cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Applying Variable Speed Limits and the Potential for Crash Migration

Variable speed limits (VSL) were applied on I-4 in Orlando, Florida, through microsimulation to reduce crash likelihood. VSL application improved safety by simultaneously implementing lower speed limits upstream and higher speed limits downstream of the location where crash likelihood was observed in real time. Real-time crash likelihood was calculated with the use of models developed in previous research. The improvement was realized in the case of medium- to high-speed regimes on the freeway, but no benefit was achieved in low-speed situations; that is, there was no substantial safety benefit from applying VSL in congested situations. In addition to the safety benefit, travel time was also reduced. The simulation results showed a potential for crash migration. The crash potential appeared to relocate to a location downstream of the detector of interest. Upstream, little change occurred, except at the location where the change in speed took place. While there are some crash migration effects, the overall...
On the use of an absorption layer for the angular spectrum approach (L)

Reducing the spatial aliasing error of the angular spectrum method by using an absorption layer is investigated in this paper. The acoustic equation including the absorption layer is presented and is transformed in the spatial frequency domain, where an implicit analytic solution is readily available. Its approximation, which is more suitable for numerical simulation, is derived and is numerically implemented. The comparisons between the present method and available methods demonstrate its validity and advantages.
Dynamics of the 13Πg state of K2 on helium nanodroplets

Fluorescence following optical excitation of the 13Σu+ state of K2 prepared on helium nanodroplets to the predissociative 13Πg state yields molecular emission from both the (B)11Πu and (A)11Σu+ K2 states as well as atomic emission from the expected 42P3/2,1/2 → 42S1/2 dissociation channel. A ∽12 cm−1 red shift is observed in the molecular emission excitation spectrum compared to the atomic emission excitation spectrum. Time-correlated photon counting measurements demonstrate the rise time for both atomic and molecular products to be <80 ps, independent of vibrational level excited. This lifetime is interpreted as the total depopulation time for the optically excited 13Πg state, which is dominated by intersystem crossing at low vibrational energy and by predissociation at the highest vibrational level. It is deduced that the timescale for intersystem crossing must be of the order of 10 ps. Symmetry restrictions for the isolated K2 imply that the intersystem crossing from the 13Πg state to the (B)11Πu and (A)1 1Σu+ states must be induced by interaction with the helium nanodroplet.
Microstructure of high-strain, high-strain-rate deformed tantalum

Abstract Hat-shaped specimens of polycrystalline tantalum are subjected to high plastic shear strains (γ = 170–910%) at strain rates exceeding 5 × 104/s in a compression split Hopkinson bar. The dynamic shear tests are performed at room and 600 K initial temperatures, under adiabatic and quasi-isothermal conditions, using UCSD's recovery Hopkinson technique [1]. The microstructure of the post-test specimens is examined with transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The plastic deformation is highly concentrated, producing a narrow shear-localization region of approximately 200 μm in width. Slip of perfect screw dislocations, on the {110} primary planes along the 〈111〉 directions, is found to be the dominant deformation mechanism. Dynamic recovery takes place in the shear-localization regions of all adiabatically tested specimens, and evidence of dynamic recrystallization is observed in the specimen deformed to a shear strain of 910% at a 600 K initial temperature. The substructures of the adiabatically tested specimens include well-defined dislocation arrays, grouped dislocations, elongated dislocation cells, subgrains, and recrystallized micron-sized grains. The microstructure of isothermally tested specimens, on the other hand, features high dislocation density and inhomogeneous dislocation distribution. In light of the TEM observations, the relation between the microstructure and shear stress, the causes of strain inhomogeneity, the estimated adiabatic temperature within the shear-localization zone, the rapid quenching of the shearband at the end of the dynamic testing, the slip characteristics of dislocations in tantalum, and the formation mechanisms of dislocation loops, are discussed.
Involvement of Metalloproteinases 2/9 in Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Transactivation in Pressure-Induced Myogenic Tone in Mouse Mesenteric Resistance Arteries

Background— Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) transactivation is a mediator of angiotensin II (Ang II) signaling in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells isolated from large arteries. The present study used mouse mesenteric resistance arteries (MRAs) to investigate the role of EGFR transactivation under pressure-induced myogenic tone (MT). Methods and Results— Isolated MRAs were mounted in an arteriograph and stimulated by 25 to 125 mm Hg or with Ang II and KCl. Stepwise increases in pressure resulted in MT development associated with increased EGFR phosphorylation and release of heparin-binding EGF (HB-EGF), a membrane-bound growth factor that is shed on cleavage by metalloproteinases. EGF (50 ng/mL) potentiated MT (59±1% to 51±0.6% of passive diameter at 75 mm Hg). Pretreatment with the EGFR inhibitors AG1478 (5 μmol/L) or PD153035 (1 μmol/L) significantly decreased MT. However, EGFR inhibitors had no effect on Ang II– and KCl-induced contraction. MT was potentiated by HB-EGF, 50 ng/mL, which is b...
A new species of thalictrum (Ranunculaceae) from Western Colorado

A new species,Thalictrum heliophilum, from exposed, shale talus of the Green River Formation in western Colorado where it is associated with a number of xerophytic taxa, is described. It differs from the commonT. fendleri by its shorter stature, relatively small, coriaceous, glaucous leaves, and pistillate flowers with 4 or 5 (6) pistils.
Conjugal transfer of plasmid DNA from Escherichia coli to enterococci: a method to make insertion mutations.

