cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Influence of age and postmenopausal estrogen replacement therapy on carotid arterial stiffness in women.

Objective: This study examines the influence of age and current estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) on common carotid arterial (CCA) stiffness in women. Methods: The subjects comprised 172 women (age 55.6±16.4 years) from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging, including 37 current postmenopausal ERT users. The ERT users included 18 women taking estrogen alone and 19 women taking estrogen and progesterone. Bilateral CCA were examined by B-mode carotid ultrasonography, and the stiffness index was defined as the logarithm of the ratio of systolic to diastolic blood pressure (BP) divided by the fractional diameter increase during the cardiac cycle. Results: The stiffness index increased linearly with age ( r =0.69, p <0.001), and was lower in ERT users than in postmenopausal nonusers (8.0±2.0 vs 9.7±3.1, p <0.01). Furthermore, the effects of age ( β =0.67, p <0.0001) and ERT ( β =−0.23, p <0.001) on the stiffness index persisted after adjustments for systolic BP ( β =0.23, p <0.01), diastolic BP ( β =−0.26, p <0.001) and other cardiovascular risk factors (model r 2=0.59, p <0.0001). The stiffness index was similar in both ERT users with and without progesterone and lower than in postmenopausal nonusers ( p <0.05) after considering the age effects. Conclusion: Age-associated increases in CCA stiffness are reduced by postmenopausal ERT.
Field Photography of Projectiles in Flight

Artillery type projectiles are evaluated in flight for flight integrity and surface-evident structural failures by Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory, Group W-3, by three photographic techniques: (1) range surveillance and gross failures by high speed framing cameras, (2) multiple observations along the firing range by Drum-Film-Image-Synchronized cameras, and (3) photo-chamber, suppressed light microflash photography, utilizing plate and/or drum cameras.
New Technologies for the Evaluation of Esophageal Motility Disorders: Impedance, High-resolution Manometry, and Intraluminal Ultrasound

New technologies have been introduced for studying esophageal function, including intraluminal impedance and ultrasound, whereas conventional techniques, such as manometry, have undergone substantial upgrades because of advances in transducer technology, computerization, and graphic data presentation. Although these techniques provide both novel and more detailed information regarding esophageal function, it is still unclear whether they have improved the ability to diagnose and treat patients more effectively. Regardless, they are innovative research tools and they have added substantially to the understanding of the pathophysiology of dysphagia and esophageal motor dysfunction. This article describes the technical aspects of each of these technologies and the potential benefits they offer over conventional techniques for the evaluation of esophageal motor diseases.
Density dependence, boundedness, and attraction: detecting stability in stochastic systems.

By analogy with deterministic stability, the stability of stochastic ecological systems can be viewed as a tendency for population densities to avoid dynamic boundaries (i.e. boundedness) or to approach a dynamic attractor (i.e. attraction). At the population level, these two views generate predictions consistent with density dependence. I therefore devised two new statistical tests of attraction, the “random-walk attraction test” and the “randomized attraction test”; I then used them successfully, along with randomization techniques that detect boundedness and two autocorrelation methods, to test for density dependence in published sequences of population densities. The attraction tests identify the apparent attractor, the band of densities toward which density tends to shift between generations. Locating the apparent attractor can generate a prediction of the next direction of density change; for data from a dragonfly assemblage, about 80% of these predictions were correct. From the single-population tests, I also developed two multispecies tests of attraction (the multispecies random-walk and randomized attraction tests) and two multispecies tests of boundedness (the multispecies permutation and randomization tests). These detected attraction and boundedness in the dragonfly assemblage and attraction in a collection of laboratory fruitfly populations. An evaluation of the statistical power of the new density attraction tests indicates a strong dependence on the sequence length n and on the number of populations m: power increases with n and particularly with m. Nevertheless, detecting attraction becomes likely even in populations with strong linear density-dependence only with n>30 or for shorter sequences in multispecies assemblages.
Human Genome Project and Sickle Cell Disease

Sickle cell disease is one of the most common genetic blood disorders in the United States that affects 1 in every 375 African Americans. Sickle cell disease is an inherited condition caused by abnormal hemoglobin in the red blood cells. The Human Genome Project has provided valuable insight and extensive research advances in the understanding of the human genome and sickle cell disease. Significant progress in genetic knowledge has led to an increase in the ability for researchers to map and sequence genes for diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of sickle cell disease and other chronic illnesses. This article explores some of the recent knowledge and advances about sickle cell disease and the Human Genome Project.
Spray freezing into liquid (SFL) particle engineering technology to enhance dissolution of poorly water soluble drugs: organic solvent versus organic/aqueous co-solvent systems.

