on populations of estrogen receptor-containing cells in the rat uterus

Estrogen receptor-containing cells were identified in uteri of mature and senescent rats by means of quantitative autoradiography. Cell numbers and density were assessed in the various uterine layers. It was determined that despite decreases in receptor concentrations in endometrium, endometrial stroma, myometrium, and epithelium, no significant cell loss ocurred in any region. Receptor content per cell clearly decreased with age in the endometrial stroma, while only in the myometrium was there any suggestion of cell loss in the absence of receptor loss from individual cells. Thus, age-related reductions in uterine estradiol receptor levels may be due to different mechanisms in different tissue regions.
On diffractive channels in absorptive eikonal models

Abstract We investigate the effects of intermediate diffractive states on elastic scattering and diffractive production in the framework of an eikonal model. Multiparticle production in the guise of the eikonal function restricts the diffractive coupling. We discuss bounds on the ratios σ el σ T and σ dif σ T .
Flow structure and development of circular meander pools

Abstract Flow structure, bank strength, and scour and fill in one of a series of atypical river bends on Mansfield Creek, Cattaraugus County, New York are studied. These bends are characterized by large, deep, circular pools located at the apices of extremely tight bends. The pattern of flow through the bends is typified by the presence of a large countercurrent occupying approximately half of the pool on the outside of the bend. This differs greatly from the typical river bend in which flow is generally downstream and subparallel to the channel banks throughout the bend. Deposition in the bend also does not follow the conventional pattern, but instead occurs primarily on the concave bank in the form of a concave bank bench. Erosion is concentrated on the convex bank and no point bar deposits exist. Shifting of erosion to the convex bank has been noted elsewhere in the literature in extremely tight bends with ratios of mean radius to mean width of less than 2.0, but not in association with circular meander pools. Several possible theories are suggested that may explain development of the circular meander pools at this site. It is likely that the high, cohesive banks of the study reach are an important factor, slowing channel migration and preventing cutoff chutes from forming, allowing development of highly sinuous meanders.
Laser spectroscopy of Na i quartets

By using a pulsed hollow-cathode discharge, metastable atoms are produced in the (2${p}^{5}$3s3p)${}^{4}$${D}_{7/2}$ and (2${p}^{5}$3s3p)${}^{4}$${S}_{3/2}$ levels of Na i. A tunable laser is used to excite these atoms to levels in the 2${p}^{5}$3s3d and 2${p}^{5}$3s4s configurations, and thereby to establish a partial Grotrian diagram for the quartet system. Several possible Na i xuv laser systems are described.
Ethanol-induced apoptosis in the developing visual system during synaptogenesis.

Purpose Ethanol is known to have deleterious effects on the human fetal nervous system (fetal alcohol syndrome), including components of the visual system, but only modest progress has been made in understanding these effects. The authors have recently demonstrated that, during the period of synaptogenesis, a single episode of ethanol intoxication lasting for several hours triggers a massive wave of apoptotic neurodegeneration in several regions of the developing rat or mouse forebrain. The present study was undertaken to determine to what extent the developing visual system is vulnerable to the apoptogenic effects of ethanol. Methods Infant rats and mice at ages from birth to 21 days were treated subcutaneously with a single dose of ethanol or with two doses, 2 hours apart, on a single day. Blood alcohol levels were determined, and the retinas and visual centers in the brain were examined by light and electronmicroscopy at various times from 4 to 24 hours after treatment. Results Retinal ganglion cells and neurons in the lateral geniculate nucleus, superior colliculus, and visual cortex were all highly susceptible to ethanol's apoptogenic action, the period of peak sensitivity being postnatal days 1 to 4 for ganglion cells and 4 to 7 for the other visual neurons. A transient elevation of blood alcohol to approximately 120 mg/dL was sufficient to activate the cell death program in visual neurons. Conclusions During synaptogenesis, a single ethanol intoxication episode triggers apoptotic cell death of neurons at all levels of the visual system from retina to the visual cortex.
Superconducting resonator used as a beam phase detector.

