cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Minocycline-treatment of diabetic rats normalizes skin collagen production and mass: possible causative mechanisms.

Abstract Daily minocycline-treatment of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats not only prevented a diabetes-caused atrophy of skin collagen mass (IO-mos old rats), but also normalized skin collagen mass to match that of growing (ca.1 %/d) non-diabetic controls (4- and 5-mos old rats).The causative mechanism by which minocycline-treatment normalizes skin collagen mass must, in part, be related to a general anabolic effect on growth (body weight) because the effect on skin collagen mass correlates strongly to that on body weight.Consequently, a minocycline-stimulated increase of a systemic factor (such as insulin-like growth factor) is not unlikely.The anabolic effect of minocycline-treatment of diabetic rats is also expressed as a normalized cellular ribosome mass (an index of total protein synthetic capacity) and a normalized absolute rate of collagen production.(Calculation of an absolute rate was justified by an apparent maximum saturation of the prolyl-tRNA pool(s) of skin, maximum saturation obtained by the pool-flooding approach.) The normalized skin ribosome amount does not, however, explain a selective effect of minocylcine-treatment on collagen production as opposed to that for non-collagen protein, this selective effect measured as relative collagen production.To explain such selectivity, the inhibition of diabetes-induced excess skin collagenase activity seems unlikely.(This inference is based on results from a preliminary study indicating that recently [2 hs] synthesized collagen is not degraded by the excess collagenase in skin of diabetic rats.) Thus, the principal collagen fraction acted on by pathologically excess collagenase might be collagen at a later stage (> 2 h after synthesis) in its life cycle.(Another possibility for the selective effect of minocycline on collagen production, as yet untested, is reduced intracellular pro collagen degradation.) Overall, this is the first study aimed at discerning the mechanism(s) by which minocyclinetreatment enhances the rate of collagen production in tissues of a diabetic rat.For future studies, the extent to which the positive effect on growth, ribosome mass, and rate of collagen production contributes to the change of collagen mass must, along with the known minocycline-inhibition of collagenase activity, be quantified.Such quantification is a prerequisite for evaluating the chemotherapeutic efficacy of minocycline-treatment on collagen-degradative diseases.
Massive unilateral non-functioning hydronephrosis in horseshoe kidney

The occurrence of non-function in one half of a horseshoe kidney resulting from hydronephrosis can, if unrecognized, create a serious surgical as well as medical problem. The anterior position of the ureter in relation to the isthmus, as well as strictures and accessory vessels increase the incidence of hydronephrosis, which if severe enough, can go on to non-function. The key diagnostic factor is the observation of the visualised side, which shows the characteristic malrotation of the calyces and the deviation of the long axis of the kidneys; these are associated with a mass effect on the obstructed side, with or without a 'crescent' sign. Five cases of this unusual occurrence are presented.
Intermediates in the strand-separation transition of T7 DNA

Sedimentation velocity runs as a function of temperature in the region of the alkaline helix-coil transition have enabled us to demonstrate the existence of stable two-stranded intermediates in the strand-separation process for T7 DNA. The strand-separation transition under these conditions has an intrinsic breadth of ∼1°C, and within this temperature range (Tm + 2°C < T < Tm + 3°C) the intermediate forms are progressively converted (as a function of temperature) to single-stranded DNA. Parallel characterizations of the strand-separation transition by viscosity and absorbance–renaturation studies in the alkaline solvent are entirely consistent with the sedimentation experiments. Comparison of the experimental mean sedimentation coefficient of the intermediate forms with theoretical predictions for branched structures suggests that in these molecules the two strands are connected at a single point, not centrally located with respect to the ends of the molecule.
Catarino Garza's Revolution on the Texas-Mexico Border

Catarino Garza's Revolution on the Texas-Mexico Border rescues an understudied episode from the footnotes of history. On September 15, 1891, Garza, a Mexican journalist and political activist, led a band of Mexican rebels out of southern Texas and across the Rio Grande, declaring a revolution against Mexico's dictator, Porfiro Diaz. Backed by a broad cross-border alliance of ranchers, merchants, peasants, and disgruntled military men, Garza's revolution was the largest and longest lasting threat to the Diaz regime up to that point. After two years of sporadic fighting, the combined efforts of the U.S. and Mexican armies, Texas Rangers, and local police finally succeeded in crushing the rebellion. Garza went into exile and was killed in Panama in 1895. Providing the first full-length analysis of the revolt and its significance, Elliott Young argues that Garza's rebellion is an important and telling chapter in the formation of the border between Mexico and the United States and in the histories of both countries. Throughout the nineteenth century, the borderlands were a relatively coherent region, separate in many ways from Mexico and the United States. Analyzing archival materials, newspapers, travel accounts, and autobiographies from both countries, Young shows that Garza's revolution was more than just an effort to overthrow Diaz. It was part of the long struggle of borderlands people to maintain their autonomy in the face of two powerful and encroaching nation-states and of Mexicans in particular to protect themselves from being economically and socially displaced by Anglo Americans. By critically examining the different perspectives of military officers, journalists, diplomats, and the Garzistas themselves, Young exposes how nationalism--and its pre-eminent symbol, the border--was manufactured and resisted along the Rio Grande.
On the meaning and measurement of affective instability: clues from chaos theory.

