cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Association between functional physical capacity and cognitive performance under destabilizing walking conditions in older adults.

Abstract Background Cognitive decline increases the risk of falls in older adults. Understanding the association between cognitive function, functional physical capacity, and falls may help identify targets for fall screening and intervention. This study examined (1) cognitive and functional physical capacity in community-dwelling older adults with and without a history of falls or the presence of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene Val66Met polymorphism (Val/Met), and (2) the association between their cognitive and functional physical capacity, focusing on the cognitive performance during dual-task, challenging walking conditions. Methods Twenty-nine healthy, community-dwelling older adults attended two testing sessions for (1) functional assessments of physical capacity and global cognitive status, and (2) performing four cognitive tasks (visual and auditory Stroop tasks, Clock task, and Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test) during standing and while walking on the treadmill with and without medio-lateral treadmill platform sways. Results Participants with a fall history had reduced functional reach distance whereas individuals with Val/Met had reduced functional gait assessment (FGA) score compared to their controls. In addition, participants with a fall history or Val/Met showed reduced Clock task performance under dual-task conditions. Among all cognitive tasks, visual-Stroop performance, especially during the perturbed walking conditions, was significantly correlated with more physical capacity items. The performance of the other three cognitive tasks provided complementary information on those items not correlated with visual-Stroop performance. Conclusions Clock task performance can distinguish fallers from non-fallers as well as older adults with and without the BDNF gene polymorphism. Administering different types of cognitive tasks and under more challenging walking conditions can better reveal the association between cognitive and functional physical capacity in older adults. Fall screening and prevention intervention should integrate cognitive tasks into the functional physical capacity assessment and training regime, and progress to a more challenging condition such as introducing gait or balance perturbations during the assessment or training.
Path optimization with limited sensing ability

We propose a computational strategy to find the optimal path for a mobile sensor with limited coverage to traverse a cluttered region. The goal is to find one of the shortest feasible paths to achieve the complete scan of the environment. We pose the problem in the level set framework, and first consider a related question of placing multiple stationary sensors to obtain the full surveillance of the environment. By connecting the stationary locations using the nearest neighbor strategy, we form the initial guess for the path planning problem of the mobile sensor. Then the path is optimized by reducing its length, via solving a system of ordinary differential equations (ODEs), while maintaining the complete scan of the environment. Furthermore, we use intermittent diffusion, which converts the ODEs into stochastic differential equations (SDEs), to find an optimal path whose length is globally minimal. To improve the computation efficiency, we introduce two techniques, one to remove redundant connecting points to reduce the dimension of the system, and the other to deal with the entangled path so the solution can escape the local traps. Numerical examples are shown to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
A dental local anaesthetic study: Fixed model, two-way layout design

Abstract A clinical study involving two fixed factors is presented in which the number of measurements for each combination of factors (cells) is neither equal nor proportional. Methods of analysis described are an adjusted analysis of variance in which weights are used, Yates' method, and an approximate method using the harmonic mean. The dependence of the method of analysis on the presence or absence of interaction is emphasized. When the numbers of observations in the cells are equal or proportional, the analysis is much simpler. Differences between the fixed model and the mixed model where only one of the factors is fixed, are discussed.
Are incentives without expertise sufficient? Evidence from fortune 500 firms

Agency theory predicts that incentives will align agents' interests with those of principals. However, the resource-based view suggests that to be effective, the incentive to deliver must be paired with the ability to deliver. Using Fortune 500 boards as an empirical context, this study shows that the presence of directors who lack top-level experience but own large shareholdings is negatively associated with firm value, an effect that increases in the number of such directors. Firm value rises after such directors depart from boards, with the greatest increases occurring when many of these directors leave. While agency theory highlights the importance of the right incentives being in place, this research suggests that this can be ineffective if the right resources are not also in place
Nutritional Interventions against Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of irreversible visual loss in the developed world. This disease of the elderly robs them of central vision in one or both eyes leading to a devastating loss of the ability to drive, read, and recognize faces. In recent years, a number of novel treatments for the neovascular form of AMD (also known as "wet" or exudative AMD) have been introduced, and for the first time, the relentless downhill course of vision loss experienced by the majority of patients with this particularly malignant variant of AMD has been transformed to the stabilization and even improvement of vision in at least two-thirds of patients. Likewise, the slower, more insidious form of AMD known as dry AMD which leads to geographic atrophy of the macula has become the focus of pharmaceutical firms' efforts for intervention. Unfortunately, all of these novel treatments have limitations, and they tend to be very expensive. Thus, prevention of AMD is of paramount importance to reduce the healthcare burden of this blinding disorder. Accumulating evidence suggests that encouragement of increased consumption of fruits and vegetables rich in the xanthophyll carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin is a simple, cost effective public health intervention that might help to decrease the incidence of AMD. In this review article, the scientific underpinnings for these nutritional recommendations will be surveyed.
On a Third Order Differential Equation whose Differential Galois Group is the Simple Group of 168 Elements

