cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
WASN-Based Day-Night Characterization of Urban Anomalous Noise Events in Narrow and Wide Streets.

In addition to air pollution, environmental noise has become one of the major hazards for citizens, being Road Traffic Noise (RTN) as its main source in urban areas. Recently, low-cost Wireless Acoustic Sensor Networks (WASNs) have become an alternative to traditional strategic noise mapping in cities. In order to monitor RTN solely, WASN-based approaches should automatize the off-line removal of those events unrelated to regular road traffic (e.g., sirens, airplanes, trams, etc.). Within the LIFE DYNAMAP project, 15 urban Anomalous Noise Events (ANEs) were described through an expert-based recording campaign. However, that work only focused on the overall analysis of the events gathered during non-sequential diurnal periods. As a step forward to characterize the temporal and local particularities of urban ANEs in real acoustic environments, this work analyses their distribution between day (06:00–22:00) and night (22:00–06:00) in narrow (1 lane) and wide (more than 1 lane) streets. The study is developed on a manually-labelled 151-h acoustic database obtained from the 24-nodes WASN deployed across DYNAMAP’s Milan pilot area during a weekday and a weekend day. Results confirm the unbalanced nature of the problem (RTN represents 83.5% of the data), while identifying 26 ANE subcategories mainly derived from pedestrians, animals, transports and industry. Their presence depends more significantly on the time period than on the street type, as most events have been observed in the day-time during the weekday, despite being especially present in narrow streets. Moreover, although ANEs show quite similar median durations regardless of time and location in general terms, they usually present higher median signal-to-noise ratios at night, mainly on the weekend, which becomes especially relevant for the WASN-based computation of equivalent RTN levels.
HYDROTHERMAL REGULARLY INTERSTRATIFIED CHLORITE-VERMICULITE AND TOBERMORITE IN ALTERATION ZONES AT GOLDFIELD, NEVADA

Hydrothermal alteration of andesitic and dacitic rocks in the Goldfield District, Nevada, has produced regularly interstratified chlorite—vermiculite and tobermorite. X-ray diffraction and oscillating-heating data indicate the regular interstratification of the chlorite-vermiculite. This mineral is found in the zone of least alteration and was formed by the alteration of hornblende phenocrysts. Penninite is an intermediate stage in this reaction. Increased intensity of alteration resulted in the disappearance of chlorite—vermiculite and the development of montmorillonite. Tobermorite, found only in the dacite, is associated with alunite as pseudomorphs after plagioclase phenocrysts in the most intense zone of alteration. The intermediate stage of hydration for tobermorite is indicated by the 11 A spacing of the 002 diffraction peak. Oscillating-heating X-ray data at atmospheric pressure show that tobermorite decomposes thermally in two stages. The (00l) planes collapse at approximately 520 °C and crystal planes having an 8 A periodicity collapse at about 760 °C. Wollastonite develops from tobermorite above 700 °C under static heating conditions.
Learning to use episodic memory for event prediction

When should episodic memories be stored and retrieved to support event understanding? Traditional list-learning memory experiments make it obvious when to store and retrieve memories, but it is less obvious when to do this in naturalistic settings. To address this question, we trained a memory-augmented neural network to predict upcoming events, in an environment where situations (sets of parameters governing transitions between events) sometimes reoccurred. The model was allowed to learn a policy for when to consult episodic memory, and we explored how this learned policy varied as a function of the task environment. We found that the learned retrieval policy is shaped by internal uncertainty about upcoming events, the level of penalty associated with incorrect predictions, the confusability of stored memories, the presence of a "familiarity signal" indicating the availability of relevant memories, and the presence of statistical regularities (prototypical events). With regard to encoding policy, we found that selectively storing episodic memories at the end of an event (but not mid-event) leads to better subsequent event prediction performance and less incorrect recall. Additionally, we found that the model can integrate information over long timescales even without the hippocampus; it can link information over many event segments via episodic memory; and it shows classic schema-consistent memory effects when the upcoming time point has a prototypical event. Overall, these modeling results provide a normative explanation of several existing behavioral and neuroimaging findings regarding the use of episodic memory in naturalistic settings, and lead to a wide range of testable predictions.
GMO Policies and Practices: A Global Overview with Special Focus on Turkey

Abstract This chapter starts with a global overview of the growth in production of GM crops, their governing regulations, related promises and concerns, and culminates with the examination of the state of these crops and related policies and public perceptions in Turkey. GMO regulations in Turkey date back to 1998, evolving in scope to include biosecurity in 2004, import, processing, export, control and inspection in 2009, and expanding with the implementation of Biosafety Law in 2010. The stated purpose of this highly restrictive law is to prevent risks arising from GMOs and products in order to protect human, animal, phytosanitary, environmental, and biological diversity. It bans inclusion of genetically engineered (GE) ingredients in baby food and supplementary foods for young children, bans cultivation/production of GE plants and animals, and planting of GE seeds. Meanwhile, discussions on the benefits and risks of GMOs have continued intensively in Turkey, similar to many other countries, concerning how GM plants will reduce the use of herbicides, pesticides and fertilizers or result in emergence of resistant weeds and insects, cause environmental pollution or adversely affect human health in the long term. Data on sales, consumption and inspections of GM products is very limited. As of 2017, only 36 GE varieties of soybean and corn were approved for animal feed and none for human food use or cultivation. Imported products are subject to strict examination, as Turkey does not accept point of origin testing.
A nutty idea: Exploring a novel method using a hazelnut cocoa spread to temporarily increase maternal care behavior within a rat litter

