cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Conduction Properties Distinguish Unmyelinated Sympathetic Efferent Fibers and Unmyelinated Primary Afferent Fibers in the Monkey

Background Different classes of unmyelinated nerve fibers appear to exhibit distinct conductive properties. We sought a criterion based on conduction properties for distinguishing sympathetic efferents and unmyelinated, primary afferents in peripheral nerves. Methodology/Principal Findings In anesthetized monkey, centrifugal or centripetal recordings were made from single unmyelinated nerve fibers in the peroneal or sural nerve, and electrical stimuli were applied to either the sciatic nerve or the cutaneous nerve endings, respectively. In centrifugal recordings, electrical stimulation at the sympathetic chain and dorsal root was used to determine the fiber's origin. In centrifugal recordings, sympathetic fibers exhibited absolute speeding of conduction to a single pair of electrical stimuli separated by 50 ms; the second action potential was conducted faster (0.61 0.16%) than the first unconditioned action potential. This was never observed in primary afferents. Following 2 Hz stimulation (3 min), activity-dependent slowing of conduction in the sympathetics (8.6 0.5%) was greater than in one afferent group (6.7 0.5%) but substantially less than in a second afferent group (29.4 1.9%). In centripetal recordings, most mechanically-insensitive fibers also exhibited absolute speeding to twin pulse stimulation. The subset that did not show this absolute speeding was responsive to chemical stimuli (histamine, capsaicin) and likely consists of mechanically-insensitive afferents. During repetitive twin pulse stimulation, mechanosensitive afferents developed speeding, and speeding in sympathetic fibers increased. Conclusions/Significance The presence of absolute speeding provides a criterion by which sympathetic efferents can be differentiated from primary afferents. The differences in conduction properties between sympathetics and afferents likely reflect differential expression of voltage-sensitive ion channels.
Extracellular protons titrate voltage gating of a ligand-gated ion channel

Cyclic nucleotide–gated channels mediate transduction of light into electric signals in vertebrate photoreceptors. These channels are primarily controlled by the binding of intracellular cyclic GMP (cGMP). Glutamate residue 363 near the extracellular end of the ion selectivity filter interacts with the pore helix and helps anchor the filter to the helix. Disruption of this interaction by mutations renders the channels essentially fully voltage gated in the presence of saturating concentrations of cGMP. Here, we find that lowering extracellular pH makes the channels conduct in an extremely outwardly rectifying manner, as does a neutral glutamine substitution at E363. A pair of cysteine mutations, E363C and L356C (the latter located midway the pore helix), largely eliminates current rectification at low pH. Therefore, this low pH-induced rectification primarily reflects voltage-dependent gating involving the ion selectivity filter rather than altered electrostatics around the external opening of the ion pore and thus ion conduction. It then follows that protonation of E363, like the E363Q mutation, disrupts the attachment of the selectivity filter to the pore helix. Loosening the selectivity filter from its surrounding structure shifts the gating equilibrium toward closed states. At low extracellular pH, significant channel opening occurs only when positive voltages drive the pore from a low probability open conformation to a second open conformation. Consequently, at low extracellular pH the channels become practically fully voltage gated, even in the presence of a saturating concentration of cGMP.
It Won't Change a Thing: The Meanings of Marriage in the Netherlands

The vast body of literature that highlights the increasing fragility of marriage fails to explore the effect of this fragility on the meanings people attach to marriage. During the last twenty-five to thirty years the instrumental and normative reasons for marriage—legal protection, societal support and enforcement, the social rejection of alternatives to marriage—have largely disappeared in the Netherlands. This study focuses on how young adults, raised after the most dramatic changes in marital practices took place, talk about the meanings of marriage in the context of building intimate relationships. In-depth interviews with fifteen heterosexual young adults (aged twenty-one to thirty) who were in a committed relationship showed that they talked about marriage in four different ways. They (1) minimized the meaning of marriage, (2) talked about the idea of marriage to ascertain commitment, (3) defined marriage as the ideal relationship, and/or (4) saw marriage as a jinx. Contradictions between these modes of talk revealed feelings of ambivalence and anxiety associated with a desire for commitment. The emotionally charged meanings associated with marriage anchored marriage in interviewees' imaginations, enabling the institution to retain its hold even though social pressures to marry are limited and legal substitutes to marriage exist.
Beyond the Walls: The Beginnings of Pest Jewry

Historians have conventionally presented the beginnings of Pest Jewry as a function of legal developments. According to this approach, Jews were denied entry until 1783, when Joseph Us Patent allowed Jews to settle freely in Pest and other royal free cities. “Only in 1783,” wrote historian Nathaniel Katzburg, “did the situation [for Jews] improve when Emperor Joseph II nullified the discriminatory laws directed against Hungarian Jewry, and the gates of the ‘free’ cities, including Pest, opened to Jewish settlement.” This privilege was sharply curtailed by Law 38 of 1791. This law, enacted by the National Diet following the nullification of Joseph II's Patent, barred royal free cities from evicting Jews wholesale, but allowed these cities to evict all Jews who had not obtained legal residence by 1 January 1790. As scholar Vera Bacskai pointed out: “After the death of the emperor, the Pest council wanted to expel [the Jews] and only a special order by the palatine made possible Law 38 of 1790, according to which Jews who had settled before 1790 could not be expelled from the city.” Law 38, the argument concludes, defined the parameters of Jewish settlement in Pest and other royal free cities until 1840, when the National Assembly enacted Law 29, allowing native-born and naturalized Hungarian Jews to settle freely in Pest and other royal free cities.
Influence of yttria content on the preparation of nanocrystalline yttria-doped zirconia

