cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Rapid enhancement of multiple ecosystem services following the restoration of a coastal foundation species.

The global decline of marine foundation species (kelp forests, mangroves, salt marshes, and seagrasses) has contributed to the degradation of the coastal zone and threatens the loss of critical ecosystem services and functions. Restoration of marine foundation species has had variable success, especially for seagrasses, where a majority of restoration efforts have failed. While most seagrass restorations track structural attributes over time, rarely do restorations assess the suite of ecological functions that may be affected by restoration. Here we report on the results of two small-scale experimental seagrass restoration efforts in a central California estuary where we transplanted 117 0.25-m2 plots (2,340 shoots) of the seagrass species Zostera marina. We quantified restoration success relative to persistent reference beds, and in comparison to unrestored, unvegetated areas. Within three years, our restored plots expanded ˜8,500%, from a total initial area of 29 to 2,513 m2 . The restored beds rapidly began to resemble the reference beds in (1) seagrass structural attributes (canopy height, shoot density, biomass), (2) ecological functions (macrofaunal species richness and abundance, epifaunal species richness, nursery function), and (3) biogeochemical functions (modulation of water quality). We also developed a multifunctionality index to assess cumulative functional performance, which revealed restored plots are intermediate between reference and unvegetated habitats, illustrating how rapidly multiple functions recovered over a short time period. Our comprehensive study is one of few published studies to quantify how seagrass restoration can enhance both biological and biogeochemical functions. Our study serves as a model for quantifying ecosystem services associated with the restoration of a foundation species and demonstrates the potential for rapid functional recovery that can be achieved through targeted restoration of fast-growing foundation species under suitable conditions.
Development of a Laser-Based Geometric Imperfection Measurement Platform with Application to Cold-Formed Steel Construction

Geometric imperfections play an important role in the strength and behavior of thinwalled metal parts such as those commonly used in cold-formed steel construction. The objective of this paper is to detail a newly developed imperfection measurement platform, where the full-three dimensional (3D) imperfect geometry of a cold-formed steel member can be measured and reconstructed with reasonably high throughput and sufficient accuracy to explore all relevant imperfections. The measurement platform is composed of a two-dimensional laser sensor mounted on rotary and linear stages. Specimens are placed within a rotary ring and along a reference beam. The linear stage provides a means to scan the length of the specimen and the rotary stage a means to scan from any angle. Control of the custom linear and rotary stages are detailed in the paper, and corresponding control accuracies are studied. A procedure for registering the individual scans into the complete 3D model reconstruction (point cloud) is provided by specific calibration tests, from which rotation and translation quantities can be found to transform surfaces measured in local coordinates to a universal global coordinate system. A variety of different imperfection quantities, from basic dimensions and out-of-plane deviations to more advanced spectral and modalbased imperfection magnitudes may be rapidly processed from the 3D model. Accurate understanding of geometric imperfections is critical to the long-term success of analysis-based design paradigms for cold-formed steel constructions. The apparatus detailed herein will be used to provide a broad suite of imperfection information to assist in these new efforts.
Segmenting cardiac MRI tagging lines using Gabor filter banks

This paper describes a new method for the automated segmentation and extraction of cardiac MRI tagging lines. Our method is based on the novel use of a 2D Gabor filter bank. By convolving the tagged input image with our Gabor filters, the tagging lines are automatically enhanced and segmented out. We design the Gabor filter bank based on the input image's spatial and frequency characteristics. The final result is a combination of each filter's response in the Gabor filter bank. We demonstrate that compared to bandpass filter methods such as HARP, this method results in robust and accurate segmentation of the tagging lines.
From chalkboard to PowerPoint to the Web: a continuum of technology

Historically, the chalkboard has been the medium of choice for delivery of classroom instruction. With the advent of the PC and audiovisual equipment, many teachers began using PowerPoint to deliver lectures. Now, however, technology-savvy students expect teachers to use the Web to deliver course materials and faculty are under increasing pressure from both students and administrators to Web-enable their courses. This work discusses how to help faculty become more proficient with media and technology in the classroom. In particular, we focus on our experiences with faculty in the School of Engineering at Mercer University. For the past three years, our faculty development center has been assisting faculty in learning how to use instructional technology. However, apart from the early adopters, faculty resistance was high due to lack of time, skill, motivation, or equipment. Recently, however, we have seen a dramatic increase in web-enabled courses and use of technology in the classroom. We discuss factors we think contributed to this increase, including the development of individual home page templates and training in a user-friendly Web editor, Macromedia Contribute.
DBMS[me] [life-time records]

The article is concerned with time and the deluge of data that we can expect to collect and view. We examine this from the perspective of a subproblem, a database management system that records a person's life in its entirety - referred to here as DBMS[me] and E-me (that is, a database of me or an electronic model of me). Challenges for the DBMS[me] are to augment human memory by recording all data about an individual, to organize such data into models, and to develop security and privacy languages to control access to such models.
The Negative Concord Puzzle Revisited

