cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Home range and habitat use of a low-density population of greater gliders, Petauroides volans (Pseudocheiridae: Marsupialia), in a hollow-limiting environment

Greater gliders, Petauroides volans, were radio-tracked within a large tract of forest in the dry inland of southern Queensland. This forest has been commercially logged for timber for more than 100 years. Home-range estimates ranged from 1.4 ha (female) to 19.3 ha (male). Minimum convex polygon (MCP) estimates were larger for males (average, 11.5 ha) than females (average, 3.3 ha) and combined (6.8 ha, sexes pooled) were larger than estimates from other Australian populations. Gliders were located foraging in myrtaceous tree species only, using mostly Eucalyptus moluccana, E. fibrosa and Corymbia citriodora. E. moluccana was used for foraging more frequently than would be expected on the basis of its availability in the forest. E. fibrosa and C. citriodora were used in proportion to their availability in the forest. Gliders were not seen foraging in non-myrtaceous species or myrtaceous trees 50 cm) and old living trees (in deteriorating and senescent condition: ‘late mature’ and ‘over-mature’ categories) were primarily used as den trees. Individual gliders utilised 4–20 den trees. Females utilised more den trees per unit area of home range (3.8 den trees ha–1, maximum) than males (0.9 den trees ha–1, maximum). Fewer den trees were used per unit area of home range than by gliders at a coastal location with approximately the same latitude. The density of live stems containing hollows suitable as dens is currently lower than 1 tree ha–1 in some parts of the study forest. Gliders were two and half times less likely to be observed during standardised spotlighting surveys in the study area than elsewhere in southern Queensland. It is likely that low availability of den trees is contributing to large home ranges and the apparent low population density observed in this study.
Status of PPBS in local and state governments in the United States

There have been widespread attempts to implement PPBS or at least some of its major concepts, in local and state governments beginning in 1965. The majority of this effort has focused around the development of the structural aspects, including statements of general objectives, development of program structures, and preparation of program budgets. The use of multi-year projections and improved output measurement has begun to gain interest. Recent progress, particularly in the latter, has been encouraging. However, progress in the undertaking of the type of program and policy analysis called for by PPBS has been slow with few exceptions. The lack of quality analytical staffs inside state and local governments has been perhaps the major obstacle.
Renal cell metastases versus liver hemangioma.

Abstract We present the case of a man with presumed metastatic renal cell carcinoma basedon radiologic examination and weight loss, who refused treatment of any kind for one year. A surgical exploration to control hematuria revealed a Stage I tumor.
Edge of Empire: The British Political Agent and Tribal Administration on the North-West Frontier 1877–1947

Christian Tripodi. Edge of Empire: The British Political Agent and Tribal Administration on the North-West Frontier 1877–1947. Ashgate, 2011.Christian Tripodi's Edge of Empire is an interesting and...
Contemporary Length of Stay and Resource Utilization When Using a Fast-track Regimen for Mid-urethral Sling Surgery

OBJECTIVES To evaluate the length of stay and need for postoperative laboratory monitoring in a fast-track regimen, as despite the excellent safety profile of the tensionless synthetic midurethral sling, many advocate routine in-house postoperative monitoring of both vital signs and laboratory values. METHODS A retrospective chart review was performed of all patients presenting for isolated, midurethral sling surgery by a single surgeon from February 2005 to July 2007. Patients followed a perioperative care pathway. Hospital charts were reviewed for the following data: date and time of admission to recovery, date and time of discharge, age, anesthetic, whether postoperative laboratory work was ordered, transfusion of blood, emergency room visits within 30 days, readmissions within 7 and 30 days, and whether the patient was discharged with a catheter. RESULTS A total of 112 procedures were performed. Twenty-six cases were excluded because of either concomitant surgical procedures (22) or incomplete data (4), resulting in 86 patients. The median age was 52 years (range 34-89). The mean length of stay was 2.42 hours and the median was 2.15 hours. No postoperative laboratory tests were ordered and no transfusions were required. One patient presented to the emergency room within 30 days and was admitted for chest pain. Of 86 patients, 79 (92%) were discharged home without a catheter. CONCLUSIONS When following the fast-track regimen, the tensionless midurethral sling can be performed safely in the outpatient setting without postoperative laboratory work and with a median recovery to discharge time of < 3 hours.
Pneumatic pressure tests of steel containment models — Recent developments

This paper describes the results of recent pneumatic pressure tests of steel containment models. These tests are part of the Containment Integrity Program whose objective is the qualification of methods for predicting containment response during severe accidents and extreme environments. Sandia National Laboratories is conducting this combined experimental and analytical program for the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). The long-range plans for the program include the following three containment loading conditions: static internal pressurization, dynamic internal pressurization, and seismic loadings. Steel, reinforced concrete, and prestressed concrete containment types are being considered. In the present experimental effort, models of steel containment structures are being subjected to static internal pressurization. The first set of models are about 132 the size of hybrid-steel containments. Tests of these models are nearly finished. Testing of a large steel model, about 18 of full size, will complete the static pressure experiments with steel models. Analysis of the models is paralleling the experimental effort. The Containment Integrity Program is being coordinated with other NRC programs on potential leakage of penetrations in containments. The results from all of the programs should provide a basis for predicting the structural and leakage behavior of containments during temperature and internal pressure loadings.
The relationship of elasticity and crystal structure in andalusite and sillimanite

