cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Jupiter's Cloud Structure as Constrained by Galileo Probe and HST Observations

The Galileo Probe sampled Jupiter's atmosphere at the edge of a 5-μm hot spot, where it found very little cloud opacity above the 700 mb level. Only τ=1–2 at λ=0.5 μm was inferred from Net Flux Radiometer observations (Sromovsky et al. 1998, J. Geophys. Res.103, 22,929–22,977), in seeming conflict with Chanover et al. (1997, Icarus128, 294–305) who inferred τ=6–8 above the 700 mb level (at λ∼0.9 μm) from 893-nm and 953-nm WFPC2 observations of a group of hot spots. Postulating a heterogeneous cloud structure is one way to resolve the conflict. We obtained a more satisfying resolution by reinterpretation of the HST observations with Probe-compatible assumptions about the vertical distribution of cloud particles. Assuming a physically thin upper (putative NH3) cloud with adjustable optical depth and effective pressure (peff<440 mb) and a physically thin midlevel (putative NH4SH) cloud with adjustable optical depth but a fixed pressure of 1.2 bars, we are able to fit WPFC2 observations with probe-consistent opacities in hot spot regions. With the same cloud pressures, but higher middle cloud opacities, we are even able to fit the visibly bright regions. Little variability is seen in the upper cloud. Best fits to October 1995 WFPC2 observations in dark regions (5-μm hot spots) yielded τupper=1.3–1.9 at 0.9 μm and peff=240 mb−270 mb, while in visibly bright regions between hot spots we obtained τupper=1.6–2.2 and peff=250 mb−290 mb. May 1996 observations yielded slightly higher values of τupper (1.8–2.3 and 2.0–2.8) and peff (250 mb−310 mb and 265 mb−320 mb). We found that the most important variable parameter is the opacity of the middle cloud, which ra nged from τ=1, 2 in dark regions, to τ=8–30 in bright regions. From limb darkening characteristics, we inferred a wavelength-dependent haze opacity ranging from 0.2±0.05 at 660 nm to 0.35±0.05 at 953 nm, and an effective haze pressure near 120 mb. We did not find it necessary to use low single scattering albedos that require effective imaginary indices, that are several orders of magnitude larger than the values of the main putative cloud components.
Associations of weight loss and changes in fat distribution with the remission of hypertension in a bi-ethnic cohort: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study

Abstract Background To examine associations of weight loss and changes in fat distribution with changes in blood pressure and the remission of hypertension in a community-based sample. Methods Participants were 3245 white and African-American men and women, 45–64 years of age, who participated in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study over an average of 9 years. Mixed models analyses were used to examine the associations of weight loss and changes in fat distribution with changes in blood pressure. Proportional hazard models with time-dependent covariates were used to examine the associations of weight loss and changes in fat distribution with the remission of hypertension. Results Weight loss was associated with a decrease in systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure and with an increased rate of remission of hypertension. Hazard ratios of the remission of hypertension associated with 1-kg increment in annual weight loss were 2.04 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.62–2.59), 1.38 (95% CI: 1.14–1.67), 1.84 (95% CI: 1.47–2.29), and 1.53 (95% CI: 1.14–2.05) for white women, African-American women, white men, and African-American men, respectively. Changes in fat distribution were associated with the remission of hypertension in younger (45–54 years) participants. Conclusions Weight loss was associated with a decrease in blood pressure and with remission of hypertension in white and African-American men and women.
Prostaglandin (PG)D2 and 15-deoxy-Δ12,14-PGJ2, but not PGE2, Mediate Shear-Induced Chondrocyte Apoptosis via Protein Kinase A-dependent Regulation of Polo-like Kinases

Excessive mechanical loading of cartilage producing hydrostatic stress, tensile strain and fluid flow leads to chondrocyte apoptosis and osteoarthritis. High fluid flow induces cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression in sheared chondrocytes, which suppresses their antioxidant capacity and contributes to apoptosis. The pivotal role of COX-2 in shear-induced chondrocyte apoptosis and the conflicting literature data on the roles of prostaglandin (PG)E(2), PGD(2) and its metabolite 15-deoxy-Delta(12,14)-PGJ(2) (15d-PGJ(2)) in chondrocyte apoptosis prompted us to analyze which COX-2-derived PG is involved in this process. We show that exogenously added PGD(2) and 15d-PGJ(2), but not PGE(2), diminish the viability of human T/C-28a2 chondrocytes under static conditions. In agreement with these observations, knockdown of L-PGD synthase (L-PGDS) abolishes shear-induced chondrocyte apoptosis. Using cDNA microarrays in conjunction with clustering algorithms, we propose a novel signaling pathway by which high fluid shear mediates COX-2/L-PGDS-dependent chondrocyte apoptosis, which is validated by molecular interventions. We show that L-PGDS controls the downregulation of protein kinase A (PKA), which in turn regulates Polo-like kinase1 (Plk1) and Plk3. Plks target p53, which controls the transcription of p53 effectors (TP53INPs, FAS and Bax) involved in chondrocyte apoptosis. Reconstructing the signaling network regulating chondrocyte apoptosis may provide insights to optimize conditions for culturing artificial cartilage in bioreactors and for developing therapeutic strategies for arthritic disorders.
Neuronal codes: reading them and learning how their structure influences network organization