A spray freezing into liquid (SFL) particle engineering technology has been developed to produce micronized powders to enhance the dissolution of poorly water soluble active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs). Previously, a tetrahydrofuran (THF)/water co-solvent was used as the solution source in the SFL process. In the present study, an organic system was developed to further enhance the properties of particles produced by SFL. The influence of solution type (e.g. organic versus organic/water) on the physicochemical properties of SFL powders was investigated and compared. The physicochemical properties of SFL carbamazepine (CBZ)/poloxamer 407/PVP K15 (2:1:1 ratio) powders were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), particle size distribution, surface area analysis, contact angle measurement, Karl-Fisher (KF) titration, gas chromatography (GC) analysis, HPLC analysis, and dissolution testing. The CBZ loading in the feed solution of the SFL acetonitrile system was 2.2% (w/w), which was greater than 0.22% (w/w) loading of the THF/water co-solvent system. XRD results indicated CBZ was amorphous in SFL powders produced by either system. SEM micrographs indicated that SFL powders from acetonitrile appeared less porous with a smaller primary particle size than particles from the co-solvent. The M50 (50% cumulative percent undersize) of micronized powder from the SFL acetonitrile system and the THF/water co-solvent system with 0.22% CBZ loading were 680nm and 7.06microm, respectively. The surface area of SFL powders from the acetonitrile and co-solvent systems were 12.89 and 13.31m(2)/g, respectively. The contact angle of the SFL powders against purified water was about 35 degrees for both systems. The SFL powders from both systems exhibited similar and significantly enhanced dissolution rates compared to the bulk CBZ. Acetonitrile was an effective alternative solvent to THF/water co-solvent for use with the SFL micronization process to produce free flowing particles containing CBZ with significantly enhanced wetting and dissolution properties.
A biomechanical analysis of articular cartilage of the human elbow and a potential relationship to osteochondritis dissecans

A cadaveric study of the articular surfaces of the radiocapitellar joint was undertaken to identify a biomechanical mechanism of osteochondritis dissecans of the humeral capitellum. The articulating radial head and capitellum of fresh anatomic specimens were dissected and tested for intrinsic mechanical properties. Significant differences exist in the mechanical properties and thickness of cartilage topographically in the capitellum and radial head, and between the two surfaces. The medial portion of the radial head is the softest of all radiocapitellar osteochondral segments tested. Comparing medial to lateral sites of the capitellum, there is a trend of decreased stiffness; lateral segments are softer than medial ones. The central section of the radial head is significantly stiffer than the lateral capitellum. There is no significant difference between the stiffness of the radial head sites and the medial capitellum. The disparity in the mechanical properties of the central radial head and lateral capitellum would increase strain in the lateral capitellum. During high-valgus stress activities such as throwing, this increased strain may be a factor in the initiation and localization of the dissecans lesion observed in osteochondritis dissecans of the elbow.
Marijuana use among American Indian adolescents : A growth curve analysis from ages 14 through 20 years

Abstract Objective To describe the developmental course of marijuana use among a group of American Indian adolescents, aged 14 through 20 years. Method A group of 1,766 American Indian adolescents from 3 culture groups provided repeated measures of 30-day marijuana use twice a year across a 3-year period. Linking 5 age cohorts, hierarchical linear modeling was used to model a curvilinear trajectory of marijuana use. Gender and community differences were examined as well. Results Support was found for a "maturational" model of marijuana use across time: Use increased in middle adolescence, peaked in later adolescence, and began to decrease in early adulthood. Both gender and community differences in trajectories were significant as well. Conclusions Marijuana use among American Indian adolescents follows a clear developmental trajectory. Growth curve analysis can provide an additional tool for studying the effects of interventions that may not be apparent in a traditional evaluation design. J. Am. Acad. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry, 1999, 38(1):72–78.
Regeneration homotopies for solving systems of polynomials

We present a new technique, based on polynomial continuation, for solving systems of n polynomials in N complex variables. The method allows equations to be introduced one-by-one or in groups, obtaining at each stage a representation of the solution set that can be extended to the next stage until finally obtaining the solution set for the entire system. At any stage where positive dimensional solution components must be found, they are sliced down to isolated points by the introduction of hyperplanes. By moving these hyperplanes, one may build up the solution set to an intermediate system in which a union of hyperplanes "regenerates" the intersection of the component with the variety of the polynomial (or system of polynomials) brought in at the next stage. The theory underlying the approach guarantees that homotopy paths lead to all isolated solutions, and this capability can be used to generate witness supersets for solution components at any dimension, the first step in computing an irreducible decomposition of the solution set of a system of polynomial equations. The method is illustrated on several challenging problems, where it proves advantageous over both the polyhedral homotopy method and the diagonal equation-by-equation method, formerly the two leading approaches to solving sparse polynomial systems by numerical continuation.
IL-15 protects NKT cells from inhibition by tumor-associated macrophages and enhances antimetastatic activity

