cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Serum IGF-1 determines skeletal strength by regulating subperiosteal expansion and trait interactions

Strong correlations between serum IGF-1 levels and fracture risk indicate that IGF-1 plays a critical role in regulating bone strength. However, the mechanism by which serum IGF-1 regulates bone structure and fracture resistance remains obscure and cannot be determined using conventional approaches. Previous analysis of adult liver-specific IGF-1–deficient (LID) mice, which exhibit 75% reductions in serum IGF-1 levels, showed reductions in periosteal circumference, femoral cross-sectional area, cortical thickness, and total volumetric BMD. Understanding the developmental sequences and the resultant anatomical changes that led to this adult phenotype is the key for understanding the complex relationship between serum IGF-1 levels and fracture risk. Here, we identified a unique developmental pattern of morphological and compositional traits that contribute to bone strength. We show that reduced bone strength associated with low levels of IGF-1 in serum (LID mice) result in impaired subperiosteal expansion combined with impaired endosteal apposition and lack of compensatory changes in mineralization throughout growth and aging. We show that serum IGF-1 affects cellular activity differently depending on the cortical surface. Last, we show that chronic reductions in serum IGF-1 indirectly affect bone strength through its effect on the marrow myeloid progenitor cell population. We conclude that serum IGF-1 not only regulates bone size, shape, and composition during ontogeny, but it plays a more fundamental role—that of regulating an individual's ability to adapt its bone structure to mechanical loads during growth and development.
A new generation software for construction scheduling and management

The authors were motivated to overcome some of the limitations and shortcomings of the existing software systems for management of construction projects. The result is a new generation software system for CONstruction Scheduling, Cost Optimization, and Change Order Management, which is called CONSCOM. CONSCOM uses the recently patented Neural Dynamics model of Adeli and Park as its computational engine for construction cost optimization and advanced software engineering and object‐oriented programming techniques such as framework and pattern. This paper presents some of its recent and innovative capabilities and features. CONSCOM includes an Integrated Management Environment (IME) as its user interface for the effective control and management of construction projects. An example of a highway construction project is presented to demonstrate the unique modelling capabilities of CONSCOM that cannot be modelled by Critical Path Method (CPM) or CPM‐like networks.
Recalibrating reference within a dual-space interaction environment

In this paper we examine how two groups of middle school students arrive at shared understandings of and solutions to mathematical problems. Our data consists of logs of student participation in the Virtual Math Teams (VMT) system as they work on math problems. The project supports interaction both through chat and through a virtual whiteboard. We have examined in detail, the sequential work these students do to constitute and specify ‘the problem’ on which they are working in the ways they produce whiteboard objects and text postings. Solutions emerge as students come to understand the problem on which they are working. This understanding is achieved through gradual respecification of the math problem on which they are working.
CONGENITAL CYTOMEGALOVIRUS INFECTION (C-CMV) A CAUSE OF SENSORINEURAL HEARING LOSS (SNHL)

C-CMV is exceedingly common in our low socioeconomic population (2.3% of all live births). Over 90% of the cases however, are asymptomatic at birth. Nevertheless, the chronic nature of this infection may lead in time to low grade morbidity in particular SNHL. To define the incidence and significance of this process, the hearing acuity of 59 patients (mean age 54 months, range 2-102) born with C-CMV and of 41 uninfected controls (mean age 46 months, range 7-124) was tested by pure tone audiometry in a sound field (<2 years of age) and/or under earphones. Significant SNHL (50 decibel or over) occurred in 10 infected patients (17%) and had a progressive course in 2 of them. In contrast only 1 uninfected subject had SNHL of borderline significance at 12 months of age. To better define the CMV-SNHL etiologic relationship we performed histopathologic studies of the inner ear of 3 patients who died with symptomatic C-CMV. Typical inclusion bodies were found in the stria vascularls and the Reissner's membranes. By means of an anticomplementary immunofluorescent assay, CMV antigens were in addition detected in the cells of the organ of Corti and the neurones of the spiral ganglia. These findings clearly suggest that CMV has the potential to infect cells of the most vital structures of the inner ear and thus give further credence to the pathogenic role of this virus in SNHL.
DISTORTED-WAVE ONE-PION-EXCHANGE MODEL FOR INELASTIC PROTON-PROTON SCATTERING

The one-pion-exchange model, modified to allow for initial-and final-state interactions, is applied to those inelastic two-body proton-proton scattering processes involving the excitation of the two lightest nucleon isobars. The model apparently overestimates theN*+ (1238) production cross-section, but gives a satisfactory account ofN*+ (1430) production.
Construction of a Maximum Stable Set with $k$-Extensions

A stable set $I$ of a graph $G$ is called $k$-extendable, $k \,{\ge}\, 1$, if there exists a stable set $X \,{\subseteq}\,V(G) {\setminus} I$ such that $|X| \,{\le}\, k$ and $|N(X) \,{\cap}\, I| \,{<}\, |X|$. A graph $G$ is called $k$-extendable if every stable set in $G$, which is not maximum, is $k$-extendable. Let us denote by ${\rm E}(k)$ the class of all $k$-extendable graphs.We present a finite forbidden induced subgraph characterization of the maximal hereditary subclass ${\rm PE}(k)$ in ${\rm E}(k)$ for every $k \,{\ge}\,1$.Thus, we define a hierarchy ${\rm PE}(1) \,{\subset}\, {\rm PE}(2) \,{\subset}\,{\cdots}\,{ \subset}\, {\rm PE}(k) \,{\subset}\,{ \cdots}\,$ of hereditary classes of graphs, in each of which a maximum stable set can be found in polynomial time. The hierarchy covers all graphs, and all its classes can be recognized in polynomial time.
Respiratory relief therapy. A new treatment procedure for the reduction of anxiety.