The nine elastic constants of andalusite and sillimanite have been determined, using the technique of Brillouin scattering. They are, in megabars, for andalusite: c11=2.334, c22=2.890, c33=3.801, c44=0.995, c55=0.878, c66=1.123, c23=0.977, c13=1.162, c12=0.814; for sillimanite: c11=2.873, c22=2.319, c33=3.884, c44=1.224, c55=0.807, c66=0.893, c23=1.586, c13=0.834, c12=0.947. Both structures are characterized by chains of edge-linked coordination octahedra extending parallel to the crystallographic c direction, cross-linked by polyhedra of lower coordination. In each structure the stiffness measured parallel to c is greater than that measured normal to c. The shear moduli can be directly correlated with the relative rigidity of the cross-linking structures.
THE INFLUENCE OF NITROGEN AND CARBON SOURCES ON THE PRODUCTION OF GLUCOAMYLASE BY ASPERGILLI

Glucoamylase produced by Aspergillus niger was observed to increase in culture media at two specific intervals, namely, after three days and after six days of incubation. The lowest levels of enzyme production occurred when the nitrogen source was asparagine, trypticase or urea. Intermediate quantities of enzyme were formed when the fungi were grown on a nitrogen source of yeast extract. Corn steeping liquor and nutrient broth (2.5%) gave highest enzyme activity. The inorganic nitrogen source providing the best glucoamylase yield was ammonium-N. Nitrate-N or a mixture of ammonium-N and nitrate-N was less effective. When inorganic nitrogen was employed, the two periods of glucoamylase production were not as readily demonstrated. With ammonium-N, all the glucoamylase is produced during the fourth or fifth day of incubation, thus showing only one period of enzyme synthesis.The quantity of glucoamylase produced depended upon the monosaccharide added to the growth medium. Glucose yielded the highest level of enzyme regardless of the nitrogen sources. Mannose, usually, was slightly more effective than sorbitol and produced about half the quantity of glucoamylase obtained from glucose. Lowest levels of enzyme occurred when fructose or xylose served as carbon sources. Growth on 1.0 or 2.0% carbohydrate, rather than 5.0%, was found to result in higher levels of glucoamylase. Although A. niger NRRL 330 was the principle organism tested, the characteristics of glucoamylase synthesis were not specific for this strain since similar results were obtained with A. niger NRRL 3122 and A. awamori NRRL 3112.
Biosensor immunosurface engineering inspired by B-cell membrane-bound antibodies: modeling and analysis of multivalent antigen capture by immobilized antibodies

Immobilized antibodies are used by many biosensors and diagnostic tests as specific receptors for the presence of targeted substances in clinical, biological, or environmental samples. The antibodies used in these devices are the soluble form of the antibodies presented on the B-cell membrane: they have the same specificity, but they may differ from those presented on the B cell in orientation, flexibility, mobility, and support-membrane properties. These properties influence the formation of noncovalent bonds between the pathogen antigenic determinants (epitopes) and the amino acids of the antibodies. This paper extends the theoretical modeling foundation addressing multivalent antigen binding to cell surface receptors to account for local and far-field antibody surface density effects, immobilized antibodies, and the flexibility and range of motion of immobilized antibodies. An analysis of the derived model provides insight into the design of biosensor immunosurfaces to enhance pathogen capture capability.
A fresh look at memory hierarchy management

The memory systems of modern computers are much more complicated than the ones for which the operating system memory management algorithms in current widespread use were developed. Additionally, the way in which computer systems are used has changed substantially. This paper argues that these changes are sufficient to require reevaluating some of the fundamental assumptions made in operating system memory management. One obvious problem motivating this reevaluation is that current systems do a terrible job of maintaining performance for high-priority processes when the system comes under memory pressure due to the behavior of low-priority processes. This paper discusses potential operating system modifications and proposes a new metric, the system memory cycles per instruction (system MCPI) of a process, which can be used to evaluate these modifications.
Characterization of the genomic corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) gene from Xenopus laevis: two members of the CRF family exist in amphibians.