Abstract Background: "Affective instability" describes affective shifts occurring over hours to days that are associated with clinically significant impairment or distress. Since patients with this condition are clinically "chaotic," we undertook to study affective instability relative to normal affective variability using the tools of chaos theory. Methods: Patients and controls generated time series data over 90 days using a visual analog mood scale to capture daily affective means and extremes. The series were analyzed using the Mean Squared Successive Difference (MSSD), Power Spectral Density (PSD), and Fractal Dimension (FD). Results: Patients demonstrated substantially more variability than controls on the MSSD, but less complexity as measured by the FD. The PSD revealed that power varied with frequency ( f ) in a 1 f α relationship, wherein the α for patients was double that for controls. Conclusions: Despite the "chaotic" clinical presentation of affective instability patients, affective instability itself was found to be less complex from a chaos-theoretic perspective than normal affective variability. Of particular interest is the α ratio of order 2 between patients and controls seen in both our study and a similar but much longer study of mood in rapid-cycling bipolar disorder; an observation suggesting that pathological affect may be distinguishable from normal affective variability by a scale-invariant parameter.
Calculation of the second-order goldstone diagram in nuclear matter☆

A comparison is made of various methods used to calculate the second-order energy in nuclear matter. A general expression is derived for integrands depending only on k2,k′2 and k·k′, wherekandk′ are relative momenta. It applies to any potential, local or nonlocal, which can be expanded in partial waves of the relative motion, and this allows the exchange term to be combined with the direct term. Because of the short range of the nuclear force, only a few terms in the partial wave expansion are necessary. The number of integrations that need to be performed numerically for each new potential is reduced to two. Special formulas are presented for central, tensor, spin-orbit, and velocity-dependent forces.
Puberty is delayed in male mice with dextran sodium sulfate colitis out of proportion to changes in food intake, body weight, and serum levels of leptin.

In boys, inflammatory bowel disease often results in delayed puberty associated with decreased bone mineral density and decreased linear growth. Our goal was to investigate whether pubertal timing and levels of leptin differed between prepubertal male mice with colitis and food-restricted (FR) mice maintained at a similar weight. We induced colitis in 32-d-old male mice using dextran sodium sulfate (DSS), resulting in 10 d of worsening colitis. We followed up these mice for separation of the prepuce from the glans penis as a marker of pubertal progression. Compared with free-feeding control mice, DSS and FR mice had significantly lower weight on d 7–10 of treatment. DSS mice had later puberty than control and FR mice. DSS mice also had smaller testes, lower FSH levels, increased systemic cytokines, and increased colonic inflammation by histology. Leptin levels were similar between DSS and FR mice, whereas both had decreases in leptin compared with controls. We conclude that DSS colitis causes delayed puberty in sexually immature male mice beyond what is seen among FR mice of similar weight, food intake, and leptin levels. These experiments provide support for the hypothesis that pubertal delay in colitis is influenced by factors beyond poor weight gain alone.
Self-Assembled Monolayers of C60-Triphenylamine Dyads as Photo-Switched Interfacial Layers for Potential Application in Photovoltaic Cells

C60–Triphenylamine dyads were synthesized for incorporation as photoswitched interfacial layers in organic photovoltaic (OPV) cells. Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of these dyads on gold (through S–Au and C60–Au interactions) were prepared through one or two adsorption processes, and their packing densities were fully characterized. Analysis using quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements indicated that all SAMs exhibit dense coverage on the gold surfaces. Electrochemical desorption in KOH confirmed that the cis-1 dyad is anchored to the gold surface through its thiol group. Impedance measurements in the absence and presence of UV irradiation were performed to observe the photoswitched properties of these surface confined dyads. Upon UV light exposure of the SAMs, the charge-transfer resistance decreased when Fe(CN)63–/4– was used as the probe redox couple and increased with Ru(NH3)63+/2+, confirming the generation of positive charges on the surface ...
Controlling the morphology of a zinc ferrite-based aerogel by choice of solvent

Zinc ferrite-based aerogels were prepared by the epoxide addition method. The effects of changing the reaction solvent were investigated. The porosity of the resultant materials was investigated by gas adsorption techniques while the microstructure of the aerogels was investigated by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The solvent in which the gels were formed was found to have a profound impact on the surface morphology of the aerogels and the size of the nanoparticles therein. The aerogels were further analyzed by thermal gravimetric analysis and powder X-ray diffraction. After annealing at 350 °C, the porous material is found to maintain its nanocrystalline properties.
A geometric optics solution for the thin shell equation

