cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Depletion of neutrophils and modulation of Kupffer cell function in allyl alcohol-induced hepatotoxicity

The roles of neutrophils (PMNs) and Kupffer cells in hepatotoxicity caused by allyl alcohol in rats in vivo were examined. To test the involvement of PMNs in the response to allyl alcohol, the number of circulating PMNs was reduced to < 500/μl by treatment with immunoglobulin (Ig) isolated from serum of rabbits treated with rat PMNs (anti-PMN Ig). Rats received anti-PMN Ig or control Ig 6 h before and 6 h after administration of allyl alcohol (40 mg/kg, i.p.). Hepatotoxicity was assessed 18 h after allyl alcohol administration. In rats pretreated with control Ig, treatment with allyl alcohol resulted in hepatotoxicity as evidenced by an increase in the activity of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) in serum. Neutropenia did not attenuate hepatic injury caused by allyl alcohol. Leukopenia induced by pretreatment with cyclophosphamide also did not influence the hepatotoxic response to allyl alcohol. To inhibit the function of Kupffer cells, animals were treated with gadolinium chloride (GdCl3; 10 mg/kg, i.v.) 24 h before administration of allyl alcohol. This dose of GdCl3 decreased in situ clearance of colloidal carbon by 64%. Despite the inhibition of Kupffer cell function, ALT activity in serum was not different in allyl alcohol-treated rats pretreated with GdCl3 and those pretreated with saline vehicle. Histopathologic evaluation of the livers confirmed a lack of protective effect of GdCl3. These results suggest that neither neutrophils nor Kupffer cells play a major role in liver injury due to allyl alcohol.
Toward the quiescent coronary plaque

The treatment of coronary atherosclerosis requires an understanding of the pathophysiology of plaque rupture. The rupture of lipid-laden, macrophage-rich plaques initiates unstable angina, acute myocardial infarction and sudden cardiac death. Plaque rupture occurs when the circumferential tension on a plaque exceeds its tensile strength, an event that cannot be predicted by coronary angiography. The incidence of plaque rupture appears to be reduced in patients receiving cholesterol-lowering therapy, beta-adrenergic blocking agents and, possibly, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and antioxidants. Not all ruptured coronary plaques produce an acute coronary syndrome. The consequences of plaque rupture depend on the extent of thrombus formation over the fissured plaque. This is determined by flow characteristics within the vessel as well as the activity of the thrombotic and fibrinolytic systems. Recent advances in cardiovascular molecular biology, coronary diagnostic techniques and cardiac therapeutics have opened windows of opportunity to study and modify the factors leading to plaque rupture. The local modification of gene expression to alter plaque composition and to elucidate and subsequently inhibit the prothrombotic and fibrinolytic defects that promote coronary thrombosis may, in future, prevent plaque rupture and its consequences. The application of such a concerted interdisciplinary approach promises a paradigm shift in the management of coronary artery disease toward the prevention of plaque rupture and its sequelae.
Acute blood glucose level and outcome from ischemic stroke

Objective: To study the relation between acute blood glucose level and outcome from ischemic stroke. Background: Hyperglycemia may augment acute ischemic brain injury and increase the risk of hemorrhagic transformation of the infarct. Methods: The authors analyzed the relation between admission blood glucose level (within 24 hours from ischemic stroke onset) and clinical outcome in 1,259 patients enrolled in the Trial of ORG 10172 in Acute Stroke Treatment (TOAST)—a placebo-controlled, randomized, double-blind trial to test the efficacy of a low-molecular weight heparinoid in acute ischemic stroke. Very favorable outcome was defined as a Glasgow Outcome Scale score of 1 and a modified Barthel index of 19 or 20. Neurologic improvement at 3 months was defined as a decrease by ≥4 points on the NIH Stroke Scale compared with baseline or a final score of 0. Hemorrhagic transformation of infarct was assessed within 10 days after onset of stroke with repeat cerebral CT. Stroke subtype as lacunar or nonlacunar (atherothromboembolic, cardioembolic, and other or undetermined etiology) was classified by one investigator after completion of stroke evaluation according to study protocol. Results: In all strokes combined ( p = 0.03) and in nonlacunar strokes ( p = 0.02), higher admission blood glucose levels were associated with worse outcome at 3 months according to multivariate logistic regression analysis adjusted for stroke severity, diabetes mellitus, and other vascular risks. In lacunar strokes, the relationship between acute blood glucose level and outcome was related to treatment. In the placebo group, higher admission blood glucose levels were associated with better outcome at 3 months. However, in the active drug group, as the glucose level increased from 50 to 150 mg/dL, the probability of a very favorable outcome decreased sharply and remained relatively unchanged as the glucose level increased further ( p = 0.002, for overall effect of glucose on outcome). Acute blood glucose level was not associated with symptomatic hemorrhagic transformation of infarcts or with neurologic improvement at 3 months. Conclusions: During acute ischemic stroke hyperglycemia may worsen the clinical outcome in nonlacunar stroke, but not in lacunar stroke, and is not associated with an increased risk of hemorrhagic transformation of the infarct.
Retirement Decisions: Expectation, Intention, and Action

The study examined the expectation-action chain of events in the context of the decision about whether to retire within the subsequent two years. One hundred and twenty-five staff employees at a large university participated. They evaluated their expectations about what would happen if they retired and stated their intention. Two years later they were contacted to see whether they had or had not retired. Expectations were used to predict intentions (78% correct predictions), and intentions were used to predict actions (76% correct predictions). The results were interpreted as evidence supporting the use of the expectation-intention-action chain to characterize retirement decision making. The possible causes of mispredictions were discussed.
Esculetin induces apoptosis and inhibits adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 cells.