In mammals, the release of pituitary ACTH is stimulated by CRF. Two related peptides exist in nonmammalian vertebrates, sauvagine from frog skin and urotensin-I from the urophysis of teleost fish. Their related structures (approximately 50%) and capacity to stimulate the release of ACTH from mammalian and fish pituitaries has led to the proposal that sauvagine and urotensin-I are homologs of mammalian CRF. However, sauvagine does not appear to stimulate ACTH release in amphibians, although mammalian CRF (ovine) induces a potent response from amphibian pituitaries. This could indicate that the main function of sauvagine does not involve ACTH regulation and suggests that an additional CRF-like peptide exists in Amphibia. We report here the isolation of two highly homologous CRF-like genes from the frog, Xenopus laevis. Analysis of the expression pattern of these CRF-like genes revealed mRNA in splenic tissue and in the preoptic nucleus and paraventricular organ of the brain. The amino acid sequence of the m...
Domestic Dangers Approaches to Women's Suicide in Contemporary Maharashtra, India

This article critically analyzes suicide as self-directed violence against Indian women. Although official statistics report a higher suicide rate for men than for women in India, it is women's suicide that is at the center of widely publicized social and policy debates. Through case studies, newspaper reports, and statistical accounts, women's household deaths and suicides are scrutinized in this article. Because the dominant context of women's suicide is the marital family, self-destructive behaviors have been compared to dowry death, one form of violence against women perpetrated by others within the marital family. Based on the author's ethnographic research in Maharashtra, the author argues that women's household deaths be viewed as part of a broad incitement to suicide in which violence is internalized and directed against the self.
New time-frequency symbol classification

We propose new time-frequency (TF) symbols as the narrowband Weyl symbol (WS) smoothed by an appropriate kernel. These new symbols preserve time and frequency shifts on a random process. Choosing specific smoothing kernels, we can obtain various new symbols (e.g. Levin symbol and Page symbol). We link a quadratic form of the signal to the new symbols and Cohen's (1992) class of quadratic time-frequency representations, and we derive a simple kernel constraint for unitary symbols. We also propose an affine class of symbols in terms of the wideband Weyl symbol (P/sub 0/WS). These symbols preserve scale changes and time shifts. Furthermore, we generalize the smoothed versions of the WS and P/sub 0/WS to analyze random processes undergoing generalized frequency shifts or generalized time shifts.
Hexokinase Isozyme Distribution in Human Skeletal Muscle

Two isoforms of hexokinase (type I and type II) are expressed in skeletal muscle; however, the intracellular distribution of these hexokinase isoforms in human skeletal muscle is unclear. The current study was undertaken to assess this issue because binding of hexokinase to subcellular structures is considered to be an important mechanism in the regulation of glucose phosphorylation. Vastus lateralis muscle was obtained from healthy lean individuals. Muscle homogenate was separated at 45,000g into particulate and cytosolic fractions. The activity and subcellular distribution of hexokinase isozymes in human skeletal muscle was determined using ion-exchange chromatography and a highly sensitive high-performance liquid chromatography-based hexokinase assay. This criterion method was used to validate a modified thermal inactivation method for distinguishing type I and type II isoforms. Mean hexokinase activity was 3.88 +/- 0.65 U/g wet wt or 0.64 +/- 0.11 U/mU creatine kinase (CrK) in the particulate fraction and 0.45 +/- 0.22 U/g wet wt or 0.07 +/- 0.03 U/mU CrK in the cytosolic fraction. Hexokinase I and II accounted for 70-75 and 25-30% of total hexokinase activity, respectively. Nearly all (95%) of hexokinase I activity (0.52 +/- 0.09 U/mU CrK) was found in the particulate fraction, consistent with the known high affinity of hexokinase I for mitochondria. Hexokinase II activity was also largely bound to the particulate fraction (72%), but 28% was found within the cytosolic fraction. Thus, within the particulate fraction, the relative contributions of hexokinase I and hexokinase II were 81 and 19%, whereas within the cytosolic fraction, the relative contributions for hexokinase I and hexokinase II were 37 and 63%.
The rise of cardiovascular medicine

Modern cardiology was born at the turn of the nineteenth to twentieth centuries with three great discoveries: the X ray, the sphygmomanometer, and the electrocardiograph. This was followed by cardiac catheterization, which led to coronary angiography and to percutaneous coronary intervention. The coronary care units and early reperfusion reduced the early mortality owing to acute myocardial infarction, and the discovery of coronary risk factors led to the development of Preventive Cardiology. Other major advances include several cardiac imaging techniques, the birth and development of cardiac surgery, and the control of cardiac arrhythmias. The treatment of heart failure, although greatly improved, remains a challenge. Current cardiology practice is evidence-based and global in scope. Research and practice are increasingly conducted in cardiovascular centres and institutes. It is likely that in the future, a greater emphasis will be placed on prevention, which will be enhanced by genetic information.
Oncogenic KRAS induces progenitor cell expansion and malignant transformation in zebrafish exocrine pancreas.

