cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Paper mill boiler ash and lime by-products as soil liming materials

The pulp and paper industry in the southeastern USA produces 6500 t of boiler ash and lime by-products (waste lime, grit, and dregs) daily. A survey of 88 pulp and paper mills indicated that most of these by-products are placed in landfills, with only 10% being land-applied. Seventeen boiler ash samples and 14 lime by-products from 12 Alabama pulp and paper mills were analyzed and evaluated for their potential as soil liming materials. Most boiler ash resulted from the burning of wood or wood in combination with other materials and averaged 37% calcium carbonate equivalent (CCE), while 14 lime by-products averaged 99% CCE. In an 84-d incubation study, boiler ash and lime by-products applied to an acid (pH = 5.2) Marvyn loamy sand (fine-loamy, siliceous, thermic, Typic Kanhapludults) at equivalent rates based on CCE resulted in mean pH values significantly higher than values achieved with agricultural lime. All materials increased Mehlich-1 extractable P, K, and Mg. In a field study conducted on an acid (pH = 5.1) Vaiden clay (very-fine, montmorillonitic, thermic Vertic Hapludalfs), dallisgrass-fescue (Paspalum dilatatum Poir.-Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) herbage yield increased 62% the second year and 49% the third year after surface application of boiler ash, lime by-products, and agricultural lime.
Treatment interventions in nursing home residents with urinary incontinence: a systematic review of randomized trials

OBJECTIVE To determine the efficacy and safety of treatments for nursing home residents with urinary incontinence (UI). PATIENTS AND METHODS A systematic review was conducted of randomized controlled trials published from January 1985 through May 2008. Data sources were MEDLINE and Cochrane Library databases, proceedings of the 3rd International Consultation on Incontinence, and reference lists of retrieved clinical trials and review articles. Trials were eligible if they consisted of nursing home or long-term institutionalized residents with UI. Eligible trials compared interventions for improving UI with controls, including comparisons of UI outcomes and/or adverse events between randomized groups. RESULTS Fourteen unique clinical trials, consisting of 1161 patients, met inclusion criteria. Treatments included antimuscarinic medications, oral estrogen plus progesterone, and behavioral interventions (eg, prompted voiding). Compared with usual care, prompted voiding alone or prompted voiding plus exercise reduced daytime incontinence and increased appropriate toileting. Efficacy outcomes indicated that neither prompted voiding plus exercise nor prompted voiding plus oral estrogen and progesterone was superior to prompted voiding alone for incontinence management. Prompted voiding plus oxybutynin slightly reduced incontinence compared with prompted voiding plus placebo. CONCLUSION In nursing home residents with UI, prompted voiding alone and prompted voiding with exercise were associated with modest short-term improvement in daytime UI. Results do not clearly support an independent effect of exercise in improving UI. Oxybutynin may provide small additional benefit when used with prompted voiding. There appears to be no role for oral estrogen in UI treatment. Long-term clinical trials of prompted voiding alone, prompted voiding with exercise, and antimuscarinic medications should be conducted with targeted nursing home residents who have UI. These trials should include measures of UI, patient quality of life, and cost outcomes.
An investigation of the psychometric properties of the Social Thoughts and Beliefs Scale (STABS) and structure of cognitive symptoms in participants with social anxiety disorder and healthy controls

Despite the recent increase of measures developed to assess the cognitive symptoms of social anxiety disorder (SOC), their validation is still largely preliminary. Thus, the present studies sought to replicate and extend the psychometric evaluation of the Social Thoughts and Beliefs Scale (STABS). Study 1 involved both participants with SOC (n = 206) and healthy controls (n = 222) that completed the STABS and other related measures of anxiety. In Study 2, participants with SOC (n = 66) completed exposure-based psychotherapy for SOC with the STABS used to track symptom changes. Together, the two studies provided additional support for the validity and reliability of the STABS as a measure of the cognitive symptoms of SOC. However, contrary to previous research with two subscales, a single total scale was suggested as the best interpretation of the STABS, as well as the possible general presentation of the cognitive symptoms of SOC.
Procedural and clinical outcomes of the valve-in-valve technique for severe aortic insufficiency after balloon-expandable transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

Objective: To describe the clinical and procedural outcomes of patients treated with the valve-in-valve technique for severe aortic insufficiency (AI) after balloon-expandable transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). Background: Severe AI immediately after valve implantation is a notable complication of TAVR. It can be treated with a valve-in-valve technique which involves deploying a second valve within the first one to crush the leaflets of the first implant leaving a new functional valve. Methods: We analyzed data on 142 consecutive patients at our institution undergoing TAVR with the Sapien valve between November of 2007 and April of 2011. Etiologies of acute AI, procedural and intermediate term clinical outcomes were reported for those in whom a valve-in-valve procedure was necessary. Post-hoc analysis of these cases with C-THV imaging (Paieon Medical Ltd.) was performed to elucidate the mechanism for successful AI treatment. Results: A total of 5 of 142 (3.5%) patients were treated with the valve-in-valve technique. Etiologies of the aortic valve insufficiency included bioprosthesis malposition (n = 3), valve dysfunction (n = 1), and valve undersizing (n = 1). With placement of the second valve, the first valve dimensions increased to approach the nominal valve size while the second valve size remained less than nominal. Conclusions: The valve-in-valve technique is an appropriate bailout measure for patients with acute valvular AI after balloon-expandable TAVR. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals Inc.
Low coverage study of oxygen on platinum

