cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Preclinical studies of iododeoxuridine in dimethyl sulfoxide for the topical treatment of cutaneous herpes simplex virus infections

Abstract The topical use of iododeoxyuridine (IDU) in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) for the treatment of cutaneous herpes simplex virus (HSV) infections has been advocated for over 20 years, but the clinical efficacy of this combination remains controversial. The following studies were undertaken to understand better how variable formulations of IDU in DMSO and different rates of percutaneous drug delivery affect clinical efficacy. The flux of IDU from DMSO through excised guinea pig skin was measured in Franz diffusion cells, with varying experimental conditions and formulations of IDU, DMSO and water. Contrary to predictions derived from Fick's law, the flux of IDU did not continue to increase with increasing drug concentration beyond 20% IDU. Higher rates of drug flux were measured when the in vitro experimental conditions more closely replicated those of a skin surface in vivo, that is with the receiver solution at 37°C and skin exposed to ambient conditions. Three IDU-DMSO formulations tested in vitro were used to treat an experimental dorsal cutaneous HSV infection of guinea pigs. The flux values determined at 37°C in the open diffusion cells showed better correlation with treatment efficacy. The results of these experiments may explain in part why very high concentrations of IDU in DMSo may not necessarily be more clinically effective beyond an optimal drug concentration and why results with different IDU-DMSO formulations have been variable.
Hypergenitalism in children

Summary A study is recorded in a mentally retarded boy with precocious sexu development exhibiting neither spermatogenesis, premature ossification, nor epiphyseal union. Hydrocephalus was not present. An intracranial involvement possibly of the hypothalamus must be borne in mind. The encephalogram exhibited no pathologic findings. The similarity of our boy, who exhibited excess excretion of prolan, to the children receiving large amounts of gonadotropic substance is interesting. That the manifestations of the hypergenitalism may be the result of a defect in germ plasm also producing the mental defect is possible. In addition to a discussion of differential diagnosis, therapy is suggested.
Comparative kinetic investigations in ionic liquids using the MTO/peroxide system

Abstract The kinetics and thermodynamics of the reaction of methyltrioxorhenium (MTO) with hydrogen peroxide in ambient temperature ionic liquids have been studied. The rate constant for the formation of the diperoxorhenium complex, CH 3 ReO(η 2 -O 2 ) 2 , from the monoperoxorhenium complex, CH 3 ReO 2 (η 2 -O 2 ), and hydrogen peroxide in [bmim]NO 3 is 0.053±0.002 M −1 s −1 . The equilibrium constants for the binding of two peroxide units have been determined in [emim]BF 4 to be K 1 =110±28 and K 2 =160±36. Similar rate constants and equilibrium constants are obtained in other water-miscible, dialkylimidazolium and alkylpyridinium ionic liquids. The values of the rate constants are highly dependent on the concentration of water in the solvent. These results indicate that the ionic liquids can behave like organic solvents and aqueous solutions of high salt concentrations.
On the adult longevity of the entomophagous parasite,Venturia canescens [Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae]

The adult longevity of the California strain ofVenturia canescens (Gravenhorst) [Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae], a larval parasite of the Mediterranean flour moth,Anagasta kuehniella (Zeller) [Lepidoptera: Phycitidae] was studied. The effects of the presence or absence of food (honey streak) in relationship to the ovipositional exertion as influenced by the presence or absence of hosts was considered.
Improvement in Energy Efficiency of Induction Motors by Means of Voltage Control

It has been estimated that electric motors in the U. S. consume approximately 64% of all the electric energy generated. Also, over the past 12-20 years, the efficiencies of electric motors under 10 kW (~15 hp) have degraded significantly, though the trend toward lower efficiencies appears to be reversing. Very substantial energy savings are possible in lightly loaded induction motors by means of controlling the applied voltage. Tests are conducted on a fractional horse-power motor, and several voltage control arrangements consisting of SCRs are compared in their ability to improve the motor efficiency, and in terms of the amount of harmonic currents generated.
HAEMOLYTIC EFFECTS OF STEROIDS.

A NUMBER of neutral and acidic steroids produce fever and inflammation in man1. Inflammation probably reflects the cytotoxicity of these compounds, and since haemolysis is one expression of cellular toxicity, several steroids were investigated for haemolytic properties in vitro, and their haemolytic and pyrogenic activities compared.
Syk activation is a leukotriene B4-regulated event involved in macrophage phagocytosis of IgG-coated targets but not apoptotic cells