Beam-bunch arrival time has been measured for the first time by operating superconducting cavities, normally part of the linac accelerator array, in a bunch-detecting mode. The very high Q of the superconducting cavities provides high sensitivity and allows for phase-detecting low-current beams. In detecting mode, the resonator is operated at a very low field level comparable to the field induced by the bunched beam. Because of this, the rf field in the cavity is a superposition of a 'pure' (or reference) rf and the beam-induced signal. A new method of circular phase rotation (CPR), allowing extraction of the beam phase information from the composite rf field was developed. Arrival time phase determination with CPR is better than 1{sup o} (at 48 MHz) for a beam current of 100 nA. The electronics design is described and experimental data are presented.
Endoscopic removal of staghorn calculi in patient with high urinary diversion.

Abstract The treatment of recurrent renal calculi in patients after ureteroileal urinary diversion is difficult, especially when urinary stones are formed in the presence of urinary tract infection. In many cases, these patients already have undergone multiple renal operations and more surgery could pose difficult technical problems. We report on a patient with a high urinary diversion in whom bilateral staghorn renal calculi developed, and then were endoscopicady removed. The conversion of ureteroileoeutaneous diversion to a high pyeloileocutaneous diversion is recommended in selected cases as alternate treatment for patients with recurrent stone formation.
Improving Tilting-Pad Journal Bearing Predictions: Part I—Model Development and Impact of Rotor-Excited Versus Bearing-Excited Impedance Coefficients

The floating-bearing-test-rig concept was initially developed by Glienicke in 1966 and has since been used to test many tilting-pad journal bearings (TPJBs). The impedances measured during these tests have been compared to rotor/journal perturbed impedance predictions. Since the inertial acceleration of a pad is different for bearing perturbed and rotor perturbed motions, the bearing’s reaction force components for bearing perturbed and journal perturbed motions will also differ. An understanding of how bearing perturbed and rotor perturbed impedances differ is needed to assess the validity of past, present, and future comparisons between TPJB test data and predictions.A new TPJB perturbation model is developed including the effects of angular, radial, and transverse pad motion and changes in pad clearance due to pad bending compliance. Though all of these pad variables have previously been included in different analyses, there are no publications containing perturbations of all four variables. In addition, previous researchers have only perturbed the rotor, while both the bearing and rotor motions are perturbed in the present analysis. The applicability of comparing rotor-perturbed bearing impedance predictions to impedances measured on a bearing-perturbed test rig is assessed by comparing rotor perturbed and bearing perturbed impedance predictions for an example bearing.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Endothelin-C-terminal hexapeptide increases grooming in mice

Abstract Grooming behavior has been considered a response to stress, and a number of stress-related peptides have been demonstrated to modulate grooming behavior. In the experiments reported here, endothelin-C-terminal hexapeptide containing amino acids residues 16–21, ET[16–21], increased grooming with a maximum effect at 0.75 μg. ET[16–21] did not significantly alter eating or locomotor behavior. Both α-helical CRF (10 μg) and neuropeptide Y (1 μg) inhibited the grooming produced by ET[16–21].
Time Spent by General Practitioners in Cardiorespiratory Disease Activities

Medical student observers were used to study the time spent by 25 general practitioners in their offices while caring for patients with cardiorespiratory diseases. The 24-hour periods used to study each practice were fairly evenly spread throughout the various months and full working days of the week. Cardiovascular disease patients represented 12.1 per cent and respiratory disease patients 12.1 per cent of the total number of patients seen. Approximately 24 per cent of physicians' time in direct patient contact was spent in caring for these patients. An average of 50.7 minutes per physician per day'was used to care for patients with cardiovascular diseases. Of this time, 36 per cent was spent on diagnosis, 24 per cent on health information and counseling, 16.5 per cent on treatment, 14.6 per cent on preventive medicine, 6.2 per cent on administration, and 2.7 per cent on personal activities. An average of 40.2 minutes per physician per day was spent in caring for patients with respiratory diseases. Of this time, 45.4 per cent was spent on diagnosis, 20.7 per cent on treatment, 15.5 per cent on health information and counseling, 7.5 per cent on preventive medicine, 5.9 per cent on administration, and 4.9 per cent on personal activities. The implications of these findings for medical education and medical care were discussed.
Early attachment quality moderates eating disorder risk among adolescent girls.

