cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Predissolution and Postdissolution Penetration Resistance

AbstractMineral dissolution is a common chemomechanical digenetic process in geological systems. The penetration resistance in sediments that have experienced dissolution is studied using a laboratory-scale cone penetration test device and a calibration chamber. Variables include the initial sediment density and mass fraction of soluble grains. Results show that the void ratio increases with the extent of mineral dissolution; the magnitude of the void ratio change is higher in initially dense sediments. A terminal void ratio is found for dissolution; the void ratio after dissolution will not exceed this terminal void ratio regardless of the extent of dissolution. For boundary conditions applied in this study, the terminal void ratio for dissolution corresponds to a relative density of Dr≈15% , which is attained when dissolution exceeds a mass fraction loss of 10%. While the tip resistance decreases after dissolution, the drop in tip resistance is most pronounced in initially dense sands. A single penetrat...
Inhomogenous polarization in scanning optical microscopy

Polarization control and analysis have proven to be a powerful tool both in conventional and confocal microscopies, but most of these approaches have used homogeneously polarized pupils. Other groups have had varying levels of success producing beams with spatially inhomogeneous polarization. In this paper, we describe the generation and focusing properties of such beams and their application to scanning laser microscopy. We specifically consider microscopy using the lowest-order azimuthally polarized beam.
Wave Localization Characteristics in the Time Domain

We present an analytical solution to the problem of pulse backscattering from a randomly stratified half-space. It is shown that the power spectrum \ensuremath{\mu} for the backscattered wave is characterized by a function of \ensuremath{\chi}, where \ensuremath{\chi}=(distance traveled by the pulse at time \ensuremath{\tau})/(the frequency-dependent localization length). For the matched-impedance and the total-reflection boundary conditions, \ensuremath{\mu} is given by \ensuremath{\chi}/(1+\ensuremath{\chi}${)}^{2}$ and 4\ensuremath{\chi}, respectively. Implications for the time-domain measurement of the localization length are discussed.
Primary biliary cirrhosis: an infectious disease caused by Chlamydia pneumoniae?

Abstract Background/Aims The etiology and pathogenesis of primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) remain elusive. Both an infectious etiology and molecular mimicry have been implicated. The aim is to study the prevalence of Chlamydial antigens and RNA in the liver tissue of patients with PBC. Methods We compared the prevalence of Chlamydial antigen and RNA in 25 explants with PBC who underwent orthotopic liver transplantation with 105 explanted livers from other chronic liver disease. We also studied 14 liver biopsies from patients with early stages of PBC. Donor livers were also studied. Results In all 39 patients with PBC, Chlamydia pneumoniae antigens were present but not Chlamydia trachomatis , and only 9/105 (8.5%) of patients in the other categories were positive ( P C. pneumoniae . Eight explanted PBC livers were tested for C. pneumoniae 16S RNA by in situ hybridization and were positive. Conclusions The presence of C. pneumoniae antigen and RNA in liver tissue of patients with PBC suggests that C. pneumoniae antigen may trigger an immune response based on molecular mimicry.
Whistler anisotropy instability with a cold electron component: Linear theory

[1] The whistler anisotropy instability is driven by an electron temperature anisotropy T⊥/T∥ > 1 where ⊥ and ∥ denote directions perpendicular and parallel, respectively, to the background magnetic field Bo. Here kinetic linear theory in a magnetized, homogeneous, collisionless plasma model is used to study this instability when the electron velocity distribution may be represented as the sum of a hot, anisotropic bi-Maxwellian and a cold, isotropic component. The critical β∥e, the value at which the maximum growth rate of the instability changes from propagation parallel to Bo to oblique propagation, decreases with increasing nc/ne, where nc is the cold electron density and ne is the total electron density. At parallel propagation the maximum growth rate increases with nc/ne up to nc/ne ≃ 0.8, but then diminishes with further increases of the relative cold electron density. Introduction of a cold electron component can reduce the hot electron anisotropy necessary to excite this instability by up to a factor of 2.
Parks and factors in their success.

To measure how effective parks are in protecting tropical biodiversity, A. G. Bruner and co-authors assessed the relative decreases in land clearing, logging, hunting, fire, and grazing within 93 protected areas in 22 tropical countries over time or in relation to surrounding lands (Reports, 5 Jan
A flow cytometric analysis of the embryonic origin of lymphocytes in diploid/triploid chimeric Xenopus laevis☆

Quantitative flow cytometry was used to examine the embryonic origin of lymphocytes in Xenopus laevis. Reciprocal head/body transplants were made between diploid (2N) and triploid (3N) embryos of the same developmental stages ranging from neural plate to tail bud stages. Thymuses and spleens were removed from postmetamorphic chimeras. Cell suspensions were stained with the fluorescent DNA stain, mithramycin, and the ploidy (relative fluorescence intensity) of the cells was then determined by flow cytometry. All lymphocytes in the chimeras were derived from the posterior portion of the embryo. In other experiments, various regions of the lateral plate or ventral mesoderm were grafted from triploid to diploid embryos. Only transplants that included middorsal mesoderm gave rise to lymphocytes.
Rates of Glycogenolysis in Spayed and Alloxan-Diabetic Spayed Rat Uteri in Vitro

