cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Correction of slab boundary artifact using histogram matching.

Purpose To improve the imaging efficiency of multi-slab three-dimensional acquisitions by decreasing slab overlap and the number of blanked slices. Materials and Methods Application of the histogram matching technique for correction of the slab boundary artifact (SBA) due to non-ideal radiofrequency pulse profiles has been proposed. The technique was validated by studying its effectiveness in reducing the SBA in phantom images, as well as in proton density- and T2-weighted brain images. Results The correction algorithm considerably decreases the disruption of image volume continuity due to the SBA, and improves slice-to-slice intensity continuity. Conclusion The proposed technique can greatly reduce the SBA when the SBA can be described as a global intensity variation along the slab. The technique may be used to improve imaging efficiency of the multi-slab three-dimensional fast spin-echo sequences by decreasing the amount of required slab overlap. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2002;15:610–617. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
A Decomposable Nonlinear Programming Approach

Nonlinear, i.e., pseudo-concave, programming algorithms attempt to maximize an objective function fx subject to x in a feasible set. Large step algorithms seek this maximum by recursively generating both a sequence of points {xk} and a sequence of directions {sk}. Given a point xk and a direction sk the next point xk+1 is the feasible point that gives the largest value to the objective function along the ray emanating from xk in the direction sk. The key difference among large step procedures is in the choice of sk. This paper explores several means for selecting the direction sk. Some of these methods are particularly suited for large scale systems with a large number of constraints, as they decompose the problem and require the solution of only a finite number of subproblems. These algorithms have an interesting interpretation in terms of management by exception. They also lead naturally into a discussion of jamming or zigzagging; that phenomenon which plagues all large step methods and can lead to non-convergence. Jamming is studied for its cause and curve via an example and counter-example. For linear constraints a special large step method which proceeds by suboptimization in manifolds is proposed that avoids jamming. It is then shown that the Dantzig quadratic programming algorithm is a special case of this method. A straightforward geometric proof of the Dantzig method is then possible.
Multivariate quality control using principal components

In this research a method of using principal components is developed to control a process which has many output characteristics affecting the quality of the final product. The advantage of using principal components lies in the reduction of the number of variables to be control charted, thereby minimizing the combined probability of a type I error. Expressions using multivariate regression analysis are developed to predict the input variables. Numerical examples are given to illustrate the methodology developed.
Reactions of Transition-Metal η1-Propargyl and η1-Allenyl Complexes with Sulfur Dioxide and Transition-Metal−Carbon Bond-Cleaving Reactions of the Cycloadducts Which Yield Cyclic Sulfenate Esters

The preparation of several cyclopentadienyliron dicarbonyl η1-2-alkynyl and η1-allenyl complexes is reported. The 3 + 2 cycloaddition reactions of these complexes with sulfur dioxide yielded regioisomeric transition-metal-substituted 1,2-oxathiolen-1-yl oxides (sulfenate esters). One of the η1-allenyl complex SO2 cycloadducts has been characterized by X-ray crystallography. The transition metal can subsequently be cleaved from the sulfenate ester containing complexes under oxidative and nonoxidative reaction conditions to produce a variety of new sulfur-containing heterocycles.
Linkage screen for BMD phenotypes in male and female COP and DA rat strains.

Because particular inbred strains of experimental animals are informative for only a subset of the genes underlying variability in BMD, we undertook a genome screen to identify quantitative trait loci (QTLs) in 828 F2 progeny (405 males and 423 females) derived from the Copenhagen 2331 (COP) and dark agouti (DA) strains of rats. This screen was performed to complement our study in female Fischer 344 (F344) and Lewis (LEW) rats and to further delineate the factors underlying the complex genetic architecture of BMD in the rat model. Microsatellite genotyping was performed using markers at an average density of 20 cM. BMD was measured by pQCT and DXA. These data were analyzed in the R/qtl software to detect QTLs acting in both sexes as well as those having sex-specific effects. A QTL was detected in both sexes on chromosome 18 for midfemur volumetric BMD (vBMD; genome-wide, p < 0.01). On distal chromosome 1, a QTL was found for femur and vertebral aBMD as well as distal femur vBMD, and this QTL appears distinct from the proximal chromosome 1 QTL impacting BMD in our F344/LEW cross. Additional aBMD and vBMD QTLs and several sex-specific QTLs were also detected. These included a male-specific QTL (p < 0.01) on chromosome 8 and a female-specific QTL on chromosomes 7 and 14 (p < 0.01). Few of the QTLs identified showed overlap with the significant QTLs from the F344/LEW cross. These results confirm that the genetic influence on BMD in the rat model is quite complex and would seem to be influenced by a number of different genes, some of which have sex-specific effects.
Volatile and sensory profiling of cocktail bitters