Nanocrystalline zirconia doped with 0--10 mol % Y{sub 2}O{sub 3} has been prepared by a combustion synthesis process, followed by a rapid densification process. The concentration of Y{sub 2}O{sub 3} in the as-reacted zirconia appeared to have a significant influence on the reduction of the crystallite size, in the combustion temperature range studied (450 {degree}C--550 {degree}C), as well as on the stabilization of the tetragonal and/or cubic phases. The green compacts were densified by a fast-firing process. During fast-firing, the dwell temperature significantly affected the final average grain size and the final density of the article. On the other hand, the ranges of heating rates and dwell times that were used in this study were shown to have a much less significant effect on the article`s final density and final average grain size. The yttria content had the largest influence on the final density and final average grain size. The densification took place much more rapidly in the 4 mol % Y{sub 2}O{sub 3}--ZrO{sub 2} samples than in the 10 mol % Y{sub 2}O{sub 3}--ZrO{sub 2} samples. In particular, the difference in densification rates between the samples with different Y{sub 2}O{sub 3} content was attributed to the influence and magnitudemore » of the associated grain-growth process. It was determined, however, that a high final density ({gt}99% {rho}{sub th}) and a very fine final average grain size ({lt}200 nm) could be simultaneously achieved with each of three different heating rates for the 4 mol % Y{sub 2}O{sub 3}--ZrO{sub 2} articles.« less
Quantitative optical spectroscopy can identify long-term local tumor control in irradiated murine head and neck xenografts

Noninvasive and longitudinal monitoring of tumor oxygen- ation status using quantitative diffuse reflectance spectroscopy is used to test whether a final treatment outcome could be estimated from early optical signatures in a murine model of head and neck cancer when treated with radiation. Implanted tumors in the flank of 23 nude mice are exposed to 39 Gy of radiation, while 11 animals exposed to sham irradiation serve as controls. Diffuse optical reflectance is mea- sured from the tumors at baseline prior to irradiation and then seri- ally until 17 days posttreatment. The fastest and greatest increase in baseline-corrected blood oxygen saturation levels are observed from the animals that show complete tumor regression with no recurrence 90 days postirradiation, relative to both untreated and treated animals with local recurrences. These increases in saturation are observed starting 5 days posttreatment and last up to 17 days posttreatment. This preclinical study demonstrates that diffuse reflectance spectros- copy could provide a practical method far more effective than the growth delay assay to prognosticate treatment outcome in solid tu- mors and may hold significant translational promise. © 2009 Society of
Three humanoid soccer platforms: comparison and synthesis

In this article, we provide an overview of three humanoid soccer platforms currently in use at RoboCup: 3D simulation, the humanoid Standard Platform League (SPL), and the Webots-based simulator released with the SPL. Although these platforms trace different historical roots, today they share the same robot model, the Aldebaran Nao. Consequently, they face a similar set of challenges, primary among which is the need to develop reliable and robust bipedal locomotion. In this paper, we compare and contrast these platforms, drawing on the experiences of our team, UT Austin Villa, in developing agents for each of them. We identify specific roles for these three platforms in advancing the overarching goals of RoboCup.
Do Out-of-Pocket Health Expenditures Rise With Age Among Older Americans?

Purpose: Relationships are examined between age and out-of-pocket costs for different health goods and services among the older population. Design and Methods: Age patterns in health service use and out-of-pocket costs are examined by use of the 1990 Elderly Health Supplement to the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (N ¼ 1,031, age 66þ). Multivariate regression is used to examine how age effects are mediated by health, insurance, and socioeconomic variables. Results: Although longterm care expenditures increased with age, out-ofpocket costs for most other services did not. Total out-of-pocket costs increased with age only when nursing home costs were included. Increases with age in hospital and prescription costs were explained by declining health. Patterns of service use suggested reduced access to discretionary care among the oldest old. Implications: Although expenditures did not increase with age for most services, the high personal cost for nursing home care among the oldest old underlines the need for increased efforts to support them in the community. Greater spending by those in poor health highlights the importance of preventing age-related health conditions and their complications. Improved access to discretionary care among the oldest old may help to reduce the need for care in higher cost settings. The high prevalence of out-of-pocket prescription spending across the age range provides impetus for current efforts to reduce these costs.
Exact combinatorial optimization methods for physical design of regular logic bricks

