cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Case of Recurrent Posterior Scleritis With Hyperthyroidism in Both Eyes

Purpose: Posterior scleritis is known to be a rare disease. The authors of the present study herein report a case of posterior scleritis, which occurred in a patient's eye, accompanied by hyperthyroidism and recurring in the other eye one year later. Case summary: A 39-year-old female patient visited the hospital for ocular pain in the left eye and a headache. The patient was diagnosed with posterior scleritis through fundus examination, ultrasonography, CT and MRI, and an effective outcome of treatment was obtained by oral administration of methylprednisolone. Four months after discharge, the patient received left subtotal thyroidectomy for thyroid papillary cancer. Seven months after surgery she visited again, due to ocular pain that started 1 week earlier in the left eye, as well as a headache, and was diagnosed with posterior scleritis upon fundus examination, ultrasonography and MRI. Methylprednisolone was administered orally and an effective treatment result was obtained. After discharge, the patient was followed up for 5 months and did not show any signs of recurrence. Conclusions: When a hyperthyroidism patient has ocular pain or a headache, the possibility of posterior scleritis accompaniment should be considered, as well as the possibility that posterior scleritis, which already occurred in one eye, mayrecur in the other eye.
The Effect of IMF Programs on Labor

Abstract Previous studies find that IMF programs have negative effects on income distribution [The International Monetary Fund and Latin America: Economic Stabilization and Class Conflict, Westview Press, Boulder, 1987a; World Dev. 15 (1987b) 365; World Dev. 28 (2000) 1031]. No study, however, has used parametric methods to control for nonrandom selection. Using a dynamic version of the Heckman selection model, I study the effect of IMF programs on the labor share of income from manufacturing. My conclusions are supported by 2,095 observations of 110 countries during 1961–93.
Leaf injury and elemental concentrations in vegetation near a coal-fired power plant

Leaf injury of two native grasses, needleandthread (Stipa comata Trin. & Rupr.) and prairie sandreed (Calamovilfa longifolia [Hook.] Scribn.), and plains cottonwood (Populus sargentiii Dode) were slightly greater in a downwind direction from a coal-fired power plant in central Wyoming. Injury usually increased with proximity to the power station. A controlled experiment utilizing pinto beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) grown within phytometers also indicated greatest leaf injury near and downwind from the power station. Elevated levels of Fe and fluoride in foliage samples were found for plants growing near the power station and in a downwind direction. However, no significant increases in Hg, Pb, and Cd were found for plants growing near the power plant. Significant positive correlations were found for leaf injury and the Fe and fluoride concentrations of foliage with average daily sulfation rates. However, no significant correlation between sulfation rates and sulfate concentrations in foliage was found. It is suspected, therefore, that SO2 may act synergistically with fluorides or other emission products, resulting in the slightly elevated leaf injury downwind from the power station.
The Unique Cyanobacterial Protein OpcA Is an Allosteric Effector of Glucose-6-phosphate Dehydrogenase in Nostoc punctiformeATCC 29133

Abstract Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD), encoded by zwf, is essential for nitrogen fixation and dark heterotrophic growth of the cyanobacterium Nostoc punctiforme ATCC 29133. In N. punctiforme,zwf is part of a four-gene operon transcribed in the orderfbp-tal-zwf-opcA. Genetic analyses indicated thatopcA is required for G6PD activity. To define the role ofopcA, the synthesis, aggregation state, and activity of G6PD in N. punctiforme strains expressing different amounts of G6PD and/or OpcA were examined. A single tetrameric form of G6PD was consistently observed for all strains, as well as for recombinantN. punctiforme His-G6PD purified from Escherichia coli, regardless of the quantity of OpcA present. However, His-G6PD and the G6PD of strain UCD 351, which lacks OpcA, had low affinities for glucose 6-phosphate (G6P) substrate (K m(app) = 65 and 85 mm, respectively) relative to wild-type N. punctiforme G6PD (K m(app) = 0.5 mm). Near wild-type affinities for G6P were observed for these enzymes when saturating amounts of His-OpcA- or OpcA-containing extract were added. Kinetic studies were consistent with OpcA acting as an allosteric activator of G6PD. A role in redox modulation of G6PD activity was also indicated, because thioredoxin-mediated inactivation and reactivation of His-G6PD occurred only when His-OpcA was present.
Properties of the nervous system controlling flight inDrosophila melanogaster