Aromatic cocktail bitters are derived from the alcoholic extraction of a variety of plant materials and are used as additives in mixed drinks to enhance aroma and flavor. In this study sixteen commercial bitters were analyzed using volatile (GC-MS) and sensory profiling and multivariate statistics including Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Partial Least Squares Regression (PLS). The samples differed significantly in their citrus, celery, and spice characteristics. 148 volatile compounds were tentatively identified and the composition varied significantly with the type of bitters sample evaluated. PLS analysis showed that the volatile data correlated well overall to the sensory data, explaining 60% of the overall variability in the dataset. Primary aldehydes and phenylpropanoids were most closely related to green and spice-related sensory descriptors. However, the sensory impact of terpenoid compounds was difficult to predict in many cases. This may be due to the wide range of aroma qualities associated with terpenes as well as to concentration, synergistic or masking effects.
Digital control of a bi-directional DC-DC converter for automotive applications

This paper presents a microcontroller based implementation of an isolated bi-directional DC-DC converter for automotive applications. A phase shifted full bridge (PSFB) with synchronous rectification controls power flow from a high voltage bus/battery to the low voltage battery in step-down mode, while a push-pull stage controls the reverse power flow from the low voltage battery to the high voltage bus/battery in boost mode. Peak current mode control (PCMC) of the PSFB stage is implemented along with adaptive zero voltage switching (ZVS) and various synchronous rectification schemes in buck mode. An active clamp circuit is used to limit transient voltage overshoot on the push-pull switches in boost mode. Voltage mode control and average current mode control can be implemented for boost mode operation. Digital control allows implementation of different power converter control schemes on the same hardware with seamless transitions between different operating modes. Experimental results for system operation have been verified on a 600W system. In the buck mode constant high system efficiency for all loads above 10% rated load, ZVS across a wide load range and smooth synchronous rectifier mode transitions are achieved. Waveform generations for all operating modes along with functional details have been presented.
Growth on type I collagen promotes expression of the osteoblastic phenotype in human osteosarcoma MG-63 cells

Using MG-63 cells as a model system capable of partial osteoblastic differentiation, we have examined the effect of growth on extracellular matrix. MG-63 cell matrix and purified type I collagen induced a morphological change characterized by long cytoplasmic processes reminiscent of those seen in osteocytes. Concurrent biochemical changes involving bone marker proteins included increased specific activity of cell-associated alkaline phosphatase and increased secretion of osteonectin (up to 2.5-fold for each protein); all changes occurred without alterations in the growth kinetics of the MG-63 cells. The increase in alkaline phosphatase activity was maximal on days 6-8 following seeding; increased osteonectin secretion was most prominent immediately following seeding; all changes decreased as cells reached confluence. Growing cells on type I collagen resulted in an increased induction of alkaline phosphatase activity by 1,25(OH)2D3 (with little change in the 1,25(OH)2D3 induction of osteonectin and osteocalcin secretion), and increased TGF-beta induction of alkaline phosphatase activity as well (both TGF-beta 1 and TGF-beta 2). Both the 1,25(OH)2D3 and TGF-beta effects appeared to be synergistic with growth on type I collagen. These studies support the hypothesis that bone extracellular matrix may play an important role in osteoblastic differentiation and phenotypic expression.
A statistical analysis of the Stanford fractional charge experiment

Abstract We report arguments indicating that the residual fractional charges observed on niobium spheres in the experiments at Stanford are consistent with a statistical distribution of one kind of fractionally-charged object among the spheres, with a large average number of charges per sphere. Our statistical analysis enables us to conclude with 96% confidence that the spheres annealed on a tungsten substrate have a substantially higher concentration of fractional charges than those annealed on a niobium substrate. We draw attention to circumstantial evidence that such fractional charges were transferred from the tungsten substrate to the surfaces of the niobium spheres. We point out that surface and grain-boundary segregation effects, which previously have not been considered in assessing this experiment, could play a major role in enhancing the concentration of fractionally charged impurities on the surface of the tungsten substrate in contact with the niobium spheres. We conclude that the Stanford experiment would be consistent with a concentration of 1 fractional charge in 1013 to 1014 tungsten atoms, which would not be contradicted by other searches for fractional charges in tungsten.
Prevention of doxorubicin-induced killing of MCF-7 human breast cancer cells by oxygen radical scavengers and iron chelating agents

This study investigated the effect of oxygen radical scavengers and iron chelating agents on the toxicity of doxorubicin for MCF-7 human breast cancer cells. Superoxide dismutase and catalase, but not the heat-inactivated enzymes, the hydroxyl radical scavenger N-acetylcysteine, and the organoselenium compound 2-phenyl-1-2-benzisoselenazol-3(2H)-one, which possesses glutathione peroxidase-like activity, significantly reduced or abolished tumor cell killing by doxorubicin. Similar protective activity was found only for those iron chelating agents capable of penetrating the tumor cell plasma membrane. These experiments suggest that an iron-dependent oxygen radical cascade contributes to the antineoplastic action of the anthracycline antibiotic doxorubicin.
ac Susceptibility Transition in Type-II Superconductors and Surface Critical Currents