Vα24-invariant NKT cells inhibit tumor growth by targeting tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs). Tumor progression therefore requires that TAMs evade NKT cell activity through yet-unknown mechanisms. Here we report that a subset of cells in neuroblastoma (NB) cell lines and primary tumors expresses membrane-bound TNF-α (mbTNF-α). These proinflammatory tumor cells induced production of the chemokine CCL20 from TAMs via activation of the NF-κB signaling pathway, an effect that was amplified in hypoxia. Flow cytometry analyses of human primary NB tumors revealed selective accumulation of CCL20 in TAMs. Neutralization of the chemokine inhibited in vitro migration of NKT cells toward tumor-conditioned hypoxic monocytes and localization of NKT cells to NB grafts in mice. We also found that hypoxia impaired NKT cell viability and function. Thus, CCL20-producing TAMs served as a hypoxic trap for tumor-infiltrating NKT cells. IL-15 protected antigen-activated NKT cells from hypoxia, and transgenic expression of IL-15 in adoptively transferred NKT cells dramatically enhanced their antimetastatic activity in mice. Thus, tumor-induced chemokine production in hypoxic TAMs and consequent chemoattraction and inhibition of NKT cells represents a mechanism of immune escape that can be reversed by adoptive immunotherapy with IL-15–transduced NKT cells.
Semigroups of composition operators in Bergman spaces

Semigroups consisting of composition operators are considered on weighted Bergman spaces. They are strongly continuous, and their infinitesimal generators are identified. One specific semigroup is used to obtain information on an averaging operator.
Multiple myeloma in young men clinical course and electron microscopic studies of bone marrow plasma cells

Two cases of multiple myeloma in young men are described. Electron microscopic characteristics of the bone marrow plasma cells are presented. Multiple myeloma is unusual in the young, and when onset in male patients occurs between the ages of 15 and 25 years, the clinical course is more mild and survival longer, even though response to chemotherapy is limited.
A Fast Numerical Procedure to Solve the Meridional Equations of Motion in a Multistage Axial Flow Turbomachine

A new numerical procedure has been developed to solve the meridional equations of motion in an axial flow turbomachine. It is based on the so-called streamline-curvature method. The primary aim of this project was to reduce the computing-time of existing programs. The procedure has been tested. The new program is coupled with a program for the calculation of end-wall-boundary layers on axial flow compressors. This combination makes the simulation of real flow conditions possible. The pitch wise deviation angles and blade-row efficiencies are generally given as input. For compressor blades of the NACA-65-family they can be called from stored empirical data as function of geometry and the upstream and downstream flow conditions. The paper presents an exact description of the numerical procedure and a computed example.Copyright © 1981 by ASME
Seed triglyceride content and glyoxysomal activity variation in sorghum cultivars

Abstract Three sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L) Moench] cultivars (Funk G522DR, SC283, and SC574) were germinated for 4‐days in sand and the isocitric lyase activity of the embryos was assayed. Glyoxysomal activities (nmol/g fresh weight/min) were: Funk G522DR (593.6), SC574 (117.6), and SC283 (6.5). Seed triglyceride contents were 26.96, 14.88, and 10.80 (μ triglyceride fatty acid/g fresh weight) for Funk G522DR, SC574, and SC283, respectively, with approximately 90% of the triglyceride being in the embryos which constituted 15–21% of the total seed weight. SC574 and SC283 are acid soil tolerant cultivars. Association of high glyoxysomal activity and very low amylase activity in SC574 and the reverse relative activities in SC283 explains the differences in growth of these two cultivars during the seedling impact phase under acid soil conditions. High glyoxysomal and amylase activities in acid soil sensitive Funk G522DR indicates that the acid soil response in juvenile sorghum seedlings is a multi‐factorial i...
Nanoscale Frictional Properties of Mixed Alkanethiol Self-Assembled Monolayers on Au(111) by Scanning Force Microscopy: Humidity Effect

We present a quantitative study of the nanoscale frictional properties of uniform mixed self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of dodecanethiol and 11-mercapto-1-undecanol on Au(111) as a function of surface composition using scanning force microscopy (SFM) at a variety of relative humidities. Surface properties are varied from hydrophobic to hydrophilic by adjusting the surface composition of mixed SAMs. Results show that the frictional properties of mixed SAMs are affected by both surface properties and relative humidities. At lower relative humidity, there is a clear relationship between surface composition and friction coefficient. Thus, it may be possible to determine the local surface composition of a mixed SAM from its friction coefficient measured by SFM under a controlled environment. At higher relative humidity or in water, the friction coefficient is not sensitive to changes in surface composition. Due to the significant effect of the scanning environment, one must be very careful when measuring and ...
Gear trains and continued fractions

(1990). Gear Trains and Continued Fractions. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 97, No. 6, pp. 505-510.
Adiponectin activation of AMPK disrupts leptin-mediated hepatic fibrosis via Suppressors of Cytokine signaling (SOCS-3)

