cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Kinetics of isothermal and nonisothermal crystallization of novel poly(arylene ether ether sulfide)s

The kinetics of crystallization have been studied for a series of novel poly(ether ether sulfide)s based on a biphenyl moiety in the backbone (M n = 14.3K, 19.1K), referred to as biphenyl sulfide (T g = 142°C, T m = 347°C) and phenyl moieties in the backbone (M n = 8.1K, 19.9K, 34K), referred to as phenyl sulfide (T g = 100°C, T m = 243°C). Isothermal melt crystallization kinetics were analyzed based on the Avrami equation. Avrami exponents close to three were obtained for the phenyl sulfides, independent of molecular weight or crystallization temperature, which implies growth of three-dimensional spherulitic superstructures following heterogeneous nucleation. For the biphenyl sulfides, values closer to 2 were obtained for the exponent, also independent of molecular weight or crystallization temperature, which could imply the incomplete development of three-dimensional superstructures following heterogeneous nucleation. Nonisothermal crystallization kinetics were also studied by cooling from the melt: in all cases studied, the Ozawa analysis could not well describe the evolution of crystallinity, probably because of the inapplicability of some of the inherent assumptions in this type of analysis. The data were analyzed using the conventional form of the Avrami equation, which yielded good fits. This semiquantitative method of analysis yields a reduced rate constant that was found to increase with increasing cooling rate and decreasing molecular weight. The results of the isothermal and nonisothermal crystallization studies carried out on the poly(ether ether sulfide)s have been compared wherever possible to the results available for PPS and PEEK.
Ultrasonic evaluation of pelvic masses in pregnancy.

Diagnostic ultrasound has recently become a very useful tool in obstetrics and gynecology as it is a non-invasive and harmless procedure both to the patient and the fetus. Its usefulness in gynecology has somewhat lagged behind obstetrics since almost all persistent large pelvic masses are surgically removed and an additional diagnostic test with the additional cost and inconvenience to the patient is often felt to be unnecessary by the gynecologist.
THE COMPATIBILITY OF FREE FRACTIONAL CHARGE AND DIRAC MAGNETIC MONOPOLES

Abstract The existence of a free fractionally charged particle together with a monopole that has magnetic charge g= 1 2e poses an apparent conflict. This conflict may be resolved by enlarging the exact gauge symmetry. The resulting constraint on GUTs is discussed and illustrated with an SU(9) GUT. Under certain assumptions, SU(9) is the smallest group to satisfy the constraints.
Modulation of CYP1A expression in rainbow trout by a technical grade formulation of propiconazole

In a recent survey of pesticide concentrations in aquatic ecosystems of Central America, the antifungal triazole compound propiconazole was found to be the most widely distributed pesticide. Previously, technical grade propiconazole (TGP) has been shown to modulate cytochrome P450 activity in mammals and birds. The present study investigated the concentration- and timedependent effects of TGP on hepatic cytochrome CYP1A gene expression and catalytic activity in rainbow trout (Oncorhyncus mykiss). The TGP produced both a mixed-pattern response and a biphasic response for CYP1A expression following waterborne exposure. Evidence for inhibitory complex formation with cytochrome P450 may explain the occurrence of the mixed-pattern response. To further characterize the influence of TGP on CYP1A expression, a comparison was made between TGP and analytical grade propiconazole (AGP) with in vivo and in vitro assays. This comparison demonstrated that induction of the CYP1A gene resulted from unidentified compounds in TGP. Since TGP can be coapplied with other agricultural pesticides, either inhibition or induction of CYP1A protein activity by TGP and potentially other cytochrome P450 isoenzymes may lead to unexpected toxicological interactions.
Spirited flesh: The animation and hybridization of flesh in the early modern imaginary

While early modern scholarship presupposes the dichotomy of flesh and spirit, such conclusions ignore the constitutive ambiguity of flesh in the early modern world. To illustrate this ambiguity, I turn to two major archives: Helikiah Crooke’s medical treatise Microcosmographia: A Description of the Body of Man (1615) and William Tyndale’s Prologue to the Romans in his translation of the New Testament (1534). These texts gesture toward the reality of ‘spirited’ flesh, a flesh that possesses a form of liveliness persisting beyond physical severance from the body or even biological death. This spirited flesh is radicalized further in John Marston’s Antonio’s Revenge (1602), as dead flesh exists in a synecdochical relationship with the spirit. Yet Marston’s characterization of flesh emerges not as an early modern quirk or an occasion of dramatic heresy but rather as one supported by contemporary discourses of science and religion.
Finite element method of lines analysis of open periodic structures

The applicability of the finite element method of lines to the analysis of open, periodic structures in demonsrated. To validate the method and study its characteristics, the problem of transverse electric (TE) plane wave scattering from a metallic waveguide array is considered. Convergence of the solution is ivestigated both as a function of the mesh density and the order of the polynomial approximation used in the construction of basis functions.
EMBODIED SCIENCE: RECENTERING RELIGION-AND-SCIENCE

. Neither religion nor science is first of all a realm of pure ideas, even though religion-and-science discussions often assume that they are. I propose that a concept of embodied science is more adequate and that religion-and-science should center its attention on science as enabler for improving the world (SEIW). This idea of science is rooted in Jerome Ravetz's concept of industrialized science and Donna Haraway's technoscience. SEIW describes the sociocultural context of science in commercial, government, and university settings. The chief focus of religion-and-science consequently takes into account five basic issues: (1) the kind of world we want, (2) liberating science, (3) human action and ethics, (4) religion and the world's possibilities, and (5) recovering myth. An underlying presupposition of the discussion is that understanding the world always involves as well an understanding of our being-in-the-world.
On-chip coupling of isoelectric focusing and free solution electrophoresis for multidimensional separations.

