cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Exercise heat acclimation causes post-exercise hypotension and favorable improvements in lipid and immune profiles: A crossover randomized controlled trial.

Abstract Background Passive hyperthermic exposure causes an acute hypotensive response following the cessation of heat stress. Chronic heat stress is well documented in animal studies to instigate metabolic and lipid alterations. However, it is unknown if exercise-heat acclimation also causes favorable chronic blood pressure, lipid, and immune responses in humans. Purpose This project tested the hypothesis that 10-day exercise-heat acclimation (HA) would cause greater post-exercise reductions in arterial blood pressure and favorable metabolic, lipid, and immune responses compared to 10-day exercise under neutral conditions (CON). Methods Thirteen healthy sedentary participants (8M/5F, 28 ± 6y, 78 ± 17 kg), completed a 10-day (90 min/day exercise bout) clamped hyperthermia HA (increase internal temperature 1.5 °C, in 42 °C, 28% Rh) and control (CON: 23 °C, 42% Rh) protocols in a counterbalanced design with a 2 month washout. Pre- and post-exercise HA/CON blood pressures were taken 1-h post-exercise on exercise days 1 and 10. Metabolic, lipid and immune panels were taken pre-post HA/CON. Results Exercise under heat stress had greater post-exercise hypotension (systolic; -6 mmHg, diastolic; -8 mmHg; and mean arterial pressure; -7 mmHg) on both days 1 and 10 compared to exercise under neutral conditions (main effect for condition, P ≤ 0.004). Only from pre-to-post HA, total cholesterol (168 ± 19 to 157 ± 15; P Conclusion These data indicate that exercise in the heat (regardless of acclimation status) causes a profound post-exercise hypotensive response, while HA causes favorable lipid, and immune profile changes. Further examination of exercise-heat acclimation on vascular, metabolic, and immune responses will offer insight for benefits in other clinical populations with vascular, metabolic and immune dysfunction.
Evolving Clinical Applications of Tissue Transcriptomics in Kidney Disease.

Nephrotic syndrome is classically categorized by the histopathology with examples including focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) and minimal change disease. Pediatric patients are also classified by whether their nephrotic syndrome is sensitive to, dependent on, or resistant to steroids. However, this traditional classification system overlooks the frequent clinical conundrum when, for example, one patient with FSGS responds briskly to steroids and another quickly progresses to end stage kidney disease despite therapy. Two patients may have similar histopathologic appearances on kidney biopsy but entirely different clinical characteristics, rates of progression, and treatment responses. Transcriptional regulation of gene activation and posttranscriptional processing of mRNA may drive the unique and heterogeneous phenotypes which are incompletely understood in kidney disease and are a recent focus of research. Gene expression profiles provide insight on active transcriptional programs in tissues, are being used to understand biologic mechanisms of progressive chronic kidney disease, and may help to identify patients with shared mechanisms of kidney damage. This mini-review discusses clinically relevant techniques of bulk tissue and single cell transcriptomics, as well as strengths and limitations of each methodology. Further, we summarize recent examples in kidney research achieved through transcriptomics. This review offers an outlook on the role of transcriptomics in an integrative systems biology model with the goal of defining unique disease subgroups, finding targets for drug development, and aligning the right drug with the right patient.
Sex-Specific Role for Egr3 in Nucleus Accumbens D2-Medium Spiny Neurons Following Long-Term Abstinence From Cocaine Self-administration.

Abstract Background We previously showed that the transcription factor Egr3 (early growth response 3) is oppositely regulated in nucleus accumbens (NAc) cell subtypes 24 hours following cocaine exposure and bidirectionally mediates cocaine-related behaviors in male rodents. Overexpressing Egr3 in D2 receptor–containing medium spiny neurons (D2-MSNs) before drug exposure reduces the rewarding and psychomotor sensitization effects of cocaine. However, it is unknown if Egr3 plays a role in long-term neuroadaptations in the NAc and relapse to cocaine seeking. Methods We measured EGR3 protein levels in the NAc following 20 days of forced abstinence from intravenous cocaine self-administration in 10-week-old Sprague Dawley rats and C57BL/6 mice. In 8- to 10-week-old A2A-Cre mice, we used virally mediated Egr3 overexpression in NAc D2-MSNs to test the role of Egr3 on operant responding during seeking, extinction, and drug-induced reinstatement of cocaine self-administration. To evaluate if Egr3 contributed to sex differences to cocaine relapse, we conducted these procedures in both male and female rodents. Results We found that EGR3 expression was reduced only in female rodents after 20 days of forced abstinence. Additionally, we showed that our self-administration paradigm in mice recapitulated the sex differences in cocaine intake and relapse demonstrated in humans and rats. Finally, whereas Egr3 overexpression in D2-MSNs during forced abstinence facilitated extinction and blunted drug-induced reinstatement in female mice, it had the opposite effect in male mice. Conclusions We showed that the immediate early gene Egr3 has long-term effects on drug-related behaviors. Our work suggests that changes in Egr3 expression in D2-MSNs contributes to sex differences in cocaine relapse.
Blowhole: Blowing-Activated Tags for Interactive 3D-Printed Models