Abstract This paper is chiefly concerned with the application of the asymptotic ‘geometric optics’ methods to linear shell theory. To accomplish this, it is found to be especially helpful to have the equations in a compact form using tensors and tensor products rather than the components of tensors used by most investigators. In the first portion of the paper, it is shown that this notation also simplifies several steps in the derivation of the equations and that a simple ‘static-geometric’ analogy for the nonlinear theory can be established. The final linear equation with a complex dependent variable has for components the equations obtained by Naghdi, which for lines-of-curvature coordinates have the same form as the Novozhilov equations, but with the modified curvature measure due to Koiter and Sanders. A general solution is sought in terms of an exponential asymptotic expansion that is uniformly valid in the large. As in the geometric optics solution of the reduced wave equation, the ‘transport’ equation reduces to an ordinary differential equation along the ‘rays’, i.e., the characteristics of the ‘eikonel’ equation. Unlike the solution of the reduced wave equation, the ‘wave-fronts’ are not orthogonal to the rays, so a nonorthogonal coordinate system turns out to be advantageous. Although difficulties remain, the exciting possibilities of the approach for general shell analysis are indicated by two examples. One is a simple solution for the heretofore difficult problem of a cylinder with a rigid insert in the wall. The second is a simple interpretation for the previously obtained solution for a shell of revolution with ‘rapidly varying’ edge loads.
Synthesis of syn-7-benzyloxy-4-methylbicyclo[2.2.1]hept-5-en-2-one, an intermediate for the synthesis of steroids and tricothecanes; tandem anionic [1,3]–[3,3] sigmatropic rearrangement

Abstract The enone ether 1 has been prepared from 2-methylcyclopentenone and converted into the hydrindenone 2 ; the first example of a tandem anionic [1,3]–[3,3] sigmatropic rearrangement is reported.
An experimental demonstration of discriminated (nongeneralized) imitation.

In a number of experiments, nonreinforced imitation has been found to persist at high rates despite the variety of procedures which have been employed to eliminate such responses. In the present experiment, powerful stimulus control was established over imitation by providing an alternative response which was reinforcible. Four children participated in a multiple-schedule experiment in which imitation was reinforced in the presence of one light and bar pressing in the presence of a second light; throughout the experiment, responses were modeled on each trial: hand-arm responses in the presence of the red light and leg responses in the presence of the yellow light. Initially, imitation was reinforced in the presence of the red light and button pressing in the presence of the yellow light. In a within-subjects design, stimulus control was demonstrated by reversing the association of lights and contingencies, then reinstating the original contingencies. The children imitated when reinforced for imitation and pressed the button when button pressing was reinforced. The results demonstrate stimulus control over imitation which is more powerful than in previous investigations and indicate that the prevailing reinforcement contingencies determine whether or not a child will imitate on a particular occasion.
Value of radiopaque markers in identifying partial small bowel obstruction

Confirming partial small bowel obstruction is often a diagnostic challenge. In this case report, 4-mm solid radiopaque markers were used in 4 patients to show partial small bowel obstruction. Results of enteroclysis were normal in 2 of the 4 patients, and the markers were used to challenge suspected partial obstruction. The markers coalesced in the region of the partial obstruction, which was confirmed at surgery. Enteroclysis is the examination of choice in the diagnosis of partial small bowel obstruction. However, examinations with false-negative results can occur, particularly with adhesive and/or intermittent obstructions. The use of radiopaque markers in these cases proved an effective and useful method of establishing the diagnosis of partial small bowel obstruction, particularly in the 2 cases in which enteroclysis results were normal. Prospective studies are needed to establish the feasibility of this novel technique.
The Production of Cosmic Ray Showers in Lead.

Photographs were taken of cosmic-ray showers arising in lead plates of various thickness placed in turn inside a Geiger counter controlled cloud chamber. These showers are classified according to the number of particles in the shower and according to the manner of production, whether by an ionizing particle or by nonionizing radiation. The average size of showers was found to increase with the plate thickness. Studies of the frequencies of showers of different sizes as a function of plate thickness show that electron-produced and photon-produced showers occur in approximately equal numbers and are of the same character. These facts give support to the theories of Carlson and Oppenheimer and of Bhabha and Heitler. They consider the shower to be the result of repeated subdivision of incident radiation through pair production by gamma-rays and through radiative losses of high energy electrons giving rise to other gamma-rays. Eight percent of the electrons striking lead plates near seven millimeters thick gave rise to showers. About an equal number of showers from gamma-rays were present.
Center manifold analysis of a DDE model of gene expression

Abstract We use center manifold theory to analyze a model of gene transcription and protein synthesis which consists of an ordinary differential equation (ODE) coupled to a delay differential equation (DDE). The analysis involves reformulating the problem as an operator differential equation which acts on function space, with the result that an infinite dimensional system is reduced to one of two dimensions. This work extends a previous CNSNS paper in which this problem was treated by Lindstedt’s method. The present work is shown to provide approximations of general motions, including the approach to a periodic motion, in contrast to Lindstedt’s method, which approximates only the periodic motion itself. In particular we show that the origin is asymptotically stable for the critical (bifurcation) value of the delay parameter.
The incidence and prevalence of inflammatory bowel disease among U.S. veterans: a national cohort study.

