cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mephedrone and methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV), major constituents of “bath salts,” produce opposite effects at the human dopamine transporter

Rationale Psychoactive “bath salts” represent a relatively new drug of abuse combination that was placed in Schedule I in October 2011. Two common ingredients of bath salts include the cathinone analogs: mephedrone and methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV). The mechanism of action of these synthetic cathinone analogs has not been well investigated.
Development and characterization of a nano-scale temperature sensor (T-NSTAP) for turbulent temperature measurements

A new nano-scale temperature sensor (T-NSTAP) is presented. The T-NSTAP is a sub-miniature, free-standing, platinum wire suspended between silicon supports, designed for temperature measurements at high frequencies. The new sensor is designed to have a bandwidth far superior to that of conventional cold-wires, which in combination with its small size, minimizes the effect of temporal and spatial filtering on the data. Unfiltered data allows for unique investigations of the scalar turbulence, including the dissipation range. Temperature measurements were conducted with the T-NSTAP in a heated grid-turbulence setup, with constant mean temperature gradient, and compared to data acquired with a conventional cold-wire. It is shown that the cold-wire signal is significantly attenuated over a broad range of frequencies, including lower frequencies. The attenuation has a direct and substantial effect on the measured variances and the estimated scalar rate of dissipation. The observed differences between the conventional cold-wire and the T-NSTAP are compared to what is predicted by a cold-wire model with convincing agreement over the entire spectrum. A close to perfect agreement between the two sensors is shown when the cold-wire data is corrected for end-conduction effects using the cold-wire model. In addition, a frequency content analysis of the probability density function of the temperature and its derivative is performed with direct comparison between the cold-wire and the T-NSTAP.
Oil back on the global agenda

A permanent decline in global oil production rate is virtually certain to begin within 20 years. Serious planning is needed to deal with the economic consequences.
Pigment and protein composition of reconstituted light-harvesting complexes and effects of some protein modifications.

The structure and heterogeneity of LHC II were studied by in vitro reconstitution of apoproteins with pigments (Plumley and Schmidt 1987, Proc Natl Acad Sci 84: 146–150). Reconstituted CP 2 complexes purified by LDS-PAGE were subsequently characterized and shown to have spectroscopic properties and pigment-protein compositions and stoichiometries similar to those of authentic complexes. Heterologous reconstitutions utilizing pigments and light-harvesting proteins from spinach, pea and Chlamydomonas reinhardtii reveal no evidence of specialized binding sites for the unique C. reinhardtii xanthophyll loroxanthin: lutein and loroxanthin are interchangeable for in vitro reconstitution. Proteins modified by the presence of a transit peptide, phosphorylation, or proteolytic removal of the NH2-terminus could be reconstituted. Evidence suggests that post-translational modification are not responsible for the presence of six electrophoretic variants of C. reinhardtii CP 2. Reconstitution is blocked by iodoacetamide pre-treatment of the apoproteins suggesting a role for cysteine in pigment ligation and/or proper folding of the pigment-protein complex. Finally, no effect of divalent cations on pigment reassembly could be detected.
Parallel algorithms for some functions of two convex polygons

Let P andQ be two convex,n-vertex polygons. We consider the problem of computing, in parallel, some functions ofP andQ whenP andQ are disjoint. The model of parallel computation we consider is the CREW-PRAM, i.e., it is the synchronous shared-memory model where concurrent reads are allowed but no two processors can simultaneously attempt to write in the same memory location (even if they are trying to write the same thing). We show that a CREW-PRAM havingn 1/k processors can compute the following functions in O(k1+ɛ) time: (i) the common tangents betweenP andQ, and (ii) the distance betweenP andQ (and hence a straight line separating them). The positive constant ɛ can be made arbitrarily close to zero. Even with a linear number of processors, it was not previously known how to achieve constant time performance for computing these functions. The algorithm for problem (ii) is easily modified to detect the case of zero distance as well.
Theoretical investigation of the response of gas‐filled micropores and cavitation nuclei to ultrasound

Theory is discussed for the transverse oscillation of a small circular interface set into a rigid baffle between gas and liquid. The angular resonance frequency is given by (15πT/4ρa3)1/2, in which a is the radius of the interface, T is the interfacial surface tension, and ρ is the density of the liquid. Damping parameters are obtained for the radiation, viscous, and boundary‐layer mechanisms of dissipation. This model system is extended for discussion of the pulsation of gas trapped in a pit or cavity in a solid, which may simulate one type of cavitation nucleus, and straight‐through cylindrical holes or pores in a solid sheet, which is applicable to the hydrophobic membranes with gas‐trapping micropores used in studies of biological effects produced by ultrasound. Fixed and free conditions at the three‐phase line at the periphery of an interface are considered. Finally, the partially gas‐filled cavity is treated, and also the partially gas‐filled pore with two interfaces which have different mass, stiff...
Muscle Vascularized Pedicle Free Flap