This paper investigates Negative Concord, arguing that it results from a systematic lexical ambiguity: the items that participate in Negative Concord ("n-words" in Laka's 1990 terminology) are ambiguous between negative polarity items and their genuinely negative counterparts. I try to show that on empirical grounds the proposed account compares favorably with other analyses that shy away from ambiguity. I furthermore suggest that the ambiguity is not implausible conceptually because it can be viewed as reflecting an intermediate stage of the Jespersen Cycle. Negative Concord can be observed in many languages. The data discussed here are taken from Romance, primarily Spanish.
Predicting the Outcome of Treatment

The clinical question—“Which treatment(s) for which patients with what set of subgrouping characteristics working by what mechanism(s)?”—rests at the heart of differential therapeutics. Experimentally, this question reduces to a test of how well we can predict the outcome of treatment using the treatment conditions plus other moderating and mediating variables. Reflecting the discussions held at a recent National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) conference on psychosocial treatments, and using pediatric anxiety disorders as a case in point, we discuss the problem of prediction in treatment outcome studies from the standpoint of definition of terms, using the general linear model of prediction. We also outline types of studies that may be useful in testing potential predictors, and put forward a possible matrix of predictor variables as currently implemented in an NIMH-funded treatment outcome study of pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). We conclude by making specific suggestions for implementing a broader approach to the study of predictors.
Toward a Unified Theory of Access to Local Telephone Systems

One of the most distinctive developments in telecommunications policy over the past few decades has been the increasingly broad array of access requirements regulatory authorities have imposed on local telephone providers. In so doing, policymakers did not fully consider whether the justifications for regulating telecommunications remained valid. They also allowed each access regime to be governed by its own pricing methodology and set access prices in a way that treated each network component as if it existed in isolation. The result was a regulatory regime that was internally inconsistent, vulnerable to regulatory arbitrage, and unable to capture the interactions among network elements that give networks their distinctive character. In this Article, Professors Daniel Spulber and Christopher Yoo trace the development of these access regimes and evaluate the extent to which the emergence of competition among local telephone providers has undercut the rationales traditionally invoked to justify regulating local telephone networks (e.g., natural monopoly, network economic effects, vertical exclusion, and ruinous competition). They then apply a five-part framework for classifying different types of access that models the interactions among different network components. This framework demonstrates the impact of different types of access on network configuration, capacity, reliability, and cost. The framework also demonstrates how mandated access can increase transaction costs by forcing local telephone providers to externalize functions that would be more efficiently provided within the boundaries of the firm.
The peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma is a negative regulator of macrophage activation

The peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPAR-gamma) is a member of the nuclear receptor superfamily of ligand-dependent transcription factors that is predominantly expressed in adipose tissue, adrenal gland and spleen. PPAR-gamma has been demonstrated to regulate adipocyte differentiation and glucose homeostasis in response to several structurally distinct compounds, including thiazolidinediones and fibrates. Naturally occurring compounds such as fatty acids and the prostaglandin D2 metabolite 15-deoxy-delta prostaglandin J2 (15d-PGJ2) bind to PPAR-gamma and stimulate transcription of target genes. Prostaglandin D2 metabolites have not yet been identified in adipose tissue, but are major products of arachidonic-acid metabolism in macrophages, raising the possibility that they might serve as endogenous PPAR-gamma ligands in this cell type. Here we show that PPAR-gamma is markedly upregulated in activated macrophages and inhibits the expression of the inducible nitric oxide synthase, gelatinase B and scavenger receptor A genes in response to 15d-PGJ2 and synthetic PPAR-gamma ligands. PPAR-gamma inhibits gene expression in part by antagonizing the activities of the transcription factors AP-1, STAT and NF-kappaB. These observations suggest that PPAR-gamma and locally produced prostaglandin D2 metabolites are involved in the regulation of inflammatory responses, and raise the possibility that synthetic PPAR-gamma ligands may be of therapeutic value in human diseases such as atherosclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis in which activated macrophages exert pathogenic effects.
Dissecting the behavior and function of MBD3 in DNA methylation homeostasis by single-molecule spectroscopy and microscopy