The ac susceptibility transition below ${H}_{c3}$ has been investigated as a function of ac field amplitude, in cylindrical samples of Pb-Bi alloys ($ll~\ensuremath{\kappa}l~5$). Converting the ac fields to critical surface currents ${J}_{c}$ permits comparison with the values calculated by Abrikosov and Park. The present results agree with those of Swartz and Hart, and of Rollins and Silcox. Although above ${H}_{c2}$ the qualitative behavior is similar to the theoretical calculations, the magnitudes are found to be lower. At ${H}_{c2}$ a sharp break is found in ${J}_{c}$, as reported previously. $\frac{{J}_{c}\ensuremath{\kappa}}{{H}_{c}}$ is found to be independent of $\ensuremath{\kappa}$ within experimental error. Surface roughness and slight sample misalignment could have lowered the observed ${J}_{c}$.
The elastic stabilization of multiple-height growth ledges during diffusional phase transformations

Abstract In diffusional phase transformations that proceed by the terrace-ledge-kink mechanism, both atomic-scale, unit-height ledges and multiple-height ledges are observed. Both types of ledges also have dislocation character, thereby making them disconnections. The dislocation interaction is shown to provide a strong stabilizing force for the multiple ledges and to lead to a capture distance for additional unit ledges that increases with ledge height. Implications for the mechanism of phase transformation are discussed.
Predicting drinking outcome : demography, chronicity, coping, and aftercare

Abstract The contribution of demographics (age, marital status), chronicity (previous alcohol hospitalizations, years of problem drinking), coping (temptation, cognitive coping), and early aftercare attendance, in predicting drinking outcomes was examined using hierarchical regression and discriminant analyses. Six-month followup data were available for 37 of 39 male alcoholics. Previous hospitalizations significantly predicted all drinking outcomes. Abstinence for the six-month followup was predicted by years of problem drinking and cognitive coping. Early aftercase attendance added significantly to the prediction of consumption, drinking days, and abstinence. Demographics were not significant predictors of outcome. The results support the continued utility of chronicity variables as predictors of outcome, underscore the importance of coping, and suggest that early aftercare attendance be monitored and investigated further.
Reducing lecture and increasing student activity in large computer science courses

This paper describes how one instructor uses a web-based tool called MessageGrid in a laptop-enhanced computer science course to accomplish five goals: (1) to solicit questions from students regarding pre-lecture reading assignments, (2) to engage the students in classroom activity that supports the lecture material for the day, (3) to conduct short, frequent assessments of student comprehension, (4) to conduct exercises that encourage peer-learning, and (5) to use Ink-based software animations to supplement the lecture material for the day. We present MessageGrid and explain how the short lecture exercises (called lexes) help engage the students in class. We show how the assessment component of MessageGrid helps students know whether or not they learning the material as they should, and enables the instructor to identify students who are falling behind. We present four different ways of designing lexes. We end with conclusions and plans for future work.
Short-term memory and sentence processing: evidence from neuropsychology.

Traditional models of memory assume that short-term memory, as measured by memory span, plays an important role in linguistic processing and the learning ofverbal information. Contradicting this view are findings from a brain-damaged patient, E.A., who, despite a verbal memory span of about two items, demonstrated normal sentence comprehension in a variety oftasks. She was, however, impaired whenever verbatim phonological information had to be maintained or learned. These results and those from other patients with reduced span suggest that the phonological storage capacity that is critical to memory span plays only a limited role in language processing, specifically in the maintenance and learning of phonological forms. Implications for models of short-term memory are discussed. It is argued that short-termmemory should be seen as deriving from the processing and retentive capacities of language processing modules, with span tasks drawing on only a subset of these modules.
Maxadilan, the Vasodilator from Sand Flies, Is a Specific Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase Activating Peptide Type I Receptor Agonist

Maxadilan is a potent vasodilator peptide isolated from salivary gland lysates of the sand fly Lutzomyia longipalpis, a vector of leishmaniasis. The peptide aids the fly in obtaining blood from the skin of its vertebrate hosts but the mammalian receptor through which this insect ligand acts was unknown. We demonstrate that maxadilan is an agonist of the type I receptor for pituitary adenylate cyclase activating peptide, a neuropeptide with vascular activity. This surprising observation is a unique example of convergent evolution from a functional standpoint as these two peptides do not share significant sequence homology.
Honoring a mentor and friend: a tribute to Phyllis Noerager Stern, RN, DNSc, FAAN.