Adiponectin is an adipocytokine that was recently shown to be anti-fibrogenic in hepatic fibrosis. Leptin, on the other hand, promotes hepatic fibrosis. The purpose of the present study was to elucidate a mechanism (or mechanisms) whereby adiponectin dampens leptin signaling in activated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), and prevents excess extracellular matrix production. Activated HSCs, between passages 2 and 5, were cultured and exposed to recombinant human adiponectin and recombinant leptin. Immunoblot analysis for SOCS-3, TIMP-1, and the phosphorylated species of Stat3 and adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) were conducted. We also examined MMP-1 activity by immunosorbant fluorimetric analysis. In HSCs, adiponectin-induced phosphorylation of AMPK, and subsequently suppressed leptin-mediated Stat3 phosphorylation and SOCS-3 induction. Adiponectin also blocked leptin-stimulated secretion of TIMP-1, and significantly increased MMP-1 activity, in vitro. To extend this study, we treated adiponectin knockout mice (Ad-/-) daily with 5 mg/kg recombinant leptin and/or carbon tetrachloride (2 ml/kg) for 6 weeks. Post-necropsy analysis was performed to examine for inflammation, and histological changes in the Ad-/- and wild-type mice. There was no significant difference in inflammation, or aminotransferases, between mice receiving carbon tetrachloride and leptin versus carbon tetrachloride alone. As anticipated, the combination of leptin and CCl(4) enhanced hepatic fibrosis in both wild-type and Ad-/- mice, as estimated by amount of collagen in injured livers, but wild-type mice had significantly higher levels of SOCS-3 and significantly lower levels of TIMP-1 mRNA and protein than did adiponectin KO mice exposed to both CCl(4) and leptin. We therefore conclude that the protective effects of adiponectin against liver fibrosis require AMPK activation, and may occur through inhibition of the Jak-Stat signal transduction pathway.
Changes in the free amino acid pool during environmental stress in the gill tissue of the oyster, Crassostrea virginica

Abstract 1. 1. Oysters were exposed for 2- and 5-day periods to increased salinity (26%.–38%.), anoxia, turbidity and drilling effluents. 2. 2. After two days, the FAA pool in the gill tissue of oysters exposed to 38%. salinity had elevated glycine, alanine and β-alanine levels; oysters exposed to anoxia showed elevated glycine and alanine and decreased aspartic acid levels. 3. 3. After 2 days, both oysters exposed to turbidity and to drilling effluents had increased cysteic acid levels. Glutamic acid and alanine levels were also elevated in oysters exposed to drilling effluents. 4. 4. After 5 days, glycine, alanine and β-alanine remained above control levels in oysters exposed to increased salinity whereas in those exposed to anoxia, turbidity and drilling effluents, a significant decrease in most amino acids occurred with the total FAA pool decreasing by 50%. 5. 5. The FAA pool's response was unique for each stress studied suggesting that the FAA pool may prove to be a useful diagnostic tool for determining a posteriori the causative agent responsible for a given stress response.
Oxidation-stable linoleic acid by inclusion in α-cyclodextrin

Linoleic acid is essential to the skin’s barrier function. Its skin-care and restorative properties make it attractive for use in cosmetics and dermatology. However, its sensitivity to oxidation and tendency to go rancid prevent its use in cosmetic preparations. But in the form of a molecular inclusion compound with α-cyclodextrin, linoleic acid is effectively protected against oxidation. Investigations into the storage and light stability, olfactory tests and headspace analysis of the formulations give evidence of the stability of a suitable inclusion compound. Reversible complexation makes it possible for the first time to use linoleic acid in various cosmetic formulations and personal-care products.
Effective strong-interaction Lagrangian

We discuss the current-algebra treatment of the basic quark-model Lagrangian, which contains in addition the simplest (from a group-theoretical point of view) effective term that can solve the U(1) problem. Reasonable experimental agreement is found for the relevant pseudoscalar masses. It is shown how the \ensuremath{\sigma}-model solution for the masses is mapped into a whole family of solutions in this generalized quark-model case. A possible way of consistently getting Gell-Mann-Okubo-type mass relations while not going to the approximation of an exactly symmetric vacuum is pointed out. This leads to a simple relation among the pseudoscalar-meson decay constants.
Alarm response of the marine mud snail, Nassarius obsoletus : Specificity and behavioral priority

Nassarius obsoletus, N. vibex, andN. trivittatus were exposed to juices of conspecifics and taxonomically and ecologically related gastropod species. Conspecific juices caused the strongest alarm responses, while those from taxonomically related species (congeners) induced less pronounced responses. Juices from nonrelated species induced no alarm response with one notable exception, the strong alarm response ofN. trivittatus toUrosalpinx cinerea juices. Nonrelated gastropod species induced stronger feeding responses than more closely related species. The strongest feeding responses, however, were induced by juices from nongastropod mollusks. The apparent balance between feeding attraction to less related species and alarm response to more related species was further examined by manipulating the snails' diet. Starvation resulted in a great reduction of conspecific alarm responsiveness. Following the resumption of feeding, the original responsiveness was again observed. Although the alarm response is likely an antipredator device, conclusive evidence for its effectiveness in reducing predation is lacking. One of the predators ofNassarius obsoletus which may be responsible for maintenance of an alarm response is the green crab,Carcinus maenas.
Detection of bright spots in seismic signals using tree classifiers