In this paper we compute the differential Galois group of a third order linear differential equation whose existence was predicted by F. Klein [9] and whose construction is due to A. Hurwitz [7]. The aim of this paper is to apply the results of [15] in order to prove, starting only with the equation, that the simple group of 168 elements is the the differential Galois group of this equation.
On Supervisory Policies that Enforce Global Fairness andBounded Fairness in Partially Controlled Petri Nets

In this paper we consider the notions of global-fairness (G-fairness) and bounded-fairness (B-fairness) for arbitrary Petri nets (PNs). G-fairness in a PN guarantees every transition occurs infinitely often in every valid firing sequence of infinite length. B-fairness guarantees a bound on the number of times a transition in the PN can fire without some transition firing at least once. These properties are guaranteed without recourse to assumptions on firing time distributions or contention resolution policies. We present a necessary and sufficient condition for the existence of supervisory policies that enforce G-fairness and B-fairness along with various observations on the closure properties of policies that enforce these notions of fairness in controlled PNs with a (possibly) non-empty set of uncontrollable transitions. We also derive a necessary and sufficient condition that guarantees a minimally restrictive supervisor that enforces these notions of fairness for bounded PNs. These results are illustrated via examples.
Conjugated linoleic acid (9,11- and 10,12-octadecadienoic acid) is produced in conventional but not germ-free rats fed linoleic acid

Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is an anticarcinogen in several model animal systems. Conjugated linoleic acid occurs naturally in food and is present at higher concentrations in products from ruminant animals. Given that certain rumen microorganisms produce CLA from free linoleic acid, we studied the effect of feeding free or esterified linoleic acid on tissue CLA concentrations using conventional and germ-free rats. Conventional rats were fed a 5% (wt/wt) corn oil control diet alone or supplemented with 5% free linoleic acid or 8.63% corn oil (equivalent to 5% linoleic acid in triglyceride). Germ-free rats were fed autoclavable nonpurified diet alone or supplemented with 5% free linoleic acid. Analyses of CLA concentrations were performed on lipids extracted from liver, lung, kidney, skeletal muscle and abdominal adipose tissue, and on liver phospholipid and neutral lipid fractions. Tissue CLA concentrations were higher in conventional rats fed free linoleic acid (the major isomers were cis-9, trans-11 and trans-9, cis-11) than in control animals. Conjugated linoleic acid concentrations in free linoleic acid-fed rats were maximal at 4 wk, and levels were 5-10 times higher than those of controls. Elevated CLA concentrations were also observed in liver phospholipid and neutral lipid fractions. In contrast, CLA concentrations in the tissues of germ-free rats were not affected by diet. Feeding the corn oil-fortified diet to conventional rats did not increase CLA concentration in the tissues.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Primate Dentition: An Introduction to the Teeth of Non-human Primates

Preface 1. Introduction 2. Dental anatomy 3. Dental development 4. The deciduous dentition 5. Superfamily Lemuroidea 6. Family Cebidae 7. Family Cercopithecidae 8. Hylobatidae 9. Pongidae Odontometric appendix Dental eruption appendix Glossary References Taxonomic index.
Seasonal versus permanent thermocline warming by tropical cyclones

[1] Recent studies suggest that the enhanced upper ocean mixing caused by tropical cyclones significantly contributes to the ocean heat transport. However, existing studies that try to quantify this contribution make the assumption that all heat pumped below the mixed layer by tropical cyclones is finally released in higher latitudes. Tropical cyclones occur primarily during summer and early fall, when the ocean mixed layer is generally shallow. As the mixed layer deepens in the following winter, any warm anomaly deposited within the seasonal thermocline will be reabsorbed by the mixed layer and lost to the atmosphere. Analysis of satellite sea surface temperature and sea surface height data, together with climatological subsurface ocean data, suggests that only about one quarter of the heat that is mixed downward by tropical cyclones eventually makes it into the permanent thermocline.
Revision of the femoralis group of Blepharoneura Loew (Diptera: Tephritidae).