To characterize my relationship with Phyllis, I would choose the term mentor in its broadest meaning: friend, advisor, advocate, role model, and a mentor's mentor (Dumas, 1998). For more than 20 ye...
An early response to gibberellic Acid not requiring protein synthesis.

Cell-free extracts from gibberellic acid-treated barley (Hordeum vulgare L. cv. Himalaya) aleurone layers show phosphorylcholine glyceride transferase activity greater than that from control layers. The increase in activity is not prevented by a mixture of amino acid analogs nor by cordycepin under conditions in which it is demonstrated that the analogs and the cordycepin are entering the cells in effective concentrations. We conclude therefore that the GA3-dependent increase in phosphorylcholine glyceride transferase activity (which occurs within the first 4 hours of GA3 treatment) does not require RNA synthesis or protein synthesis.
Lessons from the rifamycin biosynthetic gene cluster

There is currently intense interest in unravelling the modus operandi of type I modular polyketide synthases in order to lay the ground work for their use in the combinatorial biosynthesis of new bioactive molecules. Much of our knowledge is derived from studies on 6-deoxyerythronolide B (DEBS), the enzyme assembling the polyketide backbone of erythromycin. Work on the rifamycin polyketide synthase has revealed a number of features that differ from those seen with DEBS.
Enacting the Mines and Minerals Act (2009) of Sierra Leone: Actors, Interests and Outcomes

The inability of most resource-rich countries in sub-Saharan Africa to benefit from their natural resource endowments has continued to confound observers. Although a growing scholarship has covered this problem, scholars have not focused on explaining the architecture of legal regimes that are instrumental in understanding the policies and approaches states employ in governing their resource endowments. Drawing upon participant observation in the field, this article presents a case study of how actors and stakeholders interacted during deliberations leading to the enactment of legislation governing the minerals sector in Sierra Leone in 2009, and the sources and outcomes of conflicting interests or complimentary pressures on the process. The findings show several courses of action that help explain why, and how, developing countries such as Sierra Leone sometimes fail to maximise revenue generation from their mineral wealth.
Treatment options for atypical optic neuritis

Context: Optic neuritis (ON) is defined as inflammation of the optic nerve and can have various etiologies. The most common presentation in the US is demyelinating, or typical ON, usually associated with multiple sclerosis. This is in contrast to atypical causes of ON, which differ in their clinical presentation, management, and prognosis. These atypical cases are characterized by lack of eye pain, exudates, and hemorrhages on exam, very severe, bilateral or progressive visual loss, or with failure to recover vision. Aims: The aim was to describe the clinical presentations of atypical ON and their treatments. Settings and Design: Review article. Materials and Methods: Literature review. Results: Types of atypical ON identified include neuromyelitis optica, autoimmune optic neuropathy, chronic relapsing inflammatory optic neuropathy, idiopathic recurrent neuroretinitis, and optic neuropathy associated with systemic diseases. Atypical ON usually requires corticosteroid treatment and often will require aggressive immunosuppression. Conclusions: Unlike demyelinating ON, atypical ON requires treatment to preserve vision.
Adaptation of the pupil light reflex.

Abstract The consensual photopupil responses to light flashes presented in uniform illumination to the entire visual field were recorded in full dark adaptation, over a gamut of intensities of ganzfeld backgrounds and in the dark after full bleach of all visual pigment in the retina. The equivalent background of such bleaching was found to be valid not only at the photopupillomotor threshold but also for flashes several log units suprathreshold (as judged by matching of the waveform of the pupillomotor response). The pupillomotor equivalent background is in reasonable agreement with its psychophysical counterpart, suggesting that the neural pathways for vision and photopupillary motion are common, at least to the level that retinal sensitivity adjustment in dark and light adaptation has been achieved.
Mechanisms involved in coronary artery dilatation during respiratory acidosis in the isolated perfused rat heart.

A rat Langendorff heart preparation, perfused at constant pressure, was used to evaluate the role of KATP channels in respiratory acidosis-induced coronary hyperemia. Prior administration of glibenclamide, an inhibitor of KATP channels, reduced basal flow rates and eliminated the hyperemia associated with hypercapnia. These results implicate KATP channels as a functional link in the respiratory acidosis-induced increase in coronary flow.
Experimental Hyperparathyroidism from Multiple Isologous Parathyroid Transplants: Homeostatic Effect of Simultaneous Thyroid Transplants11

The intramuscular transplantation of 20, 40 or 80 isologous parathyroid glands into strictly inbred adult rats invariably resulted in a persistent hypercalcemia and eventual formation of calcium phosphate urinary calculi— an apparently obligatory endogenous hyperparathyroidism. The simultaneous transplantation, along with the parathyroids, of matching numbers of isologous thyroid lobes enabled the recipients to reduce circulating calcium levels to the upper limits of normal and greatly reduced the incidence of urinary calculi. It is concluded that the parathyroid of the rat is unable to reduce its secretion of parathormone below a certain basal level, even though perfused with hypercalcemic blood. Further, the findings argue against the presence of any effective calciumlowering secretion from the parathyroid itself unless it be a thyrocalcitonin-releasing factor with activity mediated by thyroid tissue. (Endocrinology 78: 1015, 1966)
Depression during pregnancy: detection, comorbidity and treatment