This paper describes the motor output patterns generated by the flight motor system of the indirect power flight muscles inDrosophila melanogaster, and compares them with motor output patterns in other Diptera. The results are consistent with a model described for other Diptera. The model is also extended forDrosophila to include the following observations: 1. The dorsal longitudinal (wing depressor) muscle which has been described in other Diptera as one muscle having six pairs of motor units, consists inDrosophila of two muscles distinguishable by the temporal pattern of their motor units. The first consists of the five more ventral pairs of motor units, and the second of the single dorsal pair of units. 2. Lateral inhibition between flight motor neurons is mediated directly by axon collaterals of the motor neurons without mediating interneurons. 3. There exists asymmetries in the neural flight oscillator. 4. Motor units in the different muscles show different characteristic frequencies. 5. The three motor units of the most rostral, dorsal ventral (wing elevator) muscle are inhibitorily coupled, and they generate asymmetric motor output patterns. Lateral inhibition between the two motor units of the middle, dorsal ventral muscle, and also between the motor units of the caudal, dorsal ventral muscle was also found. Cases were also observed where a motor unit of the middle, dorsal ventral muscle pair of motor units exhibited reciprocal inhibition with a motor unit of the caudal, dorsal ventral muscle pair.
A lake in Uzboi Vallis and implications for Late Noachian-Early Hesperian climate on Mars

Abstract Uzboi Vallis (centered at ∼28°S, 323°E) is ∼400 km long and comprises the southernmost segment of the northward-draining Uzboi–Ladon–Morava (ULM) meso-scale outflow system that emerges from Argyre basin. Bond and Holden craters blocked the valley to the south and north, respectively, forming a Late Noachian-to-Hesperian paleolake basin that exceeded 4000 km 3 . Limited CRISM data suggest lake deposits in Uzboi and underlying basin floor incorporate relatively more Mg-clays and more Fe-clays, respectively. The short-lived lake overflowed and breached Holden crater’s rim at an elevation of −350 m and rapidly drained into the crater. Fan deltas in Holden extend 25 km from the breach and incorporate meter-sized blocks, and longitudinal grooves along the Uzboi basin floor are hundreds of meters long and average 60 m wide, suggesting high-discharge drainage of the lake. Precipitation-derived runoff rather than regional groundwater or overflow from Argyre dominated contributions to the Uzboi lake, although the failure of most tributaries to respond to a lowering of base level indicates their incision largely ended when the lake drained. The Uzboi lake may have coincided with alluvial and/or lacustrine activity in Holden, Eberswalde, and other craters in southern Margaritifer Terra, where fluvial/lacustrine activity may have required widespread, synoptic precipitation (rain or snow), perhaps associated with an ephemeral, global hydrologic system during the Late Noachian into the Hesperian on Mars.
Effects of oral exposure to bisphenol A on gene expression and global genomic DNA methylation in the prostate, female mammary gland, and uterus of NCTR Sprague-Dawley rats