The femoralis species group of the genus Blepharoneura is revised. The following 42 species, including 32 new species, are recognized: amplihyalina, n. sp. (northwestern Argentina), apaapa, n. sp. (Bolivia), aspiculosa, n. sp. (Mexico), bidigitata, n. sp. (southern Brazil), bipunctata, n. sp. (Ecuador), biseriata Wulp (Mexico), bivittata, n. sp. (Nicaragua, Costa Rica), brevivittata, n. sp. (Costa Rica to Peru), chaconi, n. sp. (Costa Rica), cornelli, n. sp. (Costa Rica), cyclantherae, n. sp. (Mexico), femoralis Wulp (Mexico to Brazil), fernandezi, n. sp. (Venezuela, northern Brazil), furcifer Hendel (Venezuela to Bolivia and Brazil), hirsuta Bates (Venezuela, Guyana, Brazil), hyalinella, n. sp. (Bolivia), io Giglio-Tos (Mexico), isolata, n. sp. (Guatemala), lutea, n. sp. (Costa Rica), macwilliamsae, n. sp. (Costa Rica), marshalli, n. sp. (northwestern Argentina), mexicana, n. sp. (Guatemala, Mexico), mikenoltei, n. sp. (Costa Rica), multipunctata, n. sp. (Ecuador), nigriapex, n. sp. (Bolivia), nigrifemur, n. sp. (Bolivia), osmundsonae, n. sp. (Mexico), punctistigma, n. sp. (Mexico to Costa Rica), quadristriata Wulp (Mexico to Costa Rica; possibly Colombia), quetzali, n. sp. (Guatemala), regina Giglio-Tos (Mexico), rupta (Wulp) (Mexico to Costa Rica), ruptafascia, n. sp. (Ecuador), septemdigitata, n. sp. (Peru, Bolivia), sinepuncta, n. sp. (Costa Rica), splendida Giglio-Tos (Mexico to Ecuador), tau, n. sp. (Costa Rica), thetis Hendel (southern Brazil), unifasciata, n. sp. (Ecuador), variabilis, n. sp. (Mexico), wasbaueri, n. sp. (Ecuador), and zumbadoi, n. sp. (Costa Rica). Blepharoneura amazonensis Lima & Leite, 1952 is considered a new synonym of B. hirsuta Bates, 1933, and a lectotype is designated for Blepharoneura furcifer Hendel, 1914. A key to species and phylogenetic analysis are provided, as well as descriptions, illustrations, distributions, and host plant data (as available) for each species.
Hospital-level variation in use of cardiovascular testing for adults with incident heart failure: findings from the cardiovascular research network heart failure study.

Abstract Objectives This study aimed to characterize the use of cardiovascular testing for patients with incident heart failure (HF) hospitalization who participated in the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute sponsored Cardiovascular Research Network (CVRN) Heart Failure study. Background HF is a common cause of hospitalization, and testing and treatment patterns may differ substantially between providers. Testing choices have important implications for the cost and quality of care. Methods Crude and adjusted cardiovascular testing rates were calculated for each participating hospital. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to examine hospital testing rates after adjustment for hospital-level patient case mix. Results Of the 37,099 patients in the CVRN Heart Failure study, 5,878 patients were hospitalized with incident HF between 2005 and 2008. Of these, evidence of cardiovascular testing was available for 4,650 (79.1%) patients between 14 days before the incident HF admission and ending 6 months after the incident discharge. We compared crude and adjusted cardiovascular testing rates at the hospital level because the majority of testing occurred during the incident HF hospitalization. Of patients who underwent testing, 4,085 (87.9%) had an echocardiogram, 4,345 (93.4%) had a systolic function assessment, and 1,714 (36.9%) had a coronary artery disease assessment. Crude and adjusted testing rates varied markedly across the profiled hospitals, for individual testing modalities (e.g., echocardiography, stress echocardiography, nuclear stress testing, and left heart catheterization) and for specific clinical indications (e.g., systolic function assessment and coronary artery disease assessment). Conclusions For patients with newly diagnosed HF, we did not observe widespread overuse of cardiovascular testing in the 6 months following incident HF hospitalization relative to existing HF guidelines. Variations in testing were greatest for assessment of ischemia, in which testing guidelines are less certain.
Towards modeling threaded discussions using induced ontology knowledge

Online discussion boards are a popular form of web-based computer-mediated communication, especially in the areas of distributed education and customer support. Automatic analysis for discussion understanding would enable better information assessment and assistance. This paper describes an extensive study of the relationship between individual messages and full discussion threads. We present a new approach to classifying discussions using a Rocchio-style classifier with little cost for data labeling. In place of a labeled data set, we employ a coarse domain ontology that is automatically induced from a canonical text in a novel way and use it to build discussion topic profiles. We describe a new classify-by-dominance strategy for classifying discussion threads and demonstrate that in the presence of noise it can perform better than the standard classify-as-a-whole approach with an error rate reduction of 16.8%. This analysis of human conversation via online discussions provides a basis for the development of future information extraction and question answering techniques.
Lessons from Emergence of A/Goose/Guangdong/1996-Like H5N1 Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Viruses and Recent Influenza Surveillance Efforts in Southern China

Southern China is proposed as an influenza epicentre. At least two of the three pandemics in the last century, including 1957 and 1968 influenza pandemics, originated from this area. In 1996, A/goose/Guangdong/1/1996 (H5N1), the precursor of currently circulating highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza viruses (HPAIVs) was identified in farmed geese in southern China. These H5N1 HPAIVs have been spread across Asia, Europe and Africa and poses a continuous threat to both animal and human health. However, how and where this H5N1 HPAIV emerged are not fully understood. In the past decade, many influenza surveillance efforts have been carried out in southern China, and our understanding of the genetic diversity of non-human influenza A viruses in this area has been much better than ever. Here, the historical and first-hand experimental data on A/goose/Guangdong/1/1996(H5N1)-like HPAIVs are reviewed within the context of the findings from recent surveillance efforts on H5N1 HPAIVs and other non-human influenza A viruses. Such a retrospective recapitulation suggests that long-term and systematic surveillance programmes should continue to be implemented in southern China that the wet markets on the animal–human interface shall be the priority area and that the surveillance on the animal species bridging the interface between wildlife and domestic animal populations and the interface between the aquatics and territories shall be the strengthened.
Critical review of the impact of core stability on upper extremity athletic injury and performance.

