cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Role of bag cells in egg deposition ofAplysia brasiliana

Egg deposition behaviors are analyzed from time-lapse recordings during which “spontaneous” discharges of the neuroendocrine bag cells are recorded with chronically implanted cuff electrodes. In the laboratory,Aplysia brasiliana normally deposit long egg cordons on the substrate in a characteristic “figure 8” pattern similar to the configuration of egg masses observed in the natural environment. The overt behaviors associated with egg deposition are rhythmic head movements consisting of three components that overlap with characteristic relative latencies: up-and-down “undulations”, side-to-side “weaves” and in-and-out “tamps”. The characteristics of the three behaviors and their time courses relative to the appearance of eggs on the substrate suggest that undulations prepare the substrate, weaves distribute the egg cordon and tamps attach the cordon to the substrate. The same rhythmic head movements are also elicited by injections of homogenized abdominal ganglia (HAG) containing bag cell clusters, with comparable “relative” latencies and maximum frequencies but for shorter total durations. The overt behaviors begin earlier for normal than for triggered egg laying, often before the “spontaneous” release of bag cell hormones. This suggests that the head oscillations in intact animals are not normally initiated by bag cell activity. The mean latency to the appearance of the egg cordon on the substrate is the same (about 34 min) following either HAG injections or spontaneous bag cell discharges, confirming previous suggestions that the bag cell discharge triggers ovulation. Furthermore, the head movements appear to terminate at the same time following release or injection of hormone. The accompanying paper demonstrates that the full expression of the behavioral effects of bag cell injections depend upon normal movement of eggs in the reproductive tract.
Mild and Equitable Establishments

This paper, which was prepared for discussion at the May 2018 Dulles Colloquium, convened by the Institute for Public Life, engages current discussions and debates regarding the nature of “liberalism” and the content of “religious freedom.” It considers, specifically, whether a “liberal" political community may and/or should recognize or establish a religion, drawing on the Second Vatican Council's “Declaration on Religious Freedom.” And, it addresses the controversy surrounding “Big Mountain Jesus.”
Acid Insoluble Ash as a Marker of Digestibility for Sheep Fed Corn Plants or Hay and for Lactating Dairy Cattle Fed Hay

Research has shown acid insoluble ash (AIA) in feeds to be an acceptable natural marker for the determination of dry matter digestibility in sheep and steers fed diets of hay plus grain. However, in previous studies, animals were fed diets designed to ensure little or no orts. The purpose of this study was to determine the adequacy of AIA as an indicator of dry matter digestibility when sheep or dairy cows were fed ad libitum. Fecal, feed and ort samples from wethers and lactating Holstein cows from previous digestibility studies were used to determine the usefulness of AIA as an indicator of digestibility. Thirty-two wethers were fed whole corn plants or corn stover frozen and stored fresh or ensiled. Diets were fed ad libitum to ensure between 5 and 10% orts. In a second study, seven wethers and 10 lactating cows fed fed ad libitum alfalfa or orchard grass hay diets with 23% grain to ensure at least 10% orts. Correlation coefficients for digestibility determined by total collection versus AIA for wethers fed corn plants, cows fed hay diets and wethers fed hay diets were .96, .95 and .40, respectively. The low correlation for wethers fed hay was apparently due to a high quantity of orts with a variable AIA content. The range of total recovery of AIA from all animals was of total recovery of AIA from all animals was 98 to 102% when ort AIA was taken into account, and 91 to 121% when ort AIA was not taken into account. The use of AIA as a natural marker for the estimation of digestibility when diets are fed ad libitum has potential, provided that a sufficient number of animals is used and diets are adequately mixed to limit feed selection and sorting, or intake is determined and feed and orts are sampled.
Variation in center-level frailty burden and the impact of frailty on long-term survival in patients undergoing elective repair for abdominal aortic aneurysms

Abstract Objective Frailty is increasingly recognized as a key determinant in predicting postoperative outcomes. Centers that see more frail patients may not be captured in risk adjustment, potentially accounting for poorer outcomes in hospital comparisons. We aimed to (1) determine the effect of frailty on long-term mortality in patients undergoing elective abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair and (2) evaluate the variability in frailty burden among centers in the Vascular Quality Initiative (VQI) database. Methods Patients undergoing elective open and endovascular AAA repair (2003-2017) were identified, and those with complete data on component variables of the VQI-derived Risk Analysis Index (VQI-RAI) and centers with ≥10 AAA repairs were included. VQI-RAI characteristics are sex, age, body mass index, renal failure, congestive heart failure, dyspnea, preoperative ambulation, and functional status. Frailty was defined as VQI-RAI ≥35 based on prior work in surgical patients using other quality improvement databases. This corresponds to the top 12% of patients at risk in the VQI. Center-level VQI-RAI differences were assessed by analysis of variance test. Relationships between frailty and survival were compared by Kaplan-Meier analysis and the log-rank test for open and endovascular procedures. Multivariable hierarchical Cox proportional hazards regression models were calculated with random intercepts for center, controlling for frailty, race, insurance, AAA diameter, procedure type, AAA case mix, and year. Results A total of 15,803 patients from 185 centers were included. Mean VQI-RAI scores were 27.6 (standard deviation, 5.9; range, 4-56) and varied significantly across centers (F = 2.41, P Conclusions There is considerable variability of preoperative frailty among VQI centers performing elective AAA repair. Adjusting for center-level variation, frailty but not procedure type had a significant association with long-term mortality; however, frailty and procedure type were both associated with nonhome discharge. Routine measurement of frailty preoperatively by centers to identify high-risk patients may help mitigate procedural and long-term outcomes and improve shared decision-making regarding AAA repair.
Fuel Sensitivity of Lean Blowout in a RQL Gas Turbine Combustor

