cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evidence of Nonsusceptibihty to Diethylcarbamazine in Wucheria bancrofti

This study assessed Wuchereria bancrofti-infected patients who received diethylcarbamazine (DEC) to determined if drug levels were comparable between individuals who continued to harbor circulating microfilariae and those whose blood became clear of parasites, between those with high and low microfilaria counts, and between infected and noninfected persons. Haitian volunteers undergoing treatment for W. bancrofti and two nonendemic controls were enrolled. DEC levels in serum and urine samples were determined using a gas chromatographic method. No correlation was found between pre- and posttreatment microfilarial levels and drug levels. Drug levels were comparable in persons with or without residual microfilaria and in infected and uninfected persons. These results indicate that incomplete drug regimens, differences in serum drug levels, and inadequate drug dosage are not the primary causes of treatment failure and suggest there is a degree of parasite tolerance for DEC.
The grand challenges within technical communications

This paper examines the introduction of the Grand Challenges as a subject into a required Professional and Technical Communications course and how it affects students' level of motivation and professional engagement with their collaborative project and the course. In addition, it reflects on whether the project is successful in increasing students' sense of ethical responsibility as engineers. This paper argues that projects that develop students' sense of professional identity will be most successful in both developing their technical communication skills as well as their sense of ethical responsibility.
Structure of spherical viruses

This review summarizes some of the results obtained from the crystal structure determination of viruses. The structural similarities of viral coat proteins is discussed, as well as some structural results related to the regulation of viral disassembly.
When a wiki is not a wiki: twenty years of the Victorian Web: keynote

All the chatter and puffery about Web 2.0 reminds those who have worked several decades in related fields of computing that the World Wide Web is essentially Hypertext 0.5: Ted Nelson, Vannevar Bush, Douglas Englebart, Andries van Dam, and other pioneering hypertext theorists all emphasized that true hypertext has to have to allow readers to write and link. Fortunately, with the coming of blogs and now wikis, the Web has at last begun to approach the vision of the hypertext pioneers. Therefore, after a brief look at the most useful paradigms for wikis --- that is, the best way for readers and writers to think about them --- we shall look at The Victorian Web, a site containing more than 38,000 documents and images, some of which date from 1988 --- long before the WWW took its present form. The four pre-web versions of the site used both full and partial read-write systems, and as the site took form, its webmaster and editors tried to employ the lessons learned from the earlier hypermedia systems to the WWW. We shall therefore look at how portions of the site have turned out to function much like a proto-wiki --- a dynamic hypermedia corpus that contributors continually grow --- and what kind of lessons the experience of working with the site has for owners and contributors of wikis.
Usefulness of Cutting Balloon Angioplasty for Pulmonary Vein In-Stent Stenosis

After radiofrequency ablation for atrial fibrillation, patients may develop pulmonary vein stenoses requiring stent angioplasty. The treatment options for when such patients develop in-stent stenoses are poorly defined. The investigators retrospectively reviewed their initial experience with cutting balloon angioplasty for pulmonary vein in-stent stenosis. Ten patients with 21 previously stented pulmonary veins returned to the catheterization laboratory for in-stent stenoses. Angioplasty of individual in-stent stenotic vessels were grouped into standard angioplasty alone (n = 6) and a combination of cutting balloon followed by standard angioplasty (n = 15). Although final mean lesion diameter was increased significantly in the 2 groups, restenosis occurred in 4 of 6 vessels in the group with angioplasty alone and 2 of 15 vessels in the cutting balloon group. In conclusion, cutting balloon angioplasty for pulmonary vein in-stent stenosis appears to improve the intermediate results of repeat angioplasty.
On the regulation number of a multigraph

The regulation number of a multigraphG having maximum degreed is the minimum number of additional vertices that are required to construct ad-regular supermultigraph ofG. It is shown that the regulation number of any multigraph is at most 3. The regulation number of a multidigraph is defined analogously and is shown never to exceed 2. A multigraphG has strengthm if every two distinct vertices ofG are joined by at mostm parallel edges. For a multigraphG of strengthm and maximum degreed, them-regulation number ofG is the minimum number of additional vertices that are required to construct ad-regular supermultigraph ofG having strengthm. A sharp upper bound on the 2-regulation number of a multigraph is shown to be (d+5)/2, and a conjecture for generalm is presented.
Renal kinin-prostaglandin relationship: implications for renal function.