Abstract TDS and ESD measurements have been carried out on the O 2 /Pt system using a recrystallized ribbon sample. TDS spectra demonstrate the presence of two adsorption states for oxygen exposures less than 1 L. ESD data suggest the existence of a large cross section state, interpreted as a precursor, during the very early stages of adsorption. The two states identified in the TDS spectra show very different ESD behavior. The lower temperature state is inactive to ESD. The high temperature state is found to yield significant electron desorption, but only in the absence of significant population in the lower temperature state.
Neurokinin 1 Receptor Mediates Membrane Blebbing in HEK293 Cells through a Rho/Rho-associated Coiled-coil Kinase-dependent Mechanism

We have investigated the effect of neurokinin 1 receptor (NK1R) agonists on HEK293 cells transfected with the NK1R receptor. The NK1R receptor mediates dramatic shape changes that include contractions of the membrane cortex resulting in membrane bleb formation. We have found that the cell shape changes correlate with changes in electrical impedance measured in cellular monolayers. The shape and impedance changes were prevented after preincubation with NK1R antagonists aprepitant and L-73060. Although bleb formation usually heralds apoptotic cell death, we have found that NK1R-mediated cellular blebbing does not associate with apoptosis. Preincubation with a cell-permeable derivative of C3 transferase that blocks Rho or with the Rho-associated coiled-coil kinase inhibitor Y27632 completely prevented NK1R-induced shape and impedance changes. Blebbing was also completely inhibited by ML-9, a myosin light chain kinase inhibitor. Furthermore, the phospholipase C inhibitor U73,122 did not interfere with the effect of Substance P (SP) on cellular morphology and cellular impedance but completely blocked SP-induced intracellular calcium increase, indicating that the blebbing is a process independent of intracellular calcium elevations. Blebbing is a protein kinase C-independent process, since the nonselective protein kinase C inhibitor GF109203X did not interfere with SP-induced effects. Based on these results, we provide the first evidence that NK1R receptor-ligand interaction can cause apoptosis-independent cellular blebbing and that this process is mediated by the Rho/Rho-associated coiled-coil kinase pathway.
Diurnal growth hormone responses to dextroamphetamine in normal young men and postmenopausal women

Abstract (1) D-amphetamine stimulates growth hormone (GH) secretion, probably through its catecholaminergic effects. (2) In normal post-menopausal women we found the GH response to dextroamphetamine to be small and significantly less than that seen in young normal men. (3) In post-menopausal women but not in young men, the GH response to amphetamine was significantly higher in the evening than in the morning. (4) The reduced GH responses to dextroamphetamine in postmenopausal women may be due to sex difference, hypoestrogenism, or to reduced brain catecholamines associated with age. (5) The diurnal variation of the GH response to d-amphetamine in post-menopausal women may reflect a diurnal variation in hypothalamic nor-adrenergic activity higher in the evening, which was not masked by a reciprocal variation in estradiol levels.
Quantum Density Oscillations in an Inhomogeneous Electron Gas

An infinite system of electrons in its ground state, subject to a very slowly varying external potential, has slowly varying properties, and can be described by a gradient expansion theory. However, when, in addition, either (1) there is a spatially rapidly varying perturbing potential, or (2) there are regions in which the electron density drops to zero (e.g., electrons in an oscillator potential), the density and other properties of the system exhibit additional spatial oscillations, which we call quantum oscillations. An example are the Friedel oscillations in metals. In the present paper we develop a general theory of these oscillations for one-dimensional, noninteracting electrons. Illustrations are worked out which show that when the quantum oscillations are superposed on the smooth "semiclassical" results, one can obtain very accurate approximations to the exact densities.
Chronic helminth infections impair pneumococcal vaccine responses.

Pneumonia is the leading killer of children and disproportionately affects developing countries. Vaccination campaigns against Streptococcus pneumoniae, the leading cause of pneumonia, have recently been launched with a new conjugate vaccine in Africa. Using a mouse model, we assessed the potential role that the high burden of helminth infections in the countries targeted for vaccine might have on vaccine effectiveness. Mice vaccinated with either commercial conjugate or purified polysaccharide vaccines had impaired antibody responses if they were chronically infected with Taenia crassiceps. This translated to increased susceptibility to pneumococcal pneumonia and high mortality compared to helminth-negative vaccinated animals, which were fully protected from disease and death. Antibodies taken from Taenia-infected, vaccinated mice were unable to effectively opsonize S. pneumoniae for killing by alveolar macrophages, and did not protect against pneumococcal challenge when adoptively transferred into naive animals. These data may have implications for vaccination programs in countries endemic with helminths.
Neuropeptide-induced Transactivation of a Neuronal Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Is Mediated by Metalloprotease-dependent Formation of Heparin-binding Epidermal Growth Factor *