Transition from fossil fuels to synthetic drop-in fuels without the need to change existing combustors is the current research topic. The combustor performances such as cold-day ignition limits, lean blow-out (LBO) limits and altitude relight limits are the main focus points. The objective of this work is to evaluate the effect of different fuel candidates on the operability of gas turbines by comparing a conventional petroleum-based fuel with one other alternative fuel candidate. Time filtered Navier-Stokes simulations (TFNS) and K-LES are performed to examine the performance of these fuels at the stable conditions close to blow-out in a referee combustor rig.
Quantitative Phenotyping of Vascular Damage Caused by Fusarium Wilt Disease in Cowpea

ABSTRACT Assessment of the severity of Fusarium wilt disease in cowpea and other crops relies mainly on visual rating scales which are prone to errors, which can compromise the reproducibility of the data. Furthermore, the rating scales require considerable practical training and routine experience for reliable assessment. Two objective metrics, stem vascular discoloration length (%VDL) and number of Fusarium necrotic vessels (NFNV), for quantitative measurement of vascular damage incited by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. tracheiphilum race 4 (Fot4) of cowpea, were compared and their utility as a measure of disease severity and potential usefulness in other crop pathosystems is proposed. The metrics were tested in seven F2 populations and one F2:3 population, segregating for wilt response, and inoculated with race Fot4 at the seedling stage. %VDL and NFNV were highly correlated with plant wilting for all populations (r = 0.51 – 0.93 and 0.52 – 0.94, respectively). Furthermore, the relationships between the variables were linear in all populations (R2 = 0.81 to 0.87 and 0.71 to 0.91), indicating that they can provide accurate and reliable measurement of severity of Fusarium wilt disease. Also, %VDL and NFNV were strongly correlated (r = 0.88 - 0.97) and demonstrated a linear relationship (R2 = 0.69 – 0.94). Analysis of goodness-of-fit in two F2 populations revealed that errors in measurement of vascular discoloration length can result in higher segregation distortion when compared to enumeration of necrotic vessels. However, both metrics were highly effective in accounting for the severity of vascular damage caused by Fusarium wilt disease.
Situation Calculus by Term Rewriting

A version of the situation calculus in which situations are represented as first-order terms is presented. Fluents can be computed from the term structure, and actions on the situations correspond to rewrite rules on the terms. Actions that only depend on or influence a subset of the fluents can be described as rewrite rules that operate on subterms of the terms in some cases. If actions are bidirectional then efficient completion methods can be used to solve planning problems. This representation for situations and actions is most similar to the fluent calculus of Thielscher \cite{Thielscher98}, except that this representation is more flexible and more use is made of the subterm structure. Some examples are given, and a few general methods for constructing such sets of rewrite rules are presented. This paper was submitted to FSCD 2020 on December 23, 2019.
Sleep Disordered Breathing at High Altitude

Sleep apnea at high altitude is a prevalent breathing disorder driven by hypobaric hypoxia and hypocapnic alkalosis as a result of ascension. In sleep apnea patients, traveling to a higher climate may generate or exacerbate sleep apnea of all types, particularly central sleep apnea related to high-altitude periodic breathing. Underlying cardiopulmonary pathology, medication, and substance abuse history should be considered in the differential diagnosis of suspected high-altitude periodic breathing. Commonly prescribed, prophylactic use of acetazolamide has shown beneficial effects on patients with central sleep apnea, especially when used in conjunction with the patients’ home positive airway pressure therapy. Other treatments include supplemental oxygen. Definitive treatment is descent from high altitude.
Focus, Then Compare

We study the following random choice procedure. First, the agent focuses on an option at random from the set of available options. Then, she compares the focal option to each other available alternative. Comparisons are binary, random and independent of each other. The agent chooses the focal option if it passes all comparisons favorably. Otherwise, the agent draws a new focal option with replacement. We characterize the procedure's revealed preference implications, show that it accommodates the Attraction effect and Choice overload, and discuss how to conduct welfare comparisons. We conclude by showing that while utility maximization is the procedure's unique deterministic special case, nearly deterministic versions of the procedure can exhibit context effects.
Spray-Dried Formulation of Epicertin, a Recombinant Cholera Toxin B Subunit Variant That Induces Mucosal Healing