Our investigations of the primate visual system show that neuronal responses carry information in a multi-dimensional code that is superimposed onto the response envelope in a slow time varying fashion. The precision of timing is 30 ms or more. In primary visual cortex response latency and response strength are largely independent, with latency more closely coding contrast or visibility and strength more closely coding stimulus orientation, or perhaps shape. Adjacent neurons in both V1 and inferior temporal cortex share only about 10% of their stimulus-related information, which we demonstrate to be consistent with the idea that cortical layers were organized to minimize information loss.
A Reexamination of Pulsatile Luteinizing Hormone Secretion in Primary Testicular Failure

The pulsatile pattern of LH secretion was studied in six patients with primary testicular failure and six healthy adult men by drawing peripheral blood samples every 10 min for 12 h. Mean basal LH concentrations were increased approximately 6-fold in hypogonadal men. In these patients mean absolute LH pulse amplitude was 3 times that of the controls [106 ± 27 (se) ng/ml vs. 31 ± 2 ng/ml; P < 0.01] and the frequency of spontaneous LH secretory episodes was increased 2-fold (between-pulse interval of 53 ± 3 min vs. 107 ± 8 min; P < 0.01). Mean pulse amplitude was directly related to mean LH concentration in hypogonadal men (r = 0.94, P < 0.01), but notin controls (r = 0.38, P = NS). Within each group there was no relationship between circulating testosterone or mean LH levels and LH pulse frequency. This study demonstrates that the increased circulating levels of LH in hypogonadal men are a consequence of an increase in both LH pulse frequency and pulse amplitude. The prolonged, more frequent sampling proto...
Investigation of the dielectric properties of bismuth pyrochlores

The dielectric properties of polycrystalline bismuth-based pyrochlores of the general chemical form Bi2(B232+B435+)O7 and Bi2(B3+B5+)O7 where B2+ = Mg, Cu, Zn and Ni, B3+ = Sc and In, and B5+ = Nb and Ta, were investigated as a function of temperature and frequency. At low temperatures (T ∼ 100−150 K), a dielectric dispersion was universally observed within these systems. The dielectric dispersion was analyzed using phenomenological models often used for describing dipolar glass systems. Similar activation energies and pre-exponential damping frequencies are found to exist with dipolar glasses such as RADP (RbxH2PO4(NH4)1−xH2PO4), K1−xLixTaO3, KBr1−xCNx and KI1−x(NO2)x.
Collecting and analyzing DNA evidence from fingernails: a comparative study.

Forensic practitioners and crime laboratories regularly collect and analyze fingernail evidence; however, the best techniques for processing such evidence have not been established. In this study, numerous aspects of fingernail evidence processing-collection of exogenous cells, transportation, purification of DNA, and STR analysis-were analyzed using fingernails harboring applied blood or epithelial cells from scratchings. Autosomal STR mixtures resulted when fingernails were soaked or swabbed, while scrapings rarely generated mixtures but exhibited allelic dropout. Y-STRs yielded single source profiles, with scrapings again showing dropout. A silica-based kit extraction recovered significantly more exogenous DNA than did organic extraction, neither of which was affected by nail polish. Swabbing nails in succession resulted in some cross-contamination from exogenous material, while transporting nails together did not, although there was loss of exogenous cells. Optimized nail processing produced complete Y-STR profiles of male volunteers from female fingernails following scratchings.
Ascorbate Inhibits Edema in Brain Slices

Ascorbate is an essential antioxidant in the CNS, localized predominantly in neuronal cytosol. Slices of mammalian brain rapidly lose ascorbate, however, when incubated in ascorbate-free media; brain slices also take up water and swell. Here we investigated water gain in coronal slices of rat forebrain incubated with and without ascorbate for 1-3 h at 34 degrees C. Slices progressively gained water in ascorbate-free media, with a significant 12% water increase after 3 h at 34 degrees C, compared with the water content of slices after a 1-h recovery period at 24 degrees C, immediately following slice preparation. Inclusion of 400 micro M ascorbate in the medium led to an increase in tissue ascorbate content and prevented water gain at 34 degrees C. By contrast, water gain was not inhibited by isoascorbate or thiourea, which are antioxidants that are not accumulated in brain cells. The oxidant H2O2 enhanced water gain, whereas a cocktail of NMDA and non-NMDA receptor blockers inhibited edema formation to the same extent as ascorbate. These data demonstrate that brain edema, linked to glutamate-receptor activation, can result from intracellular oxidative stress and that this can be prevented by ascorbate.
Concomitant unilateral internal iliac artery embolization and endovascular infrarenal aortic aneurysm repair.