Objective: There is growing evidence that children’s early relational environment has lasting implications for physical and mental health. In this paper, we test whether attachment insecurity in early childhood is associated with increased responsivity to risk factors for eating disorders (EDs; e.g. pubertal weight gain, maternal negative affect) during adolescence.Design: Hypotheses were tested with longitudinal data from 447 girls (final mean age = 15.1 years) over a 12-year period. Tests of direct effects, moderation and moderated mediation were conducted using nested structural equation models and bootstrapped estimates of direct and indirect effects.Results: Early attachment quality was not directly associated with disordered eating attitudes and behaviours (DEABs), but did moderate relations between adolescent ED risk factors and DEABs. Specifically, among girls with an insecure attachment history, higher BMI at age 15 directly predicted more DEABs, while maternal negative affect and pubertal weight...
The ACTIVE IP option

In this paper, we discuss our work on an active network architecture in which passive packets are replaced with active capsules --- encapsulated program fragments that are executed at each switch they traverse. This approach allows application-specific processing to be injected into the network. The accessibility of computation and storage "within" the network provides a substrate that can be tailored to build global applications, including those that invoke customized multicast and merge processing.We describe an extension to the IP options mechanism that supports the embedding of program fragments in datagrams and the evaluation of these fragments as they traverse the Internet. The ACTIVE option provides a generic approach to the extension of the IP network service.
CoBFIT: A component-based framework for intrusion tolerance

We present the architecture of CoBFIT, a component-based framework for building intrusion-tolerant distributed systems. The CoBFIT framework, by virtue of its design and implementation principles, can serve as a convenient base for building components that implement intrusion-tolerant protocols and for combining these components in an efficient manner to provide a number of services for dependability. For example, We describe the CoBFIT implementation of a prototype intrusion-tolerant group communication system that includes services such as reliable multicast, group membership management, and total ordering of multicast messages.
Abstract 3342: Characterization and targeting of BRIT1 deficiency in liver cancer.

Proceedings: AACR 104th Annual Meeting 2013; Apr 6-10, 2013; Washington, DC Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the leading causes of cancer-related death worldwide, and there are no safe and effective therapeutic agents yet to treat HCC after diagnosis. However, in HCC, genomic instability is the major remarkable hallmark, especially in the tumors at the late stage and metastatic tumors. Thus, we wonder if targeting genomic instability can inhibit tumor growth in HCC. BRIT1/MCPH1 has been identified to be one of the key DNA damage and repair proteins, which harbors three BRCT domains, conserved in BRCA1 and some other proteins involved in DNA damage response pathways. Our previous studies and other reports have illustrated BRIT1’s essential roles in mitotic and meiotic homologous recombination DNA repair and maintaining genomic stability, which functions through interacting with BRCA2/Rad51 and/or chromatin structure remodeling protein SWI/SNF. Recently, we identified that BRIT1 is aberrantly expressed in ∼25% of HCC samples (n=28). In these samples, the locus of BRIT2 gene showed notable loss of heterogeneity (nearly 50%). We also found a somatic mutation in BRIT1, which occurred in the splicing donor site of intro 10 in the BRIT1 gene, leading to a truncated protein. Functional analysis showed that this mutation can cause failure of foci formation of BRIT1 under irradiation. Importantly, given that BRIT1-deficient cells exhibited defective DNA repair described above, our in vitro studies showed that the BRIT1-low expressing HCC cells HepG2 and Hep3B are more sensitive to olaparib, the inhibitor of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARPi), compared to the BRIT1-proficient cell SNU-449, which was determined by WST-1 and colony formation assays. Furthermore, we also test the inhibitory effect of olaparib in the xenograft mouse model, and found that PARPi can significantly suppress tumor growth of Hep3B xenografts. Collectively, our results clearly demonstrate that BRIT1 is mutated or aberrantly expressed in HCC, and targeting BRIT1 deficiency by PARP inhibitors may lead to novel and effective targeted therapies to treat BRIT1-deficient HCC. Citation Format: Yulong Liang, Lihou Yu, Dongxiao Zhang, Hong Gao, Shiaw-Yih Lin, Kaiyi Li. Characterization and targeting of BRIT1 deficiency in liver cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3342. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-3342 Note: This abstract was not presented at the AACR Annual Meeting 2013 because the presenter was unable to attend.
The design of combustors for ramjet engines

Abstract A design procedure for ramjet combustors is developed. A model which describes the manner in whichthe combustor operates is discussed. Experimental programmes to support the model are described. The use of the model as a design tool is outlined. Experimental verification of the design procedure is given.
Pattern and variation of C:N:P ratios in China’s soils: a synthesis of observational data

