cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of natural and synthetic neuroactive substances on the growth and feeding of cabbage looper, Trichoplusia ni

In this study we investigated the effects of two naturally occurring beta-carboline alkaloids and two synthetic tricyclic antidepressants on the growth and food consumption of fifth instar larvae of the cabbage looper, Trichoplusia ni Hubner (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). In artificial diets at high concentrations (3,000 ppm), harmane, amitriptyline, and imipramine reduce growth and feeding; harmane reduced feeding consistently at a lower concentration (200 ppm). In animals other than insects, beta-carboline alkaloids inhibit monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity and thus affect rates of disposition of serotonin and other monoamine neurotransmitters. Because brain serotonin levels are associated with variation in rates of carbohydrate and protein intake in insects, the effects of beta-carboline alkaloid ingestion on dietary self-selection behavior were examined. Choosing between diets lacking carbohydrate but containing protein and diets lacking protein but containing carbohydrate, larvae consumed a greater proportion of diet containing protein but lacking carbohydrate in the presence of harmane than in its absence. These results are consistent with beta-carboline alkaloid-mediated persistence of serotonin in the brain due to MAO inhibition. Alternatively, these results could reflect alkaloid-mediated peripheral inhibition of sucrose taste receptors influencing ingestive behaviors. That beta-carboline alkaloid ingestion is associated with changes in feeding behavior is consistent with a possible defensive role for these compounds in plant foliage.
Multispectral imaging of burn wounds: a new clinical instrument for evaluating burn depth

A real-time video imaging system called the imaging burn depth indicator (IBDI) is described; IBDI can discriminate areas of burn wounds expected to heal in three weeks or less from the day of injury from those areas not expected to heal in that time period. The analysis can be performed on or about the third day postburn on debrided burn wounds. The relative diffuse reflectivity of the burn-wound is measured in the red, green, and near-infrared wavelength bands and an algorithm established previously is used to translate this optical data into burn healing probabilities. Over 100 burn wound sites were studied. Burn sites were evaluated on day three postburn by the IBDI and by the attending physician. Overall, the IBDI was found to be more accurate in predicting burn healing than were the attending physicians. >
Entangled F-actin displays a unique crossover to microscale nonlinearity dominated by entanglement segment dynamics

We drive optically trapped microspheres through entangled F-actin at constant speeds and distances well beyond the linear regime, and measure the microscale force response of the entangled filaments during and following strain. Our results reveal a unique crossover to appreciable nonlinearity at a strain rate of c ≈ 3 s−1 which corresponds remarkably well with the theoretical rate of relaxation of entanglement length deformations 1/τent. Above c, we observe stress stiffening which occurs over very short time scales comparable to the predicted timescale over which mesh size deformations relax. Stress softening then takes over, yielding to an effectively viscous regime over a timescale comparable to the entanglement length relaxation time, τent. The viscous regime displays shear thinning but with a less pronounced viscosity scaling with strain rate compared to flexible polymers. The relaxation of induced force on filaments following strain shows that the relative relaxation proceeds more quickly for increasing strain rates; and for rates greater than c, the relaxation displays a complex power-law dependence on time. Our collective results reveal that molecular-level nonlinear viscoelasticity is driven by non-classical dynamics of individual entanglement segments that are unique to semiflexible polymers.
Mediastinal hibernoma, a rare tumor

Hibernoma is an uncommon soft tissue tumor that is derived from the remnants of fetal brown fat. Review of the world medical literature revealed 90 cases, 6 of which were intrathoracic. We present the seventh case of intrathoracic hibernoma; in this case, the hibernoma was within the mediastinum without direct invasion of other structures.
Distance, Depth and Schizophrenia

(1967). Distance, Depth and Schizophrenia. American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis: Vol. 9, No. 3, pp. 203-207.
Lessons of a ‘Good’ Crisis: Learning in, and From the Third World

The current crisis has implications for the structure of world power. Some parts of the developing world have enjoyed a very ‘good’ crisis, with sustained economic growth and even increasing equity. Similarly, during the Great Depression, Third World countries that adopted less-orthodox policies did better than core countries. These relative successes helped shape a generation of thinking about economic policy. Unfortunately, policies that made sense when the core was weak made less sense when the core again became strong, yet some states continued to follow them. A generation from now, some of today's successful states may find themselves confronting different changed circumstances with policies that have become equally problematic. Chinese policy makers may learn a lesson that will prove incorrect: that the centralization of authoritarian government in the hands of a small, pro-capitalist clique is good for economic growth and global power. In contrast, the lessons learned during the crisis by successfu...
Papain-resistant (f) and papain-sensitive (g) subclasses of rabbit sLgA. Allotypic specificities on different domains of the g subclass of alpha-chains (alpha g).