Introduction Endograft limb extension to the external iliac artery with embolization of an internal iliac artery (IIA) may be necessary in patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) extending to the common iliac artery to prevent endoleak during endovascular aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR). Coil embolization of the IIA can be performed at the same operative setting as EVAR or, alternatively, as a staged procedure. Most interventionalists favor the latter approach to avoid excessive contrast material and prolonged operative time. We investigated the clinical outcome of concomitant vs staged unilateral IIA embolization in the setting of EVAR. Methods Vascular surgeons at our institution treated 24 patients with infrarenal EVAR and unilateral coil embolization of the IIA from October 1, 2000 to June 30, 2005. All patients had normal renal function. The details of the operative procedure and perioperative complications were compared in patients undergoing concomitant vs staged procedures. Follow up was 1 to 40 months (average, 11 months). Results Among the 24, 16 underwent concomitant unilateral IIA embolization in the setting of EVAR and eight patients underwent the staged procedure. Average duration of operative time (298 vs 284 minutes), amount of intravenous contrast (215 mL vs 164 mL), and preoperative (1.12 vs 1.26 mg/dL), and postoperative (1.15 v. 1.31 mg/dl) creatinine levels were similar in the concomitant vs staged group, respectively ( P > .05 for all factors). More sensitive markers of renal insufficiency such as creatinine clearance were not measured. In the concomitant group, 25% (4/16) of patients reported significant symptoms of buttock claudication ipsilateral to the embolized IIA, which resolved after a mean of 8.8 months (range, 1 to15 months) vs no cases (0/8) in the staged group ( P = .02048). One patient in the staged group developed ischemic colitis, which was treated conservatively. Coil embolizations that were performed as staged procedures were all done on an outpatient basis. All 24 patients were admitted the day of the EVAR and were discharged the next day, except one patient in the concomitant group was discharged the second day after the procedure, and one patient in the staged group was discharged 7 days after the procedure. Conclusion Despite concern of prolonged operative time and the amount of contrast needed to perform concomitant IIA embolization and EVAR, our results showed that in patients with normal renal function, concomitant unilateral IIA embolization in the setting of EVAR was safe and effective and associated with shorter hospitalization compared with staged procedures. The disadvantage of a concomitant procedure is an increased likelihood of transient buttock claudication, but the small number of patients in this series prohibits definite conclusions about this complication. The concomitant procedure may be preferable for infirm patients with normal renal function who would be greatly inconvenienced by two procedures.
Development and control of intestinal and hepatic fructokinase.

Extract: The patterns of development of intestinal and hepatic fructokinase have been studied in the rat, in the rabbit, and in man, and information regarding the mechanism of control of this enzyme in mature organs has been obtained. Fructokinase activity was detectable 4 days before term in fetal rat jejunum (1.0 nmol/min/mg protein) and rose progressively to a plateau 20-fold greater by the 20th day of life (20 nmol/min/mg protein). The enzyme in rat ileum and liver and in rabbit liver behaved similarly (rising from 0.5 to 4.0 nmol/min/mg protein (ileum) and from 0.5 to 8.5 nmol/min/mg protein (liver)). In human fetal liver, there was a threefold rise in fructokinase activity from approximately the 10th to 24th week of gestation (increasing from 2.1 to 7.8 nmol/min/mg protein); jejunal activity rose slightly, but not significantly, during this period. As expected, feeding of mature rats with sucrose after prolonged carbohydrate starvation led to a twofold increase in jejunal (from 6.05 to 13.0 nmol/min/mg protein) and hepatic (from 14.1 to 24.2 nmol/min/mg protein) fructokinase activity. The administration of actinomycin before the introduction of sucrose inhibited the carbohydrate-stimulated rise in fructokinase activity in both organs. Similarly, injection of actinomycin during sucrose feeding produced a significant fall in enzyme activity which greatly exceeded that produced by fasting alone. The data suggest that the substrate-dependent activity of this enzyme may be regulated at the level of transcription. Speculation: These studies support the hypothesis that the genetic control of certain enzymes involved in carbohydrate metabolism can be influenced by exogenous factors, among them dietary carbohydrate.
An Experimental and Theoretical Investigation of Dynamic Pull-In in MEMS Devices Actuated Electrostatically

In this work, we investigate dynamic pull-in in MEMS devices actuated with a DC voltage superimposed to an AC harmonic voltage. We focus on the role of the AC frequency and amplitude in triggering instabilities. Dynamic pull-in is treated here in the context of a broader concept in nonlinear dynamics, which is the escape-from-potential-well phenomenon. The escape is defined where, for specific AC frequency and amplitude, the system exhibits the pull-in instability. We investigate dynamic pull-in experimentally in a polysilicon microcantilever beam, a cantilever and clamped-clamped microbeams made of gold, and a capacitive accelerometer. It is found experimentally that, despite the differences in their structures, the tested devices exhibit similar escape behavior near their fundamental natural frequency (primary resonance). A series of experiments are conducted using the capacitive accelerometer to study the effect of pressure (damping), excitation amplitude and frequency, resonance type (primary and subharmonic at twice the device’s natural frequency), and sweeping type (sweeping the AC amplitude or sweeping the AC frequency) on the escape zones. It is found that, except for the sweeping type, these factors have significant effect on shaping the escape zones. A nonlinear lumped-parameter model is used to capture the dynamics of the capacitive accelerometer. A shooting method is utilized to predict the theoretical zones of inevitable escape, where it is impossible for a resonator to oscillate in a stable state. An attempt has been made to relate the inevitable escape bands to the pull-in bands measured experimentally. We found that both pull-in bands and inevitable escape bands are correlated. However, we concluded that experimental testing is still needed to estimate accurately the instability bounds of each electrostatically actuated resonator.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Potential Effects of Digoxin on Long-Term Renal and Clinical Outcomes in Chronic Heart Failure