Inspired by previous studies that have indicated consistent or even well-constrained (relatively low variability) relations among carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) in soils, we have endeavored to explore general soil C:N:P ratios in China on a national scale, as well as the changing patterns of these ratios with soil depth, developmental stages and climate; we also attempted to determine if well-constrained C:N:P stoichiometrical ratios exist in China’s soil. Based on an inventory data set of 2,384 soil profiles, our analysis indicated that the mean C:N, C:P and N:P ratios for the entire soil depth (as deep as 250 cm for some soil profiles) in China were 11.9, 61 and 5.2, respectively, showing a C:N:P ratio of ~60:5:1. C:N ratios showed relatively small variation among different climatic zones, soil orders, soil depth and weathering stages, while C:P and N:P ratios showed a high spatial heterogeneity and large variations in different climatic zones, soil orders, soil depth and weathering stages. No well-constrained C:N:P ratios were found for the entire soil depth in China. However, for the 0–10 cm organic-rich soil, which has the most active organism–environment interaction, we found a well-constrained C:N ratio (14.4, molar ratio) and relatively consistent C:P (136) and N:P (9.3) ratios, with a general C:N:P ratio of 134:9:1. Finally, we suggested that soil C:N, C:P and N:P ratios in organic-rich topsoil could be a good indicator of soil nutrient status during soil development.
Finney flexirod prosthesis

Abstract The experience gained from the implantation of 763 Flexirod Prostheses is described. Special features of this design include a tapered distal tip which provides for better glans stability, a soft hinge which allows for improved penile concealment, and a trimmable tail which, together with preoperative measurement of the penis, allows the surgeon to determine the correct prosthesis size well in advance of surgery. The surgical procedure is not difficult, the complication rate is low, device failure is extremely rare, and most patients are restored to a satisfactory sex life.
Diurnal variation in plasmaspheric He+ inferred from extreme ultraviolet images

[1] A diurnal variation in He+ density is observed using successive snapshots of the plasmasphere taken by the extreme ultraviolet (EUV) imager on the IMAGE spacecraft. Analysis of average EUV photon counts from a specific patch of plasma, which may move at a rate other than corotation, centered at L = 2.5 and L = 3.5 over successive images during an IMAGE pass, allows us to follow a flux tube and track the brightness variation across ∼6–10 h of local time. These EUV brightness observations are converted to He+ column-integrated densities by taking into account solar EUV flux as measured by the SOHO spacecraft. Variations in He+ column density with local time provide insight into the process of plasmaspheric refilling by ionospheric plasma outflow on diurnal time scales. An analysis of 128 orbits of IMAGE EUV data in 2001 reveals that EUV photon count, and hence column-integrated He+ density, tends to increase soon after dawn, decrease or stagnate around noon, and strongly increase in late afternoon through dusk. These observations show no significant dependence on geomagnetic activity and support the idea that diurnal refilling of the plasmasphere is largely controlled by increased photoionization at dawn by exposure of the ionosphere to sunlight. Azimuthal profiles of individual EUV images provide additional evidence for the same trend observed in the tracking technique and show that He+ column abundance values are typically 50–100% higher at dusk than dawn.
Vaccines for Seasonal and Pandemic Influenza

Seasonal influenza continues to have a huge annual impact in the United States, accounting for tens of millions of illnesses, hundreds of thousands of excess hospitalizations, and tens of thousands of excess deaths. Vaccination remains the mainstay for the prevention of influenza. In the United States, 2 types of influenza vaccine are currently licensed: trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine and live attenuated influenza vaccine. Both are safe and effective in the populations for which they are approved for use. Children, adults <65 years of age, and the elderly all receive substantial health benefits from vaccination. In addition, vaccination appears to be cost-effective, if not cost saving, across the age spectrum. Despite long-standing recommendations for the routine vaccination of persons in high-priority groups, US vaccination rates remain too low across all age groups. Important issues to be addressed include improving vaccine delivery to current and expanded target groups, ensuring timely availability of adequate vaccine supply, and development of even more effective vaccines. Development of a vaccine against potentially pandemic strains is an essential part of the strategy to control and prevent a pandemic outbreak. The use of existing technologies for influenza vaccine production would be the most straightforward approach, because these technologies are commercially available and licensing would be relatively simple. Approaches currently being tested include subvirion inactivated vaccines and cold-adapted, live attenuated vaccines. Preliminary results have suggested that, for some pandemic antigens, particularly H5, subvirion inactivated vaccines are poorly immunogenic, for reasons that are not clear. Data from evaluation of live pandemic vaccines are pending. Second-generation approaches designed to provide improved immune responses at lower doses have focused on adjuvants such as alum and MF59, which are currently licensed for influenza or other vaccines. Additional experimental approaches are required to achieve the ultimate goal for seasonal and pandemic influenza prevention--namely, the ability to generate broadly cross-reactive and durable protection in humans.
Intramolecular reactions in the oxindole series