Uterine horns from spayed rats were suspended in Krebs-Ringer bicarbonate solution aerobically for different periods and were removed and frozen. A contralateral control horn from each rat was frozen immediately. Glycogen levels were determined in each horn and the percentage of glycogen remaining at each interval was calculated. The rate of glycogenolysis in uterine horns from spayed rats suspended in the medium followed apparent first order kinetics and occurred in 2 phases; the first phase lasted approximately 25 min and had a rate of 1.15 min-1 and the second phase had a rate of 0.216 min-1. Addition of glucose to the medium had no effect on the initial phase but induced a net synthesis of glycogen beginning after approximately 20 min. Lactate in the medium was not utilized to maintain the glycogen levels. Glycogenolysis in uteri from spayed rats treated with alloxan 48 hr previously also followed apparent first order kinetics and occurred in 2 phases; the first phase lasted approximately 45-50 min an...
Phase I trial of continuous infusion recombinant human interleukin-4 in patients with cancer.

Background: A phase I study using recombinant human interleukin-4 (rhuIL-4) administered as a continuous intravenous infusion was conducted in patients with advanced cancer to study the toxicity profile and to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of this cytokine. Methods: Twenty-six patients with non-hematologic malignancies were treated with escalating doses of rhuIL-4 administered as 24-hour continuous intravenous infusion on days 1–5 and 15–19 every 28 days. The dose levels of rhuIL-4 were: dose level I—0.25 μg/kg/day (3 patients), dose level II—0.5 μg/kg/day (5 patients), dose level III—1.0 μg/kg/day (3 patients), dose level IV—2.0 μg/kg/day (10 patients) and dose level V—4.0 μg/kg/day (5 patients). Results: Dose limiting toxicity of continuous infusion rhuIL-4 occurred at 4.0 μg/kg/day D1–5 & 15–19, in three of five patients and consisted of hematologic (thrombocytopenia and prolongation of PT) and neurologic (headache and neurocortical toxicity) toxicity. A mild flu-like syndrome characterized by fever, chills, fatigue, headache, anorexia, arthralgias and myalgias was seen almost universally, occurred more commonly and with increasing severity with higher dose levels and resolved completely on discontinuing therapy with rhuIL-4. None of the enrolled patients had an objective response to treatment with continuous infusion rhuIL-4. Conclusions: A five-day continuous infusion of rhuIL-4 given biweekly is well tolerated with a MTD of 2.0 μg/kg/day.
Letters: Comment on "Effects of multi-scattering on the performance of a single-beam acoustic manipulation device"

The concern addressed in the present commentary is to point out the omission of the azimuthal component Fφ of the axial acoustic radiation force provided in M. Azarpeyvand, M. A. Alibakhshi, R. Self, "Effects of multi-scattering on the performance of a single-beam acoustic manipulation device," IEEE Trans. Ultrason. Ferroelectr. Freq. Control, vol. 59, no. 8, pp. 1741-1749, 2012, which may suggest a miscalculation of the radiation force function Ym and its related numerical computations.
Heterogeneous flywheel modeling and optimization

Abstract The modeling or representation of heterogeneous objects is a recent research topic extensively published. Today, several rapid prototyping technologies are at a point where building heterogeneous components has become realizable; thus, methodologies to design these objects for manufacturing have to be developed. In this paper, we demonstrate how to apply Kumar and Dutta's modeling techniques to two different kinds of heterogeneous flywheels, one consisting of a finite number of distinct materials and the other consisting of two or more primary materials with continuous volume fraction variation (gradient materials). We also develop corresponding cell-based and basis-function-based multi-objective optimization methods, which can be extended to the multi-objective optimization design of other heterogeneous objects. Parameterization and numerical analysis are used to aid modeling and various calculations. Finally, we select two materials: tungsten-carbide and cobalt, to demonstrate the two methods.
Food security: translational agriculture.

In the Perspective “Radically rethinking agriculture for the 21st century” (12 February, special section on Food Security, p. [833][1]) N. V. Fedoroff et al. rightfully propose a rethinking of the regulatory system to support public-sector development of genetically modified (GM) crops in the United States and as an international precedent. This strategy will only be effective if it is coupled with a comprehensive translational research paradigm for public agricultural research—analogous to the approach that the National Institutes of Health has been adopting since 2003 to better link basic research to patient needs. In the past 20 years, private companies have only invested in the development of a few traits in a few major crops. As a result, specialty crops and traits with high environmental or social value but low economic value have been completely bypassed. Despite more than two decades of public research investment, only two GM crops developed in the public research sector have been approved for commercial release. How can the public agricultural research sector implement a paradigm of translational research? First, researchers in agricultural biotechnology should anticipate the downstream development, deployment, and commercialization requirements from the start, rather than as an afterthought. They should address regulatory requirements and intellectual property access, and they should determine how to bring the project results to scale. Second, to achieve both basic research goals and successful translation, research teams should include members from multiple disciplines and maintain a high degree of connectivity and communication. Finally, translational research should be characterized by clear accountability focused on progress toward deliverables. Philanthropic sponsors of agricultural development are now beginning to demand clearly articulated translational research strategies that encompass these components. If the public sector is going to contribute in tangible ways to Fedoroff et al. 's vision of the future of agriculture, the public research system needs to be tuned up for translation. [1]: pending:yes
The effects of corticotropin-releasing factor on the cortical EEG are reduced following adolescent nicotine exposure