Epicertin (EPT) is a recombinant variant of the cholera toxin B subunit, modified with a C-terminal KDEL endoplasmic reticulum retention motif. EPT has therapeutic potential for ulcerative colitis treatment. Previously, orally administered EPT demonstrated colon epithelial repair activity in dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced acute and chronic colitis in mice. However, the oral dosing requires cumbersome pretreatment with sodium bicarbonate to conserve the acid-labile drug substance while transit through the stomach, hampering its facile application in chronic disease treatment. Here, we developed a solid oral formulation of EPT that circumvents degradation in gastric acid. EPT was spray-dried and packed into enteric-coated capsules to allow for pH-dependent release in the colon. A GM1-capture KDEL-detection ELISA and size-exclusion HPLC indicated that EPT powder maintains activity and structural stability for up to 9 months. Capsule disintegration tests showed that EPT remained encapsulated at pH 1 but was released over 180 min at pH 6.8, the approximate pH of the proximal colon. An acute DSS colitis study confirmed the therapeutic efficacy of encapsulated EPT in C57BL/6 mice upon oral administration without gastric acid neutralization pretreatment compared to vehicle-treated mice (p < 0.05). These results provide a foundation for an enteric-coated oral formulation of spray-dried EPT.
Critical reagent characterization and re-evaluation to ensure long-term stability: two case studies

Characterization of critical reagents can mitigate adverse impact to ligand-binding assay performance. We investigated the conjugation conditions of a bispecific protein to SULFO-TAG NHS-Ester™ ruthenium to resolve a steady increase in ligand-binding assay background signal. Functional and biophysical attributes in stability samples revealed low pH (4.0) conjugation and formulation buffers were key to decrease aggregate formation. We also identified pH-specific (3.0) purification conditions to reduce aggregate levels from 37% to <5% of a mouse IgG3 reagent antibody. These case studies support the utility of biophysical and functional characterization of critical reagents as a proactive approach to maintain long-term stability and provide the basis for our recommendations a risk-based approach to establish re-evaluation intervals for traditional and novel reagents.
The Supreme Court Case We Should Have Mediated

In this article, the author describes a case he argued in the U.S. Supreme Court concerning constitutional issues which, in retrospect, he should have mediated. He describes the cognitive distortions that influenced his decision and the inventive solution that might have been agreed to by all parties.
Angiogenesis

Angiogenesis, the growth and proliferation of blood vessels from existing vascular structures, is tightly regulated in adult tissues, and abnormalities in angiogenesis are associated with a number of pathologic states. Strategies designed to promote angiogenesis to treat disorders of inadequate tissue perfusion, such as occurs in coronary artery and peripheral vascular disease, have led to the area of therapeutic angiogenesis. Approaches to block angiogenesis are actively being explored to treat diseases that range from arthritis to cancer. This article will review some of the basic concepts of vascular development and the mechanisms involved in angiogenesis. Particular attention will be paid to the growth factors and receptors that are known to mediate angiogenesis, and a description of some of the cell signaling mechanisms that are involved in the regulation of angiogenesis will be described. Finally, potential targets that may provide opportunities to enhance or block angiogenesis will be discussed.
Visible or Invisible? Black Girls’ Experiences in a Mathematics Classroom

Building on extant literature, the present qualitative study explored Black adolescent girls’ racial and gendered experiences as mathematics learners. Data collection included focus groups with Black adolescent girls (N = 30, Mage = 12.64 years). Several themes concerning their racialized and gendered schooling experiences emerged, which centered on language use, competition with boys, and working hard to prove themselves. To cope with the racialized and gendered experiences within mathematics classrooms, Black girls developed informal support networks. It was also revealed that some of these coping strategies (e.g., resistance for survival) might put Black girls at risk for lower mathematics beliefs and attitudes. Directions for future research and implications for Black girls as mathematics learners are discussed.
Deviations from NIRS-derived optimal blood pressure are associated with worse outcomes after pediatric cardiac arrest.

Abstract Aim Evaluate cerebrovascular autoregulation (CAR) using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) after pediatric cardiac arrest and determine if deviations from CAR-derived optimal mean arterial pressure (MAPopt) are associated with outcomes. Methods CAR was quantified by a moving, linear correlation between time-synchronized mean arterial pressure (MAP) and regional cerebral oxygenation, called cerebral oximetry index (COx). MAPopt was calculated using a multi-window weighted algorithm. We calculated burden (magnitude and duration) of MAP less than 5 mmHg below MAPopt (MAPopt - 5), as the area between MAP and MAPopt - 5 curves using numerical integration and normalized as percentage of monitoring duration. Unfavorable outcome was defined as death or pediatric cerebral performance category (PCPC) at hospital discharge ≥3 with ≥1 change from baseline. Univariate logistic regression tested association between burden of MAP less than MAPopt - 5 and outcome. Results Thirty-four children (median age 2.9 [IQR 1.5,13.4] years) were evaluated. Median COx in the first 24 h post-cardiac arrest was 0.06 [0,0.20]; patients spent 27% [19,43] of monitored time with COx ≥ 0.3. Patients with an unfavorable outcome (n = 24) had a greater difference between MAP and MAPopt - 5 (13 [11,19] vs. 9 [8,10] mmHg, p = 0.01) and spent more time with MAP below MAPopt - 5 (38% [26,61] vs. 24% [14,28], p = 0.03). Patients with unfavorable outcome had a higher burden of MAP less than MAPopt - 5 than patients with favorable outcome in the first 24 h post-arrest (187 [107,316] vs. 62 [43,102] mmHg × Min/Hr; OR 4.93 [95% CI 1.16–51.78]). Conclusions Greater burden of MAP below NIRS-derived MAPopt - 5 during the first 24 h after cardiac arrest was associated with unfavorable outcomes.
Mechanism of action of neuropeptides: a group of naturally occurring (endogenous) anti-inflammatory analgesic compounds