A controlled experiment examined the effectiveness of Respiratory Relief Therapy in reducing public speaking anxiety in college students. The therapy employed two procedures: (a) a systematic desensitization paradigm in which the competing response paired with scene presentations was the relief experienced when the student breathed again after exhaling and holding his or her breath out for as long as possible; and (b) homework assignments to practice breathing deeply and regularly. In this study 60 speech-anxious college students were divided into three groups: a Respiratory Relief Therapy group; a Gradual Repeated Exposure group in which students imagined hierarchy items without initiating a competing response in order to control for placebo and expectancy effects; and a Waiting-List control group in which students were evaluated, waited four weeks, were evaluated again, and then offered treatment. Pre and postmeasures, including self-ratings of anxiety, physiological measures (GSR and pulse rate), and b...
A Sub-Optimal Approach to Design Distributed Controllers Realizable Over Arbitrary Networks

Abstract We consider the problem of designing distributed output-feedback controllers that achieve H 2 and H ∞ performance objectives for a group of plants dynamically interconnected via an arbitrary directed communication network. For a particular class of discrete-time linear time-invariant interconnected systems that are characterized by a structural property of their state-space matrices, we design stabilizing distributed controllers which can use the available network along with the plants of the interconnected system. This is achieved by means of parametrization for the output-feedback linear controllers that linearizes the closed-loop H 2 and H ∞ norm conditions and provides equivalent linear matrix inequalities (LMIs). Using these LMIs, we formulate the minimization of H 2 and H ∞ norms as semi-definite programs (SDPs) that can be efficiently solved using well-established and standard techniques and tools. The solutions of these SDPs allow us to synthesize the corresponding controllers that are realizable over the given network. Even though we provide only sufficiency conditions for the design of stabilizing distributed controllers, simulations show that the synthesized controllers we obtain provide good performance in spite of being suboptimal compared to the centralized controller. In essence, we gain the advantage of designing realizable distributed controllers at the expense of some performance degradation compared to the centralized solutions.
Calculation of liquid-phase adsorptive separation of hydrocarbons by zeolites

1. A study has been made of the influence of feedstock concentration of an adsorbable admixture on the activity of NaX zeolites with respect to benzene, up to nominal breakthrough. 2. An equation is proposed by which the zeolite activity up to breakthrough can be calculated with acceptable accuracy with variations in certain process parameters.
Teratologic studies of carbaryl, diazinon, norea, disulfiram, and thiram in small laboratory animals

Abstract Carbaryl, when administered during organogenesis at a level of 300 mg/kg, was teratogenic in the guinea pig; however, no terata were produced in hamsters at the sublethal levels of 125 and 250 mg/kg. In rabbits, carbaryl at 50–200 mg/kg (levels not producing any mortality or morbidity as in the hamster or guinea pig) did not produce terata. Diazinon was not found to be teratogenic in either the rabbit at 7 or 30 mg/kg or the hamster at 0.125 or 0.25 mg/kg. The higher level of diazinon given to the rabbit and both levels of diazinon and carbaryl given to the hamster produced cholinergic signs. Norea was not teratogenic or embryotoxic in the hamster when administered at 2 g/kg in a single dose or at this level for 5 consecutive days. The teratogenicity of DMSO in the hamster at 1 ml/100 g body weight was confirmed. Thiram was teratogenic when suspended in carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) at 250 mg/kg; when it was dissolved in DMSO, the teratogenicity was additive or possibly more than additive. When DMSO was used as a solvent for disulfiram, the high levels of disulfiram were more teratogenic than was DMSO alone. Disulfiram as a CMC suspension was not teratogenic. At the high doses administered in these experiments, some compounds (e.g., diazinon and carbaryl in the rabbit) affected only the mother while others were at least equally toxic for the fetus and affected organogenesis.
PARTICLE MASS AND SIZE MEASUREMENT USING MASS SPECTROMETRY

Abstract Growing interest in aerosol particles due to their importance in such areas as atmospheric science and materials synthesis has led to the need for new techniques for particle analysis. Although mass spectrometry would appear to be a natural candidate for this task, a number of interesting effects which arise as a result of particle size-dependent phenomena make the application of this technique to particle mass and size measurement significantly different from its use in molecular mass measurement. This review describes the various approaches that are being used to develop mass spectrometry as a tool for measuring the mass or size of an aerosol particle.
Production of Cell Lines Secreting TAT Fusion Proteins