BACKGROUND: Programs designed to prevent or rehabilitate athletic injuries or improve athletic performance frequently focus on core stability. This approach is based upon the theory that poor core stability increases the risk of poor performance and/or injury. Despite the widespread use of core stability training amongst athletes, the question of whether or not sufficient evidence exists to support this practice remains to be answered.OBJECTIVES: 1) Open a dialogue on the definition and components of core stability. 2) Provide an overview of current science linking core stability to musculoskeletal injuries of the upper extremity. 3) Provide an overview of evidence for the association between core stability and athletic performance.DISCUSSION: Core stability is the ability to control the position and movement of the trunk for optimal production, transfer, and control of forces to and from the upper and lower extremities during functional activities. Muscle capacity and neuromuscular control are critical components of core stability. A limited body of evidence provides some support for a link between core stability and upper extremity injuries amongst athletes who participate in baseball, football, or swimming. Likewise, few studies exist to support a relationship between core stability and athletic performance.CONCLUSIONS: A limited body of evidence exists to support the use of core stability training in injury prevention or performance enhancement programs for athletes. Clearly more research is needed to inform decision making when it comes to inclusion or emphasis of core training when designing injury prevention and rehabilitation programs for athletes.
Stability and nilpotent approximations

The authors gives results on asymptotic stability for dynamical systems that are homogeneous w.r.t. a family of dilations or are perturbations of such system. The criteria derived indicate that certain feedback laws that asymptotically stabilize a nilpotent or solvable approximation also asymptotically stabilize the original control system at the origin. >
On the geometry of a class of invariant measures and a problem of Aldous

In his 1985 survey of notions of exchangeability, Aldous introduced a form of exchangeability corresponding to the symmetries of the infinite discrete cube, and asked whether these exchangeable probability measures enjoy a representation theorem similar to those for exchangeable sequences, arrays and set-indexed families. In this note we to prove that, whereas the known representation theorems for different classes of partially exchangeable probability measure imply that the compact convex set of such measures is a Bauer simplex (that is, its subset of extreme points is closed), in the case of cube-exchangeability it is a copy of the Poulsen simplex (in which the extreme points are dense). This follows from the arguments used by Glasner and Weiss' for their characterization of property (T) in terms of the geometry of the simplex of invariant measures for associated generalized Bernoulli actions. The emergence of this Poulsen simplex suggests that, if a representation theorem for these processes is available at all, it must take a very different form from the case of set-indexed exchangeable families.
Spectroscopic temperature measurements in direct current arc plasma jets used in thermal spray processing of materials

An experimental study was conducted to determine the plasma temperature field and its parametric variation with respect to plasma operating conditions using emission spectroscopy. The focus of our study was the direct current (DC) arc plasma systems used in thermal spray processing of ceramic materials. A commercial plasma system (Metco 9M series) was operated with mixtures of argon and hydrogen in the power input range from 12 to 36 kW. Temperature measurements were based on the detection of emission line intensities from Ar-I neutral species. Spatially resolved measurements were obtained of the plasma temperatures in axisymmetric plasma jets using Abel deconvolution. The variation of plasma axial and radial temperature distributions was measured as a function of the plasma input power, the total gas flow rate, and the binary gas composition of argon and hydrogen. Time-averaged plasma gas temperatures were found to increase with increasing plasma input power, increasing hydrogen content of the plasma gas, and decreasing total gas flow rate. Plasma temperatures decrease progressively with increasing distance from the nozzle exit. The peak temperatures near the nozzle exit are in the range of 12,500 to 14,000 K. The radial temperature profiles show an approximately self-similar decay in the near field of these plasma jets. It was also determined from time resolved intensity measurements that there are significant fluctuations in the argon emission intensity with increasing hydrogen fraction in the mixture. These fluctuations with a typical frequency of 5.2 kHz are attributed to the arc root instabilities observed before. Finally, the measured plasma temperature field is empirically correlated in terms of radial and axial coordinates, plasma electrical input power, plasma efficiency, and gas composition. These temperature data can be used to validate numerical simulations as well as in choosing locations where different materials can be introduced into the plasma jets. This is particularly important for “nanostructured” materials, which loose their structure upon melting as a result of being exposed to high plasma temperatures.
Iconoclasm, elegy and epiphany: Derek Walcott contemplating the bust of homer