Secretory IgA (sIgA) from rabbits homozygous for the f71 and g75 allotypic specificities of the f and g subclasses, respectively, was digested into four fractions: sIgA, Fc2α, Fab2α and Fabα. The subclass and allotypic characteristics of each fraction were determined by quantitative radioprecipitation analyses. The f71 allotypic specificities were found predominantly in the undigested sIgA (with some in the Fabα fragment) and the g75 allotypic specificities were in the Fc2α and Fab2α fractions. Previous data from our laboratory indicated that the f72 and f73 sIgA allotypes of the g subclass are resistant to cleavage and that the g74 sIgA allotype of the g subclass is cleaved by papain. The present and previously reported data support the hypothesis that resistance or sensitivity of rabbit sIgA to papain digestion is a function of the subclass rather than the individual allotypic specificities. Quantitative radioprecipitation analyses of the Fc2α and Fab2α fragments showed that the “g” allotypic specificities are composed of multiple determinants, some of which reside on the Fd part of the α-chain and some of which reside on the Fc part of the α-chain. Anti-allotype antisera have been prepared which are specific for the allotype determinant(s) present on each of the fragments. Of special interest is the ability to serologically distinguish the CH1 domain on the Fd fragment of a rabbit α-chain.
SURFACE HEAT BUDGET OF THE PAMPA DE LA JOYA, PERU

Abstract The surface heat budget for the absolutely dry soil of the Pampa de La Joya, Peru, a portion of the Atacama Desert, was determined for three round-the-clock periods in July 1964. The diurnal variations are described by the mean value and the amplitude and phase angle of the first three harmonics. The measurements include global insolation, net radiation, soil heat flux density, sensible heat flux density, surface temperature, and air temperature at 20, 40, 80, 160, and 320 cm. The instruments used are described, and an estimate of the errors in measurement is made for each.
Comparison of microwave and muffle furnace for citrus juice sample preparation and analysis using inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry

Abstract It can be easily concluded that microwave digestion in a closed vessel is a safe, simple, fast, precise, and accurate way to achieve mineral extraction from citrus juice samples. The method is especially suitable to provide a small or large number of digested samples for multielement determination by ICP-AES. The advantages of the closed microwave digestion system can be listed as rapid dissolution, complete digestion, sample integrity, minimal reagent use, lower reagent blank, volatile element determination, multiple sample digestion simultaneously, and finally, possible automation.
The value of randomized clinical trials in ophthalmology.

The randomized clinical trial is the gold standard for evaluating a therapy, providing the highest evidence for the practice of evidence-based medicine. However, not all randomized clinical trials are informative and the success of the trial in demonstrating a valid treatment or diagnostic effect will depend on the elements of the study design. The purpose of this report is to highlight the essential elements of the randomized clinical trial and the failure to provide such elements can lead to difficulties in interpreting the data and drawing valid conclusions.
A solidification front monitor for metal casting

A feasibility study was performed to assess computed tomography (CT) as a method of detecting the position of the solidification front during metal casting. Since the liquid and solid phases of metals differ in density by 4 to 12 percent, CT has the ability to differentiate the two phases. The motivation for this work is the development of a real-time solidification sensor for the continuous casting of metals. A first-generation CT system for reconstructing two-dimensional images of solidifying tin was developed. The performance of the CT system was evaluated by reconstructing images of objects of known geometries. For the solidification experiment, CT scans were conducted on an actively heated and cooled crucible filled with pure tin. The tin existed in both liquid and solid phases, with the solidification front position tracked by thermocouples. The image of the two-phase tin experiment had poor contrast resolution, but a quantitative analysis of the image does indicate an approximate 7 percent difference between the liquid and the solid portions of the melt. However, the size of the liquid phase was not as large as that determined by thermocouple measurements. This is a result of temperature fluctuations in the melt during data acquisition, as well as the relatively low spatial resolution. Future work to improve system performance will include using a linear accelerator (linac) as the radiation source.
Solution 1H NMR Characterization of the Axial Bonding of the Two His in Oxidized Human Cytoglobin

Solution 1H NMR spectroscopy has been used to determine the relative strengths (covalency) of the two axial His−Fe bonds in paramagnetic, S = 1/2, human met-cytoglobin. The sequence specific assignments of crucial portions of the proximal and distal helices, together with the magnitude of hyperfine shifts and paramagnetic relaxation, establish that His81 and His113, at the canonical positions E7 and F8 in the myoglobin fold, respectively, are ligated to the iron. The characterized complex (∼90%) in solution has protohemin oriented as in crystals, with the remaining ∼10% exhibiting the hemin orientation rotated 180° about the α-, γ-meso axis. No evidence could be obtained for any five-coordinate complex (<1%) in equilibrium with the six-coordinate complexes. Extensive sequence-specific assignments on other dipolar shifted helical fragments and loops, together with available alternate crystal coordinates for the complex, allowed the robust determination of the orientation and anisotropies of the paramagneti...
A superior method to report clinically relevant quality information about the point-of-care INR device performance compared with the International Organization for Standardization guidelines.