Es werden verschiedene Reaktionen in der Oxindolreihe diskutiert. Man kann sie sich als ahnliche Mechanismen vorstellen, da alle uber intramolekular gebildete Zwischenprodukte bzw. Endprodukte laufen.
Federated or cached searches: Providing expected performance from multiple invasive species databases

Invasive species are a universal global problem, but the information to identify them, manage them, and prevent invasions is stored around the globe in a variety of formats. The Global Invasive Species Information Network is a consortium of organizations working toward providing seamless access to these disparate databases via the Internet. A distributed network of databases can be created using the Internet and a standard web service protocol. There are two options to provide this integration. First, federated searches are being proposed to allow users to search “deep” web documents such as databases for invasive species. A second method is to create a cache of data from the databases for searching. We compare these two methods, and show that federated searches will not provide the performance and flexibility required from users and a central cache of the datum are required to improve performance.
Sequence and functional analysis of the intergenic regions separating babesial rhoptry-associated protein-1 (rap-1) genes.

Abstract Suarez, C. E., Palmer, G. H., Hotzel, I., Hines, S. A., and McElwain, T. F. 1998. Sequence and functional analysis of the intergenic regions separating babesial rhoptry-associated protein-1 (rap-1) genes.Experimental Parasitology90, 189–194. The rhoptry-associated protein 1 (RAP-1) expressed by all babesial parasites is encoded by tandemly arranged genes separated by discrete intergenic (IG) regions. We hypothesize that these IG regions regulaterap-1gene expression. InBabesia bovistwo identicalrap-1gene copies are separated by a 1.0-kb noncoding region which is also exactly conserved 5′ to therap-1gene 1. In contrast, the complexB. bigemina rap-1locus contains at least 5 polymorphicrap-1agenes separated by uncharacterized 3.38-kb regions. A genomic clone encoding the 3′ sequence ofrap-1gene copy 1, the 1 kb IG region, and the 5′ sequence of gene copy 2 was obtained by PCR amplification of DNA from the Mo7 biological clone ofB. bovisand sequenced. This was follow by amplification and sequence analysis of the 3.38-kb region separating twoB. bigemina rap-1agenes, revealing the presence of two different IG regions denominated IG-1 (0.7 kb) and IG-2 (1.3 kb), flanking a newly identifiedrap-1borf. Sequence analysis and comparison among babesialrap-1IG regions fromB. bovis, B. bigemina, B. canis, andB. ovisrevealed conservation of at least three putative regulatory boxes consistently positioned 5′ of the start of therap-1orfs. To determine whetherrap-1IG regions contained a functional promoter, the entire 1-kb IG region fromB. boviswas cloned into pCAT, a promoterless plasmid containing thecatgene. The IG region in the 5′ → 3′ orientation strongly promoted transcriptionin vitroby homologousB. bovisRNA polymerases. The presence of conserved regions 5′ to eachrap-1gene copy and among other babesialrap-1IG regions and thein vitropromoter function in the 5′ → 3′ orientation support a role for the IG region inrap-1gene regulation.
A 2013 Survey of Clinical Practice Patterns in the Management of Primary Hypothyroidism

Context: In 2012, comprehensive clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) were published regarding the management of hypothyroidism. Objective: We sought to document current practices in the management of primary hypothyroidism and compare these results with recommendations made in the 2012 American Thyroid Association (ATA)/American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) hypothyroidism CPGs. In addition, we sought to examine differences in management among international members of U.S.-based endocrine societies and to compare survey results with those obtained from a survey of ATA members performed 12 years earlier. Methods: Clinical members of The Endocrine Society (TES), the ATA, and the AACE were asked to take a web-based survey consisting of 30 questions dealing with testing, treatment, and modulating factors in the management of primary hypothyroidism. Results: In total, 880 respondents completed the survey, including 618 members of TES, 582 AACE members, and 208 ATA members. North American respo...
Exposure to 16O-Particle Radiation Causes Aging-Like Decrements in Rats through Increased Oxidative Stress, Inflammation and Loss of Autophagy