YANG, JEONG-YEH, MARY ANNE DELLA-FERA, DIANE L. HARTZELL, CASS NELSON-DOOLEY, DOROTHY B. HAUSMAN, AND CLIFTON A. BAILE. Esculetin induces apoptosis and inhibits adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 cells. Obesity. 2006;14:1691–1699. Objective: To determine the effects of esculetin, a plant phenolic compound with apoptotic activity in cancer cells, on 3T3-L1 adipocyte apoptosis and adipogenesis. Research Methods and Procedures: 3T3-L1 pre-confluent preadipocytes and lipid-filled adipocytes were incubated with esculetin (0 to 800 M) for up to 48 hours. Viability was determined using the Cell Titer 96 Aqueous One Solution cell proliferation assay; apoptosis was quantified by measurement of single-stranded DNA. Post-confluent preadipocytes were incubated with esculetin for up to 6 days during maturation. Adipogenesis was quantified by measuring lipid content using Nile Red dye; cells were also stained with Oil Red O for visual confirmation of effects on lipid accumulation.
Probabilistic Evaluation of Structural Fire Resistance

The work described herein seeks to investigate a probabilistic framework to evaluate the fire resistance of structures given uncertainty in the fire load and structural resistance parameters. The methodology involves (i) the identification and characterization of uncertain parameters in the system, (ii) a stochastic analysis of the thermo-mechanical response of the structure, and (iii) the evaluation of structural reliability based on a suitable limit state function. The methodology is demonstrated through the analysis of a protected steel beam using Monte Carlo simulation with embedded finite element simulations. Model dimensionality is reduced using a response sensitivity analysis, and limit state functions are defined based on limiting deflection criteria used in fire resistance tests. Results demonstrate that the 1-h rated beam resists a natural fire exposure with a failure probability of less than ten percent, although additional discussion is warranted regarding what might be considered an acceptable level of risk in structural fire design. The study also demonstrates that probabilistic analysis of structural fire resistance provides an enhanced understanding of the factors affecting the resistance of structures to fire and offers a means for rationally improving structural designs to meet target performance objectives.
Liquid crystal phase diagrams: A study of seven thermotropic materials

We report and discuss the pressure–temperature phase diagrams for seven materials having liquid crystal phases: N‐ (p‐methoxybenzylidene) ‐p‐butylaniline (MBBA), N‐ (p‐ethoxybenzylidene) ‐p‐butylaniline (EBBA), N‐ (p‐methylbenzylidene) ‐p‐butylaniline (MBA), cholesteryl oleyl carbonate (COC), 4,4′‐bis (heptyloxy) ‐azoxybenzene (HAB), cholesteryl nonanoate (CN), and N‐ (p‐cyanobenzylidene) ‐p‐octyloxyaniline (CBOOA).
Top 10 Things to Know About Lupus Activity Measures

Accurately measuring lupus disease activity has been a demanding and still unresolved task, considering the complex multisystem nature of the disease and its variability over time and between patients. Various available tools for measurement of lupus disease activity may detect clinical improvement and/or deterioration and can be global or organ-focused. Several measures have demonstrated validity, reliability, and sensitivity to change in observational studies, and some were found useful in randomized controlled trials. Evaluation of their content and metric properties and critical review of their strengths and weaknesses facilitates selection of the appropriate tool according to the outcome of interest, and forms the basis for their optimization. In this review, we highlight recent progress in lupus disease activity measures and point to future directions in this field, with a focus on novel composite measurements derived by combining outcome measures in ways that might compensate for their individual deficiencies.
Nitrogen isotopes in lunar highlands breccias

Lunar highlands breccias from Apollo 14 and 16 which may have trapped solar wind gases at a very early epoch in the history of the moon, as implied by their high content of parentless fissiogenic xenon and sometimes of parentless radiogenic Xe-129, are analyzed for nitrogen content and isotopic composition using stepwise heating techniques. The results show that the nitrogen is not particularly light and was not acquired in very ancient times. The conflicting presence of both parentless xenon and nitrogen of relatively recent isotopic signature can be explained if the hypothetical light nitrogen is diluted by more abundant, heavier nitrogen. Accordingly, the very ancient soil components implied in these breccias by the presence of excess fission xenon were reexposed at a much later epoch, or mixed with younger soil components, before the compaction event.
Analysis of a radiation-induced mutation in E. coli

Abstract The mathematical relationships between observable mutation and cell death have been investigated for the simple case where the mutagenic and lethal actions of a mutagen are both “one-hit” and statistically independent. The results obtained are used to analyse data obtained by Demerec and Latarjet on the X-radiation-induced mutation of E. coli B r to Tr bacteriophage resistance. It is estimated that the site for killing is 55,000 times larger than the mutational site in the bacterium, and that the latter consists of approximately 5oo nucleotide pairs. The advantages of a mutation-survival correlation plot for the analysis of mutation data are discussed.
Outcome of isolated renal cell carcinoma fossa recurrence after nephrectomy.