In 1909, Abelous and Bardier described a bloodpressure-lowering substance in human urine [1], a finding that was confirmed by Frey in 1926 [2]. Kraut, Frey, and Werle believed the hypotensive principle of urine was of pancreatic origin and named it kallikrein—a word derived from the Greek term for pancreas [3]. It is now known that kallikreins occur in plasma and in several glandular tissues, for example, kidney, pancreas, intestine, and salivary and sweat glands [4]. Kallikreins are a heterogeneous group of serine proteases that act on plasma protein substrates, kininogens, to liberate peptides termed kinins [4]. From kininogen, plasma kallikreins release the nonapeptide bradykinin, whereas glandular kallikreins release the decapeptide lysylbradykinin [4]. These peptides have a broad spectrum of biological activities, ranging from stimulation of sperm motility to inhibition of postjunctional events at the renal vascular neuroeffector junction. The discovery by Terragno et al [5] and McGiff et al [61 that bradykinin stimulates release of prostaglandins is a milestone in kinin research over the past decade, and led to the proposal that the kallikrein-kinin and arachidonateprostaglandin systems are related. It now appears that interactions of kinins and prostaglandins are a feature of biological processes as diverse as those involved in inflammation and in regulation of renal function. In this paper, we analyze the evidence for a relationship between the renal kallikrein-kinin and prostaglandin (PG) systems, and discuss the significance of such relationship with regard to renal hemodynamic and excretory functions. Figure 1 depicts the proposed relationship.
Effect of various incremental techniques on the marginal adaptation of class II composite resin restorations

The effects of various placement techniques on the formation of microgaps were compared at the gingival margins of class II composite resin restorations. Three incremental techniques (occlusogingival layering, oblique layering, and faciolingual layering) and two one-bulk techniques of placing composite resin were studied. In the first one-bulk placement technique the composite resin was photocured occlusally; in the second one-bulk technique the composite resin was irradiated from three directions; facial, lingual, and occlusal. None of the incremental placement techniques improved the adaptation at the gingival margin compared with a one-bulk technique irradiated occlusally. However, the one-bulk placement technique that was irradiated from three directions created a substantial marginal discrepancy.
Preprocessing predicates and queries

Abstract Fragmentation has been used to distribute the contents of a database across the sites of a distributed database system. During run time, the system must determine which fragments can be used to answer each query. This process requires solving the predicate implication problem. In order to speed processing, it is desirable to do as much preprocessing as possible on the prestored fragments, without knowledge of the run-time query. In this paper, performing preprocessing on database fragments to speed later run-time implication checking is investigated. The investigation is based on a new concept, separation among predicates. When two predicates are properly separated, their union cannot be implied by any other conjunctive predicate unless one of them is implied by the conjunctive predicate. A polynomial time algorithm for checking the pair-wise separation among a collection of fragment predicates is introduced and its complexity is theoretically analyzed. The separation checking algorithm is accompanied by a query processing algorithm which makes use of the result of the separation properties of the fragments to speed real time query processing. The two algorithms presented are scalable according to available preprocessing time in the sense that the preprocessing algorithm can be run for shorter periods to produce partial preprocessing that can still be used by the query processing algorithm.
A posteriori evaluation of wave reflection for adaptive analysis of wave propagation in unbounded domains

An adaptive analysis procedure is proposed as a new paradigm with enhanced efficiency and reliability for numerical analysis of wave propagation in unbounded domains. In the context of one-dimensional wave propagation, a local solution procedure is designed based on the method of characteristics for a posteriori evaluation of reflected waves. It is shown that the strain associated with the reflected wave exhibit excellent correlation with the order of the absorbing boundary condition employed, and thus can effectively be used as an error estimator. A simple adaptive analysis algorithm is designed to demonstrate the use of the error estimator in adaptively adjusting the order of the absorbing boundary condition to control, within predetermined tolerance, spurious wave reflection from the boundary of truncation. This leads to the use of an optimal-order absorbing boundary condition that results in solutions of desired accuracy.
Investigation of the interaction of myelin basic protein with phospholipid bilayers using solid-state NMR spectroscopy.

Abstract Interaction of bovine myelin basic protein and its constituent charge isomers (C1–C3) with phospholipid bilayers was studied using solid-state NMR experiments on model membranes. 31P NMR experiments on multilamellar vesicles and mechanically aligned bilayers were used to measure the degree of protein-induced disorder in the lipid headgroup region while 2H NMR data provided the disorder caused by the protein in the hydrophobic core of the bilayers. Our results suggest that MBP and its charge isomers neither fragment nor significantly disrupt DMPC, POPC, POPC:POPG, and POPE bilayers. These results demonstrate that the MBP-induced fragmentation of POPC bilayers is due to the freeze-thaw cycles used in the preparation of multilamellar vesicles and not due to intrinsic protein–lipid interactions.
Quantum computation techniques for gauging reliability of interval and fuzzy data

In traditional interval computations, we assume that the interval data correspond to guaranteed interval bounds, and that fuzzy estimates provided by experts are correct. In practice, measuring instruments are not 100% reliable, and experts are not 100% reliable, we may have estimates which are ‘way off’, intervals which do not contain the actual values at all. Usually, we know the percentage of such outlier un-reliable measurements. However, it is desirable to check that the reliability of the actual data is indeed within the given percentage. The problem of checking (gauging) this reliability is, in general, NP-hard; in reasonable cases, there exist feasible algorithms for solving this problem. In this paper, we show that quantum computation techniques can drastically speed up the computation of reliability of the given data.
Frequency-dependent gating of synaptic transmission and plasticity by dopamine