Abstract Shuttle vector pAT18 was transferred by conjugation from Escherichia coli S17-1 to Enterococcus faecalis OG1RF and Enterococcus faecium SE34. Transfer was mediated by the transfer functions of plasmid RK2 in E. coli S17-1 and the origin of conjugal transfer ( oriT ) located on pAT18. The oriT sequence was then inserted into two plasmids to generate vectors pTEX5235 and pTEX5236. These two vectors cannot replicate in gram-positive bacteria and can be used to make insertion mutants in gram-positive bacteria. An internal sequence from an autolysin gene of E. faecalis OG1RF was cloned into pTEX5235 and transferred by conjugation from E. coli S17-1 to E. faecalis OG1RF. The plasmid was found to integrate into the chromosome of OG1RF by a single crossover event, resulting in a disrupted autolysin gene. A cosmid carrying the pyrimidine gene cluster from E. faecalis, with a transposon insertion in pyrC, was also transferred from E. coli S17-1 to E. faecalis OG1RF. After selection for the transposon, it was found to have recombined into the recipient chromosome by a double crossover between the cosmid and the chromosome of OG1RF. This resulted in a pyrC knockout mutant showing an auxotrophic phenotype.
Endovascular low-dose irradiation inhibits neointima formation after coronary artery balloon injury in swine. A possible role for radiation therapy in restenosis prevention.

Background Restenosis after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty remains a major limitation of the long-term success of this procedure. Restenosis is a form of wound healing. Low-dose ionizing radiation has been effective in inhibiting exuberant wound healing responses in a variety of clinical situations. Methods and Results Vascular neointimal lesions resembling human restenosis were created in the coronary arteries of normal pigs by overstretch balloon angioplasty injury. To test the effect of low-dose endovascular gamma radiation on lesion formation, a high-activity 192Ir source was introduced into one of the injured arteries in each animal and left in place for a period sufficient to deliver one of three doses: 350, 700, or 1400 cGy. To test potential benefits of delayed irradiation, 700 cGy was given in another group 2 days after injury. Animals were killed 14 days after balloon injury and the coronary vasculature was pressure-perfusion fixed. To test the late effect and safety of endovascu...
Quantum calculations on salt bridges with water: Potentials, structure, and properties

Abstract Salt bridges are electrostatic links between acidic and basic amino acids in a protein; quantum calculations are used here to determine the energetics and other properties of one form of these species, in the presence of water molecules. The acidic groups are carboxylic acids (aspartic and glutamic acids); proteins have two bases with pK above physiological pH: one, arginine, with a guanidinium basic group, the other lysine, which is a primary amine. Only arginine is modeled here, by ethyl guanidinium, while propionic acid is used as a model for either carboxylic acid. The salt bridges are accompanied by 0–12 water molecules; for each of the 13 systems, the energy-bond distance relation, natural bond orbitals (NBO), frequency calculations allowing thermodynamic corrections to room temperature, and dielectric constant dependence, were all calculated. The water molecules were found to arrange themselves in hydrogen bonded rings anchored to the oxygens of the salt bridge components. This was not surprising in itself, but it was found that the rings lead to a periodicity in the energy, and to a “water addition” rule. The latter shows that the initial rings, with four oxygen atoms, become five member rings when an additional water molecule becomes available, with the additional water filling in at the bond with the lowest Wiberg index, as calculated using NBO. The dielectric constant dependence is the expected hyperbola, and the fit of the energy to the inverse dielectric constant is determined. There is an energy periodicity related to ring formation upon addition of water molecules. When 10 water molecules have been added, all spaces near the salt bridge are filled, completing the first hydration shell, and a second shell starts to form. The potentials associated with salt bridges depend on their hydration, and potentials assigned without regard to local hydration are likely to cause errors as large as or larger than kBT, thus suggesting a serious problem if these potentials are used in Molecular Dynamics simulations.
Assertion, knowledge, and action

We argue against the knowledge rule of assertion, and in favour of integrating the account of assertion more tightly with our best theories of evidence and action. We think that the knowledge rule has an incredible consequence when it comes to practical deliberation, that it can be right for a person to do something that she can’t properly assert she can do. We develop some vignettes that show how this is possible, and how odd this consequence is. We then argue that these vignettes point towards alternate rules that tie assertion to sufficient evidence-responsiveness or to proper action. These rules have many of the virtues that are commonly claimed for the knowledge rule, but lack the knowledge rule’s problematic consequences when it comes to assertions about what to do.
A qualitative study of the occupational subculture of information systems employees in organizations

Information Technology (IT) facilitates the effective functioning of most organizations. Individuals who support IT are an important facet to an organization. In the present study, we interviewed these individuals as well as other employees to identify their responsibilities, intra-group and inter-group communication. We used Trice's occupational subculture framework to look at the intrinsic differences among subcultures and its members. The results of our study suggest that conflicts arise from differences within members of subcultures. Observed situations of adaptation between occupational subcultures represent an example for remedy to rectify this conflict crisis.
The fine structure and scale formation of Chrysolepidomonas dendrolepidota gen. et sp. nov. (Chrysolepidomonadaceae fam. nov., Chrysophyceae)