Abstract Background Digitalis glycosides are known to improve the hemodynamic and neurohormonal perturbations that contribute to heart failure (HF)–induced renal dysfunction (RD). The objective of this study was to determine if randomization to digoxin is associated with improvement in renal function (IRF) and to evaluate if patients with digoxin-induced IRF have improved clinical outcomes. Methods and Results Patients in the Digitalis Investigation Group (DIG) dataset with protocol-driven 1-year serum creatinine levels (performed in a central laboratory; n = 980) were studied. IRF was defined as a postrandomization ≥20% increase in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). IRF occurred in 15.5% of the population (mean improvement in eGFR 34.5 ± 15.4%) and was more common in patients randomized to digoxin (adjusted odds ratio 1.6; P = .02). In patients without IRF, digoxin was not associated with reduced death or hospitalization (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 0.96, 95% CI 0.8–1.2; P = .67). However, in the group with IRF, digoxin was associated with substantially improved hospitalization-free survival (adjusted HR 0.49, 95% CI 0.3–0.8; P = .006; P interaction = .026). Conclusions In this subset of the DIG trial, digoxin was associated with long-term improvement in kidney function and, in patients demonstrating this favorable renal response, reduction in death or hospitalization. Additional research is necessary to confirm these hypothesis-generating findings.
Hypertension: Is there a dark side to thiazide therapy for hypertension?

Many clinical guidelines recommend thiazide diuretics as first-line treatment for hypertension, even in individuals with mild chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, results from the ACCOMPLISH trial add to growing evidence that thiazide-based therapy does not retard progression of CKD. Re-evaluation of the role of these agents in the management of hypertension in patients with CKD might be appropriate.
Reading Human Rights Literature in Undergraduate Literature Classes: Professorial Desire, Disciplinary Culture, and the Chances of Cultivating Compassion

This article opens with survey results indicating that a majority of professors of undergraduate courses hope to encourage their students to take action for social change and goes on to examine the chances of success when professors assign human rights literature as part of that project. Hope for a positive outcome would appear to be bolstered by psychologists’ experimental findings that under certain conditions fictional texts as well as factual ones can persuade readers to act in favor of justice. However, those findings also point to a second and far more common outcome of reading about injustice. If readers’ exigent requirements for action are not met, they will instead engage in cognitive restructuring of their perspectives on the situation, sufferer, suffering, or themselves. For instance, readers may cease to view the suffering as unjust and remediable, or they may come to see others (rather than themselves) as the appropriate agents of change. Considering the magnitude of the task as well as the a...
The construction of large sets of indempotent quasigroups

The maximum number of idempotent quasigroups of order n which pairwise agree on the main diagonal only is n − 2. Such a collection is called a large set of idempotent quasigroups of order n. The main result in this paper is the construction of a large set of idempotent quasigroups of order n for every n ⩾ 3 except n = 6, for which no such collection exists, and n = 14 and 62. Additionally, the known spectrum for large sets of Mendelsohn quasigroups is improved.
Glorund, a Drosophila hnRNP F/H Homolog, Is an Ovarian Repressor of nanos Translation

Patterning of the anterior-posterior body axis of the Drosophila embryo requires production of Nanos protein selectively in the posterior. Spatially restricted Nanos synthesis is accomplished by translational repression of unlocalized nanos mRNA together with translational activation of posteriorly localized nanos. Repression of unlocalized nanos mRNA is mediated by a bipartite translational control element (TCE) in its 3' untranslated region. TCE stem-loop II functions during embryogenesis, through its interaction with the Smaug repressor. Stem-loop III represses unlocalized nanos mRNA during oogenesis, but trans-acting factors that carry out this function have remained elusive. Here we identify a Drosophila hnRNP, Glorund, that interacts specifically with stem-loop III. We establish that the ability of the TCE to repress translation in vivo reflects its ability to bind Glorund in vitro. These data, together with the analysis of a glorund null mutant, reveal a specific role for an hnRNP in repression of nanos translation during oogenesis.
Should I e-collaborate with this group? A multilevel model of usage intentions