Interactive 3D models have the potential to enhance accessibility and education, but can be complex and time-consuming to produce. We present Blowhole, a technique for embedding blowing-activated tags into 3D-printed models to add interactivity. Requiring no special printing techniques, components, or assembly and working on consumer-level 3D printers, Blowhole adds acoustically resonant cavities to the interior of a model with unobtrusive openings at the surface of the object. A gentle blow into a hole produces a unique sound that identifies the hole, allowing a computer to provide associated content. We describe the theory behind Blowhole, characterize the performance of different cavity parameters, and describe our implementation, including easy-to-use software to automatically embed blowholes into preexisting models. We illustrate Blowhole's potential with multiple working examples.
Classic psychedelics as therapeutics for psychiatric disorders

Abstract Recently, there has been a resurgence of interest in the study of classic serotonergic hallucinogens, now widely referred to as classic psychedelics. These studies include fundamental molecular and cellular neuroscience and pharmacology, neuroimaging, and psychological experiments. In the early days of classic psychedelic research during the 1950s through the 1970s, classic psychedelics were examined for their therapeutic potential to treat disorders ranging from addiction to schizophrenia. After scheduling laws essentially halted classic psychedelic research worldwide for decades, beginning in the mid-2000s, a few select research groups were given regulatory approval to reinitiate clinical investigations with psilocybin. These studies demonstrated safety and allowed for the development of standardized methodology for conducting clinical trials with psilocybin and other classic psychedelics. There are now data from several clinical trials approved by the proper regulatory agencies in the United States, Europe, and elsewhere, suggesting safety and potentially profound efficacy to treat a variety of psychiatric disorders including anxiety, depression, and addiction.
BPS Spectra and Invariants for Three- and Four-Manifolds

In these notes, I discuss how to obtain new invariants of three- and four-manifolds from BPS spectra of quantum field theories. The main ingredients are supersymmetric theories in six-dimensions and their twisted compactifications. We will also see, in concrete examples, how several well-known invariants of three- and four-manifolds can be realized as partition functions of supersymmetric gauge theories and computed using localization technique. These notes summarizes author’s lecture given at the Winter School on “Partition Functions and Automorphic Forms” at JINR, Russia in February 2018 and are based on joint works with Sergei Gukov, Pavel Putrov and Cumrun Vafa.
CT-409: Determining Causes of Post-Allogeneic HCT Mortality by Day +100: A Single-Center Experience

Background Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT) remains the only potentially curative treatment modality for acute leukemias and other hematologic malignancies and benign blood disorders. In addition to the risk of disease relapse, allo-HSCT is associated with significant treatment related mortality. The first 100 days following allo-HSCT is a particularly high-risk time period, with the reported overall mortality (OM) at 100 days post-allo-HSCT of up to 20%. Methods We conducted a single-center retrospective analysis of patients who underwent allo-HCT, matched unrelated donors (MUD), matched related donors (MRD), and haploidentical-MRD (H-MRD), at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, FL, between 01/01/2009 and 03/01/2020. The primary objective of this analysis was to identify the different causes of overall mortality within the first 100 days after allografting and examine the correlation between pre-defined risk factors for allo-HCT and 100-day mortality. Results Our study population consisted of 355 patients (pts) of whom 62 (17.5%) pts were deceased within the first 100 days post-allo-HCT. The median age of pts alive at day +100 was 56 (20–73) years, and 49.8% were male with a median follow-up of 307 (range 100–3429) days. Among the patients deceased by day +100, the median age was 59 (22–74) years; 66% were male. The three most common primary diagnoses were AML (35.5%), MDS (21%), NHL (11.3%). Of these pts, 53 (85.5%) received peripheral blood stem cells, 8 (12.9%) bone marrow, and 1 (1.6%) cord blood. Moreover, 40 (64.5%) received an allo-HCT from a MUD, 16 (25.8%) from an MRD, and 6 (9.6%) from H-MRD. Relapsed/progression was the cause of death in 19.4%, whereas sepsis (30.6%) and acute GVHD (21%) were the most common causes of non-relapse deaths. Conclusions In our study, transplant-related mortality was the main cause of death during the first 100 days after an allogeneic HCT. The main causes of transplant-related mortality were sepsis and acute GVHD.
The Compounding Effects of Assessment: How Our Failure to Coordinate Formative Assessments May Impact Their Validity

Under the ABA’s new directive that formative assessments be added to our curriculum, the pacing (and perhaps total workload) of our semesters may be altering without our having a sophisticated understanding of how to make those alterations. The middle of the semesters, which have traditionally been the playground for the Socratic Method and for legal writing assignments, may now be filled with a variety of assessment activities, and some of them may dominate students’ time in a way that impacts students’ ability to devote attention to their other classes. This article is intended to guide law faculties as we work to create a diverse, coordinated culture of assessment that improves student learning and generates data with validity that will inform our students, our teaching, and also future employers. After this article defines and describes the promise and complexity of formative assessment in Part I, it provides evidence in Part II that a failure to create a deeply coordinated formative assessment system will lessen the validity of the entire system. Finally, Part III provides best practices for creating a valid, deeply coordinated formative assessment system. When we each create assessments that justify the use of students’ time, that allow for transparent learning linked with clear learning goals, and that encourage student autonomy and confidence, we are more likely to design assessments that will improve rather than detract from student’s learning in other courses.
Urologists' Perceptions of Active Surveillance and Their Recommendations for Low-risk Prostate Cancer Patients.

