cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fish species distribution in relation to water quality gradients in the North Branch of the Moose River Basin

The distribution of fish species in the North Branch of the Moose River (Lake Rondaxe to headwaters of Big Moose Lake) was determined by intensive netting and electrofishing surveys of lakes and streams in the watershed during 1982–83. A chronology of changes in fish species occurrence in the drainage system was reconstructed from earlier published surveys conducted in 1882 and 1931 and unpublished survey data obtained by the NYSDEC during the period 1948–1975. Native species present in 1882 were also collected in 1931. Smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) were introduced in the early 1900's and were present in collections made in 1931. Major changes in the fish community have taken place since 1931. The smallmouth bass and many of the native species found in the earlier surveys were either absent or restricted in occurrence to downstream sites (eg. L. Rondaxe and Moss L. sub-drainage) in 1982. Non-native species introduced after 1931 (yellow perch,Perca flavescens; central mudminnow,Umbra limi; banded killifish,Fundulus diaphanus) are currently widely distributed throughout the drainage system. In particular, the yellow perch is now a dominant species in the larger lakes of the basin. Comparisons of survival rates for caged fish transferred from high to low pH sites in the Big Moose drainage system demonstrated relatively greater acid tolerane of non-native species (yellow perch, mudminnow, killifish) than native cyprinids. Watershed acidity gradients (pH and aluminum concentrations) and relative physiological acid tolerance are major determinants of currently observed fish species distribution patterns in the North Branch of the Moose River. Differences in age and size structure of fish populations inhabiting acidic and non-acidic lakes of the drainage system were apparent, but difficult to interpret without additional information onpopulation size and potential density dependent parameters such as age specific growth and survival rates. Differential hatching success was observed for yellow perch eggs reciprocally transferred between acid (Big Moose) and neutral (Moss L.) lakes. Eggs transferred from Moss L. to Big Moose L. exhibited poor hatching success as a result of alterations in egg membrane structure that inhibited normal egg expansion and the hatching process. This effect was not evident in eggs from the same parents reared in Moss Lake nor in eggs from the Big Moose parents reared in both lakes. These experimental observations suggested possible genetic adaptation to acid stress by the yellow perch population inhabiting Big Moose Lake.
Control of multi-stable chaotic neural networks using input constraints

K Sets are nonlinear recurrent connectionist models proposed to emulate the brain dynamics. They can be used as dynamic memories encoding in non-equilibrium attractors. As multidimensional non-linear systems, they are extremely hard to analyze. Their dynamics is strongly believed to be related to the itinerant chaos introduced by Tsuda. In this contribution we design a system with attractor switching based on the previously obtained results. This is a step towards better understanding of the K models and building powerful chaotic neural memory systems.
DRM [Microwave Surfing]

Digital radio mondiale (DRM) is a high-quality digital radio format for short-wave, medium-wave, and long-wave digital radio for the radio frequencies below 30 MHz. DRM's universality and openly standardized status (endorsed by ITU as ETS ES 201) has currently brought its increasing popularity in many countries across the globe. This article discusses the features, advantages, and the future of DRM in markets worldwide.
A Comparison of Control Allocation Methods for the F-15 ACTIVE Research Aircraft Utilizing Real-Time Piloted Simulations

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ii Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii Table of
An Analysis of the Relationship Between Information Sources and Creativity in Scientists and Engineers.

The literature is replete with analyses of creativity as related to personality traits and organizational constraints. Based on Mednick's (1962) associationist position, it was felt that information use patterns play a key role in an individual's process of creativity. In order to test this idea, 29 academic and 36 industrial physical scientists and engineers were categorized as either creative and productive; productive, but not creative; or noncreative and nonproductive on the basis of peer evaluation. Their information seeking and receiving behavior and attitudes were then measured and related to the criterion group membership. Two significant results emerged; First, consistent with the associationist position, variety of exposure to information content, in terms of scientific disciplines from which the information was received, was significantly different for the three groups, with the creative group having the greatest variety. Second, group membership can, with a fairly high probability, be predicted based on information seeking behavior and attitudes.
Magnetization, Critical Current, and Injection Field Harmonics in Superconducting Accelerator Magnets

The very large energy ratio of machines such as the SSC dictates rather low injection field (for 6T, 20 TeV it is approximately 0.3T). Since the harmonic content at such low fields is largely determined by magnetization currents in the superconductor, the random errors depend on the uniformity of the superconducting wire. In principle the magnitude of the residual fields can be reduced indefinitely by using finer filaments, but in practice there is a lower limit of a few microns. We have compared the injection field harmonics for a number of accelerator dipoles with magnetization measurements made on samples of the conductor used to wind the coils. In addition both the magnetization and harmonics have been compared with short sample critical current measurements made at 5T. The results indicated that an accurate estimate of the variation in injection field harmonics can only be obtained from direct measurements of the magnetization of the cable. It appears feasible to use such measurements to "shuffle" magnets for a large accelerator by predicting the low field properties of a magnet before actually winding the coils.
National survey of obstetrician attitudes about timing the subsequent pregnancy after perinatal death.