Depression during pregnancy is common (15%). Routine prenatal depression screening coupled with the use of physician collaborators to assist in connecting women with care is critical to facilitate treatment engagement with appropriate providers. Providers should be aware of risk factors for depression – including a previous history of depression, life events, and interpersonal conflict – and should appropriately screen for such conditions. Depression during pregnancy has been associated with poor pregnancy outcomes including preeclampsia, insufficient weight gain, decreased compliance with prenatal care, and premature labor. Current research has questioned the overall benefit of treating depression during pregnancy with antidepressants when compared to the risk of untreated depression for mother and child. Published guidelines favor psychotherapy above medication as the first line treatment for prenatal depression. Poor neonatal adaptation or withdrawal symptoms in the neonate may occur with fetal exposure in late pregnancy, but the symptoms are mild to moderate and transient. The majority of mothers who decide to stop taking their antidepressants during pregnancy suffer relapsing symptoms. If depression continues postpartum, there is an increased risk of poor mother–infant attachment, delayed cognitive and linguistic skills in the infant, impaired emotional development, and behavioral problems in later life. Bipolar depression, anxiety and substance use disorders, and/or presence of severe psychosocial stress can lead to treatment-resistance. Modified and more complex treatment algorithms are then warranted. Psychiatric medications, interpersonal or cognitive-behavioral therapy, and adjunctive parent–infant/family treatment, as well as social work support, are modalities often required to comprehensively address all issues surrounding the illness.
A list of household objects for robotic retrieval prioritized by people with ALS

Studies have consistently shown that object retrieval would be a valuable task for assistive robots to perform, yet detailed information about the needs of patients with respect to this task has been lacking. In this paper, we present our efforts to better understand the needs of motor impaired patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) with the goal of informing the design and evaluation of assistive mobile robots.
Mass-Related Dynamical Barriers in Triatomic Reactions

A methodology is given to determine the effect of different mass distributions for triatomic reactions using the geometry of shape space. Atomic masses are incorporated into the non-Euclidean shape space metric after the separation of rotations. Using the equations of motion in this non-Euclidean shape space, an averaged field of velocity-dependent fictitious forces is determined. This force field, as opposed to the force arising from the potential, dominates branching ratios of isomerization dynamics of a triatomic molecule. This methodology may be useful for qualitative prediction of branching ratios in general triatomic reactions.
First results from a deep tow multibeam echo-sounder

A new digital tow fish capable of operations to 6 km depth has been outfitted with a 100 kHz multibeam echo-sounder designed to map a 60/spl deg/ swath of seafloor at altitudes ranging from 20 to 700 m above the bottom. The system has been successfully tested in 1500 m of water offshore San Diego. Preliminary results of data analyses indicate that the system has a horizontal spatial resolution of about 1% of the tow fish altitude in the cross-track dimension and a depth resolution of better than 0.3% of altitude with the current implementation of the bottom detection algorithm. >
Measuring and Modeling Repeat and Near-Repeat Burglary Effects

We develop a mathematical framework aimed at analyzing repeat and near-repeat effects in crime data. Parsing burglary data from Long Beach, CA according to different counting methods, we determine the probability distribution functions for the time interval τ between repeat offenses. We then compare these observed distributions to theoretically derived distributions in which the repeat effects are due solely to persistent risk heterogeneity. We find that risk heterogeneity alone cannot explain the observed distributions, while a form of event dependence (boosts) can. Using this information, we model repeat victimization as a series of random events, the likelihood of which changes each time an offense occurs. We are able to estimate typical time scales for repeat burglary events in Long Beach by fitting our data to this model. Computer simulations of this model using these observed parameters agree with the empirical data.
Electrocardiographic Patterns During Resuscitation After Experimentally Induced Ventricular Fibrillation

Continuous closed-chest massage (mechanized and manual) and ventilation with pure oxygen were performed for 15 and 30-minute periods, to maintain viability in 43 dogs with electrically induced ventricular fibrillation. External countershocks were applied and 32 of the animals lived more than 48 hours. The return of electrical and hemodynamic functions of the heart, as well as the function of the central nervous system, were graded arbitrarily to characterize recovery from poor to excellent. Electrocardiographic changes (lead II) were studied in detail and compared with the gross result of survival or death, and also with more quantitative characterization of recovery. When the initial electrocardiogram after defibrillation contained a P wave, the prognosis was most favorable. When the P wave was absent the amount of ST segment depression in the initial complex differentiated the better from the poorer results. During the first hour following defibrillation, a variety of arrhythmias was noted, as well as v...
Shop signs in some small towns in northern Portugal

