cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Overexpression of hepatic pancreatic polypeptide receptors in chronic pancreatitis.

Pancreatic polypeptide (PP) receptors have recently been demonstrated on liver microsomal membranes although the mechanisms of PP action on hepatocytes remain uncertain. The binding characteristics of these high affinity receptors under pathophysiologic conditions were studied in rats with oleic acid-induced chronic pancreatitis (CP), a state associated with diminished pancreatic PP content. Sixteen pancreatitic and 11 sham-operated control animals either were 16-h fasted or were given free access to food prior to organ removal. Competitive binding studies were performed by incubating hepatocyte microsomal preparation with 125 I-labeled PP (20-40 pM) and increasing concentrations of nonlabeled PP (1 × 10 -10 to 1 × 10 -6 M). After total and nonspecific binding was quantified by gamma counting, coefficients of dissociation (K d ) and maximal binding sites (B max ) were determined by Scatchard analysis of specifically bound radioactivity. Binding data were normalized to membrane protein content and expressed as means ± standard error. B max was significantly greater in tissue from fed control animals than from fasted controls (4.46 ± 0.36 versus 2.83 ± 0.25, P < 0.05). B max was significantly greater under fasted conditions in tissue from CP animals than from controls (5.25 ± 0.94 versus 2.83 ± 0.25, P < 0.01). Under fed conditions, this difference was abolished by the increase in maximal binding in the control group. The fasting-associated decrease in maximal binding sites observed in controls did not occur in CP specimens. Increased B max in fed versus fasted control, as well as fasted CP versus fasted control, were associated with slight reciprocal decreases in receptor affinity. These data indicate that hepatic PP receptor concentration is upregulated in this model of chronic pancreatitis, most likely due to diminished exposure to ligand. Furthermore, normal PP receptor responses to the fed/fasted state are blunted in this condition. Regulatable PP receptor changes may play a role in altered hepatic metabolism previously observed in chronic pancreatitis.
Data processing algorithms used by NOAA's wind profiler demonstration network

Abstract. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Wind Profiler Demonstration Network consists of 32 wind profiling radars, based primarily in the central United States. The network is being used to determine the operational feasibility and characteristics of a possible future nationwide profiler network. Data processing is performed both at the individual profiler sites and at a central hub processing system. This paper documents the algorithms used at the profilers to produce profiles of the moments of the velocity spectrum every 6 minutes, as well as those used on the hub to produce quality-controlled hourly winds.
Prevalence and risk factors for aortopulmonary collateral vessels after Fontan and bidirectional Glenn procedures

Objectives. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of and risk factors for aortopulmonary collateral vessels in patients who have undergone a bidirectional Glenn or Fontan procedure, or both. Background. Aortopulmonary collateral vessels are frequently observed angiographically in patients after a bidirectional Glenn or Fontan procedure. These vessels may provide a source of pulmonary blood flow competitive with anterograde cavopulmonary flow. Methods. We performed a retrospective study of all patients (n = 196) who underwent catheterization between January 1, 1988 and February 29, 1992 (n = 268) after bidirectional Glenn or Fontan procedures and reviewed clinical, hemodynamic and angiographic phone data. Results. Collateral vessels were diagnosed in 36% of patients. Patients who underwent the bidirectional Glenn procedure were more likely to have collateral vessels than patients who underwent the Fontan procedure (65% vs. 30%, respectively; p < 0.0001). Patients with a history of a Blalock-Taussig shunt were more likely to have collateral vessels than those without (50% vs. 24%, respectively; p = 0.0006). Discretely identifiable collateral vessels were measurable in 54 (20%) of 268 catheterizations. The total estimated cross-sectional area of these vessels averaged 10.7 ± 7.2 mm2. In patients who underwent the bidirectional Glenn procedure, a step-up in oxygen saturation from the superior vena cava to the distal pulmonary arteries or an uppr lobe filling defect, or both, on pulmonary angiogram predicted total estimated cross-sectional area of collateral vessels. Most collateral vessels originated from the internal mammary arteries (34%) and the thyrocervical trunks (22%). Only 9% of collateral vessels arising from the brachiocephalic vessels were visualized by aortogram; the remainder required selective angiography in the subclavian or more distal arteries. Conclusions. Aortopulmonary collateral vessels are common after bidirectional Glenn and Fontan procedures. Aortograms often fail to diagnose their presence. The left to shunt carried by these vessels is associated with a step-up in oxygen saturation in the distal pulmonary arteries. The clinical significance and indications for closure of these vessels are not known.
PROMISE KEEPING IN THE GREAT SOCIETY: A MODEL OF CREDIT INFORMATION SHARING

Reputation is possible in a small community, but in the Smith-Lippmann-Hayekian Great Society people are mainly strangers. I model credit reporting as a system of formalized and surgically-precise gossip. In the Great Society credit reporting makes possible reputations, which make possible credit relationships. But forming a credit reporting system is no simple matter. Historically it has been local gossip in the small community that has made possible credit reporting “gossip” in the Great Society.
Four cases of nafcillin-associated acute interstitial nephritis in one institution