As minimum feature sizes continue to scale down, increasing difficulties with subwavelength lithography have spurred research into more regular layout styles, such as Restrictive Design Rules (RDRs) [11] and regular logic fabrics [10]. In this paper we show that the simplicity and discreteness of regular fabrics give rise to powerful exact combinatorial optimization methods for the brick layout problem (the regular fabric equivalent of the cell layout problem). These methods are either inapplicable or intractable for less regular layout styles, such as the DRC-based approach of standard cell layout. Results from our prototype tool demonstrate that these optimization methods are quite practical for bricks of typical size found in large-scale designs.
Enhanced Detection of Surface-Associated Bacteria in Indoor Environments by Quantitative PCR

Methods for detecting microorganisms on surfaces are needed to locate biocontamination sources and to relate surface and airborne concentrations. Research was conducted in an experimental room to evaluate surface sampling methods and quantitative PCR (QPCR) for enhanced detection of a target biocontaminant present on flooring materials. QPCR and culture analyses were used to quantitate Bacillus subtilis (Bacillus globigii) endospores on vinyl tile, commercial carpet, and new and soiled residential carpet with samples obtained by four surface sampling methods: a swab kit, a sponge swipe, a cotton swab, and a bulk method. The initial data showed that greater overall sensitivity was obtained with the QPCR than with culture analysis; however, the QPCR results for bulk samples from residential carpet were negative. The swab kit and the sponge swipe methods were then tested with two levels of background biological contamination consisting of Penicillium chrysogenum spores. The B. subtilis values obtained by the QPCR method were greater than those obtained by culture analysis. The differences between the QPCR and culture data were significant for the samples obtained with the swab kit for all flooring materials except soiled residential carpet and with the sponge swipe for commercial carpet. The QPCR data showed that there were no significant differences between the swab kit and sponge swipe sampling methods for any of the flooring materials. Inhibition of QPCR due solely to biological contamination of flooring materials was not evident. However, some degree of inhibition was observed with the soiled residential carpet, which may have been caused by the presence of abiotic contaminants, alone or in combination with biological contaminants. The results of this research demonstrate the ability of QPCR to enhance detection and enumeration of biocontaminants on surface materials and provide information concerning the comparability of currently available surface sampling methods.
Fast methods for the evaluation of the diffusion kernel with potential extensions to the dissipative kernel

The solution of time-domain integral equations involving the diffusion or dissipative kernel require the evaluation of convolutions in space and time which scale as O(Ns 2Nt 2), where Ns and Nt are the number of spatial and temporal discretizations, respectively. The hybrid time-space acceleration methods proposed here reduce this cost to either O(NsNt log(Nt)) or O(NsNt) for rank-deficient kernels. These accelerations are achieved by way of a unification of two techniques: (1) accelerated Cartesian expansions (ACE), and (2) fast matrix-vector multiplication methods based upon either fast Fourier transforms (FFT) or matrix decompositions. In particular, the application of this acceleration scheme to the time-domain diffusion equation is presented; however, this set of techniques is particularly well-suited to being adapted to numerous physics problems, and application to dissipative systems are underway.
Is the real in vivo nitric oxide concentration pico or nano molar? Influence of electrode size on unstirred layers and NO consumption.

Objective There is a debate if the [NO] required to influence vascular smooth muscle is below 50 nM or much higher. Electrodes with 30 μm and larger diameter report [NO] below 50 nM, whereas those with diameters of <10–12 μm report hundreds of nM. This study examined how size of electrodes influenced [NO] measurement due to NO consumption and unstirred layer issues. Methods Electrodes were 2 mm disk, 30 μm × 2 mm carbon fiber, and single 7 μm diameter carbon fiber within open tip microelectrode, and exposed 7 μm carbon fiber of ~15 μm to 2 mm length. Results All electrodes demonstrated linear calibrations with sufficient stirring. As stirring slowed, 30 μm and 2 mm electrodes reported much lower [NO] due to unstirred layers and high NO consumption. The three 7 μm microelectrodes had minor stirring issues. With limited stirring with NO present, 7 μm open tip microelectrodes advanced toward 30 μm and 2 mm electrodes experienced dramatically decreased current within 10–50 μm of the larger electrodes due to high NO consumption. None of the 7 μm microelectrodes interacted. Conclusions The data indicate large electrodes underestimate [NO] due to excessive NO consumption under conditions where unstirred layers are unavoidable and true microelectrodes are required for valid measurements.
Stability of chlorothiazide sodium in polypropylene syringes