This procedure required proper communication and teamwork between the patient, surgeons, perioperative nurses, and postoperative unit nurses. As the result of the successful facial reconstruction, Mr G gradually assumed his original personality and started enjoying his restored appearance.
Relation Between the Semiconducting Properties of a Passive Film and Reduction Reaction Rates

The films forming on pure chromium and Alloy C22 in aqueous borate buffer were investigated with potential polarization scans, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and Mott-Schottky analysis. The capacitances of both films were frequency dependent, and a constant phase element (CPE) best described the frequency dispersion. Cathodic polarization scans were used to assess the accuracy of flatband potential values calculated from Mott-Schottky tests using different models to extract an effective capacitance from a CPE. It was found that using effective capacitances calculated with an expression developed by Brug et al. [J. Electroanal. Chem., 176, 275 (1984)] led to flatband potentials that closely agreed with cathodic polarization scans. Both films were found to be n-type, and flatband potentials of -1.217 and -0.617 V vs standard hydrogen electrode were found for Cr and Alloy C22, respectively.
Understanding the effects of polymer extrusion filter layering configurations using simulation-based optimization

A challenge in polymer processing is the removal of debris, via filtration, from the polymer melt during the extrusion process. We propose measures of filter performance and an optimization strategy to identify parameters that maximize the lifetime of the filter while maintaining product quality. We analyze the benefits of using extrusion filters with more than one layer and evaluate the feasibility of combining competing objectives into a single functional. Our optimization uses a three-dimensional simulation tool for the filtration process as a black-box; thus, gradient information is unavailable and a derivative-free method, the implicit filtering algorithm, is used. We present numerical results that verify that multi-layered filters are more effective than single-layer filters, and that favorable designs have smaller pore diameters in the bottom layer than in the top layer. In addition, the results indicate that our single functional approach is reasonable.
Tight regulation between cell survival and programmed cell death in GBM stem-like cells by EGFR/GSK3b/PP2A signaling

Malignant gliomas represent one of the most aggressive forms of cancer, displaying high mortality rates and limited treatment options. Specific subpopulations of cells residing in the tumor niche with stem-like characteristics have been postulated to initiate and maintain neoplasticity while resisting conventional therapies. The study presented here aims to define the role of glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta (GSK3b) in patient-derived glioblastoma (GBM) stem-like cell (GSC) proliferation, apoptosis and invasion. To evaluate the potential role of GSK3b in GBM, protein profiles from 68 GBM patients and 20 normal brain samples were analyzed for EGFR-mediated PI3kinase/Akt and GSK3b signaling molecules including protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A). To better understand the function of GSK3b in GBM, GSCs were isolated from GBM patient samples. Blocking GSK3b phosphorylation at Serine 9 attenuated cell proliferation while concomitantly stimulating apoptosis through activation of Caspase-3 in patient-derived GSCs. Increasing GSK3b protein content resulted in the inhibition of cell proliferation, colony formation and stimulated programmed cell death. Depleting GSK3b in GSCs down regulated PP2A. Furthermore, knocking down PP2A or blocking its activity by okadaic acid inactivated GSK3b by increasing GSK3b phosphorylation at Serine 9. Our data suggests that GSK3b may function as a regulator of apoptosis and tumorigenesis in GSCs. Therapeutic approaches targeting GSK3b in glioblastoma stem-like cells may be a useful addition to our current therapeutic armamentarium.
Rhabdomyolysis in the setting of induced hypothyroidism and statin therapy: a case report.

Mild elevation of creatine kinase (CK) is common in untreated hypothyroidism, but severe myositis and overt rhabdomyolysis are rare. Similarly, muscle pain and CK elevation are potential side effects of statin therapy, yet rhabdomyolysis is likewise rare in the absence of medication interactions adversely affecting statin metabolism. The coexistence of statin therapy and hypothyroid states may synergistically increase the risk of myopathy. We describe a case of rhabdomyolysis attributable to induced hypothyroidism in a patient on chronic statin medication who was anticipating adjuvant radioiodine (131I) therapy for a thyroid carcinoma
Successful streptokinase treatment of a thrombosed, ectopic coronary artery: A case report

Early reperfusion of a thrombosed, ectopically arising coronary artery was accomplished by selective streptokinase infusion therapy. Familiarity with the most common variations of of coronary artery orifices and/or divisions of major branches is important for the angiographer to ensure that selective catheterization of the involved artery can be accomplished promptly.
Virus and Immune-Mediated Encephalitides: Epidemiology, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention.