Numerous external stimuli, including G protein-coupled receptor agonists, cytokines, growth factors, and steroids activate mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) through phosphorylation of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGF-R). In immortalized hypothalamic neurons (GT1-7 cells), agonist binding to the gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor (GnRH-R) causes phosphorylation of MAPKs that is mediated by protein kinase C (PKC)-dependent transactivation of the EGF-R. An analysis of the mechanisms involved in this process showed that GnRH stimulation of GT1-7 cells causes release/shedding of the soluble ligand, heparin binding epidermal growth factor (HB-EGF), as a consequence of metalloprotease activation. GnRH-induced phosphorylation of the EGF-R and, subsequently, of Shc, ERK1/2, and its dependent protein, p90RSK-1 (p90 ribosomal S6 kinase 1 or RSK-1), was abolished by metalloprotease inhibition. Similarly, blockade of the effect of HB-EGF with the selective inhibitor CRM197 or a neutralizing antibody attenuated signals generated by GnRH and phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate, but not those stimulated by EGF. In contrast, phosphorylation of the EGF-R, Shc, and ERK1/2 by EGF and HB-EGF was independent of PKC and metalloprotease activity. The signaling characteristics of HB-EGF closely resembled those of GnRH and EGF in terms of the phosphorylation of EGF-R, Shc, ERK1/2, and RSK-1 as well as the nuclear translocation of RSK-1. However, neither the selective Src kinase inhibitor PP2 nor the overexpression of negative regulatory Src kinase and dominant negative Pyk2 had any effect on HB-EGF-induced responses. In contrast to GT1-7 cells, human embryonic kidney 293 cells expressing the GnRH-R did not exhibit metalloprotease induction and EGF-R transactivation during GnRH stimulation. These data indicate that the GnRH-induced transactivation of the EGF-R and the subsequent ERK1/2 phosphorylation result from ectodomain shedding of HBEGF through PKC-dependent activation of metalloprotease(s) in neuronal GT1-7 cells.
Identifying factors of online news comments

Bawden and Robinson (2009) state: “[t]here is no single generally accepted definition of information overload. The term is usually taken to represent a state of affairs where an individual's efficiency in using information in their work is hampered by the amount of relevant, and potentially useful, information available to them.” (pp. 182-183) We concentrate on the subjective dimension of information overload, defining it as: distress associated with the perception that there is too much information. We utilize psychometric scale development procedures to measure information overload and correlate it with demographic and psychological variables. Our poster reports preliminary findings that information overload is correlated significantly with gender (being female); age and year in college (positively); and measures of life satisfaction (negatively).
Children's Understanding of Aggression and Withdrawal as Social Stigmas: An Attributional Analysis.

3 studies examined children's ability to differentiate aggression and social withdrawal using attributional constructs. In Study 1, first-sixth-grade subjects read scenarios describing a hypothetical male peer as either aggressive or withdrawn. They then made inferences about the peer's responsibility for his behavior, the amount of sympathy and anger they would feel, and the likelihood that they would help the peer with his schoolwork and want him as a friend. Perceived responsibility, and its emotional and behavioral consequences, comprised a salient dimension along which all children distinguished the 2 behavior types. The aggressive child was perceived as more responsible for his behavior, deserving of more anger and less sympathy, and eliciting less willingness to help and social acceptance. Study 2 replicated these findings with 5-year-olds, but not 4-year-olds. Study 3 revealed that other attributional dimensions, namely, locus and stability, were also used by even first graders to differentiate aggression and withdrawal, but responsibility proved to be the most salient dimension. In addition, Study 3 documented a temporal sequence whereby inferences about responsibility influence emotions of anger and sympathy, and these emotions, in turn, directly influence social acceptance of aggressive versus withdrawn peers. The importance of perceived responsibility as an organizing construct for studying peer relations was discussed.
Criteria of reliability for light microscopic immunocytochemical staining

The following criteria of reliability are defined and discussed for immunocytochemical staining at the light microscopical level: efficiency, accuracy, precision, sensitivity, and specificity. Whenever practical, tests are suggested for obtaining information on the extent to which these criteria are fulfilled in a given system, and procedures are outlined for improving immunocytochemical staining in terms of these criteria. It is suggested that consideration of reliability criteria will help investigators in their choice of methodology, design of experimental strategy, and valid interpretation of the results.
VIABILITY AND DIFFERENTIATION OF HUMAN TROPHOBLAST IN ORGAN CULTURE.