Purpose The stability of a solution of chlorothiazide injection diluted with sterile water and stored in polypropylene syringes under refrigerated conditions was investigated. Methods Chlorothiazide solutions were compounded by adding 20 mL of sterile water for injection to a 500-mg vial of chlorothiazide sodium for injection. Six batches of chlorothiazide solution (25 mg/mL) were compounded; 0.5-mL portions were transferred to 1-mL polypropylene syringes, which were sealed with a Luer tip cap and stored at refrigeration temperatures (2–8 °C) protected from light. Three batches were potency tested by stability-indicating high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) assay using a 0.5-mL sample from each batch at designated time points. Visual and pH testing were performed using the three remaining batches; the contents of two syringes per batch were combined and visually inspected for container integrity and solution color and clarity, with duplicate pH testing performed at each time point. Results HPLC analyses showed that the remaining percentage of the initial chlorothiazide content declined at an average daily rate of 1.4%, decreasing to 93% by day 6. All samples remained intact, clear, and colorless, with no visible particulate matter or precipitation observed throughout the study period. For all samples of chlorothiazide solution, pH values remained within the range of 9.2–10.0 throughout the 10-day study period. Conclusion When packaged in 1-mL polypropylene syringes and stored protected from light at refrigerated conditions, a solution of chlorothiazide sodium injection in water was stable for six days.
The Section 67 Question: Are Fees for Investment Advice Fully or Partially Deductible by Trusts?

One of the more controversial questions in tax law in recent memory is whether a trust may fully deduct the fees it pays for investment advice or whether it must treat the fees as miscellaneous itemized deductions that are allowed only to the extent that the total of such deductions exceeds 2% of the trust's adjusted gross income. While the Sixth Circuit held in the trust's favor that such fees are fully deductible under §67(e)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code, the Federal, Fourth and Second Circuits subsequently agreed with the Government that such costs were miscellaneous itemized deductions subject to the 2% floor under §67(a). As result, the United States Supreme Court has granted the petition for certiorari in the Second Circuit case and will resolve the issue during the Court's 2007-08 Term. This Article takes the position that fees for investment advice do not satisfy the two requirements under §67(e)(1) for full deductibility under a plain meaning interpretation of the statute. However, the Article concludes that §67(e)(1) should be amended so that costs incurred by trustees in fulfilling their fiduciary duties would be fully deductible. After providing the statutory background for the current dispute, this Article examines the opinions issued in the trial court and at the appellate level for each of the four cases that have reached the United States Court of Appeals. This Article then evaluates the decisions of the lower courts in light of the textualist approach to statutory interpretation advocated by several Justices of the Supreme Court and employed by the Court in Gitlitz v. Commissioner, and concludes that the Court will affirm the Second Circuit's decision. Finally, the Article discusses the policy considerations supporting the amendment of §67(e)(1).
Gender Inequality Issues in India

The ProblemIndia struggles with gender inequality issues beyond just equal economic growth and access to educational resource opportunities. Gender inequality exists in the form of socially constructed, predefined gender roles firmly anchored in India’s sociocultural fabric that has deep cultural and historical roots. Sociocultural influences have spillover effects across all domains, including the organizational workforce, and social and political contexts. This unquestionable influence is still accepted as the norm within the societal and familial periphery.The SolutionThe purpose of this article is to provide an analysis of the causes of gender inequality in India. A secondary purpose is to outline the possible policies and practices, within a human resource development (HRD) framework, that could be implemented as productive steps toward reducing gender inequality in the Indian workplace.The StakeholdersThis article will be of interest to individuals who conduct research, teach, and practice HRD. It w...
Left ventricular dysfunction in early E. coli endotoxemia: effects of naloxone.

Although the opiate receptor antagonist naloxone (NAL) has been reported to improve in vivo systolic performance of the heart in different circulatory shock syndromes, the influence of this drug on intrinsic cardiac mechanical function during hypodynamic circulatory states is unknown. The present study was designed to determine the effects of in vivo NAL on contraction-relaxation properties of isovolumic left ventricular (LV) preparations isolated from guinea pigs 4 h after induction of gram-negative endotoxemia. Animals were given a 1 mg/kg ip injection of Escherichia coli endotoxin and immediately treated intravenously with either NAL (4 mg/kg iv bolus plus 4 mg.kg-1.h-1 infusion) or an equivalent volume of saline. Endotoxin produced significant reduction of LV contractile function in coronary-perfused hearts, a response unaffected by NAL therapy. For example, LV systolic pressure at approximately 10 mmHg end-diastolic pressure averaged 78 +/- 3 and 82 +/- 6 mmHg in hearts from saline and NAL control animals, respectively, but only 41 +/- 2 and 40 +/- 2 mmHg in endotoxin and endotoxin plus NAL groups, respectively. LV end-diastolic pressure-volume relationships in endotoxin hearts were shifted upward and to the left of controls in the direction of decreased diastolic compliance (P less than 0.05). Importantly, in vivo NAL prevented the endotoxin-induced decrease in LV compliance of the isolated heart preparations (P less than 0.05). Thus intrinsic cardiac complications of early (4 h) nonhypotensive endotoxemia included decreased diastolic compliance as well as diminished contractility of the left ventricle. Only the diastolic compliance changes were NAL responsive and therefore may involve endogenous opioid systems in their pathophysiological expression.
The multifractal character of capacity utilization over the business cycle: An application of Hurst signature analysis