Background Over the course of 1 year, four patients in a single institution developed acute kidney injury most likely secondary to nafcillin-associated acute interstitial nephritis, indicating that this complication might not be as rare as is commonly believed. The main case presented here is that of a 73-year-old man with a history of chronic low back pain who presented with worsening back pain, as well as nausea, vomiting and volume depletion. Imaging studies revealed a soft tissue abscess in the left psoas major muscle. Investigations Physical examination, complete urine analysis, blood and urine cultures, measurement of peripheral eosinophil and plasma creatinine levels, and renal ultrasound. Diagnosis Nafcillin-associated acute interstitial nephritis. Management Discontinuation of nafcillin and provision of supportive care.
Distribution of Isomorphic Amino Acids between a Crystal Phase and an Aqueous Solution

We present distribution coefficients and crystal purity data for systems containing two of the three near-isomorphic amino acids l-leucine (LEU), l-isoleucine (ILE), and l-valine (VAL) in aqueous s...
Cultural mobilization and British responses to cultural transfer in total war: the Shakespeare tercentenary of 1916

This article examines the important role William Shakespeare played in Britain's experience of total war during the First World War. In the first two years of the war, individual scholars, cultural critics and a rich array of associations in Britain helped rally British public opinion in support of the war. As a cultural symbol of Englishness, William Shakespeare was a perfect vehicle for this self-mobilization process. The coincidence of the three hundredth anniversary of Shakespeare's death in 1916 and the demands of total war led to differing uses of Shakespeare as a vehicle for cultural self-mobilization in Britain. What makes Shakespeare an especially fascinating example of the role of culture in wartime is that his universality as a cultural symbol also made him a key figure for cultural transfer between Britain and other nations. Using insights from scholars such as Christiane Eisenberg and David Blackbourn, this article will also show how the British reaction to the cultural transfer of a figure l...
Developing probability distributions for transfer efficiencies for dermal exposure.

Many dermal exposure models use stochastic techniques to sample parameter distributions derived from experimental data to more accurately represent variability and uncertainty. Transfer efficiencies represent the fraction of a surface contaminant transferred from the surface to the skin during a contact event. Although an important parameter for assessing dermal exposure, examination of the literature confirms that no single study is large enough to provide a basis for a transfer efficiency distribution for use in stochastic dermal exposure models. It is therefore necessary to combine data sets from multiple studies to achieve the largest data set possible for distribution analysis. A literature review was conducted to identify publications reporting transfer efficiencies. Data sets were compared using the Kruskal–Wallis test to determine whether they arise from the same distribution. Combined data were evaluated for several theoretical distributions using the Kolmogorov–Smirnov and χ2-goodness-of-fit tests. Our literature review identified 35 studies comprising 25 different sampling methods, 25 chemicals, and 10 surface types. Distributions were developed for three different chemicals (chlorpyrifos, pyrethrin I, and piperonyl butoxide) on three different surface types (carpet, vinyl, and foil). Only the lognormal distribution was consistently accepted for each chemical and surface combination. Fitted distributions were significantly different (Kruskal–Wallis test; P<0.001) across chemicals and surface types. In future studies, increased effort should be placed on developing large studies, which more accurately represent transfer to human skin from surfaces, and on developing a normative transfer efficiency measure so that data from different methodologies can be compared.
Rhabdomyolysis secondary to influenza a infection: a case report and review of the literature.

Context : Rhabdomyolysis is a serious clinical syndrome that results from damage to skeletal muscles. Common causes include drugs, crush injuries, seizures, heat, exertion, and infection. Viral infections, particularly Influenza A, have been recognized as a cause of rhabdomyolysis. Case Report: Our report describes a 58-year-old male who presented with viral pneumonia secondary to Influenza A virus infection. His hospital course was complicated by acute renal failure secondary to rhabdomyolysis, which was attributed to an overwhelming viremia. We discuss the differential diagnosis of rhabdomyolysis and review the literature for cases of Influenza A-related rhabdomyolysis. We also discuss the proposed mechanisms for the condition. Conclusion : The scope of clinical manifestations of Influenza A infection extends beyond pulmonary syndromes. Rhabdomyolysis is being increasingly recognized as a complication of Influenza A infection with considerable morbidity and mortality.
Determination of plutonium-240/239 ratios in low activity samples using high resolution alpha-spectrometry

Isotopic ratios of240Pu/239Pu in environmental samples can provide improtant data for identifying and confirming contamination sources. One low cost alternative for performing this analysis uses a combination of high resolution alpha-spectroscopy and spectrum analysis software. This method uses unmodified, commercially available equipment and software. Plutonium alpha-spectra were gathered with an alpha-spectrometer system set up for low-level actinide determination. Experimental spectra were imported into a commercially available data analysis program, and fit with mathematical descriptions of alpha-peaks using the Marquardt-Levenberg algorithm. The spectra was then deconvoluted into its239Pu and240Pu components and the activity ratio was calculated.
Studies on hyphomycetes from the pacific-north west-II./Sporophiala-A new member of dematiaceae

