cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nerve growth factor affects defense-related behaviors, but not lordosis, in ovariectomized, estrogen-treated rats.

Abstract Effects of NGF and anti-NGF on estrogen-sensitive behaviors were examined in ovariectomized, estrogen-treated rats. Intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) administration of NGF resulted in a significant decrease in body weight. Daily treatment with low levels of estradiol resulted in a steady increase in lordosis behavior as reflected by average lordosis quotient and lordosis score. No effects of NGF or anti-NGF on lordosis behavior were detected. Estrogen treatment also resulted in a significant increase in the number of vocalizations elicited from female controls by male contact during sex behavior. NGF-treatment enhanced this effect, resulting in significantly more vocalizations elicited earlier in the course of estrogen treatment than were elicited from non-NGF-treated controls. These effects were blocked by progesterone. An increase in the number of rejections elicited by male contact during sex behavior was also observed in NGF-treated animals relative to controls. In addition, i.c.v. infusions of anti-NGF prevented the estrogen-mediated increase in elicited vocalizations, suggesting that NGF may have a physiological role in regulating this behavior. These data implicate NGF in the regulation of specific defense-related behaviors in estrogen-treated rats. Effects of NGF and anti-NGF on immunocytochemical staining for p75NGFR- and ChAT-like immunoreactivity were also analyzed and are discussed.
The Myth of the Mild Vulnerable Plaques

Few core concepts introduced in the past several decades have become more ingrained in the psyche of the cardiologist such as the belief that coronary occlusion and myocardial infarction most frequently evolve from a mildly stenotic coronary artery disease [(1)][1]. This perception owes its origin
Particle-hole strength excited in the 40Ca(p,n)40Sc reaction at 134 MeV.

The /sup 40/Ca(p,n)/sup 40/Sc reaction was studied at 134 MeV. Neutron energy spectra were measured by the time-of-flight technique with resolutions of 220 keV at angles from 0/sup 0/ to 41/sup 0/ and 415 keV out to 62/sup 0/. The 2/sup -/,3/sup -/,4/sup -/,5/sup -/ band of states based on the (f-italic/sub 7/2/,d-italic/sub 3/2//sup -1/) 1p1h structure was observed at low excitation energies, in good agreement with known analog states in /sup 40/Ca and /sup 40/K. The shapes of the cross-section and analyzing-power angular distributions are in good agreement with distorted-wave impulse-approximation calculations using simple 1p1h (Tamm-Dancoff approximation) shell-model wave functions. A relatively strong transition to a state at E-italic/sub x-italic/ = 2.3 MeV with L-italic = 3 is identified tentatively as a 4/sup -/ state with the predominant 1p1h structure (1f-italic/sub 7/2/,2s-italic/sub 1/2//sup -1/).
Glucose metabolic correlates of continuous performance test performance in adults with a history of infantile autism, schizophrenics, and controls

Twenty-five schizophrenic patients, fourteen adults with a history of infantile autism, and twenty normal controls performed a test of sustained attention, the degraded stimulus continuous performance test (CPT), during the 35 minute 18-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose uptake period preceding positron emission tomographic (PET) scan acquisition. This is the first analysis comparing correlations between glucose metabolic rate (GMR) for selected regions and CPT performance. CPT performance differed in controls and schizophrenics, but autistics did not differ from either group. In controls and schizophrenic patients, task performance correlated with GMR in medial superior frontal gyrus and lateral inferior temporal gyrus, suggesting that activation of those regions is important in the normal performance of the task and that damage to those regions, which also showed low GMR in schizophrenics, contributes to the attentional dysfunction in schizophrenia. Also, schizophrenics showed negative correlations of task performance with anterior cingulate activity suggesting that overactivity of that region, which is involved in mental effort and whose GMR was low in our larger study of schizophrenia, impairs task performance in schizophrenics. Autistic patients showed negative correlations of medial frontal cortical GMR with attentional performance, suggesting that neuronal inefficiency in that region may contribute to poor performance.
Multiphoton electron detachment studies of C7H7− using a low-power infrared laser. Competition of radiative and collisional relaxation with vibrational excitation

Abstract Infrared laser-induced electron detachment from C 6 H 5 CH 2 − , C 6 D 5 CH 2 − and cyclo-C 7 H 7 − has been investigated by ion cyclotron resonance spectroscopy. Anions are trapped at low pressure for up to several seconds and are uniformly irradiated with the unfocused output of a cw CO 2 laser. Electron detachment is monitored as a function of irradiation period, laser intensity, wave-length and neutral gas pressure. Infrared photodetachment spectra of C 6 H 5 CH 2 − and C 6 D 5 CH 2 − exhibit bands at 945 and 932 cm −1 , respectively, while the spectrum of cyclo-C 7 H 7 − shows only slight dependence on laser frequency between 920 and 1080 cm −1 . Modeling of the C 6 H 5 CH 2 − photodetachment kinetics suggests that one step in the laser excitation process is rate limiting. Radiative relaxation does not appear to be significant at laser intensities greater than 10 W cm −2 and collisions with neutral molecules are only moderately effective in deactivating vibrationally excited anions.
Shock detection technique based on light scattering by shock