The neurotransmitter dopamine (DA) plays an important role in learning by enhancing the saliency of behaviorally relevant stimuli. How this stimulus selection is achieved on the cellular level, however, is not known. Here, in recordings from hippocampal slices, we show that DA acts specifically at the direct cortical input to hippocampal area CA1 (the temporoammonic (TA) pathway) to filter the excitatory drive onto pyramidal neurons based on the input frequency. During low-frequency patterns of stimulation, DA depressed excitatory TA inputs to both CA1 pyramidal neurons and local inhibitory GABAergic interneurons via presynaptic inhibition. In contrast, during high-frequency patterns of stimulation, DA potently facilitated the TA excitatory drive onto CA1 pyramidal neurons, owing to diminished feedforward inhibition. Analysis of DA's effects over a broad range of stimulus frequencies indicates that it acts as a high-pass filter, augmenting the response to high-frequency inputs while diminishing the impact of low-frequency inputs. These modulatory effects of DA exert a profound influence on activity-dependent forms of synaptic plasticity at both TA-CA1 and Schaffer-collateral (SC)-CA1 synapses. Taken together, our data demonstrate that DA acts as a gate on the direct cortical input to the hippocampus, modulating information flow and synaptic plasticity in a frequency-dependent manner.
Effects of serum and conditioned medium on protein degradation, migration of nonhistone proteins to the nucleus, and DNA synthesis in transformed cells

Stimulation of resting transformed cells (Chang liver cells), prelabeled with [3H] leucine, with fetal calf serum, caused increased nuclear translocation of [3H] nonhistone proteins ([3H] NHP) and DNA synthesis and a parallel inhibition of proteolysis of cellular proteins. [3H] NHP migration was independent of protein synthesis. Fractionation of the nuclear proteins in a pH gradient of 2.5-6.5, showed that [3H] NHP fractions with high degradation rates in resting cells corresponded to the [3H] NHP fractions with high migration rates in stimulated cells, suggesting that degradation and migration of [3H] NHP are linked. Conditioned medium (COM) produced by Chang cells had similar effects as serum, suggesting that factors produced by these transformed cells, control cell growth by a mechanism that is similar to serum. The lysosomotropic amine eserine had similar effects as serum and COM. Based on the similarity of the effects, it would appear that serum and COM inhibit lysosomal proteolysis. It is proposed that serum and COM induce NHP migration to the nucleus by inhibiting lysosomal degradation of these proteins. Serum and COM caused also migration of [3H] histones to the nucleus, however the mechanism is not clear.
High levels of IL-4 and IL-10 mRNA and low levels of IL-2, IL-9 and IFN- γ mRNA in MuLV-induced lymphomas

Abstract The expression of cytokines may influence the development of lymphoma in retrovirally infected animals in at least two ways: (1) cytokines in the tumor environment may stimulate the proliferation of tumor cells and/or (2) cytokines in the tumor environment may diminish the cell-mediated antitumor immune response. To evaluate these possibilities, a semiquantitative RT–PCR approach was utilized to permit a broad screening of cytokine mRNAs in a large number of tissue samples. Examination of MuLV-induced end-stage lymphomas revealed the absence of mRNA for cytokines known to stimulate the proliferation of T cells (i.e., IL-2, IL-9), the absence of mRNA for cytokines known to enhance cell-mediated antitumor immune responses (i.e., IL-2, IFNγ), and the presence of mRNA for cytokines known to diminish such responses (i.e., IL-4, IL-10). Similar patterns of cytokine mRNA expression were detected in tumor-derived cell lines. Spleen and thymus from animals collected longitudinally during infection and from age-matched uninfected mice also demonstrated a similar pattern, except that IFNγ mRNA was readily detectable. These findings do not support the hypothesis that the developing tumor depends on cytokines to provide proliferative signals. The findings suggest that cytokines in the immediate environment of the lymphoma support tumor development by acting to diminish an effective antitumor immune response.
Spatial and temporal variability in the stable isotope systematics of modern precipitation in China: implications for paleoclimate reconstructions