We have developed an acrylic microfluidic device that sequentially couples liquid-phase isoelectric focusing (IEF) and free solution capillary electrophoresis (CE). Rapid separation (<1 min) and preconcentration (73×) of species were achieved in the initial IEF dimension. Using full-field fluorescence imaging, we observed nondispersive mobilization velocities on the order of 20 μm/s during characterization of the IEF step. This transport behavior allowed controlled electrokinetic mobilization of focused sample bands to a channel junction, where voltage switching was used to repeatedly inject effluent from the IEF dimension into an ampholyte-based CE separation. This second dimension was capable of analyzing all fluid volumes of interest from the IEF dimension, as IEF was ‘parked' during each CE analysis and refocused prior to additional CE analyses. Investigation of each dimension of the integrated system showed time-dependent species displacement and band-broadening behavior consistent with IEF and CE, r...
Evaluation of a rat testis homogenate radioligand receptor assay for human pituitary LH.

A rat testis homogenate radioligand receptor assay (RTH-RLA) has been characterized with respect to its usefulness for measurement of LH activity in fractions derived from human pituitary glands. The precision of the RTH-RLA appears adequate as judged by standard statistical analysis of inter- and intra-assay variations in response. The accuracy and specificity of the RTHRLA was determined by measurement of hLH activity in a variety of human pituitary fractions having widely divergent contents of LH, FSH and TSH, and comparison of these results with those obtained using the ovarian ascorbic acid depletion (OAAD) and ventral prostate growth (VPW) bioassays. LER-907 was the reference preparation for all assays used in these comparisons. However LER-907, the 2nd IRP-HMG and the 2nd IS-hCG all gave parallel inhibition curves in the RTHRLA. The mean index of discrimination (ID) RLA/OAAD for measurement of LH content in 20 human pituitary glycoprotein hormone preparations was 1.29. The mean ID RLA/VPW for 8 sim...
Electrochemical enzyme immunoassay using sequential saturation technique in a 20-μl capillary: digoxin as a model analyte

Capillary enzyme immunoassay with flow-injection analysis for digoxin using the sequential saturation technique has been developed. Glass capillary tubes (10 cm × 0.53 mm i.d.) with immobilized digoxin antibody were used as the immunoassay reactor. The product of enzymatic reaction. 4-aminophenol, was detected amperometrically. The digoxin and the labeled digoxin binding reaction with the immobilized digoxin antibody were completed in 2 and 10 min, respectively. Digoxin was determined in a 20-μl sample with a detection limit of 10 pg ml−1 (200 fg or 260 attomoles) and a 3 orders of magnitude range.
Developing leadership competencies in librarians

What makes a good director? How does a librarian know she has the competencies needed to be an effective manager-leader? How does the library board or community know what to look for in a director? What should the library profession look for in their rising managers? There are not clear answers to these questions right now. But development of a set of research-based competencies will give answers to these questions, and will give a foundation for other research-based ideas to be developed to assist manager-leaders in the library. The research objective for this study is to refine a set of competencies, identified from the literature, through the opinions of current public library directors. The development of manager/leaders in the library world is too important to be left to chance. Using a research-based set of competencies as a foundation should help in the development of training opportunities for librarians who wish to be successful in their positions as directors.
Exercise protects against diet-induced insulin resistance through downregulation of protein kinase Cβ in mice.

Physical exercise is an important and effective therapy for diabetes. However, its underlying mechanism is not fully understood. Protein kinase Cβ (PKCβ) has been suggested to be involved in the pathogenesis of obesity and insulin resistance, but the role of PKCβ in exercise-induced improvements in insulin resistance is completely unknown. In this study, we evaluated the involvement of PKCβ in exercise-attenuated insulin resistance in high-fat diet (HFD)-fed mice. PKCβ-/- and wild-type mice were fed a HFD with or without exercise training. PKC protein expression, body and tissue weight change, glucose and insulin tolerance, metabolic rate, mitochondria size and number, adipose inflammation, and AKT activation were determined to evaluate insulin sensitivity and metabolic changes after intervention. PKCβ expression decreased in both skeletal muscle and liver tissue after exercise. Exercise and PKCβ deficiency can alleviate HFD-induced insulin resistance, as evidenced by improved insulin tolerance. In addition, fat accumulation and mitochondrial dysfunction induced by HFD were also ameliorated by both exercise and PKCβ deficiency. On the other hand, exercise had little effect on PKCβ-/- mice. Further, our data indicated improved activation of AKT, the downstream signal molecule of insulin, in skeletal muscle and liver of exercised mice, whereas PKCβ deficiency blunted the difference between sedentary and exercised mice. These results suggest that downregulation of PKCβ contributes to exercise-induced improvement of insulin resistance in HFD-fed mice.
Dynamic supramolecular complexation by shapeshifting organic molecules.