Abstract Capacity utilization rates and the index of industrial production are examined for multifractality over the 1972–2012 periods. Generally, all series behave very similarly, even though the index of industrial production is unambiguously non-stationary. Manufacturing sector capacity utilization exhibits less persistent long memory than overall capacity utilization, meaning that middle-stage activity is less directly affected by external driving forces, such as expansionary economic policy. Fractal persistence observed in the three series suggests aggregate production activity is driven largely by Cantillon effects of monetary expansion, but this effect predominates in early and late production stages, which are included in total capacity utilization but omitted from manufacturing utilization. Austrian business cycle theory predicts that monetary expansion has localized impacts in specific industrial sectors, resulting in higher capacity utilization in early and late stages of the Hayekian production structure, while simultaneously depressing utilization rates in middle-stage sectors. Hurst signature analysis of capacity utilization enables us to examine whether capacity utilization results from organic changes in supply and demand (anti-persistent long memory) or Cantillon effects of monetary expansion (persistent long memory).
Two comments on Dvoretzky’s sphericity theorem

For any two positive integersk, l and anyɛ>0 there exists anN(k, l, ɛ) so that given anyl convex bodiesC1, …,Cl symmetric about the origin inEn withn≧N there exists a subspaceEk so that eachCi intersectsEk, or has a projection intoEk, in a set which is nearly spherical (asphericity <ɛ). The measure of the totality ofEk which intersect a given body inEn in a nearly ellipsoidal set is considered and an affine invariant measure is introduced for that purpose.
Conduction and Convection

An organism immersed in a medium such as air, water, or soil exchanges heat by conduction and possibly by convection, radiation, and evaporation. In order to understand convective heat transfer, we should first understand the somewhat simpler mechanism of conductive heat transfer. Conduction is the transfer of heat along a temperature gradient from a region of higher to lower kinetic activity. Heat is transferred by conduction without mass movement of the medium. An example is the conduction of heat along the handle of a spoon in a cup of hot coffee. The process of heat transfer in soil is primarily one of conduction, although some mass movement of gases or water may occur. The process of heat transfer between an organism and a fluid is a combination of conduction and mass movement. Convection is simply the conduction of heat in a moving fluid. In convection, heat is transferred between a surface and a fluid by direct conduction through the boundary layer of fluid. The boundary layer is a layer of fluid which adheres to a surface because of the viscosity of the fluid. Fluid motion transfers energy to or from the boundary layer into the general mass of fluid outside the boundary layer. The effectiveness of energy transfer by convection depends upon the mixing action of the fluid.
The Road to a Measurable Quantitative Understanding of Self-Organization and Evolution

This book has discussed some of the most important aspects in the current state of the sciences of complexity, self-organization, and evolution. A central theme in this field is the search for mechanisms that can explain the self-organization of complex systems. The quest for the main guiding principles for causal explanations can be viewed as a very timely and central aspect of this search. This book is devoted to such topics and is a necessary read for anyone working at the forefront of complexity, self-organization, and evolution. As an addition to the lines of reasoning in this book, we focus on a quantitative description of self-organization and evolution. To create a measure of a degree of organization, we have applied the Principle of Least Action from physics. Action for a trajectory is defined as the integral of the difference between kinetic and potential energy over time. This principle states that the equations of motion in nature are obeyed when action is minimized. In complex systems, there are constraints to motion that prevent the agents from moving along the paths of least action. Using free energy, those agents do work on the obstructive constraints to minimize them, in order to approach their natural state of motion given by the principle of least action. This is the process of self-organization. Therefore, the decrease in the amount of action for an agent along its path is a numerical measure for self-organization. This increase of action efficiency is a quantitative measure for the increase in organization and corresponding evolutionary level of the system. The least action state is the attractor for self-organization, and is achieved through feedback loops between the characteristics in complex systems. In our view the principle of least action applied to complex systems can introduce time dependence in nonequilibrium thermodynamics.
The Mental Hospital Without Walls

Describes various aspects of the street community, including menacing, but friendly, street “thugs” and numerous mentally ill people wandering the streets. Introduces “harm reduction,” by describing our recent visit and previous week-long stay at a single-room occupancy hotel operating under the policy. Explores the history and impact of the Lanterman–Petris–Short Act, and Laura’s Law, two controversial laws that are intended to deal with the behavior and civil rights of seriously ill and mentally ill people. Explores the consequences of closing State mental hospitals and failure to live up to the goals of community mental health programs.
Joint-physics emission-scattering model for improved active-passive soil moisture estimation

Improved soil moisture estimation, within a combined radar-radiometer framework, by using Joint-physics modeling is demonstrated and presented in this work. Detailed numerical simulation on bare, but rough surfaces, highlight how improved emission-scattering modeling, can outperform conventional approaches. Root-mean-squared error statistics show almost a factor of two improvement in soil permittivity predictions.
Oceanic ensemble forecasting in the Gulf of Mexico: An application to the case of the Deep Water Horizon oil spill