Abstract Virus encephalitis remains a major cause of acute neurological dysfunction and permanent disability among children worldwide. Although some disorders, such as measles encephalomyelitis, subacute sclerosing panencephalitis, and varicella-zoster virus–associated neurological conditions, have largely disappeared in resource-rich regions because of widespread immunization programs, other disorders, such as herpes simplex virus encephalitis, West Nile virus–associated neuroinvasive disease, and nonpolio enterovirus-induced disorders of the nervous system, cannot be prevented. Moreover, emerging viral disorders pose new, potential threats to the child's nervous system. This review summarizes current information regarding the epidemiology of virus encephalitis, the diagnostic methods available to detect central nervous system infection and identify viral pathogens, and the available treatments. The review also describes immune-mediated disorders, including acute disseminated encephalomyelitis and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antibody encephalitis, conditions that mimic virus encephalitis and account for a substantial proportion of childhood encephalitis.
Melanism in Biston (Lepidoptera: geometridae) in the rural central appalachians

The melanic swettaria form of Biston betularia cognataria is at low frequency in two localities in the central Appalachians of southwest Virginia (1·2 ± 0·per cent at Blacksburg and 2·9±0·4 per cent at Mountain Lake). The presence of swettaria is probably the result of widespread air pollution from industrial regions to the west and east, but physiological selection is more likely than selection by predators, since the environments of the collecting localities have not been visibly altered. Form swettaria is dominant to typical in these populations, and the intermediate insularia5 phenotype appears also to be dominant. The carbonaria phenotype of Old World betularia retains its dominance through three backcross generations to typicals from these same populations.
Aristotle's Account of Incidental Perception

A lthough there has been renewed interest in Aristotle's theory of perception, not much attention has been paid to his treatment of perception of the incidental sense-objects.' It is the primary purpose of this paper to draw a clearer account of his thought on this matter. Commentators on De Anima have usually believed that Aristotle does not hold that incidental perception is a case of pure aisthesis but rather a complex sort of psychic functioning involving thought or memory or both, as well as perception.2 Moreover, whatever faculties are thought to contribute to incidental perception, it is generally believed that this process is the cognition (or recognition) of particular things or persons (viz. individual substances) alone.3 In addition, the general lack of interest in this topic has perhaps been responsible for the apparent further view I assume this from silence on the matter that incidental perception is not of central importance in Aristotle's psychology.4 I shall dispute the first two of these positions. I believe it can be shown that Aristotle (1) does hold that incidental perception is a case of aisthesis alone and (2) that possible incidental sense-objects include more than particular substances. But I shall conclude with the further claim that incidental perception is of no less importance than perception of special and common objects in Aristotle's psychology and thought in general.
Effect of vitamin E on hepatic cell proliferation and apoptosis in mice deficient in the p50 subunit of NF-κB after treatment with phenobarbital.

Phenobarbital (PB) is an efficacious and well-studied hepatic tumor promoting agent. Nuclear factorκB (NF-κB) is a transcription factor activated by reactive oxygen and is involved in cell proliferation and apoptosis. We previously found that PB activates NF-κB and that dietary vitamin E is effective in decreasing PB-induced NF-κB DNA binding. We therefore hypothesized that dietary vitamin E influences PB-induced changes in cell proliferation and apoptosis through its action on NF-κB. NF-κB1 deficient mice (p50−/−) and wild-type B6129 mice were fed a purified diet containing 10 or 250 ppm vitamin E (α-tocopherol acetate) for 28 days. At that time, half of the wild-type and half of the p50−/− mice were placed on the same diet with 0.05% PB for 10 days. Compared to wild-type mice, the p50−/− mice had higher levels of cell proliferation and apoptosis. Cell proliferation was significantly increased by PB, but vitamin E did not affect hepatic cell proliferation. Apoptosis was not changed in mice fed PB, and there was no significant difference in apoptosis between control and high vitamin E treated mice. Thus, vitamin E does not appear to influence cell growth parameters in either wild-type or p50−/− mice.
Cortical glucose metabolism positively correlates with gamma-oscillations in nonlesional focal epilepsy

Why do the epileptogenic foci appear hypometabolic on interictal glucose metabolism positron emission tomography (PET) in a substantial proportion of patients with focal epilepsy but appear normo- or even hyper-metabolic in others? Such observations on interictal PET have not been fully explained by the frequency of interictal spike discharges alone. In the present study using digital electrocorticography monitoring system with high-frequency sampling, we determined how well regression models using spectral ECoG measures and spike frequency derived from 651 intracranial electrode sites explained cortical glucose metabolic patterns in six children with nonlesional focal epilepsy. Univariate regression analysis demonstrated that spectral amplitudes at gamma ranges (32–64, 64–100, and 100–200 Hz) were tightly correlated with interictal glucose uptake in the given electrode site in all children. Spike frequency was negatively correlated with interictal glucose uptake in three patients, whose epileptogenic focus appeared hypometabolic and interictal epileptiform discharge often consisted of a spike followed by a subsequent delta-wave. Conversely, spike frequency was positively correlated with interictal glucose uptake in the other three patients, whose epileptogenic foci appeared more hypermetabolic compared to the surrounding regions and associated with frequent interictal spike bursts. The spatial pattern of interictal glucose metabolism in nonlesional focal epilepsy may be better explained by gamma-oscillations derived from epileptiform and physiological neuronal activities rather than the frequency of interictal epileptiform discharges alone.
Clostridium difficile in Solid Organ Transplant Recipients

Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is a common problem encountered in solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients and the incidence is increasing. Generally, SOT recipients have an incidence of CDI that is similar to other post-operative patients, but this group has several unique risk factors that may contribute to more severe disease. Recent studies in non-transplant patients have indicated that treatment choices should be based on the severity of the illness. Although there continues to be a lack of well designed, randomized, controlled trials to support the management decisions that must be made for SOT recipients with CDI, the available evidence is reviewed and summarized for these treatment guidelines.
On intensity as a qualitative improvement of pitch accent

Abstract As a follow-up to earlier experiments which have indicated that intensity is not the primary cue to “stress” in the utterance, the experiment reported here was devised to see whether by adding intensity to a low-intensity “stress” we might not at least improve its quality. The opposite occured: quality was diminished.
Carbon fluxes, storage and harvest removals through 60 years of stand development in red pine plantations and mixed hardwood stands in Northern Michigan, USA

Abstract The storage and flow of carbon (C) into and out of forests can differ under the influence of dominant tree species because of species-based variation in C production, decomposition, retention, and harvest-based export. Following abandonment of agricultural activities in the first half of the 20th century, many landscapes of the Great Lakes region (USA) were planted to red pine (Pinus resinosa) or naturally regenerated to northern hardwood species including sugar maple (Acer saccharum), red oak (Quercus rubra) and red maple (Acer rubrum). We located eight pairs of adjacent, similarly aged (∼60 yr) stands of planted red pine and naturally regenerated hardwood forests on previous agricultural fields. We found that the hardwood forests stored more C than pine stands (255 vs. 201 Mg C ha−1), with both storing substantially more than an adjacent area maintained as pasture (107 Mg C ha−1). The greater accumulation of C in the hardwood stands occurred mostly in living biomass. No significant differences for soil C (to 1 m depth) were found between forest types, despite significantly higher belowground inputs and aboveground litterfall in hardwood stands. Notably, both forest types had about 18% more soil C than the pasture, with O horizon C accounting for about one-third of the increase under trees. Forest type had no significant effect on estimated amount of exported C despite fairly large differences in projected end uses (solid wood products, land-fills, bioenergy). Using adjacent pasture as our baseline condition, we combined estimated on-site accumulation rates with estimates of exported C, and found that average total C sequestration rates were higher for hardwood (2.9 Mg C ha−1 yr−1) than red pine plots (2.3 Mg C ha−1 yr−1). The modeled potential contribution of exported C to these sequestration rate estimates did not differ between species, but the fate of modeled post-harvest off-site C may exert a large influence on sequestration rate estimates depending on actual displacement actions, including product longevity. These results show that tree species selection has the potential to impact C sequestration rates but effects vary by ecosystem component and could not be predicted from previous species effects studies.
Lead poisoning in cattle: reassessment of the minimum toxic oral dose.

After feeding male Holstein calves Pb acetate by nurse bottle it was found that daily Pb intakes of 2.7 mg Pb/kg can kill calves on milk diets in 20 days or less while 5.0 mg Pb/kg/day consistently caused signs of intoxication and death in 7 days. Absorption rate of Pb was rapid and tissue depositions were high in calves on milk replacer diet. Tissues were analyzed by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Data suggest that diet, dosing method, and dosing time must be carefully considered in evaluations of minimum toxic dose. The consistent production of seizures at these low daily Pb intakes suggests that this calf model may be valuable in the study of Pb encephalopathy. (JMT)
Developmental appearance of myosin heavy and light chain isoforms in vivo and in vitro in chicken skeletal muscle

Three myosin heavy chain isoforms with unique peptide maps appear sequentially in the development of the chicken pectoralis major muscle. An embryonic isoform is expressed early and throughout development in the embryo. A second isoform appears just after hatching and predominates by 10 days ex ovo. A third isoform, indistinguishable from adult myosin heavy chain, predominates by 8 weeks after hatching. This sequence of myosin isoform change does not, however, appear during myogenesis in vitro. In cultures prepared from embryonic myoblasts only embryonic myosin heavy chain is expressed. This is true even in cultures maintained for 30 days. Myosin light chain expression also changes in vivo with a progressive increase in fast light chain 3 accumulation. In vitro, however, this shift to increasing fast light chain 3 accumulation does not occur. The results indicate that the myosin heavy chain and light chain pattern observed in vitro is identical to that of the embryonic muscle and that the conditions necessary for the shift in expression to a more mature myosin phenotype are not present in myogenic cultures. These cultures are therefore potentially of great value in probing further the neural and humoral determinants of muscle fiber maturation and growth.
Infima of Hilbert space effects