The incidence and prevalence of Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), collectively referred to as inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs), vary considerably worldwide. The highest incidence and prevalence rates have been reported in North America and Europe, with incidence rates as high as 20.2 per 100,000 for CD and 19.5 per 100,000 for UC.1–3 The prevalence of IBD also varies within the United States and Europe, with lower prevalence rates for both CD and UC in the southern regions compared with the northern regions.4–6 In the United States, temporal trends in the incidence and prevalence of IBD have been reported in only a few regional populations. In Olmsted County, Minnesota, the incidence of both CD and UC increased between 1940 and 1970 from 3.1 to 9.4 per 100,000 and from 2.3 to 6.5 per 100,000, respectively, but remained stable between 1970 and 2000.7 However, the incidence of both CD and UC rose significantly from 1996 to 2006 in a study of ethnically diverse pediatric IBD in a managed care organization in Northern California.8 In Olmsted County, the prevalence of CD has increased from 1991 to 2001 by 31%; however, the prevalence of UC of 214 per 100,000 was reported to remain stable.7 Conversely, the prevalence of both CD and UC were reported to increase in the Northern California study between 1996 and 2002.9 Differences in the temporal trends of IBD may be related to geographic differences or ethnic diversity. There have been no studies reporting temporal incidence and prevalence trends of IBD in a national cohort in the United States. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is the largest integrated health care system in the United States and has more than 120 facilities throughout the country. As of September 2008, there were an estimated 23,440,000 living U.S. veterans, of whom 8,493,700 received VA benefits in fiscal year 2008.10 Only a few studies have examined the epidemiology of IBD among the U.S. veterans. These studies have focused on hospitalized veterans who may not represent the greater veteran population with IBD. One study reported a decrease in IBD-related hospitalization rates in the VA from 1985 to 2006 among Caucasians, but an increase in IBD-related hospitalizations among most groups of non-Caucasians in the same time period.11 In addition, the age distribution of IBD-related hospitalization shifted toward older age groups in recent years, which was more pronounced among VA users with UC than CD.11 The aim of this study was to describe the temporal trends in the incidence and prevalence of IBD among a nationally distributed cohort of users of the VA health care system. Examining temporal trends may give clues about risk factors and are also important in quantifying the burden of disease among this unique population to assess their medical needs and disease outcomes.
Predicting the Performance of Cooperative Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (C-SLAM)

In this paper we study the time evolution of the position estimates' covariance in Cooperative Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (C-SLAM), and obtain analytical upper bounds for the positioning uncertainty. The derived bounds provide descriptions of the asymptotic positioning performance of a team of robots in a mapping task, as a function of the characteristics of the proprioceptive and exteroceptive sensors of the robots, and of the graph of relative position measurements recorded by the robots. A study of the properties of the Riccati recursion, which describes the propagation of uncertainty through time, yields (i) the guaranteed accuracy for a robot team in a given C-SLAM application, as well as (ii) the maximum expected steady-state uncertainty of the robots and landmarks, when the spatial distribution of features in the environment can be modeled by a known distribution. The theoretical results are validated both in simulation and experimentally.
Recognizing rosacea: Could you be misdiagnosing this common skin disorder?

PREVIEWAwareness of rosacea is growing as those making up the largest segment of the population, the baby boomers, reach the age when onset is most prevalent. Patients are often disheartened that there is no cure for the condition, but as Dr Millikan explains, early diagnosis and patient compliance with treatment can greatly minimize symptoms and prevent severe complications.
Comparison of diets containing various fish meal levels on growth performance, body composition, and insulin-like growth factor-I of juvenile channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus of different strains

Abstract A 3 × 3 factorial experiment was conducted in flow-through aquaria to evaluate effects of diets, containing 0%, 4%, or 8% menhaden fish meal, on growth performance, body composition, and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) of juvenile channel catfish of Mississippi “normal” (MN), NWAC103 [formally known as USDA103], or USDA303 strains. Twenty fish with an average weight of 4.7 ± 0.1 g fish − 1 (± S.D.) were stocked into each of 36, 110-l aquaria (four aquaria per treatment). Fish were fed 28%-protein diets containing various levels of fish meal to approximate satiation twice daily for 9 weeks. Regardless of fish strain, fish fed diets containing 4% or 8% fish meal had higher diet consumption, final weight, and feed efficiency (FE) than fish fed an all-vegetable diet. Regardless of fish meal level, NWAC103 and USDA303 channel catfish consumed more diet, gained more weight, and converted diet more efficiently than MN fish. No differences were observed in diet consumption, final weight, and FE between NWAC103 and USDA303 strains. There was an interaction in specific growth rate between fish strain and fish meal level. Specific growth rate was greater for MN fish fed diets containing 4% or 8% fish meal than fish fed the all-vegetable diet, whereas there were no differences in specific growth rate for NWAC103 and USDA303 fish fed various diets. Fillet protein was lower and fillet fat was higher for NWAC103 and USDA303 strains than for the MN strain. Plasma IGF-I levels were greater in NWAC103 and USDA303 channel catfish than in MN fish. Levels of IGF-I were similar between NWAC103 and USDA303 fish. The addition of fish meal to the all-vegetable diet for the three strains did not affect levels of IGF-I. Mean plasma IGF-I concentration was positively correlated to specific growth rate. Results from the present study indicated that the optimum inclusion level for fish meal was 4% of a soybean meal-based diet (fish meal levels higher than 8% were not evaluated in the present study). Including 4% fish meal in the diet improved the performance more for the MN strain than for NWAC103 and USDA303 strains, suggesting that a genotype-diet interaction exists in juvenile channel catfish. Performance of the NWAC103 and USDA303 channel catfish fed the all-vegetable diet was better than MN fish fed the same diet. Plasma IGF-I concentration may be a good indicator for channel catfish growth.
Molybdenum Content of 16 U.S. Geological Survey Standard Rocks