The stable isotopic composition of materials such as glacial ice, tree rings, lake sediments, and speleothems from low-to-mid latitudes contains information about past changes in temperature (T) and precipitation amount (P). However, the transfer functions which link δ18Op to changes in T or P, dδ18Op/dT and dδ18Op/dP, can exhibit significant temporal and spatial variability in these regions. In areas affected by the Southeast Asian monsoon, past variations in δ18O and δD of precipitation have been attributed to variations in monsoon intensity, storm tracks, and/or variations in temperature. Proper interpretation of past δ18Op variations here requires an understanding of these complicated stable isotope systematics. Since temperature and precipitation are positively correlated in China and have opposite effects on δ18Op, it is necessary to determine which of these effects is dominant for a specific region in order to perform even qualitative paleoclimate reconstructions. Here, we evaluate the value of the transfer functions in modern precipitation to more accurately interpret the paleorecord. The strength of these transfer functions in China is investigated using multiple regression analysis of data from 10 sites within the Global Network for Isotopes in Precipitation (GNIP). δ18Op is modeled as a function of both temperature and precipitation. The magnitude and signs of the transfer functions at any given site are closely related to the degree of summer monsoon influence. δ18Op values at sites with intense summer monsoon precipitation are more dependent on the amount of precipitation than on temperature, and therefore exhibit more negative values in the summer. In contrast, δ18Op values at sites that are unaffected by summer monsoon precipitation exhibit strong relationships between δ18Op and temperature. The sites that are near the northern limit of the summer monsoon exhibit dependence on both temperature and amount of precipitation. Comparison with simple linear models (δ18Op as a function of T or P) and a geographic model (δ18Op as a function of latitude and altitude) shows that the multiple regression model is more successful at reproducing δ18Op values at sites that are strongly influenced by the summer monsoon. The fact that the transfer function values are highly spatially variable and closely related to the degree of summer monsoon influence suggests that these values may also vary temporally. Since the Southeast Asian monsoon intensity is known to exhibit large variations on a number of timescales (annual to glacial–interglacial), and the magnitude and sign of the transfer functions is related to monsoon intensity, we suggest that as monsoon intensity changes, the magnitude and possibly even the sign of the transfer functions may vary. Therefore, quantitative paleoclimate reconstructions based on δ18Op variations may not be valid.
Quahog Clams and their Possible Mariculture

The quahog clam (Mercenaria sp.) is discussed as having potential for mariculture. The biology, and mariculture techniques are covered. Recommendations are made toward culture of the clam.
Multiscale 3D navigation

We present a comprehensive system for multiscale navigation of 3-dimensional scenes, and demonstrate our approach on multiscale datasets such as the Earth. Our system incorporates a novel image-based environment representation which we refer to as the cubemap. Our cubemap allows consistent navigation at various scales, as well as real-time collision detection without pre-computation or prior knowledge of geometric structure. The cubemap is used to improve upon previous work on proximal object inspection (HoverCam), and we present an additional interaction technique for navigation which we call look-and-fly. We believe that our approach to the navigation of multiscale 3D environments offers greater flexibility and ease of use than mainstream applications such as Google Earth and Microsoft Virtual Earth, and we demonstrate our results with this system.
AN IMPROVED GENERAL SYNTHESIS OF 4-ARYL-5-PYRIMIDINECARBOXYLATES

We wish to report an improved, general synthesis of 4-aryl-5-pyrimidinecarboxylates 1. Two different routes have previously been reported for the synthesis of examples of this class of pyrimidine carboxylates. The parent compound, ethyl 4-phenyl-5-pyrimidinecarboxylate was prepared in low yield by the reaction of s-triazine with ethyl benzoyl acetate. In addition, the enol ether β-ketoaldehyde synthon, ethyl 2-benzoyl-3-ethoxy-2-propenoate, was reported to give 1a in modest yield when reacted with guanidine (2).
Three-dimensional solution and experimental confirmation for the electric resistivity testing of surface-breaking defects in green-state powder metallurgy compacts

This paper investigates electrostatic voltage distributions around a surface-breaking flaw due to an injected current of known strength. The direct 3-D solution of the voltage behavior over the flawed surface is obtained numerically by the use of a boundary integral formulation. A novel iteration method is applied to solve the resulting electrostatic integral equation for the unknown surface voltage distribution. In addition to investigating the sensitivity of different flaw sizes to the observed surface voltage distribution, important issues such as suitable probe spacing and current flow orientation are studied. For sufficiently small surface-breaking flaws, a simple image source model is developed to evaluate the voltage response of hairline cracks. The model is tested by comparing it with the developed numerical solution. Experiments aimed at establishing the validity of the modeling approach show remarkable agreement with the theoretical model.
Efficient heterogeneous execution on large multicore and accelerator platforms: Case study using a block tridiagonal solver

The algorithmic and implementation principles are explored in gainfully exploiting GPU accelerators in conjunction with multicore processors on high-end systems with large numbers of compute nodes, and evaluated in an implementation of a scalable block tridiagonal solver. The accelerator of each compute node is exploited in combination with multicore processors of that node in performing block-level linear algebra operations in the overall, distributed solver algorithm. Optimizations incorporated include: (1) an efficient memory mapping and synchronization interface to minimize data movement, (2) multi-process sharing of the accelerator within a node to obtain balanced load with multicore processors, and (3) an automatic memory management system to efficiently utilize accelerator memory when sub-matrices spill over the limits of device memory. Results are reported from our novel implementation that uses MAGMA and CUBLAS accelerator software systems simultaneously with ACML (2013) [2] for multithreaded execution on processors. Overall, using 940 nVidia Tesla X2090 accelerators and 15,040 cores, the best heterogeneous execution delivers a 10.9-fold reduction in run time relative to an already efficient parallel multicore-only baseline implementation that is highly optimized with intra-node and inter-node concurrency and computation-communication overlap. Detailed quantitative results are presented to explain all critical runtime components contributing to hybrid performance.
Rapid isolation of morbillivirus nucleocapsid for genomic RNA cDNA cloning and the production of specific core protein antisera