Abstract Bisphenol A (BPA), an industrial chemical used in the manufacture of polycarbonate and epoxy resins, binds to the nuclear estrogen receptor with an affinity 4–5 orders of magnitude lower than that of estradiol. We reported previously that “high BPA” [100,000 and 300,000 µg/kg body weight (bw)/day], but not “low BPA” (2.5–2700 µg/kg bw/day), induced clear adverse effects in NCTR Sprague-Dawley rats gavaged daily from gestation day 6 through postnatal day (PND) 90. The “high BPA” effects partially overlapped those of ethinyl estradiol (EE 2 , 0.5 and 5.0 µg/kg bw/day). To evaluate further the potential of “low BPA” to induce biological effects, here we assessed the global genomic DNA methylation and gene expression in the prostate and female mammary glands, tissues identified previously as potential targets of BPA, and uterus, a sensitive estrogen-responsive tissue. Both doses of EE 2 modulated gene expression, including of known estrogen-responsive genes, and PND 4 global gene expression data showed a partial overlap of the “high BPA” effects with those of EE 2 . The “low BPA” doses modulated the expression of several genes; however, the absence of a dose response reduces the likelihood that these changes were causally linked to the treatment. These results are consistent with the toxicity outcomes.
Effects of processing on the mechanical properties of carbon short-fiber reinforced polycarbonate†

The effects of varying the injection-molding parameters of temperature, pressure, and injection rate on the mechanical properties of commercially obtained neat and carbon-rein-forced polycarbonate were investigated. The test specimens contained molded-in and drilled holes so that the effect of a weld-line could be investigated. The breaking-strength and modulus-of-toughness values are reported. The results of the Young's moduli determinations showed that the stiffness of the neat materials was invariant and that the carbon-reinforced material was orthotropic. Gel Permeation Chromatography (GPC) results showed that the neat resin was stable at the temperature investigated. The filled resin, however, underwent a decrease in molecular weight distribution at 650°F. At elevated temperatures, the breaking strength and modulus of thoughness of the carbon-reinforced material showed a decrease where the properties were dependent upon the resin. Fiber orientation produced during molding significantly affected the toughness. The results agreed well with theory.
One-year tensile bond strengths of two self-etching primers to bovine enamel.

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to evaluate the enamel bond strengths of two self-etching primer systems and a total-etch self-priming adhesive system at 24 hours and after a 1-year period of storage in water at 37 degrees C. MATERIALS AND METHODS An experimental self-etching priming system (ABF, Kuraray Medical, Tokyo, Japan), Clearfil SE Bond (Kuraray), and One-Step (Bisco, Schaumburg, IL, USA) were used as the adhesive systems. Eleven bovine incisors stored frozen were ground with 600-grit SiC paper, bonded as recommended by the manufacturers, and restored with Clearfil AP-X (Kuraray) or Renew (Bisco). After 24 hours in water at 37 degrees C, the teeth were sectioned into 0.7 mm-thick slabs that were trimmed and tested for microtensile bond strength using a tabletop tester (EZ test, Shimadzu, Kyoto, Japan) at a crosshead speed of 1 mm/min. Alternate slices were either tested at 24 hours or kept in an incubator at 37 degrees C for 1 year prior to testing. The data were analyzed using paired t-test (p < .05). RESULTS Differences in bond strengths were not significant at 24 hours. After 1 year, ABF and Clearfil SE Bond had significantly higher mean bond strengths than at 24 hours (p < .001). CONCLUSIONS Enamel bond strengths of the total-etch two-step adhesive remained stable, and the bond strengths of the two self-etching primer systems increased with time. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE Although self-etching primers create a milder etching pattern than does phosphoric acid, the results of this study suggest that the ones evaluated in this study produce stable bond strengths over a 1-year period.
Support for Extended Discourse in Teacher Talk with Linguistically Diverse Preschoolers.

A study was conducted in a large Head Start organization that serves large numbers of Latino children in order to empirically describe the nature and quality of the classroom language learning environment. By observing 147 literacy-based lessons in 6 classrooms and surveying 167 teachers throughout the organization, we investigated the amount of teachers' use of extended discourse during literacy-based lessons, and when and how Spanish and/or English was used as the medium of communication. Research Findings: Only 22% of the 147 literacy-based lessons observed fostered extended discourse; the most commonly implemented lesson was characterized by a routine format of the teacher talking and the children listening. English was regarded as the language of instruction, whereas Spanish was used mostly to regulate behavior and emotions. By fitting multilevel models to the data, we found that teaching practice was relatively stable across the classrooms. Practice or Policy: More emphasis should be placed on profe...
Architecture for an integrated real-time air combat and sensor network simulation