The synthesis of bisporphyrin bullvalene 1 enabled explorations of its supramolecular complexation with C60, revealing a dynamic network of interconverting complexes.
Massive localized lymphedema of the thigh in a morbidly obese patient.

Massive localized lymphedema (MLL) is a condition most commonly found in the extremities of morbidly obese patients. It is thought to be caused by localized lymphatic obstruction secondary to anatomic distortion from obesity. It mimics malignant lesions such as liposarcoma. Proper management of these lesions is challenging, and therapeutic regimens remain to be established. We will now describe a case of MLL, discuss the likely etiologies of the disease, and explore the factors that must be taken into consideration in determining treatment options.
Calibration of the scanning (atomic) force microscope with gold particles

Summary Scanning force microscopy (SFM) holds great promise for biological research. Two major problems that have confronted imaging with the scanning force microscope have been the distortion of the image and overestimation in measurements of lateral size due to the varying geometry and characteristics of the scanning tip. In this study, spherical colloidal gold particles (10, 20 and 40 nm in diameter) were used to determine (1) tip parameters (size, shape and semivertical angle); (2) the distortion of the image caused by the tip; and (3) the overestimation or broadening of lateral dimensions. These gold particles deviate little in size, are rigid and have a size similar to biological macromolecules. Images of the colloidal gold particles by SFM were compared with those obtained by electron microscopy (EM). The height of the gold particles as measured by SFM and EM was comparable and was little affected by the tip geometry. The measurements of the lateral dimensions of colloidal gold, however, showed substantial differences between SFM and EM in that SFM resulted in an overestimate of the lateral dimensions. Moreover, the distortion of images and broadening of lateral dimensions were specific to the SFM tip used. The calibration of the SFM tip with mica provided little clue as to the type of distortion and the amount of lateral broadening observed when the larger gold particles were scanned. The SFM image also depended on the orientation of the tip with respect to the specimen. Our results suggest that quantitative SFM imaging requires calibration to identify and account for both the distortions and the magnitude of lateral broadening caused by the cantilever tip. Calibration with gold particles is fast and nondestructive to the tip. The raw imaging data of the specimen can be corrected for the tip effect and true structural information can be derived. In summary, we present a simple and practical method for the calibration of the SFM tip using gold particles with a size in the range of biomacromolecules that allows: (1) selection of a cantilever tip that produces an image with minimal distortion; (2) quantitative determination of tip parameters; (3) reconstruction of the shape of the tip at different heights from the tip apex; (4) appreciation of the type of distortion that may be introduced by a specific tip and quantification of the overestimation of the lateral dimensions; and (5) calculation of the true structure of the specimen from the image data. The significance is that such calibration will permit quantitative and accurate imaging with SFM.
Development and Application of the KDS™-1 in Inpatient and Outpatient Settings:

Summary.-The Kugfer-Detre Self-rating Scale (KDSTM-1) was designed as a short, comprehensive instrument which could be utilized in both inpatient and outpatient settings. Four different psychiatric services participated in administering the questionnaire to over 500 patients in its first large-scale trial. The KDS-1 distinguished 17 differences in symptoms among the 4 patient groups and discriminated 13 differences in symptoms between inpatients and outpatients. The relationships among symptoms and sex, age, and levels of education are also presented. The implications for these findings are discussed as is the feasibility of using symptom clusters derived from the KDS-1. Most rating instruments used for clinical research are not self-administered and thus may be subject to he biases of the person administering them. The one notable exception is the self-rating scale devised by Zung (SDS), but this instrument elicits primarily symptoms relating to mood disorders (Zung, 1965). As part of a long-term program of computer applications in the mental health care delivery system, we have developed a short self-rating instrument broad enough to elicit responses indicative of disturbances of mood and cognition most frequently found in psychiatric practice. The Kupfer-Detre Self-rating Scale (KDS-1) could be utilized both in the initial assessment and in longitudinal evaluation of the patient's illness. This report describes the validation of the KDS-1 in different clinical settings, examining the correlations in repnses given to KDS-1 with the clinicians' ratings during the initial interview. METHOD
Boundary Detection Benchmarking: Beyond F-Measures