Macrophages are called upon to ingest both IgG-coated targets and apoptotic cells. Important roles for tyrosine kinase Syk and leukotriene B4 (LTB4) are recognized in FcγR-mediated phagocytosis. Here we evaluated the roles of Syk and LTB4 in macrophage phagocytosis of apoptotic thymocytes versus IgG-coated erythrocytes. Macrophage ingestion of apoptotic thymocytes was not influenced by exogenous or endogenous LTB4 nor associated with Syk activation (phosphorylation). By contrast, LTB4 dose-dependently amplified FcγR-mediated phagocytosis as well as Syk activation. Furthermore, a role for endogenous LTB4 in Syk activation during FcγR-mediated phagocytosis was demonstrated using pharmacologic and genetic abrogation of 5-lipoxygenase. LTB4 was unique among 5-lipoxygenase products in this regard, since LTD4 and 5-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (HETE) were unable to amplify Syk activation in response to FcγR engagement. Ca2+ chelation studies revealed that FcγR-mediated Syk activation as well as LTB4 amplification thereof was Ca2+ regulated. These 2 parallel phagocytic processes therefore exhibit initial divergence in signal transduction events, with Syk activation being an LTB4-regulated event in FcγR-mediated but not apoptotic cell ingestion. As LTB4 is an important proinflammatory product of macrophages, we speculate that this divergence evolved to permit FcγR-mediated phagocytosis to proceed in an inflammatory milieu, while apoptotic cell clearance is noninflammatory.
Effects of Interventions on Survival in Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome: an Umbrella Review of 159 Published Randomized Trials and 29 Meta-analyses

Purpose Multiple interventions have been tested in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). We examined the entire agenda of published randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in ARDS that reported on mortality and of respective meta-analyses.
Social stress differentially regulates neuroendocrine responses in laying hens: I. Genetic basis of dopamine responses under three different social conditions

Effects of genetic-environmental interactions on plasma dopamine (DA) concentrations were studied in White Leghorn chickens selected for both high (HGPS) or low (LGPS) group productivity and survivability resulting from cannibalism and flightiness. Plasma DA levels were measured from chickens in three social treatments: single-, two-, or ten-hen cages. The two-hen treatment consisted of paired chickens from three genetic lines: HGPS, LGPS and a commercial strain, Dekalb XL (DXL). In HGPS/DXL and LGPS/DXL pairs, the DXL hen was used as a standardized genetic competitor. The ten-hen treatment contained only hens from the same line, which is similar to the original selection condition. After 7 weeks housing in the social environments, LGPS hens in the ten-hen treatment had greater plasma DA concentrations than HGPS hens (P<0.05). Compared to levels in the ten-hen treatment from the same line, plasma DA concentrations in both HGPS and LGPS hens were significantly lower in the two-hen treatment (average mean, 0.09 vs. 0.15 ng/ml and 0.22 vs. 0.44 ng/ml, P<0.05, respectively), but significantly higher in the single-hen treatment (average mean, 0.44 vs. 0.15 ng/ml and 1.78 vs. 0.44 ng/ml, P<0.05 and P<0.01, respectively). In the single-hen treatment, LGPS hens had greater plasma DA levels than HGPS hens (P<0.05). The results provide evidence of genetically related differences in the regulation of chickens' plasma DA concentrations in response to social stress. These differences may magnify the behavioral and physiological differences observed in the lines under basal and challenged conditions. These results suggest that these chicken lines may provide a new model for investigating effects of DA on the control of behavioral, neural and endocrine responses to stress.
Prevalence of binge drinking and associated co-factors among medical students in a U.S. Jesuit University.

AbstractBackground: Alcohol consumption is the third leading cause of preventable death in the US. Limited research has been conducted examining drinking habits of medical students. Objective: This study was designed to measure the prevalence and associated risk factors of binge drinking among a sample of medical students. Methods: A total of 485 medical students at a private, Jesuit medical school in the US participated in a confidential web-based survey in April 2011. Univariate and multivariate generalized linear regressions with robust error variance were performed for estimated prevalence ratio (PR) of binge drinking. Results: The prevalence of binge drinking was 58.1% among the sampled medical students with the majority being white (67.0%) and between 18 and 25 years old (60.0%). After adjusting for age, gender, race/ethnicity, and year in medical school, there were statistically significant (p < 0.05) associations of drinking during an after-exam party (PR = 2.82), protective behavioral strategy (P...
Pregrowth hormone: evidence for conversion to growth hormone during synthesis on membrane-bound polysomes.

Previous investigations have shown that the product of the translation in vitro of messenger RNA coding for growth hormone is a protein larger than growth hormone, designated pregrowth hormone. It was suggested that pregrowth hormone is a biosynthetic precursor of growth hormone. In the present studies we have investigated further the metabolic relationship between growth hormone and pregrowth hormone. Polysomes isolated from a clonal strain of rat pituitary (GC) cells were incubated in the presence of S-100 extracts of mouse Krebs ascites cells. Incubation of membrane-released or free polysomes in extracts containing [3H]leucine demonstrated that growth hormone is synthesized by membrane-bound polysomes. Incubation of membrane- released polysomes, isolated from GC cells labeled briefly with [3H]leucine, in extracts containing only unlabeled amino acids demonstrated that the polysomes contained nascent pregrowth hormone at the time of their isolation, and thus that intact pituitary cells are engaged in th...
Fire ant queen longevity and age: estimation by sperm depletion

Because ant queens mate only at the beginning of their reproductive lives and draw on this stored sperm for every female produced, the sperm content of the queen's spermatheca declines with age. The potential reproductive life of queens of the fire ant, Solenopsis invicta , was estimated in the field by determining the spermathecal sperm content of queens from colonies of increasing ages, and extrapolating their declining sperm counts to zero. Estimated potential life span was 6.77 yr for Tallahassee, Fla., ants and 5.83 yr for Gainesville, Fla., ants. These methods may have general utility in studying the demography of social Hymenoptera.
Multiple sites of DCIP reduction by sonicated oat chloroplasts: role of plastocyanin.