An architecture for an integrated air combat and sensor network simulation is presented. The architecture integrates two components: a parallel real-time sensor fusion and target tracking simulation, and an air combat simulation. By integrating these two simulations, it becomes possible to experiment with scenarios in which one or both sides in a battle have very large numbers of primitive passive sensors, and to assess the likely effects of those sensors on the outcome of the battle. Modern Air Power is a real-time theater-level air combat simulation that is currently being used as a part of the USAF Air and Space Basic Course (ASBC). The simulation includes a variety of scenarios from the Vietnam war to the present day, and also includes several hypothetical future scenarios. Modern Air Power includes a scenario editor, an order of battle editor, and full AI customization features that make it possible to quickly construct scenarios for any conflict of interest. The scenario editor makes it possible to place a wide variety of sensors including both high fidelity sensors such as radars, and primitive passive sensors that provide only very limited information. The parallel real-time sensor network simulation is capable of handling very large numbers of sensors on a computing cluster of modest size. It can fuse information provided by disparate sensors to detect and track targets, and produce target tracks.
Acoustic and electroacoustic spectroscopic determination of the critical coagulation concentration for the aggregation of fumed silica

Acoustic and electroacoustic spectroscopy were use to model varying concentrations of NH4Cl in a 25 wt% fumed silica suspension for interpretation and visualization of the critical coagulation concentration (CCC) needed to induce coagulation of the suspension. The acoustic data indicates a range for the CCC that agrees with Derjaguin and Landau, Verwey and Overbeek theory and experimental results found in literature. The electroacoustic data suggest a power law relationship between NH4Cl concentration and changes in the colloidal vibrational current, and predicts that 0.4M is the CCC for NH4Cl in a fumed silica suspension.
Synthesis and structural investigation of tris(tetra-n-butylammonium)diisothiocyanatotetranitratocerinate (III)

Abstract The X-ray structural investigation of [(n-C4H9)N]3[Ce(NCS)2(NO34] (I) has been carried out by means of three-dimensional singlecrystal diffractometry. The title compound I crystallizes in space group Cc (No. 9, Z = 4). The lattice constants are a = 16.577(3), b = 18.136(4), c = 24.006(5) A , β = 91.31(3) ° . A full-matrix least-squares refinement yielded a final reliability (R) factor of 0.062 based on 2859 unique reflections. The coordination about the cerium central atom is ten and the geometric polyhedron is bicapped dodecahedral. The molecules in the crystal lattice are held together by van der Waals forces. Selected bond distances and angles are presented and discussed as well as synthesis and peripheral studies.
Bacterial interference in the treatment of recurrent staphylococcal infections in family

The concept of bacterial interference was utilized in the treatment of a family with recurrent staphylococcal infections. After eradication of the resistant strain of Staphylococcus aureus phage type 80/81, a penicillin-sensitive strain of Staphylococcus aureus designated 502A was implanted. With the exception of a single superficial infection with the original resident strain, the family has remained free of staphylococcal infection for 17 months.
Effect of particle and surfactant acid-base properties on charging of colloids in apolar media

The present work examines role of particle and surfactant acid-base properties using model spherical silica particles, one type with acidic functionality and the other with basic functionality, dispersed in an apolar solvent containing either a basic or an acidic surfactant. The electrical properties of each of the four systems types are quantified by measuring the particle electrophoretic mobility using phase angle light scattering (PALS). Since the magnitude of the mobility in each case also depends strongly on the concentration of the surfactant, this dependence was investigated concurrently. It was found that at sufficiently high surfactant concentration, i.e., where micelles begin to form in the bulk, the particle surfaces could be electrically charged. Both the polarity and magnitude of the surface charge are found to depend strongly on the acid-base properties of the surface and the surfactant. The basic surfactant produces negatively-charged particles, and the magnitude of the mobility increases with the particle surface acidity. The acidic surfactant, on the other hand, charges the particle positively and produces the highest mobility when used with basic particles. This finding is consistent with the acid-base charging mechanism initially proposed by Fowkes and coworkers. It is also found that further increases in micelle concentration can have the effect of lowering the particle mobility. The decline in electrophoretic mobility (or zeta potential) at high surfactant concentration is caused by the increasing concentration of electrically charged micelles, which may partially neutralize the surface charge or compress the electrical double layer.
MIDAS: a program for investigator-assisted computer analysis of coronary patient data.