Objective After stillbirth or early infant death, parents often query when they can try for another pregnancy. We conducted a national survey of US obstetricians to assess attitudes about optimal timing of next pregnancy and advice given to parents. Study Design The study was an anonymous mail survey of 1500 randomly selected US obstetricians asking about physician experiences with perinatal death. Results In all, 804 of 1500 obstetricians completed the survey for a 54% usable response rate. Two-thirds of respondents endorsed a waiting time Conclusion Physicians in this national survey supported very short interpregnancy intervals for parents bereaved by perinatal death. Responses may reflect efforts to support parents emotionally while recognizing individuals vary in coping and clinical circumstances. However, this is a provocative finding since short intervals may confer greater fetal risks for poor outcome.
Batch size effects on the efficiency of control variates in simulation

Abstract This paper considers the combined use of control variates and batching for estimating the steady-state mean of an infinite-horizon process via simulation. Properties of the point and interval estimators from such a procedure are derived as functions of the number of batches and the number of control variates when the total sample size is fixed.
Prevalence of Internet and social media usage in orthopedic surgery

Prior studies in other specialties have shown that social networking and Internet usage has become an increasingly important means of patient communication and referral. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the prevalence of Internet or social media usage in new patients referred to a major academic orthopedics center and to identify new avenues to optimize patient recruitment and communication. New patients were surveyed (n=752) between December 2012 to January 2013 in a major academic orthopaedic center to complete a 15-item questionnaire including social media and Internet usage information. Data was collected for all orthopaedic sub-specialties and statistical analysis was performed. Fifty percent of patients use social networking sites, such as Facebook. Sports medicine patients tend to be higher social networking users (35.9%) relative to other services (9.8-17.9%) and was statistically higher when compared to the joints/tumor service (P<0.0001). Younger age was the biggest indicator predicting the use of social media. Patients that travelled between 120 to 180 miles from the hospital for their visits were significantly more likely to be social media users, as were patients that did research on their condition prior to their new patient appointment. We conclude that orthopedic patients who use social media/Internet are more likely to be younger, researched their condition prior to their appointment and undergo a longer average day’s travel (120-180 miles) to see a physician. In an increasingly competitive market, surgeons with younger patient populations will need to utilize social networking and the Internet to capture new patient referrals.
Problems in the interpretation of serum cholesterol values.

Abstract There are many analytical and physiological factors which effect cholesterol values. These analytical difficulties are discussed and a comparison of 13 cholesterol procedures is made. These methods are compared as to the solvents used for cholesterol extraction, cholesterol purification techniques and finally the color development used during the analysis. Where possible a regression relationship is given between values obtained by the considered method and the reference method of Abell, Levy, Brodie and Kendall. The problem of standards for cholesterol analysis is considered. Data is presented concerning the correlation between AutoAnalyzer (single channel, SMA 12/60 and AutoAnalyzer II) cholesterol values and those obtained by the manual reference method. Intraindividual variation in cholesterol values is considered from the standpoint of age, sex, seasonal and diurnal variation, stress, genetics, eating and drugs. It is concluded that more stringent normal ranges and greater standardization of methodology are needed to insure proper utilization of cholesterol determinations in the evaluation of risk of coronary heart disease.
Can We Accurately Characterize Wildlife Resource Use When Telemetry Data Are Imprecise

Abstract Telemetry data have been widely used to quantify wildlife habitat relationships despite the fact that these data are inherently imprecise. All telemetry data have positional error, and failure to account for that error can lead to incorrect predictions of wildlife resource use. Several techniques have been used to account for positional error in wildlife studies. These techniques have been described in the literature, but their ability to accurately characterize wildlife resource use has never been tested. We evaluated the performance of techniques commonly used for incorporating telemetry error into studies of wildlife resource use. Our evaluation was based on imprecise telemetry data (mean telemetry error = 174 m, SD = 130 m) typical of field-based studies. We tested 5 techniques in 10 virtual environments and in one real-world environment for categorical (i.e., habitat types) and continuous (i.e., distances or elevations) rasters. Technique accuracy varied by patch size for the categorical...
Post-copulatory sexual selection and sexual conflict in the evolution of male pregnancy