ABSTRACT Objective To assess practicing urologists’ attitudes and perceptions of active surveillance (AS) and other treatment options for low-risk prostate cancer. Methods This was a cross-sectional survey of urologists practicing in Michigan and Georgia. Urologists were asked about perceptions and practices pertaining to AS. Results Overall, 225 urologists completed the survey; 147 (65%) were from Michigan and 78 (35%) were from Georgia. Most urologists reported they provided (99%), discussed (97%), and offered (61%) AS to all of their low-risk patients. Most believed AS is effective (97%) and underused (90%), while 80% agreed that curative therapy (surgery, radiation) is overused in the United States. Although most (79%) endorse that Black men are more likely to have aggressive low-risk disease, 89% reported feeling comfortable recommending AS to Black men. In multivariable analysis, significant provider-related predictors of AS recommendation were practice location, number of years in practice, beliefs pertaining to survival benefit of prostatectomy and effectiveness of AS, and expectation that patients are not interested in AS. The patient characteristics of race, age, life expectancy, fear of cancer progression, and fear of treatment side effects were also significant predictors of AS recommendations. Conclusion Most urologists surveyed stated that AS is effective and underused for low-risk prostate cancer . Overall, urologists are much less likely to recommend AS to younger men and slightly less to Black men. AS recommendations varied by practice location and by years in practice. These findings indicate targeted educational efforts in the US are needed to influence urologists toward greater acceptance of AS.
MetaSense: Boosting RF Sensing Accuracy Using Dynamic Metasurface Antenna

Conventional radio-frequency (RF) sensing systems rely on either frequency diversity or spatial diversity to ensure high sensing accuracy. Such reliance introduces several practical limitations that hinder the pervasive deployment of existing solutions. To circumvent this prevalent reliance, we present MetaSense, a system that leverages antenna pattern diversity for fine-grained RF sensing. MetaSense incorporates the dynamic metasurface antenna (DMA) and the auxiliary-assisted ensemble multimask learning (AEMML) framework in its design. The DMA is a novel type of antenna that can provide a diverse set of uncorrelated radiation patterns in a low-cost and low-complexity manner. The AEMML is a quality-aware learning framework that can dynamically assess and aggregate the heterogeneous channel measurements from different antenna patterns to ensure high sensing accuracy. It also incorporates a transfer learning model that allows it to generalize to new sensing conditions with few training instances required. We prototype MetaSense and demonstrate its effectiveness on a writing motion recognition task using a custom-designed 2-D DMA. The results show that MetaSense achieves 92% to 98% accuracy in classifying ten miniature writing motions, outperforming a nontunable antenna by 20% in all scenarios. Moreover, when deployed in new sensing positions where limited training instances are available, MetaSense requires as few as five training instances per class to achieve over 90% accuracy.
Contrasting patterns of risk from human and non-human predators shape temporal activity of prey

Spatiotemporal variation in predation risk arises from interactions between landscape heterogeneity, predator densities and predator hunting mode, generating landscapes of fear for prey species that can have important effects on prey behaviour and ecosystem dynamics. As widespread apex predators, humans present a significant source of risk for hunted animal populations. Spatiotemporal patterns of risk from hunters can overlap or contrast with patterns of risk from other predators. Human infrastructure can also reshape spatial patterns of risk by facilitating or impeding hunter or predator movement, or deterring predators that are themselves wary of humans. We examined how anthropogenic and natural landscape features interact with hunting modes of rifle hunters and mountain lions Puma concolor to generate spatiotemporal patterns of risk for their primary prey. We explored the implications of human-modified landscapes of fear for Columbian black-tailed deer Odocoileus hemionus columbianus in Mendocino County, California. We used historical harvest records, hunter GPS trackers and camera trap records of mountain lions to model patterns of risk for deer. We then used camera traps to examine deer spatial and temporal activity patterns in response to this variation in risk. Hunters and mountain lions exhibited distinct, contrasting patterns of spatiotemporal activity. Risk from rifle hunters, who rely on long lines of sight, was highest in open grasslands and near roads and was confined to the daytime. Risk from mountain lions, an ambush predator, was highest in dense shrubland habitat, farther from developed areas, and during the night and crepuscular periods. Areas of human settlement provided a refuge from both hunters and mountain lions. We found no evidence that deer avoided risk in space at the scale of our observations, but deer adjusted their temporal activity patterns to reduce the risk of encounters with humans and mountain lions in areas of higher risk. Our study demonstrates that interactions between human infrastructure, habitat cover and predator hunting mode can result in distinct spatial patterns of predation risk from hunters and other predators that may lead to trade-offs for prey species. However, distinct diel activity patterns of predators may create vacant hunting domains that reduce costly trade-offs for prey. Our study highlights the importance of temporal partitioning as a mechanism of predation risk avoidance.
Determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in dry tea