Organ culture of 15 immature human placentas — obtained at therapeutic abortion of 5–22 week gestations — was carried out in a medium consisting of: horse serum, 20%; NCTC 109, 15%; and balanced salt solution, 65% to which was added 100 I.U. of penicillin per ml of culture medium. Minced placental fragments were placed on filter paper laid across glass beads within a Petri dish; the medium barely covering the beads. Moist incubation was carried out at 35–36°C in a mixture of 5% CO2 and 95% O2 for 4–6 weeks; the medium being changed every 2–3 days. Radioautographic techniques using 1–2 μc of methyl H3-thymidine per ml of medium as well as routine histological techniques were employed. These showed that Langhans epithelium or cell masses — cytotrophoblast — differentiated or metamorphosed into a “new” syncytiotrophoblast. Only cytotrophoblastic nuclei took up the radioactive thymidine which appeared later in the new syncytiotrophoblast. Ordinary histologic preparations showed that the “new” syncytiotrophoblast resembled the original syncytiotrophoblast by virtue of its position (between original cyto- and syncytiotrophoblast) together with its loss of cell boundaries and its acquisition of intracellular vacuoles and cytoplasmic chromophilia. The cytotrophoblast remained viable for three weeks and then gradually decreased in amount with a corresponding increase in the amount of “new” syncytiotrophoblast. The latter was the predominant though necrotic tissue seen at six weeks. These techniques are tools for investigating the many aspects of growth, differentiation and endocrine function of human trophoblast.
Global acquisitions: A seller's market?

Global acquisitions have rebounded recently. But what factors were responsible? Has it become a seller's market? And what does the future hold? © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Factor structure of the Bulimia Test--Revised in college women from four ethnic groups.

Abstract The factor structure of the Bulimia Test--Revised (BULIT-R) was investigated using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and exploratory factor analysis (EFA). The sample consisted of 2,671 female college students (African American, Asian American, Caucasian American, and Latino American). Reliability coefficients were excellent across groups. African Americans scored significantly lower on the BULIT-R than Caucasian Americans. Across groups, CFA and EFA results suggest a six-factor solution is most appropriate. Consistent across groups were factors representing bingeing, body image, purging, and extreme weight loss behaviors, while few differences were observed across groups. These findings suggest that the measure is reliable and valid for use with diverse ethnic groups. Future research should focus on culturally salient psychological correlates of disordered eating in diverse ethnic groups.
Towards estimation of canopy foliar biomass with spectral reflectance measurements

article i nfo Article history: Canopy foliar biomass, defined as the product of leaf dry matter content and leaf area index, is an important measurement for global biogeochemical cycles. This study explores the potential for retrieving foliar biomass in green canopies using a spectral index, the Normalized Dry Matter Index (NDMI). This narrow-band index is based on absorption at the C-H bond stretch overtone and is correlated with leaf dry matter content in fresh green leaves. PROSPECT and SAIL model simulations suggest that the NDMI at the canopy scale is able to minimize the effects of leaf thickness and leaf water content and to maximize sensitivity to variation in canopy foliar biomass. The simulation outputs were analyzed with an ANOVA, and 87% of the variation in the NDMI is explained by leaf dry matter content. The NDMI was linearly related to foliar biomass (g cm �2 ) from model simulations (R 2 =0.97). The NDMI calculated from spectral reflectances for one to four stacked leaves was also correlated with total leaf biomass (R 2 =0.59). These results suggest that it may be possible to determine foliar biomass from airborne and satellite-borne imaging spectrometers, such as NASA's HyspIRI mission.
Bioethical aspects of the recent changes in the policy of refusal of blood by Jehovah's Witnesses

The medical community generally knows that Jehovah's Witnesses refuse blood transfusions. Jehovah's Witnesses reject red and white blood cells, platelets, and plasma, even at the cost of their lives, but they accept so called minor fractions such as albumin and globulin as a personal choice.1 The church organisation, the Watchtower Society, introduced the policy on refusal of blood in 1945. Since 1961 the church has enforced it by “disfellowshipping” or expelling un-repentant members who wilfully accept prohibited blood components. Other members are then instructed by the church to ostracise and shun the expelled individual. Internal dissidents have criticised this practice, which they feel coerces those who have divergent views on this issue and compromises autonomous decision making in medical care. 2 3 I analyse the recently publicised changes in this policy from a bioethical viewpoint to help understand the impact of this controversial policy on clinical practice.4 #### Summary points Under recent changes in the policy of refusal of blood by Jehovah's Witnesses, members can remain silent about the medical treatment they receive and avoid religious punishment Such freedom of conscience hinges on the integrity of medical confidentiality, which may not be adequate for Jehovah's Witnesses A broadening of options for acceptable blood products could open the way for use of various secondary blood products Such a change could also make the distinction between acceptable and unacceptable treatments further obscure and subject to personal interpretation In light of these changes it has become essential to treat members independently of the church's official policy by exploring personal conviction and preference ### Judicial proceedings In June 2000, the Watchtower Society issued a directive stating that the organisation would no longer disfellowship members who did not comply with the policy of refusal of blood. Its official statement to the media was that “if a baptized member of …
Small Business Succession: The Educational Potential

Small and family-owned businesses play an important role in job creation. In this study, perceived barriers to succession planning are examined. Small business owners (most of whom were family businesses) were asked about these barriers to succession planning and the potential interest in educational programs for small businesses. Based on these data, potential tools and seminars were developed.
Live oral avirulent Salmonella vaccines.