The neuropeptides, neurotensin and endorphins, modulate nociceptive stimuli. Painful stimuli are diminished. Several regulatory neuropeptides with pharmacological activity, including beta-endorphin, somatostatin, alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone, neurotensin and substance P, were evaluated in inflammation. Urate crystal-induced inflammation was used as the model for inflammation. Previous studies relating to physiological function of neuropeptides to this model of inflammation have not been reported.
Presenilin-1 Dependent Neurogenesis Regulates Hippocampal Learning and Memory.

Presenilin-1 (PS1), the catalytic core of the aspartyl protease γ-secretase, regulates adult neurogenesis. However, it is not clear whether the role of neurogenesis in hippocampal learning and memory is PS1-dependent, or whether PS1 loss of function in adult hippocampal neurogenesis can cause learning and memory deficits. Here we show that downregulation of PS1 in hippocampal neural progenitor cells causes progressive deficits in pattern separation and novelty exploration. New granule neurons expressing reduced PS1 levels exhibit decreased dendritic branching and dendritic spines. Further, they exhibit reduced survival. Lastly, we show that PS1 effect on neurogenesis is mediated via β-catenin phosphorylation and notch signaling. Together, these observations suggest that impairments in adult neurogenesis induce learning and memory deficits and may play a role in the cognitive deficits observed in Alzheimer’s disease.
Guaranteed performance control of nonlinear dynamic systems arising from large flexible space structures

This paper considers the control problem of nonlinear uncertain systems arising from flexible aerospace structures. We begin by addressing the tracking problem of a class of nonlinear dynamic systems with modeling uncertainties and external disturbances. New control algorithms against modeling uncertainties are proposed. It is shown that these algorithms not only guarantee system stability, but also achieve certain bounded performance index, and they are readily applicable in vibration suppression of large flexible space structures. Numerical verification of the proposed strategy is demonstrated via the lumped mass model of a hypersonic aerospace flight vehicle structure.
Relativistic quantum mechanics: A space-time formalism for spin-zero particles

A single-particle quantum formalism is constructed for spin-zero particles based upon state functions and operators defined on a four-dimensional space-time manifold. This yields a generalized Schrodinger equation having a Hermitian Hamiltonian and a derivative with respect to proper time. This formulation requires that particle mass be treated as an observable, not as a specified constant. A consistent probability interpretation results and a proper classical limit is exhibited. It is proposed that this formalism should properly replace the conventional Klein-Gordon formalism.
Recidivism among Child Molesters: A Brief Overview.

Abstract The sexual abuse of children has received a tremendous amount of attention in recent years. Accordingly, both the criminal justice and mental health systems deal with child molesters. Since much of the public concerns revolve around the potential dangerousness of any given child molester, practitioners are frequently responsible for making assessments regarding these risks. Ideally, this should be based on the research on recidivism. However, studies on this topic frequently produce conflicting and confusing results. This paper reviews the relevant literature to summarize the problems facing many recidivism studies. Considering these limitations, estimates of baseline recidivism rates and risk factors for recidivism are discussed.
Effects of 50/degree/C surveillance and test reactor irradiations on ferritic pressure vessel steel embrittlement

The results of surveillance tests on the High-Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) pressure vessel at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory revealed that a greater than expected embrittlement had taken place after about 17.5 effective full-power years of operation and an operational assessment program was undertaken to fully evaluate the vessel condition and recommend conditions under which operation could be resumed. A research program was undertaken that included irradiating specimens in the Oak Ridge Research Reactor. Specimens of the A212 grade B vessel shell material were included, along with specimens from a nozzle qualification weld and a submerged-arc weld fabricated at ORNL to reproduce the vessel seam weld. The results of the surveillance program and the materials research program performed in support of the evaluation of the HFIR pressure vessel are presented and show the welds to be more radiation resistant than the A212B. Results of irradiated tensile and annealing experiments are described as well as a discussion of mechanisms which may be responsible for enhanced hardening at low damage rates. 20 refs., 22 figs., 5 tabs.
Scheduling performance polymorphic computations in real-time systems