Although smoking is highly prevalent among adolescents, relatively little is known about the lasting neurobehavioral consequences associated with adolescent nicotine exposure. Prior studies from our laboratory suggest that adolescent nicotine exposure induces an anxiogenic profile in adult rats. Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) systems are important modulators of anxiety and response to stress. Since acute nicotine administration has been shown to stimulate central CRF activity, the purpose of this study was to examine the effects of adolescent nicotine exposure on CRFs modulation of the cortical and hippocampal EEG in adult rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to nicotine (5 mg/kg/day) between postnatal days 35-40 using transdermal nicotine patches. Six weeks after nicotine exposure ended, the effects of intracerebroventricular administration of CRF (0.01-1.0 microg/5 microl) on EEG activity in the cortex and hippocampus were assessed in nicotine-exposed rats and age-matched control rats. The overall effects CRF were consistent with previous reports. CRF decreased low to moderate frequency EEG activity (1-32 Hz) and increased high frequency EEG activity (32-50 Hz). However, in nicotine-exposed rats the effects of CRF on the frontal and parietal cortical EEG were blunted by 30-50% compared to control rats. A similar pattern of decreased response to CRF was not observed in the hippocampus. These blunted effects of CRF on the cortical EEG suggest that long-term changes in systems responsive to CRF result from adolescent nicotine exposure. Given the role of CRF systems in behavioral responses to stress and anxiety, these data suggest that adolescent nicotine exposure may produce long-term decreases in neurophysiological responses to stress.
Probability of growth of small damage sites on the exit surface of fused silica optics.

Growth of laser damage on fused silica optical components depends on several key parameters including laser fluence, wavelength, pulse duration, and site size. Here we investigate the growth behavior of small damage sites on the exit surface of SiO2 optics under exposure to tightly controlled laser pulses. Results demonstrate that the onset of damage growth is not governed by a threshold, but is probabilistic in nature and depends both on the current size of a damage site and the laser fluence to which it is exposed. We also develop models for use in growth prediction. In addition, we show that laser exposure history also influences the behavior of individual sites.
This allergies hysteria is just nuts

Measures to control nuts are instead making things worse in a cycle of over-reaction and increasing sensitisation
Hemodynamic effects of pericardial tamponade.

Discussion and conclusionsThe increase in pericardial and central venous pressures is sufficient to impede venous return to the right atrium and thereby produces a striking drop in cardiac output (Fig. 2). In addition there is a moderate reduction in heart rate during the first 15 minutes of the tamponade (Fig. 2), which also contributes to the reduction in cardiac output. Despite the increase in total peripheral resistance, the reduced blood flow results in an immediate and marked drop in arterial pressure. This decrease activates the baroreceptor mechanisms producing an increase in heart rate which eventually exceeds the control values. The oxygen consumption drops initially because of the reduced blood flow but recovers during the course of the experiment almost to the control value. Since the recovery of oxygen consumption was greater than that of the cardiac output, the oxygen extraction from the blood must have increased, especially in the constant pressure experiments. Coincident with the onset of ...
Identical excimer laser PTK treatments in rabbits result in two distinct haze responses.

Purpose.—To obtain objective light-scattering measurements to test a hypothesis that identical PTK treatments cause distinct low- and high-level light-scattering responses in rabbit corneas. Methods.—An excimer laser was used to produce identical 6-mm diameter phototherapeutic keratectomy treatments (PTK) in 32 pigmented rabbits. Eyes were treated by performing a 40-μm epithelial ablation, followed by a 100-μm stromal PTK. Objective scattering measurements were made before treatment, weekly up to 5 weeks, and then biweekly to 9 weeks. Confocal microscopy was performed on several corneas at 4 and 7 weeks. Results.—Mean scattering levels split into distinct low- and high-scattering groups 2 weeks after treatment and remained distinct until week 7 (P < 0.003). Scattering in the low group reached a broad peak that lasted from weeks 2 to 4 at approximately 3 times the pretreatment level. Scattering in the high group peaked at 3 weeks at approximately 12 times the pretreatment level. Scattering levels diminished after reaching their peaks. Confocal images showed a band of highly reflective material in the anterior stroma that extended much deeper in corneas from the high group. The reflective band in the highly scattering corneas obscured the posterior stroma from view for up to 5 weeks. Conclusions.—Quantitative scattering data obtained with the scatterometer suggest that identical PTK treatments indeed result in distinct low- and high-level light-scattering responses in rabbits. Argon fluoride excimer lasers operating at a wavelength of 193 nm are being used extensively in the United States and throughout the world for both photorefractive (PRK) and phototherapeutic (PTK) keratectomies. In contrast with laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK), PRK does not appreciably weaken the cornea, and it is less invasive. 1,2 Nevertheless, PRK treatments frequently result in the development of increased subepithelial light scattering that gives the cornea a hazy appearance in the treated area during the first months after surgery. 3
Diffusion tensor imaging of basal ganglia and thalamus in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