Maternal care plays a crucial role for infant development. In humans, skin-to-skin care is often used for preterm infants to reduce acute stress and improve long-term developmental outcome. Here we propose a new translational approach to study the effects of acute increases in maternal care on offspring development in rodents. First, pilot studies determined that dams spent more time licking pups covered in hazelnut cocoa spread (Nutella® )) than any other studied substance. For the main experiment, Sprague-Dawley rats were bred in-house, and Nutella® was applied four times a day to treatment pups (2 males/females per litter) of seven litters from PN2 to 5. Control pups (2 males/females per litter) were handled similarly without applying any substance. Maternal licking and grooming behavior was observed for 30 min following each Nutella® application. Nutella® -covered pups received significantly more licking and grooming compared to control pups within each litter. There was no difference in body weight or basal serum corticosterone levels between Nutella® -covered and control pups on PN5, suggesting that the Nutella® application and subsequent increased maternal licking was not stressful for the pups. Future studies will investigate whether this increase in maternal care can protect pups from stress- or pain-induced rises in corticosterone.
“My job is to unsettle folks”: Perspectives on a praxis toward racial justice

Abstract Using phenomenographic case study, this article explores antiracist teacher education praxis through the perspectives of student-nominated faculty. I theorize four concrete practices that serve to move teacher education pedagogy closer to active antiracism: 1) model vulnerability; 2) shift agency; 3) build community; and 4) pose questions. These practices are further explicated and understood as existing at the root of humanization and criticality. I ultimately argue that teacher education must be a project in humanization in order to be truly antiracist, and that teacher preparation programs must be grounded in critical race theories. Implications for future research are also discussed.
Educated and Empowered : The Process of a Cross-Cultural Community Collaboration

In this paper, we describe the process by which a team of interdisciplinary graduate and undergraduate students, together with their faculty, engaged in a semester-long project in which they partnered with and planned a community-facing event with, by, and for the local Haitian immigrant community. The event, Educated and Empowered, consisted of a three-hour long community fair which provided members of the local Haitian community with resources on area social service agencies, opportunities forcivic engagement, and an outlet for building social capital via both intra-cultural bonding and cross-cultural bridging. A discussion of the key take-aways (lessons learned) and reflections on student learning are provided.
Perceptions Versus Reality: First Year/Early Career Faculty Expectations and Experiences through the Lens of Negentropy

The first year of faculty members’ time at an institution of higher education is spent learning their role and institutional culture. Quite often new faculty members need more support, guidance, an...
Feasibility of using a physics engine to virtually compact asphalt mixtures in a gyratory compactor

Abstract Optimization of asphalt mixtures in the laboratory is essential to maximize its performance in a pavement structure and reduce the likelihood of expensive premature failures. Several material and mixture variables affect the performance of an asphalt mixture. Evaluating the innumerable combinations of these variables in the laboratory to optimize an asphalt mixture is onerous. Computational models can supplement such laboratory-based optimization studies due to their capability of executing a broad range of parametric and probabilistic analyses. This study demonstrates the potential of using a physics engine to simulate the asphalt mixture compaction process. Physics engines were originally developed for animation and video games, however, with improvement in their accuracy, they are currently being used in many research areas. This study presents a computational model developed using an open source physics engine to virtually compact asphalt mixtures in a gyratory compactor. This model uses 3D laser-scanned representations of real aggregate particles and incorporates the viscous and cohesive nature of the asphalt mortar through customized subroutines. To demonstrate the feasibility of this model, the effect of the three key compaction parameters (i) angle of gyration, (ii) compaction pressure, and (iii) specimen height on the compaction characteristics were analyzed and compared with laboratory findings from various studies. Results suggest that the developed model can be used as a reasonably accurate means to simulate asphalt mixture compaction. This study also demonstrates that such simulations can be carried out using realistic and representative particle shapes in 3D, in a reasonable time using desktop computers.
EFFECTS OF SUBNARCOTIC DOSES OF ETHYLURETHANE ON RESISTANCE TO SEVERE ANOXIA IN RATS

Effects of ethylurethane, phenobarbital, chloralose and morphine on the survival of rats in 145 mm Hg (altitude of about 12km.) were studied at 8° to 20°C.1. The mean survival time of control rats and the confidence limit was 1.9±1.6min.(P=0.001).2. The survival time of rats administered with ethylurethane, 0.05 to 1.0g/kg., was prolonged; over 60min. in the majority of cases.3. The survival time of rats administered with phenobarbital, 0.05 to 0.2g/kg., was similarly prolonged, though accompanied with a certain inhibition of respiration.4. With chloralose (0.1g/kg.), half of the rats survived over 30 min. Respiration was strongly inhibited.5. With morphine, no increased survival was observed.
Early Professional Years