Walcott’sOmeros renames Homer out of a belief in the poet’s Adamic opportunity to remake reality. The etymology of “Omeros” (O the sea’s invocation,mer mother and sea,os grey bone and sibilant surf) “names” a poet who possesses the elemental language of a people rooted in their own place; who honors and benefits them by working that language; who knows nature as continuing creation; who is liberated from history as ephemeral praise and blame; and who is self-integrated owing to these gifts. The poet aspires toward this Omeros, kin to Heaney’s Wordsworthian “owl-caller”: “As he stands open like an eye or an ear, he becomes imprinted with all the melodies and hieroglyphs of the world; the workings of the active universe ... are echoed far inside him.”
Low activity aluminum blanket

The basic design of the breeding blanket consists of cylindrical aluminium canisters filled with a ceramic bed of moderating, shielding, and breeding materials all suitably cooled. A technical analysis of the blanket for an EPR design is given. Activation studies are presented. The effect of pulsed magnetic fields on module structure is investigated. (MOW)
Genetic Study of Cystic Fibrosis of the Pancreas using White Blood Cell Cultures

CYSTIC fibrosis of the pancreas is probably the most frequent inherited disease in Caucasian populations. The use of antibiotics and improved medical management has increased the importance of this highly lethal genetic disorder. Formal genetic analysis indicates that the disease is inherited in a simple autosomal recessive fashion; the frequency of the clinically unaffected heterozygous carriers has been estimated to be approximately one in twenty-five live births1.
Hydrogen vehicles: Impacts of DOE technical targets on market acceptance and societal benefits

Abstract Hydrogen vehicles (H 2 V), including H 2 internal combustion engine, fuel cell and fuel cell plug-in hybrid, could greatly reduce petroleum consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the transportation sector. The U.S. Department of Energy has adopted targets for vehicle component technologies to address key technical barriers to widespread commercialization of H 2 Vs. This study estimates the market acceptance of H 2 Vs and the resulting societal benefits and subsidy in 41 scenarios that reflect a wide range of progress in meeting these technical targets. Important results include: (1) H 2 Vs could reach 20–70% market shares by 2050, depending on progress in achieving the technical targets. With a basic hydrogen infrastructure (∼5% hydrogen availability), the H 2 V market share is estimated to be 2–8%. Fuel cell and hydrogen costs are the most important factors affecting the long-term market shares of H 2 Vs. (2) Meeting all technical targets on time could result in about an 80% cut in petroleum use and a 62% (or 72% with aggressive electricity de-carbonization) reduction in GHG in 2050. (3) The required hydrogen infrastructure subsidy is estimated to range from $22 to $47 billion and the vehicle subsidy from $4 to $17 billion. (4) Long-term H 2 V market shares, societal benefits and hydrogen subsidies appear to be highly robust against delay in one target, if all other targets are met on time. R&D diversification could provide insurance for greater societal benefits. (5) Both H 2 Vs and plug-in electric vehicles could exceed 50% market shares by 2050, if all targets are met on time. The overlapping technology, the fuel cell plug-in hybrid electric vehicle, appears attractive both in the short and long runs, but for different reasons.
Political–economic equilibrium when parties represent constituents: The unidimensional case

A political–economic environment is studied in which two parties, representing different constituencies of citizens, compete over a proportional tax rate to be levied on private endowments, to finance a public good. Although parties know the distribution of citizen traits (preferences and endowments), they are uncertain about the distribution of traits among the citizens who will turn up at the polls. This uncertainty engenders an endogenously derived function π(t 1, t 2) giving the probability that any one tax policy t 1 will defeat another t 2 in the election. Equilibrium existence theorems are proved, and the nature of equilibrium is compared with the equilibrium that exists when Downsian parties (ones whose objective is to maximize the probability of victory) face uncertainty. Both constituency-representing parties and uncertainty are needed to generate equilibria in which parties propose different policies.
The consultants' and vendors' corner

Typically, library building projects are undertaken to accommodate a library's needs for the foreseeable twenty years or more. With major changes in information technologies occurring at intervals of less than five years, it should be assumed, within its twenty‐plus years of initial service, that a library building will have to accommodate a series of changes in order to support currently unknown technologies. Issues related to the development of library facilities that will meet current and future needs are discussed by three prominent consultants and representatives of two vendors: Wilson M. Stahl, James J. Michael (Data Research Associates), Rick Richmond, Gene Robinson (CLSI), and James E. Rush.
Isolation and characterization of dinoflagellate and chrysophyte cytochrome-f (553–4)