When a narrow laser beam is brought to a grazing incidence on a shock, a small part of the beam scatters out in a thin, diverging sheet of light. The phenomenon disappears when the beam is moved to any other location where there is no shock or the beam pierces the shock surface, i.e., at a nongrazing incidence. Various experimental details indicate that the scattering is primarily due to diffraction of light bythe sudden jump in the refractive index created across a shock. The preceding optical phenomenon is conveniently used as the basis of a new shock detection technique. It depends on moving a laser beam from point to point in a shock-containing flowfield and sensing the presence of the scattered light using a photomultiplier tube (PMT). The incident beam locations, which correspond to a nonzero PMT signal, are the shock locations. It is demonstrated that the present method is able to provide both time-averaged and unsteady information in a very straightforward way.
Meaningful involvement of municipal purchasing departments in the procurement of consulting services: Case studies from Ontario, Canada

Abstract This paper describes the types of activities that were associated with meaningful involvement of municipal purchasing departments in the procurement of consulting services in Ontario, Canada. Included is a discussion of some of the key contextual factors found to enable meaningful involvement and the type of value that results as it relates to the needs of the client department and the overall goals and objectives of the municipalities as a whole. Ten case studies were conducted that involved in-depth interviews with twenty case study informants including ten purchasing agents, nine client department managers, and a consultant. The findings provide a basis for increasing the involvement of municipal purchasing departments in acquisition processes for these services and address some very important gaps in a particularly arid body of research related to local government purchasing. A number of testable hypotheses and research questions that may enable future researchers to address some of the gaps identified by this work are also presented.
The Specific Heat of NbTi from 0 to 7 T Between 4.2 and 20 K

Reasonably reliable zero-field specific heat data for commercial NbTi have been reported.1, 2 Also reported are specific heat measurements at magnetic field.3 However, existing data are not well known in the technical community, and there appear to be significant uncertainties associated with the measurements at field, as discussed in this paper. We report the results of specific heat measurements made at field on an annealed Nb-44.6% Ti rod. A simple analytic formula suitable for engineering calculations has been derived by thermodynamic arguments for the specific heat, c, of Type II superconductors as a function of temperature, T, and applied magnetic field, H. The formula relates the specific heat in the superconducting state to the Sommerfeld constant, γ, the critical temperature, Tc, the normal-state phonon contribution, βT3, and the upper critical magnetic field, Hc2(O): $${c_p} = \left[ {\beta + \left( {3\gamma /T_c^2} \right)} \right]{T^3} + \left[ {\gamma H/{H_{c2}}\left( 0 \right)} \right]T$$ (1)
Nicotine-Stimulated Elastase Activity Release by Neutrophils in Patients with Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms

= 10 in each group: smoking AAA (SAAA), nonsmoking AAA (NSAAA), smoking aortic occlusive disease (SAOD), nonsmoking aortic occlusive disease (NSAOD), smoking controls (SC), and nonsmoking controls (NSC). After incubation with varying nicotine concentrations (0-1000μg/ml), the released elastase activity was determined. There is generally an elevation in elastase activity release by neutrophils of smokers compared to nonsmokers. Nicotine exposure stimulated increased elastase activity release in AOD and AAA, and the increase was especially pronounced in the SAAA and SAOD groups. The elevation was greatest in the SAAA group while the release was lowest in the NSAOD group. There is a direct correlation between elastase activity release and nicotine concentration. The data suggest that COPD and AAA development, which may occur by similar initial mechanisms may also be aggravated by nicotine-induced neutrophil elastase activity release. In addition, the results indicate that nicotine is playing an active role in the development of vascular disease by inducing neutrophils to release elastase activity.
Rhetorical Iconoclasm: The Heresy of Lollard Plain Style

In this essay I analyze the plain style as conceived of and used by the Lollards, a late fourteenth-century religious group. I argue that the same practices that set Lollard reading and writing apart from orthodox discourse were foundational to the Lollards' departures from orthodox belief, theorizing language and style in such a way that meaning was free from priestly mediation. This demonstrates the importance of the Lollard plain style as both a marker of heresy and a precursor to subsequent notions of plainness.
Conformational activation of acylpapains and acylcathepsin B's: Resonance Raman and kinetic evidence