The use of online collaboration tools for virtual teamwork has been studied extensively, but mainly at the individual-level. We decided to examine the effect of macro-level factors (i.e., team attributes) and applied hierarchical linear modeling analysis to a sample of data collected from 96 individuals nested in 34 virtual teams. Our results suggested that the development of behavioral e-collaboration intentions by individual virtual team members was affected by their perceptions about the system, as described by individual-level IT use theories, and macro-level factors pertaining to the team. The collaboration technology was perceived to be less useful when employed to communicate with social loafers; and collective social loafing negatively influenced the teams' potency assessments. After controlling for individual-level perceptions of system usefulness, team potency augmented team members' intentions to use the online collaboration technology with similar teams. It also improved team performance.
Healing of Sharp Incisions and Electroincisions in Dogs: A Comparative Study

Healing of incisions made by sharp blade and of those made by electroincision was compared. The electrosurgical unit used generated a wave form that closely resembled a square wave. Six paired incisions were made in the skin and external abdominal muscle fascia of 8 dogs by sharp blade and electroincision, and were sutured. One pair of incisions was made every other day in each dog; fascia and skin were examined at 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 days after incision. The presence of certain microscopic features was graded on an arbitrary scale of 0, 1, 2, and 3 for none, slight, moderate, and heavy, respectively; the grades were then averaged and compared. No differences were observed in the quantity of hemorrhage, capillaries, fibroblasts, and collagen and mature fibroblasts. More fibrin, necrosis, and polymorphonuclear leukocytes were observed following electroincision at 4, 6, 12, and 8 to 10 days, respectively. Considerably more edema was present following sharp incision from 4 to 12 days. The strength of wounds made by sharp incision was greater than the strength of those made by electroincision after day 6, but the two were almost identical by day 12. The data suggest that suture removal should be delayed until the 10th postoperative day, approximately 3 days later than is advised for sharp incision.
How many words can we read at once? More intervenor effects in masked priming

Abstract It is argued that the existence of masked translation priming from L1 to L2 with a 50 ms prime implies that processing of the prime must continue well after it has been replaced by the target, since it is estimated that the meaning of a word is not established until at least 120 ms after stimulus onset. This fact implies that the lexical processor must be equipped to handle two words simultaneously. However when a masked word intervenes between the prime and the target, three words must be processed simultaneously. Under these conditions, form priming is eliminated altogether, and identity priming is reduced, suggesting that the capacity of the lexical processor does not extend to three words. Four experiments are reported showing that this disruption of priming only occurs when the intervenor triggers lexical processing. It is argued that the differential effect of the intervenor on identity and form priming can be explained on the assumption that priming takes place at the level of form, and at the level of meaning. As support for this interpretation, it is shown that an identity prime is capable of generating a congruence effect in a semantic categorization experiment despite the presence of a masked intervenor.
A Review of “Principles of Condensed Matter Physics” by P.M. Chaikin and T.C. Lubensky, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, U.K., 2000, ISBN 0 521 79450 1(paperback); $47,95

(2001). A Review of “Principles of Condensed Matter Physics” by P.M. Chaikin and T.C. Lubensky, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, U.K., 2000, ISBN 0 521 79450 1(paperback); $47,95. Molecular Crystals and Liquid Crystals Science and Technology. Section A. Molecular Crystals and Liquid Crystals: Vol. 369, No. 1, pp. 275-275.
Minimizing mean flowtime and makespan on master--slave systems

The master-slave scheduling model is a new model recently introduced by Sahni. It has many important applications in parallel computer scheduling and industrial settings such as semiconductor testing, machine scheduling, etc. In this model each job is associated with a preprocessing task, a slave task and a postprocessing task that must be executed in this order. While the preprocessing and postprocessing tasks are scheduled on the master machine, the slave tasks are scheduled on the slave machines. In this paper, we consider scheduling problems on single-master master-slave systems. We first strengthen some previously known complexity results for makespan problems, by showing them to be strongly NP-hard. We then show that the problem of minimizing the mean flowtime is strongly NP-hard even under severe constraints. Finally, we propose some heuristics for the mean flowtime and makespan problems subject to some constraints, and we analyze the worst-case performance of these heuristics.
Relative performance of a vibratory energy harvester in mono- and bi-stable potentials

Motivated by the need for broadband vibratory energy harvesting, many research studies have recently proposed energy harvesters with nonlinear characteristics. Based on the shape of their potential function, such devices are classified as either mono- or bi-stable energy harvesters. This paper aims to investigate the relative performance of these two classes under similar excitations and electric loading conditions. To achieve this goal, an energy harvester consisting of a clamped–clamped piezoelectric beam bi-morph is considered. The shape of the harvester's potential function is altered by applying a static compressive axial load at one end of the beam. This permits operation in the mono-stable (pre-buckling) and bi-stable (post-buckling) configurations. For the purpose of performance comparison, the axial load is used to tune the harvester's oscillation frequencies around the static equilibria such that they have equal values in the mono- and bi-stable configurations. The harvester is subjected to harmonic base excitations of different magnitudes and a slowly varying frequency spanning a wide band around the tuned oscillation frequency. The output voltage measured across a purely resistive load is compared over the frequency range considered. Two cases are discussed; the first compares the performance when the bi-stable harvester has deep potential wells, while the second treats a bi-stable harvester with shallow wells. Both numerical and experimental results demonstrate the essential role that the potential shape plays in conjunction with the base acceleration to determine whether the bi-stable harvester can outperform the mono-stable one and for what range of frequencies. Results also illustrate that, for a bi-stable harvester with shallow potential wells, super-harmonic resonances can activate the inter-well dynamics even for a small base acceleration, thereby producing large voltages in the low frequency range.
Atrial natriuretic factor: assessment of its structure in atria and regulation of its biosynthesis with volume depletion.