The concentration of molybdenum in 16 U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) standard rocks was determined by a colorimetric procedure using zinc dithiol reagent. The molybdenum content in the rocks was found to range from 0.04 to 37 ppm. The precision of the method is generally better than 10% relative deviation when the molybdenum content is >0.3 ppm. A comparison with values stated in the literature shows that the method is accurate for the range of concentrations determined and the rock types analyzed.
Phosphorylation-dependent Autoinhibition of Myosin Light Chain Phosphatase Accounts for Ca2+ Sensitization Force of Smooth Muscle Contraction

The reversible regulation of myosin light chain phosphatase (MLCP) in response to agonist stimulation and cAMP/cGMP signals plays an important role in the regulation of smooth muscle (SM) tone. Here, we investigated the mechanism underlying the inhibition of MLCP induced by the phosphorylation of myosin phosphatase targeting subunit (MYPT1), a regulatory subunit of MLCP, at Thr-696 and Thr-853 using glutathione S-transferase (GST)-MYPT1 fragments having the inhibitory phosphorylation sites. GST-MYPT1 fragments, including only Thr-696 and only Thr-853, inhibited purified MLCP (IC(50) = 1.6 and 60 nm, respectively) when they were phosphorylated with RhoA-dependent kinase (ROCK). The activities of isolated catalytic subunits of type 1 and type 2A phosphatases (PP1 and PP2A) were insensitive to either fragment. Phospho-GST-MYPT1 fragments docked directly at the active site of MLCP, and this was blocked by a PP1/PP2A inhibitor microcystin (MC)-LR or by mutation of the active sites in PP1. GST-MYPT1 fragments induced a contraction of beta-escin-permeabilized ileum SM at constant pCa 6.3 (EC(50) = 2 microm), which was eliminated by Ala substitution of the fragment at Thr-696 or by ROCK inhibitors or 8Br-cGMP. GST-MYPT1-(697-880) was 5-times less potent than fragments including Thr-696. Relaxation induced by 8Br-cGMP was not affected by Ala substitution at Ser-695, a known phosphorylation site for protein kinase A/G. Thus, GST-MYPT1 fragments are phosphorylated by ROCK in permeabilized SM and mimic agonist-induced inhibition and cGMP-induced activation of MLCP. We propose a model in which MYPT1 phosphorylation at Thr-696 and Thr-853 causes an autoinhibition of MLCP that accounts for Ca(2+) sensitization of smooth muscle force.
A study of convective heat transfer in a supersonic recirculating flow region by Telenin's method

Abstract A theoretical analysis of the laminar base flow field of a two-dimensional reentry body has been formulated using Telenin's method. The numerical method divides the flow domain into horizontal strips along the x -axis and represents the flow variables as Lagrange interpolation polynomials in the vertical coordinate. The complete Navier-Stokes equations are used in the near wake region, and the boundary layer equations are applied elsewhere. The boundary conditions consist of the flat plate thermal boundary layer in the forebody region and the near wake profile in the downstream region. The resulting two-point boundary value problem of 33 ordinary differential equations is then solved by the multiple shooting method using 12 segments. The theoretical aspects of the convergence of the present scheme are discussed thoroughly and are compared to the successful convergence of a smaller system; i.e. the two-dimensional, two-phase stagnation point flow solution. The unsatisfactory convergence of the present study, which is attributed to two shortcoming in the formulation, can be improved if the following two steps are taken. First, a variable transformed coordinate should be incorporated to allow different stretching in various segments such that the instabilities encountered can be avoided. Secondly, the Lagrange interpolation polynomials should be replaced by other forms of polynomials or analytic functions to remove the mathematical singularity at the rear stagnation point. The specific case considered in this report is that of vehicle reentry at zero angle of attack in a Mach 11 free stream with Reynolds number Re ∞, H ranging from 0.8 × 10 5 to 1.2 × 10 5 . The base wall temperature remains constant at 255°K (460° R) and the free stream temperature is 217.43° K (392.28° R). It was assumed that heat conductivity and viscosity are linearly proportional to temperature, the specific heat is constant, and the Prandtl number is unity. The detailed flow field and thermal environment in the base region are presented in the form of temperature contours, Mach number contours, velocity vectors, pressure distributions, and heat transfer coefficients on the base surface. The maximum heating rate was found to be always on the centerline, and the two-dimensional stagnation point flow solution was adequate to estimate this value as long as the local Reynolds number could be obtained.
Integration of Environmental Indicators for the U.S. Mid-Atlantic Region