It is shown that, by extending the size of the substrate to meet papain's specificity requirement, conformational changes occur in bonds adjacent to the scissile linkage in the acyl enzyme. The resonance Raman (RR) spectra of the dithioacylpapains CH3OC(=O)-Phe-NHCH2C(=S)S-papain, CH3O(=O))-Gly-Phe-NHCH2C(=S)S-papain, and CH3OC(=O)-Gly-Gly-Phe-NHCH2C(=S)S-papain, formed from thiono ester substrates, are found to be very similar, indicating that each dithioacyl enzyme takes up an identical B-type conformation in the -NHCH2C(=S)SCH2-linkages. Moreover, the kcat and kcat/Km parameters for the reactions involving these intermediates are similar (in the ranges 0.51-0.67 s-1 and 44 100-68 200 M-1 s-1, respectively). For these reactions kcat = k3, the rate constant for deacylation. The strong structural similarities in the region undergoing catalytic transformation, taken with the similar k3's, show that placing glycine residues in papain's S3 and S4 subsites has little effect on the deacylation process. However, there are marked RR spectral and kinetic differences between the intermediates formed from these three substrates, all of which meet papain's requirement for Phe at the S2 subsite, and N-(beta-phenylpropionyl)glycine dithioacylpapain, C6H5(CH2)2C(=O)NHCH2C(=S)S-papain. The RR spectral differences indicate that changes occur in the torsional angles of the -NH-CH2-C(=S)-S-CH2- fragment upon going to the di-, tri-, and tetrapeptide-based substrates. The changes in these torsional angles are consistent with slight conformational activation since higher k3 values are found for the di-, tri-, and tetrapeptide-based substrates (0.51-0.67 s-1) compared to the k3 for C6H5(CH2)2C(=O)NHCH2C-(=S)S-papain of 0.165 s-1.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Organismal stress and telomeric aging: An unexpected connection

In a recent issue of PNAS, Epel et al . (1) presented an intriguing and important finding that lends support to an idea that has permeated gerontology for a century. In the early years of the 20th century, the German physiologist Max Rubner conducted a series of magnificently obsessive investigations into phylogenetic aspects of aging (2). What he reported was landmark; across an array of species, there is a rough inverse correlation between a species' lifespan and metabolic rate (when expressed per unit of body weight). As examples from the extremes, witness the ≈2-year lifespan of the rat and its resting heart rate of ≈400 beats per minute, and the elephant, with its 60-odd years of life and 35 beats per minute. These studies spawned an array of “rate of living” hypotheses, focusing on the possibility that high basal metabolic rates produce shorter lifespans, both between and, more speculatively, within species (3). It was some decades later that attention shifted to the notion that perturbations of metabolism (i.e., challenges to metabolic homeostasis) could accelerate aging as well. Such “wear and tear” theories readily accommodated the birth of stress physiology, with its notion that prolonged psychological or physical challenges to homeostasis could increase the risk of disease. Specifically, this accommodation resulted in the idea that prolonged stress can accelerate aspects of aging (4). Women who were more stressed had shorter telomeres and more oxidative stress. Over the years, some findings have supported this intuitively appealing idea. One literature, for example, demonstrates how repeated challenges to glucose homeostasis can exacerbate adult-onset diabetes (5) and accelerate the nonenzymatic formation of advanced glycation end products (6). Other studies have shown that prolonged exposure to one class of stress hormones can accelerate an aspect of brain senescence (7), whereas prolonged suffering from a stress-related …
Utilization of ingested dehydro-isoandrosterone sulfate for the production of estrogens by normal and adrenalectomized pregnant subjects

In pregnancy estrogen precursors are normally converted to estrogens in the placenta. Dehydroisoandrosterone sulfate (DS) was chosen for this study because it is an effective precursor of estrogens in pregnancy. Subjects were 2 normal pregnant women 1 bilaterally adrenalectomized patient who was pregnant and 1 normal nonpregnant women. Oral administration of carbon-14 labeled or of unlabeled DS and iv injection of tritiated DS were used. Sources of reagents and details of methods are given. The isotope ratios of urniary DS and the decrease in the specific activity of this metabolite with the ingestion of DS indicated that over 60% of the ingested steroid entered the bloodstream. Placental conversion of DS to estrogens was not reduced by the increased amounts of circulating DS. Therefore a significant increase in the rate of production and urinary excretion of estrogens resulted. The adrenalectomized pregnant patient at term had increased her subnormal rate of production of estrone plus estradiol from 5 mg/day to 16 mg/day by ingesting 60 mg of DS daily. It is concluded that an effective increase in estrogen production in pregnant women can be achieved by oral administration of DS. The bulk of the ingested steroid was transferred to the maternal circulation and aromatized in the placenta. Therefore ingestion of DS is a convenient means of generating estrone and estradiol which may be available to the fetus.
Myocardial Na, K-ATPase in one-kidney, one-clip hypertensive rats.