The detailed mechanism for DNA methylation homeostasis relies on an intricate regulatory network with a possible contribution from methyl-CpG-binding domain protein 3 (MBD3). In this study we examine the single-molecule behavior of MBD3 and its functional implication in balancing the activity of DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs). Besides a localization tendency to DNA demethylating sites, MBD3 experiences a concurrent transcription with DNMTs in cell cycle. Fluorescence lifetime correlation spectroscopy (FLCS) and photon counting histogram (PCH) were applied to characterize the chromatin binding kinetics and stoichiometry of MBD3 in different cell phases. In the G1-phase, MBD3, in the context of the Mi-2/NuRD (nucleosome remodeling deacetylase) complex, could adopt a salt-dependent homodimeric association with its target epigenomic loci. Along with cell cycle progression, utilizing fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy-based Forster resonance energy transfer (FLIM-FRET) we revealed that a proportion of MBD3 and MBD2 would co-localize with DNMT1 during DNA maintenance methylation, providing a proofreading and protective mechanism against a possible excessive methylation by DNMT1. In accordance with our hypothesis, insufficient MBD3 induced by small interfering RNA (siRNA) was found to result in a global DNA hypermethylation as well as increased methylation in the promoter CpG islands (CGIs) of a number of cell cycle related genes.
Laparoscopic vs. open abdominoperineal resection for cancer.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to compare the safety and efficacy of laparoscopic abdominoperineal resection and open abdominoperineal resection for cancer. METHODS: Records of 194 patients who underwent laparoscopic abdominoperineal resection (42 patients) or open abdominoperineal resection (152 patients) at three institutions between 1991 and 1997 were reviewed. Follow-up was through office charts, American College of Surgeons cancer registry, or telephone contact. Tumors included (laparoscopic abdominoperineal resection and open abdominoperineal resection, respectively) adenocarcinoma (86 and 92 percent), squamous (12 and 7 percent), and gastrointestinal stromal (2 and 1.4 percent) types; Stages I (17 and 26 percent), II (24 and 33 percent), III (43 and 32 percent), and IV (14 and 9 percent); and those with invasion of pelvic structures (14 and 16 percent). RESULTS: Laparoscopic abdominoperineal resection was converted to open abdominoperineal resection in 21 percent because of vessel injury (33 percent), poor exposure (22 percent), adhesions (22 percent), inguinal hernia (11 percent), or radiation fibrosis (11 percent). Perineal infections occurred more often in the laparoscopic abdominoperineal resection group (24vs. 8 percent;P=0.02). Late stoma complications were similar. Mean hospital stay was shorter after laparoscopic abdominoperineal resection (7vs. 12 days). Radial margins were positive in 12 percent of laparoscopic abdominoperineal resection and 12.5 percent of open abdominoperineal resection specimens. Tumor recurrence was similar for both local (19 and 14 percent) and distant (38 and 26 percent) recurrence. Survival rates were similar by Kaplan-Meier curves, with median follow-up of 19 and 24 months, respectively (P=0.22; log rank). CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic abdominoperineal resection can be performed safely and results in a shorter hospital stay. A randomized, prospective trial is needed to determine the long-term outcome of cancer treatment.
Symmetric Gobos in a finite projective plane

Abstract A gobo G in any incidence structure K is a (perhaps degenerate) tactical configuration having the property that no three points in G are collinear and no three lines in G are concurrent. General results are obtained where K is a finite projective plane of order n and G has k points and k lines such that each point (line) lies on r lines (points) of G . Particular attention is called to the contrast between the case r = 1 and the case r ≠ 1 when k = n .
A software testing course for computer science majors

The ability to program is a fundamental skill for Computer Science (CS) majors, and most CS programs introduce programming concepts through a sequence of courses. In fact, "programming courses offer skills and training that meets many of the needs expressed by students, their near-term employers, and non-CS faculty" [3, p. 24]. However, in most of these courses, relatively little time is spent in teaching students how to program well and how to test and locate defects; much of the focus is in teaching language constructs, syntax, and basics of programming. As more topics are introduced and the discipline continues to broaden, it has become nearly impossible to add new topics or required courses without removing others. This paper documents the rationale and procedures in developing an undergraduate testing and debugging elective course for Computer Science majors. It identifies the methodology used to select available tools, and documents the rationale in designing the course and developing its outcomes.
Abstract B74: Essential role of Skp2 in castration-resistant prostate cancer

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in African American men. African American men died of PCa in a 2.39-fold higher rate as compared with Caucasian counterparts. For patients with the metastasis PCa, androgen-deprivation chemotherapy is commonly applied and results in an initial regression of PCa. However, the relapses of this malignance were reported in many cases, and eventually PCa patients still died of recurrent growth of Castration Resistant Prostate Cancer (CRPC). Molecular mechanisms contributing to CRPC remain poorly understood. The purpose of this research is to define anticancer effects of Skp2 inactivation on the recurrence of CRPC using mouse models. In this experiment, Pten/p53 conditional double and Pten/p53/Skp2 conditional triple knockout mice were generated, and prostate tumorigenesis was evaluated and compared under the condition of castration and non-castration in mice. Here we report for the first time that Skp2 inactivation significantly inhibits the recurrence of CRPC in mice using Pten/p53 conditional mouse models. Loss of Skp2 significantly suppresses both the initiation and progression of prostate tumorigenesis in Pten/p53 mutant mice at 3 months of age and 6 months of age, respectively. Prostate tumors of Pten/p53/Skp2 triple mutant mice are significantly smaller as compared to that of age-matched Pten/p53 double mutant mice. Pathological analysis revealed that triple mutant mice develop less aggressive phenotype of prostate cancer than double mutant mice. Pten/p53 mice responded to surgery castration by decreasing the size of prostate tumors initially, but the recurrent growth of prostate cancer resulted in the death of all mice at 6 months of age. Most importantly, loss of Skp2 remarkably inhibits the recurrent growth of CRPC in Pten/p53 mutant mice. Three months post castration, prostate tumor weights of Pten/p53/Skp2 mutant mice were significantly decreased as compared to that of age-matched Pten/p53 mutant mice. Suppression on the recurrent growth of CRPC by Skp2 inactivation is contributed by induction of G2 cell cycle arrest and cellular senescence. Our findings suggest that drugs targeting on Skp2 function may be a novel and effective chemotherapy option to control CRPC in patients. Citation Information: Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2011;20(10 Suppl):B74.
Evolution of Mollusc Lens Crystallins: Glutathione S-transferase/S-crystallins and Aldehyde Dehydrogenase/Ω-crystallins*