During Christmas vacation 1885 father was reading an article written by David Gill1, Her Majesty’s astronomer at the Cape of Good Hope, entitled ‘To Lead’ in an astronomical journal about a big project that Gill was hoping to undertake. The project entailed making a catalog of all the stars of the Southern Hemisphere up to the tenth magnitude using photographic techniques. There was a tremendous amount of work that still had not been done. For the northern hemisphere the Bonner Durchmusterung, completed in 1859 under the leadership of Friedrich Argelander2 of the Bonner Observatory, already existed. The latter was a catalog of 324 000 stars up to magnitude 9.5 each of which had been recorded visually between the years 1852 and its completion in 1859. Although the positions were provided with reasonable accuracy, the Bonner catalog was of the greatest importance to astronomers. It was virtually the only source for research for ‘the construction of the heavens’,3 which entailed studies of the density4 and luminosity5 distribution of the stars, as well as the basis of a great number of newer research problems. More than any other, this catalog contributed to an understanding of the movement of the stars. As a result of the Bonner catalog, Argelander brought to light many of the mistakes of other stellar catalogs. Above all, astronomers found this work a faithful and reasonably complete representation of the Northern Hemisphere as understood in 1860.
Glasses and ceramics as coatings for massive supports

Glasses and ceramics are often used as coatings for prostheses made from a different material. The aims of these applications are many, notably: 1. to defend the support against chemical attack; 2. to separate the support from the surrounding tissue in order to avoid any kind of inflammatory or other negative reaction by making the prosthesis biocompatible; 3. to turn a non-bioactive surface into a bioactive one.
Motion Correction of MRI from Orthogonal k-Space Phase Difference

Correction of artifacts in MRI from in-plane 2-D rigid body translational motion is possible using only the raw data of two standard 2DFT images acquired of the same object with phase encode direction swapped. Previous techniques simply use multiple or orthogonal images to reduce artifacts through interference or geometric averaging. The orthogonal k-space phase difference (ORKPHAD) provides an overdetermined system of linear equations which can be solved directly to find the phase errors caused by the motion, and thus correct for arbitrary translations in both image.
The role of the backchannel in collaborative learning environments

Students at UC Berkeley's School of Information have participated in a persistent, online "backchannel" chatroom during class since the Fall of 2004. This paper describes the affordances offered by this technology for enhanced peer-to-peer and teacher-student interactions in a collaborative learning environment.
Lymphotoxin-expressing marginal zone B cells support marginal zone integrity by maintaining the megakaryoblastic leukemia-1 expression (BA4P.221)

Marginal zone macrophages (MZMs) engulf apoptotic debris and play a key role in preventing autoimmunity. We previously reported that in autoimmune BXD2 mice, there is a progressive reduction in the function and numbers of MZMs associated with a gradual decline in MZ B cells. MZ B cells, compared with follicular B cells, expressed higher levels of membrane bound lymphotoxin (mLT). A mixed bone marrow reconstitution( Ly5.1 + Ltβr + : Ly5.2 + Ltβr - =1:1) in Rag1 -/- mice with an biased repopulation of MZMs (88:12), demonstrated that LT was essential for the maintenance of MZMs. To identify the mechanism of mLT on the maintenance of MZMs, MZM gene expression of BXD2 mice treated with PBS or soluble LTβ receptor (LTβR-Ig) was analyzed by the Illumina MouseWG-6 chips. Pathway analysis revealed that megakaryoblastic leukemia-1(MKL1) mediated genes were the most significantly down-regulated by LTβR-Ig. MKL1 is a Rho kinase mechanosensing signal that mediates cell elasticity. There was dramatic reduction of MKL1 in MZMs of BXD2 and CD19.Cre LTβ f/f mice, compared to normal B6 mice. Similarly, there were reduced MZMs as well as spontaneous development of germinal centers and autoantibodies in B6- Mkl1 +/- mice, compared to Mkl1 +/+ mice. Administration of CCG1423 (0.15 mg/kg), a Rho/MKL1inhibitor, to BXD2 mice exacerbated the loss of MZMs. Together, our results suggest a novel immune tolerance mechanism that LT + B cells in the MZ support MZM integrity by maintaining cell elastic signal, MKL1
Old Globular Clusters in the Magellanic Clouds

The old globular clusters in the Magellanic Clouds are important links between our understanding of globular clusters in our own galaxy and similar unresolved objects in more distant galaxies. The Cloud clusters spread over a large range in age. Several contain RR Lyrae variable stars. High weight abundance data are needed for individual cluster members as well as deeper color-magnitude diagrams.
Why am I so tired after my stroke

Background: Fatigue is a common complaint after a stroke, and contributes to the large national burden of caring for stroke victims. Nevertheless, causes and cures for post-stroke fatigue are generally under-appreciated. Discussion: Post-stroke fatigue can be organic, psychological, emotional, or a combination of these. A precise diagnosis will aid in treatment planning for effective return to normal levels of activity. Depending on the cause of fatigue, a post-stroke patient may benefit from physical therapy, occupational therapy, anti-depressants, counseling, and careful attention to basic needs. However, patients and care-givers should be patient and recognize that a stroke victims may never fully recover their abilities and dealing with fatigue may be a long-term issue. Conclusion: Post-stroke fatigue can be vexing but multi-modal rehabilitation often allows at least some improvement. Additional research on effective therapy for different sources of fatigue will benefit our stroke patients in the future.
Structure and Substance in Artificial‐phonology Learning, Part I: Structure

