cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Glomerular angiotensinogen is induced in mesangial cells in diabetic rats via reactive oxygen species-ERK/JNK pathways

Whereas intra-renal angiotensinogen is predominantly localized in proximal tubular cells under basal conditions, it has been previously reported that angiotensinogen expression is induced in glomeruli under pathological conditions. However, there is no detailed information regarding the mechanism of the induced glomerular angiotensinogen. We used genetic pairs of Zucker diabetic fatty (ZDF) obese and lean rats to determine glomerular angiotensinogen expression. The levels of glomerular angiotensinogen immunoreactivity in ZDF obese rats were higher than those in ZDF lean rats. Double staining by IHC or IF with angiotensinogen and Thy1.1 antibodies showed that the majority of angiotensinogen in glomeruli was seen in mesangial cells. The levels of glomerular immunoreactivity for 4-HNE and urinary excretion of 8-isoprostane—markers of ROS—in ZDF obese rats were higher than those in ZDF lean rats. To confirm this system, primary rat mesangial cells were treated with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) to clarify the signal transduction pathway for glomerular angiotensinogen expression. H2O2 induced an increase in angiotensinogen expression in a dose- and time-dependent manner, and the H2O2-induced upregulation of angiotensinogen was suppressed by catalase. Furthermore, the H2O2-induced upregulation of angiotensinogen was inhibited by a mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) kinase (MEK) inhibitor and a c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) inhibitor, but not inhibited by a p38 MAPK inhibitor. These data suggest that the majority of angiotensinogen was induced in mesangial cells in glomeruli under pathological conditions such as diabetic nephropathy, and angiotensinogen expression in mesangial cells was mediated by H2O2 and the subsequent activation of extracellular-regulated kinase (ERK)/JNK pathways.
Using cyclic peptide mixtures as probes for metal ion host-guest interactions

Mixtures of cyclic peptides, formed by head-to-tail cyclizations of side-chain resin-bound linear sequences, have been prepared using solid-phase synthesis. Fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry of cyclic peptides with various metal ions can reveal preferred modes of host-guest patterns, albeit in a nonquantitative manner. This approach could prove useful for more rapid screening of potential peptide ionophores. A cyclic heptapeptide with a dipeptide tail proved to be a particularly effective host for a Ca2+ ion; in a small three-component mixture, cyclo[Gly-Asp-d-Pro-Xxx-Asp-d-Pro-Asp(Aca-Phe-NH2)], binding to Ca2+ varied from Xxx=N-MeAla>Gly≈Sar. In a 15-component mixture, cyclo[Pro-Xxx-Asn-Pro-Xxx-Asn] where Xxx=Ala, Glu, Leu, Lys or Phe, there were no significant differences with respect to binding to metal ions. We believe this to be the first reported use of cyclic peptide libraries for screening metal ions to discern host-guest relationships.
Stratigraphic record of translation down ramps in a passive-margin salt detachment

Abstract Ramp syncline basins filled with synkinematic sediments record the incremental translation history and translation rates of strata transported over basement ramps. On passive margins, movement of strata over a stratabound salt detachment is stratigraphically recorded as an isopach thick on the seaward side of a monoclinal ramp. This growth syncline gradually moves seaward down and then off the monocline, as if on a conveyor belt. This shift creates accommodation space for a new isopach thick to form just landward of the older one. Repetition of this cycle creates a shingled series of isopach thicks within the ramp syncline basin. Kinematic forward models and restored cross sections from the Kwanza Basin, Angola, show that the stratigraphic pattern of ramp syncline basins is most influenced by three factors. (1) The relative rates of translation and aggradation control the curvature of the axial trace of the growth synclines. (2) Bathymetric scarps above basement ramps can create spectacular seaward-dipping onlap surfaces >30 km long downdip; adjoining ramps generate stacked, interfering onlap surfaces. (3) Salt diapirs or anticlines are commonly shortened at the top of the ramp, especially where this coincides with the base of the continental slope. Diapir shortening provides a buffer to absorb sliding from its landward side and impede sliding on its seaward side. This buffering can have a major control on the entire gravity-spreading system containing the diapirs.
Lattice calculation of the B-meson decay constant

Using the static approximation for the b-quark, we discuss a lattice calculation of the pseudoscalar B-meson decay constant fB. We test the factorization of the residue of the ground state B-meson pole by considering the matrix of correlators between local and nonlocal Qq operators. Calculation of the B-meson wavefunction is discussed.
Effect of nitric oxide modulation on TGF-β1 and matrix proteins in chronic cyclosporine nephrotoxicity