The Mid-Atlantic Integrated Assessment (MAIA) Project began in 1994 as a partnership between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (USEPA's) Region III Office and the Office of Research and Development. This multiyear initiative was envisioned to: (1) improve the quality of environmental science and promote the use of sound science in environmental decision-making; (2) characterize the condition of ecological resources; and (3) report on the progress toward environmental goals through a series of State-of-the-Region reports. These reports are produced using a coordinated, integrated approach that is carried out at four levels of increasing sophistication and complexity. Results indicate that the condition of individual ecological resources can be determined with existing indicators. The results from MAIA are being communicated in a manner that is understood by environmental managers as evidenced by their use in environmental management decision-making. The application of ecological indicators needs t...
Drug and gene targeting to the brain via blood–brain barrier receptor-mediated transport systems

Abstract The delivery of recombinant proteins, peptides, antisense agents, and non-viral gene medicines to brain via a trans-vascular route following intravenous administration is possible with the development of blood–brain barrier drug targeting technology. Drugs or genes are re-formulated and attached to molecular Trojan horses that ferry the drug or gene into brain via receptor-mediated transport across the BBB on endogenous peptide transport systems.
Membrane Fusion: the Emergence of a New Paradigm

Theoretical and experimental work over the last ten years has led to the emergence of a new paradigm for the pathway by which fusion of biological membranes occurs. The path results from the great stability of lipid vesicles, a necessary attribute if they are to function properly. As a consequence, fusion is not easily initiated. The new pathway differs significantly from the conventional one which has framed the picture of fusion for the last thirty years.
Apraxia of speech in degenerative neurologic disease

Background: Only a limited number of case reports or case series have provided unequivocal evidence that apraxia of speech (AOS) can be the first or predominant sign of neurodegenerative disease. This may reflect a very low frequency of occurrence but may also reflect a failure in many studies to identify AOS or distinguish it from the diagnosis of primary progressive aphasia (PPA). The distinction may be important to clinical neurological localisation and diagnosis, prognosis, management, and histopathology. The author thanks Jack Thomas MS and Keith Josephs MD for their helpful comments on earlier versions of this paper. Aims: To describe the demographic characteristics, presenting complaints, perceptual attributes, associated speech‐language and related clinical findings, neuroimaging findings, and clinical neurological diagnoses for a large group of patients with AOS due to degenerative neurologic disease. Methods & Procedures: Retrospective review of patients seen between 1985 and 2004, who had AOS t...
Generic head models for atlas‐based EEG source analysis

We describe a method for using a generic head model, in the form of an anatomical atlas, to produce EEG source localizations. The atlas is fitted to the subject by a nonrigid warp using a set of surface landmarks. The warped atlas is used to compute a finite element model (FEM) of the forward mapping or lead-fields between neural current generators and the EEG electrodes. These lead-fields are used to localize current sources from the subject's EEG data and the sources are then mapped back to the anatomical atlas. This approach provides a mechanism for comparing source localizations across subjects in an atlas-based coordinate system, which can be used in the large fraction of EEG studies in which MR images are not available. The Montreal brain atlas was used as the reference anatomical atlas and 10 individual MR volumes were used to evaluate the method. The atlas was fitted to each subject's head by a thin-plate-spline (TPS) warp. The spatial locations of a generic 155-electrode configuration were used to constrain the warp. For the purposes of evaluation, dipolar sources were placed on the inner cortical surface in the atlas geometry and transferred to each subject's brain space using a polynomial warp. The parameters of the warp were computed using an intensity-based matching of the atlas and subject brains, thus ensuring that the sources were placed at approximately the same anatomical location in each case. Data were simulated in the subject geometry and a dipole fit was performed on these data using an FEM of the TPS warped atlas. The source positions found in the warped atlas were transferred back to the original atlas and compared to the original position. Sources were simulated at 972 locations evenly distributed over the inner cortical surface of the atlas. The mean error over all 10 subjects was 8.1 mm in the subject space and 15.2 mm in the atlas space. In comparison, using an affine transformation of the electrodes into atlas space and an FEM model generated from the atlas produced mean errors of 22.3 mm in subject space and 19.6 mm in atlas space. With a standard three-shell spherical model the errors were 27.2 mm in the subject space and 34.7 mm when mapped to atlas space.
A stochastic approach to two-level ion dynamics driven by light beams