Twenty-eight different tea samples sold in the United States were evaluated using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with fluorescence detection (FLD) for their contamination with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Many PAHs exhibit carcinogenic, mutagenic, and teratogenic properties and have been related to several kinds of cancer in man and experimental animals. The presence of PAHs in environmental samples such as water, sediments, and particulate air has been extensively studied, but food samples have received little attention. Eighteen PAHs congeners were analyzed, with percentage recovery higher than 85%. Contamination expressed as the sum of the 18 analyzed PAHs was between 101 and 1337 μg/kg on dry mass and the average contents in all of the 28 examined samples was 300 μg/kg on dry mass. Seven of the congeners were found in all samples with wide ranges of concentrations as follows: fluorene (7-48 μg/kg), anthracene (1-31 μg/kg), pyrene (1-970 μg/kg), benzo(a)anthracene (1-18 μg/kg) chrysene (17-365 μg/kg), benzo(a)pyrene (1-29 μg/kg), and indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene (4-119 μg/kg). The two most toxic congeners benzo(a)pyrene and dibenzo(a,h)anthracene were found at high concentrations only in Earl Grey Twinnings, Earl Grey Harney& Sons Fine Teas, and Chai Ultra Spice Black Tea Twinnings. Six PAH congeners are considered as suspected carcinogens (U.S.EPA), formed the basis of the estimation of the toxic equivalent (TEQ), Chai Ultra-Spice Black Tea Twinnings had the highest TEQ (110.9) followed by two grey tea samples, Earl Grey Harney & Sons Fine Tea (57.7) and Earl Grey Twinnings (54.5). Decaffeinated grey teas had the lowest TEQs, decaffeinated Earl Grey Bigelow (9.4) and Green Tea Honey Lemon Decaffeinated Lipton (9.6).
Diabetic Cardiomyopathy: Bench to Bedside

The study of diabetic cardiomyopathy is an area of significant interest given the strong association between diabetes and the risk of heart failure. Many unanswered questions remain regarding the clinical definition and pathogenesis of this metabolic cardiomyopathy. This article reviews the current understanding of diabetic cardiomyopathy with a particular emphasis on the unresolved issues that have limited translation of scientific discovery to patient bedside.
Rendering Participating Media: Problems and Solutions from Application Areas

Physically accurate rendering of radiatively participating media is an extremely demanding computational task. In this paper, current and potential applications requiring such renderings are reviewed. Some ideas for a practical rendering system, based on insights from application areas, are presented.
Keyboard Design and Operation: A Review of the Major Issues:

A search of the psychological, technical, and promotional literature was conducted to compile information relevant to key, keyboard, and operator characteristics. The most recent and significant ar...
The Krebs Cycle and Mitochondrial Mass Are Early Victims of Endothelial Dysfunction: Proteomic Approach

Endothelial cell dysfunction is associated with bioavailable nitric oxide deficiency and an excessive generation of reactive oxygen species. We modeled this condition by chronically inhibiting nitric oxide generation with subpressor doses of N(G)-monomethyl-L-arginine (L-NMMA) in C57B6 and Tie-2/green fluorescent protein mouse strains. L-NMMA-treated mice exhibited a slight reduction in vasorelaxation ability, as well as detectable abnormalities in soluble adhesion molecules (soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 and vascular cellular adhesion molecule-1, and matrix metalloproteinase 9), which represent surrogate indicators of endothelial dysfunction. Proteomic analysis of the isolated microvasculature using 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectroscopy revealed abnormal expression of a cluster of mitochondrial enzymes, which was confirmed using immunodetection. Aconitase-2 and enoyl-CoA-hydratase-1 expression levels were decreased in L-NMMA-treated animals; this phenotype was absent in nitric oxide synthase-1 and -3 knockout mice. Depletion of aconitase-2 and enoyl-CoA-hydratase-1 resulted in the inhibition of the Krebs cycle and enhanced pyruvate shunting toward the glycolytic pathway. To assess mitochondrial mass in vivo, co-localization of green fluorescent protein and MitoTracker fluorescence was detected by intravital microscopy. Quantitative analysis of fluorescence intensity showed that L-NMMA-treated animals exhibited lower fluorescence of MitoTracker in microvascular endothelia as a result of reduced mitochondrial mass. These findings provide conclusive and unbiased evidence that mitochondriopathy represents an early manifestation of endothelial dysfunction, shifting cell metabolism toward "metabolic hypoxia" through the selective depletion of both aconitase-2 and enoyl-CoA-hydratase-1. These findings may contribute to an early preclinical diagnosis of endothelial dysfunction.
Reciprocal regulation of P/Q-type Ca2+ channels by SNAP-25, syntaxin and synaptotagmin

Rapid synaptic transmission requires close proximity of docked neurotransmitter-containing synaptic vesicles and voltage-gated Ca2+ channels at presynaptic active zones. Here we show that the plasma membrane SNARE protein SNAP-25 specifically inhibited the activity of P/Q-type Ca2+ channels, and formation of a mature SNARE complex containing syntaxin and synaptotagmin reactivated them. In a nerve terminal, this mechanism would ensure that Ca2+ entry through P/Q-type Ca2+ channels occurs primarily near active zones with docked synaptic vesicles and efficiently evokes neurotransmitter release.
Torso: Torso PTK (D. melanogaster)