Background & Aims: Although the cell of origin for pancreatic cancer remains unknown, prior studies have suggested that pancreatic neoplasia may be initiated in progenitor-like cells. To examine the effects of oncogene activation within the pancreatic progenitor pool, we devised a system for real-time visualization of both normal and oncogenic KRAS-expressing pancreatic progenitor cells in living zebrafish embryos. Methods: By using BAC transgenes under the regulation of ptf1a regulatory elements, we expressed either extended green fluorescent protein (eGFP) alone or eGFP fused to oncogenic KRAS in developing zebrafish pancreas. Results: After their initial specification, normal eGFP-labeled pancreatic progenitor cells were observed to actively migrate away from the forming endodermal gut tube, and subsequently underwent characteristic exocrine differentiation. In contrast, pancreatic progenitor cells expressing oncogenic KRAS underwent normal specification and migration, but failed to differentiate. This block in differentiation resulted in the abnormal persistence of an undifferentiated progenitor pool, and was associated with the subsequent formation of invasive pancreatic cancer. These tumors showed several features in common with the human disease, including evidence of abnormal Hedgehog pathway activation. Conclusions: These results provide a unique view of the tumor-initiating effects of oncogenic KRAS in a living vertebrate organism, and suggest that zebrafish models of pancreatic cancer may prove useful in advancing our understanding of the human disease.
Surgical Approaches to Mitral Regurgitation

Surgical approaches to correct mitral regurgitation (MR) have evolved over 50 years and form much of the basis for percutaneous approaches to the mitral valve. Surgical mitral repairs have been more durable with use of annuloplasty, but recurrent regurgitation not resulting in reoperation can occur. The mitral leaflets may be resected or augmented, with recent trends to preserve leaflet coaptation surfaces if possible. Mitral chords tend to be replaced or transferred instead of being shortened. Mitral replacement still has a role when more durable and reliable than repair. Surgical incisions have varied from full sternotomy down to percutaneous access only, with less invasiveness usually requiring a trade-off versus effectiveness or ease of application. Less invasive options in treating MR may encourage higher-risk patients to seek anatomic therapy, whether surgical or percutaneous. Rapidly evolving technology will continue to be a dominant driver of surgical approaches to MR, with increasing overlap and interaction with percutaneous approaches.
Routing permutations on baseline networks with node-disjoint paths

Permutation is a frequently-used communication pattern in parallel and distributed computing systems and telecommunication networks. Node-disjoint routing has important applications in guided wave optical interconnects where the optical "crosstalk" between messages passing the same switch should be avoided. In this paper, we consider routing arbitrary permutations on an optical baseline network (or reverse baseline network) with node-disjoint paths. We first prove the equivalence between the set of admissible permutations (or semipermutations) of a baseline network and that of its reverse network based on a step-by-step permutation routing. We then show that an arbitrary permutation can be realized in a baseline network (or a reverse baseline network) with node-disjoint paths in four passes, which beats the existing results [M. Vaez et al., (2000)], [G. Maier et al., (2001)] that a permutation can be realized in an n /spl times/ n banyan network with node-disjoint paths in O(n/sup 1/2/) passes. This represents the currently best-known result for the number of passes required for routing an arbitrary permutation with node-disjoint paths in unique-path multistage networks. Unlike other unique path MINs (such as omega networks or banyan networks), only baseline networks have been found to possess such four-pass routing property. We present routing algorithms in both self-routing style and central-controlled style. Different from the recent work in [Y. Yang et al., (2003)], which also gave a four-pass node-disjoint routing algorithm for permutations, the new algorithm is efficient in transmission time for messages of any length, while the algorithm in [Y. Yang et al., (2003)] can work efficiently only for long messages. Comparisons with previous results demonstrate that routing in a baseline network proposed in this paper could be a better choice for routing permutations due to its lowest hardware cost and near-optimal transmission time.
Iatrogenic autoimmune progesterone dermatitis treated with a novel intramuscular progesterone desensitization protocol.

Autoimmune progesterone dermatitis (APD), or progesterone hypersensitivity, is a rare disorder caused by an immune response to progesterone. It was first described by Geber in 1921 and is characterized by cyclic cutaneous eruptions that occur during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle, coincident with peak endogenous progesterone. The rash develops 3 to 10 days before onset of menses and regresses or resolves after menstruation cessation. The skin eruptions most commonly manifest as urticaria; however, the presentation is variable, and cutaneous lesions may also include erythema multiforme, folliculitis, purpura, stomatitis, eczema, angioedema, papulovesicular eruptions, and vulvovaginal pruritis. The literature primarily reports cases of cyclic APD related to endogenous progesterone, although cases are documented of local and systemic reactions related to exogenous exposure, suggesting isolated hypersensitivity to synthetic progesterone. Women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) are exposed to high doses of exogenous hormones which may induce hypersensitivity, leading to iatrogenic APD. The cutaneous lesions of APD are resistant to antihistamine and corticosteroid therapy. Conventionally, patients are treated by way of ovulation suppression; however, definitive treatment is hysterectomy and oopherectomy. Desensitization offers a therapeutic option in women with APD who wish to maintain their fertility and also in women who are undergoing infertility treatment. To our knowledge, no cases are reported in the literature of rapid desensitization with intramuscular progesterone. We report a case of iatrogenic APD induced by synthetic progesterone in association with IVF and describe a novel desensitization protocol with intramuscular progesterone in oil (PIO).
A high-speed clamped bit-line current-mode sense amplifier