Abstract Infection of animals and humans with Salmonella is a consequence of oral consumption of food or fluids contaminated with Salmonella . Once in the intestine, Salmonella usually attach to, invade, and proliferate in enterocytes or the cells of the gut associated lymphoid tissue (GALT). The latter route of infection can lead to disease or to an asymptomatic carrier state or stimulate the induction of mucosal, systemic and cellular immune responses. Infection of animals with virulent invasive Salmonella can result in suppression of the immune responses which in turn can facilitate the establishment o of a carrier state. It is possible to attenuate Salmonella by introducing mutations that (i) confer auxotrophy, (ii) interfere with sugar metabolism and LPS biosynthesis or (iii) affect some global means of regulating genes needed for the full display of virulence. Oral immunization of animals such as mice and chickens with avirulent Salmonella strains usually is not associated with suppression but rather with stimulation of mucosal, systemic and cellular immune responses. Vaccination by injection of killed vaccines or bacterins does not lead to the induction of either mucosal or cellular immune responses, and humoral immunity may be relatively short lived. Thus, killed vaccines are inferior to orally administered live avirulent Salmonella vaccines which induce a long-lasting protective immunity. In this manuscript we discuss desirable attributes of a safe, efficacious live attenuated Salmonella vaccine, describe attenuated Salmonella mutants so far isolated and their properties and present information on the evaluation of a live attenuated Salmonella oral vaccine for poultry. These topics are discussed in terms of the long-term objective of diminishing infection, colonization and establishment of a carrier state in agriculturally important animals with the consequent reduction in the likelihood for transmission of Salmonella through the food chain to humans.
Absorption of visible radiation by aerosols in the volcanic plume of mount st. Helens.

Samples of particles from Mount St. Helens were collected in both the stratosphere and troposphere for measurement of the light absorption coefficient. Results indicate that the stratospheric dust had a small but finite absorption coefficient ranging up to 2 x 10 to the minus 7 per meter at a wavelength of 0.55 micron, which is estimated to yield an albedo for single scatter of 0.98 or greater. Tropospheric results showed similar high values of an albedo for single scatter
Toward Managed Peace: The National Security Interests of the United States, 1759 to the Present

In this authoritative book, one of the world's leading political analysts who has been Dean of the Yale Law School, Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs, and Director, U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency, reviews the diplomatic experience of the United States and the prospects for world politics and argues that the most vital security interest of the nation is the achievement and maintenance of world peace. To achieve this goal, says Rostow, the state system must be based on a favorable balance of power, and it must be managed by the major powers, or a decisive number of them, in accordance with the United Nations Charter.
Telomeres and telomerase

Telomeres are the protective DNA-protein complexes found at the ends of eukaryotic chromosomes. Telomeric DNA consists of tandem repeats of a simple, often G-rich, sequence specified by the action of telomerase, and complete replication of telomeric DNA requires telomerase. Telomerase is a specialized cellular ribonucleoprotein reverse transcriptase. By copying a short template sequence within its intrinsic RNA moiety, telomerase synthesizes the telomeric DNA strand running 5' to 3' towards the distal end of the chromosome, thus extending it. Fusion of a telomere, either with another telomere or with a broken DNA end, generally constitutes a catastrophic event for genomic stability. Telomerase acts to prevent such fusions. The molecular consequences of telomere failure, and the molecular contributors to telomere function, with an emphasis on telomerase, are discussed here.
Student Construction of Expert Systems in the Classroom

Graduate accounting students wrote expert systems to give advice about a specific set of tax-accounting problems. Using case study methodology, student construction of expert systems in the classroom was examined in relation to its impact on content-area learning and problem-solving behavior. Results validate that this instructional experience facilitates later judgment and problem-solving within the content area. In addition, the results suggest factors important to classroom construction of expert systems.
Forty years of molecular electronics: Non-equilibrium heat and charge transport at the nanoscale

The “Quo Vadis?” meeting in Bremen (March 2013) was a spectacular opportunity for people involved in molecular electronics to catch up on the latest, to think back, and to project into the future. This manuscript is divided into two halves. In the first half, we address some of the history and where the field has advanced in the areas of measuring, modeling, making, and understanding materials. We review some big ideas that have animated the field of molecular electronics since its beginning, and are at the height of interest and accomplishment at the moment. Then, we discuss six major areas where the field is evolving, and in which we expect to see very exciting work in the years and decades ahead. As a representative of one of the neer themes, the second half of the paper is devoted to molecular thermoelectrics. It contains some formalism, some results, some experimental comparison, and some intriguing conceptual questions, both for pure science and for device applications. An artist's rendition of a self-assembled monolayer of polyphenylether molecules on Au contacted by a Au STM.
Current pharmacotherapies of alcoholism: a U.S. perspective.