Abstract: Diverse crystallins (abundant water-soluble proteins) are responsible for the optical properties of transparent cellular eye lenses and are multifunctional proteins that have been recruited from stress proteins and enzymes by enhanced lens expression. The major (S-crystallins) and minor (Ω-crystallin) cephalopod crystallins were recruited from glutathione S-transferase (GST) and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH), respectively. S-crystallins underwent multiple gene duplications while Ω-crystallin appears to be encoded in a single-copy gene. Except for one S-crystallin (considered a “molecular fossil”), S-crystallins lack enzyme activity due to mutation and insertion of a variable central peptide by exon shuffling. The Ω-crystallin is the sole crystallin in scallops. Scallop Ω-crystallin does not bind the co-factor NAD+/NADH, lacks enzyme activity, and is a tetramer but migrates as a dimer by gel filtration, suggesting structural adaptations for crystallin function. Similar transcription factors (Pax6...
Phase transitions of III-V compound semiconductor surfaces in the MOVPE environment

Abstract The structure of gallium arsenide and indium phosphide (0 0 1) surfaces in the metalorganic vapor-phase epitaxy (MOVPE) environment has been investigated. During growth at V/III ratios in excess of 10, both materials are terminated with group V ad-dimers (As or P), alkyl groups and hydrogen atoms. These species sit on top of a complete layer of the group V atoms. As the V/III ratio decreases, the top layer of arsenic or phosphorous desorbs from the surface. However, the resulting structures are different on GaAs and InP (0 0 1). In the former case, the phase transition occurs with gallium out-diffusion and nucleation of elongated islands. These islands have a β2(2×4) structure that contains only 0.75 monolayer of arsenic dimers. The resulting surface is rough, exposing on average six atomic layers. Conversely, on InP (0 0 1), no indium out-diffusion occurs following desorption of the phosphorous ad-dimers. Instead, the underlying P atoms dimerize, forming a (2×1) structure with a phosphorous coverage of 1.0 monolayer.
Voltage stability conditions considering load characteristics

It is shown that when the characteristic of the composite load of a typical utility system is taken into account, large disturbance voltage stability is assured by the existence of the stable equilibrium state of the post-disturbance system, as determined from the standard power flow model. When the load contains static components, stability limits extend considerably. The exact limit for such loads can also be determined from a power flow model, properly modified to reflect the static component of the load. In specific situations, where the bulk of the load is composed of fast response loads, a correct assessment of voltage stability would require comprehensive analyses, employing detailed dynamic models of all system components. The use of the conventional power flow model may lead to considerable error. >
Photic entrainment and induction of immediate-early genes within the rat circadian system

Immediate-early genes (IEGs) are transiently expressed within the rodent circadian system in response to nocturnal light. The two most studied light-induced IEGs within this system are Fos and Jun-B. Molecular expression of these two genes within the hypothalamic suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) correlates with light-induced behavioral phase shifts. Previous studies of the role of Fos and Jun-B in circadian clock resetting have used light stimuli that induce strong phase shifts. However, the relationship of Fos and Jun-B expression in the SCN and light-induced phase shifts in an entrainment context is undocumented in rats. In this study, male rats for which the free running period was determined were entrained to a 0.5 h:23.5 h LD cycle. On the fifteenth day of stable entrainment, the entraining light pulse was reduced to 10 min. Animals were killed 50 min later and brains were processed for IEG immunocytochemistry. Strong Fos induction was observed in the SCN and the intergeniculate leaflet (IGL). Strong Jun-B immunoreactivity was observed only in the SCN whereas Jun-B labeling in the IGL was weak. Significant correlations were obtained between the magnitude of light-induced IEGs in the SCN and the magnitude of the daily phase shift required for stable entrainment to the 0.5 h:23.5 h LD cycle. Further, a significant correlation was observed between the number of Fos and Jun-B immunoreactive cells in the SCN and IGL. These data suggest that the magnitude of Fos and Jun-B induction within the SCN is related to the magnitude of the daily phase shift required for stable entrainment.
Amelioration of lipopolysaccharide-induced acute kidney injury by erythropoietin: Involvement of mitochondria-regulated apoptosis