Artificial analogues of natural-language phonological patterns can often be learned in the lab from small amounts of training or exposure. The difficulty of a featurally-defined pattern has been hypothesized to be affected by two main factors, its formal structure (the abstract logical configuration of the defining features) and its phonetic substance (the concrete phonetic interpretation of the pattern). This paper, the first of a two-part series, reviews the experimental literature on structural effects. The principal finding is a robust complexity effect: Patterns which depend on more features are reliably harder to learn.
Nuclear structure physics at Yale and beyond

Some of the new experimental equipment, available at the Wright Nuclear Structure Laboratory including the YRAST Ball array and some of its auxiliary detectors are described. Aspects of the nuclear structure physics program at the WNSL is reviewed. Several new results are presented including the investigation of low lying 0+ states in 154 Sm and the observation of a possible new magnetic rotational band in 205Rn is reported.
An Introduction to $\omega$-Extensions of $\omega$-Groups

Let e stand for the set of nonnegative integers ( numbers ), V for the class of all subcollections of e ( sets ), Λ for the set of isols, Λ R for the set of regressive isols, and for the set of mappings from a subset of e into e ( functions ). If ƒ is a function we write δƒ and ρƒ for its domain and range, respectively. We denote the inclusion relation by ⊃ and proper inclusion by ⊊. The sets α and β are recursively equivalent [written: α ≃ β ], if δƒ = α and ρƒ = β for some function ƒ with a one-to-one partial recursive extension. We denote the recursive equivalence type of a set α , { σ ∈ V ∣ σ ≃ α } by Req( α ). The reader is assumed to be familiar with the contents of [1], [2], [3], and [6]. The concept of an ω -group was introduced in [6], and that of an ω -homomorphism in [1]. However, except for a few examples, very little is known about the structure of ω -groups. If G is an ω -group and Π is an ω -homomorphism, then it follows that K = Ker Π and H = Π(G) are ω -groups. The question arises that if we know the structure of K and H , then what can we say about the structure of G ? In this paper we will begin the study of ω -extensions, which will give us a partial answer to this question.
Comparison of glycohemoglobin determination and the one-hour oral glucose screen in the identification of gestational diabetes

Abstract A prospective study was undertaken to evaluate the use of glycohemoglobin (HbA 1 ) as a screening tool for the detection of gestational diabetes in 90 subjects. At 28 to 30 weeks, these patients had an HbA 1 determination prior to diabetes screening with a 1-hour serum glucose after 50 gm of oral glucose. Those women with an abnormal screening result were then evaluated with a standard 3-hour oral glucose tolerance test. Forty-seven women had an abnormal 1-hour serum glucose (≥ 140 mg/dl). Nine of these 47 women (19%) had an abnormal HbA 1 . Four of these nine women (44.4%) with an abnormal screening glucose as well as an abnormal HbA 1 demonstrated an abnormal oral glucose tolerance test. Eleven of 38 women (29%) with an abnormal glucose screen but normal HbA 1 had an abnormal glucose tolerance test. The combination of two abnormal tests, glucose screen and HbA 1 , predicted gestational diabetes in only four of 15 (27%) of our patients. The sensitivity and specificity of this combination were 22.4% and 87.8%, respectively. The median values of HbA 1 with normal and abnormal glucose tolerance tests were 7.8% (range, 4.9% to 11.5%) and 8.2% (range, 5.4% to 12%), respectively. These values were not significantly different. These data confirm that HbA 1 alone or in combination with a 50 gm glucose screen is not a sensitive screening tool for the detection of gestational diabetes mellitus.
Expertise and scientific publishing: geopress expands activities at Fall Meeting

The AGU book imprint, geopress, showcased its expanded activity during events in San Francisco this year. The annual meeting of the AGU Books Board was well attended, underscoring the geopress commitment to transforming the future of its scientific publishing, and the board proposed a number of ideas to enhance AGU's role in informing society about the Earth and space sciences. This year, responding to member feedback, geopress took a new approach to its information sessions and held daily sessions instead of one lunchtime presentation. The result was that more than 3 times as many potential authors and editors explored the opportunity to achieve AGU's goal of informing society about the excitement of Earth and space sciences.
X-ray studies of cold-worked ternary alloys containing Pd-Ag-Au