Myocardial ventricular Na, K-ATPase activity of normotensive rats was compared with that of healthy rats with chronic benign one-kidney, one-clip hypertension. The yield of protein (mg/g wet wt left plus right ventricles) in microsomal and sarcolemmal membrane fractions was the same for both normotensive and hypertensive rat ventricles. However, the yield of protein (mg/ventricle) was 26% greater in the hypertensive relative to the normotensive animals, consistent with the presence of hypertrophy, as also indicated by an increase in the ratio of ventricular to body weight and a shift in the isomyosin composition. Na, K-ATPase activity, sodium-dependent phosphorylation and ouabain binding were significantly ( P
Targeted Gene Delivery: The Role of Peptide Nucleic Acid

Receptor-mediated endocytosis can be exploited to achieve efficient cell-specific gene delivery. Our laboratory has used two approaches for targeted gene delivery. One uses polycation as a carrier for plasmid DNA and the other uses peptide nucleic acid (PNA) as a carrier. Targeted gene delivery using polycation carriers has been widely utilized with some success. This approach mainly suffers from large particle size and non-specific interaction with blood components. These drawbacks have limited use of this type of vector for in vivoapplications. Using PNA as a carrier, on the other hand, allows for smaller particle size and less non-specific interactions. The stability of this vector in the circulation may be a limiting factor. In addition, both types of vectorlack mechanisms for endosome escape and nuclear transport. In this chapter, current developments and uses for targeted gene delivery of each approach are reviewed.
Selecting the right interestingness measure for association patterns

Many techniques for association rule mining and feature selection require a suitable metric to capture the dependencies among variables in a data set. For example, metrics such as support, confidence, lift, correlation, and collective strength are often used to determine the interestingness of association patterns. However, many such measures provide conflicting information about the interestingness of a pattern, and the best metric to use for a given application domain is rarely known. In this paper, we present an overview of various measures proposed in the statistics, machine learning and data mining literature. We describe several key properties one should examine in order to select the right measure for a given application domain. A comparative study of these properties is made using twenty one of the existing measures. We show that each measure has different properties which make them useful for some application domains, but not for others. We also present two scenarios in which most of the existing measures agree with each other, namely, support-based pruning and table standardization. Finally, we present an algorithm to select a small set of tables such that an expert can select a desirable measure by looking at just this small set of tables.
Self-regulatory deficits in fibromyalgia and temporomandibular disorders

Chronic pain conditions such as fibromyalgia (FM) and temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) are accompanied by complex interactions of cognitive, emotional, and physiological disturbances. Such conditions are complicated and draining to live with, and successful adaptation may depend on ability to self-regulate. Self-regulation involves capacity to exercise control and guide or alter reactions and behavior, abilities essential for human adjustment. Research indicates that self-regulatory strength is a limited source that can be depleted or fatigued, however, and the current study aimed to show that patients with FM and TMD are vulnerable to self-regulatory fatigue as a consequence of their condition. Patients (N = 50) and pain-free matched controls (N = 50) were exposed to an experimental self-regulation task followed by a persistence task. Patients displayed significantly less capacity to persist on the subsequent task compared with controls. In fact, patients exposed to low self-regulatory effort displayed similar low persistence to patients and controls exposed to high self-regulatory effort, indicating that patients with chronic pain conditions may be suffering from chronic self-regulatory fatigue. Baseline heart rate variability, blood glucose, and cortisol predicted persistence, more so for controls than for patients, and more so in the low vs. high self-regulation condition. Impact of chronic pain conditions on self-regulatory effort was mediated by pain, but not by any other factors. The current study suggests that patients with chronic pain conditions likely suffer from chronic self-regulatory fatigue, and underlines the importance of taking self-regulatory capacity into account when aiming to understand and treat these complex conditions.
Mutagenicity of 4-chloromethylbiphenyl in the salmonella/microsome assay

The mutagenic activity of 4-chloromethylbiphenyl was determined in Salmonella typhimurium strains TA1535, TA1537, TA98, and TA100 using the plate-incorporation assay with and without rat-liver S9. The compound was positive in strains TA1537, TA98, and TA100 both with and without S9 activation. A weakly positive response was seen with strain TA1535 tested without activation. This study was conducted as part of the U.K. Environmental Mutagen Society, Genetic Toxicology Trial.
Electronic and vibrational properties of C60 at finite temperature from ab initio molecular dynamics.

A Car-Parrinello molecular-dynamics study of ${\mathrm{C}}_{60}$ in the fullerene structure has been performed. The ground-state properties were calculated and found to be in agreement with other theoretical estimates. The finite-temperature properties of such clusters are computed. These can be directly compared to experiments performed at finite temperature. The comparison is very favorable for structural, vibrational, and electronic properties.
Combination regimens with statin, niacin, and intestinally active LDL-lowering drugs: alternatives to high-dose statin therapy?