For an ill-posed problem like boundary detection, human labeled datasets play a critical role. Compared with the active research on finding a better boundary detector to refresh the performance record, there is surprisingly little discussion on the boundary detection benchmark itself. The goal of this paper is to identify the potential pitfalls of today's most popular boundary benchmark, BSDS 300. In the paper, we first introduce a psychophysical experiment to show that many of the "weak" boundary labels are unreliable and may contaminate the benchmark. Then we analyze the computation of f-measure and point out that the current benchmarking protocol encourages an algorithm to bias towards those problematic "weak" boundary labels. With this evidence, we focus on a new problem of detecting strong boundaries as one alternative. Finally, we assess the performances of 9 major algorithms on different ways of utilizing the dataset, suggesting new directions for improvements.
Enzymatic, lectin, and morphological characterization and classification of presumptive cyanobionts from Azolla Lam

Summary A number of cyanobacterial strains from the Azolla Lam. symbiosis, all independently isolated by different researchers, were simultaneously evaluated in order to document distinguishing traits. Ten presumptive secondary (minor) cyanobionts from Azolla were identified by genus and compared by morphology, binding to FITC-conjugated lectins, and enzyme electrophoresis. Identification of allozymes was particularly helpful in differentiating among strains. Anabaena variabilis ATCC 24413 and Anabaena sp. PCC 7120 served as the free-living control taxa. Based on morphological features, six strains identified as Anabaena and four as Nostoc. Those identified as Anabaena closely resembled one another morphologically and in general did not bind to lectins. In their banding patterns of 12 enzymes, five of the Anabaena cultures were identical to each other and to A. variabilis. No correlation was found between this group of cyanobaionts and any single Azolla host species. The Nostoc strains were each distinctive in appearance, and unrelated enzymatically. Cells of only one Nostoc, from India and judged to be an epiphyte rather than a symbiont, reacted with certain lectins (Canavalia, Erythrina, Phytolacca and Triticum). Culturable cyanobacteria from Azolla, previously asserted to be either Anabaena or Nostoc exclusively, have now been observed to belong to both genera.
Evaluation of NRCS curve number and MODIS time-series proxies for antecedent moisture condition

Soil moisture plays a vital role in a watershed's hydrologic response to a precipitation event. Soil moisture condition antecedent to an event in empirical runoff estimation models, such as the 5-day antecedent moisture model for natural resources conservation service (NRCS) curve number (CN) method, is generalised and spatially inexplicit. This study assesses the potential to parameterise a statistical streamflow estimation model utilising next generation weather radar (NEXRAD) precipitation records and time-series biophysical proxies for soil moisture from moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS) on board Terra satellite. This study is conducted on a 1420 km2 rural watershed in the Guadalupe River basin of southcentral Texas, a basin prone to catastrophic flooding from convective precipitation events. A least squares regression model, accounting for 83% of the variance of observed streamflow for calendar year 2004, was developed based on radar precipitation estimates, land surface temperatu...
Personnel Selection Bias for Job Applicants with Cancer

Selection evaluations for job applicants with a history of cancer were experimentally explored. One hundred and thirty-two supervisors and mid-level managers reviewed the cover letter and resume of an applicant with a medical condition and the job description for a simulated position. The type of the applicant's cancer was systematically manipulated in the cover letter to represent cancers with varying 5-year survival rates. Attribution of responsibility for the disability, perceived qualifications, and the recommendation to hire were assessed. Regardless of qualifications, participants made lower hiring recommendations for the applicants with cancer of the colon, pancreas, bone, and thyroid when compared to an applicant with pneumonia. Presumed personal blame for the disability was also found to be negatively related to the hiring recommendation.
The importance of the smooth muscle cytoskeleton to preterm labour

Multiple mechanisms have been shown to regulate the onset of labour in a co-operative and complex manner. One factor, myometrial stretch and associated increases in wall tension, has been implicated clinically in the initiation of labour and especially the aetiology of preterm labour. Recent work on the mechanisms involved has led to the finding that the intracellular Ca(2+) requirement for activation of the myometrial contractile filaments increases during gestation. The decreased Ca(2+) sensitivity correlates with an increase in the expression of caldesmon, an actin-binding protein and inhibitor of myosin activation, during pregnancy. In late pregnancy, an increase in extracellular signal-regulated kinase-mediated caldesmon phosphorylation occurs, which appears to reverse the inhibitory action of caldesmon during labour. Force generated by the myometrial contractile filaments is communicated across the plasmalemma to the uterine wall through focal adhesions. Phospho-tyrosine screening and mass spectrometry of stretched myometrial samples identified several stretch-activated focal adhesion proteins. This Src-mediated focal adhesion signalling appears to provide a tunable, i.e. regulated, tension sensor and force transmitter in the myometrial cell. In other parallel studies, biophysical measurements of smooth muscle compliance at both the cellular and tissue levels suggest that decreases in cellular compliance due to changing interactions of the actin cytoskeleton with the focal adhesions may also promote increases in uterine wall tension. These results, taken together, suggest that focal adhesion proteins and their interaction with the cytoskeleton may present a new mode of regulation of uterine contractility.
Different behavioral effects of haloperidol, clozapine and thioridazine in a concurrent lever pressing and feeding procedure