Sporophiala a new genus of Dematiaceae characterized by producing phaeophragmophialospores in acropetal, catenate, simple or branched chains arising from phialides, withS. prolifica as type is described.
Characterization of CdSe/ZnTe heterojunctions

Abstract We have measured the valence band offset in a cubic CdSe/ZnTe (100) heterojunction by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Our preliminary result, based on analysis of one heterojunction, is 0.65±0.08 eV. The electrical characteristics of a doped n-CdSe/p-ZnTe heterojunction appear to be dominated by traps. We have attempted to verify the band offset through capacitance-voltage measurements, but have been unable to extract a consistent value for the flat band voltage from scans taken at different temperatures and frequencies.
Earthquake hazards: Putting seismic research to most effective use

A year has passed since a devastating tsunami inundated large areas of the northeastern coast of Japan, with tragic consequences. Given that it remains too difficult to make accurate short-term predictions of earthquakes, at least for now, the question is what we can do to improve earthquake damage mitigation. The 2011 magnitude-9 Tohoku-Oki earthquake clearly demonstrated that seismologists can rapidly and quantitatively determine what has happened during a quake, thus reducing its impact and the number of lives lost. Yet there is much room for improvement. Real-time data are not being fully shared between nations, and the best monitoring tools have not been fully implemented. More should be done to encourage the practical use of seismic research. At present, there is too large a gap between academic work and the reality of hazard mitigation.
Demonstration of surface soliton arrays at the edge of a two-dimensional photonic lattice

We demonstrate surface soliton arrays at the interface between a homogeneous medium and an optically induced two-dimensional semi-infinite photonic lattice. These are nonlinear Tamm-like surface states localized in one but extended periodically in the other transverse dimension. Both in-phase and staggered out-of-phase soliton arrays are observed, and the experimental results are corroborated by numerical simulations.
Pathways to peace

Abstract The conceptual and methodological approach presented in this paper assumes that world peace is an objective which world leaders and lay citizens would like to help attain. Among the major barriers preventing its attainment is the inability to practise systems thinking and to engage groups of interested participants in a properly organized policy planning discourse. Appropriate frameworks and consensus methods can contribute to the elevation of the quality of discourse instead of the escalation of war and conflict.
Acute toxicity of copper, ammonia, and chlorine to glochidia and juveniles of freshwater mussels (unionidae)

The objective of the present study was to determine acute toxicity of copper, ammonia, or chlorine to larval (glochidia) and juvenile mussels using the recently published American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Standard guide for conducting laboratory toxicity tests with freshwater mussels. Toxicity tests were conducted with glochidia (24- to 48-h exposures) and juveniles (96-h exposures) of up to 11 mussel species in reconstituted ASTM hard water using copper, ammonia, or chlorine as a toxicant. Copper and ammonia tests also were conducted with five commonly tested species, including cladocerans (Daphnia magna and Ceriodaphnia dubia; 48-h exposures), amphipod (Hyalella azteca; 48-h exposures), rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss; 96-h exposures), and fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas; 96-h exposures). Median effective concentrations (EC50s) for commonly tested species were >58 microg Cu/L (except 15 microg Cu/L for C. dubia) and >13 mg total ammonia N/L, whereas the EC50s for mussels in most cases were 40 microg/L and above the FAV in the WQC for chlorine. The results indicate that the early life stages of mussels generally were more sensitive to copper and ammonia than other organisms and that, including mussel toxicity data in a revision to the WQC, would lower the WQC for copper or ammonia. Furthermore, including additional mussel data in 2007 WQC for copper based on biotic ligand model would further lower the WQC.
Characteristics of double-crested cormorant colonies in the U.S. Great Lakes island landscape

Abstract The Great Lakes form the largest freshwater island system in the world and provide breeding habitat for a large proportion of the continental population of double-crested cormorants ( Phalacrocorax auritus ). Here, cormorants have a high profile due to conflicts with humans; by 2007, most active (64%) breeding sites in U.S. waters were managed. This study used data from the U.S. Great Lakes Colonial Waterbird Database and The Nature Conservancy's Great Lakes Island GIS database to identify important features of breeding sites in the U.S. Great Lakes and broaden understanding of cormorant presence at the island-landscape scale. Islands 0.5–10 ha were used more frequently than expected, and most sites had remoteness values of ≤ 3 km. Colony size was positively correlated with years occupied and large colonies (> 1000 pairs) developed primarily (95%) on island sites > 1.0 ha. Sites supporting large colonies were more remote than those supporting smaller colonies. Presence of other colonial waterbird species, especially Herring Gulls ( Larus argentatus ), also characterized cormorant sites. Islands used by cormorants comprised a small proportion ( n = 90, 3%) of the U.S. Great Lakes island resource, and
Effects of Morpheme Boundaries on Intergestural Timing: Evidence from Korean