Abstract Background A revised ISO guideline was recently published that recommended methods to assess the quality of point-of-care INR measures. We assessed the relative performance of the ISO methods and a method that we developed. Methods We compared the ability of the ISO and the Shermock methods to predict when the INR measures lead to identical or different clinical decisions. Clinical decisions that were directly measured in a previous trial were used as a standard. Results The Shermock method was significantly better (82% of predictions correct) than the revised ISO method (61% correct, p Conclusions The Shermock method is superior in providing information that clinicians and patients care most about regarding the quality of the INR measures used to guide clinical decisions. Regulatory agencies should strongly consider incorporating the Shermock method into the device approval process. Local clinical laboratories should consider using the Shermock method in quality assurance assessments.
Proton exchange membranes based on sulfonated crosslinked polystyrene micro particles dispersed in poly(dimethyl siloxane)

Abstract Proton exchange membranes of sulfonated crosslinked polystyrene (SXLPS) particles dispersed in crosslinked poly(dimethyl siloxane) matrix were investigated. Three different sizes of particles—25, 8 and 0.08 μm—were used at loadings from 0 to 50 wt% and the influence of these variables on the water and methanol uptake and proton conductivity were observed. With the reduction in particle size in the composite membrane, more water or methanol uptake was observed. Three different states of water were revealed in the composite membranes by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The number of bound water molecules per SO 3 H group was 11–15 in membranes with 8- and 25-μm SXLPS. The ratio of bound to unbound water molecules was more than one in these membranes, whereas it was less than one in membranes with 0.08-μm SXLPS. The proton conductivities of the membranes increased with the increase in particle loading. At particle loadings above 35 wt%, membranes containing 8-μm SXLPS had higher conductivity compared to 25-μm SXLPS at room temperature. The conductivity of membranes containing 0.08-μm SXLPS was restricted to 10 −3 S/cm because of the inherently low IEC of the particles. Increasing the temperature from 30 to 80 °C drastically enhanced the conductivity of the composite membranes compared to Nafion ® 112. At 80 °C, conductivities as high as 0.11±0.04 S/cm were observed for membranes containing more than 30 wt% of 25-μm SXLPS particles.
Complete noninverted transposition of the great arteries

Abstract Thirty cases of complete noninverted transposition of the great arteries (TGA) were studied to determine the roentgen characteristics of this disorder revealed on conventional chest radiographs. Five of the patients had associated pulmonary stenosis. Increasing cardiomegaly, an "egg-on-side" contour and pulmonary plethora in an infant cyanotic from birth strongly suggest the diagnosis of TGA without pulmonic stenosis. In TGA with pulmonic stenosis, the heart is normal in size and contour and pulmonary oligemia is usually present. Although other congenital cardiac abnormalities may present similar roentgen findings, the radiologist must suggest the possibility of TGA when these roentgen characteristics are present since the diagnosis is readily established angiographically and early operative intervention can produce significant palliation and prolonged survival.
Bioerosion or bioaccumulation? Shelf‐slope trends for EPI‐ and endobionts on experimentally deployed gastropod shells

A total of 59 taxa of epibionts and endobionts occurred on experimentally deployed gastropod shells within one year of emplacement at depths ranging from 15 m to 260 m in the Bahamas. Most of the diversity occurred within 73 m of water depth. The experimental shells at the deepest sites (210 m, 260 m) were essentially pristine. Differences in experimental treatment affected the results: shells in bags contained more bionts than tethered shells, suggesting the bags had more protective areas for biont settlement. Soft‐bodied encrusters were restricted to the upper 73 m while foraminiferans and bryozoans exhibited bathymetric trends to the deepest sites. While boring algae and cyanobacteria were ubiquitous on the shells to 73 m, other bioeroders (e.g., clionid sponges) were rare. Bioaccumulation, rather than bioerosion, is the predominant process affecting mollusc shells during the first year of taphonomic exposure in carbonate systems to depths of 260 m.
Taskers and General Resource Managers: PVM Supporting DCE Process Management

We discuss the use of PVM as a system that supports General Process Management for DCEs. This system allows PVM to initialise MPI and other meta-computing systems. The impetus for such a system has come from the PVMPI project which required complex taskers and resource managers to be constructed. Such development is normally too time consuming for PVM users, due to the in-depth knowledge of PVM's internals, which are required to facilitate such systems correctly and reliably.
The Politics of Effective Foreign Aid

There is little consensus on whether foreign aid can reliably increase economic growth in recipient countries. We review the literature on aid allocation and provide new evidence suggesting that since 1990 aid donors reward political contestation but not political inclusiveness. Then we examine some challenges in analyzing cross-national data on the aid/growth relationship. Finally, we discuss the causal mechanisms through which foreign aid might affect growth and argue that politics can be viewed as both (a) an exogenous constraint that conditions the causal process linking aid to growth and (b) an endogenous factor that is affected by foreign aid and in turn impacts economic growth.
Distributed Estimation of Channel Gains in Wireless Sensor Networks