Rats were tested using a lever pressing/feeding procedure in which a preferred food (Bioserve pellets) was available by pressing a lever on a fixed ratio 5 schedule, but a less preferred food (lab chow) was also available concurrently in the operant chamber. The effects of repeated (14 day) injections of haloperidol, clozapine and thioridazine were compared. Haloperidol (0.05-0.15 mg/kg) significantly reduced lever pressing and increased chow intake throughout the drug treatment period. Injections of clozapine (2.0-6.0 mg/kg) suppressed lever pressing but failed to produce substantial increases in chow intake. In the haloperidol experiment there was a significant inverse correlation between lever pressing and chow intake, but in the clozapine experiment there was not. Regression analysis indicated that rats treated with the high dose of clozapine showed some tolerance to the suppression of lever pressing. Tests of sedation also were conducted before and after the instrumental behavior sessions. Haloperidol produced little or no sedative effect in the dose range tested. Clozapine produced substantial sedation during the first 10 days of administration, but this effect, like the suppression of lever pressing, showed signs of tolerance. Thioridazine (3.0-9.0 mg/kg) produced some effects that resembled haloperidol, and other effects, including sedation, that resembled clozapine. These studies indicate that haloperidol suppresses lever pressing for food at low doses that do not produce severe motivational or sedative effects that disrupt food intake. In contrast, it appears as though the suppression of lever pressing produced by clozapine stems from a sedative effect that also serves to set limits on chow intake. These results indicate that haloperidol and clozapine suppress lever pressing through different mechanisms.
Science and Society: Fifty Years Later—The 2014 Presidential Address

s and 34,000 attendees. The theme for this year’s meeting is “Science and Society,” chosen to emphasize my intention to help bring our scientific community and the society we serve closer together so that we can more quickly make our world free from the fear of cancer. I chose to begin with and to emphasize the word “intention” because I believe that this word can sharpen our focus, clarify our vision, and help us marshal the resources we need to achieve our goals. And the power of intention is as relevant to us as it was to our founders 50 years ago. Reflecting on societal events leading up to ASCO’s founding, I was quickly drawn to a clip of President John F. Kennedy speaking at Rice University in 1962. The phrase that resonates for me is, “One which we intend to win.” His emphasis on intention resonates because it is both optimistic and energizing, but it is also humble and effective. And it was JFK’s clarity of intention that galvanized our successful efforts to reach the moon within 7
TECHNOLOGY OF EGYPTIAN CORE GLASS VESSELS

Our knowledge of glass production in ancient Egypt has been well augmented not only by the publication of recently excavated materials and glass workshops, but also by more recent materials analysis, and experiments of modern glass-makers attempting to reconstruct the production process of thin-walled core-formed glass vessels. The small but well preserved glass collection of the Freer Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. was used to examine and study the technology and production of ancient Egyptian core-formed glass vessels. Previous study suggests that most of these vessels were produced in the 18th Dynasty in the 15th and 14th centuries BCE, while others date from the Hellenistic period and later. In an ongoing project we conducted computed radiography, x-ray fluorescence analysis and scanning electron microscopy on a selected group of vessels to understand further aspects of the ancient production process. This paper will provide an overview of our recent research.
Dominant direction of conjugate lateral eye movements and responsiveness to facial and verbal cues.

Responsiveness to facial versus verbal cues as a function of dominant direction of conjugate lateral eye movements and sex was tested in a 2 × 2 analysis of variance design. Ss were 81 student volu...
Hemodynamic Effects of Sildenafil in Patients With Congestive Heart Failure and Pulmonary Hypertension: Combined Administration With Inhaled Nitric Oxide

Study objectives: In patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH) secondary to congestive heart failure, inhaled nitric oxide (NO) increases pulmonary vascular smooth-muscle intracellular cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) concentration, thereby decreasing pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) and increasing cardiac index (CI). However, these beneficial effects of inhaled NO are limited in magnitude and duration, at least in part due to cGMP hydrolysis by the type 5 isoform of phosphodiesterase (PDE5). The goal of this study was to determine the acute pulmonary and systemic hemodynamic effects of the selective PDE5 inhibitor, sildenafil, administered alone or in combination with inhaled NO in patients with congestive heart failure and PH. Design: Single center, case series, pharmacohemodynamic study. Setting: Cardiac catheterization laboratory of a tertiary care academic teaching hospital. Patients: We studied 11 patients with left ventricular systolic dysfunction due to coronary artery disease or idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy who had PH. Interventions: We administered oral sildenafil (50 mg), inhaled NO (80 ppm), and the combination of sildenafil and inhaled NO during right-heart and micromanometer left-heart catheterization. Measurements and results: Sildenafil administered alone decreased mean pulmonary artery pressure by 12 5%, PVR by 12 5%, systemic vascular resistance (SVR) by 13 6%, and pulmonary capillary wedge pressure by 12 7%, and increased CI by 14 5% (all p < 0.05) [ SEM]. The combination of inhaled NO and sildenafil decreased PVR by 50 4%, decreased SVR by 24 3%, and increased CI by 30 4% (all p < 0.01). These effects were greater than those observed with either agent alone (p < 0.05). In addition, sildenafil prolonged the pulmonary vasodilator effect of inhaled NO. Administration of sildenafil alone or in combination with inhaled NO did not change systemic arterial pressure or indexes of myocardial systolic or diastolic function. Conclusions: PDE5 inhibition with sildenafil improves cardiac output by balanced pulmonary and systemic vasodilation, and augments and prolongs the hemodynamic effects of inhaled NO in patients with chronic congestive heart failure and PH. (CHEST 2005; 127:1647–1653) Abbreviations: cGMP cyclic guanosine monophosphate; CI cardiac index; dP/dtmax maximal rate of rise in LV pressure; dP/dtmax/DT maximal rate of rise in LV pressure normalized for developed pressure; dP/ dtmax maximal rate of LV pressure decline; LV left ventricular; NO nitric oxide; NYHA New York Heart Association; PCWP pulmonary capillary wedge pressure; PDE5 type 5 isoform of phosphodiesterase; PH pulmonary hypertension; PVR pulmonary vascular resistance; RV right ventricular; SVR systemic vascular resistance; Td time constant of isovolumic relaxation, derivative method; Tl time constant of isovolumic relaxation, logarithmic method
Modeling complex systems macroscopically: Case/agent-based modeling, synergetics, and the continuity equation