Abstract A procedure is described for the rapid isolation of canine distemper virus nucleocapsid, free from contaminating viral non-core and host cellular proteins. Nucleocapsid isolated in this manner is amenable to ultrastructural evaluation, protein isolation for the production of monospecific hyperimmune serum, and genomic RNA isolation for cDNA cloning. Nucleocapsid (NC) and a defective NC variant (Df-NC) isolated from 5.5 × 107 Vero cells infected with Ond-CDV is readily visualized on cesium gradients. The calculated density for NC is 1.2976 ± 0.0033 g/ml and 1.2458 ± 0.0056 g/ml for Df-NC. Ultrastructurally, NC appears as long uninterrupted strands, 1.6 ± 0.1 μm in length, 21.2 ± 1.7 nm in diameter, with well defined capsid subunits. Df-NC are truncated with a uniform length of 85.8 ± 7.1 nm and a 24.5 ± 1.3 nm diameter. A total of 2.1 ± 0.2 μ of NC protein is obtained for every 1 × 106 cells infected; 89.7% of this mass is represented by a 61 kDa protein (N), 8.4% by a 75 kDa protein (P), and 1.9% by a 160–200 kDa protein (L), which is in agreement with the NC constituency of other paramyxoviruses. Viral N and P proteins, purified by 7.5% SDS-PAGE, were used in the production of hyperimmune serum. Specificity was demonstrated by Western blot analysis. Both antisera were capable of detecting viral antigen in persistently and lytically CDV infected cells by indirect immunofluorescence. A single high molecular weight species of nucleic acid was isolated from purified nucleocapsids compatible with a 14.6 kb morbillivirus genome. Although the efficiency of RNA extraction from purified NC was low (14.2%), sufficient RNA was obtained for gel analysis and the establishment of genomic RNA cDNA clones.
Comparison of alternative diagnostic approaches for managing appendicitis in children: the effect of disease prevalence and spectrum.

To the Editor .— In their article comparing a clinical examination-based approach for diagnosing appendicitis with strategies emphasizing radiologic evaluation (with ultrasound and computed tomography), Kosloske et al1 state that prescreening of study patients by another physician before referral did not “affect the epidemiologic measures (sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy), because these measures are based on correct diagnoses, not on the proportion of subjects with appendicitis.” We would like to correct this assertion and draw attention to the potential role that disease prevalence and spectrum have on these measures of diagnostic accuracy. The positive predictive value (probability of disease given a positive test) and negative predictive value (probability of no disease given a negative test) of a test actually strongly depend on the prevalence (or prior probability in the case of an …
Measurement of phase differences between two partially coherent fields.

Although the operational approach to the quantum-phase problem developed earlier by us [Phys. Rev. A 45, 424 (1992)] has now been confirmed experimentally for several different states of the electromagnetic field, so far no measurements have been reported with partially coherent light beams. This situation is remedied in the present work, where we report the results of measurements on light obeying thermal statistics with a variable degree of mutual coherence. Once again, we find agreement between experiment and our theoretical approach.
Pain Catastrophizing and Pain-Related Fear in Osteoarthritis Patients: Relationships to Pain and Disability

This study examined the degree to which pain catastrophizing and pain-related fear explain pain, psychological disability, physical disability, and walking speed in patients with osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee. Participants in this study were 106 individuals diagnosed as having OA of at least one knee, who reported knee pain persisting for six months or longer. Results suggest that pain catastrophizing explained a significant proportion (all Ps < or = 0.05) of variance in measures of pain (partial r(2) [pr(2)] = 0.10), psychological disability (pr(2) = 0.20), physical disability (pr(2) = 0.11), and gait velocity at normal (pr(2) = 0.04), fast (pr(2) = 0.04), and intermediate speeds (pr(2) = 0.04). Pain-related fear explained a significant proportion of the variance in measures of psychological disability (pr(2) = 0.07) and walking at a fast speed (pr(2) = 0.05). Pain cognitions, particularly pain catastrophizing, appear to be important variables in understanding pain, disability, and walking at normal, fast, and intermediate speeds in knee OA patients. Clinicians interested in understanding variations in pain and disability in this population may benefit by expanding the focus of their inquiries beyond traditional medical and demographic variables to include an assessment of pain catastrophizing and pain-related fear.
Thresholds and complementarities in an economic model of preserving and conserving biodiversity

Abstract When production destroys habitat, the number of species diminishes. Endangered species can be rescued by conservation biology and restoration ecology, which are represented in this paper by a production function for biological diversity. Until the number of species satisfies the classical species-area relationship for the total land area of the ecological economy, it is assumed that there are increasing returns to scale in rescuing species. It follows mathematically that there is a threshold level of biodiversity, which has implications comparable to ecological thresholds. There are also complementarities, because increases in the target number of species increase the optimal human population and the optimal level of total production. A numerical example is presented that yields results descriptive of the ecological economy of Costa Rica.
Structure of the molluscan bivalve hinge ligament, a unique calcified elastic tissue.