Purpose: Local recurrence of renal cell carcinoma in the renal fossa after complete radical nephrectomy is uncommon. We characterize and determine outcome in a small subset of patients.Materials and Methods: From 1970 to 1998 the incidence of isolated renal bed recurrence among 1,737 T1-3N0M0 unilateral nephrectomy cases was 1.8% (standard error [SE] 0.4) at 5 years. There were 30 patients in whom isolated local fossa carcinoma recurred after complete radical nephrectomy without evidence of metastatic disease. Patients with any nodal involvement at radical nephrectomy were excluded from study as were those who had undergone any form of partial nephrectomy. Patient charts were reviewed for clinical presentation, stage, treatment, development of metastatic disease and survival. Pathological stage was assigned according to the 1997 TNM staging system. Recurrence was identified in 12 (40%) patients during routine followup and the remaining 18 (60%) presented with symptoms related to the recurrent tumor. Patie...
TWO-DIMENSIONAL TRANSFORMS OF THE SAMPLED NATIONAL TELEVISION SYSTEMS COMMITTEE (NTSC) COLOR VIDEO SIGNAL.

Two-dimensional transforms of the chrominance components of the National Television Systems Committee (NTSC) color video signal are studied. The effects of interlace and subcarrier modulation on the spatial frequency spectra are treated in detail. Multidimensional sampling theorems for the NTSC signal are presented. The relation of interlacing and decimation-in-space for a two-dimensional fast Fourier transform (FFT) algorithm is discussed.
Hommage à Louis Favoreu

Professor Neuborne mourns the passing of Louis Favoreu as the “First Citizen” of the emerging “republique du droit constitutionnel mondial.” Professor Neuborne recounts how Professor Favoreu initiated him into the workings of the French Conseil Constitutionnel, enabling him to compare the French and U.S. methods of constitutional adjudication. He observes that Doyen Favoreu's tireless efforts to explain and defend the work of the Conseil Constitutionnel played a major role in expanding the practice of constitutional judicial review throughout the world.
Planar bilayer studies reveal multiple conductance states for synthetic anion transporters.

Compounds of the general type R12NCOCH2OCH2CO-(Gly)3-Pro-(Gly)3-OCH2Ph insert in phospholipid bilayers and conduct ions. Different levels of activity were observed when R1 was either decyl or octadecyl, as judged either by Cl− release, detected by ion selective electrodes, or carboxyfluorescein dequenching, detected by fluorescence. Either method reports average behavior for all ionophores over all liposomes. These methods also show that at least two ionophores are involved in the formation of each pore. Planar bilayer experiments reported here confirm pore formation by these compounds but identify more than one conductance state for each. The pseudo-dimer, in which two molecules of the type shown above are covalently linked, shows only two conductance states, of which one is dominant. This state has been characterized by use of a current–voltage plot.
Differentiating SLI from ADHD using children's sentence recall and production of past tense morphology.

Measures of sentence recall and past tense marking were used to examine the similarities and differences between children with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), children with specific language impairment (SLI), and typically developing (TD) children. Both SLI and ADHD group means for sentence recall tasks were significantly lower than the TD control group (SLI<ADHD<TD). In contrast, limitations in past tense marking were characteristic of the SLI group (SLI<ADHD = TD). Frequent affix omissions or bare stem errors (e.g. the girl colour the picture; the girl fall in the net) differentiated the SLI group from the other two groups. Over‐regularization errors (e.g. the girl falled into the net) did not (SLI = ADHD = TD). Clinical implications are discussed.
A Longitudinal Examination of Middle School Students' Understanding of the Equal Sign and Equivalent Equations

This longitudinal study investigated (a) middle school students' understanding of the equal sign, (b) students' performance solving equivalent equations problems, and (c) changes in students' understanding and performance over time. Written assessment data were collected from 81 students at four time points over a 3-year period. At the group level, understanding and performance improved over the middle school years. However, such improvements were gradual, with many students still showing weak understanding and poor performance at the end of grade 8. More sophisticated understanding of the equal sign was associated with better performance on equivalent equations problems. At the individual level, students displayed a variety of trajectories over the middle school years in their understanding of the equal sign and in their performance on equivalent equations problems. Further, students' performance on the equivalent equations problems varied as a function of when they acquired a sophisticated understanding...
The representation of health professionals on governing boards of health care organizations in New York City.