Transduction of proteins and other macromolecules constitutes a potent technology to analyze cell functions and to achieve therapeutic interventions. In general, fusion proteins with protein transduction domains, such as TAT, are produced in a bacterial expression system. Here we describe the generation of a mammalian expression vector coding for TAT-EGFP fusion protein. Transfection of CHO-K1 cells by this vector and subsequent selection by Zeocin resulted in cell lines that express and secrete EGFP, a variant of the green fluorescent protein GFP. The ultimate cell line was produced by first cloning the stable integrants and subsequent selection of EGFP-expressing cells by flow cytometric sorting. In the resulting cell line approximately 98% of cells express EGFP. Using the same methodology, we generated cell lines that express DsRed fluorescent protein. The advantages of using such a mammalian expression system include the ease of generating TAT fusion proteins and the potential for sustained production of such proteins in vitro and, potentially, in vivo.
Experimental determination of the band structure of photonic crystals of colloidal silica spheres

A photonic band structure of colloidal crystals of silica spheres is analytically determined by a band model with three fitting parameters: the sphere size, the effective refractive index, and the band-gap. Optical properties of the crystals annealed at various temperatures were characterized by a procedure similar to X-ray diffraction technique, and the width of photonic band-gap measured from the transmission spectra experimentally servers as an additional check on the validation of the model. The photonic band structures defined by the band-gap, the refractive index, and the Brillouin zone are obviously superior to the use of the Bragg's expression involving simple zone folding.
Anomalous diffusion in omega forming systems

Abstract A model for anomalous self-difussion in the Group IV B transition metals Ti. Zr and Hf. is proposed. It is an extension of a previous model which was based on the identity of the activated complex for diffusion and the elementary ω-embryo of the low-temperature ω-phase. The diffusion coefficient is calculated as a function of temperature by means of an expression for the free energy based on Kikuchi's cluster variation method. The calculated self-diffusion coefficient in Zr is found to be in excellent agreement with experiment. Furthermore, diffusional anomalies observed in β-stabilized alloys of the Group IV B transition metals and, in particular, the increase of the apparent activation energy with solute concentration are readily explained by the model.
Protein synthesis in liver following infusion of the catabolic hormones corticosterone, epinephrine, and glucagon in rats☆

The mediator(s) and mechanism(s) of acute-phase protein synthesis in the liver following injury and sepsis are not fully known. Elevated plasma levels of the catabolic hormones cortisol, glucagon, and epinephrine have been reported in trauma and sepsis. In previous reports, when these hormones were infused simultaneously (triple hormone infusion), several, but not all, of the metabolic alterations characteristic of sepsis occurred. In the current investigation, the effect of triple hormone infusion on hepatic protein synthesis was studied. Rats were infused intravenously during 16 hours with a solution containing corticosterone (4.2 mg/kg/h), glucagon (2.5 micrograms/kg/h), and epinephrine (6 micrograms/kg/h). Control animals were infused with a corresponding volume of vehicle. Total hepatic protein synthesis in vivo was measured with a flooding dose technique using [14C]-leucine. The synthesis of total secretory proteins and of the individual proteins albumin, complement component C3, and alpha 1-acid glycoprotein was measured in isolated, perfused liver using [3H]-leucine and a recirculating technique. Urinary excretion of nitrogen and plasma concentration of glucose were higher and plasma total amino acid concentration was lower in hormone-infused than in control rats. Total hepatic protein synthesis in vivo, expressed as the proportion of the protein pool that was replaced each day, was increased from 39% +/- 2% per day to 48% +/- 3% per day (P less than .05) by hormone infusion, but synthesis of secretory proteins in perfused liver was not significantly altered. The results suggest that although total hepatic protein synthesis may be increased by catabolic hormones, other mediator(s) are probably responsible for the stimulation of acute-phase protein synthesis in sepsis.
Mass transport in flowing blood: augmentation of solute transport near the wall of a circular conduit.

A polarographic technique using flush mounted electrodes in the wall of a tube was used to measure augmentation of diffusion in flowing suspensions of bovine red blood cells in a region close to the tube wall. The effective diffusion coefficient was found to be an increasing function of particle Peclet number (based on the wall shear rate) and volume fraction of cells. Comparison of these results with experimentally measured diffusion augmentation in a system where wall effects were negligible provides information on the behavior of the cell-free skimming layer at the tube wall. The thickness of this skimming layer is dependent on the wall shear rate and on the bulk hematocrit. Below hematocrits of 25% the skimming layer thickness decreases with increasing wall shear rate, while above 25% hematocrit the skimming layer becomes thicker as the wall shear rate increases.
Application of the Real-Space Renormalization Group to Dynamic Critical Phenomena

We present a general approach for applying real-space renormalization-group methods to dynamic critical phenomena. In particular, we discuss the two-dimensional kinetic Ising model treating the interaction between blocks of spins as a small parameter.
Use of Bilingual Materials in the Social Service System