Male pregnancy is restricted to seahorses, pipefish and their relatives — the family Syngnathidae — in which the young are nurtured in the male's brood pouch. These broody males do more than just act as a passive incubator, as Kimberly Paczolt and Adam Jones show in new research. It is already known that the brood pouch is a complex structure that nurtures the developing young. But as it nurtures, so can it weed. In the Gulf pipefish Syngnathus scovelli, males are shown to be capable of selectively aborting embryos from females perceived as less attractive, saving resources for more promising prospects encountered later. This is the only known example of postcopulatory sexual conflict in a sex-reversed species. Male pregnancy is restricted to seahorses, pipefishes and their relatives, in which young are nurtured in the male's brood pouch. It is now clear that the brood pouch has a further function. Studies of Gulf pipefish show that males can selectively abort embryos from females perceived as less attractive, saving resources for more hopeful prospects later. This is the only known example of post-copulatory sexual conflict in a sex-reversed species. Male pregnancy in seahorses, pipefishes and sea dragons (family Syngnathidae) represents a striking reproductive adaptation that has shaped the evolution of behaviour and morphology in this group of fishes1,2,3,4. In many syngnathid species, males brood their offspring in a specialized pouch, which presumably evolved to facilitate male parental care5,6. However, an unexplored possibility is that brood pouch evolution was partly shaped by parent–offspring or sexual conflict, processes that would result in trade-offs between current and future pregnancies. Here we report a controlled breeding experiment using the sexually dimorphic Gulf pipefish, Syngnathus scovelli, to test for post-copulatory sexual selection within broods and for trade-offs between successive male pregnancies as functions of female attractiveness. Offspring survivorship within a pregnancy was affected by the size of a male’s mate, the number of eggs transferred and the male’s sexual responsiveness. Significantly, we also found that embryo survivorship in a current pregnancy was negatively related to survivorship in the prior pregnancy, clearly demonstrating fitness trade-offs between broods. Overall, our data indicate that post-copulatory sexual selection and sexual conflict occur in Gulf pipefishes. The conflict seems to be mediated by a strategy of cryptic choice in which males increase rates of offspring abortion in pregnancies from unattractive mothers to retain resources for future reproductive opportunities. Hence, the male brood pouch of syngnathid fishes, which nurtures offspring7,8,9, also seems to have an important role as an arbiter of conflict between the sexes.
The grand challenge: facing up to proteomics.

Abstract The annual Bioforums international meeting titled ‘Proteomics: using and identifying proteins to optimize drug discovery and development', was held 15–17 October 2001 in Carlsbad, CA, USA.
Control of DNA replication and cell growth by inhibiting the export of mitochondrially derived citrate.

When citrate export from mitochondria is blocked with 1,2,3-benzenetricarboxylate (BTC) during the G1/S phase of the cell cycle, both DNA synthesis and cell growth are dramatically inhibited in suspension-grown 70Z/3 murine lymphoma cell cultures sustained under otherwise optimal conditions. Synchronized (G0/G1 or G1/S) and unsynchronized cultures are susceptible to this phenomenon. BTC prevents two requirements from being met. (1) It deprives the cytosol of the acetyl CoA necessary for operation of the cholesterogenesis pathway, thereby depleting the supply of mevalonate (MVA) implicated as a requirement for triggering DNA synthesis. (2) It behaves as a nonmetabolizable divalent cation chelator, reducing the availability of Ca2+ and Mg2+, which, in whole cells are both required for DNA synthesis. Such inhibitions are reversible. In whole cells, removal of the inhibitor yields rapid and complete recovery of DNA synthesis. During the prolonged presence of BTC, the addition of MVA plus the Ca2+ ionophore A23187 allows partial recovery of DNA synthesis. In isolated, DNA synthesizing nuclei, on the other hand, the slight inhibition of DNA synthesis by BTC is reversed merely by addition of Mg2+. We conclude that the uninterrupted production of citrate-derived MVA via the mitochondria, at the G1/S boundary of the cell cycle (i.e., subsequent to peak cholesterol synthesis), is mandatory for initiating the duplication of the cell genome. Consequently, by its mitochondrial site of action, BTC can severely limit the otherwise continuous supply of MVA during late G1, which in turn, prevents entry into the S phase, and thereby cell proliferation.
Evidence-based medicine training in residency: a survey of urology programme directors

OBJECTIVE To investigate whether and in what format urology residents receive formal training in evidence-based clinical practice. METHODS In 2007 we conducted a survey of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)-accredited urology residency programmes in the USA. The survey instrument was sent to all programmes, using postal mailing, e-mail and a web–based interface. Programme director and coordinator names and basic demographic information such as programme size and length were retrieved from the institutions’ websites and the ACGME database. RESULTS Of 117 ACGME-accredited urology programmes, 108 responded (92.3%). Most respondents either agreed or strongly agreed with statements that formal evidence-based medicine (EBM) training was valuable to urology residents (97, 89.8%) and should be part of all residency programme curricula (91, 84.3%). Eighty-four programmes (77.8%) indicated that their curricula included formal educational activities related to EBM. These programmes provided a median (interquartile range) of 10 (4.8–25.0) h of EBM teaching per academic year. Most programmes (65.9%) provided fewer hours of EBM training than programme directors perceived as ideal. Asked what would make it easier to integrate EBM into the programme, respondents identified urology-specific educational materials (33.3%), a formal curriculum (24.4%) and faculty development (16.3%) as central needs. CONCLUSION In this survey we found that most programme directors recognize formal EBM teaching as an important aspect of urology residency training. However, most programmes devote less time to EBM training than they would like, and urology-specific resources have been lacking. These findings support increased efforts to provide urology residents with opportunities to learn EBM-related knowledge and skills in a variety of educational formats.
From Green Dots to Greenways: Planning in the Age of Climate Change in Post-Katrina New Orleans