Effect of nitric oxide modulation on TGF-β1 and matrix proteins in chronic cyclosporine nephrotoxicity. Background Chronic cyclosporine (CsA) nephrotoxicity is characterized by interstitial fibrosis and afferent arteriolar hyalinosis. L-arginine (L-Arg), the substrate for nitric oxide (NO) synthase and N-nitro-L-arginine-methyl ester (L-NAME), the NO synthase inhibitor, were shown to modulate acute CsA nephrotoxicity. However, the mechanism of fibrosis in chronic CsA nephrotoxicity remains unclear. Thus, we examined the effect of NO modulation on fibrosis and the expression of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) and matrix proteins in chronic CsA nephrotoxicity. Methods Rats were administered CsA (7.5 mg/kg), CsA + L-Arg (1.7 g/kg), CsA + L-NAME (3.5 mg/kg), vehicle (VH), VH + L-Arg, and VH + L-NAME, and were sacrificed at 7 or 28 days. NO production, physiologic parameters, and histology were studied in addition to the mRNA expression of TGF-β1, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) and the matrix proteins biglycan and collagens type I and IV by Northern and the protein expression of PAI-1 and fibronectin by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results While L-NAME strikingly reduced NO biosynthesis and worsened the glomerular filtration rate and CsA-induced fibrosis, L-Arg had the opposite beneficial effect. In addition, the CsA-induced up-regulated expression of TGF-β1, PAI-1, and the matrix proteins biglycan, fibronectin, and collagen I was significantly increased with L-NAME and strikingly improved with L-Arg. Collagen IV expression was not affected. Also, NO modulation did not affect VH-treated rats. Conclusions Chronic CsA nephrotoxicity can be aggravated by NO blockade and ameliorated by NO enhancement, suggesting that NO maintains a protective function. NO modulation was associated with a change in TGF-β1 expression, which, in turn, was associated with alterations in matrix deposition and matrix degradation through its effect on PAI-1.
Accelerated degradation of syntactic polysulfide in the presence of Viton A

Headspace SPME GC/MS was used to monitor the volatile degradation products generated by syntactic polysulfide alone and in the presence of Viton A at elevated temperature. This approach allowed the identification of products from two distinct degradation mechanisms. In one degradation mechanism, which is associated with lead oxide-cured polysulfide, a single cyclic disulfide compound dominated the outgassing signature. The second mechanism was evident only when the polysulfide was in the presence of Viton A at 70 °C. In as little as 24 h, the Viton-exposed polysulfide generated multiple outgassing species indicative of an acid-catalyzed degradation process. Within one week of exposure to Viton A, the syntactic polysulfide softened significantly and lost over 6% of its initial mass, and after four weeks, the polysulfide was no longer a solid material.
Movement as memory: Significant form in eyes on the prize

Eyes on the Prize: America's Civil Rights Years ranks as one of the most successful public television documentaries ever produced. Although it originally aired in 1987, the series has since been shown widely in school and college classrooms, where it arguably has influenced many students’ understanding of the civil rights struggle and, more fundamentally, of the nature and form of “social movement” itself This essay draws upon Kenneth Burke's concept of “significant form” to examine how the documentary's design works to shape public memory of the civil rights struggle as a social movement. In addition to yielding insight into the rhetorical structure of a landmark television documentary, the analysis of form in Eyes on the Prize illumines how public consciousness of “social movement” can be created and perpetuated through narrative form.
Eigenvalues, Expanders And Superconcentrators

Explicit construction of families of linear expanders and superconcentrators is relevant to theoretical computer science in several ways. There is essentially only one known explicit construction. Here we show a correspondence between the eigenvalues of the adjacency matrix of a graph and its expansion properties, and combine it with results on Group Representations to obtain many new examples of families of linear expanders. We also obtain better expanders than those previously known and use them to construct explicitly n-superconcentrators with 157.4 n edges, much less than the previous most economical construction.
Comparison of exercise electrocardiography and quantitative thallium imaging for one-vessel coronary artery disease

The relative value of exercise electrocardiography and computer analyzed thallium-201 imaging was compared in 124 patients with 1-vessel coronary artery disease (CAD). Of these, 78 had left anterior descending (LAD), 32 right and 14 left circumflex (LC) CAD. In patients with no previous myocardial infarction (MI), thallium imaging was more sensitive than the electrocardiogram (78% vs 64%, p less than 0.01), but in patients with previous MI, sensitivity was similar. Further, thallium imaging was more sensitive only in LAD and LC disease. Redistribution was compared with ST-segment depression as a marker of ischemia. Only in patients with prior MI (76% vs 44%, p less than 0.01) and only in LC and right CAD did redistribution occur more often than ST depression. Thallium imaging was more accurate in localizing stenoses than the electrocardiogram (p less than 0.001), but did not always correctly predict coronary anatomy. Septal thallium defects were associated with LAD disease in 84%, inferior defects with right CAD in 40% and posterolateral lesion defects with LC CAD in 22%. The results indicate the overall superiority of thallium imaging in 1-vessel CAD compared with exercise electrocardiography; however, there is a wide spectrum of extent and location of perfusion defects associated with each coronary artery. Thallium imaging complements coronary angiography by demonstrating the functional impact of CAD on myocardial perfusion.
A pilot Delphi study: competencies of nurse educators in curriculum design