Torso is a PTK with a probable receptor function that is required for determination of anterior and posterior terminal structures in the Drosophila melanogaster embryo. The torso phenotype is maternal-effect lethal; embryos from homozygous mothers show alterations in the anterior-posterior pattern. Loss-of-function mutant embryos lack anterior-most head structures and structures posterior to the seventh abdominal segment (abdominal segment eight and telson). Gain of function mutant embryos, on the other hand, show segment defects in the middle of the embryos and have enlarged terminal structures. Loss-of-function mutations that express protein have deletions or point mutations in the kinase domain. Gain-of-function mutations causing ligand-independent activation are located in the extra cytoplasmic domain. Torso PTK is likely to be activated by a ligand present in perivitelline space of the early embryo, and that binds to the extracytoplasmic part of the torso protein. Candidates for the ligand molecule are those genes that act upstream of torso in genetic tests: trunk, torso-like, fs(1)polehole, and fs(1) Nasrat.
A practical approach to lens implant power

Summary For the average surgeon, the use of a standard power lens implant, with shifts in power according to the patient's basic refraction - and with consideration for the fellow eye and the effect of too much anisometropia - and with use of ultrasound in cases of ignorance or suspicion - can result in making the vast majority of his patients very happy with their pseudophakic vision. If better methods are available, they certainly should be used.
Validation of a Novel Spine Test Machine

A novel spine test machine was developed for physiological loading of spinal segments. It can be used in conjunction with external motion-capture systems (EMCS) to measure angular displacement, but can also measure in-plane rotations directly, though the inherent error is unknown. This study quantified error inherent in the displacement measurement of the machine. Synthetic specimens representative of cadaveric spinal specimens were tested. Machine displacement was compared to EMCS displacement. The maximum machine displacement error was <2 deg for lumbar and thoracic specimens. The authors suggest that researchers use EMCS in conjunction with the test machine when high accuracy measurements are required.
Relation of Serum Vitamin A Activity Levels of Hens to Reserves in Their Progeny

Abstract THE physiology of vitamin A activity storage in the chick has been studied by Rubin and Bird (1941). During the period of development, reserves are accumulated in the egg via the blood stream of the hen and are utilized in part by the growing embryo. Prior to hatching, excess yolk is drawn into the body cavity where it is absorbed from the sac over a 10-day period (Heywang, 1940). Bearse and Miller (1937) and Baumann et al. (1939) have correlated vitamin A reserves of the newborn chick to the content of this essential in the hen’s diet. The present studies were initiated to evaluate parental vitamin A stores in the chick, and to establish the relationship of the vitamin A activity of the hen’s serum to these reserves. Variations between and within hens in transfer of vitamin A activity to the chick were observed. METHODS AND RESULTS Experiment 1.— Estimation…
Experimental Investigations of Loading Rate Effects in Reinforced Concrete Columns

Seismic loading rates can significantly affect the behavior of reinforced concrete (RC) elements. However, few data are available to quantify these effects. Shaking table tests allow the study of loading rate phenomena; however, they suffer from difficulties in assessing causality (direct assessment of causes on effects) and are expensive to conduct. An alternative is to test individual RC elements by directly imparting high-velocity loading protocols. However, multiactuator setups are necessary to achieve seismically representative loading and boundary conditions, which entails particularly challenging control requirements. This investigation makes use of recent advances in real-time testing hardware to study the effects of loading rates on the structural response of lightly confined RC columns. A pioneering test setup in which three actuators are controlled independently at high velocities was used to test a series of columns until axial collapse. The experimental challenges and column behavior are discussed.
Fuzzy logic and evaluation of advanced technologies

Purpose – The paper's aim is to provide a tool for decision makers to make more informed decisions regarding their investment in advanced technologies.Design/methodology/approach – Selection of an advanced technology for adoption requires evaluation of several competing alternatives. The difficulty in the evaluation process arises when the ranking of the alternatives is not possible from the result of the financial analysis alone. The purpose of this study is to overcome such difficulty by considering other factors that allows distinction among alternatives with similar economic evaluation results. This is accomplished by identifying the risks or undesirable consequences of technology implementation and including them in the evaluation process. These are costs that are not measurable for inclusion in the financial analysis but could have major impact on the final selection. Owing to uncertainties involved with adoption of a new technology, the involvement of human expertise and judgment seems to be essent...
Radio-Controlled Cyborg Beetles: A Radio-Frequency System for Insect Neural Flight Control

We present the first report of radio control of a cyborg beetle in free-flight. The microsystem (Figs. 1,2) consisted of a radio-frequency receiver assembly, a micro battery and a live giant flower beetle platform (Mecynorhina polyphemus or Mecynorhina torquata). The assembly had six electrode stimulators implanted into the left and right optic lobes, brain, posterior pronotum (counter electrode), right and left basalar flight muscles. Initiation and cessation of flight were accomplished by optic lobe stimulation while muscular stimulation of either right or left basalar flight muscles (referenced to the posterior pronotum electrode) elicited left or right turns, respectively. Flight commands were wirelessly transferred to the beetle-mounted system (running BeetleBrain v1.0 code) via an RF transmitter operated by a laptop running custom software (BeetleCo mmander v1.0) through a USB/Serial interface.
Lanthanide octaethylprophyrins: preparation, association, and interaction with axial ligands.