PURPOSE To assess the involvement of basal ganglia and thalamus in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) method. METHODS Fourteen definite-ALS patients and 12 age-matched controls underwent whole brain DTI on a 3T scanner. Mean-diffusivity (MD) and fractional anisotropy (FA) were obtained bilaterally from the basal ganglia and thalamus in the regions-of-interest (ROIs). RESULTS The MD was significantly higher (P < .02) in basal ganglia and thalamus in patients with ALS compared with controls. Correspondingly, the FA was significantly lower (P < .02) in these structures, except in caudate (P = .04) and putamen (P = .06) in patients compared with controls. There were mild to strong correlations (r = .3−.7) between the DTI measures of basal ganglia and finger-tap, foot-tap, and lip-and-tongue movement rate. CONCLUSIONS The increased MD in basal ganglia and thalamus and decreased FA in globus pallidus and thalamus are indicative of neuronal loss or dysfunction in these structures.
Intraoperative cell salvage during radical prostatectomy is not associated with greater biochemical recurrence rate

Abstract Objectives To evaluate the risk of long-term biochemical recurrence for patients who receive cell-salvaged blood. Radical retropubic prostatectomy (RRP) is historically associated with the potential for significant blood loss. Different blood management strategies include blood donation, hemodilution, preoperative erythropoietin, and intraoperative cell salvage (IOCS). Oncologic surgeons have been reluctant to use IOCS because of the potential risk of tumor dissemination. Methods We retrospectively analyzed an RRP database and compared those who did and did not receive cell-salvaged blood by baseline parameters, pathologic outcomes, and biochemical recurrence. We also stratified our patients according to the risk of recurrence. Results A total of 1038 patients underwent RRP between 1992 and 2003. Of these, 265 (25.5%) received cell-salvaged blood and 773 (74.5%) did not. The two groups had similar baseline characteristics. No differences were found between the two groups when compared by risk of seminal vesicle invasion or positive surgical margins. Those who received cell-salvaged blood had a lower risk of extraprostatic extension. The median follow-up for all patients was 40.2 months. The overall risk of biochemical recurrence at 5 years for those who did and did not receive cell-salvaged blood was 15% and 18%, respectively ( P = 0.76). No significant differences were found in the risk of biochemical recurrence when patients were stratified according to low, intermediate, and high risk. Conclusions IOCS is a safe and effective blood management strategy for patients undergoing RRP. The risk of biochemical recurrence was not increased for those who received cell-salvaged blood. Concerns about spreading tumor cells by way of IOCS would seem unwarranted.
Juvenile hormone regulates Aedes aegypti Krüppel homolog 1 through a conserved E box motif.

Juvenile hormone (JH) plays important roles in regulation of many physiological processes including development, reproduction and metabolism in insects. However, the molecular mechanisms of JH signaling pathway are not completely understood. To elucidate the molecular mechanisms of JH regulation of Kruppel homolog 1 gene (Kr-h1) in Aedes aegypti, we employed JH-sensitive Aag-2 cells developed from the embryos of this insect. In Aag-2 cells, AaKr-h1 gene is induced by nanomolar concentration of JH III, its expression peaked at 1.5 h after treatment with JH III. RNAi studies showed that JH induction of this gene requires the presence of Ae. aegypti methoprene-tolerant (AaMet). A conserved 13 nucleotide JH response element (JHRE, TGCCTCCACGTGC) containing canonical E box motif (underlined) identified in the promoter of AaKr-h1 is required for JH induction of this gene. Critical nucleotides in the JHRE required for JH action were identified by employing mutagenesis and reporter assays. Reporter assays also showed that basic helix loop helix (bHLH) domain of AaMet is required for JH induction of AaKr-h1. 5' rapid amplification of cDNA ends method identified two isoforms of AaKr-h1, AaKr-h1α and AaKr-h1β, the expression of both isoforms is induced by JH III, but AaKr-h1α is the predominant isoform in both Aag-2 cells and Ae. aegypti larvae.
Preferences regarding Genetic Research Results: Comparing Veterans and Nonveterans Responses

Objective: Communicating genetic research results to participants presents ethical challenges. Our objectives were to examine participants’ preferences in receiving future genetic r
S-wave unitarization of high energy multileg tree graphs