The quantum effects for a physical system are usually described by the set ℰ(H) of positive operators on a Hilbert spaceH that are bounded above by the unit operator. Under a natural order, ℰ(H) becomes a partially ordered set that is not a lattice unless dimH ⩽ 1. A characterization of the pairsA, B ɛ ℰ(H) such that the infimumA ∧ B exists is an open problem called the infimum problem. Methods of linear algebra are employed to solve the infimum problem when dimH < ∞. These methods do not appear to generalize to infinite dimensions so the general problem remains open. Progress toward solution of the general problem is discussed.
A Numerical Model Study of Nocturnal Drainage Flows with Strong Wind and Temperature Gradients

Abstract A second-moment turbulence-closure model described in Yamada and Bunker is used to simulate nocturnal drainage flows observed during the 1984 ASCOT field expedition in Brush Creek, Colorado. In order to simulate the observed strong wind directional shear and temperature gradients, two modifications are added to the model. The strong wind directional shear was maintained by introducing a “nudging” term in the equation of motion to guide the modeled winds in the layers above the ridge top toward the observed wind direction. The second modification was accomplished by reformulating the conservation equation for the potential temperature in such a way that only the deviation from the horizontally averaged value was prognostically computed. The vegetation distribution used in this study is undoubtedly crude. Nevertheless, the present simulation suggests that tall tree canopy can play an important role in producing inhomogeneous wind distribution, particularly in the levels below the canopy top.
Performing BMMC Permutations Efficiently on Distributed-Memory Multiprocessors with MPI

This paper presents an architecture-independent method for performing BMMC permutations on multiprocessors with distributed memory. All interprocessor communication uses the MPI function MPI_Sendrecv_replace(). The number of elements and number of processors must be powers of 2, with at least one element per processor, and there is no inherent upper bound on the ratio of elements per processor. Our method transmits only data without transmitting any source or target indices, which conserves network bandwidth. When data is transmitted, the source and target processors implicitly agree on each other''s identity and the indices of the elements being transmitted. A C-callable implementation of our method is available from Netlib. The implementation allows preprocessing (which incurs a modest cost) to be factored out for multiple runs of the same permutation, even if on different data. Data may be laid out in any one of several ways: processor-major, processor-minor, or anything in between.
Student scientific inquiry in the core curriculum.

Objective. To design and implement a required student-driven research program as a capstone experience in the doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) curriculum. Design. A research proposal in the form of a competitive grant application was required for each of 65 fourth-year students in an inaugural PharmD class at Touro College of Pharmacy in New York. The focus of the proposals was on hypothesis-driven research in basic science, clinical research, health outcomes, and public health. Assessment. Students’ research proposals were graded using a standardized grading instrument. On a post-experience survey, most students rated the overall experience positively, indicating increased confidence in their research skills. About two-thirds of faculty members were satisfied with their students’ performance, and the great majority thought the experience would be useful in the students’ careers. Conclusion. The capstone research project was a positive experience for fourth-year students.
Detecting delaminations in a composite beam using anti-optimization

The present study proposes a detection technique for delaminations in a laminated beam. The proposed technique optimizes the spatial distribution of harmonic excitation so as to magnify the difference in response between the delaminated and intact beam. The technique is evaluated by numerical simulation of two-layered aluminum beams. Effects of measurement and geometric noise are included in the analysis. A finite element model for a delaminated composite, based on a layer-wise laminated plate theory is used in conjunction with a step function to simulate delaminations
Prescription practices and empirical efficacy of psychopharmacologic treatments for pediatric major depressive disorder.

PROBLEM: Limited research on pharmacologic treatments for pediatric major depressive disorder (MDD) exists. METHODS: Prescription practices data for MDD from 1,209 American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry members collected in 1998 are compared to the current empirical support for this treatment approach. FINDINGS: Results indicated that psychiatrists have willingly used medication as a first-line treatment for MDD in children under age 7, despite a paucity of research support for this practice. CONCLUSIONS: Recent warnings regarding the use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors warrant the need to reexamine current prescription practices of psychiatric care providers for children diagnosed with MDD.
Voluntary incentive design for endangered species protection

Herein we examine the theory and practical limits of designing a voluntary incentive scheme to protect endangered species on private land. We consider both an ex-ante scheme, in which a contract to the landholder depends only on what the landholder reports, and an ex-post scheme, in which a contract to the landholder depends on reports from all landowners. Except in special cases, the ex-ante scheme never implements the full information allocation, and can actually set aside too much land. In contrast, expected habitat size under the ex-post scheme is smaller than both the ex-ante and full information allocations.
Measuring Typographical Errors' Impact on Retrieval in Bibliographic Databases

SUMMARY Typographical errors can block access to records in online catalogs; but, when a word contains a typo and is also spelled correctly elsewhere in the same record, access may not be blocked. To quantify the effect of typographical errors in records on information retrieval, we conducted a study to measure the proportion of records that contain a typographical error but that do not also contain a correct spelling of the same word. This article presents the experimental design, results of the study, and a statistical analysis of the results. We find that the average proportion of records that are blocked by the presence of a typo (that is, records in which a correct spelling of the word does not also occur) ranges from 35% to 99%, depending upon the frequency of the word being searched and the likelihood of the word being misspelled.
Inherited and somatic mitochondrial DNA mutations in Guam amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and parkinsonism-dementia