Abstract Background Research is needed to properly identify the competencies nurse educators must demonstrate when designing nursing curricula. A current research gap is evident on the issue. Method This pilot study used a mixed-method, modified Delphi design based on 2 rounds of questionnaires. Participants, nurse educators from a private college in Virginia, used a rank-ordering and a 5-point attitudinal scale to rate their responses for 34 questions and 160 item statements in 2 categories and 3 areas—educator, collaborator, and scholar. Comment boxes provided an opportunity for expressing opinion and professional judgment. Results Percentage, means, and standard deviations were calculated. A comparison and contrast was conducted among the roles of educator, collaborator, and scholar using a chi-squire distribution and a .05 significance level. Agreement was reached on 26 of 34 competencies during the first round with fair degree of agreement. The degree of agreement ( W ) and the percentage agreement between the 2 categories and among the 3 areas showed increase with each round where the variances in the mean decreased in most of the areas. The results of chi-square calculation indicated a statistically significant difference in responses ( P Conclusions The pilot study conclusions were preliminary in nature. There is little empirical research available to add to the understanding of nurse educators' competencies in curriculum design. A full-scope study with larger population may enlighten the questions of what competencies nurse educators must demonstrate in designing curriculum.
Systematic Review of Telestroke for Post-Stroke Care and Rehabilitation

Telemedicine for acute stroke care is supported by a literature base. It remains unclear whether or not the use of telemedicine for other phases of stroke care is beneficial. The authors conducted a systematic review of the published literature on telemedicine for the purposes of providing post-stroke care. Studies were included if the title or abstract expressed use of two-way audio/video communication for post-stroke care. From an initial yield of 1,405 potentially eligible hits, two reviewers ultimately identified 24 unique manuscripts to undergo functionality, application, technology, and evaluative (F.A.T.E.) scoring. Each article was classified using a scoring rubric to assess the functionality, application, technology, and evaluative stage. It was found that most post-stroke telemedicine studies evaluated rehabilitation of adults. All primary data manuscripts were small and preliminary in scope and evaluative phase, and median F.A.T.E. score for primary data was 2. The use of telemedicine for post-stroke care is nascent and is primarily focused on post-stroke rehabilitation.
Homogénéisation et H-mesures

Ce texte decrit l'apparition des idees concernant l'Homogeneisation et les H-mesures, et suggere quelques aspects qui pourraient etre utiles en Analyse Numerique.
Providing patients with information on caring for skin.

This article examines why healthcare professionals may find it difficult j to advise patients about care of chronic skin conditions such as psoriasis, eczema and acne. Strategies that might be helpful in improving advice for patients are discussed.
Incommensurability and vagueness

Questions about incommensurability between theories have been a central topic in philosophy at least since the 1960's. Lately, perhaps, the topic has lost some of its edge: there is, I suspect, a fairly widespread agreement that, at least on some plausible ways of understanding what it is for two theories to be incommensurable, there will be some genuine cases of incommensurable theories though perhaps not as many as once was thought. But if the question of the existence of incommensurabilities has thus been largely settled in principle, I do not think that we have quite fully absorbed its implications in practice. There are many areas in philosophy, more I think than we commonly realize, in which issues about commensurability play a role. In particular, it often happens that, given a class of alternative theories about (in some suitably broad sense) a common subject matter, the question of how we are to interpret these theories turns out to be closely linked with the question, whether they will turn out commensurable with each other: interpret the theories in one way, and they will be commensurable; interpret them in another way, and they will not be. Now in such cases, the option of so interpreting the theories that they will turn out incommensurable is one that we should never dismiss out of hand: rather, knowing already that we will sometimes find cases of incommensurability, we should always be willing to consider the possibility that the case at hand is one such case. But this is what, I believe, we too seldom do: too often, we in effect treat the demand for commensurability as an unshakeable constraint on the sort of interpretation we are willing to consider. Thereby we sometimes overlook accounts that are better than the accounts we end up accepting. In this paper, I want to look at a few examples of the situation just described. Two will be cases in which the issues have for the most part come to rest, I think, and in favor of incommensurability; the last will be one in which discussion is ongoing, and I will advocate incommensurability. In addition to presenting examples, I will be making a few more general points about the sources of our
Normalization of RPA type wave functions

Abstract A general method for determining the normalization of the RPA type of wave functions from the respective RPA vertex functions is proposed. We have shown from Green function theories that the norm of these wave functions can in general be different from unity, and consequently the usual practice of invariably normalizing these wave functions to ± 1 is generally unjustified and may in many cases significantly overestimate the physical transition amplitudes. Using a solvable Lipkin model, exact RPA wave functions have been calculated and they agree with the normalization condition derived by the present work. Implications of the present theory on quenchings of nuclear electromagnetic transitions are discussed.
Detecting a malicious executable without prior knowledge of its patterns