A clamped bit-line current-mode sense amplifier that maintains a low-impedance fixed potential on the bit lines is introduced. Using a general model for active-drive memory cells that include the two-transistor (2T) and three-transistor (3T) dynamic cells and the four-transistor/two-resistor (4T-2R) and six-transistor (6T) static cells, the new sense amplifier is shown to have a response speed that is insensitive to bit-line capacitance. This is achieved by relocating the large bit-line capacitance to a node within the sense amplifier that has only a minimal effect on the speed of the circuit. Bit-line clamping also minimizes inter-bit-line voltage noise coupling. >
Strong bounded operators for ergodic averages and Lebesgue derivatives

The goal of this article is to give a new proof of there being strong type ( p , p ) bounds, for any p with 1> p > ∞ , for the class of square functions, oscillation operators and variation operators that arise when considering multiparameter differentiation and multiparameter ergodic averages. The method of proof is to first show that there is a strong estimate from L ∞ to BMO for these operators in the case of multiparameter differentiation; then, by using known weak (1, 1) estimates and interpolation, one obtains strong bounds for these operators in the case of multiparameter differentiation. It follows from applying the Calderon transfer principle that these operators are of strong type ( p , p ), for all 1> p > ∞ , for the corresponding multiparameter ergodic averages.
Physical layer assisted security for mobile OFDM networks

Secure wireless communication is a challenging problem due to the shared nature of the wireless medium and the dynamic channel. Most of the existing security mechanisms focus on traditional cryptographic schemes. In recent years, features of multi-path channels, such as randomness, coherence and reciprocity, have driven researchers to exploit their potential to enhance the security of mobile wireless networks. As OFDM occupies wide bandwidth, it will experience a prolific source of multi-path components. In this paper, we comprehensively exploit the inherent physical features of the multi-path fading channel to achieve continuous two way authentication between mobile terminals. In our scheme, the coherence of the time-variant channel for the continuous symbols is exploited to achieve authentication of the OFDM communication networks. Unlike other channel-based approaches, the coherence of both amplitude and phase of the channel signature in the continuous symbol is utilized to enhance the security of the OFDM communication network. More specifically, the receiver will detect the channel response continuously according to the inserted pilots and identify the legal user based on the statistical channel signature information. Simulation results indicate the high efficiency of our proposed method.
Semiquantitative determination of ergot alkaloids in seed, straw, and digesta samples using a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Ergot alkaloids present in endophyte-infected (E+) tall fescue cause fescue toxicosis and other toxic effects in livestock that consume infected plant tissue, leading to significant financial losses in livestock production each year. The predominant method currently in use for quantifying ergot alkaloid content in plant tissue is through high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), which quantifies the amount of ergovaline, one of many ergot alkaloids in E+ plant tissue. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method used in this study detects quantities of nonspecific ergot alkaloids and therefore accounts for greater amounts of the total ergot alkaloid content in E+ tissue than does HPLC. The ELISA can also be used to more expediently analyze a larger number of forage samples without sophisticated and costly analytical equipment and therefore could be more desirable in a diagnostic setting. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the between-day and within-run variability of the ELISA and to determine the binding efficiency of 6 ergot alkaloids to the 15F3.E5 antibody used in the competitive ELISA to ascertain its feasibility as a quick analysis tool for ergot alkaloids. Straw samples had an average coefficient of variation (CV) for concentration of 10.2% within runs and 18.4% between runs, and the seed samples had an average CV for concentration of 13.3% within runs and 24.5% between runs. The grass tissue-based lysergic acid standard curve calculated from the ELISA had an average r2 of 0.99, with a CV of 2.1%. Ergocryptine, ergocristine, ergocornine, and ergotamine tartrate did not bind strongly to the 15F3.E5 antibody because of the presence of large side groups on these molecules, which block their binding to the antibody, whereas ergonovine and ergonovine maleate were bound much more efficiently because of their structural similarity to lysergic acid. Clarified rumen fluid was tested as an additional matrix for use in the ergot alkaloid competitive ELISA to determine whether future livestock metabolism experiments on the postingestion fate of ergot alkaloids in ruminants could utilize this assay as a quick screening tool for the presence of nonspecific ergot alkaloids in rumen fluid. HPLC and ELISA procedures were compared for their ability in determining ergot alkaloid toxicity based on the repeatability of the procedures and on the specific compounds they measure. The ratio of ELISA concentration to HPLC concentration (ergovaline) varied from 2.00 to 2.81 in seed samples and from 0.62 to 8.66 in straw samples, showing no consistent pattern between the 2 methods. Based on the lack of data at present for the identity of the toxin causing endophyte toxicosis and the lack of agreement between the ergovaline HPLC and ELISA analyses for ergot alkaloids, each method is equally valid as an indicator of toxicityand is the best means for determining the quantity of the specific toxin(s) they measure.
Spontaneous release of acetylcholine in striatum is preferentially regulated by inhibitory dopamine D2 receptors