Research was conducted to determine the proportion of social service programs in a southern New Mexico county that have Spanish translations available of forms required during the contracting phase of the social service cycle. The contracting phase, which occupies an intermediate position within an agency's social service cycle, consists of formaliz ing a written contract between the individual consumer and a representative of the service agency. Questionnaires were mailed to 125 individual social service programs, and 81.6 % (102 programs) responded. Of these, 74.5% required indi viduals to fill out forms or provide information to complete forms in order to receive services, but only 17.1 % provided translated forms. Program administrators relied upon bi lingual staff to take care of translation tasks. The importance of hiring bilingual staff who are literate in Spanish is stressed, and recommendations are made for future research.
10 years of transistor innovations in System-on-Chip (SoC) era

In the last decade, System-on-Chip (SoC) products, including smart phones, tablets, netbooks, embedded systems, wireless communications, and ASIC products, have emerged as the rising stars in the mobile and embedded IC markets. Concurrently, the main stream silicon process technology has undergone radical overhauls since the old dimensional scaling is running out of steam. Innovative transistor architectures based upon new materials and structures, such as strained silicon at 90 nm, high-k/metal gate at 45 nm, and recently 3-D Tri-Gate at 22 nm, have been developed and ramped into high volume manufacturing to continue Moore's Law scaling. This paper examines how these advanced transistor architectures can be exploited to meet and exceed the technical requirements of new SoC products.
TCAD Challenges in the Nanotechnology Era

TCAD process and device modeling has become an essential component of advanced technology development, delivering physical insight into processes and device operation and enabling development and optimization of technology flows. This paper highlights emerging challenges in extending these capabilities into the nanotechnology era, and the opportunities for a hierarchical, physically-based modeling approach to impact the direction of nanotechnology development.
Chemical sympathectomy by 6-hydroxydopamine and arterial enzymes and lactate in the rabbit.

Abstract The effect of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) on the activity of arterial enzymes and lactate was investigated in rabbits. It is known that 6-OHDA exerts a specific damaging effect on the adrenergic nerve endings and produces gangliopetal degeneration, thus eliminating the adrenergic effect pathway. Eight weeks following chemical sympathectomy malate dehydrogenase, isocitrate dehydrogenase, lipoamide dehydrogenase, and creatine phosphokinase exhibited significantly lower activity in the iliofemoral arteries of the 6-OHDA-treated animals as compared to those of the control rabbits. A direct inhibition of the activity of the enzymes by 6-OHDA can be reasonably excluded on the basis of in vitro studies. The aortas of the 6-OHDA-treated animals revealed an increase of pyruvate kinase only, without any significant change in activity of the other enzymes studied. The results dealing with enzymes in the iliofemoral arteries resemble the findings obtained previously in injured or atherosclerotic or “preatherosclerotic” human and animal arteries. The lactate level in the abdominal aortas, which are structurally similar to the iliofemoral arteries, was significantly higher in the 6-OHDA-treated animals than in the control rabbits. It appears that alterations of arterial innervation produce a metabolic pattern which may contribute to increased susceptibility to atherosclerosis.
Influence of grain size on the strength of ceramics made from hafnium dioxide partly stabilized with yttrium oxide

The strength of fine-grained ceramics made from hafnium oxide with an addition of 3–5% Y2O3 largely depends on the size of the component grains. Ceramic with a grain size of about 1 μm containing 4% Y2O3 has a bending strength of about 480 N/mm2, which is twice as high as for ceramics made of cubic HfO2.
Handbook of Medical Imaging. Processing and Analysis

I Enhancement Fundametal Enhancement Techniques Adaptive Image Filtering Enhancement by Multiscale Nonlinear Operators Medical Image Enhancement with Hybrid Filters. II Segmentation Overview and Fundamentals of Medical Image Segmentation Image Segmentation by Fuzzy Clustering: Methods and Issues Segmentation with Neural Networks Deformable Models Shape Constraints in Deformable Models Gradient Vector Flow Deformable Models Fully Automated Hybrid Segmentation of the Brain Volumetric Segmentation Partial Volume Segmentation with Voxel Histograms. III Quantification Two-dimensional Shape and Texture Quantification Texture Analysis in Three Dimensions as a Cue to Medical Diagnosis Computational Neuroanatomy Using Shape Transformation Morphometry of Arterial Trees and Microvascular Networks Image-Based Computational Biomechanics of the Musculoskeletal System Three-Dimensional Bone Angle Quantification Database Selection and Feature Extraction for Neural Networks Quantitative Image Analysis for Estimation of Breast Cancer Risk Classification of Breast Lesions in Mammograms Quantitative Analysis of Cardiac Function Image Processing and Analysis in Tagged Cardiac MRI Image Interpolation and Resampling. IV Registration The Physical Basis of Spatial Distortions in Magnetic Resonance Images Physical and Biological Bases of Spatial Distortiobns in Positron Emission Tomography Images Biological Underpinnings of Anatomic Consistency and Variability in the Human Brain Spatial Transformation Models Validation of Registration Accuracy Landmark-based Registration using Features Identified Through Differential Geometry Registration of Contours using Chamfer Matching Within-Modality Registration using Intensity-Based Cost Functions Across-Modality Registration using Intensity-Based Cost Functions Talairach Space as a Tool for Intersubject Standardization in the Brain Warping Strategies for Intersubject Registration Optimizing the Resampling of Registered Images Clinical Applications of Image Registration Registration for Image-Guided Surgery Image Registration and the Construction of Multidimensional Brain Atlases. V Visualization Visualization Pathways in Biomedicine Three-Dimensional Visualization in Medicine and Biology Volume Visualization in Medicine Fast Isosurface Extraction Methods for Large Image Data Sets Morphometric Methods for Virtual Endoscopy. VI Compression Storage and Communication Fundamentals and Standards of Compression and Communication Medical Image Archive and Retrieval Image Standardization in PACS Quality Evaluation for Compressed Medical Images: Fundamentals Quality Evaluation for Compressed Medical Images: Diagnostic Accuracy Quality Evaluation for Compressed Medical Images: Statistical Issues Three-Dimensional Image Compression with Wavelet Transforms Medical Image Processing and Analysis Software. Index
Modulating hypoxia-inducible transcription by disrupting the HIF-1-DNA interface