Abstract This paper demonstrates the potential of ocean ensemble forecasting in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM). The Bred Vector (BV) technique with one week rescaling frequency is implemented on a 9 km resolution version of the Regional Ocean Modelling System (ROMS). Numerical experiments are carried out by using the HYCOM analysis products to define the initial conditions and the lateral boundary conditions. The growth rates of the forecast uncertainty are estimated to be about 10% of initial amplitude per week. By carrying out ensemble forecast experiments with and without perturbed surface forcing, it is demonstrated that in the coastal regions accounting for uncertainties in the atmospheric forcing is more important than accounting for uncertainties in the ocean initial conditions. In the Loop Current region, the initial condition uncertainties, are the dominant source of the forecast uncertainty. The root-mean-square error of the Lagrangian track forecasts at the 15-day forecast lead time can be reduced by about 10 − 50 km using the ensemble mean Eulerian forecast of the oceanic flow for the computation of the tracks, instead of the single-initial-condition Eulerian forecast.
Abstract 126: Transgenic Hyperactivity of the Brain Renin-Angiotensin System Causes Vasopressin-Dependent Hypertension

Hypertension in many animal models is sensitive to inhibition of the brain renin-angiotensin system (RAS). We examined mice with transgenic hyperactivity of the brain RAS (sRA mice) to determine whether this manipulation is sufficient to cause hypertension, and to identify the causative mechanism. sRA mice exhibit brain-specific increases in angiotensin (ANG) peptide production through neuron-specific expression of human renin (synapsin promoter) and expression of human angiotensinogen through its own promoter. We determined both through tail-cuff and radiotelemetric methods that sRA mice are hypertensive (SBP; control 112±2 vs sRA 127±5 mmHg, P=0.02). Despite normal plasma osmolality and moderate hyponatremia, sRA mice exhibit double the number of vasopressin-expressing neurons in the supraoptic nucleus (P=0.002), as detected by immunohistochemistry. Plasma levels of the vasopressin pro-segment, copeptin, were reduced in sRA mice (140±19 vs 68±21 pg/mL, P=0.02), which correlated with severe polyuria (1.8±0.3 vs 12.3±1.6 mL/day, P 1A / V 2 receptor antagonist, conivaptan (22 ng/hr, 10 days, s.c.; 113±5 mmHg, P=0.02). Preliminary experiments demonstrate that infusion of the selective V 2 receptor antagonist, tolvaptan (22 ng/hr, 10 days, s.c.), has similar effects. Further, while abdominal aorta and mesenteric arteries demonstrate selective desensitization to vasopressin and down-regulation of the V 1A receptor (38% of control, P 2 receptor expression remained normal in sRA mice. Together, these data demonstrate major roles for vasopressin and its V 2 receptor in the hypertension caused by elevated brain RAS activity.
Etruscan Gold Dental Appliances

By 630 BCE Etruscan metallurgists in central Italy had begun to apply their impressive goldworking skills in the production of dental bridges (pontics). The achievement of this technological development began with the fabrication of a hollow gold tooth mounted on a thin band of gold. The band served to anchor this dental appliance to the healthy teeth adjacent to the gap filled by the gold tooth. The original use of these Etruscan appliances was to provide a decorative replacement for one or more maxillary incisors that had been deliberately removed in a cultural process known as dental ablation (or tooth evulsion). Soon after 630 BCE the Etruscan technology for making these replacements shifted to using natural human teeth, often those that had been deliberately removed, or carved ivory examples. These “false” or replacement teeth were mounted in a gold band where they were held in place by various methods. The more common means was to drill and rivet the replacement in place using gold pins. Less commonly a part of the band was formed into a rectangular bezel into which the false or replacement tooth could be set like a jewel.
PREDICTORS OF RIGHT VENTRICULAR RECOVERY IN PATIENTS SUPPORTED WITH VA-ECMO FOR ACUTE MASSIVE PULMONARY EMBOLISM

Veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) has emerged as a promising modality for massive pulmonary embolism (MPE). It is unclear which patients ultimately require surgical pulmonary embolectomy vs. anticoagulation (AC) alone. We investigated predictors of right ventricular (RV)
Liberation and release of rare earth minerals from Middle Kittanning, Fire Clay, and West Kentucky No. 13 coal sources

Abstract A laboratory REE release test procedure was designed to better understand the association and liberation characteristics of rare earth elements (REEs) from coal-based material, such as coal middlings and refuse. For this particular study, three samples of mixed-phase, middling material was collected from three coal preparation plants operating in three different coal basins and coal seams, namely Fire Clay, Middle Kittanning, and West Kentucky #13. In these release tests, the mixed-phase material was first ground in a laboratory ball mill for a designated amount of time and subsequently decarbonized using staged flotation. The REE content of the high ash tailings and low ash concentrate was determined, and the process was repeated for various target grind sizes down to the micron range. The results indicate that smaller grind sizes produce increased REE concentrations in the high ash tailings, and this result is predominantly driven by the increased ash content in the decarbonized tailings. The grinding characteristics of the Fire Clay coal source showed that more energy is needed to achieve the desired particle size reduction; however further size reduction of this sample resulted in a significantly higher ash and REE content in the tailings material due to improved liberation. For the Middle Kittanning and West Kentucky #13 sources, the grinding and release data indicates that the mineral matter is liberated at a coarser particle size, and micronizing the coals only produces marginal improvements in rare earth mineral liberation and recovery.
The CO Complexation of (Et4N)3 [Fe4S4(SPh)4]