Advances in the neurobiology of addiction and improved clinical trial methodology have accelerated the evaluation of medication for alcoholism. While psychosocial interventions have been useful to reduce consumption and support abstinence, considerable improvement in treatment is needed. Medication can play a crucial role in the reduction of craving and drinking and the maintenance of abstinence. This article reviews pharmacotherapy for alcoholism with an emphasis on the perspective of the United States. The opiate antagonist naltrexone, the glutamate modulator acamprosate, and serotonergic agents will be highlighted in this review. In general, both naltrexone and acamprosate have been found in a number of studies to be efficacious agents for the treatment of alcohol dependence. Serotonin reuptake inhibitors have not consistently shown to be efficacious but may be useful in certain subgroups of alcoholics. The serotonin type-3 antagonist, ondansetron, has shown promise in early-onset alcoholics but needs more extensive study.
The Lupus-Prone NZM2410/NZW Strain–Derived Sle1b Sublocus Alters the Germinal Center Checkpoint in Female Mice in a B Cell–Intrinsic Manner

C57BL/6 (B6) mice carrying the Sle1b sublocus (named B6. Sle1b ), which harbors the lupus-associated NZM2410/NZW SLAM family genes, produce antinuclear Abs (ANAs). However, the role and mechanism(s) involved in the alteration of the germinal center (GC) tolerance checkpoint in the development of ANAs in these mice is not defined. In this study, we show significantly higher spontaneously formed GCs (Spt-GCs) in B6. Sle1b female mice compared with B6 controls. We also found a significant increase in CD4 + CXCR5 hi PD-1 hi spontaneously activated follicular Th cells in B6. Sle1b female mice. Compared with B6 controls, B6. Sle1b female mice had increased numbers of proliferating B cells predominantly located in Spt-GCs. The elevated Spt-GCs in B6. Sle1b female mice were strongly associated with increased ANA-specific Ab-forming cells and ANA titers. The increased numbers of Spt-GCs and spontaneously activated follicular Th cells in B6. Sle1b mice were not the result of a generalized defect in B cells expressing Sle1b . Consistent with the elevated spontaneous response in B6. Sle1b mice, the attenuated GC response characteristic of DNA and p -azophenylarsonate reactive B cells from Ig V H knock-in mice (termed HKIR) were relieved in adoptively transferred recipients in the presence of Sle1b . Finally, by generating mixed bone marrow chimeras, we showed that the effect of Sle1b on Spt-GC, follicular Th cell, and autoantibody responses in B6. Sle1b mice was B cell autonomous. These data indicate that the NZM2410/NZW-derived Sle1b sublocus in conjunction with the female sex primarily affects B cells, leading to the alteration of the GC tolerance checkpoint and the generation of ANA-specific Ab-forming cells.
Cardiac enkephalins interrupt vagal bradycardia via δ2-opioid receptors in sinoatrial node

Local cardiac opioids appear to be important in determining the quality of vagal control of heart rate. Introduction of the endogenous opioid methionine-enkephalin-arginine-phenylalanine (MEAP) int...
Shape invariant time-scale and pitch modification of speech

The simplified linear model of speech production predicts that when the rate of articulation is changed, the resulting waveform takes on the appearance of the original, except for a change in the time scale. A time-scale modification system that preserves this shape-invariance property during voicing is developed. This is done using a version of the sinusoidal analysis-synthesis system that models and independently modifies the phase contributions of the vocal tract and vocal cord excitation. An important property of the system is its ability to perform time-varying rates of change. Extensions of the method are applied to fixed and time-varying pitch modification of speech. The sine-wave analysis-synthesis system also allows for shape-invariant joint time-scale and pitch modification, and allows for the adjustment of the time scale and pitch according to speech characteristics such as the degree of voicing. >
Update in Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis.

PGD has been successfully used for several years. Over 40 babies have been born worldwide by use of these techniques. Unfortunately, a number of misdiagnoses have been made, a distressing consequence of a new frontier. Significant advances have been made to improve the efficiency and accuracy of PCR and FISH. The widespread use of this technology awaits further documentation of safety and accuracy. Other issues must also be addressed. First, the cost-effectiveness of the techniques relative to the traditional alternatives must be evaluated. A number of ethical issues regarding embryo screening must be addressed including what diseases are serious enough to warrant the procedure. Another concern is the use of this technology for nongenetic disorders such as gender selection. Finally, the experimental nature of these procedures must continually be discussed with patients, and long-term follow-up studies must be undertaken. Development of more accurate and less expensive assays coupled with improved IVF success rates may make PGD a more widely used clinical tool. The future awaits these developments.
Homologous recombination and the repair of double-strand breaks during cotransformation of Dictyostelium discoideum.