Abstract The dose-related effects of the direct dopamine D2 receptor agonist quinpirole [trans-(−)-4aR-4,4a,5,6,7,8,8a,9-octahydro-5-propyl-1H-pyrazolo[3,4-g]quinoline] on the extracellular concentrations of dopamine and acetylcholine in rat striatum were measured using in vivo microdialysis. Quinpirole was administered intraperitoneally at doses of 3, 30, 300, and 3000 μg/kg. Acetylcholine measurements were conducted in the presence of 10 nmol/l of the acetylcholinesterase inhibitor neostigmine in the microdialysis perfusate. The 3 μg/kg dose of quinpirole elicited a significant 26% decrease in extracellular dopamine level in striatum whereas the extracellular level of acetylcholine was significantly increased by 15%. At the higher doses tested, quinpirole administration produced significant decreases in the extracellular concentrations of both dopamine and acetylcholine. The maximum inhibition of striatal dopamine efflux by quinpirole was 74% and this effect was observed at the 300 μg/kg dose. Inhibition of striatal acetylcholine output reached a maximum of 78% after administration of 3000 μg/kg quinpirole. ED50 values (μg/kg) for quinpirole-induced inhibition of release were 12.4 and 240 for striatal dopamine and acetylcholine, respectively. We conclude from these data that dopamine exerts a tonic inhibitory control over spontaneous acetylcholine efflux in striatum that is directly mediated by dopamine D2 receptors.
Dioecy in South American Deprea (Solanaceae)1

Abstract Dioecy in the Solanaceae is rare, occurring in <1 percent of the species worldwide and known in only two species from South America. We report the occurrence of cryptic dioecy in the Neotropical genus Deprea. Studying herbarium material of the Venezuelan endemic D. paneroi revealed morphological distinctions that tentatively served to divide collections into male and female morphs. This discovery prompted investigation of population structure, crossing studies, and morphometric analyses of 95 individuals from the largest known wild population and a small sample of greenhouse-grown plants. About 60 percent of the population was reproductive, and of these, nearly equal numbers exhibited female or male characteristics. Plants that bore fruit and small sterile anthers were characterized as female; those that lacked fruit but produced pollen in large anthers were characterized as male. The morphology, receptivity, and developmental phenology of pistils were identical in both forms. Crossing studies re...
Do micronutrients help in ADHD

I read with interest the paper by Rucklidge et al on the preliminary evidence of efficacy of micronutrients in attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.[1][1] I would like to comment on those results. 1. The findings are rather controversial since only two measurements (self- and observer ratings
A systematic approach for developing a ventilator-associated pneumonia prevention bundle.

Background Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is among the most common type of health care–associated infection in the intensive care unit and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Existing VAP prevention intervention bundles vary widely on the interventions included and in the approaches used to develop these bundles. The objective of this study was to develop a new VAP prevention bundle using a systematic approach that elicits clinician perceptions on which interventions are most important and feasible to implement. Methods We identified potential interventions to include through a review of current guidelines and literature. We implemented a 2-step modified Delphi method to gain consensus on the final list of interventions. An interdisciplinary group of clinical experts participated in the Delphi process, which was guided by a technical expert panel. Results We identified 65 possible interventions. Through the Delphi method, we narrowed that list to 19 interventions that included 5 process and 14 structural measures. Conclusions We described a structured approach for developing a new VAP prevention bundle. Obtaining clinician input on what interventions to include increases the likelihood that providers will adhere to the bundle.
Dietary supplementation with n‐3 fatty acids suppresses interleukin‐2 production and mononuclear cell proliferation

We studied the in vitro production of interleukin-2 in nine healthy volunteers who added 18 g/day of fish-oil concentrate rich in n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids to their normal Western diet for a period of 6 weeks. Interleukin-2 synthesis from stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells was suppressed from 6.2 ng/ml at baseline to 2.2 ng/ml 10 weeks after the end of n-3 fatty acid supplementation (65% decrease; P = .04). At the same time phytohemagglutinin-induced proliferation of mononuclear cells was suppressed by 70% from the presupplement level. Interleukin-2 production returned to the premedication level at the end of the studies. The results suggest that the effect of dietary n-3 fatty acids in some diseases may be mediated in part by decreased production of interleukin-2 and decreased mononuclear cell proliferation.
Direct regularization from co-registered anatomical images for MRI-guided near-infrared spectral tomographic image reconstruction.

Combining anatomical information from high resolution imaging modalities to guide near-infrared spectral tomography (NIRST) is an efficient strategy for improving the quality of the reconstructed spectral images. A new approach for incorporating image information directly into the inversion matrix regularization was examined using Direct Regularization from Images (DRI), which encodes the gray-scale data into the NIRST image reconstruction problem. This process has the benefit of eliminating user intervention such as image segmentation of distinct regions. Specifically, the Dynamic Contrast Enhanced Magnetic Resonance (DCE-MR) image intensity value differences within the anatomical image were used to implement an exponentially-weighted regularization function between the image pixels. The algorithm was validated using simulated reconstructions with noise, and the results showed that spatial resolution and robustness of the reconstructed images were significantly improved by appropriate choice of the regularization weight parameters. The proposed approach was also tested on in vivo breast data acquired in a recent clinical trial combining NIRST / MRI for cancer tumor characterization. Relative to the standard “no priors” diffuse recovery, the contrast of the tumor to the normal surrounding tissue increased from 2.4 to 3.6, and the difference between the tumor size segmented from DCE-MR images and reconstructed optical images decreased from 18% to 6%, while there was an overall decrease in surface artifacts.
Effects of Cage Confinement and Lighting Schedules on Performance of Ringneck Pheasant Breeders