Purpose of review To summarize recent studies on combination regimens that employ a statin with added niacin, ezetimibe, and/or bile acid sequestrants, and to understand the implications of these studies for clinical practice. Recent findings Combinations of statin, niacin, and/or intestinally active LDL-lowering drug have demonstrated safety and favorable effects on plasma low and high-density lipoproteins. Niacin and bile acid sequestrants appear to exert beneficial effects on atherosclerotic lesions, whereas results with ezetimibe are uncertain. Moreover, the use of niacin and bile acid sequestrants is supported by clinical outcome results from large monotherapy trials and small combination therapy trials. Three large randomized trials currently are evaluating clinical outcomes with the addition of niacin or ezetimibe to statin treatment. Summary Until the results of ongoing trials are known, it is reasonable to favor the use of niacin and bile acid sequestrants in combination with statins, based on safety and efficacy with regard to effects on lipoproteins, atherosclerotic lesions, and, to a limited extent, clinical outcomes. The effect of ezetimibe on carotid atherosclerosis is indeterminate, but ezetimibe can be reasonably added to statin therapy as a secondary option for LDL-lowering.
The growth of the human brain during the embryonic period proper. 1. Linear axes.

Linear axes of the brain were measured in 143 human embryos from Carnegie stages 11 to 23 (3 1/2–8 postovulatory weeks). The embryos ranged from 3 to 30 mm in C.-R. length. Both Born reconstructions and serial sections of the central nervous system were used. The brain axes included were the fronto-occipital diameter, bitemporal diameter, and length and width of both the mesencephalon and cerebellum. A least squares line was fitted to the set of data points corresponding to each brain axis measured, and a t test verified that a linear model was an appropriate representation of the data. Based on these linear measurements it can be concluded that the forebrain grows more rapidly than the rest of the brain at the onset of tubular brain enlargement. Furthermore, as seen by comparing growth along two dimensions, the forebrain and midbrain grow at the same rate, whereas the cerebellum grows at different rates along the length and height axes. In addition, the cerebellum begins to grow later than the rostral part of the brain. Covariance analysis of the data points of the embryonic brain axes with data points of identical brain axes of the fetus showed that the measurements from the embryonic and fetal brain axes cannot be represented by a single regression line.
A Logit Model for Budget Allocation Subject to Multi Budget Sources

In a complex and extended system such as a government, the proper allocation of the budget to its sub-entities is always a major challenge. As such for cases like governments, a situation in which multiple budget sources with different concerns available to the sub-entities is common. This study develops an applicable model for large-scale cases in which identifying the flow of capital or budget from (multiple) sources to the sub-entities is sought. Since the influential factors to the allocation process may be mingled with some unknown parameters (as well as known factors) a logit model is developed from past panel data. The logit model is based on the concept of utility, which quantifies the advantage of approaching budget-sources for the sub-entities. Then the budget allocation problem of logit form is written as a mathematical programming formulation for which Successive Coordinate Descent (SCD) method is proposed as the solution algorithm. In this paper, the proposed methodology is tested numerically. The results of this study show there is strong evidence that some of the entitiesâ€™ properties can be altered in order to achieve a better budget allocation.
Blink with Muscles

Writing for lay readers, Kahneman provides a comprehensive look at how humans think and reach decisions—and at the implications of his findings.
PATERNAL EXPOSURES AND PREGNANCY OUTCOME: MISCARRIAGE, STILLBIRTH, LOW BIRTH WEIGHT, PRETERM DELIVERY

In this overview, the epidemiologic evidence regarding the influence of paternal exposures in the etiology of pregnancy outcomes will be presented. These outcomes, covering the spectrum of fetal survival and development exclusive of birth defects, have been the subject of a number of studies that include paternal factors. Most of the research has focused on miscarriage as the endpoint, and among those, most have been concerned with occupational exposures. Public concern with such issues as Agent Orange exposure among male veterans who served in Vietnam has lead to a concentration on occupational exposures rather than lifestyle factors such as tobacco or alcohol use.
Observations on the nutritive value of traditionally ground cereals in Southern Rhodesia.

The increase in the number of power-driven hammer-mills in the rural areas of Southern Rhodesia is causing a rapid reduction in the amount of grain ground by women in the villages, except in the remoter areas, where the main crop is usually sorghum or millet. The meal produced by hammer-mills is substantially straight-run and is usually modified slightly by sifting before cooking, the coarser, branny particles being given to livestock. On the other hand, the traditional method of grinding produces a meal of a low extraction rate, particularly with the most important crop, maize. In a country where 80 yo or more of the calories come from cereals, the new method of grinding must cause an appreciable change in the nutritive value of the diet. The traditional methods of grinding were therefore investigated to establish the amounts of calcium, phosphorus, iron, thiamine, riboflavin and proximate constituents in foods ground in that way. There appear to have been few such studies elsewhere in Africa. Williamson (1955) describes methods used in Nyasaland and refers to the work of Scott in Tanganyika, but no analytical figures are given. Recently, Ellis (1959) has given some figures for Nyasaland and indicated that the African’s preference for flint maize is justified.
Serial electropharmacologic studies in patients with ischemic heart disease and sustained ventricular tachyarrhythmias: When is drug testing sufficient?