Abstract Cytochrome- f (553–4) was isolated from mass cultures of the six dinoflagellates, Amphidinium carterae (2 strains), Cachonina niei , Glenodinium sp., Peridinium foliaceum , Gonyaulax polyedra , and one chrysophyte, Cricospherae carterae . Sonication of whole cell suspensions released the water-soluble protein, which was then purified by vacuum dialysis, salt fractionation and column chromatography. Reduced forms of isolated cytochromes had absorption maxima at 270–6, 316–8, 415–6, 522–3 and 553–4 rim. The α-absorption peak was asymmetrical. MW's, as determined by SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, ranged from 10 700 to 13 500. Amino acid analysis of C. niei cytochrome- f revealed 102 residues, with a composite MW of 10836. Purified cytochromes had isoelectric points ranging from 3·45 to 4·25 and oxidation-reduction potentials ranging from +0·374 to +0·351 V.
Enhancement of morphine antinociception with the peptide N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor antagonist [Ser1]-histogranin in the rat formalin test

Opiates may be used to attenuate chronic pain, but long-term use is complicated by the possible increase in pain over time, escalating dose requirements, and untoward side effects. Adjuncts such as ketamine, an N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist, may be added to opiates to provide more consistent analgesia. However, the unwanted motor side effects of NMDA receptor antagonists prevent their widespread clinical usage. In the current study, an analogue of the naturally-derived peptide histogranin, [Ser(1)]histogranin (SHG), an NMDA receptor modulator without adverse side effects like those in current clinical use, was evaluated for its potential to enhance the antinociceptive effect of intrathecal morphine in the rat formalin test. Intrathecal injection of a combination of SHG and morphine resulted in significantly reduced hind paw flinching compared with morphine alone in the first and second phases. The effective dose of SHG used in the combination had no efficacy when tested alone. These results were similar to the increased efficacy that was obtained with a combination of ketamine and morphine. Thus, enhancement of opiate efficacy is possible using a novel peptide NMDA receptor modulator with a potentially improved safety profile.
FGF signaling activates STAT1 and p21 and inhibits the estrogen response and proliferation of MCF-7 cells

Normal breast tissue as well as most breast tumors are dependent on estrogen for growth. Breast tumors often progress to a hormone-independent state which is associated with poor prognosis. It has been proposed that activation of growth factor signaling pathways in the tumor cells may free them from hormonal control. Certain growth factors can mimic estrogen responses by activating the estrogen receptor via its phosphorylation by mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase. In this report, however, we show that fibroblast growth factor (FGF), despite activating MAP kinase, is growth-inhibitory for estrogen-dependent MCF-7 breast cancer cells. MCF-7 cells treated with FGFs exhibit slower growth than controls in both the presence and absence of estrogen, with a concomitant increase in the number of cells in G0/G1. Expression of a constitutively activated FGF receptor in these cells further decreases their growth rate, which is no longer influenced by FGF treatment. Activation of the FGF signaling pathway also reduces the induction of an estrogen-responsive CAT reporter plasmid by estrogen, an effect which appears to be independent of serine 118 in the estrogen receptor, a MAP kinase target site. The inhibitory effects of FGF are probably mediated through the sustained induction of the cyclin kinase inhibitor p21/WAF1/CIP1, which is upregulated at the mRNA and protein level by FGF. FGF treatment also results in the phosphorylation of STAT1. This upregulation of p21 and phosphorylation of STAT1 is not detectable in T47D breast cancer cells upon which FGF has no inhibitory effect.
Effects Of Unsharp Masking On Color Reproduction

Unsharp Masking, abbreviated as USM, is one of the few terms that is transferred from photographic color separation technique to modern electronic separation in a scanner. In photographic separation, the color correction mask is made unsharp to enhance details in the reproduction. In a color separation scanner, the principles remained the same, however, a different technique is used to create an optical illusion to enhance sharpness or details in the reproduction. During scanning, when there is a change of density in the copy, two fine lines are generated at the borders of the transition, a lighter line and a darker line at the borders of light and dark edges respectively of the density change. This is possible by scanning the copy with the main aperture as well as a separate larger aperture called unsharp masking aperture. When the separation is in progress, the signal from the unsharp masking aperture is compared with the signal from the main scanning aperture at a differential stage in the computer. If there is a density change in the copy, the larger unsharp masking aperture senses the change sooner than the smaller main aperture, and at this point, an additional signal is generated and added to the main signal. This makes it possible to create the black and white lines at the borders of a density change. In addition to this function, the same black and white lines can also be produced at the borders of transition of a color by transmitting the unsharp masking beam through any one of red, green, or blue filters. A combination of these apertures and filters can be selected by adjusting a pair of wheels located on the scanning head as in Hell scanners, or by changing specific inserts as in Dainippon Screen scanners. When used moderately, the black and white lines at the borders of a density or color change will create the effects of sharper details in the reproduction. In addition to the above mechanical controls, electronic controls are also provided in most scanners to increase or decrease details and, if necessary, to suppress any unwanted enhancement in certain areas of the reproduction. The presentation explores the various types of detail enhancement and suppression controls used in a scanner and their effects on the reproduction.
Culture-independent identification of gut bacteria in fourth-instar red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren, larvae