Atrial natriuretic factor(ANF) is a polypeptide that has been isolated from mammalian atrial tissue with potent natriuretic, diuretic and spasmolytic properties. Details of its biosynthesis, cleavage, storage and release are not yet fully defined. Using sequence-specific anti-peptide antisera in immunocytochemical and radioimmunoassay studies, we demonstrated the presence in atrial granules of sequences corresponding to both the large molecular weight (“prohormone”) form of ANF and the carboxyterminal peptide believed to be responsible for its biological activity. However, a peptide sequence spanning the proposed site of cleavage of the “signal peptide” from preproANF was undetected. In volume-depleted rats, a 28% decrease in the relative concentrations of atrial ANF mRNA was observed ascompared to that of controls (P We conclude from these studies that proANF, but not preproANF, is stored in atrial granules. The concentration of stored ANF remains constant in volume-depeleted rats despite a 28% reduction in ambient levels of ANF mRNA. The physiologic significance of these findings is discussed.
Polio: its impact on the people of the United States and the emerging profession of physical therapy.

Admittedly, it may appear incongruous that a review of a disease that infected the nervous system of persons in the first half of the twentieth century would appear in the Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy at the start of the twenty-first century. As will be described, however, most of the physical therapy procedures developed during the polio epidemic involved muscles and their interaction with the skeletal system. Many of the treatments and rehabilitation philosophies created during this time are still very evident today. The “polio days” presented an enormous challenge and an equally enormous opportunity for the budding profession of physical therapy. Much of the growth had to do with timing. Managing the rehabilitation of hundreds of thousands of persons, many in the prime of their own lives or careers, required just the services that a physical therapist could potentially provide. In essence, the polio epidemic created a unique void in the medical arena-a void that was filled by the ra...
Carotid and vagal afferents and drug action on transcallosally evoked cortical potentials.

The use of transcallosally evoked cortical potentials to study the action of intracarotidly injected drugs on cerebral synapses has necessitated the demonstration that vagal, baroreceptor, and chemoreceptor influences do not play essential roles in the drug effects observed—for example, the cerebral synaptic inhibitory action of serotonin.
A three-wave FDTD approach to surface scattering with applications to remote sensing of geophysical surfaces

A major difficulty in physical interpretation of radio wave scattering from geophysical surfaces is the lack of detailed information on the signatures of geologically plausible discrete objects. Although the aggregate response will never be dominated by any single object, differences in the population of discrete objects on or near the surface (their sizes and shapes, for example) can change the character of a radio echo markedly. When the average surface is modelled as a flat, homogeneous half-space, the field that "drives" the scattering process is a composite consisting of the incident plane wave and the reflected and transmitted plane waves, all of which are known quantities; the total field can then be defined as the sum of the driving field and the scattered field. When a discrete object is near the surface, the total field can be calculated using finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) techniques, and the scattered near field can be calculated accordingly. The Green's functions for electric and magnetic currents above and below the surface, obtained by Sommerfeld theory and employed in conjunction with Huygens' principle, transform the local scattered fields to the far field. The FDTD implementation accommodates discrete lossy dielectric and magnetic scatterers in the vicinity of a dielectric surface; extension to a lossy half-space is straightforward. Two-dimensional results for scattering from perfectly conducting circular cylinders above and below a dielectric surface agree with moment method solutions within a few percent. Results for scattering from a dielectric wedge exhibit expected forward diffraction and internal reflection phenomena.
Kinetic determination of the metalmetal bond dissociation energy in bis(dicarbonyl η5-cyclopentadienyliron)

Abstract The ironiron bond energy in [C5H5Fe(CO)2]2 (I) has been determined by measuring the rate of disproportionation of the monoacetyl complex (AcC5H4)(C5H5)Fe2(CO)4 (II) to I and [AcC5H4Fe(CO)2]2 (III). The reaction follows first order kinetics in benzene solution in the temperature range of 60–100°C with activation parameters calculated as: ΔH≠ = 26.9 ± 2.7 kcal mol−1 and ▽s≠ = 2.0 ± 3.2 cal mol−1 deg−1.
Altered global and regional brain mean diffusivity in patients with obstructive sleep apnea