We examined the ability of unlinked nonreplicating plasmid molecules to undergo homologous recombination during cotransformation of Dictyostelium amoebae. The transformation vector B10S confers resistance to the antibiotic G418 and was always presented to amoebae as a closed circle. Cotransforming DNA, containing a slime mold cDNA and sequences homologous to the primary vector, was presented either as a closed circle or as a linear molecule after digestion with restriction endonucleases which cut within one of three distinct regions of the plasmid. Remarkably, homologous recombination occurred in every clone examined. Moreover, the products of recombination were identical in all instances, irrespective of the presence or position of linearized ends. The ends of the linear templates were not recombinogenic. Repair of the introduced double-strand break occurred frequently during recombination. The repair could occur intermolecularly or, more likely, intramolecularly, i.e., by recircularization. Many of the recombination events were of a nonreciprocal nature. Despite the startlingly frequent level of homologous recombination, the use of cotransforming DNA which contains no homology to the selected vector established that such recombination was not required for cotransformation.
Osteomyelitis of the Foot in Diabetic Patients

Osteomyelitis of the foot, a common and serious problem in diabetic patients, results from diabetes complications, especially peripheral neuropathy. Infection generally develops by spread of contiguous soft-tissue infection to underlying bone. The major diagnostic difficulty in diabetic patients is distinguishing bone infection from noninfectious neuropathic bony lesions. Certain clinical signs suggest osteomyelitis, but imaging tests are usually needed. The 111 In-labeled leukocyte scan and magnetic resonance imaging are the most diagnostically useful. Staphylococcus aureus is the most common etiologic agent, followed by other aerobic gram-positive cocci. Aerobic gram-negative bacilli and anaerobes are occasionally isolated, often in mixed infections. Antimicrobial therapy is best directed by cultures of the infected bone, obtained percutaneously or at surgery. Antibiotic therapy should usually be given parenterally, at least initially, and continued for at least 6 weeks. Surgical debridement or resection of the infected bone, when feasible, improves the outcome. With appropriate therapy most cases of osteomyelitis can be successfully managed.
LDPC codes based on mutually orthogonal latin rectangles and their application in perpendicular magnetic recording

We present a large family of low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes constructed from mutually orthogonal Latin rectangles. The construction is conceptually simple and gives high-rate LDPC codes with a structure of the parity check matrix that leads to a low complexity implementation of encoders and decoders. The bit-error rate characteristics are characterized by simulations of the soft iterative decoding in perpendicular magnetic read channels with different partial-response targets and types of noise.
Health monitoring and control for application server environments

Web applications have assumed a central role in the enterprise data center, and are becoming the foundation of an increasing number of critical business functions. The availability of such applications is a problem of critical importance. To address this problem, we present a health monitoring and control system for application server environments. We build on past work in the area of measuring system health by evaluating a number of parameters that convey health information. We propose a class-based model that assigns health policies to application servers to monitor health conditions of interest and correct problems before they cause catastrophic damage. We describe an implementation of the system, and provide a utility-based experimental evaluation.
Transport in Protein Crystals, Part I: Insights from Molecular Simulations

In addition to simulations of transport processes in protein crystals, this article highlights the importance of protein-solvent interactions. It is important, for example, to know whether the catalytic properties of proteins are the same in crystal and in solution.
RMR: Reliability based multi-hop routing in wireless tactical networks

We propose a novel routing protocol, RMR, for wireless tactical, high-mobility military networks that finds reliable routes through difficult terrains with possibly compromised regions. RMR uses an end-to-end reliability measure that includes both end-to-end connectivity as well as trustworthiness, and reactively discovers routes over spatial cells whose local reliability is proactively maintained by fast dissemination through the network. By using a space-centric approach where reliability is attributed to space rather than to nodes, RMR is able to find reliable routes through space that persist for longer durations than node-centric protocols. Via QualNet simulation studies, we compare the performance of our protocol with AODV in terms of end-to-end reliability as well as delay, and packet delivery ratio (PDR), and quantify the effects of node density, velocity, and traffic load on these performance metrics.
Experimental Yellow Fever Virus Infection in the Golden Hamster (Mesocricetus auratus). II. Pathology

Subadult and adult hamsters were inoculated intraperitoneally with 10(6) TCID(50) of yellow fever (YF) virus (Jimenez strain). Four animals from each group were subjected daily to histologic examination for 9 days. The liver showed spotty necrosis on day 3 after infection, which was followed by steatosis and focally confluent necrosis. In surviving hamsters, hepatocyte regeneration began on day 8, which was accompanied by decreasing steatosis. The spleen initially exhibited lymphoid hyperplasia, which was followed by lymphoid depletion and increased phagocytosis by splenic macrophages. Focal pancreatic acinar necrosis and spotty adrenal cortical necrosis were seen transiently between days 5 and 7. Viral antigen was detected immunohistochemically in the liver and the spleen. TUNEL analysis showed a dynamic change of hepatocyte necrapoptosis, with activity corresponding to the severity of disease. The histopathologic changes were more severe in younger (subadult) animals. The YF-hamster model appears to be an accurate and inexpensive experimental system for studying the pathophysiology and treatment of YF.
Dept and input misallocation of agricultural supply and marketing cooperatives

Kim and Maksimovic provide an empirical model to examine the effect of dept on a firm. Their model is adopted to examine agricultural supply and marketing cooperatives. Using a short-run variable cost function, we find firm efficiency decreases as dept increases. A US$1 increase in indebtedness increases total short-run variable costs by US$0.0167 or roughly 1.67% Dept tends to shift input usage away from labour inputs. A test developed by Conrad and Unger is applied to determine whether the agricultural supply and marketing cooperatives are at a long-run equilibrium capacity. It is found that most of the cooperatives were overinvested in capacity. However,dept does not explain this overinvestment. Finally,the effect of dept on total productivity over the study period is examined. It is found that dept has had a small positive impact on total factor productivity growth. Scale economics and non-optimal capacity had large impacts on total factor productivity. Although dept is associated with short-run misal...
Liver arginase, histidase and phenylalanine transaminase following administration of their respective substrates.