Abstract The probability distribution of a two-level ion confined in a harmonic trap and perturbed by the absorption and emission of photons is calculated. The ion is assumed to be excited by a light beam and relaxes back either by induced emissions or irreversible spontaneous emissions. The photon-ion interaction is modeled as a perturbing noise acting on the ion by modifying its energy and momentum. The current calculations reproduce the quantum results of the laser cooling of ions in static traps in the heavy particle limit.
A Review of: “Deborah F. Atwater, African American Women's Rhetoric: The Search for Dignity, Personhood, and Honor”

The Anglo father of two adopted Chinese daughters, I regard Deborah Atwater's book a gift. It is a gift because Atwater recognizes that girls and women need space and time to flourish. For the wome...
Depressive Symptoms and Smoking in Middle-Aged and Older Women

Introduction: Smoking research and intervention efforts have neglected older women. Depressive symptoms, which are common in middle-aged and older women, are related to the maintenance of adult smoking. Methods: This study investigated the relation of a composite measure of current depressive symptoms, derived from a short form of the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, and history of depressive symptoms, derived from two items from the Diagnostic Interview Schedule, to smoking outcomes in the Women’s Health Initiative Observational Study (N = 90,627). Participants were postmenopausal with an average age of 63.6 years at baseline. Participants were recruited from urban, suburban, and rural areas surrounding 40 clinical centers in the United States. Analyses controlled for age, educational level, and ethnicity. Results: In multinomial logistic regression analyses, depressive symptoms were related cross-sectionally to current light (odds ratio [OR] = 1.19, 95% CI = 1.14–1.23) and heavier (OR = 1.28, 95% CI = 1.23–1.32) smoking at baseline compared with nonsmokers. In prospective multiple logistic regression analyses, baseline depressive symptoms were negatively predictive of smoking cessation at a 1-year follow-up (OR = .85, 95% CI = 0.77– 0.93) and at participants’ final assessments in the study ( OR = .92, 95% CI = 0.85–0.98). Light smokers had more than 2 times higher odds of smoking cessation than did heavier smokers. Conclusions: The present findings demonstrate a consistent link between depressive symptoms and negative smoking-related behaviors among middle-aged and older women at both light and heavier smoking levels.
Finding an Optimal Sequence by Dynamic Programming: An Extension to Precedence-Related Tasks

We discuss the dynamic programming approach to finding an optimal sequence of a set of tasks when the tasks are related by precedence restrictions. We describe how to use this approach in problems where no explicit precedence relations exist. Computer implementation considerations played an important role in its development. Computational results indicate that, when the curse of dimensionality can be dispelled, dynamic programming can be a useful procedure for large sequencing problems.
Race, crime, and forprofit imprisonment Social disorganization as market opportunity

This article explores the racial dynamics of contemporary prison privatization in the USA from the perspective of social disorganization theory. It relies particularly on the concepts of ‘social’ a...
Relieving pain in Marguerite Duras’s ‘La douleur’ and ‘Albert des Capitales’

This study will focus on how psychic pain is externalized in two short texts from Marguerite Duras’s La douleur. I will first argue that the collection’s opening work, “La douleur,” may be viewed as a trauma testimony, as a sub-genre of autobiography. Duras the narrator shows us how her psychic pain generates physiological symptoms. In the course of the narrative, we come to understand that her symptoms are the same as the ones she images her husband, Robert L., suffering from in Dachau. Duras also projects her pain onto her surroundings, transforming the Paris of her mind’s eye into the bleak landscape where she believes her husband has perished. In “Albert des Capitales,” we find what amounts to an externalization of psychological suffering through behavior as the protagonist, Therese, transforms herself from victim to victimizer during the interrogation of a “donneur,” a suspected collaborator. Her ordering the torture of the donneur is the result of the psychic pain caused by the uncertainty of her husband’s fate. “La douleur” and “Albert des Capitales,” I will argue, are two sides of the same coin, two different women—both Duras’s avatars—who find themselves in equally stressful circumstances but who unconsciously process their stress in divergent ways.
Streptokinase inhibits acute platelet thrombus formation in stenosed dog coronary arteries.

Previous evidence has suggested that plasmin, in addition to its proteolytic action on fibrin, may affect platelet function. To test the effects of plasmin generated in vivo by the thrombolytic agent streptokinase (SK) on platelet-dependent vascular occlusion, we have used a well-established canine model of experimental coronary artery stenosis which produces platelet aggregate-dependent cyclical variations in coronary blood flow. Infusion of SK into 22 dogs at doses sufficient to cause a systemic lytic state led to complete abolition of cyclical blood flow reductions (CFR's) at sites of coronary artery injury. Inhibition of coronary platelet occlusion was associated with marked prolongations of the bleeding time (from 3.2 ± 0.6 min before to 14 ± 5 min after SK infusion, mean ± SD, n = 22). Despite the striking effects of SK on in vivo platelet-vessel wall interactions, only platelet aggregation in response to collagen was diminished among the ex vivo parameters of platelet function that were studied sim...
Using Simulation to Estimate First Passage Distribution