Chrysolepidomonas gen. nov. is described for single-celled monads with two flagella, a single chloroplast, and distinctive canistrate and dendritic scales. The type species, Chrysolepidomonas dendrolepidota sp. nov., is described for the first time. The canistrate scales bear eight “bumps” on the top surface, and the dendriticscales have a tapered base with a quatrifid tip. These organic scales are formed in the Golgi apparatus and storred in a scale reservoir. The scale reservoir is bounded on two sides by the R1 and R2 in microtubular roots of the basal apparatus. The cyst (=stomatocyst, statospore) forms endogenously by means of a silica deposition vesicle. The outer cyst surface is smooth, and the pore region is unornamented. Two other organisms bearing canistrate and dendritic scales, previously assigned to the genus Sphaleromants, are transferred to the genus Chrysolepidomonas. They are C.angalica sp. nov. and C. marine(Pienaar) comb. nov. The distinguishing features of Chrysolepidomonas and Sphaleromantis are discussed. A new family, Chrysolepidomonadceae fam. noc., is described for flagellates covered with organic scales.
Racial subordination in Latin America: the role of the state, customary law, and the new civil rights response

In Racial Subordination in Latin America: The Role of the State, Customary Law, and the New Civil Rights Response, legal scholar Tanya Kateri Hernandez offers a well-argued analysis of how both sta...
Cytometry: Today’s technology and tomorrow’s horizons

Flow cytometry has been the premier tool for single cell analysis since its invention in the 1960s. It has maintained this position through steady advances in technology and applications, becoming the main force behind interrogating the complexities of the immune system. Technology development was a three-pronged effort, including the hardware, reagents, and analysis algorithms to allow measurement of as many as 20 independent parameters on each cell, at tens of thousands of cells per second. In the coming years, cytometry technology will integrate with other techniques, such as transcriptomics, metabolomics, and so forth. Ongoing efforts are aimed at algorithms to analyse these aggregated datasaets over large numbers of samples. Here we review the development efforts heralding the next stage of flow cytometry.
MOC-PSSM CME article: Metacarpal fractures.

Learning objectives After reading this article, the participant should be able to: 1. Identify the fracture patterns and types of metacarpal fractures. 2. Recognize when surgery is indicated for a given fracture. 3. Discuss the pathophysiology of Bennett's fractures and treatment. 4. List surgical treatment options and their relative advantages and disadvantages. 5. Be familiar with pediatric metacarpal injuries and when surgery is indicated. Background Metacarpal fractures are among the most common injuries seen in the emergency room and a staple for the hand surgeon. Knowledge of the types of fractures that occur and the appropriate treatment options is critical core knowledge for the hand surgeon. With the advent of superior implants and intraoperative fluoroscopy, powerful treatment options exist for metacarpal fractures and are at the disposal of the informed hand surgeon. Methods Closed reduction and cast immobilization, Kirschner wires, lag screws, plate fixation, and other techniques are all available to the hand surgeon. Bone grafting in highly comminuted fractures also deserves consideration. Results The majority of metacarpal fractures can be treated closed and do well with compliant hand therapy. Those fractures requiring operative intervention likewise do well, provided that the appropriate technique is used for the situation. For example, long oblique shaft fractures are optimally treated with lag screws, whereas short oblique fractures do better with Kirschner wires or plate fixation. When the correct therapy is tailored to the injury, most metacarpal fractures can be treated with predictably good outcomes. Conclusions Metacarpal fractures are common occurrences in the office of the hand surgeon. The different types of injury patterns must be recognized by the surgeon and appropriate treatment then executed to serve both the patient and hand surgeon optimally.
Genetic mutation of recombination activating gene 1 in Dahl salt-sensitive rats attenuates hypertension and renal damage

Hypertension and renal damage in Dahl SS rats are associated with increased infiltrating immune cells in the kidney. To examine the role of infiltrating immune cells in this disease process, a zinc...
Heritability and genetic association analysis of cognition in the Diabetes Heart Study.

Cognitive performance is an important component of healthy aging. Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is associated with negative outcomes for the brain and cognition, although causal mechanisms have not been definitely determined. Genetic risk factors warrant further consideration in this context. This study examined the heritability of cognitive function as assessed by (1) the Digit Symbol Substitution Task; (2) the Modified Mini-Mental State Examination; (3) the Stroop Task; (4) the Rey Auditory-Verbal Learning Task; and (5) the Controlled Oral Word Association Task for Phonemic and Semantic Fluency, in the family-based, T2D-enriched, Diabetes Heart Study sample (n = 550 participants from 257 families). The genetic basis of these cognitive measures was further evaluated by association analysis with candidate single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and genome-wide SNP data. Measures of cognitive function were significantly heritable (hˆ(2) = 0.28-0.62) following adjustment for age, gender, and education. A total of 31 SNPs (from 26 genes/regions) selected to form an a priori set of candidate SNPs showed limited evidence of association with cognitive function when applying conservative metrics of significance. Genome-wide assessment of both noncoding and coding variants revealed suggestive evidence of association for several coding variants including rs139509083 in CNST (p = 4.9 × 10(-9)), rs199968569 in PLAA (p = 4.9 × 10(-9)) and rs138487371 in PCDH8 (p = 3.7 × 10(-8)). The identification of a heritable component to cognitive performance in T2D suggests a role for genetic contributors to cognitive performance even in the presence of metabolic disease and other associated comorbidities and is supported by the identification of genetic association signals in functionally plausible candidates.
Pyrazomycin B: Isolation and characterization of an α-C-nucleoside antibiotic related to pyrazomycin