Abstract A tree classification method is proposed for the detection of bright spots in seismic signals. Envelope, instantaneous frequency, and polarity are used as the features. From the analysis of zero-phase Ricker wavelets, a tree classification technique is adopted. Bright spots are detected if one of three hypotheses is satisfied. The advantage of using a tree classifier is that it is easy to design and computationally efficient. Because of the frequency attenuation effect in a seismogram, a partitioning-method is introduced in conjunction with the tree classification for the detection of bright spots. Results from simulated and relative-amplitude real stacked seismograms are presented. The classification results show that the proposed method can be used to improve seismic interpretation.
To worry or not to worry: breast cancer genetic counseling communication with low-income Latina immigrants

The purpose of this pilot study was to describe communication practices during hereditary breast cancer genetic counseling (GC) with low-income immigrant Latina patients in a public hospital setting. We utilized qualitative ethnographic methods, including direct observation of GC appointments with Latina patients at a public hospital offering free GC and BRCA testing and in-depth qualitative interviews with patients after they had received their BRCA genetic test results. Twenty-five patients participated; 20 were observed during genetic counseling appointments, and ten participated in interviews after BRCA testing with six participating in both observations and an interview. Analyses of qualitative data from observation field notes and interviews identified both strengths and limitations of current communication practices within the following themes: (1) family health history communication, (2) education regarding genes and genetics and patient information needs, (3) the purpose of the genetic test, (4) genetic test results and cancer risk, (5) building rapport and providing support, and (6) medical interpretation for monolingual Spanish speakers. As access to cancer GC expands in the public safety net settings and for the diverse populations they serve, it is critical to ensure effective communication in order for patients, whether or not they have a BRCA mutation, to understand the nature of their cancer risk and recommended methods of screening and prevention. Intervention strategies that address both structural constraints and patient-provider communication are needed to improve GC communication with immigrant Latinas, especially monolingual Spanish speakers.
CT radiation dose reduction by modifying primary factors.

Given the steep trajectory of evolution in multidetector CT technology and its complexity, dose reduction efforts require knowledge of interplay between CT scanning parameters and their impact on radiation dose and image quality in CT examinations. We describe the effects of modifying primary scanning factors such as tube current, tube potential, and pitch factor (applicable to helical CT scanning) in CT.
Dynamic polarizabilities of metastable 2 1,3S excited states of He and Li+, with rigorous upper and lower bounds

Methods previously described for calculating rigorous upper and lower bounds to dynamic dipole polarizabilities are applied to the metastable 2(1S) and 2(2S) excited states of He and Li(+), using highly correlated variational trial functions. For each of these species, the bounds rigorously establish the values of the frequency-dependent dipole polarizability to within about 1% and appear to represent the first determination of this property at frequencies above the first excitation threshold.
Stress-strain behaviour of carbon nanotubes under cyclic loading

The behaviour and failure of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) under cyclic loading conditions are of high interest because of the potential use of CNTs as nanoscale building blocks of synthetic biomaterials, electromagnetic devices or polymer composites. Very limited work has been reported on this topic, although substantial research has been published on the mechanical strength, plastic deformation and failure mechanisms of CNTs. The authors show theoretically for the first time the stress–strain behaviour of CNTs under cyclic tensile and compressive loads by numerical simulation. Nonlinear elasticity, preconditioning (stress softening) and hysteresis characteristics have been reported most recently on multiwalled CNT blocks. It is found that elastic instability (local and global buckling) has a large influence on the stress–strain behaviour of CNTs under cyclic compression, whereas the cyclic strength remains unchanged under cyclic loading. The residual defect-free morphological deformation is considered as the primary mechanism responsible for the cyclic failure of CNTs.
Sorption-capacity limited retardation of radionuclides transport in water-saturated packing materials

Radionuclides breakthrough times as calculated through constant retardation factors obtained in dilute solutions are non-conservative. The constant retardation approach regards the solid as having infinite sorption capacity throughout the solid. However, as the solid becomes locally saturated, such as in the proximity of the waste form-packing materials interface, it will exhibit no retardation properties, and transport will take place as if the radionuclides were locally non-reactive. The magnitude of the effect of finite sorption capacity of the packing materials on radionuclide transport is discussed with reference to high-level waste package performance. An example based on literature sorption data indicates that the breakthrough time may be overpredicted by orders of magnitude using a constant retardation factor as compared to using the entire sorption isotherm to obtain a concentrationdependent retardation factor.
Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone Induces Skin Mast Cell Degranulation and Increased Vascular Permeability, A Possible Explanation for Its Proinflammatory Effects