This paper examines the role of density and open space as sustainable design strategies in the age of climate change. These issues are addressed through a case study of the Lafitte Greenway, a post-Katrina recovery project in New Orleans. Applying sustainability concepts within the contentious post-disaster environment has underscored tensions around the issues of green space and density. While the New Orleans case is currently an outlier, waterfront communities around the globe will begin to face similar issues as sea levels rise and climate change management becomes an increasingly important issue.
Rapid resolution of left ventricular thrombus in antiphospholipid syndrome.

A 43-year-old male with recurrent cerebral infarctions and high titers of antiphospholipid antibodies was found to have a thrombus in his left ventricular outflow tract by transthoracic echocardiography. This thrombus disappeared after less than 24 hours of intravenous heparin therapy due to resolution or asymptomatic embolism. Left ventricular thrombi in patients with antiphospholipid syndrome and rapid disappearance of left ventricular thrombi with heparin therapy are infrequently reported occurrences. (ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY, Volume 20, January 2003)
Distortion-optimal self-calibrating parallel MRI by blind interpolation in subsampled filter banks

Self-calibrating k-space-based image reconstruction in parallel MRI interpolates the subsampled multi-channel data to a fully sampled Nyquist grid in k-space. Adopting a filter bank interpolation framework, we provide a new formulation of the associated inverse problem and develop the theory for blind identification of the interpolant filters. The developed method is applied to imaging scenarios where high effective acceleration is desired and is shown to be capable of reconstructing artifact-free images with minimal amount of calibration data — hence, achieving high effective accelerations. Simulation and in-vivo results indicate that improved image quality, and thus greater scan time reductions compared to the state-of-the-art method of GRAPPA can be achieved.
Atmospheric Depolarization and Stimulated Brillouin Scattering

The effect of electrostrictively induced stimulated Brillouin scattering on atmospheric depolarization is studied. Solutions for steady-state and transient conditions are obtained.
Effect of fast strain on Co/Pt multilayers with perpendicular anisotropy

Materials possessing perpendicular anisotropy have applications in high density magnetic data storage technology. In this paper, we present initial attempts to measure the fast magnetization switching from out-of-plane to in-plane in perpendicular anisotropy Co/Pt multilayers. Interaction with surface acoustic waves (SAW) results in strain induced anisotropy changes in Co/Pt multilayers arising from the magnetostrictive properties of ferromagnetic Co, and changing the easy axis of magnetization. The strain amplitude required to overcome perpendicular magnetic anisotropy is close to 1%. Such large strains are achievable using annular interdigital transducers (AIDT), in which the electrodes follow the velocity curve of the piezoelectric substrate. When excited at the fundamental resonance frequency, SAW propagating towards the center undergo constructive interference and create an intense strain at the focal center. We successfully fabricated AIDT using photolithography with a fundamental resonance of 87.56 MHz. An elliptic structure of Co/Pt multilayers was deposited at the focal center using electron beam lithography (EBL) and magnetron sputtering. The magnetization of the elliptic patterned Co/Pt was measured using focused MOKE and magnetic force microscopy (MFM), confirming that the ellipse is in a single domain state with out of plane anisotropy. Preliminary attempts to measure the magnetization rotation arising from the strain waves did not show the expected magnetization rotation signature. Possible reasons for this are discussed.
Changes in renal phospholipid fatty acids in diabetes mellitus: correlation with changes in adenylate cyclase activity

Male Sprague-Dawley rats made diabetic with alloxan (37.5 mg/kg) or streptozotocin (65 mg/kg) were killed after 3–6 weeks of disease; renal tissues were studied for phospholipid content and for fatty acid composition of the phospholipids. No consistent change was noted in total phospholipid content nor in the proportion of various phospholipids in diabetics. However, diabetic animals showed a consistent reduction of arachidonic acid content in phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phosphatidylethanolamine in whole renal cortex, plasma membranes purified from renal cortex, and in isolated glomeruli. Associated with the fall in arachidonic acid was a rise in linoleic acid in the samples studied. Insulin therapy returned the fatty acid profiles to normal. These results are similar to patterns observed in other diabetic tissues and suggest that diabetes is associated with generalized changes in cell membranes. That these structural changes may have functional significance is suggested by demonstrated alterations in the temperature-dependence of adenylate cyclase in renal plasma membranes of diabetic animals. Adenylate cyclase is thought to be intimately associated with PC in plasma membranes, a phospholipid showing significant changes in fatty acid content in diabetes (unsaturation index 165±2 for normals, 147±5 for diabetics). Na+,K au+-ATPase which is thought to be primarily associated in vivo with phosphatidylinositol (PI), shows no change in apparent energy of activation in diabetes. The fatty acid content of PI is minimally altered in diabetes, and the unsaturation index is unchanged.
Prehension in Cebus and Saimiri: I. Grip type and hand preference.