We consider the problem of distributed channel estimation in a sensor network which employs a random sleep strategy to conserve energy. If the network nodes are randomly placed at unknown positions, some prior information about the channel gains can be obtained due to the path loss effect. When considered from a single node perspective this prior information is uninformative because there are on the order of links to estimate, while there are on the order of parameters to specify the unknown node positions. However, from a network wide channel estimation perspective, there are on the order of channel gains, but these are heavily influenced by only an order of position parameters. We show that expectation propagation (EP) can provide a distributed channel gain estimation algorithm which makes effective use of this prior information together with standard channel training methods. Exploiting prior information significantly improves estimate performance, as is evidenced by comparison with the prior-information-blind diffusion LMS algorithm. Provided simulation results affirm this conclusion even when shadowing is included and path loss exponents are mismatched or unknown. As communication and computation are both expensive at sensor nodes, we detail the message passing, computation, and memory requirements of both algorithms.
Live Performance and Carcass Yield of Male Broilers from Two Commercial Strain Crosses Receiving Rations Containing Lysine Below and Above the Established Requirement Between Six and Eight Weeks of Age

Abstract A total of 1,440 male broilers from two commercial strain crosses, Peterson × Arbor Acres (PAA) and Ross × Ross (RR), was grown to 6 wk of age on crumbled starter (23.2% CP with 1.21% lysine and 3,231 kcal AMEn/kg) and grower (20% CP with 1.01% lysine and 3,234 kcal AMEn/kg) rations. One-half of the 24 birds from each pen were processed and deboned at 6 wk of age. The remaining birds subsequently received experimental rations from 6 to 8 wk of age based on corn, soybean meal, and corn gluten meal (basal ration= 18.1% CP and 2,961 kcal AMEn/kg) containing increasing levels of dietary lysine (.75, .85, .95, 1.05, and 1.15% of complete feeds). All birds were then processed and deboned as performed at 6 wk. The main effects of dietary lysine and strain were analyzed by analysis of variance as a factorial arrangement at 8 wk of age. Live performance of PAA at 8 wk was significantly better than RR, and neither strain cross responded to lysine. The RR had a significantly lower percentage of abdominal fat, and greater percentages chilled carcass and yields of breast “fillets” (Pectoralis major), and “tenders” (Pectoralis minor) than PAA at both 6 and 8 wk. Dietary lysine alone did not affect any carcass characteristic, however, interactions existed between strain and lysine for abdominal fat, breast fillets yield, and tenders yield, which indicated that RR was at advantage for all factors when lysine attained .85%.
Modeling of the Resilient Modulus for Recycled Asphalt Pavement Applications in Base Course Layers

The resilient modulus (MR) is an important parameter for the base course layer in the pavement design process. Use of recycled asphalt pavement (RAP) for this layer must take into consideration the effect of various factors that may occur in the field on the MR. Previous numerical models used for the granular base layer could be used for the RAP. The study reported here examined the suitability of RAP procedures under the effect of different factors (e.g., water content, dry density, freeze-thaw cycles). Various percentages of the RAP (50%, 75%, and 100% by weight) were employed in this research. All the models included in the study took into account the effect of state of stresses directly, but they also considered the other factors mentioned and the effect of their interactions with the MR indirectly. The intent of the study was twofold: (a) to determine the adequacy of the models employed in the use of the RAP procedure in the base course layer and (b) to determine which model best described RAP behavi...
Adolescent ethanol experience alters immediate and long-term behavioral responses to ethanol odor in observer and demonstrator rats

Background: The social transmission of food preference paradigm centers on the finding that observers obtain dietary information through olfactory cues on the breath of a demonstrator peer that has ingested a novel substance. This phenomenon plays a role in ethanol acceptability. Historically, studies using this technique have focused on observer animals in order to study the social transmission process. With respect to ethanol, studies of acute intoxication have shown that the pharmacologic properties of ethanol and hematogenic olfaction can influence the subsequent ethanol odor-mediated responses of the intoxicated animals. These acute studies, however, demonstrate odor aversion. The present study compared the effect of adolescent ethanol exposure, via the social transmission paradigm, on the behavioral response to ethanol odor in both observer and demonstrator animals in adolescence (postnatal day (P) 37) and the persistence of these effects into adulthood (P90). Methods: Beginning on P29, naive rats received four ethanol or water exposures: one every 48 hours through either direct intragastric infusion or social interaction with an infused peer. The reflexive sniffing response of observers and demonstrators to ethanol odor was tested at P37 or P90 using whole-body plethysmography. Results: The behavioral response of adolescent ethanol observers and demonstrators significantly differed between themselves and from their respective water controls. Ethanol and water observers both displayed a greater response to ethanol odor than their respective demonstrator counterparts. Compared to controls, both modes of ethanol exposure produced similar magnitudes of enhancement. At P90, both forms of exposure displayed similar responses to ethanol odor and similar magnitudes of enhancement. Only demonstrators displayed equivalent enhanced responses in both sexes. Conclusion: In contrast to previous studies showing odor aversion following acute ethanol intoxication, within the context of the social transmission paradigm, adolescent demonstrators like observers showed an enhanced behavioral response to ethanol odor. The differential enhanced odor response between observers and demonstrators, despite similar net enhancements relative to controls, suggests the presence of a stress effect from the infusion technique. This finding contrasts previous suggestions that intragastric infusions create minimal stress: an important consideration when conducting ethanol research. This stress effect appears to ameliorate by adulthood.
The topoisomerase I gene from Ustilago maydis: sequence, disruption and mutant phenotype