To detect malicious executables, often spread as email attachments, two types of algorithms are usually applied under instance-based statistical learning paradigms: (1) Signature-based template matching, which finds unique tell-tale characteristics of a malicious executable and thus is capable of matching those with known signatures; (2) Two-class supervised learning, which determines a set of features that allow benign and malicious patterns to occupy a disjoint regions in a feature vector space and thus probabilistically identifies malicious executables with the similar features. Nevertheless, given the huge potential variety of malicious executables, we cannot be confident that existing training sets adequately represent the class as a whole. In this study, we investigated the use of byte sequence frequencies to profile only benign data. The malicious executables are identified as outliers or anomalies that significantly deviate from the normal profile. A multivariate Gaussian likelihood model, fit with a Principal Component Analysis (PCA), was compared with a one-class Support Vector Machine (SVM) model for characterizing the benign executables. We found that the Gaussian model substantially outperformed the one-class SVM in its ability to distinguish malicious from benign files. Complementing to the capabilities in reliably detecting those malicious files with known or similar features using two aforementioned methods, the one-class unsupervised approach may provide another layer of safeguard in identifying those novel computer viruses.
Photoluminescence Kinetics Model of P-Type GaAs:Nd

In this work we have developed a model for the kinetics of the energy transfer from the host lattice to the core states of rare earth (RE) centers. We have derived a set of kinetics differential equations of RE luminescence in p-type semiconductor. Numerically computed rise and decay time of RE luminescence as a function of excitation power shows good agreement with the experimental data obtained for p-type GaAs.Nd.
New method to measure end-to-end delay of virtual reality

A virtual reality (VR) system tracks one or more objects to generate the depiction of a virtual environment from the user's vantage point. No system achieves this instantaneously: changes in the depicted virtual environment are delayed from changes in the position of the objects being tracked. In this paper, a method is proposed to quantify this time difference, the end-to-end delay of the VR system. Two light-sensing devices and two luminance gradients are used to simultaneously encode the position of one tracked object and its virtual counterpart. One light-sensing device is attached to the tracked object and it captures light from the gradient in the physical environment. The other device captures light from the gradient in the virtual environment. A measurement is obtained by moving the tracked object repetitively (by hand) across the gradient. The end-to-end delay is the asynchrony between the signals generated by the two light-sensing devices. The results collected with oscillatory movements performed at different frequencies indicate that for some VR systems, the end-to-end delay might not be constant but could vary as a function of the oscillation frequency.
Mechanical Behavior and High‐Temperature Performance of a Woven Nicalon™/Si‐N‐C Ceramic‐Matrix Composite

A modern ceramic-matrix composite (CMC) has been extensively characterized for a high-temperature aerospace turbine-engine application. The CMC system has a silicon-nitrogen-carbon (Si-N-C) matrix reinforced with Nicalon fibers woven in a balanced eight-harness satin weave fabric. Tensile tests have demonstrated that this CMC exhibits excellent strength retention up to 1100°C. The room-temperature fatigue limit was 160 MPa, ∼80% of the room-temperature tensile strength. The composite reached run-out conditions under cyclic (105 cycles at 1 Hz) and sustained tension (100 h) conditions at a stress of 110 MPa, which was ∼35 MPa above the proportional limits at temperatures up to 1100°C in air. At stress levels >110 MPa, cyclic loading at 1000°C caused a more severe reduction in life, based on time, compared with sustained tension. Further life degradation was observed in the 1000°C fatigue specimens that were exposed to a salt-fog environment. This degradation decreased the fatigue life ∼85% at the stress levels that were tested.
Musical Features That Facilitate Melody Identification: How Do You Know It's ““Your”” Song When They Finally Play It?

What information do listeners use to “Name that Tune”? This question was investigated in a two-phase experiment. In Phase 1, the participants heard familiar melodies that were played on a note-by-note basis until they were identified. In Phase 2, each note of the melody was analyzed along a variety of musical dimensions. Multiple regression analyses determined which musical characteristics predicted identification performance. Identification was most strongly associated with notes located at phrase boundaries, notes that completed alternating sequences of rising and falling pitches, and metrically accented notes. As well, identification peaked after listeners heard moderate amounts of information (i.e., 5–7 notes). The data suggest that melody identification is a holistic, all-ornone process and that parallels can be drawn between melody and spoken word identification. Implications for current theories, future research, and the relationship between music perception and melody identification are discussed.
The Drooping Lily Sign

The drooping lily sign can be identified at excretory urography in patients with duplicated renal collecting systems. The sign consists of inferolateral displacement of a functioning lower pole moiety and lateral displacement of the most superior calices of the lower pole collecting system (Fig 1a), usually by a nonopacified, hydronephrotic upper pole collecting system (1,2). The appearance of the lower pole collecting system is reminiscent of a lily flower that is wilting or drooping (Fig 1b).
Supply, Demand, and Technology in a Multiproduct Industry: Texas Field Crops