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common and progressive disorder accompanied by severe cardiovascular and neuropsychological sequelae, presumably induced by the brain injury resulting from the intermittent hypoxia and cardiovascular processes accompanying the syndrome. However, whether the predominant brain tissue pathology is acute or chronic in newly-diagnosed, untreated OSA subjects is unclear, an assessment essential to reveal pathological processes. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI)-based mean diffusivity (MD) procedures can detect and differentiate acute from chronic pathology, and may be useful to reveal processes in the condition. We collected four DTI series from 23 newly-diagnosed, treatment-naive OSA and 23 control subjects, using a 3.0-Tesla magnetic resonance imaging scanner. Mean diffusivity maps were calculated from each series, realigned, averaged, normalized to a common space, and smoothed. Global brain MD values of each subject were calculated using normalized MD maps and a global brain mask. Mean global brain MD values and smoothed MD maps were compared between groups using analysis of covariance (covariate: age). Mean global brain MD values were significantly reduced in OSA over controls (p=0.01). Multiple brain sites in OSA, including medullary, cerebellar, basal-ganglia, prefrontal and frontal, limbic, insular, cingulum bundle, external capsule, corpus callosum, temporal, occipital, and corona radiata regions showed reduced regional MD values over controls. The results suggest that global brain MD values are significantly reduced in OSA, with certain regional sites especially affected, presumably a consequence of axonal, glial, and other cell changes in those areas. The findings likely represent acute pathological processes in the newly-diagnosed OSA subjects.
Surface phases of reconstructed tungsten (100) and molybdenum (100)

Abstract After several decades of experimental and theoretical work it has become clear that on most solids, including metals, the surface is subject to reconstruction, i.e. the outermost substrate atoms rearrange in response to changes in temperature, adsorbate coverage, or other variables. Studies of W(100) and Mo(100) have been very useful in this development. Early LEED studies of adsorption on these surfaces revealed a large number of distinct phases and it proved impossible to explain their formation in terms of conventional models which assumed the substrate to be “passive”. The subsequent discovery that the surface is reconstructed in these phases necessitated a reinterpretation of the results and showed that the effective adatom-substrate and adatom-adatom interactions depend on metal atom displacements. It has been found that, in general, substrate structural changes have a strong — sometimes dominant — influence on the kinetic and thermodynamic surface properties.
Deuterium nuclear magnetic resonance of phenol-d5 in nylon 6 under active uniaxial deformation

A stretching device suitable for fitting within a deuterium nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) probe was constructed to investigate the large strain uniaxial tensile deformation behavior of nylon 6 plasticized by 40 wt % of phenol-d5. The phenol-d5 molecules probe the environment of the amorphous regions in nylon 6; the phenol-d5 molecules do not exist in a “free” state, and they remain associated with the amide groups by hydrogen bonding during deformation. Deuterium NMR spectra show that the quadrupolar splitting varies linearly with strain throughout the experiment, indicating that the orientation of the phenol-d5 molecules in the amorphous phase is simply a function of strain and not of stress. The line width increases with strain at low-to-moderate strains but attains a constant value at large strains (in the strain-hardening regime). From low-to-moderate strains, the line width behavior arises from a decrease in the translational motion of the phenol-d5 molecules between amide groups in the amorphous ...
Opposite Regulation of Cholesterol Levels by the Phosphatase and Hydrolase Domains of Soluble Epoxide Hydrolase

Soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) is a bifunctional enzyme with two catalytic domains: a C-terminal epoxide hydrolase domain and an N-terminal phosphatase domain. Epidemiology and animal studies have attributed a variety of cardiovascular and anti-inflammatory effects to the C-terminal epoxide hydrolase domain. The recent association of sEH with cholesterol-related disorders, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor activity, and the isoprenoid/cholesterol biosynthesis pathway additionally suggest a role of sEH in regulating cholesterol metabolism. Here we used sEH knock-out (sEH-KO) mice and transfected HepG2 cells to evaluate the phosphatase and hydrolase domains in regulating cholesterol levels. In sEH-KO male mice we found a ∼25% decrease in plasma total cholesterol as compared with wild type (sEH-WT) male mice. Consistent with plasma cholesterol levels, liver expression of HMG-CoA reductase was found to be ∼2-fold lower in sEH-KO male mice. Additionally, HepG2 cells stably expressing human sEH with phosphatase only or hydrolase only activity demonstrate independent and opposite roles of the two sEH domains. Whereas the phosphatase domain elevated cholesterol levels, the hydrolase domain lowered cholesterol levels. Hydrolase inhibitor treatment in sEH-WT male and female mice as well as HepG2 cells expressing human sEH resulted in higher cholesterol levels, thus mimicking the effect of expressing the phosphatase domain in HepG2 cells. In conclusion, we show that sEH regulates cholesterol levels in vivo and in vitro, and we propose the phosphatase domain as a potential therapeutic target in hypercholesterolemia-related disorders.
Environmental and Economic Optimization of Dairy Manure Management