Abstract 1. Oat chloroplasts, in the presence of 0.02 M methylamine, reduce 2,6 dichlorophenolindophenol (DCIP) at a rate of 350–500 μmoles/mg chl per h, in saturating light. Brief sonication for approx. 1 min lowers the rate to approx. 50 μmoles/mg chl per h; longer sonication does not reduce activity further. During brief sonication, plastocyanin is lost from the chloroplasts. When plastocyanin is added back to sonicated fragments, DCIP reduction is approximately doubled to 100 μmoles/mg chl per h. 2. When oxidized plastocyanin is added, a transient is observed when light is first turned on: this is due to a reduction of the plastocyanin before DCIP reduction begins. When reduced plastocyanin is added, a different transient occurs: this is due to a fast photoreduction of DCIP by the plastocyanin and is followed by the slower steady state reduction of DCIP by water. When light is turned off before complete reduction of DCIP, a transient reduction of oxidized plastocyanin by reduced DCIP is seen. Insensitivity of these transients to 3(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea (DCMU) and the greater effectiveness of 710 nm light, along with the known capacity of plastocyanin to mediate electron transfer to System I, prove that an intrinsically fast reduction of DCIP occurs at a site close to the primary photoreduced product of System I. 3. After brief sonication and washing, no residual plastocyanin was detected in chloroplast fragments, and the rate of the slow DCIP reduction (about 50μmoles/mg chl per h) sustained by such fragments was essentially identical to that maintained by fragments of mutants lacking System I activity. Following Kok et al. 9 , the simplest explanation for this slow DCIP reduction is that is occurs at a site close to System II and the system I is not involved. 4. A very slow transient reduction of DCIP occurs after extinguishing light; this presumably involves another reduction site close to System II, as suggested by Kok 9 .
HFT events: Shallow moonquakes?☆

Abstract A few large distant seismic events of distinctly high signal frequency, designated HFT (high-frequency teleseismic) events, are observed yearly by the Apollo lunar seismic network. Their sources are located on or near the surface of the moon, leaving a large gap in seismic activity between the zones of HFT sources and deep moonquakes. No strong regularities are found in either their spatial or temporal distributions. Several working hypotheses for the identity of these sources have been advanced, but many characteristics of the events seem to favor a hypothesis that they are shallow moonquakes. Simultaneous observations of other lunar phenomena may eventually enable the determination of their true identity.
Galvanic Anode Current and Structure Current Demand Determination Methods for Offshore Structures

Abstract The maintenance current density associated with cathodic protection (CP), imaint, which is the current density demand of a structure to affect a given level of cathodic polarization at a p...
Canopy reflectance, photosynthesis and transpiration

Abstract A two-stream approximation model of radiative transfer is used to calculate values of hemispheric canopy reflectance in the visible and near-infrared wavelength intervals. Simple leaf models of photosynthesis and stomatal resistance are integrated over leaf orientation and canopy depth to obtain estimates of canopy photosynthesis and bulk stomatal or canopy resistance. The ratio of near-infrared and visible reflectances is predicted to be a near linear indicator of minimum canopy resistance and photosynthetic capacity but a poor predictor of leaf area index or biomass.
Recognition and significance of streamflow‐dominated piedmont facies in extensional basins

Alluvial slopes are piedmonts characterized by parallel steam channels rather than alluvial fans. They are common landforms in extensional basins of the south-western United States but have received little attention from geomorphologists or sedimentologists. Persistence of channellized flow across piedmonts, as opposed to sheetflooding due to loss of flow confinement on alluvial-fan surfaces, distinguishes alluvial-slope and alluvial-fan facies. Miocene strata of the Tesuque Formation (Espanola basin, New Mexico) and Pliocene strata of the St. David Formation (San Pedro Valley, Arizona) provide examples of extensional basin–piedmont successions constructed by discrete gravel and sand bedload channels and aggrading interfluve floodplains and aeolian sand sheets. Distinction of alluvial-fan and alluvial-slope piedmont deposits has several important implications. The contrasting facies geometries associated with the two landforms produce distinctly different aquifer and reservoir properties. It is hypothesized that alluvial slopes are more likely to form than alluvial fans where mountain fronts lack abrupt structural and topographic definition. This circumstance will most likely be met (a) along tectonically inactive and embayed mountain fronts and (b) on the hangingwall ramp side of half grabens.
Radiation From an Arbitrarily Oriented Hertzian Dipole in the Presence of a Gyroelectric Slab

Numerical analysis for the radiation of an elementary dipole is presented when it is located over a half-space gyroelectric medium, a grounded gyroelectric slab, and inside the slab. It is revealed that the direction of the maximum radiated field for a dipole over a half-space gyroelectric medium corresponds to the critical angles where total internal reflection occurs. Usually 6-dB enhancement can be obtained by placing a dipole above the anisotropic region, either over a half-space or grounded anisotropic slab. The effects of the frequency and the biasing magnetic field are studied for the radiation of a dipole over a grounded gyroelectric slab. In addition, it is discovered that more than 6-dB enhanced radiation along the broadside direction, compared with the radiation of the dipole in free space, is achievable if the vertically oriented dipole is placed inside the grounded gyrolectric slab with the proper adjustment of the thickness of the slab and the magnitude of the biasing magnetic field. This thickness is significantly less than the optimum thickness required to achieve the directive emission along the broadside direction using the horizontal dipole inside the grounded isotropic plasma slab without the biasing magnetic field.
Cometabolism of trihalomethanes by Nitrosomonas europaea.