The purpose of this paper is to examine the structure of agricultural production for six Texas field crops (cotton, grain sorghum, wheat, corn, rice, and hay) which account for nearly 95% of recent field crop value. Specific objectives are to: (a) test the structure of technology to determine (i) if output and input utilization choices for individual products are independent of production decisions about other outputs and (ii) if products and/or inputs can be consistently aggregated, (b) estimate a coherent set of interrelated supply functions for the six commodities and input demand functions for fertilizer and hired labor. Because the empirical focus of this paper is specific to one state, the results will be of limited value for interpreting specific production relationships elsewhere. However, the problem is of common interest in production agriculture, and the techniques used demonstrate an important application of dual modeling.
Shotgun proteomics as a viable approach for biological discovery in the Pacific oyster

Shotgun proteomics offers an efficient means to characterize proteins in a complex mixture, particularly when sufficient genomic resources are available. In order to assess the practical application of shotgun proteomics in the Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas), liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry was used to characterize the gill proteome. Using information from the recently published Pacific oyster genome, 1043 proteins were identified. Biological samples (n = 4) and corresponding technical replicates (three) were similar in both specific proteins identified and expression, as deter mined by normalized spectral abundance factor. A majority of the proteins identified (703) were present in all biological sam ples. Functional analysis of the protein repertoire illustrates that these proteins represent a wide range of biological processes, supporting the dynamic function of the gill. These insights are important for understanding environmental influences on the oyster, because the gill tissue acts as the interface between the oyster and its environment. In silico analysis indicated that this sequencing effort identified a large proportion of the complete gill proteome. Together, these data demonstrate that shotgun sequencing is a viable approach for biological discovery and will play an important role in future studies of oyster physiology.
Small Stress Response Proteins in Escherichia coli: Proteins Missed by Classical Proteomic Studies

ABSTRACT Proteins of 50 or fewer amino acids are poorly characterized in all organisms. The corresponding genes are challenging to reliably annotate, and it is difficult to purify and characterize the small protein products. Due to these technical limitations, little is known about the abundance of small proteins, not to mention their biological functions. To begin to characterize these small proteins in Escherichia coli, we assayed their accumulation under a variety of growth conditions and after exposure to stress. We found that many small proteins accumulate under specific growth conditions or are stress induced. For some genes, the observed changes in protein levels were consistent with known transcriptional regulation, such as ArcA activation of the operons encoding yccB and ybgT. However, we also identified novel regulation, such as Zur repression of ykgMO, cyclic AMP response protein (CRP) repression of azuC, and CRP activation of ykgR. The levels of 11 small proteins increase after heat shock, and induction of at least 1 of these, YobF, occurs at a posttranscriptional level. These results show that small proteins are an overlooked subset of stress response proteins in E. coli and provide information that will be valuable for determining the functions of these proteins.
Epidemiologic and immunologic evaluation of an outbreak of canine blastomycosis.

Five confirmed cases of canine blastomycosis occurred over the 10-month period of December 1983 to September 1984 in a south-eastern Wisconsin colony of 30 dogs maintained for sled competition. Contrary to other published reports of canine blastomycosis, the sex-specific attack rates were higher among females than males. Four of the five confirmed cases and all four deaths occurred among young female dogs. Differences in the age distribution and/or the micro-environment of the females may have contributed at least in part to the difference in sex-specific attack rates. The serologic response and leukocyte function of the clinically affected and apparently healthy dogs from this colony were assessed during the outbreak. A survey of the adult dogs in the colony suggested that the mitogen-induced lymphocyte blastogenesis of dogs with clinical signs of blastomycosis was suppressed compared with that of dogs that remained free of clinical signs. In contrast to previous reports that autologous sera from dogs an...
Alive and well: A response to Sanderson

Stephen Sanderson’s (2005) ‘World-systems analysis after thirty years: Should it rest in peace?’ raised the prospect of an area of scholarship that had run its course. We answer the five main criticisms that he asserts against world-systems analysis: the primacy of exogenous over endogenous forces; teleology and reification; an incorrect understanding of the role of foreign investment; an inaccurate analysis of long-term trends of inequality; and, a misinterpretation of state socialism. As we respond to his criticisms, we find that while some of his arguments have merit, particularly against the relatively narrow form of world-systems analysis that he considered, his assumption of methodological individualism runs counter to the epistemological position of most world-systems scholars. Our review of the field finds it to be evolving and expanding into new realms that no do not suffer from the deficiencies Sanderson identified. Indeed, now at 35 years and counting, world-systems analysis is not dying, it is...
Conserved regions of ribonucleoprotein ribonuclease MRP are involved in interactions with its substrate