Abstract Recently several authors have made quantitative estimates of the factorial divergences ( N !) in tree-level amplitudes where a few particles go to N and N ⩾ λ − ⪢1, with λ the coupling, and various arguments have been given for non-perturbative control of these divergences. We explore numerically a simple S -wave unitarization scheme for these and other large- N amplitudes, proposed earlier by one of us. We find that for S -wave processes (1) Σ N > λ −1 σ 2→ N is always small for λ ⪡ 1, of order exp ( −const. λ ); (2) for N ⩾ λ −1 , σ few→ N ≈exp(− βN ), where β =0(1) (in agreement with field theoretical results found by other methods); (3) rates for N ′ → N , N ′ ≈ N ⩾ λ −1 , are not suppressed.
A history of mesoscale model development

The development of atmospheric mesoscale models from their early origins in the 1970’s until the present day is described. Evolution has occurred in dynamical and physics representations in these models. The dynamics has had to change from hydrostatic to fully nonhydrostatic equations to handle the finer scales that have become possible in the last few decades with advancing computer power, which has enabled real-time forecasting to go to finer grid sizes. Meanwhile the physics has also become more sophisticated than the initial representations of the major processes associated with the surface, boundary layer, radiation, clouds and convection. As resolutions have become finer, mesoscale models have had to change paradigms associated with assumptions related to what is considered sub-grid scale needing parameterization, and what is resolved well enough to be explicitly handled by the dynamics. This first occurred with cumulus parameterization as real-time forecast models became able to represent individual updrafts, and is now starting to occur in the boundary layer as future forecast models may be able resolve individual thermals. Beyond that, scientific research has provided a greater understanding of detailed microphysical and land-surface processes that are important to aspects of weather prediction, and these parameterizations have been developing complexity at a steady rate. This paper can just give a perspective of these developments in the broad field of research associated with mesoscale atmospheric model development.
Greenhouse Gas Emission Footprints and Energy Use Benchmarks for Eight U.S. Cities

A hybrid life cycle-based trans-boundary greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions footprint is elucidated at the city-scale and evaluated for 8 US cities. The method incorporates end-uses of energy within city boundaries, plus cross-boundary demand for airline/freight transport and embodied energy of four key urban materials [food, water, energy (fuels), and shelter (cement)], essential for life in all cities. These cross-boundary activities contributed 47% on average more than the in-boundary GHG contributions traditionally reported for cities, indicating significant truncation at city boundaries of GHG emissions associated with urban activities. Incorporating cross-boundary contributions created convergence in per capita GHG emissions from the city-scale (average 23.7 mt-CO2e/capita) to the national-scale (24.5 mt-CO2e/capita), suggesting that six key cross-boundary activities may suffice to yield a holistic GHG emission footprint for cities, with important policy ramifications. Average GHG contributions from var...
Knowledge acquisition skills and traits: a self-assessment of knowledge engineers

Abstract The academic and practitioner literature has suggested that knowledge engineers are critical members of the expert systems development process, which includes knowledge acquisition. In fact, knowledge acquisition has often been cited as being the bottleneck to successful development efforts. Unfortunately, other than normative viewpoints, little attention has been paid to the behavioral and interpersonal skill set and related training of knowledge engineers, especially as pertains to the knowledge acquisition process. This study surveyed 101 persons who are, or have been, actively engaged in knowledge acquisition activities; the intent was to determine their interpersonal skills training, to ascertain their perceptions of how important many behavioral and interpersonal skills are for knowledge acquisition, and to determine how proficient knowledge engineers believe they are in terms of these skills and traits. Results indicate only minimal training in most interpersonal skills. In addition, the results showed that knowledge engineers generally feel less qualified in many of the more important skills, possibly as a result of the lack of effective education and training.
Kinetic modeling study of the laser-induced plasma plume of cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine (RDX) ☆

A kinetic model of a laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) plume of cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine (RDX) was developed for the analysis of processes responsible for the LIBS signature of explosives. Air and argon were considered as buffer gases. The model includes a set of processes involving ion chemistry, as well as excitation, ionization, and other processes affecting neutral and ion species. Modeling results show that the overall reaction process can be considered a two-stage process. The first stage corresponds to a fast approach to a quasi-stationary state, while the second stage corresponds to the change of quasi-stationary species concentrations due to the change in temperature. As a result of the two-stage process, the initial mechanism of explosive decomposition is not important in determining its signature in the LIBS measurement time window (1–30 μs). The main processes responsible for generation of excited states for the LIBS emission are electron-excitation impact processes. A mechanism for the appearance of a double peak of the C2 species concentration in the RDX plasma plume was suggested. Double-peak behavior of the C2 species was previously experimentally observed during laser ablation of graphite. Published by Elsevier B.V.
Blood supply to primitive mammalian brains.