Recently, the continuity equation (also known as the advection equation) has been used to study stability properties of dynamical systems, where a linear transfer operator approach was used to examine the stability of a nonlinear equation both in continuous and discrete time (Vaidya and Mehta, IEEE Trans Autom Control 2008, 53, 307–323; Rajaram et al., J Math Anal Appl 2010, 368, 144–156). Our study, which conducts a series of simulations on residential patterns, demonstrates that this usage of the continuity equation can advance Haken's synergetic approach to modeling certain types of complex, self-organizing social systems macroscopically. The key to this advancement comes from employing a case-based approach that (1) treats complex systems as a set of cases and (2) treats cases as dynamical vsystems which, at the microscopic level, can be conceptualized as k dimensional row vectors; and, at the macroscopic level, as vectors with magnitude and direction, which can be modeled as population densities. Our case-based employment of the continuity equation has four benefits for agent-based and case-based modeling and, more broadly, the social scientific study of complex systems where transport or spatial mobility issues are of interest: it (1) links microscopic (agent-based) and macroscopic (structural) modeling; (2) transforms the dynamics of highly nonlinear vector fields into the linear motion of densities; (3) allows predictions to be made about future states of a complex system; and (4) mathematically formalizes the structural dynamics of these types of complex social systems. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
OTGsim: Simulation of an Off-the-Grid Radar Network with High Sensing Energy Cost

Many sensor network studies assume that the energy cost for sensing is negligible compared with the cost of communications or computing. Opportunities exist to deploy sensor networks utilizing active sensors with a high energy cost such as radar. For a node utilizing radar as its primary sensor, the actual sensing procedure is the main power consumer. In the worst case almost 50% of the power is consumed by the sensing procedure, while only 3% is used for communication, the remainder is consumed by the computing platform. In this paper we examine a wireless sensor network composed of short range radars used to monitor rainfall. These short-range radar nodes are designed to be deployed as part of an ad-hoc network and to limit their reliance on existing infrastructure. We refer to these networks as "off-the-grid" (OTG) weather radar networks. Independence of the wired infrastructure (power or communications) allows OTG networks to be deployed in specific regions where sensing needs are greatest, such as mountain valleys prone to flash-flooding, geographic regions where the infrastructure is susceptible to failure, and underdeveloped regions lacking urban infrastructure. We present a simulation based investigation of such an OTG sensor network. We focus on power management and energy harvesting for the network. We use these simulations to demonstrate how geographic location, battery capacity, optimization of power consumption, and node density have an impact on the performance and operational lifetime of such a sensor network. In addition to these simulations, we present the design and implementation of an OTG prototype sensor node. Experiences and data gained from the operation of this node are used as input parameters for the simulations.
Erythroid GATA1 function revealed by genome-wide analysis of transcription factor occupancy, histone modifications, and mRNA expression

The transcription factor GATA1 regulates an extensive program of gene activation and repression during erythroid development. However, the associated mechanisms, including the contributions of distal versus proximal cis-regulatory modules, co-occupancy with other transcription factors, and the effects of histone modifications, are poorly understood. We studied these problems genome-wide in a Gata1 knockout erythroblast cell line that undergoes GATA1-dependent terminal maturation, identifying 2616 GATA1-responsive genes and 15,360 GATA1-occupied DNA segments after restoration of GATA1. Virtually all occupied DNA segments have high levels of H3K4 monomethylation and low levels of H3K27me3 around the canonical GATA binding motif, regardless of whether the nearby gene is induced or repressed. Induced genes tend to be bound by GATA1 close to the transcription start site (most frequently in the first intron), have multiple GATA1-occupied segments that are also bound by TAL1, and show evolutionary constraint on the GATA1-binding site motif. In contrast, repressed genes are further away from GATA1-occupied segments, and a subset shows reduced TAL1 occupancy and increased H3K27me3 at the transcription start site. Our data expand the repertoire of GATA1 action in erythropoiesis by defining a new cohort of target genes and determining the spatial distribution of cis-regulatory modules throughout the genome. In addition, we begin to establish functional criteria and mechanisms that distinguish GATA1 activation from repression at specific target genes. More broadly, these studies illustrate how a “master regulator” transcription factor coordinates tissue differentiation through a panoply of DNA and protein interactions.
What symptoms does cholecystectomy cure? Insights from an outcomes measurement project and review of the literature