The microstructure of a calcified molluscan bivalve hinge ligament has been studied. Similar to bivalve shell and vertebrate dental enamel, the ligament is composed of oriented crystal bundles or prisms. Electron micrographs of Spisula solidissima ligament show two types of prisms. The lateral surfaces of the ligament are composed of long cylindrical prisms oriented perpendicular to the growing margin of the ligament. The prism crystals are oriented parallel to the prism long axis. In shape and orientation these prisms are similar to those of dental enamel. The prisms observed in the central region of the ligament are cylindrical but constricted at regular intervals, giving the appearance of three-dimensional standing waves. The crystal spacings within these prisms vary regularly along the prism axis. This structure probably responds to compression like an elliptical spring and accounts for the elastic properties of the ligament.
Stimulation of Fibroblast Biosynthetic Activity by Serum of Patients with Pretibial Myxedema

Skin fibroblasts from the shoulder and lower extremities of normal individuals, as well as from patients with pretibial myxedema (PTM) were grown in culture. When cells reached the monolayer stage, they were labeled with 3H-glucosamine and tested for hyaluronic acid synthesis in the presence of either serum from PTM patients or normal human serum. All the fibroblasts from the pretibial area synthesized 2 to 3 times more hyaluronic acid when incubated with PTM sera than when incubated in normal human serum. Fibroblasts cultured from skin of the back or prepuce did not respond to PTM sera. This heat-stable, protease-sensitive, and dialyzable, fibroblast-stimulating factor is not a 7Sγ-globulin. The enhanced sensitivity to PTM sera exhibited by fibroblasts from the lower extremities may explain why the lesions in this disease are restricted primarily to that area.
Heart Rate Regulation as Skill Learning: Strength‐Endurance versus Cardiac Reaction Time

Fleishman's (1966) model of complex motor skill learning is applied to viscera) self-regulation. Five different underlying abilities are illustrated: strength, endurance, steadiness, control precision, and reaction time. In the experiment, 16 subjects were pre and post tested with instructions alone for degree of cardiac Strength and Endurance control (SE) (maximally increase or decrease heart rate and sustain it for a minute) and degree of cardiac Reaction Time control (RT) (produce a small, 3 sec burst of increased or decreased heart rate as quickly as possible to the onset of a trial). All subjects received heart rate biofeedback during training, but half practiced SE while the other practiced RT. It was predicted that cardiac learning would be specific to the skill practiced during biofeedback, with little transfer to the other task. The data indicated that SE training led to improved SE control (30%) accompanied by a slight decrement in RT control (-5%). Conversely, RT training led to markedly improved RT control (120%)H accompanied by a small decrement in SE control(18%). The value of conceptualizing complex visceral skills as reflecting learned patterns of underlying neurophysiological abilities is illustrated.
Protein conformation in amorphous solids by FTIR and by hydrogen/deuterium exchange with mass spectrometry.

Solid-state hydrogen/deuterium exchange (ssHDX) with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy were used to assess protein conformation in amorphous solids. Myoglobin, lysozyme, b-lactoglobulin, ribonuclease A, E-cadherin 5, and concanavalin A were co-lyophilized with carbohydrates (trehalose, raffinose, and dextran 5000), linear polymers (polyvinyl alcohol and polyvinyl pyrrolidone) or guanidine hydrochloride (negative control). For ssHDX, samples were exposed to D2O vapor at 33% relative humidity and room temperature, and then reconstituted at low temperature (4C) and pH 2.5 and analyzed by ESI-MS. Peptic digestion of selected proteins was used to provide region-specific information on exchange. FTIR spectra were acquired using attenuated total reflectance. FTIR and ssHDX of intact proteins showed preservation of structure by raffinose and trehalose, as indicated by FTIR band intensity and protection from exchange. ssHDX of peptic digests further indicated that these protective effects were not exerted uniformly along the protein sequence but were observed primarily in a-helical regions, a level of structural resolution not afforded by FTIR. The results thus demonstrate the utility of HDX with ESI-MS for analyzing protein conformation in amorphous solid samples.
Spatial Autocorrelation Or Model Misspecification

A Monte Carlo experiment illustrates one of the pitfalls of spatial modeling. Specification tests indicate spatial autocorrelation when functional form misspecification is actually the only problem with the model. Incorrect functional forms and omitted variables that are correlated over space produce spurious spatial autocorrelation.
Tuning of power system controllers using symbolic eigensensitivity analysis and linear programming