Manure allocation on dairy farms to meet crop nutrient requirements, minimize environmental risks of nutrient loss, and maximize economic returns is a complex management derision. A multiplecriteria, mathematical programming approach was developed to assess decision-making with respect to manure allocation decisions at the farm scale. The objective function to be optimized includes several subfunctions developed for considering economic and environmental indicators, such as the Phosphorus Site Index. The structure of the nonlinear model allows the planner to change the importance among subfunctions, making it possible to obtain solutions that meet different management objectives for manure allocation. Optimization results for a New York State dairy farm were compared with recommendations made by a farm planner. The results show that using this optimization model allowed the total amount of manure within the farm to be applied, satisfying the nutrient requirements and keeping the P-Index low in all fields where manure was applied. The optimized recommendation resulted in a 31% reduction in the average P-Index weighted by field area and in a 50% reduction in the standard deviation of the P-Index among fields, mainly because manure application was minimized in fields with higher soil-test P and with higher P transport factor. This approach is a definite improvement over current practices used in nutrient management planning, but due to difficulties associated with nonlinear programming, this software is not easily adapted for general use.
Maternal morbidity and infant death in twin vs triplet and quadruplet pregnancies

Objective The purpose of this study was to calculate nationally representative, population-based estimates of maternal and neonatal risks in triplet and quadruplet pregnancies compared with twin pregnancies. Study Design The study population included 316,696 twin, 12,193 triplet, and 778 quadruplet pregnancies from the 1995-2000 Matched Multiple Birth Data Set. Adjusted odds ratios (AORs) and 95% CIs estimated the risk of complications and were controlled for maternal age, race, parity, and smoking status. Results Compared with mothers of twins, mothers of triplets and quadruplets were more likely to be diagnosed with preterm premature rupture of membranes (AORs, 1.53, 1.74, respectively), pregnancy-associated hypertension (AORs, 1.22, 1.27), and excessive bleeding (AORs, 1.50, 2.22), to require tocolysis (AORs, 2.85, 5.03), and to be delivered by cesarean (AORs, 6.55, 7.38) at Conclusion Triplet and quadruplet pregnancies have significantly higher risks than twin pregnancies for most maternal and neonatal complications. Maternal anthropometric, nutritional, and previous reproductive factors may be particularly important in the reduction of these excess risks and improvement of outcomes in multiple births.
Comparison of semi-empirical and computer derived methods for estimating urinary saturation of calcium oxalate.

Purpose: Estimating calcium oxalate saturation in human urine is critical for nephrolithiasis clinical research and practice. The Joint Expert Speciation System (Mayhem Unit Trust and Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Pretoria, South Africa) computer program has questioned the validity of the widely used EQUIL 2 program in estimating calcium oxalate urinary saturation. To attempt resolution the computer model based supersaturation index (by the Joint Expert Speciation System) and the relative saturation ratio (by EQUIL 2) were compared with the experimentally derived activity product ratio, that is the ratio of activity products before and after incubating urine with synthetic calcium oxalate.Materials and Methods: To determine the experimental conditions required to attain calcium oxalate steady state solubility the filtrate concentration product of calcium and oxalate was determined after incubating 8 urine samples with 2 to 15 mg/ml calcium oxalate for various intervals. In 20 urine sampl...
Focus: Music of Northeast Brazil

This book examines the historical and contemporary manifestations of the music of Brazil, a country with a musical landscape that is layered with complexity and diversity.
Comparing Multimedia and Traditional Approaches in Undergraduate Psychology Classes

In this study, we compared the effectiveness of multimedia and traditional classes. Six instructors within the Department of Psychology taught 1 of 3 courses: human development, psychological statistics, or abnormal psychology. An instructor taught each course in either a multimedia or traditional classroom. Results showed that (a) the students in the multimedia and traditional classes did not differ on scholastic abilities prior to course enrollment, (b) students in the larger multimedia class averaged higher examination scores than those in the traditional classes, and (c) there were no consistent patterns between the student's learning preference and final examination scores in either the multimedia or traditional classes. We discuss the implications and limitations of the results.
The psychotropic self/imaginary: subjectivity and psychopharmaceutical use among heroin users with co-occurring mental illness.

Many people diagnosed with mental illnesses struggle with illicit drug addiction. These individuals are often treated with psychiatric medications, yet little is known about how they experience this treatment. Research on the subjective experience of psychiatric medication use highlights the complex, contradictory, and ambiguous feelings often associated with this treatment. However, for those with mental illness and addiction, this experience is complicated by the need to manage both psychiatric medication and illicit drug use. Using ethnographic data from a study of heroin use in Northeast Ohio, we explore this experience by expanding the pharmaceutical self/imaginary (Jenkins, Pharmaceutical Self: The Global Shaping of Experience in an Age of Psychopharmacology, School for Advanced Research Press, Santa Fe, NM, 2010b) to include psychopharmaceuticals and illicit drugs, what we call the psychotropic self/imaginary. Through this lens we explore the ways participants interpret and manage their psychotropic drug use in relation to sociocultural, institutional, and political-economic contexts. This analysis reveals how participants seek desired effects of legally prescribed and illicit drugs to treat mental illness, manage heroin addiction, and maintain a perceived ''normal'' self. Participants manage their drug use using active strategies, such as selective use of psychiatric medications, in the context of structural constraints, such as restricted access to mental health care, and cultural contexts that blur distinctions between ''good'' medicines and ''bad'' drugs.