This paper examines the effects of morpheme boundaries on intergestural timing, and demonstrates that low-level phonetic realization is influenced by morphological structure, i.e. compounding and affixation. It reports two experiments, one using electromagnetic midsagittal articulography (EMA) and one electropalatography (EPG), examining Korean data. The results of the EMA study show that intergestural timing is less variable for adjacent gestures across the word boundary inside a lexicalized compound than inside a nonlexicalized compound, and inside a monomorphemic word than across a morpheme boundary. The EPG study (which examined the timing in palatalization of a coronal) shows that both [ti] and [ni] have more variability in gestural timing when heteromorphemic than when tautomorphemic. Furthermore, the phonetic details of gestural overlap shed light on the asymmetry on palatalization between tautomorphemic and heteromorphemic gestural sequences (e.g. ni vs. n-i), presumably driven by paradigmatic contrast and preference of overlap. In short, what emerges from two experiments is that gestures are coordinated more stably within a single lexical item (a morpheme or a lexicalized compound) than across a boundary between lexical items. In accounting for the stability of intergestural timing within a lexical entry, several hypotheses were discussed including the Phase Window, Bonding Strength, Phonological Timing and Extended Phase Window model newly proposed here. The implication is that the morphological structure may be encoded in the phonetic realization, as is the case with other linguistic structure (e.g. prosodic structure).
Progress in Cooperative Volume Holographic Imaging

Volume holographic imaging permits the reconstruction of remote target shapes using either a single imaging sensor or several sensors cooperatively. We review the properties of image formation using a new type of imager that employs a volume hologram recorded with plane wave reference beam, and explain the mechanism by which depth selectivity is attained. We also describe a new cooperative imaging method using the pseudo—inverse to reconcile measurements of the same target taken simultaneously by several VHI sensors.
Social Network Analysis of Online Marketplaces

This paper presents a preliminary effort on visualization and analysis of social networks for online marketplaces. We use one of the most popular e-business models, eBay, as a case study. By extracting relevant data, we generate tree structure displays using 'Prefuse' interactive visualization toolkit, and study the social interaction among sellers and buyers, across geographical boundaries. We also illustrate how this study can improvise our understanding of online customer interaction patterns. Such an analysis could lead to possible enhancements to the current e-business models.
Data Analysis in Social Psychology: Recent and Recurring Issues

1 Introduction 2 Mediation 3 Moderation 4 Extending the Analysis of Repeated Measures 5 Missing Data 6 Invariance of Effects 7 Conclusion
Weighted pseudorandom hybrid BIST

This paper presents a new test data-compression scheme that is a hybrid approach between external testing and built-in self-test (BIST). The proposed approach is based on weighted pseudorandom testing and uses a novel approach for compressing and storing the weight sets. Three levels of compression are used to greatly reduce test costs. Experimental results show that the proposed scheme reduces tester storage requirements and tester bandwidth requirements by orders of magnitude compared to conventional external testing, but requires much less area overhead than a full BIST implementation providing the same fault coverage. No test points or any modifications are made to the function logic. The paper describes the proposed hybrid BIST architecture as well as two different ways of storing the weight sets, which are an integral part of this scheme.
The neural development and organization of letter recognition: Evidence from functional neuroimaging, computational modeling, and behavioral studies

Although much of the brain’s functional organization is genetically predetermined, it appears that some noninnate functions can come to depend on dedicated and segregated neural tissue. In this paper, we describe a series of experiments that have investigated the neural development and organization of one such noninnate function: letter recognition. Functional neuroimaging demonstrates that letter and digit recognition depend on different neural substrates in some literate adults. How could the processing of two stimulus categories that are distinguished solely by cultural conventions become segregated in the brain? One possibility is that correlation-based learning in the brain leads to a spatial organization in cortex that reflects the temporal and spatial clustering of letters with letters in the environment. Simulations confirm that environmental co-occurrence does indeed lead to spatial localization in a neural network that uses correlation-based learning. Furthermore, behavioral studies confirm one critical prediction of this co-occurrence hypothesis, namely, that subjects exposed to a visual environment in which letters and digits occur together rather than separately (postal workers who process letters and digits together in Canadian postal codes) do indeed show less behavioral evidence for segregated letter and digit processing.
Investigation of guided surface acoustic wave sensors by analytical modeling and perturbation analysis

Abstract In this paper, shear horizontal polarized guided surface acoustic wave propagation was investigated with analytical modeling and perturbation analysis for biosensing applications. The model was also verified experimentally. The analytical model was developed for multilayer systems taking viscoelasticity into consideration. Detailed parametric investigation of dispersion curves was conducted using various substrate materials and guiding layers. The effects of frequency and degree of viscoelasticity were also studied. Perturbation equations were developed with first order approximations by relating the dispersion curve slopes to sensitivity. Among the guiding layers investigated, Parylene C showed the highest sensitivity followed by gold, chrome and silicon dioxide. The perturbation investigations were also extended to protein layers for immunosensing applications. It was observed that viscous behavior resulted in slightly higher sensitivity, and protein layers showed almost identical sensitivity similar to polymers investigated (SU-8, Parylene, etc.). The optimum configuration is found to be Parylene-C guiding layer on a ST-cut quartz substrate for protein layer sensing and this configuration has 40 times the sensitivity of gold guiding layer on quartz substrate. Our results indicate that chrome and silicon dioxide have low sensitivity when used as guiding layers. Also, lithium tantalate substrate with gold and Parylene-C guiding layers results in ∼10% lower sensitivity as compared to quartz substrate.
Hyperthermia increases interleukin-6 in mouse skeletal muscle.