Abstract The Ustilago maydis genomic TOP1 gene encoding DNA topoisomerase I was cloned by amplifying a gene fragment using the polymerase chain reaction, and using this fragment to search a genomic DNA library by hybridization. The predicted peptide sequence exhibited 30-40% identity to other eukaryotic TOP1 genes, yet differed in several features. First, an unusually long acidic region was identified near the amino terminus (28/29 residues are acidic), which resembles other nucleolar peptide motifs. Second, an atypical carboxy-terminal 'tail', absent in other TOP1 genes, followed the active site tyrosine residue. A top1 gene disruption mutant was constructed by replacing the genomic TOP1 gene, with a top1::HygR null allele. This mutant lost the abundant topoisomerase I activity evident in wild-type U.maydis, and displayed a subtle coloration phenotype evident during cell senescence.
Evidence in Context: Bayes’ Theorem and Investigations

Investigations require that detectives interpret what evidence tells them about the probability that a suspect committed a crime. Unfortunately, a large body of research suggests that people are generally unable to accurately assess what a specific element of information tells them about the likelihood of an outcome. Bayes’ Theorem, however, can be used to overcome this difficulty. This article explores the use of Bayes’ Theorem to assess the question, “What does evidence tell us about the probability that someone is guilty?” A variety of analyses are presented, the results of which are not always intuitive. Policy implications are discussed.
Self-protecting networking using dynamic p -cycle construction within link capacity constraint

The p-cycle design problem has been extensively studied because it can provide both ring-like fast self-protection speed and spare capacity efficiency of path protection scheme. However, p-cycle provisioning for dynamic traffic has not been fully addressed. Most related works have not considered link capacity in the construction of p-cycles, which may cause problems in practice because the protection paths may not have enough backup bandwidth. In this paper, with the consideration of link capacity, we present a sufficient and necessary condition that guarantees p-cycles for providing enough protection bandwidth. Based on this condition, we propose an effective solution to provide connections for dynamic requests with the property that each link used for a connection is protected by a p-cycle. Simulation results show that our dynamic p-cycle provisioning solution outperforms the traditional path protection scheme. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. (In this paper, we presented a necessary and sufficient condition for constructing a p-cycle with link capacity consideration, to guarantee that each link on the connection path is p-cycle protected. Simulation results demonstrated that our p-cycle provisioning scheme is comparable with traditional path protection scheme.)
A Quantitative Trait Locus on Chromosome 16q Influences Variation in Plasma HDL-C Levels in Mexican Americans

Objective— We conducted a whole-genome, multipoint linkage screen to localize a previously reported major locus accounting for 56% to 67% of the additive genetic effects on covariate-adjusted plasma HDL cholesterol (HDL-C) levels in Mexican Americans from the San Antonio Family Heart Study (SAFHS). Methods and Results— After using complex segregation analysis to recover the major locus in 472 SAFHS participants from 10 genotyped families, we incorporated covariates required to detect that major locus, including plasma levels of triglycerides and apolipoprotein A-I, in a maximum-likelihood-based variance-components linkage screen. Only chromosome 16 exhibited convincing evidence for a quantitative trait locus (QTL), with a peak multipoint log of the odds (LOD)=3.73 ( P =0.000034). Subsequent penetrance model-based linkage analysis, incorporating genotypes at the marker locus nearest the multipoint peak (D16S518) into the segregation model, detected linkage with the previously detected major locus (LOD=2.73, P =0.000642). Initial estimates place this QTL within a 15-cM region of chromosome 16q near the structural loci for lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) and cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP). Conclusions— A QTL influencing plasma levels of HDL-C in Mexican Americans from San Antonio maps to a region of human chromosome 16q near LCAT and CETP .
Synthesis of spherical silica particles by spontaneous emulsification

Abstract Spherical silica particles are produced by spontaneous emulsification when an ethanolic solution of partially hydrolyzed tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) is mixed with water. The driving force for emulsification is the difference in ethanol concentration between the two solutions. For particle synthesis, the process can be divided into the following stages: (1) emulsification, (2) droplet growth through coalescence and (3) droplet gelation. The physical and interfacial properties of partially hydrolyzed TEOS directly determine the relative importance of each of these steps through their influence on phase equilibria, interfacial behavior, and the rate of droplet gelation after emulsification. It is demonstrated that either solid or hollow spherical particles ranging in size from as small as 0.1 to > 50 μm can be produced by altering the degree of TEOS hydrolysis and condensation before spontaneous emulsification.
Support vector machine classification of complex fMRI data