Sepsis remains the most important cause of acute kidney injury (AKI) in critically ill patients and is an independent predictor of poor outcome. The administration of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to animals reproduces most of the clinical features of sepsis, including AKI, a condition associated with renal cellular dysfunction and apoptosis. Erythropoietin (EPO) is a well known cytoprotective multifunctional hormone, which exerts anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-apoptotic and angiogenic effects in several tissues. The aim of this study was to evaluate the underlying mechanisms of EPO renoprotection through the expression of the EPO receptor (EPO-R) and the modulation of the intrinsic apoptotic pathway in LPS-induced AKI. Male inbred Balb/c mice were divided in four experimental groups: Control, LPS (8 mg/kg i.p.), EPO (3000 IU sc) and LPS+EPO. Assessment of renal function, histological examination, TUNEL in situ assay, immunohistochemistry and Western blottings of caspase-3, Bax, Bcl-xL, EPO-R and Cytochrome c were performed at 24h post treatment. LPS+EPO treatment significantly improved renal function and ameliorated histopathological injury when compared to the LPS treated group. Results showed that EPO treatment attenuates renal tubular apoptosis through: (a) the overexpression of EPO-R in tubular interstitial cells, (b) the reduction of Bax/Bcl-xL ratio, (c) the inhibition Cytochrome c release into the cytosol and (d) the decrease of the active caspase-3 expression. This study suggests that EPO exerts renoprotection on an experimental model of LPS-induced AKI. EPO induced renoprotection involves an anti-apoptotic effect through the expression of EPO-R and the regulation of the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway.
Primary malignant mesothelioma of the liver: MR imaging findings

We report the MR imaging findings of a primary malignant mesothelioma of the liver arising from Glisson's capsule. A 54-year-old woman, presenting with acute abdominal pain and a large liver mass previously shown on CT, underwent MR imaging to characterize the lesion. The tumor was a greater than 12 cm tumor located in the right lobe of the liver, which was sharply marginated, with heterogeneous internal signal, septations and central necrosis. The tumor was considered a hepatocellular carcinoma. The diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma was established by immunohistochemical staining and electron microscopy of the resected tumor.
SU‐FF‐T‐66: Dwell Position Inaccuracy in the Varian GammaMed HDR Ring Applicator

Purpose: Varian has issued two Product Notification Letters warning of known inaccuracies in dwell position for their GammaMed HDR ring applicators. This study measures actual dwell positions for two sets of ring applicators and tests a correction methodology. Method and Materials: Ring applicators were taped onto Kodak Ready‐Pack EDR2 film. Solid water was placed under the film and on top of the applicators, primarily for stability and immobilization. An x‐ray exposure was made using a conventional simulator, then an autoradiograph was made with the HDR source at different dwell positions. A total of 22 double exposures were made for each of the three ring applicators (30°, 45°, and 60°) of set 1 and 4 double exposures for each applicator in set 2. Source position measurement was performed within the BrachyVision treatment planning program, per Varian recommendations. Films were digitized and imported in BrachyVision, and the distance from the inner tip of the ring to the center of each dwell was determined using system measurement tools. Measured distance was compared to the programmed/expected distance. Results: For all but the most distal dwell positions, which are indistinguishable due to drag of the source within the ring, the autoradiograph was distal to the expected position. Differences averaged 0.34 cm (range 0.17 cm – 0.59 cm) across all positions in all rings. To correct for this displacement, during planning the tip of the ring is extrapolated distally beyond its actual position in the patient image set and a proximal offset of the same distance is applied to the dwell positions. A global shift of 0.3 mm corrected all but the most proximal dwell to within ±2mm of the planned position. Conclusion: Measured source positions were shifted distally from expected positions. A single shift value can be used to correct all rings to within ±2mm.
Characterization of a collagenase from rat skin

Abstract A collagenase from normal rat skin has been isolated and purified extensively. The mechanism of action of the enzyme on native collagen closely resembles that of the collagenase from post-partum rat uterus. The rat skin collagenase cleaves native collagen in solution at a number of specific sites, producing fragments 75, 67 and 62% the length of the collagen molecule from the NH 2 -terminus. In addition, the enzyme lowers the denaturation temperature of collagen by approx. 6° without appreciably altering its helical content. At 37° and neutral pH rat skin collagenase, like the rat uterine enzyme, extensively degrades native collagen fibrils to smaller peptides with greater than 60% of the reaction products being dialyzable. In some respects the rat skin collagenase closely resembles other vertebrate collagenases. The enzyme is maximally active at neutral pH and inactive at pH 5. Calcium is required for activity; EDTA and cysteine are inhibitory. The inhibition of rat skin collagenase by these compounds is only partially restored by the addition of excess calcium, suggesting the possibility of a second metal requirement. The results indicate that the collagenase obtained from rat skin is very similar to the rat uterine enzyme but differs from the collagenases obtained from the skin of two other species, human and tadpole.
Age-related changes in the gastric submucosal arterioles and gastric acid secretion