Prehension was examined in tufted capuchins (Cebus apella) and squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sciureus). Individual subjects were videotaped from frontal and sagittal planes while they grasped small objects presented in several ways (in view, out of view, embedded, moving). Capuchins used a precision grip in 30% of trials and in more than half of trials with stationary objects. Most (54%) of the precision grips used were opposition of the thumb to the index finger; however, eight other forms were also observed. Squirrel monkeys never used a precision grip. Data on hand preference, preliminary data on movement velocity, and preliminary observations of movement trajectories (up to the time of hand shaping prior to contact with the object) do not indicate significant differences across genera in these aspects of prehension. The presence of varied precision grips in capuchins and no form of precision grip in squirrel monkeys leads to two conclusions. First, a thumb classification of "opposable" (vs. "pseudo-opposable") is not essential for precision gripping. Capuchins, with pseudo-opposable thumbs, use precision grips routinely. Second, the fundamental difference between these genera, which accommodates precision gripping in capuchins, is the capacity in capuchins (but not in squirrel monkeys) to produce lateral pressure between opposing digits. The anatomy of the spinal pyramidal tract and neuromuscular interfacing in the hands may be more sensitive gauges of manual dexterity than the anatomy of the thumb.
Hierarchical Object Class Representation Using Holes And Notches

A general representation approach is described which employs a hierarchy of holes and notches. A matching procedure is also described which allows non-ideal image hierarchies to be matched to class representations. The representation and matching methods are demonstrated on a set of handgun photographs. Examples of handguns which are different in detail are shown to exhibit the same class characteristics, while other similarly shaped objects are correctly distinguished from the handgun class.
Evaluation of Weight Loss on a Low-Calorie Meal Replacement Diet as a Potential Predictor of Weight Loss After Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding Surgery in Adolescents

Predicting weight loss after laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) from preoperative factors has been challenging. This study aimed to determine the relationship between weight loss from a preoperative low-calorie meal replacement diet (LCMRD) and weight loss after LAGB in a cohort of morbidly obese adolescents. Fifty-one subjects (86 % female, 61 % Caucasian, mean age 16 years, mean weight 140.1 kg) received 2 weeks of LCMRD prior to LAGB. We utilized Pearson’s correlation coefficients to test the relationship between weight loss on a LCMRD and weight loss at 3, 6, and 12 months after LAGB. Mean weight loss was 5.7 kg (standard deviation (SD) 2.5) during the LCMRD period and 17.4 kg (SD 12.4) at 1 year postoperatively. Having a higher baseline weight (p < 0.01) and losing less weight prior to LCMRD (p < 0.05) was associated with more weight loss during LCMRD. Weight loss during LCMRD was not significantly associated with postoperative weight loss at any time point. Weight loss during LCMRD was not significantly associated with postoperative weight loss in our study. Less variability in adherence, less influence of genetic and biological potential, and more diuresis during a short course of LCMRD compared to in the postoperative period may explain this lack of association.
A pilot study to investigate skin and tumor thermal enhancement ratios of 41.5–42.0°c hyperthermia with radiation

This article reports the clinical results of the combined treatment of radiation and localized microwave hyperthermia to treat multiple metastatic melanoma tumors. The response of normal skin to the treatment was measured by evaluating the degree of erythema using a numerical scoring system. Tumor response to the treatment was assessed by measuring tumor diameter at follow-up visits. Whenever possible, thermal enhancement ratios for normal skin and tumor tissue were evaluated. The manuscript discusses problems associated with obtaining useful clinical data.
Barrier crossing in a dissipative environment: a reduced density matrix treatment of STM-induced atom transfer dynamics

Abstract The fate of many surface processes is determined by the competition between externally driven dynamics and intrinsic substrate-induced relaxation. In this work, we use the reduced density matrix theory to simulate the dynamics of STM-induced atom transfer between a metal surface and the STM tip, which can be considered as an activated barrier crossing process. Our model describes the vibrational excitation as a result of temporary occupation of a negative ion resonance by a tunnelling electron. The vibrational relaxation due to substrate phonons or electron–hole pairs is characterized in the framework of the Redfield theory. The results are consistent with experimental observations.
The dynamic interplay of interaction goals, emotion, and conflict styles: Testing a model of intrapersonal and interpersonal effects on conflict styles