The scheduling problems for real-time systems with multiversion computations are studied. A computation is performance polymorphic if it has been implemented in several versions each with a different performance characteristics like the time needed to produce a result. Given a set of periodic or aperiodic jobs, each with multiple versions, an investigation is made of the scheduling problem which determines the execution time for each job, and a version is selected to optimize the overall system performance objective. The problems are modeled as resource sharing problems. Known techniques for the sharing problem can be used to allocate the time to each job. Several heuristic algorithms are studied for problems which are NP-complete, and their performances are compared. >
Predicting wave-induced ripple equilibrium geometry

[1] A comprehensive database of existing (since 1954) field and laboratory measurements of ripple geometry is compiled and combined with newly collected field data to examine the performance of ripple equilibrium predictors. Reanalysis of this enlarged ripple geometry data set reveals that ripples formed from monochromatic waves scale differently than ripples formed from random waves for many existing ripple predictors. Our analysis indicates that ripple wavelengths from the two data sets collapse into a single scaling when the semiorbital excursion and sediment grain diameter are used as normalizing factors. Ripple steepness remains relatively constant for both regular and irregular wave conditions, and it only slightly increases for shorter ripple wavelengths. These findings allowed for the development of a new equilibrium ripple predictor suitable for application in a wide range of wave and sediment conditions.
Changes in zebrafish phagocytic activity induced by acute ethanol exposure vary by time of day and leukocyte type (INC5P.327)

Chronic alcohol abuse and acute alcohol consumption (binge drinking) have been associated with suppression of immune function. Reduced phagocytic activity in macrophages and altered levels of inflammatory mediators have been reported in mammalian studies of ethanol exposure. To explore whether the zebrafish model could be valuable in understanding the effects of ethanol on innate immune activity, we assessed the activity of zebrafish phagocytes after acute exposure to ethanol in tank water. Experiments were conducted at different times of day to also determine whether effects of ethanol vary in a diurnal pattern. Treating wild-type AB strain fish with ethanol in the morning reduced the percentage of total phagocytic cells that ingested bacteria. The opposite results were observed in the evening, when a higher proportion of cells participated in phagocytosis compared to controls. To distinguish between the activity of macrophages and neutrophils, mpx:GFP zebrafish were also used. Exposure to ethanol in tank water resulted in a reduction in the amount of bacteria engulfed by neutrophils, whereas changes in macrophage phagocytic activity were not as evident. These initial results indicate that ethanol affects subsets of phagocytic cells differently, and that the effects may be time-of-day dependent.
Read/Write based fast-path transformation for FCFS mutual exclusion

Lamport observed that in practical systems processes rarely compete for the entry into the Critical Section [1]. This led to research on fast mutual exclusion algorithms that, in the absence of contention, allow a process to enter and exit the Critical Section in O(1) steps. Anderson and Kim designed a general transformation that can turn any mutual exclusion algorithm $\mathcal{A}$ into a new algorithm $\mathcal{A'}$ that is fast [2]. Their transformation, however, does not preserve the fairness property FCFS. The main result of this paper is the design of a new transformation which works similarly as Anderson and Kim's, but additionally preserves FCFS. Our transformation, like theirs, requires only read/write registers.
Toward Revealing Kernel Malware Behavior in Virtual Execution Environments

Using a sandbox for malware analysis has proven effective in helping people quickly understand the behavior of unknown malware. This technique is also complementary to other malware analysis techniques such as static code analysis and debugger-based code analysis. This paper presents Rkprofiler , a sandbox-based malware tracking system that dynamically monitors and analyzes the behavior of Windows kernel malware. Kernel malware samples run inside a virtual machine (VM) that is supported and managed by a PC emulator. By building its monitoring component into the PC emulator, Rkprofiler is able to inspect each instruction executed by the kernel malware and therefore possesses a powerful weapon against the malware. Rkprofiler provides several capabilities that other malware tracking systems do not. First, it can detect the execution of malicious kernel code regardless of how the monitored kernel malware is loaded into the kernel and whether it is packed or not. Second, it captures all function calls made by the kernel malware and constructs call graphs from the trace files. Third, a technique called aggressive memory tagging (AMT) is proposed to track the dynamic data objects that the kernel malware visit. Last, Rkprofiler records and reports the hardware access events of kernel malware (e.g., MSR register reads and writes). Our evaluation results show that Rkprofiler can quickly expose the security-sensitive activities of kernel malware and thus reduces the effort exerted in conducting tedious manual malware analysis.
Salmonella Infections in Childhood