THIS paper describes the frequency of languages other than Portuguese in shop signs located in six towns, all in northwestern Portugal and close to the border with Spain, each ranging in size from a year-round population of 600 to one of 4,400. One of the towns, Fermentelos, lies slightly southeast of Aveiro. The other five – Afife, Arcos de Valdevez, Caminha, Ponte da Barca, and Vila Praia de Ancora – are north of Porto. The most frequently occurring non-Portuguese phrase in this six-town project was snack bar.
Ontologies of the image and economies of exchange

In the early 1970s, the Aboriginal artist and activist Wandjuk Marika asked the Australian government to investigate the unauthorized use of Yolngu clan designs on a variety of commodity forms, inaugurating a process of recognizing Indigenous ownership of “copyright” in such designs. This treatment of design—and of culture—as a form of property involves understandings and practices of materiality and subjectivity that differ from those informing indigenous, Aboriginal relationships to cultural production and circulation. In this article I explore the significance for material culture theory of recent work on and events in the development of notions of cultural property. One of my main concerns is the relevance of local understandings of objectification, or objectness, and human action—as embedded in object-ideologies. I discuss the limited capacity of legal discourses of cultural property to capture and reflect the concerns of Indigenous Australians about their own relation to culture, to creativity, and to expression.
Reduced Incidence of Dementia in Solid Organ Transplant Patients Treated with Calcineurin Inhibitors

Experimental evidence suggests that the protein phosphatase calcineurin mediates the action of amyloid-β (Aβ) oligomers, the most toxic amyloid species thought to drive initial cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, there is currently no evidence that inhibition of calcineurin could prevent the onset of AD in humans. Here, we report for the first time that individuals chronically treated with calcineurin inhibitors to prevent solid organ transplant rejection have a significantly lower incidence of AD/dementia as compared to the general population. This result prompts further clinical development of calcineurin inhibition as a viable treatment for AD.
The distribution and speciation of dissolved trace metals in a shallow subterranean estuary

Geochemical cycles occurring at the interface between terrestrial and marine groundwaters, in the so-called subterranean estuary (STE), are not well understood for most elements. This is particularly true of the transition metals, many of which have particular ecological relevance as micronutrients or toxicants. To gain a first approximation of trace metal geochemistry in the mixing zone, we examined the distribution of nine dissolved metals (Fe, Mn, Mo, V, Co, Ni, Cu, Pb, and Al) through a shallow STE in Great South Bay, New York, USA. We also performed a simple kinetic and chemical separation of labile and organic-complexed metal species in the STE. Dissolved Mn showed marked subsurface enrichment (up to 755 µM at 15 cm depth) that was suggestive of diagenetic remobilization. Dissolved Fe, however, was higher by more than three orders-of-magnitude in fresh groundwater (90 µM) as compared to marine groundwater (0.02 µM), and pH-mediated removal was evident as slightly acidic fresh groundwater (pH 6.8) mixed with marine groundwater (pH ∼ 8.0). Dissolved Mo, Co, and Ni were primarily cycled with Mn, and highly elevated concentrations relative to bay surface waters (up to 300, 75, and 44 nM, respectively) were observed in the STE. High levels of dissolved Pb (up to 4250 pM) observed in the fresh groundwater were nearly quantitatively removed within the salinity mixing zone, in conjunction with marked reduction of dissolved Al. Dissolved Cu exhibited non-conservative removal throughout the STE, and was correlated with the redox potential of the porewaters. Substantial percentages (> 15%) of organic-metal species were only observed for Cu and Ni, suggesting that these complexes were not generally very important for metal cycling in the STE. Kinetically labile species were observed for all metals examined except Cu and Pb, and represented an approximately constant proportion (between 10% and 70%) of the total dissolved pool for each metal, indicating equilibrium between labile and non-labile species throughout the mixing zone. The non-conservative behavior observed for all metals examined in this study suggests that reactions occurring in the STE are vastly important to the source/sink function of permeable sediments, and studies seeking to quantify SGD-derived trace metal fluxes must take into account biogeochemical processes occurring in the subterranean estuary.
Admiral Lord Keith and the Naval War against Napoleon – By Kevin D. McCranie

Born George Keith Elphinstone in 1746, the youngest surviving son of a debt‐ridden Scottish peer, the subject of this monograph died in 1823 as the wealthy Viscount Keith of Stonehaven Marischal. S...
Comparing Two Methods Used to Mark Juvenile Chinook Salmon: Automated and Manual Marking