This study examines the dynamic interplay of interaction goals, emotion, and conflict styles. Using a three (counterpart conflict styles: competing, integrating, obliging) by two (counterpart emotion: anger, compassion) factorial design, this study seeks to understand the dynamic nature of the conflict process. It also explored a model integrating both intrapersonal and interpersonal effects on conflict styles. Proactive-reactive comparisons reveal both overall changes in interaction goals, emotion, and conflict styles over the course of conflict and specific changes attributable to counterpart emotion and conflict styles. Results also indicate that interpersonal effects of counterpart emotion and conflict styles on one’s own reactive conflict styles are largely mediated through intrapersonal processes of reactive emotion and interaction goals.
Receptor activated bladder and spinal ATP release in neurally intact and chronic spinal cord injured rats

Neurally intact (NI) rats and chronic spinal cord injured (SCI) rats were studied to determine how activation of mechanosensory or cholinergic receptors in the bladder urothelium evokes ATP release from afferent terminals in the bladder as well as in the spinal cord. Spinal cord transection was performed at the T(9)-T(10) level 2-3 weeks prior to the experiment and a microdialysis fiber was inserted in the L(6)-S(1) lumbosacral spinal cord one day before the experiments. Mechanically evoked (i.e. 10 cm/W bladder pressure) ATP release into the bladder lumen was approximately 6.5-fold higher in SCI compared to NI rats (p<0.05). Intravesical carbachol (CCh) induced a significantly greater release of ATP in the bladder from SCI as compared to NI rats (3424.32+/-1255.57 pmol/ml versus 613.74+/-470.44 pmol/ml, respectively, p<0.05). However, ATP release in NI or SCI rats to intravesical CCh was not affected by the muscarinic antagonist atropine (Atr). Spinal release of ATP to bladder stimulation with 10 cm/W pressure was five-fold higher in SCI compared to NI rats (p<0.05). CCh also induced a significantly greater release of spinal ATP in SCI rats compared to controls (4.3+/-0.9 pmol versus 0.90+/-0.15 pmol, p<0.05). Surprisingly, the percent inhibitory effect of Atr on CCh-induced ATP release was less pronounced in SCI as compared to NI rats (49% versus 89%, respectively). SCI induces a dramatic increase in intravesical pressure and cholinergic receptor evoked bladder and spinal ATP release. Muscarinic receptors do not mediate intravesical CCh-induced ATP release into the bladder lumen in NI or SCI rats. In NI rats sensory muscarinic receptors are the predominant mechanism by which CCh induces ATP release from primary afferents within the lumbosacral spinal cord. Following SCI, however, nicotinic or purinergic receptor mechanisms become active, as evidenced by the fact that Atr was only partially effective in inhibiting CCh-induced spinal ATP release.
Combined carotid and coronary artery surgery: What have we learned after 15 years?

Optimal surgical strategy in patients with concomitant coronary and carotid artery disease is debatable. We have analysed 15-years of experience (January 1981–August 1996) with 195 consecutive patients in whom we have used two different surgical approaches. Group A consisted of 48 patients who underwent a single-stage surgical procedure, and group B (147 patents) underwent a two-stage procedure, either as carotid endarterectomy followed by coronary artery bypass surgery (group B1, 97 patients), or as coronary artery bypass surgery followed by carotid endarterectomy (group B2, 50 patients). Overall, there were 40 (20.5%) patients with left main coronary artery disease, 49 (25.1%) with poor left ventricular function, 128 (65.6%) with previous myocardial infarction, 134 (68.7%) were in New York Health Authority (NYHA) functional class III or IV, and bilateral carotid involvement was present in 57 patients (29.2%). Unstable angina was more frequent in groups A and B2 (P 0.05). Serious morbidity occurred in 7.3% of patients (14195–8.3% in group A, 7.2% in group B1 and 6% in group B, respectively P > 0.05). Univariate analysis revealed only bilateral carotid stenosis as a predictor of outcome (P = 0.04). Follow-up was completed for 156 patients (80.0%) and averaged 84.1 ± 13.3 months (range 1–180 months). Kaplan-Meier survival estimate for the entire group was 81% and event-free survival was 76% at 5 years. Actuarial and event-free survivals were similar for all groups. Early and late outcome in these patients were influenced more by their preoperative clinical status than by the surgical strategy itself. It is therefore concluded that surgical approach should be individualized for the majority of patients.
Fine-needle aspiration biopsy of a papillary thyroid carcinoma involved by malignant plasma cell disease: a case report.