Abstract This communication reports the isolation and structure of pyrazomycin B, the α-anomer of the anti-tumor and anti-viral antibiotic pyrazomycin. Spectral, chemical and x-ray crystallographic evidence is provided.
Massive gas embolism in E. coli septicemia

The case of an elderly woman with radiographic evidence of gas within her portal vein as well as the iliac and femoral arteries is presented. The underlying cause proved to beE. coli septicemia. Differential diagnosis and clinical significance of intravascular gas are reviewed.
National Extension Workshop: Introduction

The Extension Workshop has a long track record of success that is based on the contributions of many extension personnel who have volunteered to work on the various committees. These personnel have also taken leadership roles by acting as the chairperson, editor of the proceedings, and evaluation chairperson. Each year we ask the audience to evaluate the relevance of our meeting and to suggest speakers and topics for the following year. The agenda for this year was no exception. New concepts, societal concerns, and updates of current issues are important components of the workshop. Issues are often interrelated and complex. Environmental, food safety, rural structure, cheap food, and animal well-being matters are often intertwined. Emerging issues include the auditing and certification programs of corporate fast-food and grocery chains and the ever-present concerns about food security and safety, particularly in today’s environment of fear. Water quality is presented as an ongoing consideration of proper animal waste management and is now increasingly related to urban and human wastes. However, this issue may pale in comparison to that of water quantity in a few short years. Other
The "Identified full-bloods" in Mississippi: Race and Choctaw Identity, 1898-1918

Federal Indian policy during the allotment era intersected with the segregated society of the Jim Crow South to create a market for Indian identity; the discourse of Indian blood was the currency of this realm. For the Mississippi Choctaws, heirs to the failed promises of allotments for Choctaws remaining in Mississippi granted by the 1830 Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek, a policy known as the "full-blood rule of evidence" legitimized their enrollment with the Choctaw Nation of Indian Territory following the Dawes Act. This paper analyzes how the Mississippi Choctaws negotiated ideologies of "Indian blood" during their campaign for inclusion on the Choctaw Nation rolls. Appropriating the racial language of "full-blood" as defined by the Dawes Commission, they claimed citizenship in the Choctaw Nation by virtue of their "unadulterated" ancestry, their ethnicity, their historic role as military allies of the United States, and their treaty rights. Moreover, as thousands of people clamored for enrollment, the Mississippi Choctaws asserted their status as full-bloods to distinguish themselves from those claimants whom they viewed as pretenders. The Choctaws' use of racial language thus reflected multifaceted meanings that obscured the boundaries between racial and cultural delineations of ethnic identity. It was strategic to the political moment and did not reflect significant changes in the Choctaws' cultural practices; moreover, it did not become the basis for future political divisions based on "blood." Rather, Choctaws' racial identity as full-blood Indians was a form of political capital in their drive for tribal resurgence in the early twentieth century.
Analysis of cell surface interactions by measurements of lateral mobility.

Interactions of cell surface components with one another and with structures inside and outside the cell may have important physiological functions in the transmission of signals and the assembly of specialized structures. These interactions may be detected and analyzed through their effects on the lateral mobility of cell surface molecules. Measurements by a fluorescence photobleaching method have shown that in general lipid-like molecules diffuse rapidly and freely through the plasma membrane, whereas proteins move much more slowly or appear to be immobile. This dichotomy has been supposed to result from forces beyond the viscosity of the lipid bilayer, which specifically retard the diffusion of membrane proteins. This general picture should be qualified, however, by noting that the lateral mobility of lipid-like molecules can be influenced in detail by changes in the state of the plasma membrane such as result from mitosis or fertilization. The interactions of cell surface proteins that limit their lateral mobility are unknown. The effects of binding concanavalin A to localized regions of cell surface show that these interactions can vary in subtle and complex ways. It may soon be useful to interpret mobility experiments in terms of simple reaction models that attempt to describe surface interactions in physicochemical terms. More experimental data are needed to carry out this program and to relate interactions that affect mobility to the structural connections between cell surface components and the cytoskeleton, which have been detected by biochemical methods and electron and irnmunofluorescence microscopy.
One-step labeling of degenerative neurons in unfixed brain tissue samples using Fluoro-Jade C