Abstract Serial testing of antiarrhythmic drugs by programmed electrical stimulation can be costly in time, expense and risk. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the results of serial electropharmacologic tests for similarities that might obviate the need for protracted drug testing. Serial electropharmacologic testing was performed in 283 patients with coronary artery disease and clinical sustained ventricular tachycardia (VT) or fibrillation (VF). Drug tests were defined as concordant if sustained VT or VF could be consistently induced, or failed to be consistently induced during all such trials in a given patient. The following drugs were included for testing: procainamide, quinidine and disopyramide (class IA); phenytoin, mexiletine and tocainide (class IB); and flecainide and encainide (class IC). All patients were serially tested with ≥2 (mean and median, 3) antiarrhythmic agents regardless of results from drug-free testing or initial acute drug testing. Overall, the results of serial drug trials directed by programmed stimulation were concordant in more than two thirds of patients. Concordance was comparably high whether patients were serially tested with drugs within the same antiarrhythmic class, or with drugs from differing classes, and was not related to patients' clinical or electrophysiologic characteristics. Protracted serial electropharmacologic testing does not appear necessary for predicting successful or unsuccessful antiarrhythmic drug therapy in survivors of clinical VT or VF. Single drug testing can identify most patients whose arrhythmia will or will not respond to medications.
Nitrogen fixation (acetylene reduction) by phytoplankton in Green Bay, Lake Michigan, in relation to nutrient concentrations1

Nitrogen fixation (acetylene reduction) and the growth of blue-green algae were studied in Green Bay (Lake Michigan) during summer 1972. Where concentrations of all nutrients were high Microcystis predominated. As combined nitrogen concentrations decreased Aphanixomenon increased. Aphanixomenon showed increasing C&-reducing efficiency as the NH&+ + NOa- concentration declined, but its standing crop decreased with declining P concentration. At 40 km from the Fox River diatoms were predominant. Increased algal growth and nitrogen fixation in 1972, as compared to 1971, correlated with higher phosphate concentrations. Almost half as much nitrogen was added to the bay by fixation as was delivered by the Fox River during the same period.
USE OF MULTIPLE PLASMID‐ASSOCIATED VIRULENCE DETERMINANTS FOR IDENTIFICATION OF PATHOGENIC YERSINIA ENTEROCOLITICA1

The detection of cold-tolerant plasmid-bearing pathogenic strains of Yersinia enterocolitica depends on the expression of various plasmid-associated phenotypic properties. In this study, low calcium Congo red agarose medium was used as a single multiple test medium to identify pathogenic serotypes of Y. enterocolitica or to indicate the pathogenic potential of individual strains. The assay is based on Congo red uptake, crystal violet binding, low calcium response and hydrophobicity. In general, the efficiency and reliability of this medium was found to be better than existing dye binding techniques for detecting virulent Y. enterocolitica strains.
Developing Terrestrial-LIDAR-Based Digital Elevation Models for Monitoring Beach Nourishment Performance

Abstract Since the completion of a 398,000 m3 nourishment project along 2 km of Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, in August 2005, the subaerial volume and area of the northern 25% of the beach has been monitored monthly through the use of terrestrial-based light detection and ranging (LIDAR) surveys. Traditionally, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers use analyses of beach width from aerial imagery and volumes estimated from widely spaced profile surveys to assess nourishment performance and assist in determining renourishment quantities. However, these survey methods lack the spatial and temporal resolution needed for short-term management strategies. Recent efforts at monitoring Atlantic Coast beaches using airborne LIDAR show the potential of this technology for providing more detailed representations of beach volumetric change over time, but the operational costs still limit the frequency of surveys. Alternatively, our terrestrial LIDAR st...
Toward object discovery and modeling via 3-D scene comparison

The performance of indoor robots that stay in a single environment can be enhanced by gathering detailed knowledge of objects that frequently occur in that environment. We use an inexpensive sensor providing dense color and depth, and fuse information from multiple sensing modalities to detect changes between two 3-D maps. We adapt a recent SLAM technique to align maps. A probabilistic model of sensor readings lets us reason about movement of surfaces. Our method handles arbitrary shapes and motions, and is robust to lack of texture. We demonstrate the ability to find whole objects in complex scenes by regularizing over surface patches.
Coloring outside the Lines: Racial Segregation in Public Schools and Their Attendance Boundaries

Scholars have debated whether students' enrollment in private schools changes levels of racial segregation across urban school districts. The authors examine this issue by comparing the actual raci...
Gastric polyps: classification and management

Gastric polyps can be broadly defined as luminal lesions projecting above the plane of the mucosal surface. They are relatively frequent in routine pathology practice, where the main goal is to rule out the possibility of malignancy. Various subtypes of gastric polyps are recognized and generally divided into nonneoplastic and neoplastic. We will review herein only a limited subset of gastric polyps representing the most common or, sometimes, challenging.
Thermal stresses in an actively cooled two-piece rail structure