Abstract The synthesis of virtually all the lanthanide octaethylporphyrin complexes have been achieved by heating appropriate anhydrous lanthanide halide and octaethylporphyrin in imidazole melt at 210°C for two hours. The lighter lanthanide porphyrin complexes are very susceptible to hydrolysis, the middle lanthanide porphyrin complexes are moderately stable, and the heavier lanthanide porphyrin complexes are relatively more stable to hydrolysis. Two out of four lanthanide porphyrin complexes studied in detail, namely ytterbium and lutetium octaethylporphyrins, aggregate in benzene and the Soret bands in their absorption spectra are about 6 nm shifted to higher energies upon a hundred-fold increase in their concentrations. The aggregations of these lanthanide porphyrin complexes in non-coordinating solvents have been further verified by 1 H NMR spectral studies. This spectral behavior can be interpreted qualitatively in terms of the model of the molecular exciton interactions with stacking of at least two prophyrins. A dimeric structure of these lanthanide porphyrin complexes has been proposed on the basis of geometrical considerations. On the contrary, the europium and gadolinium octaethylporphyrins associate very weakly in benzen in the concentration range studied. All four lanthanide porphyrin complexes interact with pyridine and piperidine, and the Soret bands in their absorption spectra are about 8 nm shifted to low energies as compared with their values in pure benzene.
The Neuropsychological Educational Approach to Cognitive Remediation (NEAR) model: Practice principles and outcome studies

NEAR is an evidence based approach to cognitive remediation which was specifically developed for use with psychiatric patients. NEAR emphasizes the fact that cognitive remediation is essentially a learning activity and therefore instructional techniques incorporate basic educational principles that have been shown to enhance learning. Rather than using a fixed software package, NEAR uses a variety of exercises, which are chosen based on whether they meet the criteria to both address neuropsychological deficits and be motivating and engaging. The theory behind the NEAR program, practice principles and outcome studies are reviewed.
Properties of thermo-chemically surface treated carbon fibers and of their epoxy and vinyl ester composites

Abstract Carbon fibers were surface treated by a continuous gas phase thermo-chemical treatment. The surface and the mechanical properties of the fibers were investigated before and after treatment and compared to the properties obtained with a conventional industrial electro-chemical surface treatment. The increase of the oxygen atomic content was much sharper, the surface chemistry was better controlled, and the tensile strength of the fibers increased slightly with the thermo-chemical surface treatment. The thermo-chemical surface treatment created a topography which amplitudes were under 10 nm, thus creating some mechanical interlocking with the matrix. The electro-chemical surface treatment did not generate such a topography. The improvement of interfacial adhesion with a vinyl ester matrix was limited, revealing that oxidation of the carbon fiber surface alone cannot tremendously improve the mechanical properties of carbon fiber–vinyl ester composites.
Normal and pathological mechanisms in retinalvascular development

Angiogenesis is a complex biologic process that occurs normally in development and in turnover and remodeling of mature vascular networks. Pathological angiogenesis and neovascularization occur in association with retinal and ocular ischemic diseases, in retinopathy of prematurity and other developmental disorders, and in tumor growth and metastasis. We describe current understanding of cellular and molecular mechanisms of retinal vascular development, highlighting aspects that relate to eye diseases, that provide sites of therapeutic intervention in ophthalmology and that are potential avenues for research.
Software measurement: Problems and practice

Software measurement is a key element in the evolving software engineering discipline. This paper seeks to identify some of the principal problems surrounding the measurement process and the metrics themselves. Metrics are shown in various modeling contexts. Measures of static software complexity are explored together with measures of dynamic program complexity. These data are then used to identify regions of software that are fault prone. This information is then exploited to develop a model of dynamic program complexity for the identification of failure prone software. Empirical experiences with the practice of measurement from an ongoing research project on the Space Shuttle Primary Avionics Software System are employed to augment the discussion.
Hyponatremic seizures as a presenting symptom of child abuse

Abstract Poisoning is an uncommon manifestation of child abuse. The intentional administration of water to a child as a form of punishment has rarely been reported as the responsible substance among children who have been poisoned. We describe a case of a 5-year-old girl presenting with severe hyponatremia due to acute water intoxication. The patient was brought to the emergency room in status epilepticus. A history was obtained from the child's mother stating that the patient had been playing outside when she collapsed. She had had no known prior illnesses. Laboratory evaluation included a hemoglobin of 10.1 mg%, glucose of 60 mg%, serum sodium of 107 mEq/l, potassium of 3.2 mEq/l and chloride of 71 mEq/l. A CAT scan obtained approximately 1 h after admission revealed generalized cerebral edema. Careful examination of the skin revealed multiple linear ecchymosis of varying ages on the back and thighs and a hand print on the right flank. In addition, the child demonstrated severe failure to thrive with height, weight and bone age compatible with a 2.5-year-old girl. Appropriate therapy for severe hyponatremia was successfully instituted. For the next 12 h she was deeply somnolent, but the following morning was alert and conversant. She stated that she “would be good if she didn't have to drink any more water”. The child's mother subsequently admitted that she frequently used water ingestion as a form of punishment. The child stabilized metabolically and demonstrated rapid in-hospital weight gain. She was placed in foster care at discharge and has had no further hyponatremia or seizures. In our patient, hyponatremic seizures represented a manifestation of chronic and systematic abuse due to intentional water intoxication. Primary caregivers and pathologists should be aware that hyponatremia without underlying disease may be evidence of child abuse.
Serum-free media for bulk culture of hybridoma cells and the preparation of monoclonal antibodies