There is increasing evidence for mitochondrial dysfunction in neurodegenerative disorders, although the exact role of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations in this process is unresolved. We investigated inherited and somatic mtDNA substitutions and deletions in Guam amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and parkinsonism-dementia (PD). Hypervariable segment 1 sequences of Chamorro mtDNA revealed that the odds ratio of a PD or ALS diagnosis was increased for individuals in the E1 haplogroup while individuals in the E2 haplogroup had decreased odds of an ALS or PD diagnosis. Once the disorders were examined separately, it became evident that PD was responsible for these results. When the entire mitochondrial genome was sequenced for a subset of individuals, the nonsynonymous mutation at nucleotide position 9080, shared by all E2 individuals, resulted in a significantly low odds ratio for a diagnosis of ALS or PD. Private polymorphisms found in transfer and ribosomal RNA regions were found only in ALS and PD patients in the E1 haplogroup. Somatic mtDNA deletions in the entire mtDNA genome were not associated with either ALS or PD. We conclude that mtDNA haplogroup effects may result in mitochondrial dysfunction in Guam PD and reflect Guam population history. Thus it is reasonable to consider Guam ALS and PD as complex disorders with both environmental prerequisites and small genetic effects.
Correlation between mammary nucleic acids of rats during immaturity and lactation.

Abstract Mammary deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA) were measured in three abdominal-inguinal glands, surgically removed from rats aged 21, 35, or 49 days, and compared with similar measurements of the contralateral glands at Day 16 (peak) of lactation. At Day 16 the rats were divided into subgroups, depending upon whether (successful) or not (unsuccessful) each had reared six pups of her original litter without adding foster pups between Days 3 and 16 lactation. At Days 35 and 49, but not at Day 21, the mammary tissues of successful rats contained 19 to 69% more DNA and RNA than unsuccessful rats. In general, the measurements at Days 21 or 49 in predicting each criterion measured during the peak of lactation. Measurements were usually more highly correlated in successful rats the correlation coefficients between the various nucleic acid measurements at Day 35 with measurements at the peak of lactation ranged from 0.98 to 0.34. We conclude that with refinements in technique, measurements in pubertal rats may be useful estimators of future mammary development and lactational performance.
Numerical analysis of spectra exhibiting accidental resonances

Abstract An analytical expression which may be used for the numerical analysis of perturbed spectra is presented. The equation is exact for a binary perturbation and, under certain conditions, the results are useful for the analysis of more complicated perturbations. The general treatment is applied to the particular problem of perturbation analysis of the vibration-rotation spectra of axially symmetric molecules. Explicit expressions for use in analysis are presented.
Student-Created Graphic Organizers Bring Complex Material to Life

(2003). Student-Created Graphic Organizers Bring Complex Material to Life. College Teaching: Vol. 51, No. 3, pp. 105-105.
An Atlantic Jewish republic of letters

Atlantic port Jews began publishing English-language periodicals, pamphlets, and books during the 1840s as a means to advance an enlightened, observant form of Judaism, identified in large part with Sephardic rather than Ashkenazic religious culture and history. Three of their Jewish periodicals, the Voice of Jacob, edited by Jacob Franklin, Morris Raphall and David Aron de Sola and published in London, the Occident and American Jewish Advocate, edited by Isaac Leeser and published in Philadelphia, and the First Fruits of the West, edited by Moses N. Nathan and Lewis Ashenheim, and published in Kingston, Jamaica, provide historical evidence of the persistence of Atlantic port Jewish networks of commerce, communication, kinship and community well into the Victorian era. Publishing in a non-Jewish vernacular, and printing almost entirely in a non-Hebrew alphabet, this new “Atlantic Jewish republic of letters” did not however represent a secularizing trend. Rhetorically, ancient Jewish wisdom was invoked as the foundation, not the antithesis, of progress. The primary forces against which these editors, authors, and translators were reacting were religious, not secular in nature, namely Christian proselytizing and Jewish religious reform. Their self-conscious, programmatic activities led to the establishment of new kinds of enlightened religious educational institutions. Taken together, these phenomena constituted an Atlantic haskalah.
Shock waves generated by the intense solar flare of 1972, August 7, 15:00 UT

The dynamic radio spectrum of the class 3B solar flare of 1972, August 7, 15:00 UT, over the band 10 to 2000 MHz is examined. Type II and type IV bursts in the spectrum are interpreted in terms of a piston-driven shock, which appeared to be traveling at a velocity of about 1500 km per sec and which generated pulsations in the band 100 to 200 MHz as it passed through the corona. The progress of the shock through the interplanetary plasma was subsequently monitored by Malitson et al. with radio equipment covering the band 0.03 to 2.6 MHz on the IMP-6 satellite.
Trends in Exposure to Polyfluoroalkyl Chemicals in the U.S. Population: 1999−2008†