This work examines support vector machine (SVM) classification of complex fMRI data, both in the image domain and in the acquired k-space data. We achieve high classification accuracy using the magnitude data in both domains. Additionally, we maintain high classification accuracy even when using only partial k-space data. Thus we demonstrate the feasibility of using kspace data for classification, enabling rapid realtime acquisition and classification.
Effects of the cholesteryl ester transfer protein inhibitor evacetrapib on lipoproteins, apolipoproteins and 24‐h ambulatory blood pressure in healthy adults

Objectives We investigated the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of evacetrapib. Methods Healthy volunteers received multiple daily doses of evacetrapib (10–600 mg) administered for up to 15 days in a placebo-controlled study. Key findings Mean peak plasma concentrations of evacetrapib occurred at 4–6 h and terminal half-life ranged 24–44 h. Steady state was achieved at approximately 10 days; all subjects had undetectable levels of evacetrapib 3 weeks after their last dose. The trough inhibition of cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) activity was 65 and 84% at 100 and 300 mg, respectively. At the highest dose (600 mg), evacetrapib significantly inhibited CETP activity (91%), increased HDL-C (87%) and apo AI (42%), and decreased LDL-C (29%) and apo B (26%) relative to placebo. For the highest dose tested, levels of evacetrapib, CETP activity, CETP mass, HDL-C and LDL-C returned to levels at or near baseline after a 2-week washout period. Evacetrapib at the highest dose tested did not produce any significant effect on 24-h ambulatory systolic or diastolic blood pressure. Conclusions Multiple doses of evacetrapib potently inhibited CETP activity, leading to substantial elevations in HDL-C and lowering of LDL-C. Evacetrapib was devoid of clinically relevant effects on blood pressure and mineralocorticoid levels.
L-type Ca2+ channels access multiple open states to produce two components of Bay K 8644-dependent current in GH3 cells.

To determine the number of L-channel populations responsible for producing the two components of whole-cell L-type Ca2+ channel current revealed by Bay K 8644 (Fass, D.M., and E.S. Levitan. 1996. J. Gen. Physiol. 108:1-11), L-type Ca2+ channel activity was recorded in cell-attached patches. Ensemble tail currents from most (six out of nine) single-channel patches had double-exponential time courses, with time constants that were similar to whole-cell tail current decay values. Also, in single-channel patches subjected to two different levels of depolarization, ensemble tail currents exactly reproduced the voltage dependence of activation of the two whole-cell components: The slow component is activated at more negative potentials than the fast component. In addition, deactivation of Bay K 8644-modified whole-cell L-current was slower after long (100-ms) depolarizations than after short (20-ms) depolarizations, and this phenomenon was also evident in ensemble tail currents from single L-channels. Thus, a single population of L-channels can produce the two components of macroscopic L-current deactivation. To determine how individual L-channels produce multiple macroscopic tail current components, we constructed ensemble tail currents from traces that contained a single opening upon repolarization and no reopenings. These ensemble tails were biexponential. This type of analysis also revealed that reopenings do not contribute to the slowing of tail current deactivation after long depolarizations. Thus, individual L-channels must have access to several open states to produce multiple macroscopic current components. We also obtained evidence that access to these open states can vary over time. Use of several open states may give L-channels the flexibility to participate in many cell functions.
Wideband cascade delta-sigma modulator with digital correction for finite amplifier gain effects

The authors present an alternative approach to reducing the effects of finite amplifier open-loop gain in cascade delta-sigma modulators. The proposed gain compensation is carried out in the digital domain and thus requires no additional analogue circuitry. The method is illustrated by the example of a double third-order cascade circuit which, when properly compensated for finite gain effects, can yield 1-20 bit resolution with oversampling ratios as low as 16-24.
Open educational resource assessments (OPERA)

“Share, Remix, Reuse - Legally”, the tagline for creative commons, cogently captures the ethos of peer production Through the rapid growth of open educational resources (OER), peer production has begun to play a major role in how we teach and learn OER are teaching and learning resources that reside in the public domain or have been released under licensing schemes that allow their free use or customization by others They encompass a multiplicity of media types, including lesson plans, animations, videos, scientific data, etc OER can be created by scientific institutions, by university faculty, by K-12 teachers, or by learners Here, we focus on K-12 teachers engaging in peer-production for instructional purposes.
Goethe and romantic figuration as a key to some “Late‐Romantic” forms of philosophical discourse