Skeletal muscles produce and contribute to circulating levels of IL-6 during exercise. However, when core temperature is reduced, the response is attenuated. Therefore, we hypothesized that hyperthermia may be an important and independent stimulus for muscle IL-6. In cultured C2C12 myotubes, hyperthermia (42°C) increased IL-6 gene expression 14-fold after 1 h and 35-fold after 5 h of 37°C recovery; whereas exposure to 41°C resulted in a 2.6-fold elevation at 1 h. IL-6 protein was secreted and significantly elevated in the cell supernatant. Similar but reduced responses to heat were seen in C2C12 myoblasts. Isolated soleus muscles from mice, exposed ex vivo to 41°C for 1 h, yielded similar IL-6 gene responses (>3-fold) but without a significant effect on protein release. When whole animals were exposed to passive hyperthermia, such that core temperature increased to 42.4°C, IL-6 mRNA in soleus increased 5.4-fold compared with time matched controls. Interestingly, TNF-α gene expression was routinely suppressed at all levels of hyperthermia (40.5–42°C) in the isolated models, but TNF-α was elevated (4.2-fold) in the soleus taken from intact mice exposed, in vivo, to hyperthermia. Muscle HSP72 mRNA increased as a function of the level of hyperthermia, and IL-6 mRNA responses increased proportionally with HSP72. In cultured C2C12 myotubes, when heat shock factor was pharmacologically blocked with KNK437, both HSP72 and IL-6 mRNA elevations, induced by heat, were suppressed. These findings implicate skeletal muscle as a “heat stress sensor” at physiologically relevant hyperthermia, responding with a programmed cytokine expression pattern characterized by elevated IL-6.
Pathways of ego development: Contributions to maladaptation and adjustment

This article investigates the impact of ego development on the course of psychiatric illness in a group of 37 psychiatrically hospitalized adolescents ages 12 to 16. The subjects, 21 males and 16 females, were evaluated at time of admission and again after 9 months of hospitalization. Using the Loevinger Sentence Completion Test (Loevinger, Wessler, & Redmore, 1970), two ego pathway groups were defined: progressors, those subjects who had advanced at least one-half stage in ego development, and nonprogressors, those who did not progress at least one-half state in ego development. Significant differences in clinical course were found between the two groups. Progressors demonstrated more significant decreases in psychiatric symptoms as measured by the Achenbach and Edelbrock (1987) Youth Self Report and had a significant change in their use of coping and defense processes compared with the nonprogressors. The findings are discussed in the context of a constructivist approach to developmental psychopathology.
Chameleon: hierarchical clustering using dynamic modeling

Clustering is a discovery process in data mining. It groups a set of data in a way that maximizes the similarity within clusters and minimizes the similarity between two different clusters. Many advanced algorithms have difficulty dealing with highly variable clusters that do not follow a preconceived model. By basing its selections on both interconnectivity and closeness, the Chameleon algorithm yields accurate results for these highly variable clusters. Existing algorithms use a static model of the clusters and do not use information about the nature of individual clusters as they are merged. Furthermore, one set of schemes (the CURE algorithm and related schemes) ignores the information about the aggregate interconnectivity of items in two clusters. Another set of schemes (the Rock algorithm, group averaging method, and related schemes) ignores information about the closeness of two clusters as defined by the similarity of the closest items across two clusters. By considering either interconnectivity or closeness only, these algorithms can select and merge the wrong pair of clusters. Chameleon's key feature is that it accounts for both interconnectivity and closeness in identifying the most similar pair of clusters. Chameleon finds the clusters in the data set by using a two-phase algorithm. During the first phase, Chameleon uses a graph partitioning algorithm to cluster the data items into several relatively small subclusters. During the second phase, it uses an algorithm to find the genuine clusters by repeatedly combining these subclusters.
Weather Forecasting and the Principles of Complex Cognitive Systems

This presentation will illustrate some of the principles for the design of complex cognitive systems that were manifested in a recent project on weather forecasting (Hoffman, et al., 2000). One focus here is on how technologies and workspaces can facilitate or interfere with knowledge-sharing. A second focus is the notion of methodological opportunism. This is illustrated by a discussion of a new knowledge elicitation method, the Cognitive Modeling Procedure, which is intended to support the rapid refinement and behavioral validation (in the field setting) of macrocognitive models of practitioner reasoning.
Multiple Class Segmentation Using A Unified Framework over Mean-Shift Patches