Salmonella are gram-negative bacilli within the family Enterobacteriaceae. They are the cause of significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. Animals (pets) are an important reservoir for nontyphoidal Salmonella, whereas humans are the only natural host and reservoir for Salmonella Typhi. Salmonella infections are a major cause of gastroenteritis worldwide. They account for an estimated 2.8 billion cases of diarrheal disease each year. The transmission of Salmonella is frequently associated with the consumption of contaminated water and food of animal origin, and it is facilitated by conditions of poor hygiene. Nontyphoidal Salmonella infections have a worldwide distribution, whereas most typhoidal Salmonella infections in the United States are acquired abroad. In the United States, Salmonella is a common agent for food-borne–associated infections. Several outbreaks have been identified and are most commonly associated with agricultural products. Nontyphoidal Salmonella infection is usually characterized by a self-limited gastroenteritis in immunocompetent hosts in industrialized countries, but it may also cause invasive disease in vulnerable individuals (eg, children less than 1 year of age, immunocompromised). Antibiotic treatment is not recommended for treatment of mild to moderate gastroenteritis by nontyphoidal Salmonella in immunocompetent adults or children more than 1 year of age. Antibiotic treatment is recommended for nontyphoidal Salmonella infections in infants less than 3 months of age, because they are at higher risk for bacteremia and extraintestinal complications. Typhoid (enteric) fever and its potential complications have a significant impact on children, especially those who live in developing countries. Antibiotic treatment of typhoid fever has become challenging because of the emergence of Salmonella Typhi strains that are resistant to classically used first-line agents: ampicillin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, and chloramphenicol. The choice of antibiotics for the management of typhoid fever should be guided by the local resistance pattern. Recommendations include using an extended spectrum cephalosporin, azithromycin, or a fluoroquinolone. Fecal carriage of Salmonella is an important factor in the spread of the organism to healthy individuals. The most important measures to prevent the spread and outbreaks of Salmonella infections and typhoid fever are adequate sanitation protocols for food processing and handling as well as hand hygiene. In the United States, 2 vaccines are commercially available against Salmonella Typhi. The WHO recommends the use of these vaccines in endemic areas and for outbreak control.
Motivated Behaviors and Levels of 3α,5α-THP in the Midbrain Are Attenuated by Knocking Down Expression of Pregnane Xenobiotic Receptor in the Midbrain Ventral Tegmental Area of Proestrous Rats

Introduction Progesterone (P4) and its product, 5α-pregnan-3α-ol-20-one (3α,5α-THP), act in the midbrain ventral tegmental area (VTA) to alter motivated behaviors, such as mating, and motor and anxiety behavior. Of interest is whether 3α,5α-THP formation requires the pregnane xenobiotic receptor (PXR), which is expressed in the midbrain of rats.
Cognitive strategies and running performance: an exploratory study

Cognitive style differences between more and less successful but still highly skilled athletes have been identified. This study examined the cognitive strategy use of novice runners, and investigated the effects of training to adopt either associative or dissociative cognitive strategies on the performance of new runners. Students in fitness classes were randomly assigned to an Associative group, a Dissociative group or a Relaxation Control group. Before, during, and after five weeks of strategy training subjects competed in a one and one-half mile run. Analyses revealed that all runners used increasingly more associative cognitive strategies over the training period. However, those runners who employed relatively more dissociative cognitive strategies demonstrated a greater reduction in running time over trials relative to students who reported using more associative strategies. The interaction between cognitive strategy use and physical skills was discussed.
Preceding chemotherapy, tumour load and age influence engraftment in multiple myeloma patients mobilized with granulocyte colony‐stimulating factor alone

Haematopoietic growth factors, especially granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), are frequently utilized alone for peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) procurement to avoid the morbidity associated with high-dose chemotherapy (HDT). Moreover, the cytotoxic agents used may not be the most optimal therapy for the malignancy. It also makes scheduling of apheresis easier. Factors having an impact on PBSC procurement and engraftment after HDT were analysed in 117 multiple myeloma patients mobilized with G-CSF (10–16 µg/kg, median 12 µg/kg) alone using Cox regression analysis. A median of 6·2 × 106 CD34 cells/kg (range 0·6–34·1) were procured during leukapheresis and a median of 2·5 × 106 CD34 cells was infused after the first HDT (range 0·3–23·9). The only factor significantly affecting optimal PBSC procurement was duration of preceding conventional chemotherapy (P = 0·002). Granulocyte recovery was prompt in almost all patients, 75% of whom attained a granulocyte count of 0·5 × 109/l by day 13 (median 11, range 7–19). However, platelet recovery to both 20 × 109/l (median 12 d, range 8–50+) and 50 × 109/l (median 20 d, range 7–205+) varied widely. On univariate analysis, factors influencing platelet recovery were the number of CD34 cells/kg infused, age, β2-microglobulin levels, response to preceding therapy, bone marrow plasmacytosis and duration of prior therapy. Factors attaining significance on multivariate analysis included number of CD34 cells/kg infused (P = 0·007), β2-microglobulin levels (P = 0·0001), most probably representing disease load, and age (P = 0·002). Patients with high tumour burden, i.e. β2-microglobulin levels > 2·5 mg/l, probably benefit from chemotherapy for mobilization both in terms of cytoreduction and adequate stem cell mobilization resulting in accelerated engraftment.
Field emission from bias grown diamond thin films in a CH 4 /N 2 /H 2 plasma

We have investigated field emission properties from diamond films grown under substrate bias conditions in a MPCVD system, with a substrate temperature of 800/spl deg/C, microwave power of 600 W and a total pressure of 11 Torr. One group of films was grown with a substrate bias at -100 V in a gas mixture of 1% N/sub 2/, 1% to 20% CH/sub 4/ in H/sub 2/, while a second group of films was grown with a substrate bias ranging from +100 V to -150 V in a gas mixture of 1% N/sub 2/-10% CH/sub 4/-89% H/sub 2/. Field emission performance in terms of turn-on field and emission current improved considerably as CH/sub 4/ concentration and negative bias voltage increase.
The surf zone heat budget: The effect of wave heating