Red imported fire ants (RIFA), Solenopsis invicta Buren, are medical, urban, and agricultural pests from South America. They are successful invaders due to their preference for disturbed habitats, high reproductive rates, and the ability to feed on a wide variety of food items (omnivorous). Fourth-instar larvae are used by the colony to digest solid food and then regurgitate it for consumption by workers and queens. Larvae are an ideal source of investigations of endosymbiotic bacteria possibly involved in nutrient distributions. Our study utilized 16S rDNA sequencing to describe the composition of the bacterial community in fourth-instar ant larvae in order to identify possible endosymbiotic bacteria present therein. The 16S rRNA gene was directly amplified from mixed-population DNA of whole fire ant larval guts and cloned into Escherichia coli. Bacterial communities from three geographically separated RIFA colonies were examined. Sequenced bacterial clones from guts were determined to be predominantly from the phylum Proteobacteria and the family Enterobacteriaceae. Our results did not detect the presence of endosymbiotic bacteria in the guts of RIFA larvae among the colonies. In addition, minimal species overlap was found when bacterial inventories were compared among colonies. Thus, bacteria coadapted with red imported fire ant larvae were not detected. Identified bacteria were not closely affiliated with endosymbiotic bacteria common in other insect species. Bacteria communities appeared to be unique to each geographical location and were determined by the foods consumed by the ants.
NIH Workshop on Clinical Translation of Molecular Imaging Probes and Technology—Meeting Report

A workshop on “Clinical Translation of Molecular Imaging Probes and Technology” was held August 2, 2013 in Bethesda, Maryland, organized and supported by the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB). This workshop brought together researchers, clinicians, representatives from pharmaceutical companies, molecular probe developers, and regulatory science experts. Attendees met to talk over current challenges in the discovery, validation, and translation of molecular imaging (MI) probes for key clinical applications. Participants also discussed potential strategies to address these challenges. The workshop consisted of 4 sessions, with 14 presentations and 2 panel discussions. Topics of discussion included (1) challenges and opportunities for clinical research and patient care, (2) advances in molecular probe design, (3) current approaches used by industry and pharmaceutical companies, and (4) clinical translation of MI probes. In the presentations and discussions, there were general agreement that while the barriers for validation and translation of MI probes remain high, there are pressing clinical needs and development opportunities for targets in cardiovascular, cancer, endocrine, neurological, and inflammatory diseases. The strengths of different imaging modalities, and the synergy of multimodality imaging, were highlighted. Participants also underscored the continuing need for close interactions and collaborations between academic and industrial partners, and federal agencies in the imaging probe development process.
Lactation Curves of Purebred and Crossbred Dairy Cattle

Abstract First lactations of 397 cows with varying percentages of Holstein and Guernsey breeding provided a means of studying genetic and environmental effects on coefficients of the lactation curve y=an b e –cn (1 + u sin(x) + v cos(x)), where a, b, c, u, and v are coefficients to be estimated; e is the base of natural logarithms (ln); n is the day of lactation; and x is the day of year. The logarithmic form of the equation ln(y) = ln(a) + b ln(n) + cn + u sin(x) + v cos(x) was fit for each cow. Analysis of variance on each estimated coefficient used a fixed model with genetic and environmental factors. There was no evidence of additive genetic variation associated with coefficients of the lactation curve except for ln(a), the initial yield or general scaling of the curve. There was some evidence of nonadditive genetic variation with significant interaction of breed of sire with breed of dam. There was no effect for age fresh or days open on any coefficient; however, effects of year fresh and month fresh on most coefficients were highly significant. To change the shape of the lactation curve through selection probably would not be successful; however, initial production or scaling of the curve probably can be changed. It may be possible to change the shape of the lactation curve by exploiting nonadditive genetic variance.
Autotrophic production and elemental fluxes at 26°N, 155°W in the North Pacific subtropical gyre

Autotrophic carbon and nitrogen assimilation rates and the fluxes of particulate carbon (PC) and particulate nitrogen (PN) into sediment traps positioned near the base of the euphotic zone were measured at 26°N, 155°W in the North Pacific subtropical gyre. Carbon assimilation uncorrected and corrected for grazing and algal respiration losses averaged 484 ± 81 and 692 ± 115 mg C m−2d−1, respectively. Carbon:nitrogen assimilation ratios were always higher than the Redfield ratio and averaged 7.1 ± 0.6 g C g−1N. Absolute growth rates were estimated to be 69 ± 10% of nutrient-saturated values. A comparison of conical and cylindrical sediment traps indicated that the conical traps underestimated PN and PC fluxes by factors of 30 and 40, respectively. This undertrapping probably occurred in part because the effective trapping area of the conical traps is significantly less than the mouth area of the trap for slowly sinking particles. However, several lines of evidence suggest that the major cause of the discrepancy was the breakup of marine snow aggregates that encountered the sloping sides of the conical traps. The f ratios calculated from PN fluxes into the cylindrical traps varied by about a factor of three and averaged 19 ± 10%. part of the temporal variability in the f ratio appeared to be due to the fact that particulate material accumulated in the euphotic zone during storm events and subsequently appeared as a large flux of PN as the storm dissipated. The PC:PN ratio of the material that sedimented at the base of the euphotic zone (9.2 ± 1.1 g C g−1N) was consistently higher than the corresponding autotrophic assimilation rate ratio. Because of this fact net community production exceeded new production in terms of carbon by about 30%. The latter was calculated by multiplying the downward flux of PN by the autotrophic carbon:nitrogen assimilation rate ratio.
Use of adaptive optics to implement nonquadratic phase diversity imaging