Transcription mediated by hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF-1) contributes to tumor angiogenesis and metastasis but is also involved in activation of cell-death pathways and normal physiological processes. Given the complexity of HIF-1 signaling, it could be advantageous to target a subset of HIF-1 effectors rather than the entire pathway. We compare the genome-wide effects of three molecules that each interfere with the HIF-1–DNA interaction: a polyamide targeted to the hypoxia response element, small interfering RNA targeted to HIF-1α, and echinomycin, a DNA-binding natural product with a similar but less specific sequence preference than the polyamide. The polyamide affects a subset of hypoxia-induced genes consistent with its binding site preferences. For comparison, HIF-1α siRNA and echinomycin each affect the expression of nearly every gene induced by hypoxia. Remarkably, the total number of genes affected by either polyamide or HIF-1α siRNA over a range of thresholds is comparable. The data show that polyamides can be used to affect a subset of a pathway regulated by a transcription factor. In addition, this study offers a unique comparison of three complementary approaches towards exogenous control of endogenous gene expression.
Woodfordian age of the Wisconsin glacial border in northeastern Pennsylvania

The Wisconsin glacial border in northern and eastern Pennsylvania from the Salamanca re-entrant in New York southeast to the Delaware River is of Woodfordian (late Wisconsinan) age. Slightly weathered drift along the border and radiocarbon dates of 12,520 to 14,170 B.P. support this conclusion. These dates are from basal lake- and bog-bottom sediments rich in organic materials. Contemporary and somewhat older dates from sites beyond the border in southern Pennsylvania range from 12,540 to 15,210 B.P.; they indicate that mass movement in this extraglacial region probably ceased, allowing organic sediments to accumulate, about the same time that ice began to retreat. The ice sheet probably began to retreat about 15,000 B.P.
Hardware accelerated visual attention algorithm

We present a hardware-accelerated implementation of a bottom-up visual attention algorithm. This algorithm generates a multi-scale saliency map from differences in image intensity, color, presence of edges and presence of motion. The visual attention algorithm is computed on a custom-designed FPGA-based dataflow computer for general-purpose state-of-the-art vision algorithms. The vision algorithm is accelerated by our hardware platform and reports ×4 speedup when compared to a standard laptop with a 2.26 GHz Intel Dual Core processor and for image sizes of 480×480 pixels. We developed a real time demo application running at > 12 frames per second with the same size images. We also compared the results of the hardware implementation of the algorithm to the eye fixation points of different subjects on six video sequences. We find that our implementation achieves precisions of fixation predictions of up to 1/14th of the size of the video frames.
Defining HIV Susceptibility to New Antiretroviral Agents—Darunavir

As the number of agents that are used to treat HIV increases, the decisions regarding which antiretroviral agents to select in each clinical setting become more complex. The choice of the components of the regimen for patients who have an extensive treatment history relies on a careful assessment of (1) that past treatment history, (2) the response to prior agents, and (3) the results of past and current resistance tests [1]. In the absence of transmitted resistance to a drug, the virologic response to a drug from a class that a patient has used is almost always less than the response to a drug from a class that a patient has never used [2, 3]. The purpose of resistance testing is to help us to define which agent(s) of a class will have the best residual activity [1, 4, 5]; however, the interpretation of the resistance-test results can be difficult. For example, in the protease inhibitor (PI) class, the patterns of the PI resistance-associated mutations
Hormonal control of growth and differentiation of insect tissues cultured in vitro.

This paper reviews the effects of insect hormones on lepidopteran imaginal discs cultured in vitro.β-ecdysone stimulated both evagination and cuticle deposition of wing discs ofPlodia interpunctella (Hubner). However, evagination required a shorter exposure to ecdysone than did cuticle deposition. Cuticle deposition was obtained under the following conditions: (a) a 24-hr pulse ofβ-ecdysone (0.5–5.0µg/ml); (b) continuous treatment with 0.2µg/mlβ-ecdysone; or (c) continuous treatment with 0.5 to 50.0µg/mlβ-ecdysone in medium conditioned with larval fat body.
THE PREPARATION AND PROPERTIES OF A HAPTEN-CELLULOSE ANTIBODY ADSORBENT.