Neurodegeneration is the underlying cause of a vast majority of neurological disorders and often a result of brain trauma, stroke, or neurotoxic insult. Here we describe a simple method for labeling degenerating neurons in unfixed brain tissue samples. This method could provide a new avenue for identifying and harvesting degenerative neurons from unfixed brain tissues for subsequent molecular analyses.
BRCA1- and BRCA2-Deficient Cells Are Sensitive to Etoposide-Induced DNA Double-Strand Breaks via Topoisomerase II

The function of BRCA1 and BRCA2 in DNA repair could affect the sensitivity of cells to cytotoxic agents, and would therefore be an important component of planning therapy for breast and ovarian cancers. Previously, both BRCA1- and BRCA2-deficient tumors were shown to be sensitive to mitomycin C, and the mechanism was presumed to be a defect in the repair of interstrand crosslinks by homologous recombination. Here, we show that both BRCA1 and BRCA2 determine the sensitivity to the cytotoxic drug, etoposide, using genetic complementation of BRCA-deficient cells. Etoposide is known to bind to topoisomerase II and prevent the resolution of the "cleavable complex," in which one DNA duplex is passed through a second duplex. The specificity of this BRCA-dependent sensitivity was confirmed by the use of aclarubicin, which is a catalytic inhibitor of topoisomerase II and prevents the formation of the cleavable complex. In the presence of aclarubicin, the differential sensitivity of BRCA-proficient and BRCA-deficient cells was lost. Thus, etoposide requires the presence of topoisomerase II to show specific sensitization in the absence of the function of BRCA1 or BRCA2. We conclude that homologous recombination is used in the repair of DNA damage caused by topoisomerase II poisons. Overall, these results suggest that etoposide is a potentially useful drug in the treatment of BRCA-deficient human cancers.
Computational Study on the Ion Selectivity of Modified Alpha-Hemolysin Channels

Alpha-hemolysin (AHL) monomers are secreted by the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus. They self-assemble into heptameric beta-barrel AHL channels, which act as exotoxins by forming wide pores in the outer membrane of cells. AHL channels can be successfully engineered for applications in biotechnology such as stochastic sensing of molecules and DNA sequencing. Ion permeation through AHL can be manipulated via mutations and by lodging molecular adapters such as the cyclic polysaccharide beta-cyclodextrin (BCD) in the pore. In order to clarify how BCD and BCD derivatives can alter the permeability and ion selectivity of AHL, we have performed potential of mean force (PMF) calculations and grand canonical Monte Carlo/Brownian dynamics (GCMC/BD) simulations on the basis of the x-ray structures of wild type AHL and two AHL mutants. The computed current-voltage curves and reversal potentials with and without BCD bound reproduce the experimentally observed increase in anion selectivity after adding BCD. The PMF free energy profiles of single and multiple ions along the channel axis show that BCD reduces the ionic and dielectric shielding of positively charged residues and, thus, amplifies the weak anion selectivity of AHL. Our results for a positively charged BCD derivative predict a further increase in anion selectivity and also more current compared to BCD.
Simulated microgravity produces attenuated baroreflex-mediated pressor, chronotropic, and inotropic responses in mice.

Whether myocardial contractile impairment contributes to orthostatic intolerance (OI) is controversial. Accordingly, we used transient bilateral carotid occlusion (TBCO) to compare the in vivo pres...
Comment on ‘Organization in the Crowd: peer production in large-scale networked protests’

In ‘Organization in the Crowd’, Lance Bennett, Alexandra Segerberg, and Shawn Walker use Twitter activity surrounding the 2011–2012 Occupy movement to identify the microfoundations of crowd-based o...
Lacustrine-Interdeltaic Coal in Fort Union Formation (Paleocene), Powder River Basin, Wyoming: ABSTRACT

The Tongue River Member of the Fort Union Formation, the major coal-bearing unit in the Powder River basin of Wyoming and Montana, records a history of paludal, fluvial-deltaic, and lacustrine sedimentation. Tongue River deltas filled the basin primarily from the eastern margin as they prograded into a lake (Lebo Shale Member) that occupied the basin axis. Major streams entered the Fort Union coastal plain from point sources, resulting in areas of broad interdeltaic coastal plain isolated from major clastic influx. We mapped the clastic framework facies and the regional distribution of thick Tongue River coal seams using approximately 1,400 induction-electric logs. A detailed study of a thick coal seam in the center of the basin shows that coal occurrence is facies dependent. Peat accumulation began in interdeltaic and interdistributary areas at the loci of regional ground-water discharge. Upon delta abandonment, peat swamps overspread the abandoned lobes. The result is a thick, strike-parallel, interdeltaic coal seam bounded by fluvial-deltaic framework facies. The depositional model and coal-occurrence maps provide a guide for coal exploration and a framework for interpreting individual deposits in the Powder River basin. End_of_Article - Last_Page 931------------
Adrenocorticotropin Stimulation of Aldosterone: Prolonged Continuous Versus Pulsatile Infusion