Carbon monoxide inhibits the reduction of substrates by nitrogenase both in vivo and in vitro. A possible mechanism for this may involve the binding of CO to Fe4S4(SR)4 clusters of the molybdenum-iron protein. We have carried out an investigation of CO binding to synthetic Fe4S4(SPh)2−, 3− clusters in order to understand more fully the nature of CO binding in the MoFe protein of Avl nitrogenase.
Chromosomes and Cancer: Inactivation of Tumor Suppressor Genes

Harris et al.(1969) showed that the fusion of normal and malignant cells produced hybrid cells that were generally nonmalignant. Rarely, however, a hybrid cell gave rise to malignant subclones. These always showed some loss of chromosomes derived from the normal parent, suggesting that one or more of these chromosomes carried a tumor suppressor gene. This has been confirmed by studies showing that the addition of a specific chromosome, chromosome segment, or single gene can suppress the tumorigenic capability of cancer cells. Thus, chromosome 11 suppresses the malignancy of Wilms renal tumor cells and of HeLa or other cervical cancer cells. The gene responsible has been mapped to 11q13, using deletions and translocations (Jesudasan et al., 1995). Another tumor suppressor locus has been mapped to 11p11.2–p12 using microcell hybridization and PCR analysis of a battery of genetic markers scattered along the chromosome (Fig. 28.1; Coleman et al., 1997). The normal function of a tumor suppressor gene is to prevent unregulated growth of cells. When both copies of such a gene are deleted or inactivated by mutation, the absence of the product allows uncontrolled growth to occur. An individual who has inherited a mutant tumor suppressor gene has a greatly increased risk of developing one or more types of cancer, because somatic mutation (deletion or inactivation) of only the single normal copy of the gene is necessary to abolish the tumor-suppressing function of the gene.
The Importance of Non-Human Primate Models for Pre-clinical Studies in Hematopoiesis

Of all living experimental models, murine studies of hematopoiesis represent the greatest number. Such models can be undeniably elegant reflecting the extensive technological tools available. While mice can be used to study specific genetic pedigrees, specific physiologic, and gene pathways using knockouts, and a variety of immune responses using immunologically deficient mice, murine models are limited in their applicability for clinical use. Rodents differ from humans in many aspects including their short lifespan, difference in the rate of doubling of hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells, and the responses of blood cells to the hematological stresses of radiation and cytotoxic agents [1-5].
Does a parsimonious measure of complex body mass index trajectories exist

A single measure that distills complex body mass index (BMI) trajectories into one value could facilitate otherwise complicated analyses. This study creates and assesses the validity of such a measure: average excess BMI. We use data from Waves I–IV of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (n = 17,669). We calculate average excess BMI by integrating to find the area above a healthy BMI trajectory and below each subject-specific trajectory and divide this value by total study time. To assess validity and utility, we (1) evaluate relationships between average excess BMI from adolescence to adulthood and adult chronic conditions, (2) compare associations and fit to models using subject-specific BMI trajectory parameter estimates as predictors, and (3) compare associations to models using BMI trajectory parameter estimates as outcomes. Average excess BMI from adolescence to adulthood is associated with increased odds of hypertension (OR = 1.56; 95% CI: 1.47, 1.67), hyperlipidemia (OR = 1.36; 95% CI: 1.26, 1.47), and diabetes (OR = 1.57; 95% CI: 1.47, 1.67). The odds associated with average excess BMI are higher than the odds associated with the BMI intercept, linear, or quadratic slope. Correlations between observed and predicted health outcomes are slightly lower for some models using average excess BMI as the focal predictor compared to those using BMI intercept, linear, and quadratic slope. When using trajectory parameters as outcomes, some co-variates associate with the intercept, linear, and quadratic slope in contradicting directions. This study supports the utility of average excess BMI as an outcome. The higher an individual's average excess BMI from adolescence to adulthood, the greater their odds of chronic conditions. Future studies investigating longitudinal BMI as an outcome should consider using average excess BMI, whereas studies that conceptualize longitudinal BMI as the predictor should continue using traditional latent growth methods.
Longitudinal changes in semantic concreteness in semantic variant Primary Progressive Aphasia (svPPA)