Abstract The preparation of a benzenearsonic acid cellulose derivative for use in the specific purification and fractionation of antibodies directed against the benzenearsonic acid determinant is described. The method involves the coupling of tyramine to insoluble carboxymethyl cellulose by the use of N , N ′ dicyclohexylcarbodiimide and the subsequent coupling of diazotized p -arsanilic acid to the tyramine. The adsorbents had a capacity of 5–10 mg of antibody per gram of adsorbent, depending upon the extent of hapten coupling. By the use of this adsorbent, essentially all the anti-benzenearsonic acid antibody could be removed from antisera. Elution with a phosphate-sodium chloride buffer, pH 3·0, and subsequent elution with 0·1 n hydrochloric acid removed approximately 75–80 per cent of the antibody from the adsorbent.
National Cholesterol Education Program: Guidelines for Treating High Blood Cholesterol in Adults

Twenty-five percent of the adult population needs treatment to reduce elevated cholesterol levels. A national educational effort spearheaded by the National Cholesterol Education Program requires the support and active participation of health professionals, especially nurses and nurse practitioners, if it is to be effective. The NCEP Adult Treatment Panel recently established guidelines for treating high blood cholesterol in adults. Nurse practitioners in clinic, office, worksite, and community health settings are positioned ideally to implement these guidelines through cholesterol screening, monitoring, and management of hyperlipidemia.
Synthesis and Antimicrobial Properties of 17β-Isopentyloxy-4-aza-5α-androstane and the 4-Methyl Derivative

Synthesis of 17β-isopentyloxy-4-aza-5α-androstane was accomplished through a set of reactions involving oxidative opening of an A-ring α,β-unsaturated ketone, ring closure, and two reductions. The Williamson synthesis of ethers was employed to introduce the 17β-isopentyloxy group; ketal formation of the 3-oxo group protected the α,β-unsaturated ketone during this reaction. A serial dilution assay showed the title compound and the 4-methyl derivative to have antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive bacteria, yeasts, and molds.
Basic sequences in some stable, nuclear Lf(b, r)-spaces

Abstract A characterization of all the subspaces with basis of a stable, nuclear Lf(b, r)-space (r ∈ {0, ∞}) is given. As an application the Lg(a, s)-subspaces (s=0, ± 1, ∞) of a given Lf(b, r)-space (r ∈ {0, ∞}) are studied.
Flood Forecasting and Inundation Mapping Using HiResFlood-UCI and Near-Real-Time Satellite Precipitation Data: The 2008 Iowa Flood

AbstractFloods are among the most devastating natural hazards in society. Flood forecasting is crucially important in order to provide warnings in time to protect people and properties from such disasters. This research applied the high-resolution coupled hydrologic–hydraulic model from the University of California, Irvine, named HiResFlood-UCI, to simulate the historical 2008 Iowa flood. HiResFlood-UCI was forced with the near-real-time Precipitation Estimation from Remotely Sensed Information Using Artificial Neural Networks–Cloud Classification System (PERSIANN-CCS) and NEXRAD Stage 2 precipitation data. The model was run using the a priori hydrologic parameters and hydraulic Manning n values from lookup tables. The model results were evaluated in two aspects: point comparison using USGS streamflow and areal validation of inundation maps using USDA’s flood extent maps derived from Advanced Wide Field Sensor (AWiFS) 56-m resolution imagery. The results show that the PERSIANN-CCS simulation tends to capt...
An introduction to area array probing

The semiconductor industry's move to area array I/O wafers is accelerating, demanding that wafer probe professionals become knowledgeable with the considerations and techniques for probing these wafers. Area array probing has been practised within ISM for over two decades. From that experience, this overview will provide an awareness of the factors, techniques and methods associated with array area probing.
Metformin as adjuvant therapy to IVF in women with PCOS: when is intention-to-treat unintentional?

More than 15 years have passed since metformin was hailed as a possible treatment for infertility in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) (Velazquez et al., 1994). Though a recent Cochrane Systematic review examining metformin for ovulation induction concludes that ‘the use of metformin in improving reproductive outcomes in women with PCOS appears to be limited’ (Tang et al., 2010), the debate over metformin’s role in infertility continues passionately. A systematic review is only as good as the studies contributing to it, and there have been multiple critiques of previous randomized trials of metformin in women with PCOS, including an over-representation of obese women, a too short pretreatment period with metformin, possible differences between immediate release and extended release preparations of metformin, and failure to recognize its benefit as an adjuvant therapy for other infertility treatments, for example, IVF/ICSI. Another Cochrane Systematic review of metformin for IVF/ICSI in women with PCOS noted no benefit of metformin on pregnancy rates, but stated ‘The risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) in women with PCOS and undergoing IVF or ICSI cycles was reduced with metformin’ and recommended further multi-center trials (Costello et al., 2006). In this issue of Human Reproduction Kjotrod et al. (2011) have answered the call to provide a multi-center double-blind randomized controlled trial of the use of metformin as an adjuvant to PCOS, as well as identify a population (thin) and a treatment regimen (immediate release metformin given 3 months prior to IVF) that may further increase live birth. This is a well-designed trial, and the best of its kind to date. This tantalizing trial suggests a benefit to metformin in this adjuvant role, but the design and analysis raise as many questions as the study answers. These questions include the use of intention to treat (ITT) analysis for a multi-tiered intervention, the role of IVF in treating anovulatory infertility and the feasibility of randomized trials for a widely popular but unproven adjuvant therapy. The study of Kjotrod et al. (2011) randomized thin or mildly overweight women (BMI , 28 kg/m 2 ) with PCOS to either metformin or placebo for 12 weeks before or during IVF/ICSI, and focused on clinical pregnancy rate as the primary outcome. The sample size was well justified based on a pilot trial which had showed a significant benefit to
Shareability: The Social Psychology of Epistemology*