The ammonia-oxidizing bacterium Nitrosomonas europaea (ATCC 19718) was shown to degrade low concentrations (50 to 800 μg/liter) of the four trihalomethanes (trichloromethane [TCM], or chloroform; bromodichloromethane [BDCM]; dibromochloromethane [DBCM]; and tribromomethane [TBM], or bromoform) commonly found in treated drinking water. Individual trihalomethane (THM) rate constants () increased with increasing THM bromine substitution, with TBM > DBCM > BDCM > TCM (0.23, 0.20, 0.15, and 0.10 liters/mg/day, respectively). Degradation kinetics were best described by a reductant model that accounted for two limiting reactants, THMs and ammonia-nitrogen (NH3-N). A decrease in the temperature resulted in a decrease in both ammonia and THM degradation rates with ammonia rates affected to a greater extent than THM degradation rates. Similarly to the THM degradation rates, product toxicity, measured by transformation capacity (Tc), increased with increasing THM bromine substitution. Because both the rate constants and product toxicities increase with increasing THM bromine substitution, a water's THM speciation will be an important consideration for process implementation during drinking water treatment. Even though a given water sample may be kinetically favored based on THM speciation, the resulting THM product toxicity may not allow stable treatment process performance.
Plasma BIN1 correlates with heart failure and predicts arrhythmia in patients with arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy

Background Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) is a disorder involving diseased cardiac muscle. Bridging integrator 1 (BIN1) is a membrane-associated protein important to cardiomyocyte homeostasis and is downregulated in cardiomyopathy. We hypothesized that BIN1 could be released into the circulation and that blood-available BIN1 can provide useful data on the cardiac status of patients whose hearts are failing secondary to ARVC. Objective To determine whether plasma BIN1 levels can be used to measure disease severity in patients with ARVC. Methods We performed a retrospective cohort study of 24 patients with ARVC. Plasma BIN1 levels were assessed for their ability to correlate with cardiac functional status and predict ventricular arrhythmias. Results Mean plasma BIN1 levels were decreased in patients with ARVC with heart failure (15 ± 7 vs 60 ± 17 in patients without heart failure, P Conclusions Plasma BIN1 level seems to correlate with cardiac functional status and the presence or absence of sustained ventricular arrhythmias in a small cohort of patients with ARVC and can predict future ventricular arrhythmias.
Conceptual Model for Physical Therapist Management of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

Fatigue is one of the most common reasons why people consult health care providers. Chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) is one cause of clinically debilitating fatigue. The underdiagnosis of CFS/ME, along with the spectrum of symptoms that represent multiple reasons for entry into physical therapy settings, places physical therapists in a unique position to identify this health condition and direct its appropriate management. The diagnosis and clinical correlates of CFS/ME are becoming better understood, although the optimal clinical management of this condition remains controversial. The 4 aims of this perspective article are: (1) to summarize the diagnosis of CFS/ME with the goal of promoting the optimal recognition of this condition by physical therapists; (2) to discuss aerobic system and cognitive deficits that may lead to the clinical presentation of CFS/ME; (3) to review the evidence for graded exercise with the goal of addressing limitations in body structures and functions, activity, and participation in people with CFS/ME; and (4) to present a conceptual model for the clinical management of CFS/ME by physical therapists.
Total recall: are privacy changes inevitable?

Total Recall is a system that records an individual perspective of the world using personal sensors such as a microphone in a pair of glasses or a camera in a necklace. There are many applications of Total Recall -- patients accurately recording what they've recently eaten, students replaying any part of a class, and so on--that can significantly improve people's quality of life. However, data recorded by such a system may be also used by the judicial system without the consent of the user or of those being recorded. Pervasive use of systems like Total Recall will likely change our social structure as memory becomes vastly more reliable and complete. It is natural then that privacy advocates might consider such technology dangerous because such data can be used in unanticipated ways by government agencies or third-party civil litigants. In this paper, we discuss privacy concerns in the context of systems like Total Recall and propose a solution that may alleviate some of these concerns. We discuss the ramifications of this solution and its possible implementations.
Silicon photonic interconnect with micrometer-scale devices

We demonstrate a high-speed integrated optical link on a silicon chip using low-power silicon microresonator electro-optic modulators and low-capacitance germanium photodetectors. Integrating compact devices to provide multiple functions is essential for building scalable optical interconnects.
PROSPECTS FOR CENTRALIZING SERVICES IN AN URBAN COUNTY: EVIDENCE FROM EIGHT SELF-ORGANIZED NETWORKS OF LOCAL PUBLIC SERVICES