Object-based segmentation is a challenging topic. Most of the previous algorithms focused on segmenting a single or a small set of objects. In this paper, the multiple class object-based segmentation is achieved using the appearance and bag of keypoints models integrated over mean-shift patches. We also propose a novel affine invariant descriptor to model the spatial relationship of keypoints and apply the elliptical Fourier descriptor to describe the global shapes. The algorithm is computationally efficient and has been tested for three real datasets using less training samples. Our algorithm provides better results than other studies reported in the literature.
Electrogram fractionation caused by microfibrosis: insights from a microstructure model

Fractionated electrograms have long been associated with non-uniform propagation in the atria, owing to a heterogeneous substrate marked by fibrosis. It is not known, however, whether the features of the electrograms can be used to quantify the degree of fibrosis in the heart. A computer model of a monolayer of cells was developed to investigate how progression of microfibrosis impacts electrogram morphology and the degree of fractionation. The analysis of unipolar electrograms simulated in the model revealed that more pronounced microfibrosis was associated with slow conduction and electrogram waveforms featuring a higher degree of fractionation and a larger spatial variability in morphology. This modeling framework forms a basis to better understand the genesis of fractionated electrograms and for developing a strategy to use the electrogram features to quantify fibrosis in patients with atrial fibrillation, possibly impacting the target sites for catheter ablation.
Expression of Exogenous Human Telomerase in Cultures of Endometrial Stromal Cells Does Not Alter Their Hormone Responsiveness

In the human endometrium, stromal cells mediate the proliferative response of epithelial cells to the steroid hormones estrogen and progesterone. These stromal-epithelial interactions are readily studied in vitro by coculture of both cell types. A major impediment to such studies is the rapid senescence of normal stromal cells. To circumvent this problem, we tested whether human endometrial stromal cells immortalized by expressing a transduced human telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) subunit retained the ability to mediate hormonal control of epithelial proliferation in the coculture assay. We found that the telomerized stromal cells were very similar to the parental strain from which they were derived according to criteria of proliferation, karyotype, cellular localization of cytoskeletal markers and nuclear staining, and basal gene expression based on microarray analysis. We also showed that expression of estrogen and progesterone receptors, as assessed by immunodetection, was similar in both telomerized and parental stromal cells. Importantly, the telomerized stromal cells were shown in coculture assay to be as effective as normal stromal cells in regulating the proliferation of endometrial epithelial cells in response to estrogen or progesterone. The availability of these long-lived stromal cells may advance studies addressing the mechanistic, regulatory, and cell structural basis of stromal-epithelial interactions and hormonal responses in normal, preneoplastic, and neoplastic human endometrial tissue.
Learning automata in games with memory with application to circuit-switched routing

A general setting is considered in which autonomous users interact by means of a finite-state controlled Markov process. This process is driven by the collective actions of all users, and individual users receive separate rewards according to its state. It is assumed that each user chooses its actions via a reinforcement learning algorithm based on its local information. The dynamic behavior of user strategies is characterized for small values of a step-size parameter adopted in learning. The general form of equilibria is obtained and is shown to be analogous to Wardrop equilibria if users update their strategies on a faster time-scale compared to the underlying process. The results are illustrated in the context of routing in circuit-switched communication networks.
Establishment and characteristics of Gottingen minipig skin in organ culture and monolayer cell culture: relevance to drug safety testing

Skin from Gottingen minipigs was used as a source of tissue for organ and cell culture and compared to human skin for growth conditions and sensitivity to irritants. Optimal organ culture conditions were determined, based on the preservation of the histological structure. These included serum-free, growth factor-free conditions with a calcium concentration of 1.5mM. Formulations in which the calcium concentration were low (0.075–0.15mM) failed to support tissue viability (even in the presence of dialyzed serum). Epidermal keratinocytes were grown from tissue explants and as single cells from enzyme-disrupted tissue. Optimal keratinocyte growth was achieved using a serum-free, growth factor-supplemented culture medium with a calcium concentration of 0.15mM. Fibroblasts were optimally grown from explant cultures using a medium with 1.5mM calcium and 10% fetal bovine serum. The conditions that were optimal for maintenance of intact pig skin, as well as for the isolated cells, are the same conditions that have been shown previously to be optimal for intact human skin and skin cells. In additional studies, pig skin keratinocytes and fibroblasts were exposed to a panel of contact irritants and contact sensitizers. Using growth inhibition as the response, the median effective dose values with each agent were very similar to the values previously determined for human epidermal keratinocytes and human dermal fibroblasts. Taken together, these data suggest that the skin from the Gottingen minipig can be used as a surrogate for human skin in ex vivo skin safety studies.
Quantification of cockroach allatostatin-like peptide and its myotropic effects in males of the earwig Euborellia annulipes