Exposing young rats to particles of high energy and charge (HZE particles), a ground-based model for exposure to cosmic rays, enhances indices of oxidative stress and inflammation, disrupts the functioning of neuronal communication, and alters cognitive behaviors. Even though exposure to HZE particles occurs at low fluence rates, the cumulative effects of long-term exposure result in molecular changes similar to those seen in aged animals. In the present study, we assessed markers of autophagy, a dynamic process for intracellular degradation and recycling of toxic proteins and organelles, as well as stress and inflammatory responses, in the brains of Sprague-Dawley rats irradiated at 2 months of age with 5 and 50 cGy and 1 Gy of ionizing oxygen particles (16O) (1000 MeV/n). Compared to nonirradiated controls, exposure to 16O particles significantly inhibited autophagy function in the hippocampus as measured by accumulation of ubiquitin inclusion bodies such as P62/SQSTM1, autophagosome marker microtubule-...
Isolation and Characterization of Epithelial and Connective Tissue Cells from Rat Palate

Epithelial and connective tissue cells were isolated from rat palate by sequential enzymatic digestion. Differences between the two populations were noted with respect to proline uptake and incorporation, % collagen synthesized, effects of parathyroid hormone and metabolism of D-valine. From these studies it can be concluded that the cell populations are viable and distinct with respect to the biochemical parameters examined.
Herbal componets inhibit P-GP mediated digoxin transport in transwell cultured Caco-2 cell model

Background/Aims There is an increased attention towards herbal supplement induced drug-drug interactions. Five herbal components from ginseng and ginkgo biloba were investigated for their inhibitory effects on P-gp mediated digoxin transport. Methods The 12 wells Transwell Plate with growing Caco-2 cell on inserts were used, and[3H]-digoxin was used as the substrate drug. The[3H]-digoxin transport crossing the Caco-2 cell monolayer in the presence and absence of herbal ingredients was measured. Then, the[3H]-digoxin Net Transport and the transport normalized to control were calculated. Results At the 100 μM herb level, the Net Transports in samples treated with ginsenoside Rc, Rb1, Rb2, and quercetin were 6887.67, 7010.33, 7175.00, and 2852.00 (CPM values, mean± SD), respectively; and the normalized transports were 75.0%, 78.7%, 80.5%, and 32.0%, respectively. However, samples treated with ginsenoside Rd showed no difference from blank control (methanol, solvent for reagents) (8307.66, 93.2%). The P-gp inhibitor of ketoconazole (40 μM) was set up as positive control, and the related values were 1073.30 and 12%, respectively. Conclusions Our findings suggest that ginsenoside Rc, Rb1, Rb2, and quercetin are capable of inhibiting P-gp mediated digoxing transport at 100 μM in Transwell cultured Caco-2 cell model. It may result in adverse drug interactions when co-administered with P-gp substrate drugs in vivo. Further studies are required to elucidate the molecule mechanism of these effects. Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics (2005) 77, P77–P77; doi: 10.1016/j.clpt.2004.12.185
Partial characterization of the D group proteins of the tubular accessory glands of Tenebrio molitor

The tubular reproductive accessory glands (TAGs) of male mealworm beetles (Tenebrio molitor) produce four groups of differentiation-specific proteins. This paper concerns the D protein class which are the first of these proteins to appear in the adult TAGs. Within the D class, four peptides with apparent molecular weights of 27.7, 26.5, 25.1 and 24.0 × 103 were resolved by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Each D peptide possesses a different isoelectric point. Only one or two D proteins were found in any one male. Their distribution in our laboratory population was consistent with a Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium with four alleles at one locus. In non-denaturing electrophoresis, the D proteins are separable into two bands: ND1 which contained proteins of 26.5 and 24.0 kilodaltons and ND2 which contained only proteins of 27.7 kd. The native D proteins may exist as dimers in their native state but we found no evidence for disulphide bonds between polypeptide chains. Amino acid analysis indicated that the two bands from non-denaturing electrophoresis are similar in composition, both to each other and to whole TAG homogenate. Both D bands are high in alanine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid and glycine and are low in methionine and tyrosine.
EFFECTIVENESS OF EXTRACTED COW LUNG LIPID (CLL) IN INDUCING AND SUSTAINING NORMAL LUNG FUNCTION IN SURFACTANT DEFICIENT PREMATURE LAMBS