Brains of mammals are supplied by paired internal carotid arteries and also by paired vertebral arteries. The internal carotids distribute to the forebrain with its developing neopallium. The hindbrain with the expanding cerebellum and newly acquired middle cerebellar peduncle are supplied by the vertebral-basilar system. In the opossum and armadillo the caudal rami of the internal carotid arteries resemble the patterns seen in submammals. The major source of blood to the posterior cerebral arteries is variable, coming from the basilar, the internal carotids or both. The ventral arterial circle (circulus arteriosus) is open as there is no anterior communicating artery in the two forms described. With the increase in size of the lateral lobes, the cerebellum of lower mammals is sufficiently larger and better developed to require a pair of inferior cerebellar arteries in addition to the phylogenetically older superior cerebellar arteries which originate from the basilar trunks. The latter are formed by the bifurcation of the basilar artery. The tectum in these forms is supplied by branches from the posterior cerebral and superior cerebellar arteries as well as tectal rami arising from the basilar trunks. Branches of the basilar artery going to the brainstem have a branching pattern similar to that seen in the submammals. The intrinsic patterns in both the opssum and armadillo are essentially like those observed in all vertebrates. They are remarkably constant and are easily recognized from one form to another. The arterioles penetrating the armadillo brain terminate in a continuous capillary plexus like the intrinsic plexuses observed in most of the submammals as well as in all mammals except marsupials. Arterioles penetrating the brain of the American opossum, as well as of all other marsupials, do not form a capillary plexus but terminate in capillary loops. Every penetrating arteriole is accompanied by a venule; each pair of vessels terminates in one or more capillary loops, thus constituting a true end-system. However, as in the rest of its body, capillaries in the infundibular process and stalk, choroid plexuses, area postrema, supraoptic crest and subfornical organ are not paired but form freely anastomosing plexuses. The major developmental advance, i.e., the “mammalian shift,” in the blood supply to brains of primitive mammals is the addition of the vertebral arteries to supply the brainstem and an inferior cerebellar branch going to the cerebellum. The implications of these phylogenetic changes are discussed and related to the functional development.
Carbon-13 isotope effects on reactions involving carbamate and carbamoyl phosphate

Several 13C isotope effects of relevance to reactions involving carbamate and carbamoyl phosphate have been determined. The fractionation factor of carbamate relative to aqueous CO2 is 1.011; the equilibrium isotope effect on the reaction catalyzed by carbamate kinase is 0.9983. From these data we can calculate that the fractionation factor of carbamoyl phosphate relative to aqueous CO2 is 1.013. The kinetic 13C isotope effect on the decomposition of carbamoyl phosphate to cyanate and phosphate is 1.058. The environment of the carbon atom in carbamate and carbamoyl phosphate and the mechanism of carbamoyl phosphate decomposition are discussed in light of these values.
Uncovering the roles of rare variants in common disease through whole-genome sequencing

Although genome-wide association (GWA) studies for common variants have thus far succeeded in explaining only a modest fraction of the genetic components of human common diseases, recent advances in next-generation sequencing technologies could rapidly facilitate substantial progress. This outcome is expected if much of the missing genetic control is due to gene variants that are too rare to be picked up by GWA studies and have relatively large effects on risk. Here, we evaluate the evidence for an important role of rare gene variants of major effect in common diseases and outline discovery strategies for their identification.
Transport Phenomena in Growth and Annealing of Laser Crystals

Cloudiness, bubble core defects, anomalous absorption, low-angle grain boundaries, and cracking are the main problems in the growth of high quality and large diameter (>7cm) Yb:S-FAP crystals utilizing the Czochralski method. The generation mechanism of these defects is highly related to transport phenomena in the growth system. In this paper, firstly, inductive, conductive and radiative heat transport phenomena are examined in the entire growth system. Then, an integrated modeling and experimental study is presented to determine an efficient means to eliminate or reduce crystal cracking during cooling. A process model has been developed to simulate the crystal cooling process. The effect of temperature distribution on thermal stress in the crystal during cooling is predicted by a simple but effective computational algorithm. With the relationship between the power change and crystal surrounding temperature change, the process model is further used to optimize power ramp-down profile to avoid cracking of the crystal during cooling-down process.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Local-global interactions and the role of mesoscopic (intermediate-range) elements in brain dynamics

A unifing theory of spatiotemporal brain dynamics should incorporate multiple spatial and temporal scales. Between the microscopic (local) and macroscopic (global) components proposed by Nunez, mesoscopic (intermediate-range) elements should be integral parts of models. The corresponding mathematical formalism requires tools of nonlinear dynamics and the use of aperiodic (chaotic) attractors. Some relations between local-mesoscopic and mesoscopic-global components are outlined.
The hydro-meteorological chain in Piemonte region, North Western Italy - analysis of the HYDROPTIMET test cases

Abstract. The HYDROPTIMET Project, Interreg IIIB EU program, is developed in the framework of the prediction and prevention of natural hazards related to severe hydro-meteorological events and aims to the optimisation of Hydro-Meteorological warning systems by the experimentation of new tools (such as numerical models) to be used operationally for risk assessment. The objects of the research are the mesoscale weather phenomena and the response of watersheds with size ranging from 10 2 to 10 3 km 2 . Non-hydrostatic meteorological models are used to catch such phenomena at a regional level focusing on the Quantitative Precipitation Forecast (QPF). Furthermore hydrological Quantitative Discharge Forecast (QDF) are performed by the simulation of run-off generation and flood propagation in the main rivers of the territory. In this way observed data and QPF are used, in a real-time configuration, for one-way forcing of the hydrological model that works operationally connected to the Piemonte Region Alert System. The main hydro-meteorological events that affected Piemonte Region in the last years are analysed, these are the HYDROPTIMET selected test cases of 14–18 November 2002 and 23–26 November 2002. The results obtained in terms of QPF and QDF offer a basis to evaluate the sensitivity of the whole hydro-meteorological chain to the uncertainties in the numerical simulations. Different configurations of non-hydrostatic meteorological models are also evaluated.
The capacity of bifunctional antigens to bridge antibody molecules and to mediate cell cooperation.