Surf zone incident wave energy flux is dissipated by wave breaking which through viscosity generates heat. This effect is not present in shelf heat budgets and has not previously been considered. Pier-based observations of water temperature in 1–4 m depth, meteorology, and waves are used to test a surf zone heat budget, which closes on diurnal and longer time scales. Wave energy flux is the second most variable term with mean contribution one fourth of the mean short-wave radiation. The heat budget residual has semidiurnal and higher-frequency variability and net cooling. Cross-shore advective heat flux driven by internal wave events, rip currents, and undertow contribute to this residual variability and net cooling. In locations with large waves, steeper beaches, or less solar radiation, the ratio of wave energy flux to short-wave radiation may be >1.
Development and selective neurodegeneration in cell cultures from different hippocampal regions

Previous studies have shown that pyramidal neurons in hippocampal regions CA1 and CA3 are selectively vulnerable in several neurodegenerative disorders and that a subpopulation of pyramidal neurons in cell cultures of embryonic hippocampus are sensitive to glutamate neurotoxicity. In order to determine whether the patterns of cell loss seen in situ correlate with intrinsic differences in neuronal sensitivities to glutamate-induced degeneration acquired during development, we characterized cultures established from different regions of postnatal rat hippocampus and then examined neuronal sensitivity to glutamate. Tissue corresponding to the dentate gyrus (DG) and regions CA1, CA2 and CA3 of Ammon's horn was removed by microdissection from transverse hippocampal slices and was used to establish cultures of dissociated cells. Cultures from all 4 regions contained 3 major morphological classes of neurons; pyramidal-like, bipolar and stellate. Pyramidal-like neurons comprised the majority of neurons in all cultures; these neurons extended one long and branching axon, and one or more short dendrites. Immunocytochemistry showed that all neurons possessed high levels of glutamate-like and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-like immunoreactivity when grown in isolation. In contrast, when bipolar and pyramidal neurons were cultured in contact with glial cells, glutamate and GABA immunoreactivity were selectively reduced in the bipolar and pyramidal cells, respectively, suggesting that cell interactions influence neurotransmitter phenotype. Subpopulations of hippocampal neurons from each hippocampal region were vulnerable to glutamate-induced neurotoxicity. Bipolar and stellate cells were resistant to glutamate, while pyramidal-like neurons showed varying degrees of sensitivity to glutamate depending upon which region they were taken from. Experiments with specific glutamate receptor agonists and antagonists demonstrated that both non N-methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA) receptors and NMDA receptors mediated glutamate-induced degeneration. There were clear differences in the vulnerability of the pyramidal-like neuron populations in cultures from the different hippocampal regions. The rank order of the vulnerability of pyramidal-like neurons to glutamate-induced neurodegeneration between regions in culture was: DG less than CA2 less than CA3 less than CA1. This pattern of selective vulnerability in cell culture corresponds directly to the pattern of selective cell loss seen in situ in Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy, and stroke suggesting that intrinsic neuronal differences in glutamate sensitivity may be involved in these disorders.
Dendrimers as macroinitiators for anionic ring-opening polymerization. Polymerization of ε-caprolactone

Experimental results show that by using dendrimers of high generation, the anionic polymerization of e-caprolactone can be put under kinetic control. The other advantage of this initiator is the possibility to form hybrid linear-globular AB block copolymers containing aliphatic polyester as the linear block that are not readily accessible via the end-capping techniques applied earlier
Copolymeric nanofilm platform for controlled and localized therapeutic delivery.

Nanomaterials such as block copolymeric membranes provide a platform for both cellular interrogation and biological mimicry. Their biomimetic properties are based upon the innate possession of hydr...
Fiber acoustic sensor

Acoustic fibers are potential candidates for developing sensors used in nondestructive evaluation (NDE) and process monitoring of composite materials. Acoustic fibers, like optical fibers, are easily embedded into polymeric composite materials. Because of the mechanical nature of the acoustic wave, acoustic fibers have direct sensing abilities on the variation of mechanical properties of their surrounding materials. Two experimental fiber acoustic sensors are developed. One is applied to detect the changes of properties of cured RHO-C rubber with temperature. Another is used to monitor the curing process of epoxy. Test results show the feasibility of applying the fiber acoustic sensors to NDE and process monitoring for polymeric materials.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Birth order and introversion-extraversion

Abstract The relationship between birth order and introversion-extraversion was investigated. Subjects were 70 male and 77 female undergraduates, all from three-child families. The measure of introversion employed was the Social Introversion Scale (Scale 0) of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory. A two-way analysis of variance indicated that first borns were more introverted than either middle-horns or last-horns, with no difference between the latter two groups. It was suggested that inconsistent results in this area may be due to the use of different measures of introversion.
Canonical Proper Time Formulation of Relativistic Particle Dynamics