Mast cells are involved in atopic disorders, often exacerbated by stress, and are located perivascularly close to sympathetic and sensory nerve endings. Mast cells are activated by electrical nerve stimulation and millimolar concentrations of neuropeptides, such as substance P (SP). Moreover, acute psychological stress induces CRH-dependent mast cell degranulation. Intradermal administration of rat/human CRH (0.1-10 microM) in the rat induced mast cell degranulation and increased capillary permeability in a dose-dependent fashion. The effect of CRH on Evans blue extravasation was stronger than equimolar concentrations of the mast cell secretagogue compound 48/80 or SP. The free acid analog of CRH, which does not interact with its receptors (CRHR), had no biological activity. Moreover, systemic administration of antalarmin, a nonpeptide CRHR1 antagonist, prevented vascular permeability only by CRH and not by compound 48/80 or SP. CRHR1 was also identified in cultured leukemic human mast cells using RT-PCR. The stimulatory effect of CRH, like that of compound 48/80 on skin vasodilation, could not be elicited in the mast cell deficient W/Wv mice but was present in their +/+ controls, as well as in C57BL/6J mice; histamine could still induce vasodilation in the W/Wv mice. Treatment of rats neonatally with capsaicin had no effect on either Evans blue extravasation or mast cell degranulation, indicating that the effect of exogenous CRH in the skin was not secondary to or dependent on the release of neuropeptides from sensory nerve endings. The effect of CRH on Evans blue extravasation and mast cell degranulation was inhibited by the mast cell stabilizer disodium cromoglycate (cromolyn), but not by the antisecretory molecule somatostatin. To investigate which vasodilatory molecules might be involved in the increase in vascular permeability, the CRH injection site was pretreated with the H1-receptor antagonist diphenhydramine, which largely inhibited the CRH effect, suggesting that histamine was involved in the CRH-induced vasodilation. The possibility that nitric oxide might also be involved was tested using pretreatment with a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor that, however, increased the effect of CRH. These findings indicate that CRH activates skin mast cells at least via a CRHR1-dependent mechanism leading to vasodilation and increased vascular permeability. The present results have implications for the pathophysiology and possible therapy of skin disorders, such as atopic dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis, and urticaria, which are exacerbated or precipitated by stress.
Characterizing acetogenic metabolism using a genome-scale metabolic reconstruction of Clostridium ljungdahlii

The metabolic capabilities of acetogens to ferment a wide range of sugars, to grow autotrophically on H2/CO2, and more importantly on synthesis gas (H2/CO/CO2) make them very attractive candidates as production hosts for biofuels and biocommodities. Acetogenic metabolism is considered one of the earliest modes of bacterial metabolism. A thorough understanding of various factors governing the metabolism, in particular energy conservation mechanisms, is critical for metabolic engineering of acetogens for targeted production of desired chemicals. Here, we present the genome-scale metabolic network of Clostridium ljungdahlii, the first such model for an acetogen. This genome-scale model (iHN637) consisting of 637 genes, 785 reactions, and 698 metabolites captures all the major central metabolic and biosynthetic pathways, in particular pathways involved in carbon fixation and energy conservation. A combination of metabolic modeling, with physiological and transcriptomic data provided insights into autotrophic metabolism as well as aided the characterization of a nitrate reduction pathway in C. ljungdahlii. Analysis of the iHN637 metabolic model revealed that flavin based electron bifurcation played a key role in energy conservation during autotrophic growth and helped identify genes for some of the critical steps in this mechanism. iHN637 represents a predictive model that recapitulates experimental data, and provides valuable insights into the metabolic response of C. ljungdahlii to genetic perturbations under various growth conditions. Thus, the model will be instrumental in guiding metabolic engineering of C. ljungdahlii for the industrial production of biocommodities and biofuels.
Node Density-Based Adaptive Routing Scheme for Disruption Tolerant Networks

Traditional ad hoc routing protocols do not work in intermittently connected networks since end-to-end paths may not exist in such networks. Hence, routing mechanisms that can withstand disruptions need to be designed. A store-and-forward approach has been proposed for disruption tolerant networks. Recently, several approaches have been proposed for unicast routing in disruption-prone networks e.g. the 2-hop relay approach, delivery probability based routing, and message ferrying. In our earlier paper, we have evaluated a combined multihop and message ferrying approach in disruption tolerant networks. In that paper, we assume that a special node is designated to be a message ferry. A more flexible approach is to let regular nodes volunteer to be message ferries when network dynamics mandate the presence of such ferries to ensure communications. Thus, in this paper, we design a node-density based adaptive routing (NDBAR) scheme that allows regular nodes to volunteer to be message ferries when there are very few nodes around them to ensure the feasibility of continued communications. Our simulation results indicate that our NDBAR scheme can achieve the highest delivery ratio in very sparse networks that are prone to frequent disruptions.
Hemangiosarcoma of the left foot and tibia: case report.

A case of a hemangiosarcoma involving the bones of the foot in a diabetic patient who had swelling of the left foot is reported. Radiographs demonstrated multiple lytic areas throughout the bones of the foot. Clinically and radiographically, infection was suspected, but the biopsy revealed the presence of tumor. Metastases to the tibia were found and an above the knee amputation was performed. Chemotherapy was given, but 6 months later the patient died. Hemangiosarcoma is known to involve the different bones of the foot in a “multicentric” fashion and should be considered in the differential diagnosis of lytic lesions of multiple bones of the lower extremities.
High-Performance MWIR/LWIR Dual-Band 640 × 480 HgCdTe/Si FPAs