In this paper, a systematic method for the tuning of multiple power system controllers using symbolic eigensensitivity analysis and linear programming is presented. The concept of eigenvalue sensitivity is used here to formulate the linear first-order variation of the real part of the dominant system eigenvalue as a symbolic function of controller parameters. This eigenvalue variation is minimized iteratively subject to linear equality and inequality constraints. All controller parameters are tuned correctly when the objective function meets the desired performance criteria. In this method, no special assumptions are made on the type of power devices and linear feedback controllers present in the system. The proposed method is illustrated with three examples of a single-machine system with a power system stabilizer and a controller for a thyristor-controlled series capacitor. The tested configurations are supplemented with nonlinear time-domain simulations validating the small-signal stability results. >
Effect of graded aortic occlusion on the reticuloendothelial system

To evaluate the effect of graded aortic occlusion on the reticuloendothelial system (RES), 21 Sprague Dawley rats were subjected to fifteen (GI), thirty (GII), or sixty (GIII) minutes of distal aortic occlusion or to a sixty-minute sham operation (GIV) under general anesthesia. Chromium 51-labeled sheep red blood cells (SRBC) were injected twenty-four hours later, and SRBC half-life (T½) was measured as an index of RES function.Decreased RES function was (1) dependent upon the duration of clamping time, (2) most pronounced at sixty minutes' clamping time, (3) characterized by a marked increase in SRBC half-life, along with a decreased radioactive uptake by the spleen and liver.
Alleviating airport WiFi congestion: An comparison of 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz WiFi usage and capabilities

A study of airport WiFi band usage and wireless device capabilities reveals that the 5 GHz WiFi bands are significantly underused, compared to the 2.4 GHz band. After uncovering this data trend in studies of airport channel usage, a search of newly manufactured wireless devices showed that many new devices do not possess the capability to operate in the 5 GHz bands. Furthermore, the UNII bands allocated for dynamic frequency selection in the 5 GHz WiFi band are barely used, and a vast majority of recently granted devices do not possess the capability to operate in this band. The data suggests that transition of technology to utilize the 5 GHz bands is likely to reduce the present congestion in the 2.4 GHz industrial, scientific, and medical band, in turn improving notable metrics of wireless communication, such as download time and packet loss in transmission.
Asking questions of targeted strangers on social networks

When people have questions, they often turn to their social network for answers. If the answer is obscure or time sensitive however, no members of their social networks may know the answer. For example, it may be difficult to find a friend who has experience with a particular feature or model of digital camera or who knows the current wait time for security at the local airport. In this paper, we explore the feasibility of answering questions by asking strangers. In this approach, strangers with potentially useful information are identified by mining the public status updates posted on Twitter, questions are sent to these strangers, and responses are collected. We explore feasibility in two ways: will users respond to questions sent by strangers and, if they do respond, how long must we wait for a response? Our results from asking 1159 questions across two domains suggest that 42% of users will respond to questions from strangers. 44% of these responses arrived within 30 minutes.
A probabilistic source assessment framework for leaching from secondary materials in highway applications

Recovered materials from the transportation sector or secondary or by-product materials from the industrial, municipal, or mining sector can be used as substitutes for natural materials in the construction of highway infrastructure. The environmental impact of traditional and newer secondary materials needs to be determined for the conditions of their expected use. The purpose of this paper is to introduce a probabilistic framework for evaluating the environmental acceptability of candidate secondary materials based on the risk of soil and groundwater contamination from leached metals and organics from the pavement. The proposed framework provides a structured guidance for selecting the appropriate model, incorporating uncertainty, variability, and expert opinion, and interpreting results for decision making. This new approach is illustrated by a probabilistic analysis of arsenic leaching from Portland cement concrete and asphalt concrete materials that were constructed using virgin and secondary products.
Synergistic Activities of Azithromycin and Amphotericin B against Naegleria fowleri In Vitro and in a Mouse Model of Primary Amebic Meningoencephalitis

Naegleria fowleri is responsible for producing a rapidly fatal central nervous system infection known as primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM). To date, amphotericin B, an antifungal agent, is the only agent with established clinical efficacy in the treatment of PAM. However, amphotericin B is not always successful in treating PAM and is associated with severe adverse effects. We previously found azithromycin to be more effective than amphotericin B in a mouse model of PAM. We therefore investigated the combination of amphotericin B and azithromycin in vitro and in a mouse model of PAM. For the in vitro studies, 50% inhibitory concentrations were calculated for each drug alone and for the drugs in fixed combination ratios of 1:1, 3:1, and 1:3. We found amphotericin B and azithromycin to be synergistic at all three of the fixed combination ratios. In our mouse model of PAM, a combination of amphotericin B (2.5 mg/kg of body weight) and azithromycin (25 mg/kg) protected 100% of the mice, whereas amphotericin B alone (2.5 mg/kg) protected only 27% of mice and azithromycin alone (25 mg/kg) protected 40% of mice. This study indicates that amphotericin B and azithromycin are synergistic against the Lee strain of N. fowleri, suggesting that the combined use of these agents may be beneficial in treating PAM.
Multi-country, cross-national comparison of youth suicide ideation: Findings from Global School-based Health Surveys

This study describes the prevalence of suicide ideation in 109 Global School-based Health Surveys (GSHS) conducted from 2003–2010 representing 49 different countries and 266,694 school-attending st...
Biosystematics of the turpentine beetles Dendroctonus terebrans and D. valens (Coleoptera: Scolytidae).