Our purpose in this paper is to provide theframework for a generalization of classical mechanicsand electrodynamics, including Maxwell's theory, whichis simple, technically correct, and requires noadditional work for the quantum case. We first show thatthere are two other definitions of proper-time, eachhaving equal status with the Minkowski definition. Weuse the first definition, called the proper-velocity definition, to construct a transformationtheory which fixes the proper-time of a given physicalsystem for all observers. This leads to a new invariancegroup and a generalization of Maxwell's equations left covariant under the action of this group.The second definition, called the canonical variablesdefinition, has the unique property that it isindependent of the number of particles. This definition leads to a general theory of directlyinteracting relativistic particles. We obtain theLorentz force for one particle (using its proper-time),and the Lorentz force for the total system (using theglobal proper-time). Use of the global proper-time tocompute the force on one particle gives the Lorentzforce plus a dissipative term corresponding to thereaction of this particle back on the cause of itsacceleration (Newton's third law). The wave equation derivedfrom Maxwell's equations has an additional term, firstorder in the proper-time. This term arisesinstantaneously with acceleration. This shows explicitly that the longsought origin of radiationreaction is inertial resistance to changes in particlemotion. The field equations carry intrinsic informationabout the velocity and acceleration of the particles in the system. It follows that our theory isnot invariant under time reversal, so that the existenceof radiation introduces an arrow for the (proper-time ofthe) system.
Reducing GPU offload latency via fine-grained CPU-GPU synchronization

GPUs are seeing increasingly widespread use for general purpose computation due to their excellent performance for highly-parallel, throughput-oriented applications. For many workloads, however, the performance benefits of offloading are hindered by the large and unpredictable overheads of launching GPU kernels and of transferring data between CPU and GPU.
Comparison of arbitrarily primed polymerase chain reaction and ribotyping for subtyping Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans.

This study investigated the compatibility of arbitrarily primed polymerase chain reaction (AP-PCR) and ribotyping in the characterization of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans , a major pathogen in the mixed anaerobic microflora of human periodontitis. AP-PCR was performed directly on lysed bacterial colonies using a random-sequence 10-base oligonucleotide primer. Ribotyping was carried out by using purified bacterial chromosomal DNA digested with BglI. DNA fragments were separated electrophoretically, blotted onto a nylon membrane and hybridized with the plasmid pKK3535 containing the rRNA operon of Escherichia coli. The two genetic methods were evaluated on isolates from single individuals and from family members. Twelve AP-PCR types and 47 ribotypes were distinguished among 76 A. actinomycetemcomitans isolates of different serotypes. AP-PCR typing and ribotyping gave compatible results in 18 of 20 comparisons. Although AP-PCR detected less genetic heterogeneity in A. actinomycetemcomitans than ribotyping, the rapid and relatively simple AP-PCR technique seems to be sufficiently discriminative to be used in large scale epidemiological studies which preclude the application of the more laborious ribotyping technique.
Coherent Optical Control of the Quantum State of a Single Quantum Dot

Picosecond optical excitation was used to coherently control the excitation in a single quantum dot on a time scale that is short compared with the time scale for loss of quantum coherence. The excitonic wave function was manipulated by controlling the optical phase of the two-pulse sequence through timing and polarization. Wave function engineering techniques, developed in atomic and molecular systems, were used to monitor and control a nonstationary quantum mechanical state composed of a superposition of eigenstates. The results extend the concept of coherent control in semiconductors to the limit of a single quantum system in a zero-dimensional quantum dot.
A surface heat flux climatology over a region of the eastern Bering Sea

Abstract The eastern Bering Sea shelf is a vast area with weak net circulation. As a result, heat exchange with the atmosphere mainly accounts for changes in heat content of the water column. This region also has marked changes in atmospheric and water properties: for example, winds are light in summer but are relatively strong in winter; air temperatures are 10°C or more in summer but are below freezing in winter; and sea surface temperatures vary from ∼10°C to 1°C. A 29 year time series of cloud cover, relative humidity, wind speed, and air temperature was derived from observations made at St. Paul Island (Pribilof Islands) in the eastern Bering Sea. A time series of sea surface temperature near St. Paul Island was also obtained. Cloud cover during 1965–1994 did not undergo significant changes; relative humidity decreased by a barely significant 3%. Mean wind speed during 1965–1979 was 7.2 m s –1 compared with 6.5 m s –1 during 1980–1994. Air temperature during 1965–1976 was 1.3°C cooler than during 1977–1994. The mean annual sea surface temperature maximum increased from 8.7°C during 1965–1976 to 9.3°C during 1977–1994. The seasonal cycles of cloud cover, relative humidity, wind speed, air temperature, and sea surface temperature were then derived from these data and used to calculate the mean monthly and the mean annual surface heat fluxes. Insolation was the dominant flux, followed by latent heat, sensible heat, and net longwave radiation. All of these fluxes have marked seasonal variation. There is a net annual imbalance of 20 W m –2 , which is not statistically significant. It could, however, be compensated by weak heat advection from the northward moving currents in the area.