This study examines longitudinal changes in the concreteness of nouns produced by human patients with semantic variant primary progressive aphasia (svPPA). Cross-sectional studies show that patients with svPPA demonstrate severe loss of concrete noun knowledge linked to atrophy of the left ventral temporal lobe. It is unknown how disease spread and duration affect the magnitude of the concreteness impairment in svPPA. We evaluate longitudinal spoken production of concrete nouns in svPPA, and relate this to changes in longitudinal MRI measures of gray matter (GM). Noun concreteness in svPPA is compared to that of behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) patients, who typically demonstrate highly concrete speech. We elicited naturalistic speech samples at two time points (time 1 and time 2) in patients with svPPA (n = 11) and bvFTD (n = 15) through descriptions of the Cookie Theft picture and evaluated each spoken noun for concreteness. Compared to bvFTD patients whose noun production remained highly concrete throughout the testing period, mixed-effects models revealed that noun concreteness significantly decreased as disease progressed in svPPA. We also measured longitudinal changes to GM in a subset of svPPA patients (n = 7), who showed significant decline in the left and right temporal and frontal regions. Regression analyses revealed that longitudinal GM atrophy in the right fusiform and parahippocampal gyri and the left superior temporal gyrus was related to decreasing noun concreteness. These results suggest that progressive atrophy of the ventral temporal lobe in svPPA contributes to declining concrete noun production over time.
The Rise and Fall of the Blue Book: An Examination of Essay Exam Books

In recent years, as electronic testing has become more popular it has replaced other forms of testing. Utah State University’s Fall 2016 English 3470 Approaches to Research in English Studies course decided to research what was happening to one of those forms, the blue book, via historiography, textual analysis, faculty interviews, and a survey of students. We found a less significant decline in use of blue-book exams than expected, one reason being that faculty members are more concerned with cheating with computerized exams than with blue books. Students, however, prefer computerized exams and have more anxiety with blue books. While we predict a continued decline in use of the blue books, our research suggests they may not disappear entirely.
Urban tree specific gravity and ash content: A case study from Baltimore, Maryland USA

Interest in conducting urban tree inventories and quantifying the associated wood resource has accelerated at a pace faster than supporting research needs can be identified and accomplished. For example, it is common to apply allometric models and wood properties values developed from studies of rural forest-grown trees to urban trees, despite unknown degrees of inaccuracy that may exist. To examine potential differences in wood properties between trees grown in forest and urban settings, wood samples were collected from stumps of recently felled trees for nine native hardwood species in the city of Baltimore, MD USA. The samples were analyzed for basic specific gravity (SG) and ash content (AC). The results from urban trees were compared with published values from studies based on forest-grown trees. There was no general trend in the results for SG; however, urban Acer rubrum L., Fraxinus spp., and Quercus rubra L. appeared to have higher SG, with Quercus palustris Munchh. having lower SG, than their forested counterparts. Based on these results, the use of existing forest-based SG data may produce weight estimates of urban woody biomass that are 5–10% too low. Conversely, most of the species studied exhibited higher AC than their forested counterparts, although some results were mixed depending on the basis of comparison. Further work is needed on a wider range of species and geographic locations to refine the results and better support the analysis of urban tree inventories, which are increasingly used for carbon accounting and assessing feedstocks for biofuel use.
N-ACETYLTRANSFERASE PHENOTYPE AND RISK IN INDUSTRIAL URINARY BLADDER CANCER: APPROACHES TO HIGH RISK GROUPS

A variable but often significant proportion of urinary bladder cancer in urban areas can be attributed to occupational situations associated with exposures to various arylamines. The variable N-acetylation of carcinogenic arylamines by human hepatic enzyme systems, the known genetic regulation and polymorphic distribution of this enzyme activity in humans, and the known enhanced susceptibility of individuals with the genetically-distinct “slow acetylator” phenotype to various arylamine toxicities, has prompted examination of possible correlations between N-acetyltransferase phenotype and urinary bladder cancer risk in rural and urban populations. In this context, N-acetylation is viewed as a component of detoxication pathways with respect to arylamine bladder carcinogenesis.
Longer Time Before Acute Rehabilitation Therapy Worsens Disability After Intracerebral Hemorrhage

Abstract Objective Assess the association of time to initiation of acute rehabilitation therapy with disability after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) and identify predictors of time to initiation of rehabilitation therapy. Design Retrospective data analysis of prospectively collected data from an ongoing observational cohort study. Setting Large comprehensive stroke center in a metropolitan area. Participants Adults with ICH consecutively admitted (n=203). Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures Disability was assessed with the modified Rankin Scale (mRS), with poor outcome defined as mRS 4-6 (dependence or worse). Time to initiation of acute rehabilitation therapy was defined as the number of days between hospital admission and the first consult by any rehabilitation therapy specialist (eg, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy). Results The median number of days from hospital admission to initiation of acute rehabilitation therapy was 3 (range=2-7). Multivariable logistic regression models indicated that each additional day between admission and initiation of acute rehabilitation therapy was associated with increased odds of poor outcome at 30 days (adjusted odds ratio [OR]=1.151; 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.044-1.268; P=.005) and at 90 days (adjusted OR=1.107; 95% CI=1.003-1.222; P=.044) for patients with ICH. A multivariable linear regression model used to identify the predictors of time to initiation of rehabilitation therapy identified heavy drinking (>5 drinks per day), premorbid mRS Conclusions Longer time to initiation of acute rehabilitation therapy after ICH may have persistent effects on poststroke disability. Delays in acute rehabilitation therapy consults should be minimized and may improve outcomes after ICH.