The structure of highly deformed filings of the Pd-Ag-Au ternary alloy system has been studied by using the Warren-Averbach X-ray diffraction line profile analysis. The effective particle size and root mean square strain were determined over a range of compositions and were found to be anisotropic. Stacking fault probabilities were obtained from shifts in the peak positions. An extrapolation technique was employed for the determination of the twin fault probabilities which eliminates most of the ambiguity associated with the separation of the overlapping tails between the (111)-(200) peaks. Although a large range in composition was examined, very little variation was observed in the effective particle size, nonuniform microstrain, stacking fault probability, and twin fault probability. Consequently, these quantities are nearly constant except at the corners of the ternary diagram, where the pure elements are approached. Cold working had an appreciable effect on the lattice parameter at certain compositions. For alloys containing all three components both an increase and a decrease in the lattice parameter was observed as the palladium composition was varied. Deformed alloys containing palladium and silver gave lattice parameters which are essentially the same as those reported for the annealed state.
Experimental observations on thin crystals of Bi2(Te1−xSx)3 in the localization region

Abstract Experiments have been performed on thin cleaved crystals of Bi 2 (Te 1− x S x ) 3 . Results are compared to similar experiments performed on other 2D systems. Similarities, differences, and measurements unique to thin crystals are discussed.
Topologically driven local minimizers of the Oseen-Frank energy

The analogy between certain liquid crystals and superconductivity has been recognized and explored by a number of scientists. In particular, mathematical techniques first developed within the Ginzburg–Landau theory of superconductivity have proven useful when adapted to the setting of liquid crystals. Here we pursue nontrivial stable liquid crystal configurations, motivated by an approach used by the authors in the setting of Ginzburg–Landau to produce persistent currents in topologically nontrivial domains. Our starting point is the Oseen-Frank energy for a nematic, but we add to the standard model a term that penalizes deviation of the director from a given plane.
Hand-assisted vs. retroperitoneal laparoscopic nephrectomy.

Purpose: We retrospectively compared our initial experience with the hand-assisted and retroperitoneal laparoscopic nephrectomy techniques to determine if there are important differences between th...
THE DISTRIBUTION OF DICTYOSTELID CELLULAR SLIME MOLDS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WITH TAXONOMIC NOTES ON SELECTED SPECIES

A B S T R A C T The occurrence and distribution of Dictyostelid cellular slime molds in southern California were investigated by means of a clonal isolation technique that permitted quantitative sampling of populations. Thirteen species were isolated. These include (in approximate order of decreasing frequency): Dictyostelium rosarium Raper and Cavender, D. mucoroides Brefeld, D. sphaerocephalum (Oud.) Sacc. and March., D. aureum Olive, Polysphondylium pallidum Olive, D. minutum Raper, D. giganteum Singh, D. purpureum Olive, P. violaceum Brefeld, D. mucoroides variant, Acytostelium leptosomum Raper and Quinlan, D. polycephalum Raper, and a new species of Dictyostelium. D. rosarium and D. aureum, both rarely reported in the literature, were common and widespread. Trends in habitat preference of the Dictyostelids encountered are discussed. Selected taxonomic details are provided for D. rosarium, D. aureum and members of the "D. mucoroides complex"-D. mucoroides, D. sphaerocephalum, D. giganteum, and a D. mucoroides variant.
Tripod index: a new radiographic parameter assessing foot alignment.

Background: No single radiographic measurement takes into account complete foot alignment. We have created the Tripod Index (TI) to allow assessment of complex foot deformities using a standing anteroposterior (AP) radiograph of the foot. We hypothesized that TI would demonstrate good intraobserver and interobserver reliability and correlate with currently accepted radiographic parameters, in both flatfoot and cavovarus foot deformities. Methods: Three groups of patients were studied: 26 patients (30 feet) with flatfoot, 29 patients (30 feet) with cavovarus foot, and 51 patients (60 feet) without foot deformity as controls. Weight-bearing radiographs were obtained: foot AP with a hemispherical marker around the heel plus standard lateral and hindfoot alignment views. Radiographic measurements were made by 2 blinded investigators. Statistical analysis included intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs), correlation of the TI with existing radiographic measurements using Pearson coefficients, and comparison between patient groups using analysis of variance. Results: Intraobserver and interobserver ICCs of TI (0.99 and 0.98, respectively) were excellent. In the flatfoot group, TI significantly correlated with AP talonavicular coverage angle (r = 0.43), medial cuneiform-fifth metatarsal height (r = -0.59), coronal plane hindfoot alignment (r = 0.53), and clinical hindfoot alignment (r = 0.39). In the cavovarus foot group, TI correlated significantly with AP talonavicular coverage angle (r = 0.77), calcaneal pitch angle (r = 0.39), medial cuneiform- fifth metatarsal height (r = -0.65), coronal plane hindfoot alignment (r = 0.55), and clinical hindfoot alignment (r = 0.61). Statistically significant differences between flatfoot-control and cavovarus foot-control were found in TI, AP talonavicular coverage angle, lateral talo-first metatarsal angle, calcaneal pitch angle, medial cuneiform-fifth metatarsal height, coronal plane hindfoot alignment, and clinical assessment of hindfoot alignment (all with P < .001). Conclusion: The TI was demonstrated to be a valid and reliable radiographic measurement to quantify the magnitude of complex foot deformities when evaluating flatfoot and cavovarus foot. Clinical Relevance: The TI may be helpful as an integrated assessment of complex foot deformities. Further clinical studies are recommended. Level of Evidence: Level III, retrospective comparative study.
Salivary α-amylase as a measure of endogenous adrenergic activity