Background> The increasing application of cholecystectomy has increased the need to assess the effects of cholecystectomy on presenting symptoms. Patients and methods Three surgeon-derived and two patient-derived data forms were collected for each patient in a series of 225 laparoscopic cholecystectomies. Results Eighty-two percent of patients had documented gallstones preoperatively, 91% had biliary pain, and 77% had both biliary pain and documented gallstones prior to surgery. Fifteen percent of patients were believed to have acalculous cholecystitis. Eighty-two percent also had bothersome nonpain symptoms (gassiness, bloating, indigestion, fatty-food intolerance, and nausea). The cure rate for biliary colic was 82% if stones were documented preoperatively, and 52% when they were not ( P = 0.002). Atypical pain was cured 80% of the time, and nonpain symptoms, 44% of the time. Conclusions Most patients (82%) with biliary colic and gallstones have complete reh'ef of upper abdominal pain after cholecystectomy. Pain relief in patients felt to have acalculous cholecystitis was only 52%. Nonpain symptoms were common preoperatively (82%) and were relieved in 44% of patients.
Aspheric grating for extreme ultraviolet astronomy

A family of plane curves is developed which can diffract incident parallel rays to a point focus. These curves, termed diffractoidal curves, are rotated around an axis to produce surfaces of revolution correspondingly termed diffractoids, whose imaging properties for sources at infinity are studied by ray tracing in a few examples. The paraboloid emerges as a limiting case of the diffractoid. A comparison is made between the stigmatic focusing properties of the diffractoid and the toroidal grating.
NFI transcription factors interact with FOXA1 to regulate prostate-specific gene expression.

Androgen receptor (AR) action throughout prostate development and in maintenance of the prostatic epithelium is partly controlled by interactions between AR and forkhead box (FOX) transcription factors, particularly FOXA1. We sought to identity additional FOXA1 binding partners that may mediate prostate-specific gene expression. Here we identify the nuclear factor I (NFI) family of transcription factors as novel FOXA1 binding proteins. All four family members (NFIA, NFIB, NFIC, and NFIX) can interact with FOXA1, and knockdown studies in androgen-dependent LNCaP cells determined that modulating expression of NFI family members results in changes in AR target gene expression. This effect is probably mediated by binding of NFI family members to AR target gene promoters, because chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) studies found that NFIB bound to the prostate-specific antigen enhancer. Forster resonance energy transfer studies revealed that FOXA1 is capable of bringing AR and NFIX into proximity, indicating that FOXA1 facilitates the AR and NFI interaction by bridging the complex. To determine the extent to which NFI family members regulate AR/FOXA1 target genes, motif analysis of publicly available data for ChIP followed by sequencing was undertaken. This analysis revealed that 34.4% of peaks bound by AR and FOXA1 contain NFI binding sites. Validation of 8 of these peaks by ChIP revealed that NFI family members can bind 6 of these predicted genomic elements, and 4 of the 8 associated genes undergo gene expression changes as a result of individual NFI knockdown. These observations suggest that NFI regulation of FOXA1/AR action is a frequent event, with individual family members playing distinct roles in AR target gene expression.
Retirement And Estate Planning With An Emphasis On Individual Retirement Accounts

Tax sheltering earned income for use in later years has become the cornerstone of many taxpayers’ retirement plans since so many companies have dropped their defined benefit pension plans in order to remain competitive in today’s international market place. Many taxpayers are utilizing Traditional IRAs, Roth IRAs and designated Roth accounts as important financial planning tools when the other plans are not readily available or no longer useful for their situations.
Blood Pressure: Baroreceptors

Specialized stretch receptors responding to pressure at key places within the cardiovascular system provide the brain with information regarding moment-to-moment changes in arterial blood pressure (aortic and carotid baroreceptors) or venous blood volume (cardiopulmonary baroreceptors). This afferent input controls a variety of reflex responses encompassing autonomic, endocrine, and behavioral adjustments, each geared toward maintaining cardiovascular homeostasis. Key among these reflexes is the adjustment of autonomic outflow, and the central neural pathways involved in this process are well documented. However, other baroreceptor-evoked reflex responses are less well characterized.
Function and bioenergetics in isolated perfused trained rat hearts