Networks of interlocal agreements (ILAs) provide a way for municipal governments in a fragm ented region to cooperate on services, and these networks may be especially likely to form when local government officials are linked through interpersonal networks. Drawing on insights from Williams’ Lifestyle Model of Metropolitan Politics and Frederickson’s theory of administrative conjunctions, this paper uses network analytic methods to examine the structure of ILA networks, and to assess the impact of governing officials’ interpersonal networks on the probability of ILAs forming between cities. Four-four local governments in the Detroit metropolitan area provide the context for this study. Our findings show that these municipalities cooperate more extensively for system maintenance functions, such as for transportation infrastructure and public works. More importantly, we find that any given cluster of municipalities has an increased probability of cooperating through ILAs when their senior administrators participate in the same local professional associations. The same effects hold true for elected executives’ networking with counterparts, and for some functions, these electoral conjunctions serve as even stronger predictors of ILA usage than administration conjunctions.
A Comparative Analysis Between The Balanced Scorecard And The French Tableau de Bord

Concern over the development of new performance measurement systems that that are in line of a complex business environment has increased. Problems with relying solely on financial measures have proven counterproductive. Recently, interest over non-financial measures has dramatically increased. Non-financial measures, however, are not problem-free. The issues are to translate improvements in these non-financial indicators into improvement in the bottom line. To overcome these problems, Kaplan and Norton have developed a new system called the Balanced Scorecard (BSC). Some French scholars argue that the BSC is a mere reproduction of the French Tableau de Bord (TDB) developed in the 1950s by French engineers. This paper seeks to draw a comparison between the BSC and The TDB.
Regulation of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-3 (Timp-3) mRNA expression during rat CNS development.

To preserve tissue integrity during the structural rearrangements that occur during central nervous system (CNS) development, an intricate balance between extracellular matrix (ECM) synthesis and degradation must be maintained. The matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are believed to be the main mediators of ECM degradation. Because MMPs function in the turnover of a broad-spectrum of ECM proteins their activity is tightly regulated by interaction with tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs). Whereas the primary function of TIMPs is to inhibit MMP activity, evidence is mounting that TIMPs are multifunctional molecules that exert diverse cell biological functions distinct from their MMP-inhibitory activities. Although the role of MMPs and TIMPs in the morphogenesis of non-neural tissues has been investigated, to date few studies have analyzed MMP or TIMP expression during CNS development. In the present report, we demonstrate the regulation of Timp-3 mRNA expression throughout the course of CNS development. In particular, Timp-3 mRNA is expressed in embryonic ventricular zones and the postnatal subventricular zone (SVZ). In addition, Timp-3 is expressed in the rostral migratory steam (RMS) to the olfactory bulb in a pattern similar to the ECM proteoglycan brevican. These data suggest that TIMP-3 and brevican may act in concert to guide neuronal migration along the RMS.
Predictive ability of models for calving difficulty in US Holsteins

Summary The performance of alternative threshold models for analyzing calving difficulty (CD) in Holstein cows was evaluated in terms of predictive ability. Four models were considered, with CD classified into either three or four categories and analysed either as a single trait or jointly with gestation length (GL). The data contained GL and CD records from 90 393 primiparous cows, sired by 1122 bulls and distributed over 935 herd-calving year classes. Predictive ability of each model was evaluated using four criteria: mean squared error of the difference between observed and predicted CD scores; a Kullback-Leibler divergence measure between the observed and predicted distributions of CD scores; Pearson’s correlation between observed and predicted CD scores and ability to correctly classify bulls as above or below average for incidence of CD. In general, the four models had similar predictive abilities. The joint analysis of CD with GL produced little, if any, improvement in predictive ability over univariate models. In light of the small difference in predictive ability between models treating CD with three or four categories and considering that a greater number of categories can provide more information, analysis of CD classified into four categories seems warranted.
Exploiting Data Topology in Visualization and Clustering of Self-Organizing Maps

The self-organizing map (SOM) is a powerful method for visualization, cluster extraction, and data mining. It has been used successfully for data of high dimensionality and complexity where traditional methods may often be insufficient. In order to analyze data structure and capture cluster boundaries from the SOM, one common approach is to represent the SOM's knowledge by visualization methods. Different aspects of the information learned by the SOM are presented by existing methods, but data topology, which is present in the SOM's knowledge, is greatly underutilized. We show in this paper that data topology can be integrated into the visualization of the SOM and thereby provide a more elaborate view of the cluster structure than existing schemes. We achieve this by introducing a weighted Delaunay triangulation (a connectivity matrix) and draping it over the SOM. This new visualization, CONNvis, also shows both forward and backward topology violations along with the severity of forward ones, which indicate the quality of the SOM learning and the data complexity. CONNvis greatly assists in detailed identification of cluster boundaries. We demonstrate the capabilities on synthetic data sets and on a real 8D remote sensing spectral image.
Developmental contributions to phenotypic variation in functional leaf traits within quaking aspen clones