Abstract The capacity of various bifunctional antigens, some of which induce only cellular immunity whereas others induce both cellular and humoral immunity, to cross-link antibody molecules was assessed by thin-layer gel filtration on Sephadex G-200. DNP-RAT polymerized a mixture of rabbit anti-DNP and anti-RAT antibodies induced anti-DNP responses in guinea pigs, and thus apparently mediates cell cooperation. On the other hand, symmetrical bifunctional RAT antigens with flexible spacers were not effective mediators of cell cooperation but readily polymerized anti-RAT antibody, whereas a bifunctional RAT antigen with a rigid spacer performed both functions. Hence, the capacity of bifunctional immunogens to cross-link antibodies cannot be equated with ability to implement cell cooperation. Possible factors in this discrepancy are discussed.
An Interventional Program to Improve Antibiotic Use

BACKGROUND:Large volume and often inappropriate use of specific antimicrobial agents increase selective pressure for emergence of resistant bacteria and place strain on the pharmacy budget.OBJECTIVE:To initiate a multidisciplinary program designed to align intravenous vancomycin and fluoroquinolone prescribing practices with guidelines for appropriate use of these agents.METHODS:A multidisciplinary, prospective interventional program was implemented to encourage early discontinuation of inappropriate vancomycin and fluoroquinolone therapy and decrease inappropriate duplicative gram-negative coverage using fluoroquinolones. A computerized review was performed for patients receiving intravenous vancomycin and fluoroquinolones for 1998 in a Veterans Affairs Medical Center. In June 1999, guidelines were disseminated and an interventional program was initiated, with a monthly conference for medical residents regarding antimicrobial resistance and local hospital practices. Concurrently, a prospective review of ...
Seismic attenuation values obtained from instantaneous‐frequency matching and spectral ratios

SUMMARY In this paper, attenuation values are obtained from seismic data using instantaneousfrequency matching and spectral ratios. To obtain differential t* values using instantaneous-frequency matching, a near offset reference pulse is attenuated until the resulting instantaneous frequency matches the observed value at the receiver. Prior to matching, filtering can be applied to each trace in order to reduce the effects of noise on the calculated instantaneous frequencies. In the second method, the spectral ratio between a receiver pulse and a reference pulse is used to obtain differential t* values. To obtain an unbiased estimate, a variable spectral bandwidth is used depending on the noise level of the data. The two methods are tested using synthetic traces and then applied to crustal refraction data from the 1986 PASSCAL Ouachita experiment. Results show that the differential t* values obtained using filtered, instantaneousfrequency matching are consistent with and have less scatter than those obtained from spectral ratios with a variable bandwidth.
Synthesis and characterization of phenol‐based biaryl proton conducting polymers

Biaryl hydroxy polymers with orthogonal disposition of proton transporting OH moieties have been synthesized via conventional free radical polymerization. The polymers are characterized for their thermal stability and proton conductivity, and the results are compared with the corresponding styrenic hydroxy polymers. The orthogonal disposition of OH moieties in biaryl polymers does result in lower Ea for proton transport. However, the lower Ea values in biaryl polymers did not translate into a net increase in proton conductivity. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2012
Adaptive low-power address encoding techniques using self-organizing lists

Off-chip bus transitions are a major source of power dissipation for embedded systems. In this paper, new adaptive encoding schemes are proposed that significantly reduce transition activity on data and multiplexed address buses. These adaptive techniques are based on self-organizing lists to achieve reduction in transition activity by exploiting the spatial and temporal locality of the addresses. Also the proposed techniques do not require any extra bit lines and have minimal delay overhead. The techniques are evaluated for efficiency using a wide variety of application programs including SPEC 95 benchmark set. Unlike previous approaches that focus on instruction address buses, experiments demonstrate significant reduction in transition activity of up to 54% in data address buses and up to 59% in multiplexed address buses. The average reductions are twice those obtained using current schemes on a data address bus and more than twice those obtained on a multiplexed address bus.
Foundations and applications: axiomatization and education

Foundations and Applications depend ultimately for their existence on each other. The main links between them are education and the axiomatic method. Those links can be strengthened with the help of a categorical method which was concentrated forty years ago by Cartier, Grothendieck, Isbell, Kan, and Yoneda. I extended that method to extract some essential features of the category of categories in 1965, and I apply it here in section 3 to sketch a similar foundation within the smooth categories which provide the setting for the mathematics of change. The possibility that other methods may be needed to clarify a contradiction introduced by Cantor, now embedded in mathematical practice, is discussed in section 5.
Application of pharmacological fMRI to developmental psychiatric disorders