The purpose of this study was to determine whether alterations in the reactivity of gastric submucosal arterioles to norepinephrine and changes in acid secretion occur in the same time period in the rat. Experiments were performed on animals 6 weeks and 10, 18, and 25 months of age. Arteriolar diameter was measured by an image splitting in vivo microscopy technique before and after superfusion of the gastric submucosa with graded doses of norepinephrine. Acid secretion was measured in the pylorus-ligated rat. The percentage of arteriolar media stained with periodic acid-Schiff reagent (an age-related change) was determined for each age group. A dose-dependent response to norepinephrine was observed in 6-week and 10-, 18-, and 25-month age groups. Only in the 25-month-old rats were arterioles significantly more responsive to norepinephrine. Acid secretion at 10, 18, and 25 months was significantly less (about one-quarter) than that observed in the 6-week-old animals. Periodic acid-Schiff positive material deposited in the arteriolar media was significantly greater in the 18- and 25-month-old rats than in younger animals. We conclude that by 10 months of age in the rat, acid secretion is markedly reduced. The reactivity of the gastric submucosal arterioles is significantly increased at 25 months, but in the 18-month-old animal, when increased periodic acid-Schiff deposits are clearly evident, the reactivity to norepinephrine is not different from the 6-week-old rat.
Bounded solutions for the Boltzmann equation

In either a periodic box T d or R d (1 ≤ d ≤ 3), we establish a unified L ∞ estimate for solutions near Maxwellians for the Boltzmann equation, in terms of natural mass, momentum, energy conservation and the entropy inequality.
The common point problem in constructive projective geometry

Abstract Using intuitionistic methods, an extension of an incidence plane was constructed by Heyting in 1959; however, a central question, the validity of the projective axiom that any two lines have a common point, was left open. A Brouwerian counterexample demonstrates that in the Heyting extension the common point axiom is constructively invalid.
K-shell photodetachment of Li(-): experiment and theory.

High-resolution $K$-shell photodetachment measurements of ${\mathrm{He}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ giving rise to ${\mathrm{He}}^{+}$ ions have been performed using a merged synchrotron vacuum ultraviolet photon-ion beam technique. The measurements on this fundamental negative ion display dramatic structure differing substantially, qualitatively and quantitatively, from the corresponding process in neutral atoms and positive ions, owing to the dominance of correlation in both initial and final states of ${\mathrm{He}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$. In addition, this experimental investigation provides an unambiguous test of two independent theoretical calculations that report serious discrepancies and shows excellent agreement with one of them.
Theory of Photoemission in Simple Metals

A theory of photoemission is presented in which all results are derived rigorously from first principles. It is shown how to calculate properly the external current of electrons, with the transmission at the surface done correctly. A new and rigorous formalism is derived for doing many-body calculations in photoemission. Extensive calculations are performed on the angular dependence of photoemission. It is shown that the angular anisotropy is interesting and significant. Numerous numerical examples are presented for the alkali metals.
Fluorescence in situ hybridization with Alu and L1 polymerase chain reaction probes for rapid characterization of human chromosomes in hybrid cell lines

Abstract Human-rodent hybrid cell lines have been analyzed with regard to their human DNA content by using various DNA probe sets, derived from the hybrids, for in situ hybridization to normal human metaphase chromosome spreads. Total genomic hybrid DNA was compared with probe sets of hybrid DNA that were highly enriched in human sequences. The latter probes were obtained by amplification through the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using oligonucleotide primers directed to human specific subsequences of the interspersed repetitive sequences Alu and L1. Previously unidentified chromosomal material within hybrid lines was characterized with speed and precision. It is demonstrated that the complete human complement of hybrid lines can be rapidly assessed by comparing the data obtained with the Alu-PCR products with the results from the L1-PCR products or from the genomic hybrid DNA. This approach using interspersed repetitive sequence-PCR products is simple and fast and also provides an alternative way of generating complex DNA probe sets for the specific delineation of entire chromosomes or subchromosomal regions by in situ hybridization.
Delayed platelet recovery after allogeneic transplantation: a predictor of increased treatment-related mortality and poorer survival

Delayed platelet recovery (DPR) is common after allo-SCT. Insufficient data on risk factors and association with OS and TRM are available. We conducted a retrospective analysis of all allografts at the University of Minnesota between 2000 and 2005 to characterize the frequency of DPR (platelets <50 000/μL by day 60), risk factors and related complications. A total of 850 patients with hematological malignancies and benign disorders were included. Myeloablative (MA) conditioning was used in 65% of the patients and 45% received umbilical cord blood (UCB) grafts. The 60-day cumulative incidence of platelet recovery was 40% in UCB, 57% in unrelated donor (URD) and 74% in sibling donor. Multivariate analysis confirmed that the variables associated with DPR were MA (versus reduced intensity) conditioning, graft source other than sibling donor, ABO major mismatch, recipient CMV-positive serostatus, the presence of grade II-IV acute GVHD and slower neutrophil recovery. These data demonstrate that DPR is frequent after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation, especially after UCB. DPR is a significant independent risk factor for increased TRM and poorer OS along with HLA-mismatched URD, but not UCB, grade II-IV acute GVHD, old age and advanced disease stage.
Evolution of soil properties and plant communities along an extreme edaphic gradient