Abstract Hatcheries in the U.S. Pacific Northwest are increasingly implementing programs that use an adipose fin clip and coded wire tag to mark a large number of juvenile salmonids Oncorhynchus spp. Traditionally, fin-clipping and tagging were done by hand, but the need to mass-mark large numbers of fish has led to the development of an automated tagging trailer system (Northwest Marine Technology, Inc.). We compared the adipose fin clip quality, coded wire tag retention, and injury rates of juvenile stream-type spring Chinook salmon O. tshawytscha marked and tagged at automated and manual tagging trailers at Warm Springs National Fish Hatchery (NFH) and Carson NFH, two hatcheries located in the Columbia River basin. Clip quality (99% good clips), tag retention (>98%), and injury rates (<7%) were similar between the two types of trailers at Carson NFH, where the manual markers had several years' experience clipping and tagging fish. At Warm Springs NFH, where the majority of manual markers had no previou...
Maspin is up-regulated in premalignant prostate epithelia.

BACKGROUND Maspin, a novel serine protease inhibitor, has been shown to inhibit prostate tumor cell motility and invasion in vitro and to inhibit prostate tumor growth and metastasis in vivo. Maspin expression in high-grade prostate carcinoma (PC) is reduced compared with that in low-grade PC. Interestingly, however, compared with low-grade PC, benign secretory prostate epithelial cells express significantly less maspin. This observation appears paradoxical to a putative tumor suppressive role of maspin in prostate carcinogenesis, and this finding issue needs to be clarified. METHODS We examined maspin expression simultaneously in benign basal cells, benign secretory cells, high-grade prostate intraepithelial neoplasia (HGPIN), low-grade PC, and high-grade PC in 46 radical prostatectomy specimens plus 51 autopsy prostate glands by a combination of immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization. RESULTS Benign basal cells consistently expressed maspin at a high level. In PC, the loss of basolateral maspin expression coincides with loss of the basal cell layer. Maspin expression in secretory cells, on the other hand, appears to undergo a biphasic differential regulation, i.e., essentially absent in benign secretory cells, dramatically up-regulated in HGPIN, then progressively down-regulated through low-grade PC to high-grade PC. Maspin expression in PC is inversely correlated with tumor grade. Furthermore, maspin expression in HGPIN is inversely correlated with the Gleason's grade of the adjacent PC. CONCLUSIONS An up-regulation of maspin expression precedes, rather than occurs at, the critical transition from premalignant prostate lesion of HGPIN to PC. Our data suggest maspin may mark an important transitional phase and play an important role in the premalignancy of the prostate gland. Prostate 53: 255–262, 2002. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
The Kerr effect in hydrogen

Abstract The hyperpolarizability of H2 has been determined from measurements of the dc Kerr effect for H2 gas at T = 25°C and λ = 632.8 nm. The result of these measurements, λev = (4.48 ± 0.05) X 10−62C4 m4 J−3 (γev = 719 ± 7 au), is in fair agreement with the result of the most recent ab initio calculation for H2, γev = 726 au. A refinement of the usual expression for the orientational contribution to the Kerr effect for a gas of quantum rotors has been employed in the analysis of the experimental measurements.
Dana Meadows: thinking globally, acting locally

This article introduces the special issue of System Dynamics Review dedicated to the memory of Dana Meadows. It reviews her role as a leader in the fields of environmental journalism, system dynamics, and systems analysis, and summarizes the articles in the special issue. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Examination of wind turbine generator models response to disturbances

The paper discusses wind turbine generator (WTG) dynamic models intended for power system stability simulations. Presented are results of an examination performed for models of different variable-speed pitch-regulated WTGs. Subject to examination were models' dynamic response to grid-side and wind-side disturbances and models' sensitivity to parameter values. Discussed are phenomena observed in simulations and related concerns in regard to the quality of the models, with emphasis on questionable or non-physical behavior patterns. The paper underlines the need for more verification and validation activities and the necessity for industry organizations to participate in model testing to provide feedback to WTG manufacturers and model developers.
The Atrial Border Electrokymogram in Mitral Regurgitation

Border electrokymograms of the cardiovascular silhouette in various views were obtained at approximately 1.0 cm. intervals in 28 subjects to determine the constancy and the specificity of the atrial border motion and to determine its ability to differentiate organic from functional apical systolic murmurs. Although a "plateau" curve previously reported as pathognomonic of organic mitral regurgitation was obtained in 12 of the 13 individuals with various types of heart disease and with an apical systolic murmur, identical "plateau" curves were obtained in 10 of the 15 individuals with normal hearts and with no apical systolic murmur. Atrial curves previously reported as normal were also obtained in each of the 28 subjects studied. Some of the reasons for these results, which are at variance with those reported by others, are discussed.
Outcome predictors for 143 patients with superior sulcus tumors treated by multidisciplinary approach at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center