Phenotypic variation in plant traits is strongly influenced by genetic and environmental factors. Over the life span of trees, developmental factors may also strongly influence leaf phenotypes. The objective of this study was to fill gaps in our understanding of developmental influences on patterns of phenotypic trait variation among different-aged ramets within quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) clones. We hypothesized that phenotypic variation in leaf functional traits is strongly influenced by developmental cues as trees age. We surveyed eight aspen clones, each with eight distinct age classes ranging from 1 to 160 years in age, and selected three ramets per age class for sample collection. Leaf traits measured included photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, water use efficiency, specific leaf area, and concentrations of N, phosphorus, sucrose, starch, condensed tannins and phenolic glycosides. Using regression analysis, we examined the relationships between ramet age and expression of leaf functional traits. The data showed significant correlations between ramet age and 10 of the 12 phenotypic traits measured. Eight of the phenotypic traits demonstrated a non-linear relationship in which large changes in phenotype occurred in the early stages of ramet development and stabilized thereafter. Water relations, nutrient concentration, leaf gas exchange and phenolic glycosides tended to decrease from early to late development, whereas sucrose, condensed tannin concentrations and water use efficiency increased with ramet age. We hypothesize that ontogenetically derived phenotypic variation leads to fitness differentials among different-aged ramets, which may have important implications for clone fitness. Age-related increases in phenotypic diversity may partially underlie aspen's ability to tolerate the large environmental gradients that span its broad geographical range.
Finding the best glaucoma questionnaire: a qualitative and quantitative evaluation of glaucoma knowledge assessments

The goal of the study was to determine which glaucoma quiz provides the best information about patient glaucoma knowledge to clinicians in clinical practice settings.Four glaucoma quizzes were identified from the literature and national eye education programs and were qualitatively analyzed to categorize questions by topic. Quizzes were assessed by 64 glaucoma specialists using an online survey, with descriptive statistics. Comments about the quizzes were analyzed qualitatively using themes and representative quotations.Quizzes covered content that was important for glaucoma diagnosis and management. The National Eye Health Education Program (NEHEP) and Prevent Blindness America quizzes covered primarily diagnosis, screening, and risk factors, and the quizzes from the literature primarily covered causes of glaucoma, vision loss, eye drops, and systemic disease. Overall, the NEHEP quiz was ranked best for clinical practice, ranked first by 38%. Ranked second overall, the Gray quiz was ranked first by 34% and last by 34%.The NEHEP quiz was rated most useful for assessing baseline general glaucoma knowledge for a busy clinical practice. The Gray quiz appears to be more useful as part of a comprehensive education program, perhaps in combination with an ophthalmic educator.
Risk-adapted treatment for patients with clinical stage I nonseminomatous germ cell tumor of the testis

Abstract Objectives To evaluate whether two courses of chemotherapy after orchiectomy in patients with clinical Stage I nonseminomatous germ cell testicular tumor at high risk of relapse will spare patients additional chemotherapy or surgery. Methods High-risk patients had one or more of the following: preorchiectomy alpha-fetoprotein level of 80 ng/dL or greater, 80% embryonal cell carcinoma or greater, or vessel invasion in the primary tumor. Low-risk patients had none of these factors or had 50% teratoma or more without vessel invasion. High-risk patients were offered two 21-day courses of outpatient chemotherapy consisting of carboplatin, etoposide, and bleomycin. Low-risk patients and high-risk patients not receiving chemotherapy were observed. Results Of 99 patients, we classified 76 as high risk and 23 as low risk of relapse. All but eight of the high-risk patients received chemotherapy. No patient who underwent chemotherapy developed relapse, although 1 patient with normal biomarkers and a late-appearing mass underwent retroperitoneal lymphadenectomy for mature teratoma. Two of the 23 low-risk patients had disease relapse; both successfully underwent chemotherapy. The nonhematologic toxicity was mild in patients receiving chemotherapy, and no patient required hospitalization. The median follow-up was 38 months (range 9 to 69). Conclusions Two courses of postorchiectomy adjuvant chemotherapy were safe and well tolerated and markedly decreased the relapse rate in high-risk patients with clinical Stage I nonseminomatous germ cell testicular tumor without additional surgery or more protracted chemotherapy. This approach may avoid potential problems with compliance and diminish the cost of scrupulous follow-up. Our results support that surveillance for carefully selected patients at a low risk of relapse is appropriate.
The history of sonographers.