Ribonuclease (RNase) MRP is a ubiquitous and essential site-specific eukaryotic endoribonuclease involved in the metabolism of a wide range of RNA molecules. RNase MRP is a ribonucleoprotein with a large catalytic RNA moiety that is closely related to the RNA component of RNase P, and multiple proteins, most of which are shared with RNase P. Here, we report the results of an ultraviolet-cross-linking analysis of interactions between a photoreactive RNase MRP substrate and the Saccharomyces cerevisiae RNase MRP holoenzyme. The results show that the substrate interacts with phylogenetically conserved RNA elements universally found in all enzymes of the RNase P/MRP family, as well as with a phylogenetically conserved RNA region that is unique to RNase MRP, and demonstrate that four RNase MRP protein components, all shared with RNase P, interact with the substrate. Implications for the structural organization of RNase MRP and the roles of its components are discussed.
Structured Communication for Patient Safety in Emergency Medical Services: A Legal Case Report

Providers of emergency medical services (EMS) must communicate vital information during critical phases of operations. Errors in communications, for example, the failure to hear a directive, will compromise safe and effective patient care. This article presents a case that resulted in litigation because of communication failures during the interfacility transfer of a trauma patient who subsequently died in the ambulance. The communication failure involved members of a ground ambulance crew, their dispatcher, and a supervisor. The failure of the emergency medical technician (EMT) who was driving to hear from the treating EMT and her dispatcher vital information pertaining to changes in their destination and of plans to intercept another ambulance, or alternatively, the driver's ignoring this information, led to a delay in care and may have contributed to the patient's death. Factors contributing to the cause of this communication failure may have been related to the nature of the EMS setting: the physical separation between crew members (the driver, and the care provider in the back of the ambulance); the noise of the ground ambulance transport environment, most notably, the siren; and the stress of treating a patient in critical condition. The case highlights the importance of using structured forms of communication, specifically the read-back tool and the critical assertion strategy, to limit failures in communication during EMS operations and in operations in other high-risk medical settings.
The Dynamic Characteristics of a Liquid-Gas Interface in Microscale Pores

This paper focuses on the experimental investigation of the dynamic characteristic of a liquid-gas (or vapor) interface, which occurs in very small diameter pores. For both Loop Heat Pipes, being developed as a thermal control device for microelectronics in space applications, and the de-watering process in a vibro-separator, the dynamic characteristics of a liquid-gas interface inside micropores greatly affects the efficiency of the entire system. In the pharmaceutical industries, product particles are discharged in the form of a dilute slurry from a reactor to a de-watering device, such as a vibro-separator. For extremely small pores, gravity is insufficient for removing the excess water through the micro porous screen. For these cases, it has been suggested that the de-watering process can be initiated by utilizing a vacuum pressure beneath the screen and applying a sinusoidal vibration to the screen. To understand the phenomena of de-watering from the product screen of a vibro-separator utilizing vibration and pressure, a single liquid-filled micropore is studied. In past studies [1], the Navier-Stokes and Young-Laplace equations have been used to describe the dynamic motion of the liquid column and liquid-gas interface. In this research, comparison is made between the amplitude and frequency of acceleration required to cause the bubble burst through predicted theoretically and measured experimentally.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Regulation of nitric oxide synthase activity in cortical slices by excitatory amino acids and calcium

Nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity was determined in adult rat frontal cortex and hippocampus by measuring the conversion of L-[3H]arginine to L-[3H]citrulline. N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA), but not kainate or alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionate (AMPA), stimulated NOS activity. This effect was concentration dependent (EC50 approximately 30 microM) and was inhibited by tetrodotoxin, EGTA, N omega-nitro-L-arginine (NOARG), Mg2+, phencyclidine, and (cis)-4-phosphonomethyl-2-piperidine carboxylate (CGS 19755), but not by 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione (CNQX). NOS activity was increased to an even greater extent by the calcium ionophores ionomycin and A23187 and by depolarization with 50 mM K+. Interestingly, neither caffeine nor 1-aminocyclopentane-1,3-dicarboxylic acid (1S,3R-ACPD), drugs that would be expected to increase intracellular Ca2+ concentration by release of Ca2+ from intracellular ryanodine- and inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate-sensitive stores, respectively, had any significant effect on NOS activity. It is concluded that NOS can be activated by NMDA binding to a classic NMDA glutamate receptor subtype as well as by depolarization or other agents that increase the influx of extracellular Ca2+. The paradoxical lack of effect of caffeine, as well as the inhibitory effect of tetrodotoxin, are discussed.
Some input-output properties of nonlinear multivariable feedback systems

This short paper presents a number of results which characterize the input-output response of a class of nonlinear multivariable systems. A rather general class of nonlinear multivariable systems is considered and a variety of input functions is allowed. Particular conditions are developed which guarantee that the error between the input function and the output response 1) is bounded, 2) tends to a constant value, and 3) tends to zero. The results are of special interest since they can be interpreted as defining a limited form of "superposition principle" for the nonlinear systems considered.
Two-Photon Transitions in Quadrupolar and Branched Chromophores: Experiment and Theory