SummaryRat liver arginase, histidase and phenylalanine (pyruvate) transaminase as well as rabbit liver histidase did not increase following injection of their respective amino acid substrates.
Sensor data retrieval using alignment independent capacitive signaling

We propose a capacitive coupling based method for sensor data retrieval which can be easily integrated with miniature sensor nodes of sub-mm scale. An alignment independent mechanism is implemented to achieve <15% difference in achievable data rate when the sensor chip is randomly dropped on the data retrieval chip regardless of alignment. To enable passive operation of the sensor chip, the data retrieval chip send power to/receive signal from the sensor chip simultaneously.
Controlled ultrasound tissue erosion

The ability of ultrasound to produce highly controlled tissue erosion was investigated. This study is motivated by the need to develop a noninvasive procedure to perforate the neonatal atrial septum as the first step in treatment of hypoplastic left heart syndrome. A total of 232 holes were generated in 40 pieces of excised porcine atrial wall by a 788 kHz single-element transducer. The effects of various parameters [e.g., pulse repetition frequency (PRF), pulse duration (PD), and gas content of liquid] on the erosion rate and energy efficiency were explored. An Isppa of 9000 W/cm/sup 2/, PDs of 3, 6, 12, and 24 cycles; PRFs between 1.34 kHz and 66.7 kHz; and gas saturation of 40-55% and 79-85% were used. The results show that very short pulses delivered at certain PRFs could maximize the erosion rate and energy efficiency. We show that well-defined perforations can be precisely located in the atrial wall through the controlled ultrasound tissue erosion (CUTE) process. A preliminary in vivo experiment was conducted on a canine subject, and the atrial septum was perforated using CUTE.
Rich cloud-based web applications with CloudBrowser 2.0

Designing modern web applications involves a wide spectrum of choices when it comes to deciding where the different tiers of application and framework code that constitute these distributed applications should be placed. These system design choices affect programmer productivity, ease of deployment, security, and performance, particularly with respect to latency and scalability. In this paper, we propose and evaluate a design choice in which not only all application logic executes server-side, but most presentation logic as well. The client browser is reduced to a rendering and I/O engine, similar to a "thin client" or "dumb terminal," but retains the full expressiveness of rich, modern Internet applications. We have developed CloudBrowser 2.0, a system that implements this distribution model using a scalable multiprocess approach. In this paper, we perform an evaluation of the benefits and costs of this approach when compared to both more traditional approaches as well as emerging alternatives. We focus on programmability and systems aspects including performance and latency.
Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Abstract: Background Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tube placement is recommended in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients with dysphagia to provide reliable access for medications and nutrition. It is preferably done while forced vital capacity (FVC) is greater than 50% of predicted to reduce risk of postprocedural respiratory complications. Percutaneous radiologic gastrostomy has been shown to have higher success rates and lower complication rates compared with PEG. The authors sought to investigate the safety of PEG placement in ALS patients with varying respiratory compromise. Methods The records of 21 patients with ALS who underwent PEG tube placement from October 2010 to October 2013 were retrospectively reviewed to determine rates of successful placement, complication, mortality and survival. Results PEG was placed successfully in 95.2% of patients. There was 1 major complication, procedure-related death, and failed placement in a patient with FVC 15% predicted who developed procedure-related aspiration and hypoxic respiratory failure and death 8 days after failed PEG attempt. Minor complications included 3 patients with minor pain at insertion site, 1 patient with minor bleeding requiring cauterization and 2 patients requiring PEG tube replacement within 6 months of procedure for accidental dislodgement. After PEG placement, median survival was 327 days (95% confidence interval: 180–687). Conclusions In conclusion, PEG tube placement in patients with ALS seems to be a safe procedure in patients without significant respiratory compromise. In patients with FVC
Negative UNICAP Adjustments under the Simplified Production Method

In this article, Seago addresses the complications that arise when the taxpayer is required to reduce inventory values per books to a valuation as determined using the simplified production method. Seago demonstrates that the taxpayer may add some costs to inventory using the taxpayer's method of allocation, but when those costs are removed using a different technique - the simplified production method formula - the net result is a distortion of income. Generally, it is to be expected that a simplified method sacrifices accuracy for expediency, but there may be situations in which the formula can be tweaked to achieve more accurate results without sacrificing expediency, Seago concludes.