Abstract Purpose: Superior sulcus tumors (SST) of the lung are uncommon and constitute approximately 3% of non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). These tumors cause specific symptoms and signs, and are associated with patterns of failure that differ from those seen for NSCLC tumors in other nonapical locations. Prognostic factors and most effective treatments are controversial. We conducted a retrospective study at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center to identify outcome predictors for patients with SST treated by a multidisciplinary approach. Methods and Materials: This retrospective review of 143 patients without distant metastasis at presentation is a continuation of a previous M. D. Anderson study now updated to 1994. In this study, we examine the 5-year survival rate by pretreatment tumor and patient characteristics and by the treatments received. Strict criteria were used to define SST. Actuarial life-table analyses and Cox proportional hazard models were used to compare survival rates. Results: Overall predictors of 5-year survival were weight loss ( p p = 0.03), or vertebral body ( p = 0.05) involvement, stage of the disease ( p p p p = 0.01) were significant independent predictors of 5-year survival. Among patients with Stage IIIA disease, the only predictor of survival was Karnofsky performance score (KPS) ( p = 0.02). For patients with Stage IIIB disease, the only independent predictor of survival was a right superior sulcus location, which was associated with a worse 5-year survival rate than that for patients with tumors in the left superior sulcus ( p = 0.02). More patients with adenocarcinoma than with squamous cell tumors experienced cerebral metastases within 5 years ( p Conclusions: The findings from this study confirm the importance of the new staging system, separating T3 N0 M0 (Stage IIB) from Stage IIIA, since there was a significant difference in the 5-year survival ( p
Single-cell responses associated with rhythmic slow-wave potentials in rat superior colliculi.

The present study was designed to investigate the features of rhythmic slow-wave potentials in the superior colliculi of rats and to study the relationship between these potentials and the activity of single collicular neurons. In contrast to studies in other portions of the visual system, rhythmic slow-wave potentials in the colliculi fell within a single limited range of frequencies from 9 to 26 cycle/sec. Single-cell recordings revealed that numerous collicular neurons were also responding rhythmically, with discharge frequencies generally coinciding with those established for collicular slow-wave potentials. In some animals slow-wave and single-cell potentials were recorded simultaneously through adjacent electrodes, and in all instances the frequency of discharge of single neurons coincided with the frequency of oscillation of the slow-wave potentials. These data suggest the rhythmic postsynaptic potentials in individual collicular neurons may be the mechanism by which rhythmic slow-wave potentials are generated.
Transparent electronics and prospects for transparent displays

Transparent electronics is a nascent technology whose objective is the realization of invisible electronic circuits. Part of the impetus for the development of transparent electronics is the recent availability of p-type transparent conductive oxides (TCOs). With the emergence of p-type TCOs, in addition to conventional n-type TCOs such as indium-tin oxide, tin oxide, and zinc oxide, fabrication of transparent bipolar electronic devices becomes feasible. The first part of this paper reviews TCOs and discusses our work in the development of p-TCOs and alternative TC materials (e.g. sulfides). We have recently invented a novel, n-channel, accumulation-mode transparent thin-film transistor (TTFT). This TTFT is highly transparent, has very little light sensitivity, and exhibits electrical characteristics that appear to be suitable for implementation as a transparent select-transistor in each pixel of an active-matrix liquid-crystal display (AMLCD). Moreover, the processing technology used to fabricate this device is relatively simple and appears to be compatible with inexpensive glass substrate technology. The second part of this paper focuses on TTFTs. If transparent electronics is employed to realize transparent back-plane electronic drivers on transparent substrates, fabrication of a transparent display becomes feasible. The third part of this paper offers an approach for realization of a transparent display.
“McFlu”: The Monroe County, New York, Medicare vaccine demonstration

Abstract Background: Monroe County (MC) NY was one of 9 original sites for the 1988–1992 Medicare Influenza Vaccine Demonstration, which led to Medicare coverage of annual influenza vaccination. The “McFlu” project involved collaboration among university, health department, and practice community. Methods: Community-wide systems for promoting and/or documenting influenza vaccine delivery and for conducting laboratory-based influenza surveillance were established in MC and in neighboring Onondaga County (OC), which served as a comparison site without Medicare coverage of vaccination. Vaccination utilization and virologic surveillance data collected from physician practices, hospitals, and nursing homes were furnished to national demonstration evaluators. Results: Influenza vaccination rates among persons ≥65 years of age increased from 41% to 74% in MC compared to an increase from 46% to 57% in OC. The greatest increase occurred in physician offices utilizing an innovative vaccination promotion and tracking strategy. Community-wide influenza A/H3N2 and B outbreaks were documented in three successive demonstration years, affording investigators the opportunity to better define influenza impact and vaccine effectiveness among the Medicare population. Conclusion: The McFlu project exemplifies the potential for linking the academic and public health sectors to complement each others’ strengths in planning, implementing and documenting a targeted program for improving community health. This model of medicine and public health collaboration should be applicable to attaining other well articulated goals for the health of the public.