The Representation of Health Professionals on Governing Boards of Health Care Organizations in New York City. The heightened importance of processes and outcomes of care—including their impact on health care organizations’ (HCOs) financial health—translate into greater accountability for clinical performance on the part of HCO leaders, including their boards, during an era of health care reform. Quality and safety of care are now fiduciary responsibilities of HCO board members. The participation of health professionals on HCO governing bodies may be an asset to HCO governing boards because of their deep knowledge of clinical problems, best practices, quality indicators, and other issues related to the safety and quality of care. And yet, the sparse data that exist indicate that physicians comprise more than 20 % of the governing board members of hospitals while less than 5 % are nurses and no data exist on other health professionals. The purpose of this two-phased study is to examine health professionals’ representations on HCOs—specifically hospitals, home care agencies, nursing homes, and federally qualified health centers—in New York City. Through a survey of these organizations, phase 1 of the study found that 93 % of hospitals had physicians on their governing boards, compared with 26 % with nurses, 7 % with dentists, and 4 % with social workers or psychologists. The overrepresentation of physicians declined with the other HCOs. Only 38 % of home care agencies had physicians on their governing boards, 29 % had nurses, and 24 % had social workers. Phase 2 focused on the barriers to the appointment of health professionals to governing boards of HCOs and the strategies to address these barriers. Sixteen health care leaders in the region were interviewed in this qualitative study. Barriers included invisibility of health professionals other than physicians; concerns about “special interests”; lack of financial resources for donations to the organization; and lack of knowledge and skills with regard to board governance, especially financial matters. Strategies included developing an infrastructure for preparing and getting appointed various health professionals, mentoring, and developing a personal plan of action for appointments.
Polymer Blend Modification of PVC

Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) resins are a family of polymers and copolymers derived from vinyl chloride monomer (CH2 = CHC1). The vinyl chloride content of such resins is usually greater than 85% by weight but in most commercial applications PVC homopolymer (100% vinyl chloride) is used. PVC resins surpass every class of polymers, in worldwide commercial importance, both in diversity of applications and in total tonnage of finished product. PVC compositions generally contain significant amounts of modifying agents (plasticizers, fillers, etc.). The production of such compounded products was estimated to be 10–l5 million metric tons while the PVC resin portion of this tonnage was estimated to be about 8 million metric tons (Western Europe, U.S.A., Canada, Japan) in 1983 (1).
Diversity in NIME Research Practices

Abstract This article advocates for a dialogue about research traditions and paradigms within the community around New Interfaces for Musical Expression (NIME). Although the research community collectively values interdisciplinarity, the author argues that we have not done enough to acknowledge and account for the inevitable epistemological differences that emerge with disciplinary diversity. Over time, NIME has seen a rise in the proportion of technical reporting and a concomitant decline in practice-based research, which historically played a more central role. Exploration and explication of the values, assumptions, and expectations that circumscribe legitimacy in practice-based research are needed in order to maintain and advocate for its relevance.
Electromagnetic scattering from slightly rough surfaces with inhomogeneous dielectric profiles

Remote sensing of soil moisture using microwave sensors require accurate and realistic scattering models for rough soil surfaces. In the past, much effort has been devoted to the development of scattering models for either perfectly conducting or homogeneous rough surfaces. In practice, however, the permittivity of most soil surfaces is nonuniform, particularly in depth, for which analytical solution does not exist. The variations in the permittivity of a soil medium can easily be related to its soil moisture profile and soil type using the existing empirical models. In this paper, analytical expressions for the bistatic scattering coefficients of soil surfaces with slightly rough interface and stratified permittivity profile are derived. The scattering formulation is based on a new approach where the perturbation expansion of the volumetric polarization current instead of the tangential fields is used to obtain the scattered field. Basically, the top rough layer is replaced with an equivalent polarization current and, using the volumetric integral equation in conjunction with the dyadic Green's function of the remaining stratified half-space medium, the scattering problem is formulated. Closed-form analytical expressions for the induced polarization currents to any desired order are derived, which are then used to evaluate the bistatic scattered fields up to and including the third order. The analytical solutions for the scattered fields are used to derive the complete second-order expressions for the backscattering coefficients as well as the statistics of phase difference between the scattering matrix elements. The theoretical results are shown to agree well with the backscatter measurements of rough surfaces with known dielectric profiles and roughness statistics.
CORRELATING MACROHARDNESS AND TENSILE BEHAVIOR IN DISCONTINUOUSLY REINFORCED METAL MATRIX COMPOSITES