A combined experimental and theoretical study is conducted on a series of model compounds in order to assess the combined role of branching and charge symmetry on absorption, photoluminescence, and two-photon absorption (TPA) properties. The main issue of this study is to examine how branching of quadrupolar chomophores can lead to different consequences as compared to branching of dipolar chromophores. Hence, three structurally related pi-conjugated quadrupolar chromophores symmetrically substituted with donor end groups and one branched structure built from the assembly of three quadrupolar branches via a common donor moiety are used as model compounds. Their photophysical properties are studied using UV-vis spectroscopy, and the TPA spectra are determined through two-photon excited fluorescence experiments using femtosecond pulses in the 500-1000 nm range. Experimental studies are complemented by theoretical calculations. The applied theoretical methodology is based on time-dependent density functional theory, the Frenkel exciton model, and analysis in terms of the natural transition orbitals of relevant electronic states. Theory reveals that a symmetrical intramolecular charge transfer from the terminal donating groups to the middle of the molecule takes place in all quadrupolar chromophores upon photoexcitation. In contrast, branching via a central electron-donating triphenylamine moiety breaks the quadrupolar symmetry of the branches. Consequently, all Frank-Condon excited states have significant asymmetric multidimensional charge-transfer character upon excitation. Subsequent vibrational relaxation of the branched chromophore in the excited state leads to a localization of the excitation and fluorescence stemming from a single branch. As opposed to what was earlier observed when dipolar chromophores are branched via the same common electron-donating moiety, we find only a slight enhancement of the maximum TPA response of the branched compound with respect to an additive contribution of its quadrupolar branches. In contrast, substantial modifications of the spectral shape are observed. This is attributed to the subtle interplay of interbranch electronic coupling and asymmetry caused by branching.
Characteristics of interface cracks in creep regime

In this study, the growth behavior of interface cracks in bimaterials and in graded/layered materials at creep regime was studied. In the first part of the study, the evolution of the time-dependent stress states ahead of the stationary interface cracks was elucidated using a finite element model. In the second part, the observed stress states were incorporated into a creep crack growth model resulting from the growth of creep cavities ahead of the interface cracks. The growth model includes the effects of material deposition resulting from the growth of creep cavities on the crack tip stress fields. The results indicate that in graded/layered materials under identical applied loading, both the location of the interface crack and the extent of the transitional layer strongly influence the amplitude of the stress field (C*) at steady state. Also, the time required to achieve the steady state varies considerably with these parameters. The growth rates of the interface cracks are much faster than the growth rate of a homogeneous crack in the fastest creeping sector of that interface. Due to large variation in the distribution of the stresses ahead of the interface cracks at creep regime, depending upon the location, the creep crack growth rates will be significantly different from each other under identical loading for a given graded/layered material.
K-Bayes Reconstruction for Perfusion MRI I: Concepts and Application

Despite the continued spread of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) methods in scientific studies and clinical diagnosis, MRI applications are mostly restricted to high-resolution modalities, such as structural MRI. While perfusion MRI gives complementary information on blood flow in the brain, its reduced resolution limits its power for detecting specific disease effects on perfusion patterns. This reduced resolution is compounded by artifacts such as partial volume effects, Gibbs ringing, and aliasing, which are caused by necessarily limited k-space sampling and the subsequent use of discrete Fourier transform (DFT) reconstruction. In this study, a Bayesian modeling procedure (K-Bayes) is developed for the reconstruction of perfusion MRI. The K-Bayes approach (described in detail in Part II: Modeling and Technical Development) combines a process model for the MRI signal in k-space with a Markov random field prior distribution that incorporates high-resolution segmented structural MRI information. A simulation study was performed to determine qualitative and quantitative improvements in K-Bayes reconstructed images compared with those obtained via DFT. The improvements were validated using in vivo perfusion MRI data of the human brain. The K-Bayes reconstructed images were demonstrated to provide reduced bias, increased precision, greater effect sizes, and higher resolution than those obtained using DFT.
The Seasonal Natural History of the Ant, Dolichoderus mariae, in Northern Florida

Dolichoderus mariae Forel, (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) is an uncommon, monomorphic but locally abundant, reddish-brown ant of peculiar nesting habits, whose range includes most of the eastern USA. In north Florida the ant excavates soil under wiregrass clumps or other plants with fibrous roots to form a single, large, shallow, conical or ovoid chamber broadly open to the surface around the plant base. Colonies are highly polygyne and, during the warm season, inhabit multiple nests connected only by above ground trails, over which nests exchange workers. Although monomorphic, worker size may differ significantly between colonies. The colony cycle is dominated by strong seasonal polydomy. From one or two over-wintering nests, the colonies expanded to occupy up to 60 nests by late summer, then retract once more to one or two nests by mid-winter. The worker-to-queen ratio changed greatly during this cycle, with over two thousand workers per queen during fall and winter, dropping to a low of about 300 during midsummer. Most of these summer queens probably die during the fall. Colonies reoccupy roughly the same area year to year even though they contract down to one or two nests in winter. Observation of fights in the contact zone between colonies suggested that the colonies are territorial. The ants subsist by tending aphids and scale insects for honeydew and scavenging for dead insects within their territories.
Model-based analysis of transmural vessel impedance and myocardial circulation dynamics