EFFECTIVENESS OF EXTRACTED COW LUNG LIPID (CLL) IN INDUCING AND SUSTAINING NORMAL LUNG FUNCTION IN SURFACTANT DEFICIENT PREMATURE LAMBS
Mitochondrial Clearance of Cytosolic Ca2+ in Stimulated Lizard Motor Nerve Terminals Proceeds without Progressive Elevation of Mitochondrial Matrix [Ca2+]

This study used fluorescent indicator dyes to measure changes in cytosolic and mitochondrial [Ca2+] produced by physiological stimulation of lizard motor nerve terminals. During repetitive action potential discharge at 10–50 Hz, the increase in average cytosolic [Ca2+] reached plateau at levels that increased with increasing stimulus frequency. This stabilization of cytosolic [Ca2+] was caused mainly by mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake, because drugs that depolarize mitochondria greatly increased the stimulation-induced elevation of cytosolic [Ca2+], whereas blockers of other Ca2+ clearance routes had little effect. Surprisingly, during this sustained Ca2+ uptake the free [Ca2+] in the mitochondrial matrix never exceeded a plateau level of ∼1 μm, regardless of stimulation frequency or pattern. When stimulation ceased, matrix [Ca2+] decreased over a slow (∼10 min) time course consisting of an initial plateau followed by a return to baseline. These measurements demonstrate that sustained mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake is not invariably accompanied by progressive elevation of matrix free [Ca2+]. Both the plateau of matrix free [Ca2+] during stimulation and its complex decay after stimulation could be accounted for by a model incorporating reversible formation of an insoluble Ca salt. This mechanism allows mitochondria to sequester large amounts of Ca2+ while maintaining matrix free [Ca2+] at levels sufficient to activate Ca2+-dependent mitochondrial dehydrogenases, but below levels that activate the permeability transition pore.
Liver fatty acid binding protein gene ablation potentiates hepatic cholesterol accumulation in cholesterol-fed female mice

Although liver fatty acid binding protein (L-FABP) is postulated to influence cholesterol homeostasis, the physiological significance of this hypothesis remains to be resolved. This issue was addre...
Galerkin approximation for thermoelastic models

We consider the coupled partial differential equations which arise in modeling linear thermoelastic structures. For a specific example, we show how to construct a norm which is equivalent to the energy norm, but which improves upon the dissipative inequality given by the energy norm. Such a norm can then be used for Galerkin approximation of the original model, and leads to improved stability behavior.
Looking Without Listening: Is Audition a Prerequisite for Normal Development of Visual Attention During Infancy?

Potential effects of auditory and other communicative experience on development of visual attention were investigated for four groups of infants at 9, 12, and 18 months of age. Participants included 20 deaf infants with deaf mothers, 19 deaf infants with hearing mothers, 21 hearing infants with hearing mothers, and 20 hearing infants with deaf mothers. Infants' hearing status alone did not associate with patterns of visual attention. Deaf infants with deaf mothers showed significantly longer times in the most advanced attention state (coordinated joint) than did deaf infants with hearing mothers. However, other aspects of experience were associated with group differences. Both deaf and hearing children with deaf mothers who signed spent more time onlooking (or watching) their mothers than did children (deaf or hearing) with hearing mothers. Hearing children with hearing mothers spent more time looking at objects than did children with deaf mothers. Despite these differences in time in various attention states, the general trajectory of development of each of the attention states was similar across groups. Results indicate that early visual attention is associated with and potentially influenced by a complex interaction of maturation, communicative experiences, and other developing skills.
Simulation of Autonomous Robotic Multiple-Core Biopsy by 3D Ultrasound Guidance

An autonomous multiple-core biopsy system guided by real-time 3D ultrasound and operated by a robotic arm with 6+1 degrees of freedom has been developed. Using a specimen of turkey breast as a tissue phantom, our system was able to first autonomously locate the phantom in the image volume and then perform needle sticks in each of eight sectors in the phantom in a single session, with no human intervention required. Based on the fraction of eight sectors successfully sampled in an experiment of five trials, a success rate of 93% was recorded. This system could have relevance in clinical procedures that involve multiple needle-core sampling such as prostate or breast biopsy.