Abstract The demand for pheasants propagated in confinement is increasing principally from public and private shooting preserves. Current systems of managing pheasant breeders involve maintaining them in various types of wire enclosed outdoor pens at low bird densities. A more efficient system might be to maintain the breeders in indoor multiple-bird, wire cages at high bird densities. A lack of breeding success from pheasants housed in small pens (3.7 × 7.6 meters and 3.7 × 3.7 meters) was observed by Breitenbach and Meyer (1959). Nagra et al. (1962) observed that castrated male pheasants housed in floor pens at a bird density of 18.6 m.2 of floor area per bird consumed more feed and were heavier than those housed in individual wire cages at 3.3 m.2 of floor area per bird. The study reported here investigated effect of lighting schedules and confinement on performance of pheasant breeders in cages at a high . . .
499 OUTCOMES AND POTENTIAL ADVERSE EVENTS FOR CHRONIC PAIN PATIENTS IN A MUSCULOSKELETAL SPINE CLINIC ON INTERVENTIONAL CYCLOOXYGENASE 2 INHIBITORS.

Background Up until recently, cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 selective agents were thought to have a significant advantage over conventional NSAIDs in terms of toxic effects, notably GI complications. For degenerative arthritis and various types of spine pain, COX-2 inhibitors had been frequently used as first-line therapy in the absence of any overt inflammation. This raises issues about both the appropriateness of prescribing coxibs and the rate of adverse events in low-dose short-term use in outpatient musculoskeletal clinics. Because pain relief in a multidisciplinary spine clinic can be challenging and had often been treated with many of the now off-market COX-2 selective agents, more data need to be gathered for the outcomes of those patients on low-dose therapy for pain relief. Objective To determine the rate of adverse events for COX-2 selective agents when used in low doses for patients with various types of musculoskeletal pain. Hypothesis We expect that patients will tolerate medications with minimal adverse events. Methods/Design Of the 431 musculoskeletal spine pain patients in an outpatient clinic that were prescribed COX-2 selective agents, 220 were contacted and 55 successfully completed a self-assessment questionnaire. Main Outcome Measure Pain relief and presence of adverse events: rash, CP/SOB, GI disturbances, etc. Results 67% reported significant pain relief; 23.6% reported an adverse event during the period coinciding with COX-2 inhibitor use (Celebrex, Vioxx, Bextra, Mobic). Self-reported PMH: 25% hyperlipidemia, 47% hypertension (HTN), 18% heart disease, 18% GI disturbances, 11% gastric ulcers. Overall, 9% cited potential side effects as reason for discontinuing NSAID use. Of the 33% of patients reporting blood thinner use, 61% reported significant pain relief; 28% reported adverse events. Conclusion In the small population (N = 55) evaluated, the pilot study finds minimum adverse events for all COX-2 selective agents when compared to reported literature rates of 31% (2000 CLASS study). Those with risk factors for potential adverse events did not report more events than those without risk factors while on COX-2 selective agents. The pilot study suggests that patients on low-dose COX-2 selective agents obtain pain relief with a low occurrence of adverse events and an even lower occurrence of serious adverse outcomes. More patient evaluations will be necessary to confirm the trends found in this pilot study.
Inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor-mediated Ca mobilization is not required for cerebellar long-term depression in reduced preparations.

Narasimhan, Kalyani, Isaac N. Pessah, and David J. Linden. Inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor-mediated Ca mobilization is not required for cerebellar long-term depression in reduced preparations...
MICHAELIS MENTEN KINETICS AS A MODELING ASSUMPTION IN A MODEL OF OXYGEN TRANSPORT IN HEART

The Michaelis-Menten kinetics model oxygen consumption rate is investigated as a modeling assumption in a mathematical study of oxygen transport to heart tissue. The model is derived from the classic Krogh capillary tissue cylinder geometry and based on physiological experiments in isolated cell-free perfused autoregulating cat hearts. This model is compared to a basic simplified model and to real data of oxygen distribution. Michaelis-Menten kinetics is found to be an improvement over the basic model for matching histograms of real data. However, further modeling assumptions will need to be studied because this effect falls short of completely matching the real data.
Alternative Models to Supplement Menu Labeling

Forthcoming menu labeling regulations from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), pursuant to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), will establish national guidelines for displaying nutritional information at an array of restaurants. Similar to labeling requirements already implemented in Seattle, New York City, California, and other state and local jurisdictions, federal regulations will require chain restaurants on menus and menu boards. Although some restaurants already voluntarily provide such information via pamphlets, posters, or online sources, many of these resources are confusing, difficult to access, or simply ignored. FDA's new regulations mandate that calorie data must be posted (and other basic nutritional data must be available) at the point of sale to enhance consumers' access to and use of such information. Lacking these data presently, Americans dining out largely order "in the dark" without actual knowledge of the calorie content or other nutritional components of their restaurant meals.
User-defined distributions and layouts in chapel: philosophy and framework