The basic structure of a model of the coronary circulation has been developed to explain the relationship between transmural perfusion dynamics and intramyocardial mechanics. The model is in the form of a topologically isomorphic network representation and incorporates experimentally measured time-varying perfusion and intramyocardial pressure sources as driving inputs to the model. The intramyocardial vessels are treated as nonlinear impedance elements possessing regional external pressure-dependent resistance and capacitance. Three circuit branches, perfusing the epicardial, subepicardial, and subendocardial muscle layers, are mathematically modeled and are used to predict time-dependent flow within the left ventricular myocardium. The phasic coronary blood flow characteristics predicted by the model exhibit waveform patterns that correlate qualitatively with those patterns measured experimentally. In addition, the pressure-dependent vascular capacitance induces a sustained (out of phase with arterial inflow) venous systolic flow. The model also exhibits retrograde systolic subendocardial flow and stop-flow pressure, which are dependent on coronary resistive and capacitive properties and on the perfusion pressure decay time constant. Furthermore, the results predict an abrupt decrease in subendocardial flow with perturbation of either arteriolar or capillary bed compliance. The model describes time-dependent intramyocardial properties that have been confusing and controversial in the understanding of coronary circulation dynamics. Several steps are identified that are expected to improve and refine the model significantly.
Escape from Lethal Bacterial Competition through Coupled Activation of Antibiotic Resistance and a Mobilized Subpopulation

Bacteria have diverse mechanisms for competition that include biosynthesis of extracellular enzymes and antibiotic metabolites, as well as changes in community physiology, such as biofilm formation or motility. Considered collectively, networks of competitive functions for any organism determine success or failure in competition. How bacteria integrate different mechanisms to optimize competitive fitness is not well studied. Here we study a model competitive interaction between two soil bacteria: Bacillus subtilis and Streptomyces sp. Mg1 (S. Mg1). On an agar surface, colonies of B. subtilis suffer cellular lysis and progressive degradation caused by S. Mg1 cultured at a distance. We identify the lytic and degradative activity (LDA) as linearmycins, which are produced by S. Mg1 and are sufficient to cause lysis of B. subtilis. We obtained B. subtilis mutants spontaneously resistant to LDA (LDAR) that have visibly distinctive morphology and spread across the agar surface. Every LDAR mutant identified had a missense mutation in yfiJK, which encodes a previously uncharacterized two-component signaling system. We confirmed that gain-of-function alleles in yfiJK cause a combination of LDAR, changes in colony morphology, and motility. Downstream of yfiJK are the yfiLMN genes, which encode an ATP-binding cassette transporter. We show that yfiLMN genes are necessary for LDA resistance. The developmental phenotypes of LDAR mutants are genetically separable from LDA resistance, suggesting that the two competitive functions are distinct, but regulated by a single two-component system. Our findings suggest that a subpopulation of B. subtilis activate an array of defensive responses to counter lytic stress imposed by competition. Coordinated regulation of development and antibiotic resistance is a streamlined mechanism to promote competitive fitness of bacteria.
Learning in core and non-core number domains

Abstract Much early knowledge acquisition is domain-specific. Different knowledge structures are defined by different sets of principles. These serve to identify those data that belong to a given structure and exclude those that are irrelevant. Domain-specific structures direct attention to those aspects of experience that can be assimilated to the structure and thereby grow it. Core domains are defined by a priori skeletal structures. Learning in non-core domains occurs later and is much more dependent on structured instruction because it must proceed in the absence of the skeletal structures that direct early learning. The distinction between core and non-core domains is developed with particular reference to representations of number and quantity, in animals, infants, young children, and adults. The role of language in humans is also considered. These content-rich ideas about mental structures are related to Piaget's general stage theory.
Size Segregation in Granular Beds Subject to Discrete and Continuous Vertical Oscillations

Size segregation of particulates is of concern in a number of industries that handle materials such as chemicals, pharmaceuticals, fertilizers, and food products. Of particular interest in this paper is segregation resulting from externally applied vibration. In industrial applications this vibration may either be applied intentionally in devices such as vibrating conveyors or “live wall” hoppers, or unintentionally during material handling and transport. This paper investigates size segregation in granular beds subject to discrete “taps” and continuous, sinusoidal vertical vibration. The results from discrete element computer simulations indicate that the rise rate of a single impurity increases monotonically with amplitude for discrete vibrations but for continuous vibrations the rise rate increases, reaches a maximum value, then decreases as the oscillation amplitude increases.
Brain and Brain Regions

An organism's ability to process stress-related information and generated the appropriate behavioral, autonomic, and endocrine responses requires the participation of many neural mechanisms. This article describes the different regions of the brain that contribute to the neural networks responsible for the sensory and motor processes controlling responses to diverse stressors.