(1998). Goethe and romantic figuration as a key to some “Late‐Romantic” forms of philosophical discourse. European Romantic Review: Vol. 9, No. 4, pp. 453-468.
Prediction of Wood Mechanical and Chemical Properties in the Presence and Absence of Blue Stain Using Two near Infrared Instruments

The objective of this research was to (a) determine if blue stain in solid wood influenced calibration equations developed from a nonstained wood population, (b) assess the bias introduced when scanning was performed by the slave instrument without calibration transfer from the master instrument and (c) partition absorbance-based variation by instrument, stain and instrument x stain interaction. The results helped to determine the calibration transfer needed for this case. The dependent variables assessed from clear and stained wood were lignin, extractives, modulus of elasticity (MOE), modulus of rupture (MOR) and density When the master instrument was used for both calibration and prediction, it was found that stain-insensitive equations for the five traits could be built. However, when a slave near infrared instrument was introduced without calibration transfer, three out of five predicted traits were significantly biased by the presence of stain. Further analysis revealed an interaction between stain and instrument indicating that instrument bias was also introduced during scanning with a slave. For both multiple linear regression (MLR) and principal components regression (PCR), it was found that if a trait needed more wavelengths (or principal components) for prediction of the dependent variable, bias due to blue stain became increasingly prominent. PCR was found to perform better than MLR when stain was introduced with no calibration transfer. Such a finding alludes that PCR works better than MLR under extrapolation conditions but is not intended to support a lack of calibration transfer. Finally, the Mallows Cp diagnostic proved valuable in model selection although the well-known requirement of (Cp-p 7 was about the threshold where model performance dropped.
Hamiltonian particle mechanics on curved space‐times—A no‐interaction theorem

Hamiltonian particle mechanics is formulated on a space‐time (M,g). The restrictions imposed by the isometry group G of g on the possible dynamics are analyzed; a no‐interaction theorem is obtained on a large class of homogeneous space‐times. The results are in particular applied to the de Sitter space‐time: here it is proven that a G‐invariant dynamics can describe geodesic particle motion only.
Review of Spatial Variation of Seismic Ground Motions: Modeling and Engineering Applications by Aspasia Zerva

This impressive book comes at a critical time for both researchers and practitioners working in earthquake engineering, especially for those dealing with large spatial structures, e.g., pipelines, long-span bridges, and dams. The book provides a comprehensive review of models for seismic ground motions, including their spatial variation and their simulation, and illustrates the effects of spatial variation with relevant applications. Chapter 1 motivates the reader and outlines the book content. Chapter 2 constitutes a comprehensive review of essential definitions and properties of stochastic processes and random fields. Numerical examples are used to clarify theoretical concepts and to facilitate the understanding of topics covered in the book. Chapter 3 presents 1 a critical review of parametric models for seismic ground acceleration, 2 data and methods for estimating
Law & Psychiatry: Mental Retardation and the Death Penalty: After Atkins

In Atkins v. Virginia the U.S. Supreme Court declared execution of persons with mental retardation to constitute cruel and unusual punishment, and thus to be unconstitutional under the Eighth Amendment. However, the Court left all considerations regarding how to implement the decision explicitly to the states. Since Atkins was decided in 2002, legislatures, courts, and mental health experts have struggled with its implementation, highlighting the complexities that can arise when the courts base legal rules on clinical findings. This column reviews the Atkins case and considers the challenges associated with a clinical determination that can have life-or-death consequences for capital defendants.
Heat Balance of the Earth's Core

Summary It is shown that the heat necessary to maintain convection in the core may come from slow cooling and crystallization of the core with corresponding growth of the solid inner core. The present rate of cooling would be of the order of 10–45 degrees per 109 years, depending on temperature.
A re-evaluation of the great Aleutian and Chilean earthquakes of 1906 August 17

SUMMARY We investigate two great earthquakes that occurred in the Aleutian Islands and Chile, within 30 min of each other, on 1906 August 17, based on a collection of seismograms compiled shortly after the events by scientists at Strasbourg. The method of Preliminary Determination of Focal Mechanisms (PDFM) is applied to 14 mantle waves from seven stations, in order to resolve the moment tensors of the two shocks. It is complemented by examination of body wave polarities at Japanese stations to lift the remaining indeterminacy in focal mechanism. The Chilean earthquake, occurring second, is a regular subduction event, whose moment (2.8 × 1028 dyn cm) is revised downwards from previous estimates (except Kanamori's), suggesting that its rupture did not involve more than ∼200 km of fault. The Aleutian earthquake, occurring first, has a larger moment (3.8 × 1028 dyn cm), but features mantle wave radiation patterns and body wave polarities incompatible with both underthrusting at the Aleutian subduction zone and tensional buckling at the outer rise. Rather, we suggest that it is an intraplate, somewhat deeper (∼50 km) earthquake: this is supported by tentative relocation of available arrival times north of it. The origin of the earthquake may be related to the presence of the Bowers ridge north of the Amchitka pass in the epicentral area. Finally, hydrodynamic simulations using our source mechanisms support the observation that the Chilean event was the source of the reported transpacific tsunami; the report of a 3.5-m wave at Maui constitutes a misassociation, as its timing is shown to be non-causal for both events.
Constrained M-Estimation for Regression