Abstract Plant-litter-soil interactions were investigated along a soil chronosequence occurring on five coastal terraces in northern California that range in age from about 100 000 to 500 000 YBP. Soil and plant communities vary dramatically and consist of slightly acidic, fertile soils supporting highly productive mixed-conifer forests on the youngest terrace to highly acidic, infertile soils supporting pygmy forests of dwarf ( Ericaceae species on the older terraces. Soil genesis, soil nutrient status, soil acidity and plant community structure reach a steady-state after approximately 250 000 years. All major species of the pygmy forest are polyphenol-rich, and those species that also grow elsewhere on the gradient have their highest concentrations of extractable polyphenols when growing on the most highly acidic, infertile sites. Polyphenols provide several beneficial effects on highly acidic and infertile soils, such as nutrient conservation, detoxification of soluble aluminum and enhanced phosphorus availability. Polyphenols may also provide some plant species with a competitive advantage by altering nitrogen cycling, allowing these plants to alter forest succession. The convergent evolution of polyphenol-rich plant communities on highly infertile soils throughout the world may be due to the ability of polyphenols to ameliorate acid soil infertility factors and regulate the nitrogen cycle.
Intermediate-range grid model for atmospheric sulfur dioxide and sulfate concentrations and depositions

Abstract A three-dimensional time-dependent grid type model for two chemically reacting species which undergo atmospheric transport, diffusion and wet and dry deposition over a region of several hundred km is presented. Accuracy and sensitivity of the model are discussed. The model is applied to the Rainy Lake Watershed using the available emissions and meteorological data. The model calculations are compared to National Atmospheric Deposition Program wet deposition data and snow core data.
Understanding Performance and Cognitive Efficiency when Training for X-Ray Security Screening

We describe an experiment designed to understand the X-ray security screener task via investigation of how training environment and content influence perceptual learning. We examined both perceptua...
Discoloration and subsequent recovery of optical polymers exposed to ionizing radiation

Abstract Color change is an important problem in commercial applications involving both the radiation-processing of polymeric materials and the use of polymers in certain optical devices in radiation environments. We report on absorption changes in optical polymers exposed to gamma radiation. Discoloration arises due to formation of two different types of color centers: ‘permanent’ and ‘annealable’. Annealable color centers are associated with radical species trapped within glassy polymer matrices. They disappear with time through two different mechanisms: one involves reaction with oxygen diffusing into the sample from the surrounding atmosphere, while the other involves a non-oxidative, highly temperature-dependent process that can be attributed to recombination reactions. The ratio of permanent and annealable color centers and the rate of post-irradiation annealing vary greatly in different polymer types. The ability of a macromolecular material to form conjugated structures, under the influence of the free-radical chemistry induced by irradiation, is an important factor in the extent to which the material discolors.
Predictors of falls among right-hemisphere stroke patients in the rehabilitation setting

The purpose of the study was to examine neuropsychological and general medical risk factors for falls among a high-risk patient group in an inpatient rehabilitation setting. The sample consisted of 32 nonambulatory males who had sustained a right-hemisphere stroke (R-CVA). The Fall Assessment Questionnaire (FAQ) was introduced as a measure of known risk factors for falls in an inpatient setting. Neuropsychological assessment included measures of attention, perceptual deficits, hemispatial neglect, and impulsivity. A predictive model generated using multiple regression found that the FAQ combined with a measure of behavioral impulsivity successfully predicted fall status in 78% to 81% of cases, depending upon the cutting score used (p < .003). R-CVA patients who fell were more impulsive (p < .001) and received higher FAQ scores (p < .001). Perceptual deficit as measured by the Rey-Osterreith Complex Figure and general inattention as measured by Digit Span (reverse) were associated with falls (p < .04); however, they did not add to the model predicting which of the R-CVA patients would fall. It was suggested that impulsivity may act as an important mediating factor in determining individual risk for fall.
Protected areas in marine resource management: another look at the economics and research issues

This paper reviews the research to date that relates to the economics of marine protected areas (MPAs). A special effort is made to examine the evidence on the benefits and costs of MPAs in terms of consumptive and nonconsumptive marine resource interests. General observations are made regarding the net effects of MPAs on these two stakeholder categories and the potential institutional costs of MPA implementation are highlighted. In general, the review finds that the empirical research on the economics of MPAs is limited and that there are several issues that might merit further investigation. The researchable topics are suggested as a way to better understand the socioeconomic impacts of MPAs and the potential response of stakeholders to proposed protected areas.
Human growth hormone and α2-macroglobulin: A study of binding

Abstract The availability of a pure human α 2 -macroglobulin ( α 2 -M) preparation has prompted a re-examination of its reported binding with human growth hormone (HGH). Incubation of labeled HGH preparations with α 2 -M did not show significant binding as measured by paper chromatoelectrophoresis, starch gel electrophoresis, or gel filtration. Although a small proportion of HGH traveled with α 2 -M, an analysis of the results suggests that this is not due to binding by the major component of α 2 -M. These studies indicate that the major component of α 2 -M cannot serve as a carrier protein for HGH in human plasma. An expression for the behavior of a dissociating system in gel filtration, applicable to the particular conditions employed in this study, is developed and discussed.
Severe congenital midureteral dilatation.