SUMMARY. This investigation was designed to evaluate the production rates and concentrations of salivary a-amylase as a measure of adrenergic activity under several conditions of stress in human subjects. Saliva and blood samples were simultaneously collected from men at four 15 min intervals both before and after regimens for exercise, a written examination, or a rest period. The regressions of salivary a-amylase on plasma norepinephrine (NE) concentrations were significant for both exercise (P < 0–001) and examination (P < 0.01) protocols. Aerobic exercise induced a 3-fold mean increase in a-amylase; both NE and epinephrine (EP) increased ≅5-fold over control levels. Levels of a-amylase and NE returned to control levels within 30.45 min after exercise, but EP remained elevated by ≅2-fold during the remaining hour of observation. During the written examination, α-amylase and NE, but not EP, concentrations increased in parallel. In further studies the effects of exercise and exposure to heat and cold on the relationship of salivary a-amylase to heart rate and body temperature were investigated. Greater intensities of exercise were associated with greater increases in a-amylase concentrations. During heat exposure in a sauna (66 ° C for 40 min) amylase, heart rate and body temperature all increased progressively. However, during exposure to cold (4 ° C for 40 min) amylase increased rapidly, though heart rate and body temperature remained unchanged. Salivary Cortisol concentrations were unchanged during exposure to heat or cold. We conclude that salivary a-amylase concentrations are predictive of plasma catecholamine levels, particularly NE, under a variety of stressful conditions, and may be a more direct and simple end point of catecholamine activity than are changes in heart rate.
Utility of the NEO-FFI in multi-dimensional assessment of orofacial pain conditions

The purpose of this study was to examine the utility of using the NEO-FFI personality assessment as part of multi-dimensional psychological assessment in orofacial pain patients during the initial diagnostic visit. All patients completed an orofacial pain questionnaire and a battery of psychological questionnaires that cover a wide range of symptoms and behaviors important to developing a comprehensive treatment plan. For purposes of the present study, the NEO-FFI was included. Personality characteristics were within normal ranges compared to NEO-FFI norms. Regression analyses demonstrated higher self-reported pain severity was associated with lower openness. Higher psychological distress was associated with higher neuroticism, lower extraversion, and lower openness. In patients reporting a traumatic life experience, neuroticism and extraversion mediated the relationship between trauma-symptoms and psychological distress. The addition of a global personality measure in standard assessment batteries may help the clinician develop coping strategies and techniques based on individual characteristics of the pain patient. Greater understanding of the individual's personality characteristics will likely influence the nature of the pain management program and predict treatment outcomes.
Cohen's Weighted Kappa with Turbo Pascal (FORTRAN).

Abstract A microcomputer based Turbo Pascal and FORTRAN program for Cohen's weighted kappa (κw) is given. Three clinical applications for κw are also presented. A typical data file, the Pascal and FORTRAN program listing and corresponding output are given.
Techniques for labia minora reduction: an algorithmic approach.

Background Aesthetic reduction of the labia minora has gained popularity, and a number of different techniques have been described. Each procedure has its own set of advantages and disadvantages. However, no algorithm has been defined for pairing the degree of deformity with the optimal surgical procedure.
Electromagnetic Test Fields Around a Kerr-Metric Black Hole

Weak electromagnetic perturbations (test fields) in the exterior of a Kerr-metric black hole are studied. It is shown that (i) the only physically acceptable, time-independent perturbation is an axisymmetric field which corresponds to adding charge to the source and (ii) all axisymmetric normal modes are stable which, assuming completeness, guarantees stability for arbitrary axisymmetric perturbations. The proof of the nonexistence of time-independent, nonaxisymmetric test fields actually holds for perturbations associated with any physical (e.g., gravitational) field.
Knowledge-based validation and waste management of batch pharmaceutical process designs

Abstract Designing competitive production processes for the manufacturing of new chemicals requires meeting conflicting objectives such as economic performance, health and safety requirements and compliance with environmental regulations. While new conceptual processing schemes can be effectively generated through the BDK synthesis tools, Simulator_Evaluator and Process_Synthesizer, the ecological soundness of these candidates has to be assessed with respect to their overall performance in order to discriminate between promising candidates and inferior designs. The methodology of the Process_Assessor with its subsystems Material_Assessor and Treatment_Selector, supports evaluation of the quality for each of those designs in terms of their economic and ecological impact. Its features include impact assessment and compliance with regulations caused by all its process streams. The Treatment_Selector expert system suggest feasible treatment technologies for all waste streams and calculates the associated treatment costs. The final validation of the processing schemes includes cost estimates for the appropriate waste treatment strategy. The assessment of materials as well as consideration of the effort for waste treatment allows for identification of improvement potential for promising candidates and the elimination of inferior designs.
Testicular dislocation following minor scrotal trauma.