Summary A monoclonal antibody to allatostatin I of the cockroach Diploptera punctata was used to establish a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for quantification of allatostatin-like peptides in the hindgut of the adult male earwig, Euborellia annulipes. Hindguts of 0-day males contained significantly more allatostatin-positive material than those of 8-day males fed on catfood. However, males starved for the first 8 days of adult life had significantly higher levels of allatostatin-positive material than those of either 0-day or of 8-day fed males. Hindguts from 0-day old males exhibited lower spontaneous motility in vitro than those from 8-day males. Hindguts from males at both ages responded to allostatin with reversible, dosage-dependent decreases in hindgut motility, and responded to proctolin with reversible, dosage-dependent increases in hindgut motility. When both allatostatin and proctolin were applied to hindgut preparations simultaneously and in equal concentrations, the response varied with the stage of the male. Starvation enhanced hindgut motility and abolished the response to allatostatin, but not to proctolin. These results indicate the presence of material similar to cockroach allatostatins in male earwigs, and that the levels change with age and physiological stage. Furthermore, such peptides may indeed be regulatory neuropeptides and could modulate hindgut contraction. There was an increase in sensitivity to exogenous allatostatin in the hindgut during development from day 0 to day 8 in feeding males, but a loss in sensitivity in response to starvation; sensitivity to exogenous proctolin also increased with age, but such responsiveness was not diminished by starvation.
Serological Survey for Antibodies to Mosquito-Borne Bunyaviruses Among US National Park Service and US Forest Service Employees

Serum samples from 295 employees of Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GRSM), Rocky Mountain National Park (ROMO), and Grand Teton National Park with adjacent Bridger-Teton National Forest (GRTE-BTNF) were subjected to serological analysis for mosquito-borne bunyaviruses. The sera were analyzed for neutralizing antibodies against six orthobunyaviruses: La Crosse virus (LACV), Jamestown Canyon virus (JCV), snowshoe hare virus (SSHV), California encephalitis virus, and Trivittatus virus (TVTV) belonging to the California serogroup and Cache Valley virus (CVV) belonging to the Bunyamwera serogroup. Sera were also tested for immunoglobulin (Ig) G antibodies against LACV and JCV by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The proportion of employees with neutralizing antibodies to any California serogroup bunyavirus was similar in all three sites, with the prevalence ranging from 28% to 36%. The study demonstrated a seroprevalence of 3% to CVV across the three parks. However, proportions of persons with antibodies to specific viruses differed between parks. Participants residing in the eastern regions had a higher seroprevalence to LACV, with 24% (18/75) GRSM employees being seropositive. In contrast, SSHV seroprevalence was limited to employees from the western sites, with 1.7% (1/60) ROMO and 3.8% (6/160) GRTE-BTNF employees being positive. Seroprevalence to JCV was noted in employees from all sites at rates of 6.7% in GRSM, 21.7% in ROMO, and 15.6% in GRTE-BTNF. One employee each from ROMO (1.7%) and GRTE-BTNF (1.9%) were positive for TVTV. This study also has illustrated the greater sensitivity and specificity of plaque reduction neutralization test compared to IgG ELISA in conducting serosurveys for LACV and JCV.
Use of relaxation training to reduce pain following vaginal hysterectomy.

The experience of pain has cognitive and emotional components as well as sensory and physical factors; hence, psychological variables often play a key role in the control of pain (2) . Recent reviews ( 4 ) have shown the effectiveness of procedures such as cognitive modification, hypnosis, and relaxation training for increasing subjects' tolerance of laborstory pain, e.g., cold-pressor stimulation. In the present investigation, we sought to determine the effectiveness of one of these procedures, relaxation training, as a method for coping with the dinicaL pain which follows surgery. Subjects were 26 women, ages 30 to 62 yr., who were scheduled to undergo vaginal hysterectomies. Subjects were randomly assigned to either experimental or control groups. During the 10-day periods prior to their scheduled operations, the 13 women in the experimental group each received two 90-min, individual sessions of training in progressive muscle relaxation. The relaxation procedures involved ( a ) instructions to focus attention on pleasant, relatively monotonous internal feelings, e.g., deep breathing, and ( b ) systematic tension-release of gross muscle systems; see Bernstein and Borkovec ( 1 ) for detailed instructions. In keeping with ethical guidelines, the investigators informed subjects that the use of relaxation for pain control was an experimental procedure and, as such, its effectiveness could not be guaranteed. Subjects were instructed to practice the relaxation exercises twice daily and to use them as a means of coping with post-operative pain. In the control group were 13 women who underwent vaginal hysterectomies but had no contact with the experimenters prior to surgery. Subjects' pain was assessed one and three days post-operatively via the following dependent measures: (a) subjects' self-reports of pain, i.e., the McGill-Melzack Pain Questionnaire, ( b ) behavioral observations made by two independent raters, i.e., the Chambers-Price Rating Scales for Pain, and (c) the number of pain medications received by the subject. Statistical analyses showed that differences between the experimental and control groups on the dependent measures were not significant at either one or three days following subjects' surgeries (ps > .05); see Petri ( 3 ) for details regarding design, analysis, and a discussion of the results. Relaxation training was not sufficient procedure for the reduction of clinical pain, perhaps as a result of ( a ) insufficient training in the relaxation procedures, ( b ) a lack of staff reinforcement for subjects' post-operative use of the relaxation exercises, and ( c ) the ready availability of alternative, "easier" methods of pain control, e.g., medication.
Pain and Suffering Awards for Consumer Product Accidents: Effects of Plaintiff-Defendant Liability and Injury Severity