Continuous iv administration of ACTH leads to a sustained stimulation of cortisol but a transient stimulation of aldosterone followed by a decline to prestimulation levels by 72 h. Since CRH and ACTH are released in a pulsatile pattern in man, this study sought to investigate whether pulsatile administration of α-cosyntropin-(l–24) would lead to the maintenance of aldosterone stimulation over time. Eight normal male subjects on a 10-meq sodium, 100-meq potassium diet received both a continuous and a pulsatile (0.33 U ACTH/pulse over 15 min, pulsed every 2 h) infusion of cosyntropin (4 U/24 h) for 48 h (n = 4) or 72 h (n = 4). Aldosterone and cortisol were sampled every 6 h, and PRA and angiotensin-II every 24 h. Continuous infusion led to a stimulation of aldosterone followed by a progressive decline to preinfusion levels by 72 h [preinfusion 29 ± 5 ng/dL (810 ± 139 pmol/L); 72 h, 38 ± 10 ng/dL (1054 ± 277 pmol/L); P = 0.40]. Pulsatile infusion led to a stimulation of aldosterone which was maintained up t...
The response of thermospheric nitric oxide to an auroral storm 1. Low and middle latitudes

The response of low- and mid-latitude NO to the September 19, 1984 magnetic storm is studied. In particular, the effect of variations in the temperature and composition of the lower thermosphere on NO is investigated. Much of the observed NO response is adequately explained by including these variations in a photochemical model. In particular, Joule heating at auroral latitudes can cause temperature enhancements at nonauroral latitudes, which in turn can lead directly to an increase in the NO. The NO is most directly sensitive to heating at altitude above 120 km. Below 120 km, NO increased through downward diffusion from above. Sensitivity studies were performed to investigate the effect that uncertainties in the NO chemical scheme and in the state of the neutral atmosphere can have on the comparison of the model to the data. It is shown that the best fit to the midlatitude American orbit data is for O/O2 ratio twice that in the original TGCM simulation and for an N(2D) quenching value of 5 x 10 to the -13th.
The Role of Subacromial Shoulder Irrigation in the Treatment of Calcific Rotator Cuff Tendinosis: A Case Series

Abstract Vad VB, Solomon J, Adin DR. The role of subacromial shoulder irrigation in the treatment of calcific rotator cuff tendinosis: a case series. Objective To study the efficacy of subacromial shoulder irrigation in the treatment of calcific rotator cuff tendinosis. Design Consecutive case series. Setting Musculoskeletal rehabilitation clinic. Participants Twenty-eight tennis players (16 women, 12 men; mean age, 44.3y) with calcific rotator cuff tendinosis, who failed conservative measures. Intervention Subjects underwent fluoroscopically guided subacromial shoulder irrigation (50–75mL of normal saline in 10mL aliquots) followed by a corticosteroid injection (5mL solution of 1mL triamcinolone [40mg/mL] and 4mL of 0.5% bupivacaine). After the procedure, all patients completed the same exercise regimen. Main Outcome Measures L’Insalata Shoulder Rating Questionnaire (LSRQ) score, visual numeric pain score, and patient satisfaction. Results At 1-year follow-up, 85.7% reported a successful outcome with significant improvements in the LSQR and numeric pain scores. Conclusions Our minimally invasive approach was safe, well tolerated, and effective, which should make it useful in providing relief for patients with rotator cuff tendinosis.
A novel NADH kinase is the mitochondrial source of NADPH in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Mitochondria require NADPH for anti-oxidant protection and for specific biosynthetic pathways. However, the sources of mitochondrial NADPH and the mechanisms of maintaining mitochondrial redox balance are not well understood. We show here that in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, mitochondrial NADPH is largely provided by the product of the POS5 gene. We identified POS5 in a S.cerevisiae genetic screen for hyperoxia-sensitive mutants, or cells that cannot survive in 100% oxygen. POS5 encodes a protein that is homologous to NAD+ and NADH kinases, and we show here that recombinant Pos5p has NADH kinase activity. Pos5p is localized to the mitochondrial matrix of yeast and appears to be important for several NADPH-requiring processes in the mitochondria, including resistance to a broad range of oxidative stress conditions, arginine biosynthesis and mitochondrial iron homeostasis. Pos5p represents the first member of the NAD(H) kinase family that has been identified as an important anti-oxidant factor and key source of the cellular reductant NADPH.
Mammoths and the environment

Russia's far northern reaches, above 70° north latitude, have had climatic ups and downs during the late Quaternary, but the region has been cold enough for the remains of many dead animals and pla...
Risk Prediction of Incident Heart Failure in a Preventive Cardiology Clinic: Validation of the Health ABC Heart Failure Risk Score With Natriuretic Peptide Testing

Background: Recently, the Healthy Aging, Body and Composition (HealthABC) study established a risk score suggesting several modifiable risk factors may contribute to the development of incident heart failure (HF) in an elderly population. We hypothesize that those with higher estimated risk by HealthABC risk score may have underlying vulnerability for subclinical myocardial stress. Methods: We prospective examined 400 consecutive non-heart failure subjects with preserved LV ejection fraction ($50%) who attended a Preventive Cardiology Clinic during 2005-7. Plasma NT-proBNP was measured using the Roche Elecsys assay. Results: From this study cohort (mean age 57 6 12 years, median NT-proBNP 97 pg/mL [interquartile range 50-195 pg/mL], 30% with definite history of coronary artery disease), 347 (87%) had all 9 variables available to calculate the risk score. Overall, 127 subjects (37%) had elevated NT-proBNP levels $125 pg/mL. Based on the Health ABC score for HF risk, only 55 (16%) of subjects are estimated to have $5% risk and 63 (18%) subjects are estimated to have 2-4% risk of developing HF within 5 years. Interesting, these subjects had higher median plasma NT-proBNP levels compared to those with #1% risk (67 vs 101 vs 181 pg/mL, respectively, p ! 0.001).
Frequency analysis with a programmable calculator.