Functional magnetic resonance imaging of neural activity induced by pharmacological stimulation (phMRI) is a promising technique for revealing pathophysiology and etiology of developmental psychiatric disorders. Recent investigations of the dopaminergic system have made possible the use of phMRI as a non-invasive assay for neurotransmitter function. This paper explores applications of phMRI for identification of neurophysiological trait-dependent and clinical state-dependent mechanisms that can define biologically valid diagnostic criteria for developmental psychiatric disorders. Further, applications of phMRI for investigations of neurochemical changes induced by long-term drug exposure, alternative therapies and normal brain maturation are discussed. The paper ends by highlighting methodological challenges posed by experimental control of pharmacological stimulation that is essential for valid interpretation of phMRI results.
Comparative Democracy: the Economic Development Thesis

In comparative politics, an established finding—that economic development fosters democratic performance—has recently come under challenge. We counter this challenge with a dynamic pooled time series analysis of a major, but neglected data set from 131 nations. The final generalized least squares-autoregressive moving averages estimates (N = 2,096) appear robust and indicate strong economic development effects, dependent in part on the nation's position in the world system. For the first time, rather hard evidence is offered on the causal relationship between economics and democracy. According to Granger tests, economic development “causes” democracy, but democracy does not “cause” economic development. Overall, the various tests would seem to advance sharply the modeling of democratic performance.
Diagnosis of Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome

The most suitable tissue samples and test procedures for the etiologic diagnosis of porcine repro- ductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) were found to depend on several variables including the age of the pig from which tissues were collected, the stage of infection (acute or persistent), the available complement of diagnostic reagents, and the urgency in obtaining results. When the diagnosis involved acute infection of congenitally or neonatally infected pigs, and susceptible cell culture(s) was available for virus isolation, then both serum and alveolar macrophages (AM) were reliable samples. Alveolar macrophages flushed from infected lungs provided a temporal advantage, however, in that in addition to their use for virus isolation, i.e., from a lysate of AM, they could be cultured in vitro and examined for the presence of viral antigens by immunoflu- orescence microscopy (FA) as early as 1 hour after they were added to the culture vessel. The examination of AM in this manner also circumvented the need for additional cell cultures to test for infectious virus. Testing presuckhng sera by indirect FA for antibodies to PRRS virus also was of diagnostic value and, like FA with AM, could be completed soon after sample collection. For older pigs, AM were more reliable than serum, lungs, or any of 27 other tissues evaluated as diagnostic samples and were often the only samples in which infectious virus and viral antigens were detected when pigs were euthanized more than 3 weeks postexposure. A simple procedure for on-farm collection of AM as well as methods for testing AM for viral antigens and neonatal (presuckling) sera for homologous antibody in a modestly equipped laboratory, such as one that might be maintained by a veterinary practitioner, are described and discussed.
Predicting reattendance at a high-risk breast cancer clinic

Objective: The research about follow-up patterns of women attending high-risk breast-cancer clinics is sparse. This study sought to profile daughters of breast-cancer patients who are likely to return versus those unlikely to return for follow-up care in a high-risk clinic. Method: Our investigation included 131 patients attending the UCLA Revlon Breast Center High Risk Clinic. Predictor variables included age, computed breast-cancer risk, participants' perceived personal risk, clinically significant depressive symptomatology (CES–D score ≥ 16), current level of anxiety (State–Trait Anxiety Inventory), and survival status of participants' mothers (survived or passed away from breast cancer). Results: A greater likelihood of reattendance was associated with older age (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.07, p = 0.004), computed breast-cancer risk (AOR = 1.10, p = 0.017), absence of depressive symptomatology (AOR = 0.25, p = 0.009), past psychiatric diagnosis (AOR = 3.14, p = 0.029), and maternal loss to breast cancer (AOR = 2.59, p = 0.034). Also, an interaction was found between mother's survival and perceived risk (p = 0.019), such that reattendance was associated with higher perceived risk among participants whose mothers survived (AOR = 1.04, p = 0.002), but not those whose mothers died (AOR = 0.99, p = 0.685). Furthermore, a nonlinear inverted “U” relationship was observed between state anxiety and reattendance (p = 0.037); participants with moderate anxiety were more likely to reattend than those with low or high anxiety levels. Significance of Results: Demographic, medical, and psychosocial factors were found to be independently associated with reattendance to a high-risk breast-cancer clinic. Explication of the profiles of women who may or may not reattend may serve to inform the development and implementation of interventions to increase the likelihood of follow-up care.
Managing diabetes from first diagnosis: choosing well-tolerated therapies with durability.

PurposeA review of the pathophysiologic features of early type 2 diabetes mellitus, the benefits of early glycemic control, the concerns of patients that may influence treatment adherence, and how ...