HgCdTe grown on large-area Si substrates allows for larger array formats and potentially reduced focal-plane array (FPA) cost compared with smaller, more expensive CdZnTe substrates. The goal of this work is to evaluate the use of HgCdTe/Si for mid-wavelength/long-wavelength infrared (MWIR/LWIR) dual-band FPAs. A series of MWIR/LWIR dual-band HgCdTe triple-layer n-P-n heterojunction (TLHJ) device structures were grown by molecular-beam epitaxy (MBE) on 100-mm (211)Si substrates. The wafers showed low macrodefect density (<300 cm−2) and was processed into 20-μm-unit-cell 640 × 480 detector arrays which were mated to dual-band readout integrated circuits (ROICs) to produce FPAs. The measured 80-K cutoff wavelengths were 5.5 μm for MWIR and 9.4 μm for LWIR, respectively. The FPAs exhibited high pixel operabilities in each band, with noise equivalent differential temperature (NEDT) operabilities of 99.98% for the MWIR band and 99.6% for the LWIR band demonstrated at 84 K.
Role of glutathione S-transferase Pi in cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity

One of the dose-limiting toxicities of cisplatin is nephrotoxicity. Renal toxicity is localized to quiescent proximal tubule cells, where the formation of DNA-adducts cannot account for the dose-limiting toxicity. Our earlier results have shown that a glutathione conjugate of cisplatin is metabolized to a nephrotoxicant via gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) and a cysteine S-conjugate beta-lyase. The present study was designed to evaluate the potential role of glutathione S-transferase Pi (GSTP) in the initial steps of the bioactivation of cisplatin. Wild-type mice and mice deficient in both murine GSTP genes (GstP1/P2) were treated with cisplatin. Toxicity in both male and female mice was evaluated 5 days after treatment and renal damage was most severe in wild-type male mice. Wild-type males have approximately 10-fold higher levels of GSTP expression in the liver than females, suggesting that hepatic GSTP in the wild-type males contributed to the formation of the nephrotoxic platinum-glutathione conjugate. In GstP1/P2 null mice the gender difference in toxicity was eliminated. Our data show that GSTP expression is a determinant in cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity and its levels contribute to sex-dependent differences.
Investigation of the asymmetric misfit dislocation morphology in epitaxial layers with the zinc-blende structure

The source of the asymmetry in the dislocation morphology exhibited in the epitaxial growth of compound semiconductors on (100) was investigated. A thickness wedge of p- and n-type GaAs(0.95)P(0.05) was grown on GaAs by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition, and the effect of misorientation on the resolved shear stress for each slip system was calculated and eliminated as the source of the asymmetry. Another potential source of asymmetry, the thickness gradient, was also eliminated. Results show that the substrate misorientation and the thickness gradient do not significantly contribute to the asymmetry and that the dominant contributor to the asymmetry of misfit dislocations in the (001) epitaxial interface can be attributed to the differences in the Peierls barriers between the two types of dilocations in GaAsP/GaAs.
Ferrite memory materials

A comprehensive review of the history and present status of ferrite memory materials is presented. The range of topics treated extends from the physical theories dealing with the origin of hysteresis loop squareness and the mechanism of flux switching to the technology of manufacturing memory cores. Themes that underlie the engineering, physics, and chemistry of memory cores are emphasized, particularly in respect to the material requirements for coincident current application. The limitations of memory cores and future prospects for this technology are discussed. Wherever possible an endeavor is made to syncretize, although in a critical and selective way, the sometimes conflicting theories and interpretations of experimental data.
Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring in patients with diabetes mellitus: Current evidence and future trends

Type 2 diabetes has reached epidemic proportions in our society, affecting many of our elderly. Much of the high risk of cardiovascular events (heart attacks, strokes, and death) is associated with the height of blood pressure. Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring has been shown to predict cardiovascular risk better than office blood pressure in many populations, but the value of ambulatory monitoring to predict cardiovascular risk in people with diabetes requires further evaluation. Currently available data suggest that ambulatory monitoring may prove useful in that regard, but more longitudinal studies are critically needed if this noninvasive method is to become part of the standard of care when managing people with diabetes.
An Epidemiological Study of Disorders in Late Childhood and Adolescence—II. Persistence of Disorders

The persistence and new onset of psychiatric disorder were studied in a sample of 734 children from the general population. Diagnoses for six of the more prevalent disorders were generated from maternal and child interviews when the children were ages 9-18 and again 2 1/2 years later. Analyses demonstrated substantial levels of diagnostic persistence over the 2 1/2 year period for all diagnoses except major depression. With few exceptions persistence was roughly equivalent for age and gender subgroups. It is concluded that disorders assessed by structured interview of non-clinical samples of children cannot be dismissed as transitory.
Exploring the Limits of Frequency Lowering

Purpose This study examined how frequency lowering affected sentence intelligibility and quality for adults with postlingually acquired, mild-to-moderate hearing loss. Method Listeners included adu...
Three-year-olds' theories of mind in actions and words.