A study was carried out to explore the effects of two variables on the amount of pain and suffering awards in a product liability litigation context. The first variable was the level of liability/responsibility allocated to the plaintiff and defendant for the accident and injury. The two levels were 100% and 60% assigned to the defendant, with the corresponding levels for the plaintiff at 0% and 40%. The second variable was the severity of the injury which was characterized as high or low. The two variables were manipulated between participants, resulting in a 2 × 2 design. Four separate accident/injury scenarios were employed, and each participant was presented with all four scenarios in one of the conditions. The scenarios described an automobile accident resulting in paralysis, a workplace accident resulting in chemical burns, a workplace accident resulting in brain damage, and an automobile accident resulting in the death of a small child. Following the presentation of each scenario, participants were...
A Brief Introduction to Genre Analysis

By analyzing the notion of genre,we know that a genre is a class of communicative events and it has its generic structure potential. While on how to analyze a specific genre we can use the genre analysis theory which provides seven steps and the five different discourse patterns in which each pattern has its gefinite features. Thus one can understand and produce a genre more easily. So it gives important implications to second language teacing.
What Lies Ahead

In the past decade acceptance of the principle of intrinsic safety has increased exponentially. During the next decade the problems of electrical safety will more and more be accepted as engineering problems amenable to solution by rational analysis and experiment. Electrically ignited explosions will be considered on the basis of technical factors, rather than on emotional ones.
Study protocol: implementation of a computer-assisted intervention for autism in schools: a hybrid type II cluster randomized effectiveness-implementation trial.

The number of children diagnosed with autism has rapidly outpaced the capacities of many public school systems to serve them, especially under-resourced, urban school districts. The intensive nature of evidence-based autism interventions, which rely heavily on one-to-one delivery, has caused schools to turn to computer-assisted interventions (CAI). There is little evidence regarding the feasibility, effectiveness, and implementation of CAI in public schools. While CAI has the potential to increase instructional time for students with autism, it may also result in unintended consequences such as reduction in the amount of interpersonal (as opposed to computerized) instruction students receive. The purpose of this study is to test the effectiveness of one such CAI—TeachTown—its implementation, and its effects on teachers’ use of other evidence-based practices. This study protocol describes a type II hybrid cluster randomized effectiveness-implementation trial. We will train and coach 70 teachers in autism support classrooms in one large school district in the use of evidence-based practices for students with autism. Half of the teachers then will be randomly selected to receive training and access to TeachTown: Basics, a CAI for students with autism, for the students in their classrooms. The study examines: (1) the effectiveness of TeachTown for students with autism; (2) the extent to which teachers implement TeachTown the way it was designed (i.e., fidelity); and (3) whether its uptake increases or reduces the use of other evidence-based practices. This study will examine the implementation of new technology for children with ASD in public schools and will be the first to measure the effectiveness of CAI. As importantly, the study will investigate whether adding a new technology on top of existing practices increases or decreases their use. This study presents a unique method to studying both the implementation and exnovation of evidence-based practices for children with autism in school settings. NCT02695693 . Retrospectively registered on July 8, 2016.
LRET Methods for Investigating Conformational Changes in Functional Ionotropic Glutamate Receptors

Luminescence resonance energy transfer (LRET) is an invaluable tool to study the conformational changes of proteins induced by ligands or protein–protein interactions at an Angstrom-level resolution. LRET experiments require a pair of fluorophores with overlapping spectra, where the emission of the “donor” overlaps with the excitation of the “acceptor” fluorophore. The efficiency of non-radiative energy transfer can be determined by measuring the sensitized emission of the acceptor fluorophore, upon exciting the donor fluorophore. The efficiency of transfer, in turn, can be correlated to the distance between the two fluorophores. A modification of the LRET technique, whereby the LRET lifetime is measured before and after protease cleavage of the receptor, allows for the quantification of background fluorescence and for measurements to be made in functional receptors expressed in mammalian cells (Rambhadran et al., J Biol Chem 286:16953–16957, 2011; Sirrieh et al., J Biol Chem 288:22555–22564, 2013; Pal et al., Biochemistry 44:13638–13649, 2005; Gonzalez et al., Biochemistry 47:10027–10032, 2008). The specific LRET lifetime that can be measured in this system can be used to describe conformational changes associated with gating, allosteric modulation, partial agonism, protein–protein interactions, and intersubunit interactions associated with motions of the receptor. By subsequently coupling this technique with functional characterization of the receptor, a direct connection can be drawn between structural changes and the functional consequences.