Since 2002, practices in manufacturing polyfluoroalkyl chemicals (PFCs) in the United States have changed. Previous results from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) documented a significant decrease in serum concentrations of some PFCs during 1999−2004. To further assess concentration trends of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorooctanoate (PFOA), perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS), and perfluorononanoate (PFNA), we analyzed 7876 serum samples collected from a representative sample of the general U.S. population ≥12 years of age during NHANES 1999−2008. We detected PFOS, PFOA, PFNA, and PFHxS in more than 95% of participants. Concentrations differed by sex regardless of age and we observed some differences by race/ethnicity. Since 1999−2000, PFOS concentrations showed a significant downward trend, because of discontinuing industrial production of PFOS, but PFNA concentrations showed a significant upward trend. PFOA concentrations during 1999−2000 were significantly higher t...
Schottky device behavior of n-Si/Pd2Si/Al and n-Si/CoSi2/Al contacts with and without a Ta2N diffusion barrier

Abstract Tantalum nitride (Ta2N) has been investigated as a diffusion barrier between (a) Pd2Si and Al, and between (b) CoSi2 and Al. It is found that upon annealing, controls (without diffusion barriers) exhibited interdiffusion and intermetallic formation whereas test samples (with diffusion barriers) showed neither. It was also observed that the current voltage (I–V) characteristics of control Schottky devices always changed in the same direction, upon annealing, irrespective of the metal in the silicide. In the present paper, we discuss the possible causes of the Schottky barrier degradation, and correlate these explanations with our observations. An area distribution model is generated assuming that Al-silicide interactions lead to the presence of Al or an Al-containing intermetallic which has a barrier height different from the silicide and occupies a fractional area in contact with silicon.
Self-Determination in the T Cell Repertoire

The number of T cells specific for various antigens can vary dramatically. In this issue of Immunity, Nelson et al. (2015) report that these differences might be, at least in part, set by the number of cross-reactive self peptides encountered by T cells during development.
Matching colonic polyps using correlation optimized warping

Computed tomographic colonography (CTC) combined with a computer aided detection system has the potential for improving colonic polyp detection and increasing the use of CTC for colon cancer screening. In the clinical use of CTC, a true colonic polyp will be confirmed with high confidence if a radiologist can find it on both the supine and prone scans. To assist radiologists in CTC reading, we propose a new method for matching polyp findings on the supine and prone scans. The method performs a colon registration using four automatically identified anatomical salient points and correlation optimized warping (COW) of colon centerline features. We first exclude false positive detections using prediction information from a support vector machine (SVM) classifier committee to reduce initial false positive pairs. Then each remaining CAD detection is mapped to the other scan using COW technique applied to the distance along the centerline in each colon. In the last step, a new SVM classifier is applied to the candidate pair dataset to find true polyp pairs between supine and prone scans. Experimental results show that our method can improve the sensitivity to 0.87 at 4 false positive pairs per patient compared with 0.72 for a competing method that uses the normalized distance along the colon centerline (p<0.01).
Demonstration of delivery of orthoimagery in real time for local emergency response

The Information Products Laboratory for Emergency Response (IPLER) is a new initiative led by the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) to develop and put into use new information products and tools derived from remote sensing data. This effort involves technical development and outreach to the user community having the two-fold objective of providing new information tools to enhance public safety and fostering economic development. Specifically, this paper addresses the demonstration of the collection and delivery of geo-referenced overhead imagery to local (county level) emergency managers in near realtime. The demonstration proved valuable to county personnel in showing what is possible and valuable to the researchers in highlighting the very real constraints of operatives in local government. The demonstration consisted of four major elements; 1) a multiband imaging system incorporating 4 cameras operating simultaneously in the visible (color), shortwave infrared, midwave infrared and long wave infrared, 2) an on-board inertial navigation and data processing system that renders the imagery into geo-referenced coordinates, 3) a microwave digital downlink, and 4) a data dissemination service via FTP and WMS-based browser. In this particular exercise, we successfully collected and downloaded over 700 images and delivered them to county servers located in their Emergency Operations Center as well as to a remote GIS van.
Designing routes for source coding with explicit side information in sensor networks

In this paper, we study the problem of designing routes for source coding with explicit side information (i.e., with side information at both the encoder and the decoder) in sensor networks. Two difficulties in constructing such data-centric routes are the lack of reasonably practical data aggregation models and the high computational complexity resulting from the coupling of routing and in-network data fusion. Our data aggregation model is built upon the observation that in many physical situations the side information providing the most coding gain comes from a small number of nearby sensors. Based on this model, we formulate an optimization problem to minimize the communication cost, and show that finding the exact solution of this problem is NP-hard. Subsequently, two suboptimal algorithms are proposed. One is inspired by the balanced trees that have small total weights and reasonable distance from each sensor to the fusion center [6]. The other separately routes the explicit side information to achieve cost minimization. Bounds on the worst-case performance ratios of two methods to the optimal solution are derived for a special class of rate models, and simulations are conducted to shed light on their average behaviors.
Examining Preservice Music Teacher Concerns in Peer- and Field-Teaching Settings