Abstract Traumatic dislocation of the testicle is a rare injury generally resulting from severe scrotal trauma and displacement of the testicle into the subcutaneous tissua surrounding the external inguinal ring. The authors report here the extremely unusual case of an abdominal disiocation of the testicle in a young patient with an indirect inguinal hernia. In addition this case is particularly atypical in that the injury resulted from a trivial blow to the scrotum. A new mechanism involving preloading of the cremaster muscle as the source of the dislocation is postulated.
Laboratory study of some lightning-induced effects in the ionospheric plasma

Abstract Laboratory experiments have been conducted at MIT, using the student-built Versatile Toroidal Facility (VTF), to investigate some ionospheric plasma effects produced by lightning-induced whistler waves. Lower hybrid waves, generated by the lightning-induced whistler waves, can cause a chain of extensive plasma effects, such as the acceleration of electrons and ions and the spectral broadening of plasma waves. Two mechanisms by which whistler waves generate lower hybrid waves can be important in the ionosphere. One is the simultaneous excitation of lower hybrid waves and low-frequency mode waves by intense whistler waves. The other is the nonlinear mode conversion of whistler waves into lower hybrid waves in the presence of short-scale field-aligned density striations. The effect of lower hybrid waves on the spectra of Langmuir waves has been investigated. The results of VTF laboratory experiments show that lower hybrid waves can beat with Langmuir waves to produce frequency-upshifted and frequency-downshifted Langmuir waves, broadening the spectra of Langmuir waves. The intensity of these beat waves, however, depends upon the angle of wave propagation with respect to the background magnetic field.
DNA damage measured by the comet assay in head and neck cancer patients treated with tirapazamine.

Tirapazamine (TPZ) [3-amino-1,2,4-benzotriazine 1,4-dioxide, SR4233, WIN 59075, and Tirazone™] is a novel anticancer drug that is selectively activated by the low oxygen environment in solid tumors. By killing the radioresistant hypoxic cells, TPZ potentiates the antitumor efficacy of fractionated irradiation of transplanted tumors in mice. As this cell kill is closely correlated with TPZ-induced DNA damage, we investigated whether human head and neck cancers would show DNA damage similar to that seen in mouse tumors following TPZ administration. TPZ-induced DNA damage in both transplanted tumors in mice and in neck nodes of 13 patients with head and neck cancer was assessed using the alkaline comet assay on cells obtained from fine-needle aspirates. The oxygen levels of the patients' tumors were also measured using a polarographic oxygen electrode. Cells from the patients' tumors showed DNA damage immediately following TPZ administration that was comparable to, or greater than, that seen with transplanted mouse tumors. The heterogeneity of DNA damage in the patients' tumors was greater than that of individual mouse tumors and correlated with tumor hypoxia. The similarity of TPZ-induced DNA damage in human and rodent tumors suggests that tirapazamine should be effective when added to radiotherapy or to cisplatin-based chemotherapy in head and neck cancers.
Limits to derived flare properties using estimates for the background fluxes - Examples from GOES

A method has been presented for restricting the random derived flare temperatures and emission measures. The method is based on three tests and is applicable not only to disk-integrated observations, but also for any high-resolution observations that cannot distinguish the emissions from flaring and nonflaring plasma. The first two tests are based on the assumption that both the temperature and the emission measure should increase as the flare flux rises. The third assumes that the preflare temperature of the plasma that flares should exceed the temperature averaged over all other emitting sources. These tests were applied to two solar flares to illustrate the improvements in the derived flare properties. It is shown that flare properties do not always lie between those derived by the use or subtraction of the total preflare flux. The flare properties can, however, be bounded by subtracting and using the long- and short-wavelength preflare fluxes, respectively.
Trends in Teaching Laboratory Medicine in Microbiology to Undergraduate Medical Students: A Survey Study

The teaching laboratory has long been a component of medical microbiology courses. Limited data suggest that many medical schools have eliminated their teaching laboratory for diagnostic microbiology despite support for active learning over didactic lectures and a concern that undergraduate medical student’s education in the area of laboratory medicine is inadequate. A survey study of North American medical schools was conducted to determine if there is a trend towards decreasing or eliminating this teaching laboratory. The study also documented reasons for changes to this teaching laboratory, curricular content of existing microbiology teaching laboratories, and use of computer-assisted instruction. There was a 53 % response rate to the survey. Forty-three percent of medical schools decreased the hours or eliminated the teaching laboratory in diagnostic microbiology entirely between 2002 and 2012, and an additional 7 % of schools have plans to decrease hours or eliminate this teaching laboratory. Changes to the teaching laboratory were most often due to limited resources, reduced teaching hours, and overarching curricular changes. Because the way in which medical students are taught laboratory medicine in microbiology is undergoing a significant change, educators need to ensure that the learning experience is sufficient, and the quality is not compromised as a result.
Tissue-specific regulation of the growth hormone receptor gene in streptozocin-induced diabetes in the rat