Psychologists and cognitive scientists interested in the nature of internal representations of human knowledge often use observable regularities or structures to infer what the innate constraints on those representations must be like. It is possible, however, that certain structures might come about only when a group of people share a knowledge domain. Furthermore, it is possible that there are analyzable constraints on knowledge structures that emerge when knowledge is being shared. Such constraints are referred to in this paper as “shareability” constraints. A number of examples of observable structures in human knowledge are discussed in terms of shareability constraints. An attempt is made to determine which sorts of structures are most shareable, and how those structures may differ from the sorts of structures that are easily represented by the individual mind but not easily shared between minds.
Cyclo-oxygenase-2 (Cox-2) expression and resistance to platinum versus platinum/paclitaxel containing chemotherapy in advanced ovarian cancer

Cyclo-oxygenase-2 (COX-2), the key enzyme in the conversion of arachidonic acid to prostaglandins, is involved in critical steps of tumor onset and progression, and is a strong predictor of chemotherapy resistance and poor outcome in advanced ovarian cancer. To our knowledge, no data has been reported until now about the association between COX-2 status and response to different chemotherapy regimens. A retrospective study was performed to investigate the association of COX-2 with outcome and response to platinum versus platinum/paclitaxel in 68 primary ovarian cancer. COX-2 immunoreaction was performed on paraffin-embedded sections by using rabbit polyclonal antiserum against COX-2. In the overall series, COX-2 positivity was found in a statistically significant higher percentage of not responding cases than in patients responding to chemotherapy (n = 15/21; 71.4% versus n = 17/47; 36.1%; p value = 0.0072). A higher percentage of COX-2 positivity was found in patients unresponsive (n = 11/13; 84.6%) versus patients responsive to platinum-based chemotherapy (n = 9/26; 34.6%). In cases administered platinum/paclitaxel, COX-2 positivity was found in 4 out of 8 (50%) of un responsive versus 8 out of 21 (38.1%) of responsive cases. Logistic regression analysis of parameters likely to affect response to treatment resulted in a p value = 0.17 for the interaction COX-2/type of treatment. Although these findings need to be confirmed in a larger series, our study suggests a possible indication that there is a difference in the influence of COX-2 on response depending on treatment regimen.
Scale-stacking in the live-bearer Belonesox belizanus (Poeciliidae).

An incidence of scale-stacking was found in a museum collection of Belonesox belizanus (Poeciliidae) from the Rio Tesechocan, Veracruz, Mexico. This phenomenon is thought to be unique to lepidophagous East African cichlids, although no studies have addressed the behaviour in any detail. This finding in B. belizanus, the first in Cyprinodontiformes, indicates Belonesox is able to manipulate scales into stacks in the buccal cavity.
Teaching Presence: Co-Creating a Multi-National Online Learning Community in an Asynchronous Classroom.

The pace of globalization coupled with growing institutional pursuit of online education means that online classes are increasingly composed of a multi-national, multi-ethnic, and multi-cultural student body. Teaching presence, which is the ability to structure the class, create the social environment, give instruction, and assess student work, is the basis for creating a community of inquiry in an online class where successful learning can occur. However, little is known about effective teaching presence in a multinational classroom. The purpose of this study was to examine my own efforts to co-create a social context in an online classroom that was welcoming and supportive to an extremely diverse student population enrolled in a graduate research methods course. Findings show that building student confidence, affirming student voice, and the strategic use of groups help create a climate of safety. Effective instructor techniques include setting up the class, having ongoing public and private interaction with students, giving effective feedback, and recognizing and valuing cultural differences
Dopamine Selectively Sensitizes Dopaminergic Neurons to Rotenone-Induced Apoptosis

Among various types of neurons affected in Parkinson’s disease, dopamine (DA) neurons of the substantia nigra undergo the most pronounced degeneration. Products of DA oxidation and consequent cellular damage have been hypothesized to contribute to neuronal death. To examine whether elevated intracellular DA will selectively predispose the dopaminergic subpopulation of nigral neurons to damage by an oxidative insult, we first cultured rat primary mesencephalic cells in the presence of rotenone to elevate reactive oxygen species. Although MAP2+ neurons were more sensitive to rotenone-induced toxicity than type 1 astrocytes, rotenone affected equally both DA (TH+) neurons and MAP2+ neurons. In contrast, when intracellular DA concentration was elevated, DA neurons became selectively sensitized to rotenone. Raising intracellular DA levels in primary DA neurons resulted in dopaminergic neuron death in the presence of subtoxic concentrations of rotenone. Furthermore, mitochondrial superoxide dismutase mimetic, manganese (III) meso-tetrakis (4-benzoic acid) porphyrin, blocked activation of caspase-3, and consequent cell death. Our results demonstrate that an inhibitor of mitochondrial complex I and increased cytosolic DA may cooperatively lead to conditions of elevated oxidative stress and thereby promote selective demise of dopaminergic neurons.
Postmenopausal osteoporosis: an update on current and future therapeutic options