hardness tests are routinely used as a simple and effective means of quantifying the tensile strength of metallic materials. The correlation between various hardness scales and tensile t=strength has been compiled for a variety of metals and alloys. When a metal is reinforced with ceramic particles or short fibers, higher stiffness, higher strength and lower ductility for the composite can be observed. The composite, when viewed as a continuum, displays a stronger strain hardening behavior in a tensile test. The overall elastic-plastic nature of the composite, however, bears a qualitative resemblance to that of monolithic metals. This implies that traditional macrohardness may be useful in characterizing the mechanical properties of the composite, as in the case of many engineering alloys. As metal matrix composites are generating increased interest for applications where quality control may be important, the need for understanding the relationship between hardness and tensile strength becomes essential. In a recent study of a 6061 Al/SiC particulate composite with various aging treatments, a linear relationship between the Rockwell superficial-scale hardness and the ultimate tensile strength of the composite was reported. In the present study, the authors seek to explore this correlation in greater detail, in a 2080/SiC{sub p} composite,more » by taking into account different reinforcement volume fraction, particle size, and matrix microstructure. It will be shown that the hardness-strength correlation in discontinuously reinforced metal matrix composites is not as straightforward as what has been reported for conventional monolithic materials, due to the different micromechanisms of deformation and damage.« less
Sudden Cardiac Death with Clozapine and Sertraline Combination

OBJECTIVE:To report a case of sudden cardiac death in a patient receiving combination therapy with clozapine and sertraline.CASE SUMMARY:A 26-year-old white man was discovered dead at his residence. His medical history included chronic paranoid schizophrenia, obsessive—compulsive disorder, major depressive disorder, obstructive sleep apnea, and akathisia. He had no prior history of cardiovascular disease. His medication regimen included clozapine 100 mg twice daily (started 4 y prior to his death), risperidone 3 mg twice daily, sertraline 200 mg once daily, atenolol 50 mg twice daily, and lorazepam 0.5 mg four × daily. Autopsy and toxicology studies revealed cardiomegaly suggestive of idiopathic cardiomyopathy, single-vessel coronary artery disease, sertraline and clozapine blood concentrations in the expected range, undetectable lorazepam and risperidone blood concentrations, obesity, and moderate fatty changes to the liver. The most likely cause of death was sudden cardiac death due to acute cardiac arr...
Statistical Timing Analysis With Coupling

As technology scales to smaller dimensions, increasing process variations and coupling induced delay variations make timing verification extremely challenging. In this paper, the authors establish a theoretical framework for statistical timing analysis with coupling. They prove the convergence of their proposed iterative approach and discuss implementation issues under the assumption of a Gaussian distribution for the parameters of variation. A statistical timer based on their proposed approach is developed and experimental results are presented for the International Symposium on Circuits and Systems benchmarks. They juxtapose their timer with a single pass, noniterative statistical timer that does not consider the mutual dependence of coupling with timing, and another statistical timer that handles coupling deterministically. Monte Carlo simulations reveal a distinct gain (up to 24%) in accuracy by their approach in comparison to the others mentioned
WIDEBAND CDMA FOR NAVCOM SYSTEMS

Recently, a satellite-base d system has been proposed in [1] that integrates mobile communication and navigation (NavCom) capabilities using the Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) concept. This paper describes various communication architectures using wideband CDMA 2000+ standards for NavCom systems. Estimates of weight and power along with the link performance are presented for these architectures. Link performance for various propagation conditions, satellite antenna sizes, and mixed services with different data rates are presented. Effects of coding schemes, such as convolutional code and Turbo code, Adjacent Channel interference (ACl), and nonlinear power amplifier on the communications link are included in the link performance evaluation. In addition, a brief description of the mobile-satellite communications propagation model is also discussed.
A revised typology of opaque generalisations

Author(s): Bakovic, E | Abstract: This paper is about opaque interactions between phonological processes in the two senses defined by Kiparsky (1971, 1973) and discussed in much recent work on the topic, most notably McCarthy (1999): underapplication opacity, whereby a process appears to have failed to apply in expected contexts on the surface, and overapplication opacity, whereby a process appears to have applied in unexpected contexts on the surface. Specifically, I demonstrate that there are three distinct types of overapplication opacity in addition to the only case discussed and properly categorised as such in the literature, counterbleeding. The analysis of each type of opacity in terms of rule-based serialism and in terms of Optimality Theory is discussed, emphasising the strengths and weaknesses of the two frameworks in each case. © 2007 Cambridge University Press.
The contributions of land-use change, CO 2 fertilization, and climate variability to the Eastern US carbon sink