This paper introduces user-defined domain maps, a novel concept for implementing distributions and memory layouts for parallel data aggregates. Our domain maps implement parallel arrays for the Chapel programming language and are themselves implemented using standard Chapel features. Domain maps export a functional interface that our compiler targets as it maps from a user's global-view algorithm down to the task-level operations required to implement the computation for multicore processors, GPUs, and distributed memory architectures. Unlike distributions in HPF and ZPL, Chapel's domain maps are designed for generality and do not rely on hard-coding a fixed set of distributions into the compiler and runtime. The chief contributions of this paper are its description of our motivating principles and an overview of our framework.
Estimates of sediment trapping rates for two reservoirs in the Lake Erie watershed: Past and present scenarios

Abstract Sediment accumulation can significantly impact the useful life of dams and the multiple functions served by those dams such as flood attenuation, hydropower, and water supply. However, there is only limited information, and even fewer physical measurements, assessing the rate of sediment accumulation in reservoirs behind dams. Many of the dams within the Great Lakes Watershed were constructed between 100 and 120 years ago, and there is reasonable concern that these dams and their associated reservoirs may be reaching capacity with respect to sediment storage. As a reservoir reaches its sediment storage capacity, there are numerous risks. Excess sediment can compromise the water intake for supply systems. Dam failure or removal can potentially allow large quantities of impounded sediment to migrate downstream, negatively impacting fish habitat and water quality. This research investigates the historical function of dams as sediment storage points. Also, this research assesses the effect of anthropogenic influences including land use change and dam construction on sediment yield and accumulation within the Lake Rockwell and Ballville Dam watershed. To better understand the historical and current sediment yield within the Lake Erie watershed, Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) models of the Lake Rockwell and Ballville Dam watersheds were developed. The resulting model suggests that the average of sediment accumulation rate within Lake Rockwell Dam reservoir varies between the minimum of 1.6 and the maximum of 4.6 g/cm2/yr from 1988 to 2007. Within the Ballville Dam reservoir, the rate varies between the minimum of 2.6 and the maximum of 23.2 g/cm2/yr from 1980 to 1999.
Abstract 4422: TTT-28, a newly synthesized thiazole-valine peptide, antagonizes multidrug resistance by inhibiting the efflux activity of the ABCB1 transporter

Cancer cells often exhibit either intrinsic or acquired resistance to chemotherapy through a phenomenon known as multidrug resistance (MDR). Different mechanisms contribute to the development of MDR, preeminent among them being the accelerated drug efflux mediated by overexpression of ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters. Currently, it has been found that some small molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), such as motesanib, linsitinib, masitinib and nilotinib, were able to modulate the activity of ABC transporters. Thus, the aim of this study was to determine whether TTT-28, a newly synthesized thiazole-valine peptide, could reverse ABCB1-mediated MDR. The results showed that TTT-28 significantly sensitized both ABCB1-transfected and drug-selected cell lines overexpressing this transporter to its substrate anticancer drugs. Using calcein-AM efflux assay, we identified TTT-28 (IC50 = 1.0 μM) carrying 3,4,5-trimethoxybenzoyl and 2-aminobenzophenone groups, respectively, at the amino and carboxyl termini of the monothiazole zwitterion. TTT-28 significantly increased the accumulation of [3H]-paclitaxel in ABCB1 overexpressing cells by blocking the efflux function of ABCB1 transporter. Furthermore, TTT-28 inhibited the photolabeling of ABCB1 with [125I]-iodoarylazidoprazosin with IC50 = 0.75 μM and stimulated the basal ATP hydrolysis of ABCB1 in a concentration-dependent manner (EC50 ATPase = 0.027 μM). Consistent with these findings, biochemical and docking studies showed site-1 to be the preferable binding site for TTT-28 within the drug-binding pocket of human ABCB1. Therefore, we report that TTT-28 antagonizes MDR by inhibiting the efflux activity of the ABCB1 transporter. These findings reveal high clinical values for the co-administration of TTT-28 and ABCB1 substrate chemotherapeutic drugs in cancer patients that overexpress ABCB1 and stimulate further research on circumventing the ABCB1-mediated MDR in cancers. Citation Format: Yi-Jun Wang, Nagaraju Anreddy, Bhargav A. Patel, Eduardo E. Chufan, Satyakam Singh, Guan-Nan Zhang, Yun-Kai Zhang, Anna Maria Barbuti, Suresh V. Ambudkar, Tanaji T. Talele, Zhe-Sheng Chen. TTT-28, a newly synthesized thiazole-valine peptide, antagonizes multidrug resistance by inhibiting the efflux activity of the ABCB1 transporter. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 4422. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-4422