When using redescending M-estimates of regression, one must choose not only an estimate of scale, but since the redescending M-estimating equations may admit multiple solutions, of which all of them may not be a desired solution, one must also have a method for choosing a desirable solution to the estimating equations. We introduce here a new approach for properly scaling redescending M-estimating equations and for obtaining high breakdown point solutions to the equations by the introduction of the constrained M-estimates of regression, or the CM-estimates of regression for short. Unlike the S-estimates of regression, the CM-estimates of regression can be tuned to obtain good local robustness properties while maintaining a breakdown point of 1/2.
Acute Coronary Syndrome

Coronary artery disease is a major cause of mortality and morbidity in the United States and worldwide. In 2010, the American Heart Association reported that 17.6 million individuals in the United States had coronary artery disease and 8.5 million had a myocardial infarction.
Effect of Heat-Induced Chemical Degradation on the Residual Mechanical Properties of Ultrahigh-Performance Fiber-Reinforced Concrete

AbstractThis study investigates the effect of chemical degradation on the residual mechanical properties of ultrahigh performance fiber-reinforced concrete (UHPFRC) after temperature exposure ranging from 100 to 900°C. Emphasis has been placed on the isolation of chemical degradation. A long drying period and a slow heating rate were used to minimize the buildup of excessive pore pressure caused by water evaporation and transport constraints. To identify critical areas of chemical degradation, differential scanning calorimetry and thermo gravimetric analysis were performed. The results were used in correlation with existing research to aid in deriving a simplified model for predicting the temperature-dependent stress versus strain behavior of UHPFRC.
Recovery of surfactant from micellar-enhanced ultrafiltration using a precipitation process

A precipitation method is proposed to recover anionic surfactants from a micellar-enhanced ultrafiltration (MEUF) process. Monovalent potassium ion is used to precipitate the dodecylsulfate anion from sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS). The recovery process is quick and clean and requires adding smaller amounts of the electrolyte than if the sodium cation is used to precipitate dodecylsulfate. No substantial loss of organic solutes (phenol and tert-butylphenol) occurs during the precipitation, as was observed when sodium ion was used as the precipitant. It has been shown that potassium dodecylsulfate (KDS) is similar to SDS in its cmc, water solubility, and ability to solubilize organic solutes in micellar solutions. However, KDS has a significantly higher Krafft point than SDS (35 °C). An MEUF experiment using KDS as the model surfactant gave large rejection of tert-butylphenol (96%). Based on these findings, KDS is proposed as a potential surfactant for use in MEUF, with recovery of the surfactant to be accomplished by lowering the system temperature below the Krafft point.
Model-Based Haptic Guidance in Surgical Skill Improvement

This paper defines a model-based control hap tic guidance (MPC-HG) approach to improve the performance of a user in a minimally invasive surgery (MIS) training while performing a surgical related task. In this approach, a robot applies controlled forces on the hand of the user to guide him/her through an MIS training task according to an MIS reference model and desired set of motions. The main challenges for such physical human-robot interactions (pHRI) involve precise modeling of human motion to develop an expert model and invoking adaptive control approaches for force rendering. Thus, a hidden Markov model (HMM) and two control strategies are presented and evaluated. The model automatically creates a set of states and is trained accordingly based on a reference set of motion in the form of robot Learning from Demonstration (LfD). The control strategies include a novel model predictive control (MPC) framework and classical spring impedance controllers. Furthermore, the effects of hap tic guidance (HG) on the performance of users have experimentally been investigated. The results confirm that HG is effective in improving user performance for a sample surgical related task in terms of time related metrics. The proposed MPC framework demonstrates promising results compared to the other control modes considered in the study.
Computational Modeling of Radiation Effects on Total Temperature Probes

The performance of total temperature thermocouple probes immersed in high temperature gaseous flows was investigated using multi-physics simulations for thermocouples in shielded and unshielded configurations. The performance of these thermocouples was examined with respect to the known sources of temperature measurement error, including velocity or aerodynamic errors, conduction errors, and radiation errors. First, a validation study was conducted using legacy NACA data over a Mach number range of 0.2-0.9 with total temperatures up to 2500 R. Very good simulation of aerodynamic and radiation effects over the entire parameter space was demonstrated. Second, simulations of recent experiments at Virginia Tech were conducted with a setup and test conditions designed to emphasize conduction errors from Mach 0.05-0.8 with total temperatures up to 1310 R. Again, good agreement between simulations and experiment was obtained over the range considered. The good comparison to the experimental data achieved highlights the usefulness of computer simulations in the design and analysis of small total temperature sensing probes, especially in investigating detailed fluid flow and heat transfer characteristics in and around small devices that cannot be readily studied experimentally.