Abstract A program written for the Texas Instrument SR-52 programmable calculator is presented which will calculate the gain, DB gain and phase shift of a transfer function for any input frequency.
Productivity and Economic Return of Three Warm Season Grass Stocker Systems for the Southern Great Plains

Production per animal and per acre and input cost and returns were determined on three grazing systems, native range (NR), bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. var. dactylon] (B), and Old World Bluestem (OWB) during the summers of 1987 through 1989. Each system was managed based on the best recommended practices. Calves obtained from commercial sources in May were randomly assigned to each system. They averaged 497, 491, and 565 lb body weight for each of the 3 yr. All pastures were burned each year to remove old residue, but only B and OWB pastures were fertilized with 70 to 150 Ib of N/acre. Data were analyzed across years as a randomized block using a model containing years, forage, and year x forage. Because stocking rates were greater, B and OWB provided more (P > 0.05) animal units per acre than the NR system. Steers grazing NR and OWB pastures had greater average daily gain (ADG) (P > 0.01) and gain per head than steers grazing B pastures. However, total animal gain per acre was greater (P < 0.01) from B and OWB than from NR pastures. The cost per acre of forage and fencing were $4.34, $33.77, and $27.68 for the NR, B, and OWB pastures, respectively. These costs represented only a third of the total cost of production, which includes interest, labor, marketing, and fixed cost. The NR system had the lowest forage production cost and was profitable all 3 yr, while the OWB system was profitable 2 out of 3 yr and the B system in only 1 yr. Stocker systems based on NR have less variability in return per acre and cost per acre than systems based on B or OWB; however, the potential for large economic returns are greater for systems based on introduced warm season grasses.
Reliability of fully adjustable articulators using a computerized analysis

1. Statistical analysis of the graphic data showed no significant difference between the Denar D5A and Hanau 130-21 articulators for the five subjects tested. 2. The average horizontal Gothic arch angle (beta) at incision was 135 degrees. 3. The functional stroke for the subjects was approximately 5 mm. in the incisor region and 2.5 to 3 mm. in each molar region. 4. Both the Denar D5A and Hanau 130-21 articulators adequately reproduced jaw motion for the five subjects tested.
Reduction of a phosphorus oxide and acid reaction set

The addition of small amounts of phosphine combustion products (phosphorus oxides and acids) to water vapor has been found to result in a faster relaxation rate of OH to its equilibrium density following H2O photolysis. This article describes the systematic construction of a reaction model of 162 phosphorus reactions among 17 phosphorus-containing species. Those reactions that contribute to the reestablishment of equilibrium following the perturbation of the system by H2O photolysis or by an increase in temperature are identified. A thermodynamic free energy function is used to quantify the rate of system relaxation back to equilibrium for a series of 36 reaction conditions covering a temperature range of 1500 to 3000 K, a gas density range of 5 × 10−7 to 5 × 10−5 mol/cm3 and a fuel equivalence ratio of 0.8 to 1.2.
Inability of Dimethyl Sulfoxide and 5-Fluorouracil to Open the Blood-Brain Barrier

The inability of most chemotherapeutic agents to adequately penetrate the blood-brain barrier (BBB), in either normal brain or tumor-infiltrated brain, is a major factor limiting the use of chemotherapy in central nervous system malignancy. This barrier, however, can be opened in a reversible manner by the intra-arterial administration of hyperosmotic agents such as mannitol. It has been suggested that the intravenous administration of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) or 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) can accomplish the same thing in a less invasive manner. We have not been able to confirm these findings. DMSO was administered to 25 rats intravenously at concentrations ranging from 25 to 90% or into the internal carotid artery at a concentration of 30%. The penetration of methotrexate, Evans blue-albumin, and hexosaminidase A was then evaluated at intervals ranging from 1.5 to 3.5 hours after administration. Significant barrier opening was not observed in animals receiving intravenous DMSO. Barrier modification, albeit generally modest, was obtained in animals receiving intracarotid DMSO, but this may have been the result of grand mal seizures, inasmuch as 5 of 6 of these animals had such seizures. Several of the animals receiving i.v. DMSO also had seizures, and all animals developed varying degrees of hematuria. Similarly, 5-FU was administered at a dose of 30 mg/kg i.v. and the permeability of the BBB to either Evans blue-albumin or methotrexate was evaluated. No increased permeability of the BBB to these two markers was observed. In summary, osmotic BBB opening in our hands remains the most consistent and reliable means available to open the BBB in a reversible fashion. Neither intravenous DMSO nor 5-FU seems to increase the delivery of chemotherapy or protein tracer to the central nervous system, and the use of DMSO can result in seizures and hematuria.
Electron screening and inner shell refilling in pionic atoms