Atmospheric measurements and land-based inventories imply that terrestrial ecosystems in the northern hemisphere are taking up significant amounts of anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions; however, there is considerable disagreement about the causes of this uptake, and its expected future trajectory. In this paper, we use the ecosystem demography (ED) model to quantify the contributions of disturbance history, CO2 fertilization and climate variability to the past, current, and future terrestrial carbon fluxes in the Eastern United States. The simulations indicate that forest regrowth following agricultural abandonment accounts for uptake of 0.11PgCyr � 1 in the 1980s and 0.15PgCyr � 1 in the 1990s, and regrowth following forest harvesting accounts for an additional 0.1PgCyr � 1 of uptake during both these decades. The addition of CO2 fertilization into the model simulations increases carbon uptake rates to 0.38PgCyr � 1 in the 1980s and 0.47PgCyr � 1 in the 1990s. Comparisons of predicted aboveground carbon uptake to regional-scale forest inventory measurements indicate that the model’s predictions in the absence of CO2 fertilization are 14% lower than observed, while in the presence of CO2 fertilization, predicted uptake rates are 28% larger than observed. Comparable results are obtained from comparisons of predicted total Net Ecosystem Productivity to the carbon fluxes observed at the Harvard Forest flux tower site and in model simulations free-air CO2 enrichment (FACE) experiments. These results imply that disturbance history is the principal mechanism responsible for current carbon uptake in the Eastern United States, and that conventional biogeochemical formulations of plant growth overestimate the response of plants to rising CO2 levels. Model projections out to 2100 imply that the carbon uptake arising from forest regrowth will increasingly be dominated by forest regrowth following harvesting. Consequently, actual carbon storage declines to near zero by the end of the 21st century as the forest regrowth that has occurred since agricultural abandonment comes into equilibrium with the landscape’s new disturbance regime. Incorporating interannual climate variability into the model simulations gives rise to large interannual variation in regional carbon fluxes, indicating that long-term measurements are necessary to detect the signature of processes that give rise to long-term uptake and storage.
Flexibility of spatial averaging in visual perception

The classical receptive field (RF) concept—the idea that a visual neuron responds to fixed parts and properties of a stimulus—has been challenged by a series of recent physiological results. Here, we extend these findings to human vision, demonstrating that the extent of spatial averaging in contrast perception is also flexible, depending strongly on stimulus contrast and uniformity. At low contrast, spatial averaging is greatest (about 11 min of arc) within uniform regions such as edges, as expected if the relevant neurons have orientation-selective RFs. At high contrast, spatial averaging is minimal. These results can be understood if the visual system is balancing a trade-off between noise reduction, which favours large areas of averaging, and detail preservation, which favours minimal averaging. Two distinct populations of neurons with hard-wired RFs could account for our results, as could the more intriguing possibility of dynamic, contrast-dependent RFs.
Temporal Changes in Stream Insect Abundance in Northwestern Massachusetts

ABSTRACT Aquatic insects were sampled every ten days from streams and rivers in northwestern Massachusetts between May 22 and October 8, collecting a total of 9,844 specimens that were all identified to the family level. Absolute abundances of insects did not vary throughout the sampling period, although the family composition did. While the total abundance of Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera combined was constant throughout the season, trichopterans were more abundant early in the season, and ephemeropterans and plecopterans increased in abundance throughout the season.
Measuring Performance of Web Applications: Empirical Techniques and Results

Performance of web applications is a key determinant of operating costs, quality of user experience, and, therefore of business outcome for any web site. Objective procedures for testing web applications alone have not been found in the literature. A procedure has been developed for making such measurements. This paper reports further progress in measuring performance of web applications in a laboratory local-area-network (LAN) environment. Experimental procedures and data analysis have been refined. Test workloads have been improved so as to provide more intensive, and more varied demands on the server web application. Recent results are reported, which show that there are significant differences in performance among web application classes, depending on the type of data requested.
Commentary: Intermittent teriparatide enhancement of bone graft healing in a rat model of spinal glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis.

Commentary on Sugiura T, Kashii M, Matsuo Y, Morimoto T, Honda H, Kaito T, et al. Intermittent administration of teriparatide enhances graft bone healing and accelerates spinal fusion in rats with glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis. Spine J 2015;15:298–306 ( in this issue ).
Near-Field Magneto-Optic Fiber Probe

A novel near-field magneto-optic fiber probe (NF-MOFP) for readback of ultra high density magnetic recording, or high resolution imaging of magnetic domains is described. This NFMOFP consists of a partially metalized tapered fiber, as used in conventional near-field scanning optical microscopy (NSOM), with the subwavelength sized aperture coated with a reflective magneto-optic (MO) film. This device is then used in a manner similar to conventional NSOM. The properties of the MO film deposited on the fiber tip, the NFMOFP’s response to applied fields, and images of magnetic domains taken with the device are described.
Most synaptic vesicles isolated from rat brain carry three membrane proteins, SV2, synaptophysin, and p65.

We have prepared highly purified synaptic vesicles from rat brain by subjecting vesicles purified by our previous method to a further fractionation step, i.e., equilibrium centrifugation on a Ficoll gradient. Monoclonal antibodies to three membrane proteins enriched in synaptic vesicles--SV2, synaptophysin, and p65--each were able to immunoprecipitate specifically approximately 90% of the total membrane protein from Ficoll-purified synaptic vesicle preparations. Anti-SV2 precipitated 96% of protein, anti-synaptophysin 92%, and anti-p65 83%. These results demonstrate two points: (1) Ficoll-purified synaptic vesicles appear to be greater than 90% pure, i.e., less than 10% of membranes in the preparation do not carry synaptic vesicle-associated proteins. These very pure synaptic vesicles may be useful for direct biochemical analyses of mammalian synaptic vesicle composition and function. (2) SV2, synaptophysin, and p65 coexist on most rat brain synaptic vesicles. This result suggests that the functions of these proteins are common to most brain synaptic vesicles. However, if SV2, synaptophysin, or p65 is involved in synaptic vesicle dynamics, e.g., in vesicle trafficking or exocytosis, separate cellular systems are very likely required to modulate the activity of such proteins in a temporally or spatially specific manner.
Age differences in personality across the adult life span: Parallels in five cultures.