We described the fine-needle aspiration biopsy findings in a case of papillary thyroid carcinoma involved by a malignant plasma cell disease of the thyroid gland in a 54-year-old female. Although papillary thyroid carcinoma is the most common malignant tumor of the thyroid gland, involvement by plasma cell disease is exceptionally unusual. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Weakly pulse-coupled oscillators, FM interactions, synchronization, and oscillatory associative memory

We study pulse-coupled neural networks that satisfy only two assumptions: each isolated neuron fires periodically, and the neurons are weakly connected. Each such network can be transformed by a piece-wise continuous change of variables into a phase model, whose synchronization behavior and oscillatory associative properties are easier to analyze and understand. Using the phase model, we can predict whether a given pulse-coupled network has oscillatory associative memory, or what minimal adjustments should be made so that it can acquire memory. In the search for such minimal adjustments we obtain a large class of simple pulse-coupled neural networks that ran memorize and reproduce synchronized temporal patterns the same way a Hopfield network does with static patterns. The learning occurs via modification of synaptic weights and/or synaptic transmission delays.
Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine for Eye-related Diseases and Conditions

AbstractAim: To determine the prevalence, types and characteristics associated with complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use to treat eye-related diseases and conditions.Materials and Methods: The 2002 and 2007 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) was used to identify participants, 18 years of age and older, who completed the Adult Alternative Health/Complementary and Alternative Medicine questionnaire. Characteristics for those who reported CAM use for eye diseases and conditions and those who did not were compared; the types of CAM and the eye diseases and conditions for their use were also reported.Results: In 2002, an estimated 0.1% of US adults reported using at least one of eight CAM therapies for eye-related problems; in 2007 the prevalence of CAM use for eye diseases and conditions had increased to 0.3%. In both 2002 and 2007, those who reported CAM use for eye diseases and conditions were more likely to be older, female, white and married. In both 2002 and 2007, the most common types o...
An LMI Optimization Approach to the Design of Structured Linear Controllers Using a Linearization Algorithm

This paper presents a new algorithm for the design of linear controllers with special constraints imposed on the control gain matrix. This so called SLC (Structured Linear Control) problem can be formulated with linear matrix inequalities (LMI’s) with a nonconvex equality constraint. This class of prolems includes fixed order output feedback control, multi-objective controller design, decentralized controller design, joint plant and controller design, and other interesting control problems. Our approach includes two main contributions. One is that many design specifications such as H ∞ performance, generalized H 2 performance including H 2 performance, l ∞ performance, and upper covariance bounding controllers are described by a similar matrix inequality. A new matrix variable is introduced to give more freedom to design the controller. Indeed this new variable helps to find the optimal fixed-order output feedback controller. The second contribution uses a linearization algorithm to search for a solution to the nonconvex SLC problems. This has the effect of adding a certain potential function to the nonconvex constraints to make them convex. Although the constraints are added to make functions convex, those modified matrix inequalities will not bring significant conservatism because they will ultimately go to zero, guaranteeing the feasibility of the original nonconvex problem. Numerical examples demonstrate the performance of the proposed algorithms and provide a comparison with some of the existing methods.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Relationship between nonprescribed therapy use for illness prevention and health promotion and health-related quality of life.

Objectives:This study describes the nonprescribed therapy use (prayer, over-the-counter medications [OTC’s], home remedies, vitamins, herbs and supplements, and exercise) for health promotion among...
Murine model of gastrointestinal ischemia associated with complement-dependent injury.

Gastrointestinal ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury is often associated with remote tissue injury. Complement activation plays an important role in local and remote tissue injury associated with gas...
Cesium: Testing Hard Real-time and Dependability Properties of Distributed Protocols

Cesium is an object-oriented environment for testing that implementations of real-time, fault-tolerant protocols satisfy the safety and timeliness properties prescribed by their specifications. Protocol implementations are tested under configurable workloads and failure scenarios. A centralized simulator executes all tasks in a single address space while providing the appearance of truly distributed execution. Experiments can be exactly reproduced any number of times; Cesium provides an unprecedented degree of monitoring and control over them. It is not necessary to instrument (or even to have access to) the source code of the protocols under test. The observed behaviors correspond exactly to executions in the real system being simulated, as Cesium does not change the time of occurrence of any event. Besides from providing a testing and performance evaluation environment superior to real distributed systems, Cesium can test properties of existing protocols that can not be tested in any distributed environment.
WEIGHTED MONTE CARLO: A NEW TECHNIQUE FOR CALIBRATING ASSET-PRICING MODELS