The purpose of this study was to examine the concerns of preservice music teachers using the Fuller and Bown teacher concerns model. Participants were 12 senior-level instrumental music education m...
The TIPSing Point

Patients with cirrhosis in Child-Pugh class C or those in class B who have persistent bleeding at endoscopy are at high risk for treatment failure and a poor prognosis, even if they have undergone rescue treatment with a transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS). This study evaluated the earlier use of TIPS in such patients.
The 55 % Solution: A Formula for Molecular Recognition in the Liquid State

Binding of guests in self-assembled or covalently linked capsules is shown to be related to the occupancy factor or packing coefficient. Optimal binding can be expected when this value (defined as the ratio between the guest volume and the host cavity volume; right) is in the range 0.55±0.09. This is also shown to reflect the space filled in typical organic solvents. An analysis of different guests and hosts capable of reversible binding suggests a rule of general applicability as to what constitutes a good fit.
Liquid-vapor relations in the critical region of the system NaCl-H2O from 380 to 415°C: A refined determination of the critical point and two-phase boundary of seawater

Pressure-temperature-composition (P-T-x) relations for coexisting vapor and liquid phases in the system NaCl-H2O were determined experimentally in the critical region from 380 to 415°C. The results provide much improved control on the P-T-x critical line in this region. The critical point of seawater (3.2 wt% NaCl solution), which is bracketed in the present study, is at 407°C and 298.5 bar. In addition, the P-T two-phase boundary of seawater was re-determined. These results provide increased precision and accuracy for theoretical models of critical phenomena in this important two-component system and of the limiting P- T conditions of seawater in seafloor geothermal systems.
Operational Model Updating of Spinning Finite Element Models for HAWT Blades

ABSTRACT Structural health monitoring (SHM) relies on collection and interrogation of operational data from the monitored structure. To make this data meaningful, a means of understanding how damage sensitive data features relate to the physical condition of the structure is required. Model-driven SHM applications achieve this goal through model updating. This study proposed a novel approach for updating of aero-elastic turbine blade vibrational models for operational horizontal-axis wind turbines (HAWTs). The proposed ap proach updates estimates of modal properties for spinning HAWT blades intended for use in SHM and load estimation of these structures. Spinning structures present additional challenges for model updating due to spinning effects, dependence of modal properties on rotational velocity, and gyroscopic effects that lead to complex mode shapes. A cyclo-stationary stochastic-based eigensystem realization algorithm (ERA) is applied to operational turbine data to identify data-driven modal properties including frequencies and mode shapes. Model-driven modal properties are derived thro ugh modal condensation of spinning finite element models with variable physical parameters. Complex modes are converted into equivalent real modes through reduction transformation. Model updating is achieved through use of an adaptive simulated annealing search process, via Modal Assurance Criterion (MAC) with complex-conjugate modes, to find the physical parameters that best match the experimentally derived data. Keywords: Model Updating, Adaptive Simulated Annealing, Structural Health Monitoring, Horizontal-Axis Wind Turbines (HAWTs), Eigensystem Realization Algorithm (ERA), Modal Assurance Criterion (MAC), Damped-Gyroscopic Spinning Finite Elements, Complex Modes to Physical Modes.
Donor leukocyte infusions for the treatment of relapsed acute leukemia after allogeneic stem cell transplantation

Allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT) offers the only hope for cure for many adults with acute leukemia. Unfortunately, many patients relapse and die of their disease even after transplantation. Although in some cases, allogeneic SCT is effective because the intensive conditioning therapy eradicates all malignant cells, it has long been recognized that the adoptive transfer of donor immunity plays a critically important role in the induction and maintenance of remission. Recognition of the graft-versus-leukemia (GVL) effect of allogeneic SCT has prompted attempts at remission re-induction by adoptive immunotherapy with donor lymphocyte infusions (DLIs) in patients with relapsed disease after allogeneic SCT. In some cases, DLI-induced remissions are sustained and patients cured when no other treatment modality was effective. This review discusses the rationale, biology, complications and future applications of DLI in acute leukemia patients after allogeneic SCT.
In vitro study of N-acetylcysteine on coagulation factors in plasma samples from healthy subjects.

Introduction In the treatment of acetaminophen toxicity, clinicians believe that N-acetylcysteine (NAC) artificially elevates prothrombin time (PT). However, the effect of NAC on human blood coagulation remains unverified. In a previous study, we show that NAC had a dose-dependent effect on PT. To our knowledge, there are no studies that specifically examine the mechanism by which NAC affects PT. This study evaluates the effect from a therapeutic NAC dose on the activity of coagulation factors II, VII, IX, and X in human plasma.
A model for estimating (p, π+) cross sections

Abstract We have formulated a model for estimating the value of the (p, π + ) cross section on a target nucleus by relating it to the elastic π + scattering cross section on the same target.