Both cross-sectional and longitudinal studies in the United States have shown consistent changes between college age and middle adulthood. There appear to be declines in 3 of the 5 major factors of personality--Neuroticism, Extraversion, and Openness--and increases in Agreeableness and Conscientiousness. To examine cross-cultural generalizability of these findings, translations of the Revised NEO Personality Inventory were administered to samples in Germany, Italy, Portugal, Croatia, and South Korea (N = 7,363). Similar patterns of age differences were seen in each country, for both men and women. Common trends were also seen for the more specific traits that define the major factors. Because these nations differ substantially in culture and recent history, results suggest the hypothesis that these are universal maturational changes in adult personality.
Architecture and design synthesis of 2.5 Gsamples/s 4-b pipelined flash ADC in SoC applications

This paper presents an architecture and design synthesis of a 4-bit pipelined flash analog-to-digital converter (ADC). The preliminary results show the ADC designed in 130 nanometer CMOS technology has superior performance of sampling rate of 2.5 GHz for an input signal bandwidth of 1 GHz. For the purpose of design reuse, a general architecture and synthesis flow of the ADC is proposed. One of such work is about solution of a long-standing open problem on the design synthesis of high-performance ADC.
Phase II trial of extended-dosing temozolomide in patients with melanoma

8042 Background: We previously reported a 30% response rate in metastatic melanoma (mel) patients (pts) treated with temozolomide (TMZ) using an extended dosing schedule of 6 weeks on/ 2 weeks off ...
Closed-End Fund IPOs: Sold Not Bought

Closed-end fund IPOs are priced above their net asset value due to the sales load paid to the underwriters. Within five months of the IPO, they start trading at a discount. Six months post-IPO, the average raw return is -4.75%, underperforming seasoned funds by 8.52%. An agency hypothesis is introduced to explain the negative raw and abnormal returns. I posit that full service brokers with access to retail investors create demand for CEF IPOs when the time-varying reputational cost is low. Intensive price support delays and obfuscates the subsequent price decline. In other words, CEF IPOs are sold, not bought.
Transferrin saturation and recovery from coma in cerebral malaria

To determine if the elevated transferrin saturations found in some patients with severe malaria are associated with an adverse outcome in cerebral malaria, we retrospectively measured baseline saturations in stored serum samples from 81 Zambian children with strictly defined cerebral malaria. The children had been treated with quinine, sulfadox-ine-pyrimethamine, and intravenous infusions of either placebo (n = 39) or the iron chelator, desferrioxamine B (n = 42), in a previously reported trial (Gordeuk et al, N Engl J Med 327:1473, 1992). More than one-third of children in both the placebo- and iron chelator-treated groups had transferrin saturations exceeding 43%, which is 3 standard deviations above the expected mean for age. Among children receiving quinine and placebo, those with elevated transferrin saturations had a delayed estimated median time to recover full consciousness (68.2 hours) compared with those with saturations < or = 43% (25.4 hours; P = .006). The addition of iron chelation to quinine therapy in children with high saturations appeared to hasten recovery (P = .046). We conclude that increased transferrin saturations may be associated with delayed recovery from coma during standard therapy for cerebral malaria and that serum iron and total iron binding capacity should be measured in future studies.
Use of the gamma probe to identify multigland disease in primary hyperparathyroidism

Aim: The purpose of this study was to determine threshold gamma probe counts to distinguish single adenoma (SA) from multigland disease (MGD) during radioguided parathyroidectomy. Methods: A retrospective analysis of 1656 patients was performed. Ex vivo counts of the first excised gland were taken and recorded as a percentage of background counts. Results: 69.4% of MGD patients had counts below the 50% threshold. The 50% threshold correctly grouped 72.8% of our cohort. Counts of more than 100% were accurate for grouping SA, with only 6.8% of patients with counts more than 100% having MGD. Conclusions: The gamma probe can aid surgeons in deciding to continue neck exploration if MGD is suspected or wait for labs to confirm cure if SA is suspected.
Measuring Moral Thinking from a Neo-Kohlbergian Perspective.