I thank all who have made it possible for me to write this history by giving me an opportunity to be a part of it. I also thank Ann Polin, Carolyn Coffin, and Jean Lea Spitz for assistance. Abbreviations ACR, American College of Radiology; AIUM, American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine; AMA, American Medical Association; ARDMS, American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers; ASE, American Society of Echocardiography; ASUTS, American Society of Ultrasound Technical Specialists; CAHEA, Committee on Allied Health Education and Accreditation; JRCDMS, Joint Review Committee on Education in Diagnostic Medical Sonography; SDMS, Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers/Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography; SVT, Society of Vascular Technology; WFUMB, World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology ne of the most important questions to be answered when writing a history of the profession is where to begin. Pythagoras certainly played a role when he observed the relationship between sound pitch and frequency, but he did not make this observation related to medicine. John William Strutt, the third Baron Rayleigh, one of the few members of nobility to also be an outstanding scientist and 1904 Nobel Prize winner, published among many works the Theory of Sound. Christian Doppler lent his name to the Doppler effect, something we use every day when performing sonographic procedures. But many think that the true conception of ultrasound occurred in 1880 with the discovery of piezoelectricity by the French physicist Pierre Curie. Along with his brother Jacques, he performed experiments that showed that when certain crystals are subjected to an electrical field, they can be made to expand and contract, converting electrical into mechanical energy. These piezoelectric crystals can then act as both transmitters and receivers of sound. Since the early days of medicine, there has been a great desire to “see” inside the body. This is what drove Roentgen to develop x rays in 1895, Helmholtz the ophthalmoscope in 1851, Garcia the laryngoscope in 1854, and Nitze the cystoscope in 1876. Sound was first applied to the human body through auscultation in 1761 and the stethoscope in 1819, and interpreting these sounds required imagination, as did interpreting the early sonographic images. In the beginning, Doppler ultrasound was also strictly an analysis of audible sound.1,2 The use of ultrasound in medicine is similar to many technologic advances that owe their fame to war. The French government asked Paul Langevin, PhD, to develop a device capable of detecting submerged enemy submarines. The device he developed used the piezoelectric effect, which he had learned as a student with the Curies. He used quartz crystals and vacuum tube amplifiers, which were also used with early medical ultrasonic transducers. This was considered the first ultrasonic device. This research was not completed in time to be applied to the war effort. However, it did form the basis of sound navigation ranging (SONAR) detection, which was further developed during the Second World War.1,2
Growth, Morphology, and Quality of Rooted Cuttings of Several Herbaceous Annual Bedding Plants Are Influenced by Photosynthetic Daily Light Integral During Root Development

Additional index words. DLI, quality index, sturdiness quotient, vegetative propagation Abstract. Cuttings of herbaceous annual bedding plants must be rooted in late winter and early spring when ambient outdoor photosynthetic daily light integrals (DLIs) are at seasonally low levels. We evaluated the effect of DLI during root development on growth, morphology, and quality of nine popular vegetatively propagated annual bedding plant species. Cuttings ofAngelonia angustifoliaBenth. 'AngelMist White Cloud', Argyranthemum frutescens (L.) Sch. Bip. 'Madeira Cherry Red', Diascia barberae Hook. f. 'Wink Coral', Lantana camara L. 'Lucky Gold', Nemesia fruticans (Thunb.) Benth. 'Aromatica Royal', Osteospermum ecklonis (DC.) Norl. 'Voltage Yellow', Scaevola L. hybrid 'Blue Print', Sutera cordata Roth. 'Abunda Giant White', and Verbena Ruiz ·hybrida 'Aztec Violet' were harvested and propagated in a glass-glazed greenhouse with 23 8C air and substrate temperature set points. After callusing ('5 molm -2 d -1 for 7 days), cuttings of each species were placed under one of three different fixed-woven shade cloths providing '38%,61%, or 86%shadeor noshade with16hof supplemental light for14 days.There were no clear trends across species for stem length in response to DLI. Stem caliper of Argyranthemum, Diascia, and Nemesia increased by 35%, 119%, and 89%, respectively, asDLIincreased from1.2 to12.3molm -2 d -1 .Depending onspecies,total,shoot, androot dry mass increased by 64% to 465%, 50% to 384%, and 156% to 1137%, respectively, as DLI increased from 1.2 to 12.3 molm -2 d -1 . The quality index, an objective, integrated, and quantitative measurement of rooted cutting quality, increased for all species by 176% to 858% as DLI increased from 1.2 to 12.3 molm -2 d -1 . Our results indicate that providing aDLI of '8 to 12 molm -2 d -1 after callusing increases both growth and quality of rooted cuttings.
Avoiding Abbreviations in Radiology Reports.

standard of care. However, we recommend that the ACR consider a guideline about whether its use is a best practice given that a judge and jury might interpret the high proportion of radiologists who use CAD as establishing a standard of care. An ACR guideline could similarly address the specific issue of whether radiologists should indeed retain CAD markings and mention CAD results in their reports.
Allowing Judicial Review of Motions to Reopen: Kucana v. Holder

This casenote discusses Kucana v. Holder, in which the U.S. Supreme Court is called to determine whether motions to reopen are not judicially reviewable outside the immigration agency context based on 8 U.S.C. 1252.
Effectiveness of a rolling board treatment for improving gait. A case report.