Abnormalities of GH secretion and clearance are well-documented in poorly controlled insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM), but the contribution of the receptor (GHR) and the GH-binding protein (GHBP) to these abnormalities has not been defined. We studied the expression of the GHR/GHBP gene in the livers, hearts and kidneys in streptozocin-induced diabetes (STZ-D) in the rat. GHR and GHBP mRNA levels were measured by Northern blot and ribonuclease protection assays. Whereas levels of GHR and GHBP mRNA were significantly decreased in liver and heart of STZ-D rats when compared with the control group (P < 0.01), GHR mRNA was significantly increased in the kidneys of STZ-D rats (P = 0.03). Six days of insulin treatment did not significantly alter the levels of GHR/GHBP mRNA in the liver or heart of STZ-D rats, but significantly decreased GHBP mRNA (P = 0.04) in the kidney. Circulating IGF-I was reduced, as was IGF-I mRNA in the liver and heart of STZ-D rats; only circulating IGF-I was restored by insulin treatment. Neither STZ-D nor insulin treatment affected IGF-I or IGF-I receptor mRNA concentrations in the kidney. We conclude that (1) STZ-D modulates the expression of the GHR/GHBP gene and (2) that these changes in GHR/GHBP mRNA concentrations are tissue-specific; STZ-D decreases GHR/GHBP mRNA in liver and heart tissue but increases GHR mRNA concentrations in the kidney. Our results indicate a role for decreased numbers of hepatic GHRs in the pathogenesis of resistance to GH's actions in terms of IGF-I generation and promotion of linear growth in IDDM. We postulate that increased GHR expression in the kidney may be involved in the renal complications of IDDM.
Mycotic aneurysm of the suprarenal aorta secondary to Streptococcus pneumoniae: an unusual pathogen.

Mycotic aneurysms of the suprarenal aorta are rare lesions, accounting for less than 1% of aortic reconstructions for aneurysmal disease. The bacteriology of these lesions differs from the infrarenal aneurysms and primarily consists of Gramnegative organisms. We report an unusual case of an 87-year-old man successfully treated for a ruptured mycotic suprarenal aortic aneurysm caused byStreptococcus pneumoniae. We have not seen a previously reported case where this pathogen has been associated with a suprarenal mycotic aneurysm. The unique bacteriology of these aneurysms is reviewed along with theories of etiology and their classification. The current management of these aneurysms is summarized.
Complementary hemispheric specialization in monkeys

Twenty-five split-brain monkeys were taught to discriminate two types of visual stimuli that engage lateralized cerebral processing in human subjects. Differential lateralization for the two kinds of discriminations was found; the left hemisphere was better at distinguishing between tilted lines and the right hemisphere was better at discriminating faces. These results indicate that lateralization of cognitive processing appeared in primates independently of language or handedness. In addition, cerebral lateralization in monkeys may provide an appropriate model for studying the biological basis of hemispheric specialization.
Nanocluster rotation on Pt surfaces: Twist boundaries

Nanoscale Pt particles situated on a Pt surface are studied by molecular dynamics simulations. It is shown that for the simple case of symmetrical twist boundaries with low index planes, the structure and dynamics of the system are sensitive to finite size effects. Namely, below a specific nanoparticle size the particles will align themselves with the substrate, while for larger particles a stable array of grain boundary dislocations is created. It is shown that nanoparticle rotation is a direct result of athermal slip of the grain boundary dislocations that are created at the particle-substrate interface. The size effects are unique to nano-sized particles and thus have not yet been observed in past experiments. The simulations also show that the energy and structure of the boundaries are also affected by the system size.
Comparison of manic and depressive symptoms between children and adolescents with bipolar spectrum disorders.

Objective To compare the most severe lifetime (current or past) mood symptoms, duration of illness, and rates of lifetime comorbid disorders among youth with Bipolar (BP) spectrum disorders.
Prolonging organ allograft survival: potential role of nitric oxide scavengers.

A growing number of studies suggest a key role of nitric oxide (NO) derived from the inducible NO synthase (iNOS) isoform as a signalling molecule leading to acute organ transplant rejection. Current theory suggests that NO targets certain tissue proteins for nitrosylation or nitration leading to inhibition of enzyme/protein function and to cell death via apoptosis. Gene expression of iNOS and formation of nitrotyrosine residues have been confirmed in biopsies of rejecting grafts in humans. Experimental attempts to delay graft rejection by treatment with iNOS enzyme inhibitors have yielded conflicting results. An alternative strategy to alter rejection mediated by NO is to scavenge and/or neutralise the actions of excess NO, thereby by-passing the inhibition of iNOS enzyme activity. This review summarises recent laboratory evidence that new experimental NO scavengers/neutralisers have potential value to prolong graft survival. To date, various metal-based NO scavenging/neutralising compounds have been shown to enhance cardiac allograft survival in the absence of immunosuppression. When used in combination with low-dose cyclosporin, these agents produce a synergistic action to enhance graft survival or even to produce ‘permanent graft survival’ under certain prolonged drug regimens. A portion of this benefit may be accounted for by the property of some of these compounds to display immunosuppressant and anti-inflammatory activity in vivo. These properties are based on findings including the following: (i) attenuating cell infiltration into the graft; (ii) attenuating activation of NFκB (a transcription factor important for upregulation of various inflammatory genes); (iii) attenuating cyclin D3 gene expression (a marker of cell proliferation; (iv) antagonising autoimmune activation (as determined by attenuated cytokine gene expression in splenocytes isolated from treated animals but stimulated for several days ex vivo in mixed lymphocyte cultures).