Congenital midureteral stricture is an uncommon cause of prenatal hydronephrosis, and it is generally associated with proximal hydroureteronephrosis [1,2]. We report a unique case of a congenital severe midureteral dilatation associated with mild proximal ureteral dilatation and normal distal ureteral diameter. The dilated midureter was excised, and an open end-to-end ureteroureterostomy was performed. Follow-up 6 months after surgical correction revealed marked improvement in the left-sided hydronephrosis and complete resolution of the hydroureter.
Clinical findings and survival in 56 sick neonatal New World camelids.

Background Information pertaining to clinical presentation and outcome of neonatal New World camelids (NWC) is limited when compared to calves and foals. Hypothesis Values of variables at admission and subsequent treatment would predict survival in sick neonatal NWC. Animals Fifty-six client-owned sick neonatal NWC presented over a 10-year period to the Purdue University Veterinary Teaching Hospital. Methods A retrospective study was performed. Inclusion criteria were NWC less than 30 days of age with complete medical records that presented between 2000 and 2010. Results The median age at presentation was 1 day (range 1–20). The most common diagnoses were systemic inflammatory response syndrome (50%), congenital defects (41%), ophthalmic lesions (21%), sepsis (16%), and gastrointestinal diseases (16%). Sixty-six percent of NWC survived to discharge. Clinicopathologic findings on admission were variable and not specific for disorders. Factors associated with survival were absence of choanal atresia (P = .001, OR: 55.9 [2.5–1,232]), administration of llama plasma (P = .013, OR: 4.9 [1.4–17.7]), and antimicrobial treatment with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMS) (P = .016, OR: 6.5 [1.3–32.2]). Conclusions and Clinical Importance The use of antibiotics, particularly TMS, and llama plasma are recommended in sick neonatal NWC. Results from this study could contribute toward defining a NWC-specific sepsis scoring system.
Ichnology and Sedimentology of Shallow to Marginal Marine Systems

Ichnology and Sedimentology of Shallow to Marginal Marine Systems: Ben Nevis & Avalon Reservoirs, Jeanne d’Arc Basin, S. G. Pemberton, M. Spila, A. J. Pulham, T. Saunders, J. A. MacEachern, D. Robbins and I. K. Sinclair, 2001, Geological Association of Canada Short Course Notes, Volume 15, 343 p., ISSN 1189-6094.
Protein and glucose fuel kinetics and hormonal changes in elderly trauma patients.

We investigated the responsiveness of whole-body protein and glucose kinetics to severe trauma and the role of regulatory hormones in the early catabolic “flow phase” of injury in a group of patients ranging in age from 19 to 85. Energy metabolism (indirect calorimetry), protein kinetics (primed-constant infusion of [15N]glycine), glucose metabolism (primed-constant infusion of [U-14C]glucose and [6-3H]glucose), and circulating hormone levels were measured during basal conditions within 48 to 60 hours after injury when the patients were receiving maintenance fluids without N or calories. Experimental data were analyzed as two groups (young, age 18 to 59, and elderly, age 60 to 85) and also as linear function of advancing age. The geriatric trauma (GT) group lost less N (11.9 ± 1.3 v 17.7 ± 1.7 g N/d, P = .025) than the younger group, mainly due to a significantly decreased whole-body protein breakdown (WBPB) rate. Despite a similar production and oxidation rate of glucose, hyperglycemia was more exaggerated in the elderly group. Advancing age resulted in significant positive correlations with plasma glucose levels and negative correlations with circulating growth hormone levels, urinary nitrogen loss, and protein turnover. These results suggest an age- and body composition-related reduced energy and protein metabolic response to severe trauma in elderly individuals.
Reliable butterfly distributed-memory multiprocessors

Since the butterfly network possesses various attractive topological properties and its constituent node has a fixed degree, independent of the system size, interconnecting processors in accordance with the butterfly topology to construct a distributed-memory multiprocessor is advantageous, especially for a large sized system. Every butterfly node in a multiprocessor so constructed is a processor, not simply a switch. In this paper, we examine a reliable butterfly-based multiprocessor that preserves its full rigid butterfly configuration even in the presence of faults. The proposed butterfly parallel system can tolerate any single and many multiple node/link failures, giving rise to significantly improved reliability. Reconfiguration in response to an operational fault in our design is easy and may be performed in a distributed manner. A system after reconfiguration is ensured to provide the same high performance. Reliability results show that our design compares favorably with an earlier design. An extension to this reliable design is also addressed. >