Decreased velocity and alterations in stance duration are among the most common and substantial deficits in the gait of hemiparetic patients.1–4 Contributing to these deviations may be such factors as abnormal muscle activation patterns, disturbed postural mechanisms, and decreased sensory appreciation. Treatment of hemiparetic patients is directed often, therefore, at these problems. An apparatus that we have used in the treatment of hemiparetic patients who have problems of posture, balance, and gait is the rolling board.5 Although existing evidence suggests that repeated displacements of a hemiparetic patient on the rolling board may affect stance and gait positively,6,7 we had not verified the effectiveness of our technique before this investigation. The purpose of the following case report is to present the effects of a rolling board treatment over the course of nine treatments on two specific aspects of a hemiparetic patient's gait (velocity and unilateral stance time).
Multi-element detection of organometals by supercritical fluid chromatography with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometric detection

Organometal compounds of arsenic, antimony, and mercury are speciated using supercritical fluid chromatography with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometric (ICP-MS) detection. The multi-element capability of ICP-MS for transient signals is examined by detecting five compounds containing all three elements in a single chromatographic injection. The results obtained are compared with those obtained from flame-ionization detection (FID). Trimethyl arsine is not distinguished from the solvent peak when FID is used because it coelutes with the solvent, whereas trimethyl arsine is detected when ICP-MS is used because of its element-selective nature. The detection limits obtained by ICP-MS are 2-3 orders of magnitude lower than those obtained by FID. Determination of isotope abundance is also demonstrated for triphenyl antimony and diphenyl mercury compounds.
Induction of carbamoyl phosphate synthetase III and glutamine synthetase mRNA during confinement stress in gulf toadfish (Opsanus beta)

Gulf toadfish (Opsanus β) rapidly switch to excretion of urea as their main nitrogenous waste product under several laboratory conditions, including confinement to small volumes of water. Prior evidence suggested that the activities of two key enzymes of urea synthesis exhibited potentially different modes of upregulation during this switch, with carbamoyl phosphate synthethase III (CPSase III) activated allosterically by N-acetylglutamate, and glutamine synthetase (GSase) activated by increases in the concentration of protein. The present study was undertaken to examine additional aspects of the regulation of these enzymes. The sequence for O. beta CPSase III cDNA was obtained, and it was found to be similar to that of other piscine CPSases. The sequence also allowed us to develop riboprobes for CPSase III mRNA analysis using ribonuclease protection assays (RPAs). CPSase III mRNA was expressed in liver, muscle, kidney and intestine, in agreement with prior enzymatic measurements. Levels of CPSase III mRNA increased five- to tenfold (relative to beta-actin mRNA) in liver (but not muscle) following 48 h of confinement stress. Measured by western analysis using an antibody to chicken GSase, confined O. beta GSase protein concentrations increased eightfold over control levels, in agreement with prior and present measurements of increases in GSase activity. Furthermore, RPAs of GSase mRNA levels demonstrated an increase of fivefold during confinement.
Advances in solid adsorbents of deep adsorptive desulfurization of FCC gasoline

The new solid adsorbents for desulfurization of FCC gasoline are reviewed.Some important adsorbents,such as zeolite,metal oxide,activated carbon,clay and other adsorbents,and their preparation,mechanism of adsorption,modifications,desulfurization effect are introduced.Because modification greatly influences desulfurization of FCC gasoline,various methods of modification and the effects after modification are reviewed.Finally future research on solid adsorbents is proposed.
Preliminary investigation on the population of mosquito & fly and fly growth and decay trend in Shanghai Jiangwan wetland

Objective To obtain the information related to the populations of mosquitoes flies and fluctuation of the latter in Shanghai Jiangwan wetland.Methods Mosquitoes' adult collected by light-trap or larvae from breeding place and flies' adult by cage-trap or net.Results 6 species of mosquitoes and 60 species of flies were collected.First collection of flies is in March,it decreased and disappeared gradually in November.The peak period of flies is in September.Conclusion The population of mosquitoes and flies are abundant in Shanghai Jiangwan wetland.Coquillettidia ochracea is collected for the first time in Shanghai area;and the dominant species of flies in the wetland is Chrysomyia megacephala.
Early and late results of aortoplasty with a left subclavian flap for coarctation of the aorta in infancy

Between February, 1969, and December, 1976, 45 consecutive infants younger than 6 months old underwent aortoplasty with a subclavian flap for the relief of coarctation of the aorta. All infants had persistence of the ductus arteriosus, and 58 percent had associated intracardiac anomalies. The over-all hospital mortality rate was 24 percent, and no deaths occurred in infants with coarctation associated with patent ductus arteriosus only. All the deaths were in the group of patients under 2 months of age who had associated intracardiac defects. Follow-up over a 7 year period shows no clinical, hemodynamic, or angiographic evidence of recoarctation in any of the survivors.
When do soccer players peak? A note

The peak age for professional soccer players is of significant interest to coaches, managers and executives alike. The evidence so far is predominantly anecdotal and subjective. This paper formally analyzes the peak or optimal age in professional men's soccer using performance ratings of players in the four major top flight leagues of Europe. WhoScored.com ratings from 2010/11 to 2014/15 are used. The analysis is done for all outfield players, separately by field position. In addition to simple age distribution and bivariate approaches, a player fixed effects model that accounts for potential selection bias is estimated. The results show that the average professional soccer player peaks between the ages of 25 and 27. In the preferred models, the average forward peaks at 25, whereas the typical defender peaks at 27. For midfielders, the estimated peak age varies by model but still occurs in the 25-27 age band. Defenders experience relatively minimal curvature in the age-performance relationship. Further results show that peak age may vary directly with ability.