Understanding observable behavior by considering mental representations is central to social cognition. Research reveals quite different developmental trajectories for this ability depending on whether tasks assess implicit or explicit theory of mind. Yet, how to define implicit vs. explicit theory of mind, the tasks that elicit each, and the types of behavior that each can support, have remained unclear. The present study (n = 47) found that 3-year-olds incorporate predictions based on false beliefs into their intentional actions, but not—following identical scenarios—into their verbal responses. These data show that implicit theory of mind supports a broader range of behaviors than previously indicated and further illustrates the entrenched nature of the distinction between implicit and explicit knowledge in early conceptual development.
Eutrophication and carbon sources in Chesapeake Bay over the last 2700 yr: human impacts in context

To compare natural variability and trends in a developed estuary with human-influenced patterns, stable isotope ratios ( 13 C and 15 N) were measured in sediments from five piston cores collected in Chesapeake Bay. Mixing of terrestrial and algal carbon sources primarily controls patterns of 13 Corg profiles, so this proxy shows changes in estuary productivity and in delivery of terrestrial carbon to the bay. Analyses of 15 N show periods when oxygen depletion allowed intense denitrification and nutrient recycling to develop in the seasonally stratified water column, in addition to recycling taking place in surficial sediments. These conditions produced 15 N-enriched (heavy) nitrogen in algal biomass, and ultimately in sediment. A pro- nounced increasing trend in 15 No f4‰ started in about A.D. 1750 to 1800 at all core sites, indicating greater eutrophication in the bay and summer oxygen depletion since that time. The timing of the change correlates with the advent of widespread land clearing and tillage in the watershed, and associated increases in erosion and sedimentation. Isotope data show that the region has experienced up to 13 wet-dry cycles in the last 2700 yr. Relative sea-level rise and basin infilling have produced a net freshening trend overprinted with cyclic climatic variability. Isotope data also constrain the relative position of the spring productivity maximum in Chesapeake Bay and distinguish local anomalies from sustained changes impacting large regions of the bay. This approach to reconstructing environmental history should be generally applicable to studies of other estuaries and coastal embayments impacted by watershed development. Published by Elsevier Ltd
SAGEBRUSH-GRASS VEGETATION DYNAMICS: COMPARING CLASSICAL AND STATE-TRANSITION MODELS

The State-Transition (ST) model has been proposed as a replacement for the widely used Classical linear succession model and its derivative Range Condition (RC) model for describing and predicting rangeland community dynamics in response to man- agement. Although the ST model offers significant advantages because it accommodates nonlinear and nonequilibrium theory and is more amenable to quantitative testing of hy- potheses about community change, to date its applications have not fully utilized those advantages using empirical data. We compare the utility of the Classical, RC, and ST models in the Artemisia tridentatalPseudoroegneria spicata vegetation type, utilizing a long-term data set from southeastern Oregon. First we develop and examine the Classical and RC models for their ability to describe and predict observed vegetation changes; second we develop an ST model by classifying and quantitatively identifying states and transitions that were observed over a period of 20 yr. The Classical and RC models adequately describe most of the observed changes in vegetation through use and application of broad descriptive categories on extensive range sites. This greatly reduces the utility and predictive value of the Classical and RC approaches as guides to management and restoration. The states and transitions developed quantitatively for the ST model offer considerably more precision and predictive value than the Classical/RC models but require large, long-term, site-specific data sets, which are usually not available for rangeland systems. The specific seral stages developed for the Classical model and commonly described in the literature differ signif- icantly from the states and transitions derived quantitatively from the empirical data. States in the ST model exhibit a significant time dependency and could not have been adequately developed without long-term observations.
Integrable systems of partial differential equations determined by structure equations and Lax pair

It is shown how a system of evolution equations can be developed both from the structure equations of a submanifold embedded in three-space as well as from a matrix SO(6) Lax pair. The two systems obtained this way correspond exactly when a constraint equation is selected and imposed on the system of equations. This allows for the possibility of selecting the coefficients in the second fundamental form in a general way.
One-sided tolerance limits for unbalanced one-way anova andomc effects model

In this article, we investigate techniques for constructing tolerance limits such that the probability is γ that at least p proportion of the population would exceed that limit. We consider the unbalanced case and study the behavior of the limit as a function of ni 's (where ni is the number of observations in the ith batch), as well as that of the variance ratio. To construct the tolerance limits we use the approximation given in Thomas and Hultquist (1978). We also discuss the procedure for constructing the tolerance limits when the variance ratio is unknown. An example is given to illustrate the results.
On the role of the P-site in leftward ribosome frameshifting at a hungry codon.

Abstract Previous work characterized ribosomal frameshifting within the sequence C UUC AAG provoked by lysyl-tRNA limitation. The ribosome frameshift is one base to the left of the AAG lysine codon, as shown by dotted overlining above. We now show that the frequency of this leftward ribosome frameshift is strongly influenced by the identity of the bases two, three and four positions to the left of the actual frameshift site. The nature of these influences coincides exactly the possibilities of base-pairing between the sequence and the anticodon of the P-site peptidyl-tRNA when shifted one base to the left just upstream of the frameshift site. We conclude that a peptidyl shift in the P-site is intimately involved in leftward frameshifting in the adjacent A site when it codes for an aminoacyl-tRNA in short supply.