To evaluate the resistance of physiologically hypertrophied hearts to hypoxic insult, we quantified the development of functional deficits during hypoxia and reoxygenation in hypertrophied hearts from swim-trained female rats and we correlated this with assessment of high-energy phosphate (HEP) metabolites from simultaneous 31P nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) measurements. Furthermore, in vivo enzymatic studies were carried out with saturation transfer NMR under well-oxygenated perfusion conditions for both beating and KCl-arrested hearts. Finally, in vitro enzymatic assays were performed. During hypoxia, the trained hearts exhibited improved systolic and diastolic function compared with hearts from sedentary animals. After 16 min of hypoxia, left ventricular (LV) developed pressure fell to 9% of baseline in control hearts but to only 21% of baseline in trained hearts (P < 0.01). LV diastolic function was also improved by training, increasing during hypoxia from a baseline of 10 to 71.0 +/- 3.3 mmHg in control hearts and to 55.3 +/- 4.8 mmHg in trained hearts (P < 0.05). Trained hearts also showed more rapid and complete recovery of function during reoxygenation and greater coronary flow per gram of heart throughout the entire protocol. Functional differences were not accompanied by differences in HEP at baseline; moreover, ATP and phosphocreatine (PCr) loss during hypoxia was similar between control and trained hearts, as was the recovery of PCr during reoxygenation. Saturation transfer experiments showed an increase in the forward creatine kinase (CrK) rate constant in trained hearts of 18% while beating, whereas in vitro enzymatic analysis revealed a 16% increase in the ratio of mitochondrial CrK to citrate synthase activity in LV tissue. Thus the relative preservation of function in hearts from trained rats could not be accounted for by overall HEP levels but may reflect adaptations in the CrK system.
A Model for the High Temperature Swelling of Clad Oxide Fuel

A fuel-specimen model is developed to describe the diametral swelling behavior of W-Re clad, oxide fuel specimens irradiated at a clad surface temperature in excess of 1200°C. The model is based on...
Nonthrombotic Pulmonary Embolism: A Potential Complication of Polyacrylamide Hydrogel Cosmetic Injection

Context. Polyacrylamide hydrogel (PAAG) has gained importance as a synthetic soft tissue filling agent. It has been commonly employed by physicians in Europe for facial contouring and soft tissue augmentation. Previously, PAAG is considered nontoxic and well tolerated with a few mild procedural complications. Case Presentation. A 26-year-old female was hospitalized for dry cough, worsening dyspnea, and chest discomfort after 3 hours of multiple PAAG injections in buttocks. The patient's condition deteriorated and rapidly advanced to acute respiratory failure. Therein, the diagnosis of nonthrombotic pulmonary embolism (NTPE) was established on standard set of investigations. She was intubated; corticosteroid and empiric antibiotic therapy was initiated resulting in improvement of her condition. Subsequently, extubation was done, and she was discharged from the hospital after an uneventful recovery. On 1-month follow-up, the patient had no previous symptoms. Conclusion. This report implicates clinicians to maintain a high index of suspicion for NTPE in patients presenting with respiratory symptoms following PAAG usage.
Electrical and Mechanical Performance of Quilt Packaging with Solder Paste by Pin Transfer

Electrical and mechanical performance of Quilt Packaging (QP), a 2D system-in-package chip-to-chip interconnection, is presented. QP employs contacts at the edges of integrated circuit dies along their vertical surfaces. Based on 3D HFSS simulations, the self-inductance of QP can be less than 0.01 nH, and the self-capacitance can be less than 0.034 pF due to the shortness of the interconnection path. QP interconnection using solder paste with pin transfer is presented, and mechanical reliability is evaluated. A new pull test system specifically designed for QP is presented. The pull force that causes failure in a set of edge interconnects totaling 3 mm width of nodules is about 658 gram-force for Sn63Pb37 and 953 gram-force for SAC305.
Federal Preemption of State Law: The Current State of Play

This paper reviews the evolving case law on the boundary between state and federal power, covering both basic preemption doctrine and recent cases (particularly in the area of torts). It also provides a look at the evolving law regarding Congress’s commerce power and at when state law infringe on the federal government’s exclusive jurisdiction over foreign affairs. The paper’s general conclusion is that preemption law is likely to remain very messy because it involves overlapping issues: methods of interpreting federal statutes, views of federal versus state power, disputes about the role of regulation versus liability in controlling risks, attitudes toward juries and toward administrative agencies, and the benefits and drawbacks of specific regulatory policies. Because preemption cases have multiple dimensions, doctrinal tidiness is unlikely. However, the paper does outline some modest steps toward improving decision-making about the division of authority between states and the federal government.
Towards inference of a biochemical ontology from a metabolic database: Research Articles

In order to predict the metabolic fate of an arbitrary compound based solely on structure, it is useful to be able to identify substructural ‘functional groups’ that are biochemically reactive. These functional groups are the substructural elements that can be removed and replaced to transform one compound into another. This problem of identifying functional groups is related to the problem of classifying compounds. The research presented here discusses the state of the art in biochemical databases and how these sources may be applied to the problem of classifying compounds based solely on structure. We describe a biochemical informatics system for processing molecular data and describe how 100 255 compositional (hasA) relationships are inferred between 835 abstractions and 9500 metabolites from the KEGG Ligand database. Specifically, we focus on the identification of amino acids and consider ways in which the inference of biochemical ontologies for metabolites will be improved in the future. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.