Recent advances in osteoporosis have dramatically changed the management and treatment of this disease. This article reviews the safety and efficacy of US FDA-approved drugs for prevention and treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis, as well as studies on combination, sequential or intermittent use of these agents. A review of promising agents for osteoporosis therapy is provided.
Learning trajectories with a hierarchy of oscillatory modules

The most successful approach to learning has been the backpropagation method. Although very powerful on relatively simple problems, theoretical analysis and simulations show that this approach breaks down as soon as sufficiently complex problems are considered. To overcome this fundamental limitation, a hierarchical and modular approach is suggested, directly inspired from biological networks, whereby a certain degree of structure is introduced in the learning system. This approach is applied to a simple example of trajectory learning of a semi-figure eight. >
The “Cause” of Low Self-Control The Influence of Maternal Self-Control

Self-control theory is one of the most tested theories within the field of criminology. However, one of the basic assumptions of the theory has remained largely ignored. Gottfredson and Hirschi stated that the focus of their general theory of crime is the “connection between the self-control of the parent and the subsequent self-control of the child” (1990:100). However, no study to date has specifically tested this relationship. Using data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, this study finds that mothers with low self-control do indeed produce children with lower self-control. To begin to understand the mechanism responsible for this relationship, several parenting practices used by the mothers are examined. The analysis shows that the self-control of the mother influences her choice of punishments, as well as having moderate impacts on how she supervises her children. In turn, higher supervision and several choices of punishments affect the development of self-control in the child. This stud...
Learning with Recursive Perceptual Representations

Linear Support Vector Machines (SVMs) have become very popular in vision as part of state-of-the-art object recognition and other classification tasks but require high dimensional feature spaces for good performance. Deep learning methods can find more compact representations but current methods employ multilayer perceptrons that require solving a difficult, non-convex optimization problem. We propose a deep non-linear classifier whose layers are SVMs and which incorporates random projection as its core stacking element. Our method learns layers of linear SVMs recursively transforming the original data manifold through a random projection of the weak prediction computed from each layer. Our method scales as linear SVMs, does not rely on any kernel computations or nonconvex optimization, and exhibits better generalization ability than kernel-based SVMs. This is especially true when the number of training samples is smaller than the dimensionality of data, a common scenario in many real-world applications. The use of random projections is key to our method, as we show in the experiments section, in which we observe a consistent improvement over previous -often more complicated- methods on several vision and speech benchmarks.
Synthesis of berninamycinic acid

Synthese de ce systeme derive de thiazolo [2,3-f] naphtyridine-1,6io-4carboxylate-3 a partir d'amide t-butylamide de l'acide pyridinedicarboxylique-2,6 par l'intermediaire du R-amide-6 de l'acide R-3 pyridinedicarboxylique-2,6 (R=ethoxycarbonyl-4 thiazolyl-2)
Predictive vector quantization using a neural network

Predictive vector quantization (PVQ) of images using two novel coding approaches is considered. The first scheme, namely, address-PVQ, exploits the inter-vector (block) dependencies by predicting the VQ address of the current block from the addresses of the previously encoded blocks. A three-layer perceptron was used as an address-predictor with the position of the residual address being encoded. The second scheme is a vector extension of a differential pulse code modulation (DPCM) system. It exploits the inter-vector dependencies by predicting the current block of pixels. The predictive phase utilizes a three-layer perceptron while the residual blocks are vector quantized using the Kohonen self-organizing feature maps (KSOFM) clustering algorithm. The joint-optimization problem for design of the two components of PVQ was also considered. Coding results are presented for monochrome images. The joint optimization procedure improved the peak signal-to-noise ratio result by more than 1 dB. >
Fibro-osseous (FOL) and Degenerative Joint Lesions in Female Outbred NIH Black Swiss Mice

A review of spontaneous bone and joint lesions in female aging NIH Black Swiss mice (Cr:NIH BL[S]) revealed a high incidence of fibro-osseous lesions (FOL; 89%) and degenerative joint lesions (90%). FOL was characterized by the replacement of bone marrow by fibrovascular tissue and was first seen at 59 weeks of age, most commonly in the nasal bone, femur, and tibia. FOL in female Black Swiss was often accompanied by reproductive-tract lesions, including ovarian atrophy and uterine cervical dysplasia with hydrometra. Mild degenerative femorotibial joint lesions developed by 59 weeks and progressed to full-thickness articular cartilage ulceration and osteophyte development by 75 weeks; joint inflammation was minimal. Although the underlying etiology of FOL remains unknown, an accurate assessment of FOL and degenerative joint disease as background lesions in this stock is necessary to interpret lesions in genetically engineered mice produced from this outbred line.