Phase diversity imaging is an established technique for deriving optical phase information from measurements of intensity. Knowledge of the optical phase can then be used to provide real time feedback control to adaptive optics or to perform post-detection image restoration. The work presented in this paper concerns the use of phase diversity to improve image restoration for aberrated optical systems. All previous implementations of phase diversity imaging of which the author is aware use defocus to introduce phase diversity. Defocus is rotationally symmetric with respect to the optical axis (no q dependence) and has an approximately quadratic dependence (ρ^2) on the radial coordinate in the exit pupil plane. Because of this rotational symmetry, defocus diversity is effective in improving the quality of image restorations only for even-order aberrations such as spherical (ρ 4 ) and astigmatism (ρ 2 •cos 2 θ). However, simple defocus diversity fails to improve the quality of image restorations for odd-order aberrations such as coma (ρ 3 •cosθ). This paper explores the use of non-quadratic and rotationally non-symmetric phase diversity versus standard defocus diversity. Simulated image restorations are presented for a hypothetical system that would use an adaptive optic to introduce generalized phase diversity to remediate the impact of residual aberrations.
Effective Educational Practices in the Mainstream Setting: Recommended Model for Evaluation of Mainstream Teacher Classes:

This paper recommends evaluation of effective educational practices in all mainstream class settings. A seven-point rationale for such evaluation is presented, followed by discussion of evaluations of mainstreaming which have already been conducted. Areas of research relevant to effective instructional practices in the mainstream are also presented, in order to specify content of an appropriate evaluation instrument. Finally, a model of an effective evaluation system for evaluation of classroom mainstreaming is presented.
Targeting Underglycosylated MUC1 for the Selective Capture of Highly Metastatic Breast Cancer Cells Under Flow

The underglycosylated form of the MUC1 glycoprotein, uMUC1, has been identified as a ligand for both E-selectin and ICAM-1 and can play multiple potential roles during rolling and firm adhesion events in the metastatic cascade. Using flow cytometry and confocal microscopy, the T47D and ZR-75-1 cell lines were verified to highly express uMUC1, however it was found that only ZR-75-1 cells expressed the E-selectin binding moiety sialyl Lewis x (sLex). Furthermore, perfusing T47D cells through E-selectin coated microtubes resulted in fast rolling velocities and low numbers of interacting cells and blocking uMUC1 with the SM3 antibody had no effect. ZR-75-1 cells, on the other hand, were highly dependent on the E-selectin:uMUC1 interaction as exemplified by significant increases in cell rolling velocities and decreases in the number of interacting cells when blocking with SM3 or when uMUC1 expression was knocked down via siRNA transfection. Whereas uMUC1 interactions with E-selectin supported cell rolling, P-selectin: uMUC1 interactions exclusively facilitated cell tethering, while L-selectin surfaces supported no cell adhesive interactions. These experimental observations are consistent with molecular dynamics simulations of uMUC1 bound to E-, P-, and L-selectin where the degree of residue contact correlated with the differential adhesion of uMUC1 to each selectin. Finally, an E-selectin and SM3 combined surface coating captured approximately 30% of the total number of interacting cancer cells comparable to the number of adhered cells when utilizing E-selectin and ICAM-1 combined surfaces. The E-selectin/SM3 surface strategy offers a viable method to selectively capture cancer cells from whole blood samples.
The locomotor effects of quinpirole in rats depend on age and gender.

Periadolescence in the rat [postnatal day (PND) 35–50] is an important but understudied period of neurobehavioral development. In this experiment, an ongoing survey of the effects of quinpirole in developing rats was completed by the addition of periadolescent rats to the range of ages tested. PND40 or 50 rats were injected subcutaneously with the dopamine D2/D3 receptor agonist, quinpirole (0.0, 0.02, 0.2, or 2.0 mg/kg), and their locomotor activity was recorded. Periadolescent rats showed adult-like locomotor responses to either the 0.2 or 2.0 mg/kg doses of quinpirole, i.e., the responses were biphasic with respect to time: early suppression of locomotion followed by later activation within a single test session. In younger female rats (PND40) but older male rats (PND50), the lowest dose of quinpirole suppressed activity early in the test session but did not increase it later. In male rats, the magnitude of locomotor activation declined with age. Taken together with previous data from this laboratory, these results suggest that periadolescent rats exhibit locomotor responses that fall along a continuum from a high level of activation just after weaning to a low level of activation in early adulthood.