In this paper, we evaluate the thermal stress arising in rails and supporting structures of an electromagnetic launcher. We examine the effects of using rail overlays and active cooling. These not only reduce the peak temperature, but also affect the overall thermal gradient. The transverse temperature distribution within the rail structure is obtained by a numerical solution of magnetic and thermal diffusion equations. The effects of cooling rate and cooling channel location on the temperature distribution are evaluated. The resultant thermal stress in the rail structure is then computed. The analysis yields two fruitful approaches: use of thin resistive overlays, which minimize thermal stress on the structure by effecting a more even temperature distribution; and use of active cooling at a central location, which even though ineffective at very early times, enables more efficient heat removal in the time between launches.
Use of Imaging for GI Cancers

GI cancers are a heterogeneous group of neoplasms that differ in their biologic and physical behaviors depending on the organ of origin, location within the organ, and degree of differentiation. As a result, evaluation of these tumors is complex, requiring integration of information from a patient's clinical history, physical examination, laboratory data, and imaging. With advances in anatomic and functional imaging techniques, we now have tools for assessing patients with these tumors at diagnosis, staging, and treatment assessment. It is difficult for a single imaging modality to provide all the necessary information for a given GI tumor. However, well-chosen combinations of available imaging modalities based on the indications, strength, and limitations of the modalities will provide optimal evaluation of patients with these malignancies.
Issues in the Assessment of Cognitive Function in Dementia

Abstract The increasing prevalence of elderly patients presenting with disorders of cognitive functioning suggestive of dementia, coupled with limits in resources available to address these problems, is going to necessitate the development of new technologies to be used for assessment. These measures should be efficient, designed to reflect both the current knowledge of brain function and the developmental characteristics of older patients. Though few current measures of cognitive function meet these goals, neuropsychological “microbatteries” such as the DRS and NCSE may serve as models for a new generation of cognitively specific assessment instruments.
Cómo establecer el pluralismo a nivel departamental

Nuestra generacion se enfrenta a muchos problemas como el cambio climatico, el dano ambiental, la crisis financiera global, una disparidad palpable en el ingreso y la riqueza, el aumento de la deuda, y una crisis de salud. Estos problemas se refuerzan mutuamente y se empeoran. En el centro, sin embargo, es la disciplina de la Economia misma y la ensenanza de esta, las que ofuscan la interrelacion de nuestros problemas, acostumbran a sus estudiantes al sufrimiento humano y niega la discusion reflexiva de la condicion humana. Atras se quedaron los dias en que una sola escuela de pensamiento podria considerarse suficiente para educar a la gente y proporcionar a los hacedores de politica una serie de soluciones. Atras se quedaron los dias en que solo una escuela de pensamiento en economia podria reclamar el monopolio del conocimiento, al tiempo que desestimara la legitimidad de todas las demas. Para resolver los problemas de nuestra generacion necesitamos ciudadanos educados y economistas que entiendan la diversidad y sean capaces de trabajar el uno con el otro y con otros cientificos sociales. En 2001, estudiantes de economia de Francia solicitaron a sus profesores una ensenanza mas realista y pluralista de la economia. Desde aquella peticion francesa, el pluralismo ha sido ampliamente aceptado como metodo de ensenanza. Varios libros se han escrito sobre la manera de ensenar economia pluralista, incluyendo Teaching Pluralism in Economics, de John Groenewegen (2007); Pluralist Economics, de Edward Fullbrook (Zed, 2009) y Handbook of Pluralist Economics Education de Jack Reardon (Routledge, 2009), entre otros. Bajo este contexto, el proposito de este articulo es el desarrollo de un plan sistematico para implementar el pluralismo a nivel departamental. En la primera parte se discutiran brevemente las ventajas del pluralismo, en la segunda seccion se discutiran los elemen
Overcoming resistance in chronic myelogenous leukemia

Chronic myeloid leukemia is defined by the acquired genetic mutation, t(9;22), which leads to the fusion-protein BCR-ABL. Prior to the development of imatinib mesylate (Gleevec), treatment was limited and provided only limited survival benefit. Imatinib has dramatically changed the course of the disease and has led to the significantly prolonged survival in the majority of patients. However, there is growing concern for resistance to imatinib and to subsequent second generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors (dasatinib and nilotinib) due to the T315I mutation. With no currently approved effective treatment for TKI-resistant CML with the T315I mutation, molecularly-based, targeted drug development has focused on several strategies to overcome resistance. In this review, we describe agents which overcome the T315I mutation, as well as native BCR-ABL, via several mechanisms, including increased degradation of BCR-ABL, optimization of direct inhibition of the BCR-ABL kinase, inhibition of BCR-ABL-mediated cell growth via interruption of the BCR-ABL-mediated transcription, protein synthesis or post-translational modification, all of which lead to decreased proliferation and malignant cell death.
Quantitative chemical imaging with multiplex stimulated Raman scattering microscopy.

Stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) microscopy is a newly developed label-free chemical imaging technique that overcomes the speed limitation of confocal Raman microscopy while avoiding the nonresonant background problem of coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) microscopy. Previous demonstrations have been limited to single Raman band measurements. We present a novel modulation multiplexing approach that allows real-time detection of multiple species using the fast Fourier transform. We demonstrate the quantitative determination of chemical concentrations in a ternary mixture. Furthermore, two imaging applications are pursued: (1) quantitative determination of oil content as well as pigment and protein concentration in microalgae cultures; and (2) 3D high-resolution imaging of blood, lipids, and protein distribution in ex vivo mouse skin tissue. We believe that quantitative multiplex SRS uniquely combines the advantage of fast label-free imaging with the fingerprinting capability of Raman spectroscop...
Preference for structural environmental features in captive lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla)

Increased interest in the behavioral effects of captive environments and advances in zoo design have resulted in a proliferation of “naturalistic” animal habitats. Although scientists have demonstrated that such exhibits have some positive effects on behavior, very little is known about the complex relationships between these specialized environments and behavior. This study sought to determine preferences for structural environmental features, such as slope and trees, exhibited by captive lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla). An average of 496 location scans were collected on each of 23 gorillas, housed in 6 groups. The results indicate that enclosure usage was significantly associated with the features of slope, nearness to holding facility, and presence of environmental components additional to substrate (e.g., tree or rock). In particular, areas with flat ground that were near the holding building and that included at least one component additional to substrate were preferred by all animals. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Propagation properties of dark solitons.

We numerically study the initial-value problem of the nonlinear Schrodinger equation in the normal-dispersion regime of an optical fiber. A nonchirped hyperbolic tangent input pulse having arbitrary amplitude is found to evolve into a primary dark soliton having a constant amplitude and speed. The effect of the input amplitude is to alter the pulse width of the primary dark soliton. In addition, a set of secondary dark solitons of smaller amplitude moving away from the primary pulse is also generated. It is also shown that nonlinear dark pulses in optical fibers are more stable than bright pulses with respect to loss and noise.
Adfluvial and fluvial life history variations and migratory patterns of a relict charr, Salvelinus confluentus, stock in west‐central Idaho, USA

Life history strategies and migratory patterns of 71 adult radio-tagged bull trout, Salvelinus confluentus, were studied in the Secesh River watershed within the South Fork Salmon River (SFSR) sub-basin in west-central Idaho, USA during 2003 and 2004. In both years, upstream migrations occurred during late June and early July, migrations into two spawning tributaries during late July and early August, spawning from mid-August through mid-September, and rapid downstream (postspawning) migrations from late August to mid-September. Primary over-wintering areas were Loon Lake, the lower Secesh River (downstream of Loon Creek), and the lower SFSR (downstream of the confluence with the Secesh River). Loon Lake evidently provides sufficient production to allow the adfluvial life history strategy to persist and predominate in the Secesh River, while the fluvial life history strategy was previously found to predominate in the nearby East Fork SFSR. Adfluvial, nonconsecutive-year migrations were the predominant life history strategy. Only seven fish made consecutive-year migrations to Lake Creek; however, only one of these fish, a female, utilised a spawning tributary in both years and showed spawning tributary fidelity. Three consecutive-year migrants and three in-season migrants showed over- wintering site fidelity by returning to Loon Lake in September, 2004. The life history variations observed for bull trout in the Secesh River watershed are similar to those observed for bull trout throughout their range and to those of other charr species worldwide, yet the development of distinct migration patterns demonstrate the adaptability of the species to a range of available habitats.
Non-peptidic prenyltransferase inhibitors: diverse structural classes and surprising anti-cancer mechanisms.

The development of farnesyltransferase inhibitors (FTIs) has been one of the most active areas of anticancer drug development for the past ten years. This review presents a general overview of the developments in this area, along with a critical appraisal of the anticancer activity of FTIs. A historical survey of the protein prenylation field is given, in particular to emphasize the key role played by the Ras oncoprotein in driving the discovery of prenyltransferase enzymes. The different classes of prenylated proteins will be described along with the biochemical characteristics of the key drug target - farnesyltransferase (FTase). Numerous potent farnesyltransferase inhibitors have been developed. The FTIs developed can be separated into three different categories, based on their origin and / or mechanism of action: a) natural products b) peptidomimetics and other CAAX-competitive inhibitors c) farnesyl pyrophosphate (FPP) mimetics or analogs and other FPP-competitive inhibitors. Along with a survey of newer FTIs in each class, the development of several representative, potent compounds will be discussed in depth as we discuss the potential advantages and liabilities of each class. Particular emphasis is given to the discovery of new, more potent FPP-competitive FTIs of several diverse structural classes. Testing of different FTIs for their ability to block the growth of various cancer cell types in animal models will be discussed. There are a number of key differences between these compounds and traditional cytotoxic cancer chemotherapeutic agents, with surprising exceptions to their expected modes of action. As some FTIs have entered human clinical trials, answers may soon become available to key mechanistic questions concerning the extent and nature of their antitumor growth properties.