Abstract Monoclonal antibodies have become tools of central importance in biological research and have extraordinary potential for medical applications. Industrial-scale preparation of these important proteins can be greatly simplified by avoiding the use of serum or live animals in culturing hybridoma cell lines. I will make the case that serum-free media should become the industry standard in monoclonal antibody technology.
Planar, ion-implanted bipolar devices in GaAs

Abstract Selected-area ion implantation using heavy metal masks to define the device geometry has been used to fabricate doubly implanted n  p  n bipolar transistors and planar, isolated p  n junction devices in GaAs. The bipolar transistors exhibited common-emitter current gains as high as 25. Collector-base breakdown voltages of 45 V were observed. The junction diodes (∼200 um dia.) exhibited sub-nanoampere leakage currents at 15 V of reverse bias. Surface leakage appears to be the dominant mechanism responsible for the observed leakage currents. The diode forward current is limited by recomination in the space charge region.
The Thick Tail Mutation Contains Anomalies of the Axial Skeleton

Analysis of the skeletal effects of thick tail (Tht), a radiation-induced mutation, has revealed numerous anomalies in the axial skeleton. The affected regions include the atlantal-occipital region as well as the lumbar (Lu) and caudal (Ca) vertebrae in which the ossified adult structures are either missing or reduced in size. Skeletons of juvenile Tht heterozygotes exhibit a malformed occipital bone, atlas, smaller Ca vertebrae, and delayed ossification of the affected adult structures. The diminished amount of cartilage and bone suggests that the Tht gene may be functioning during the formation of these tissues.
High-performance liquid chromatographic profiles of low-molecular-weight, u.v.-absorbing compounds in the sera of beagles exposed to cigarette smoke

Abstract High-performance liquid chromatography with a nonpolar stationary phase was used to determine the low-molecular-weight, u.v.-absorbing compounds in the sera of male beagles exposed to cigarette smoke. The sera from three groups of tracheostomized beagles were processed. The ChromatographiC profiles of the beagles exposed to the smoke of low-nicotine cigarettes for 610–750 days were not significantly different from the profiles of beagles identically exposed to the smoke of high-nicotine cigarettes. However, several important differences were determined between the profiles of sham controls and the dogs exposed to cigarette smoke. Most notably, a two-fold elevation of serum inosine was found in all beagles exposed to cigarette smoke.
Serial position effect as a function of intertrial interval

Summary A discrimination theory, stating that serial position effects are dependent upon the ITI for providing a discriminable order cue, was tested by the following experimental conditions: (1) where the ITI was eliminated by equating it with the ISI, (2) where the ITI was eliminated and the beginning of the list was disguised, and (3) where the ITI's location was varied. These groups were compared with a control condition (traditional serial presentation). All experimental conditions significantly reduced primacy-recency effects and retarded rate of acquisition. Experimental Ss typically utilized their own discriminable item for establishing an idiosyncratic serial position curve.
IntraVAD, An Intra-Ventricular Assistive Device for Heart Failure Patients: Design and Proof of Concept Simulations

Ventricular assistive devices are approved by Food and Drug Administration as an alternative to heart transplant for congestive heart failure patients. Unlike other devices requiring open-heart surgery, thin active flexible membrane of IntraVAD, made of ionic polymer-metal composites and shape memory alloys (SMA), enables transcatheter implantation and eliminates thoracotomy. Actuation mechanism of the device mimics the natural motion of the heart, applies almost no shear stress on blood cells, and leaves no stagnant points. Hence, it reduces hemolysis and thrombosis risks. The first step in designing the device is defining the objectives based on hemodynamics of eligible patients. A 3-dimensional model is extracted from magnetic resonance images of a subject to provide a precise representation of the inner shape of the ventricle. Numerical solution to the mathematical model of the behavior of ionic polymer-metal composites is then used to check their compliancy with the objectives. Different actuator designs are evaluated to perform the desired motions and address the cardiac insufficiency. Using an iterative design and simulation process, various geometric and material parameters affecting the performance of the device are optimized, including those of the antagonistic two-way SMA actuators. Although methods and results provided here are for the left ventricle, the same are also applicable to the right ventricle.
Extension in the Cretaceous Sevier orogen, North American Cordillera