Controlled experiments and diagnostic differences in previously unreported morphological characters confirm that Dendroctonus valens LeConte and D. terebrans (Olivier) are valid species rather than color morphs of a single biological species. D. terebrans from distant localities (Florida and Massachusetts) produced fertile hybrids. D. valens females from the western part of its range (Arizona, California) paired with eastern (New York) males laid eggs which developed into advanced embryos but did not hatch. In the laboratory, males did not discriminate in entering galleries of conspecific and heterospecific females, but 2 d after males of either species were given access to females, conspecific pairs were significantly more frequent than heterospecific pairs. Observations of beetle interactions in bark-glass sandwiches indicated that males readily attempt to copulate with females, regardless of species, but females consistently reject or ignore heterospecific males. Both species had male meiotic cells with 13 autosomal bivalents and sex chromosomes in a parachute configuration to give the formula 13AA + Xyp. However, a D. terebrans from east Texas displayed an autosomal fusion and the formula 12AA + Xyp. Two of five D. terebrans specimens from Florida were heterozygous for a fusion chromosome. Individuals of the two species differed diagnostically by the configuration of spurs on the metatibia, the density of striations on the pars stridens of the terminal abdominal sternum, the shape of the seminal rod of the male genitalia, and by the relative lengths of abdominal sterna 5 plus 6 versus sternum 7. We postulate that D. valens and D. terebrans have strong negative interactions in the Appalachian Mountains and Atlantic coastal areas where ranges of the two species meet. Females compete for the same host material, and males will readily join a female of either species. Rejection of the heterospecific male and failure of eggs to hatch (should interspecific insemination occur) will prevent gene flow between species.
Testing for Associations between Hematozoa Infection and Mercury in Wading Bird Nestlings

Abstract Several wading bird species in the southeastern US have a history of infection by hematozoa/avian malaria as well as mercury accumulation through their diet, and thus may be exposed to two, generally sublethal, yet chronic, stressors. We analyzed nestling wading birds (n = 171) of varying size and trophic position from the southeastern US, and a smaller sample (n = 23) of older, free-ranging birds, to look for potential interrelationships between infection by hematozoa and mercury (Hg) uptake. Only one nestling was PCR positive for hematozoa (Plasmodium/Haemoproteus) whereas nine (39%) of the older wading birds were positive. Sequencing indicated that both nestling and adult positives were infected with Plasmodium. Given the low infection rate of the nestlings, there was no association between Hg and malaria. The older birds exhibited a possible malaria/Hg association, but it may be confounded by their greater potential exposure period and large-scale movements.
Empirical Study on Location Indeterminacy of Localities

Humans perceive the boundary of locality vaguely. This paper presents how the indeterminate boundaries of localities can be represented in GIS. For this task, indeterminate boundaries of localities are modeled by a fuzzy set membership function in which generic rules on geospatial objects are incorporated. Georeferenced traffic crash data reveal that police officers identify localities precisely at best 88% of the time. An empirical analysis indicates that people are 6% more confident in identifying urban localities than rural localities. As a conclusion, fuzzy set theory seems to provide a reasonable mechanics to represent vague concept of geospatial objects. The comparison of urban versus rural localities with respect to location indeterminacy suggests that neighborhood types may affect the way humans acquire spatial knowledge and forge mental representations of it.
A Novel Method for Assessing Cardiac Output With the Use of Oxygen Circulation Time

Background We investigated whether a simple breath hold would yield dynamic oxygen (O 2 ) saturation change and whether the derived circulation time would be useful in assessing cardiac function. Methods and Results Patients undergoing right heart catheterization for clinical indications (n = 48), including heart failure (HF; n = 24), were prospectively recruited. Each subject was instructed to hold their breath for 20–40 seconds. Lung to finger circulation time (LFCT), defined as the time from the point of rebreathing to nadir O 2 desaturation, was correlated with cardiac output. Among 48 subjects recruited, 37 manifested ≥3% O 2 desaturation allowing for an LFCT measurement. Mean LFCT was 38.5 ± 17.5 seconds (range 18.9–94.7 s). LFCT in patients with a clinical diagnosis of HF was significantly longer than those without (45.9 ± 19.9 s vs 31.5 ± 11.5 s; P = .01). Overall, the LFCT was inversely correlated with cardiac output (Fick: r = −0.56; P r = −0.6; P = .001 [n = 27]). Conclusions LFCT is prolonged in low cardiac output. LFCT is a novel method that may be useful to noninvasively assess cardiac function in HF.