Consider a discrete time Markov process {Xn, n > 0}. For a given subset &#x1d49c; of the state space, consider the problem of using simulation to estimate the number of transitions it takes the process to enter &#x1d49c;. Using estimators based on the "observed hazard," we are able to improve on the usual Monte Carlo estimator. We also consider the problem of estimating the distribution of the first state in, &#x1d49c; to be reached, and then extend our results to continuous time.
HMOS-CMOS-a low-power high-performance technology

HMOS-CMOS, a new high-performance bulk CMOS technology, is described. This technology builds on HMOS II, and features high resistivity p-substrate, diffused n-well and scaled n- and p-channel devices of 2-/spl mu/m channel length and 400-/spl Aring/ gate oxide thickness. The aggressive scaling of n and p devices results in 350-ps minimum gate delay and 0.04-pJ power delay product. HMOS-CMOS is a single poly technology suitable for microprocessor and static RAM applications. A 4K static RAM test vehicle is described featuring fully CMOS six-transistor memory cell, a chip size of 19600 mil/SUP 2/, 75 /spl mu/W standby power, data retention down to a V/SUB cc/ voltage of 1.5 V and a minimum chip select and address access time of 25 ns.
Terrain reasoning for human locomotion

We describe a real-time model of terrain traversal by simulated human agents. Agent navigation includes a variety of simulated sensors, terrain reasoning with behavioral constraints, and detailed simulation of a variety of locomotion techniques. The path through the terrain is incrementally computed by a behavioral reasoning system configuring a behavioral feedback network. A number of sensors acquire information on object range, passageways, obstacles, terrain type, exposure to hostile agents, and so on. The behavioral reasoner weighs this information along with collision avoidance, cost, danger minimization, locomotion types, and other behaviors available to the agent and incrementally attempts to reach a goal location. Since the system is reactive, it can respond to moving obstacles, changing terrain, or unexpected events due to hostile agents or the effects of limited perception. A motor-level component provides general locomotion, including curved path walking and running that work in real-time with human figures. >
A cAMP-phosphodiesterase controls PKA-dependent differentiation

A cAMP-specific phosphodiesterase was found that is stimulated by binding to the regulatory subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase, PKA-R, from either Dictyostelium or mammals. The phosphodiesterase is encoded by the regA gene of Dictyostelium, which was recovered in a mutant screen for strains that sporulate in the absence of signals from prestalk cells. The sequence of RegA predicts that it will function as a member of a two-component system. Genetic analyses indicate that inhibition of the phosphodiesterase results in an increase in the activity of PKA, which acts at a check point for terminal differentiation. Conserved components known to affect memory, learning and differentiation in flies and vertebrates suggest that a similar circuitry functions in higher eukaryotes.
Quad Band Digitally Controlled Oscillator for WCDMA Transmitter in 90nm CMOS

We present the first published implementation and measurements of a fully integrated phase path for a 3G polar transmitter in deep sub micron CMOS. It includes a single quad band digitally controlled oscillator (DCO) providing modulation capability to handle the wide bandwidth of the WCDMA phase (frequency) data and a switched inverter divider. The complete chip, with integrated LDOs, consumes 20mA from a 1.4V supply while providing a PN of -157dBc/Hz at a 40MHz offset for a 2GHz output.
Risk assessment and screening for potentially invasive fishes

Abstract Preventing the introduction of potentially invasive species is becoming more important as this worldwide problem continues to grow. The ability to predict the identity or range of potential invaders could influence regulatory decisions and help to optimally allocate resources to deal with ongoing invasions. One screening tool presented here, using species life history and environmental tolerances to identify potential invaders similar to past invaders, can be used to predict potential invading species. Another screening tool, genetic algorithms, can be used to predict the potential range of an invading species. Use and further development of tools such as these, that are quantitative and relatively transparent, would give managers and other decision makers more information for making better‐informed decisions.
Dielectric response of polyimide to thermal and saline degradation

Polyimide (PI) is a widely used wiring insulation material for aircraft. Given the harsh environment of its employment, wiring insulation material for aircraft suffers from various degradation processes which may cause failure of electrical insulation. In this paper, the dielectric response of PI to thermal degradation and to saline exposure is investigated. To investigate the effect of thermal exposure, PI samples were isothermally heated at 400, 425, 450 and 475 °C for up to 5 hr in an isotemp muffle furnace. After heating, the samples were removed from the furnace and allowed to cool at room temperature. To investigate the effect of saline degradation, PI samples were immersed in both distilled water and salt water with salinity of 80 g/l for up to 4 days at room temperature. Measurements of permittivity over the frequency range 1 kHz to 2 MHz at room temperature, obtained using an Agilent E4980A LCR meter, revealed an increase of up to 14% in the measured real relative permittivity of the thermally-exposed samples, compared with a sample completely dried by heating at 200 °C for 1 hr. The frequency-dependence of the dissipation factor was also changed significantly after thermal exposure at 475 °C. The relative permittivity and dissipation factor of Kapton samples immersed in distilled water were increased by approximately 10% and 40%, respectively. The influence of dissolved salt had only a small additional effect, however.