A general approach for calibrating Monte Carlo models to the market prices of benchmark securities is presented. Starting from a given model for market dynamics (price diffusion, rate diffusion, etc.), the algorithm corrects for price-misspecifications and finite-sample effects in the simulation by assigning “probability weights” to the simulated paths. The choice of weights is done by minimizing the Kullback-Leibler relative entropy distance of the posterior measure to the empirical measure. The resulting ensemble prices the given set of benchmark instruments exactly or in the sense of least-squares. We discuss pricing and hedging in the context of these weighted Monte Carlo models. A significant reduction of variance is demonstrated theoretically as well as numerically. Concrete applications to the calibration of stochastic volatility models and term-structure models with up to forty benchmark instruments are presented. The construction of implied volatility surfaces and forward-rate curves and the pricing and hedging of exotic options are investigated through several examples.
Biodegradable, polymeric nanoparticle delivery systems for cancer therapy

Nanotechnology has the potential to impact the treatment of cancer significantly. This review will explore how this potential is beginning to be realized through the design of polymeric nanoparticle delivery systems. Current research is focused on developing biocompatible nanoparticles capable of targeting specific cancer markers and delivering imaging and therapeutic agents for the detection and treatment of cancer, resulting in a number of preclinical and clinical applications. More sophisticated nanoparticle designs are now in development, including particles able to release multiple drugs for enhanced treatment efficacy and targeted, multifunctional particles capable of combining imaging and drug release.
Photoproduction of the D

Using the broad band beam at FNAL, the photoproduction of the D{sup *+} (and D{sup *-}) meson was observed, where D{sup *+} -> D{sup 0}{pi}{sup +} and D{sup 0} -> K{sup -}{pi}{sup +} (143 +- 20 events) or D{sup 0} -> K{sub s}{pi}{sup +}{pi}{sup -} (35 +- 11 events). The observation exploited the small D{sup *+} - D{sup 0} mass difference to reduce the combinatoric background by 3 orders of magnitude. A variety of analysis techniques are presented to demonstrate that the D{sup *+} is created by a diffractive pair production mechanism, with a cross section given by {sigma}({gamma} + N -> D{sup 0}) = 160 +- 70 nb/nucleon. Finally the data is discussed in terms of a QCD production mechanism, photon gluon fusion, and certain parameters are fixed in the theory by using the D* P{sub t} distribution.
Insurance Fraud on the Elderly

Insurance scams often target older people, who may fall prey to misleading sales pitches and false promises of a secure future. Trial lawyers can help.
Microstructural Evolution during Post Deposition Annealing of Pulsed Laser Deposited Fe(100-x) Pdx Thin Films

FePd belongs to a group of L10 - intermetallics with attractive uniaxial hard-ferromagnetic properties. In this study thin films of different composition FeXPd1-X, X= 50, 60, were deposited by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) on amorphous SiO2 and Si3N4. We characterized the microstructural evolution during the different order/disorder phase-transformations during post-deposition annealing relative to the as-deposited state in terms of morphology, grain size, texture and presence of short-range order using SEM, XRD and TEM. VSM measurements were used to monitor magnetic properties. Differences in these microstructural parameters are due to different ordering reactions FCC to L10 ordering and concomitant phase separation of ?-Fe vs. FCC to L10 ordering upon heat treatment. The relationships of the different phase transformation products to properties are discussed. Support from NSF-DMR-Metals is gratefully acknowledged.
Influence of Heme Post-Translational Modification and Distal Ligation on the Backbone Dynamics of a Monomeric Hemoglobin

The cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002 uses a hemoglobin of the truncated lineage (GlbN) in the detoxification of reactive species generated in the assimilation of nitrate. In view of a sensing or enzymatic role, several states of GlbN are of interest with respect to its structure–activity relationship. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy was applied to compare the structure and backbone dynamics of six GlbN forms differing in their oxidation state [Fe(II) or Fe(III)], distal ligand to the iron (histidine, carbon monoxide, or cyanide), or heme post-translational modification (b heme or covalently attached heme). Structural properties were assessed with pseudocontact shift calculations. 15N relaxation data were analyzed by reduced spectral density mapping (picosecond to nanosecond motions) and by inspection of elevated R2 values (microsecond to millisecond motions). On the picosecond to nanosecond time scale, GlbN exhibited little flexibility and was unresponsive to the differences among the var...
Progress in visualizing atomic size effects with DFT-chemical pressure analysis: From isolated atoms to trends in AB5 intermetallics

The notion of atomic size poses an important challenge to chemical theory: empirical evidence has long established that atoms have spatial requirements, which are summarized in tables of covalent, ionic, metallic, and van der Waals radii. Considerations based on these radii play a central role in the design and interpretation of experiments, but few methods are available to directly support arguments based on atomic size using electronic structure methods. Recently, we described an approach to elucidating atomic size effects using theoretical calculations: the DFT-Chemical Pressure analysis, which visualizes the local pressures arising in crystal structures from the interactions of atomic size and electronic effects. Using this approach, a variety of structural phenomena in intermetallic phases have already been understood in terms that provide guidance to new synthetic experiments. However, the applicability of the DFT-CP method to the broad range of the structures encountered in the solid state is limit...