Recent geologic studies in the western United States Cordillera provide evidence of extensional deformation in Cretaceous time, during development of the Sevier foreland fold and thrust belt. This evidence comes from the region roughly bound on the east by the fold and thrust belt and on the west by the Mesozoic continental arc. We postulate that extension in this Internal Zone accommodated gravitational collapse of the. evolving Sevier orogen. Major surface-breaking normal faults and extensional basins that characterize other regions of syncompressional gravitational collapse (such as the Himalayan orogen) have not been documented in the Cretaceous record of the Internal Zone. Consequently, if extension was widespread in the Internal Zone, then it had little surface expression. We propose a conceptual model of the Sevier orogen, consistent with geologic constraints and supported by simplistic rheological arguments, in which westward movement of a mid-crustal extensional allochthon was driven by buoyancy stresses in the over-thickened Internal Zone. Bound at the top by the master decollement of the Sevier fold and thrust belt and at the bottom by a west-dipping, normal-sense shear zone, this extensional allochthon would have been effectively decoupled from the upper and lower crust and free to accommodate gravitational collapse during continued convergence across the orogen.
The sublethal effects of low-pH exposure on the chemoreception of Poecilia sphenops.

In this study, Poecilia sphenops (gold mollies) were chronically exposed to low pH that mimic those found in natural environments, e.g., rivers and lakes. The Poecilia sphenops were placed in two separate aquaria with pH levels of 5 and 6 and presented with a different chemically mediated behavioral challenge of locating the food source. The results indicated that under pH 5 the Poecilia sphenops had difficulties in locating the odor source of food and at the same time their swimming speed were greatly reduced. The failure by the Poecilia sphenops to locate the food source and their reduced swimming speed can have a negative impact on the survival of the fish by introducing a high probability of starvation. If the fish are starved, it means that even their reproduction rate will be reduced, while the juveniles growth will be arrested under natural conditions of acidification. In addition to this, since the fish’s swimming speed is also impaired, it means that, they will be unable to run away from their predators once found. The combination of starvation and failure to run away from predators could negatively impact the gold mollies severely. Their fitness would be compromised.
Gas absorption and oxidation in dispersed media

The absorption and subsequent liquid-phase reaction of oxygen was studied with two types of dispersion apparatus, the Venturi atomizer and the fritted-glass disperser. The systems studied in both devices included the absorption of atmospheric oxygen by catalyzed sodium sulfite solutions and the simultaneous absorption of atmospheric oxygen with nitrogen dioxide and with sulfur dioxide by water. Very large values of the liquid-film mass transfer coefficient for oxygen absorption were measured in the atomization zone of the Venturi atomizer. Over-all recovery efficiencies were less than 2.3% for nitrogen dioxide but reached as much as 22% for sulfur dioxide. Oxidation efficiencies for sodium sulfite solutions ranged up to 80%, depending on the operating conditions. The fritted-glass disperser gave recovery efficiencies of nitrogen dioxide as high as 90% from air containing 10% of the gas. The recovery efficiency decreased at low concentrations of nitrogen dioxide for both the Venturi atomizer and the fritted-glass disperser.
131 EFFECT OF DIGOXIN ON MORTALITY AND ON BLOOD FLOW DISTRIBUTION IN THE CARDIOMYOPATHIC TURKEY

Congestive cardiomyopathy(CCM) of turkeys(TK) results in a 25-30% mortality by 10 days of age in our inbred flock. We examined the effect of oral digoxin(Dig) (0.05 mg/kg/day) on the early mortality, and the effect of IV Dig (0.1 mg/kg) on blood flow (BF) distribution in inbred TK with and without cardiac dilation. Dig reduced mortality from 28.3% (28/99) in untreated CCM TK to 9.2% (6/65) in treated TK (P 0.05. Of particular interest, the LV subendo-subepicardial BF ratio was similar in Con and CD TK (1.34±0.04 vs 1.26±0.03). Dig had no effect on total or regional myocardial BF in CD or Con TK; it did significantly reduce renal (-24%, P<0.005), hepatic (-27%, P<0.025) and pancreatic (-32%, P<0.01) BF in Con TK. The results of this study suggest that Dig, by unknown mechanism(s) reduces early mortality in CCM TK; that the transmural distribution of LV flow in 3-4 month TK with cardiac dilation is not altered; and that Dig has no effect on regional BF distribution in myopathic hearts.
IMPROVING SVM PERFORMANCE IN MULTI-LABEL DOMAINS: THRESHOLD ADJUSTMENT

In “multi-label domains,” where the same example can simultaneously belong to two or more classes, it is customary to induce a separate binary classifier for each class, and then use them all in parallel. As a result, some of these classifiers are induced from imbalanced training sets where one class outnumbers the other – a circumstance known to hurt some machine learning paradigms. In the case of Support Vector Machines (SVM), this suboptimal behavior is explained by the fact that SVM seeks to minimize error rate, a criterion that is in domains of this type misleading. This is why several research groups have studied mechanisms to readjust the bias of SVM's hyperplane. The best of these achieves very good classification performance at the price of impractically high computational costs. We propose here an improvement where these cost are reduced to a small fraction without significantly impairing classification.
Next-generation sequencing-by-hybridization

A new hybridization-based technology offers advantages in sequencing genomes for which a reference genome exists.