The neo-Kohlbergian model revises and extends Lawrence Kohlberg’s model of moral reasoning development to better reflect advances in research and theory. In moving from Kohlberg’s global stage mode...
People's Livelihood and Drug Safety

Medicine is an important tool for protecting public health.So the drug safety is always concerned with a matter of the people's livelihood.As an essential content of the basic health system,drug safety protecting is one of the primary subjects in improving people's livelihood.This article analyzes the definition of people's livelihood and drug safety,discusses the relationship between them and provides some advice and reference on drug safety administration.
EFFECTS OF RATE OF GAIN ON SCROTAL CIRCUMFERENCE AND HISTOPATHOLOGIC FEATURES OF THE TESTES OF HALF-SIBLING YEARLING BEEF BULLS

OBJECTIVE To determine the effects of high and low gain on production variables and reproductive characteristics of bulls, including histopathologic lesions in the testes, as determined by quantitative measurements. ANIMALS 23 half-sibling, 11.6-month-old beef bulls, averaging 326 +/- 8.3 kg in weight and having a mean scrotal circumference of 28.7 +/- 0.4 cm. DESIGN Bulls were randomly assigned within pairs to high- or low-gain rations and fed ad libitum for 112 days. PROCEDURES Scrotal circumference and body weight were measured on days 0, 28, 56, 84, and 112. Bulls were castrated on day 112. Morphologic characteristics of spermatozoa were determined from samples taken on days 50 and 111. Testis sections from each bull were examined, using light microscopy, for changes in the seminiferous epithelium and interstitium. A grading scheme was used to quantify testicular lesions by histologic techniques. Pathologic changes in 600 cross sections from each bull were classified into 9 grades. The degree of germinal epithelial loss per 100 tubules was calculated by assigning a value to each grade according to the severity of loss of germinal epithelium. RESULTS Scrotal circumference (mean +/- SEM cm), 34.0 +/- 0.8 vs 31.7 +/- 0.5 (P < 0.001), body weight (kg), 512.3 +/- 19.6 vs 421.9 +/- 9.4 (P < 0.001), and paired testicular and epididymal weight (g), 532 +/- 31 vs 425 +/- 24 (P < 0.0001) and 73.8 +/- 1.9 vs 56.3 +/- 3.7 (P < 0.001) were greater in the high-gain than in the low-gain group. Morphologic characteristics of spermatozoa were similar for both groups. Means for graded seminiferous epithelial effects were similar in each group. Hypoplastic-type tubules were found in bulls with small scrotal circumference in both the high- and low-gain groups. CONCLUSION High gain resulted in greater testicular growth but testicular structure and function were similar for both groups.
Long-Term Particulate Matter Exposures During Adulthood and Risk of Breast Cancer Incidence in the Nurses' Health Study II Prospective Cohort

Background: There is increasing concern that environmental exposures, such as air pollution, may be related to increasing rates of breast cancer; however, results from cohort studies have been mixed. We examined the association between particulate matter and measures of distance to roadway with the risk of incident breast cancer in the prospective nationwide Nurses' Health Study II (NHSII) cohort. Methods: Incident invasive breast cancer 1993-2011 (N=3,416) was assessed among 115,921 women in the NHSII cohort. Time-varying Cox proportional hazards models were used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CIs) for increases in ambient exposures to PM10, PM2.5-10, and PM2.5 and residential roadway proximity categories. Results: In multivariable adjusted models, there was little evidence of an increased risk of breast cancer (or any of the receptor-specific subtypes) overall or by menopausal status with PM exposure. There was, however, a suggestion of increased risks among women living <50m of the largest road type (HR of 1.60 (95%CI: 0.80-3.21)) or within <50m of the two largest road types (1.14 (95%CI: 0.84-1.54)) compared to women living farther ({greater than or equal to}200m) away. Conclusions: Among women in the NHSII, we found no statistically significant associations between particulate matter exposures and incidence of breast cancer overall, by menopausal status, or by hormone receptor subtype. There was, however, a suggestion that residential proximity to major roadways may be associated with increased risk. Impact: These results suggest no elevated breast cancer risk with increasing exposures to particulate matter air pollution, but that other traffic-related exposures may be important.
Researching Literacy: A Methodological Map

Literacy has been researched using many research methodologies and from within many disciplines including history, linguistics, education, philosophy, semiotics, sociology and anthropology. This chapter presents a map of applied research methodologies that have been used to explore the field of literacy, primarily from social perspectives. It does not claim to be a comprehensive map covering all the forms of socially oriented research that can be applied to literacy, but throughout the chapter references are listed to extend the map in various ways. We have chosen to focus on those approaches which practitioner-researchers would find easier to work with in their local contexts. These approaches include action research, case study research, design-based research, discourse analysis, multimodal research, ethnographic research and verbal protocols. In addition, as shown in Chapter 2, historical research into literacy reveals how measures of what it means to be literate have changed over time. We finish this chapter with a brief explanation of meta-analysis because this statistical approach is now being used in educational fields to summarise findings from past studies in order to generalise about the size and nature of positive or negative effects of particular interventions on student achievement (for example, Hattie 2009). The final section of this chapter looks at what might constitute a continuing broad literacy research project into the 21st century, in which we hope our readers will participate.
Incentive Design and Quality Improvements: Evidence from State Medicaid Nursing Home Pay-for-Performance Programs

Pay-for-performance (P4P) programs have become a popular policy tool aimed at improving health-care quality. We analyze how incentive design affects quality improvements in the nursing home setting...