Abstract Using a bent crystal spectrometer and a Ge detector, we have determined the energies of five pionic transitions possessing sizable electron screening corrections. In three of the cases studied, depletion of the inner-electron shells through Auger processes in preceding cascades is known to occur and these shells may be highly ionized when the pionic X-ray is emitted. In the other two cases studied, no depletion of the 1s electron shell is expected. Our findings for all transitions agree well with the calculated screening correction assuming full electron shells. We conclude that for medium and heavy pionic atoms electronic refilling takes place prior to emission of observable pionic X-rays.
A Linear Fractional Transform (LFT) Based Model for Interconnect Uncertainty

As we scale toward nanometer technologies, the increase in interconnect parameter variations will bring significant performance variability. New design methodologies will emerge to facilitate construction of reliable systems from unreliable nanometer scale components. Such methodologies require new performance models which accurately capture the manufacturing realities. In this paper, we present a Linear Fractional Transform (LFT) based model for interconnect parametric uncertainty. The new model formulates the interconnect parametric uncertainty as a repeated scalar uncertainty structure. With the help of generalized Balanced Truncation Realization (BTR) and Linear Matrix Inequalities (LMI's), the porposed model reduces the order of the original interconnect network while preserves the stability. The LFT based new model even guarantees passivity if the BTR reduction is based on solutions to a pair of Linear Matrix Inequalities (LMI's) generated from Lur'e equations. In case of large number of uncertain parameters, the new model may be applied successively: the uncertain parameters are partitioned into groups, and with regard to each group, LFT based model is applied in turns.
Validation of a Hybrid ``Two-Site Gamma'' Model for Naphthalene Desorption Kinetics

Three models for sorption/desorption of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) contaminants from soil were compared for their ability to predict the transport of PAH in soil: a “gamma” model, a “two-site/two-region” nonequilibrium model, and a “hybrid” model. In the “hybrid” model, soil organic matter was conceptually divided into two compartments; a fraction with rapid sorption/desorption kinetics and a compartment with mass-transfer-limited kinetics. Contaminant sorbed in the rapid compartment was assumed to be in instantaneous equilibrium with the aqueous phase, while the release of contaminant from the slow fraction was assumed to be governed by a gamma distribution of rate coefficients. The “hybrid” model successfully described the initial rapid release of a model PAH contaminant, naphthalene, from a sieved soil sample of moderate organic content (≅2.3%) as well as the following slow release observed over 25 days in batch desorption experiments. Other necessary model parameters, such as the hydrodyna...
A Hand-held Data Tool Design for Teachers

Formative feedback systems provide rich opportunities for teachers to reflect on and adjust instruction to learn about and better meet student needs. However, data tools that support teachers' practice in the classroom are often left out of school data system designs. Via a Design-Based Research approach we collaborated with 11 elementary school teachers, leaders, and staff to examine educators' student data collection practices and iteratively design tools to support classroom teaching and learning within the school's and district's Data-Driven Instructional System. This paper illustrates how our hand-held data tool design supports and extends teachers' practice.
CONTINUOUS MICROWAVE STERILIZATION OF MEAT IN FLEXIBLE POUCHES

Feasibility studies originated earlier in this laboratory, on microwave energy thermal processing of foods, were continued. A means of measuring temperature distribution, as well as a photometric method for determining time/temperature integration within thermally processed foods, were developed. A knowledge of the processing parameters involved in the preservation of foods by microwave energy was obtained. Feasibility of the process was demonstrated.
Bone medullary arterioles from ovariectomized rats have smaller baseline diameters but normal eNOS expression and NO-mediated dilation.

Abstract This study was designed to test the hypothesis that endogenous estrogens decrease the expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) in resistance-size bone arterioles, thereby reducing endothelium-dependent vasodilator function. Sexually mature female rats were ovariectomized to reduce endogenous estrogens. Age-matched female rats served as controls. Seven to ten days after ovariectomy, bone marrow tissue was collected from the femoral canal. Immuno-histochemistry was performed to detect expression of estrogen receptors, α and β and eNOS. eNOS protein content in medullary bone arterioles was compared using Western blot analysis. Endothelial cell function was assessed by quantitating the dilation of isolated, pressurized bone arterioles in response to acetylcholine. The results indicate that the endothelium of bone arterioles from ovariectomized and control rats express ER-α, ER-β and eNOS. eNOS protein content in the two groups of arterioles did not differ. However, the baseline diameter of arterioles from ovariectomized rats (63 ± 4 μm) was significantly smaller than the diameter of arterioles from control rats (75 ± 3 μm, p l -NAME, an inhibitor of eNOS, almost completely abolished the dilator responses to acetylcholine, but not to sodium nitroprusside. l -Arginine restored acetylcholine-induced dilation after l -NAME treatment. Thus, arteriole dilation to acetylcholine appears to be mediated almost exclusively by NO. The smaller diameter of arterioles from ovariectomized rats suggests that endogenous estrogens exert a significant dilator influence on bone arterioles. However, the dilator influence does not appear to be mediated by an increase in eNOS expression or enhanced NO-dependent vasodilation. These results indicate that estrogens do not decrease eNOS expression or diminish NO-mediated dilation of bone medullary arterioles.