Abstract Physiologic waveforms from coronary care patients can be acquired in real time, stored on digital magnetic tape, and subsequently displayed on a graphic display terminal. Using an associated keyboard the investigator can display data from single heartbeats, change scale factors, and select arbitrary intervals of data for further analysis. Many different display programs can be written using a package of FORTRAN callable subroutines. The subroutine package and two programs which use this package are discussed. Examples of typical displays are shown.
Ironing out the statistical wrinkles in “Ten Ironic Rules”

The article “Ten ironic rules for non-statistical reviewers” (Friston, 2012) shares some commonly heard frustrations about the peer-review process that all researchers can identify with. Though we found the article amusing, we have some concerns about its description of a number of statistical issues. In this commentary we address these issues, as well as the premise of the article.
Laboratory observation of a nonlinear interaction between shear Alfvén waves.

An experimental investigation of nonlinear interactions between shear Alfven waves in a laboratory plasma is presented. Two Alfven waves, generated by a resonant cavity, are observed to beat together, driving a pseudomode at the beat frequency. The pseudomode then scatters the Alfven waves, generating a series of sidebands. The observed interaction is very strong, with the normalized amplitude of the driven pseudomode comparable to the normalized magnetic field amplitude (deltaB/B) of the interacting Alfven waves.
Alley cropping maize (Zea mays var.Jeka) with cassia (Cassia siamea) in The Gambia: crop production and soil fertility

The relative contributions of cassia prunings and inorganic fertilizer to yield of maize (number of ears and weight of grain, ears, cobs and stover), maize grain quality (weight of 3 largest size fractions) and soil pH, N, P, K and organic matter contents were investigated at a semi-arid site in The Gambia. Four treatments: control (no prunings or fertilizer applied), only prunings applied, prunings plus half the recommended rate of fertilizer, and the full recommended fertilizer rate plus prunings, were replicated in a Latin square design. At the full fertilizer rate, 125 kg/ha of NPK (8∶24∶24) plus 43.5 kg/ha urea was broadcast at the time of sowing followed by 100 kg/ha of urea applied as side dressing two weeks after crop germination. Soil N, P, K organic matter and pH were not significantly different either before cropping or after crop harvest in both 0–10 and 10–15 cm soil depth. Crop yield, as measured by number and dry weight of ears, stover, grain and cob weights, was significantly different among treatments (p=0.0001, p=0.0001, p=0.0001, p=0.0001 and p=0.0001, respectively). The application of prunings plus full recommended fertilizer produced the highest yields. The weights of the three largest grain size fractions, grades A, B, and C, differed significantly between treatments (p=0.0026, p=0.0001 and p=0.0001, respectively). Yield of grade A grain increased by 202% over control with application of prunings plus full rate fertilizer and declined by 31% relative to the control with application of only prunings. More grade A, B and C grain was produced with application of full rate fertilizer plus prunings than in control treatments. However, application of half rate fertilizer plus prunings produced a higher proportion of grade A grain.
Effect of surface diffusion on creep fracture

The effect of surface diffusion on the growth of intergranular cavities under creep conditions is investigated considering its influence on the shape of the cavities. First, general equations relating the rate of cavity growth and the applied stress are given for the case of isolated cavities and an array of interacting cavities. The conditions for cavities to grow in an equilibrium and crack-like forms, respectively, are established. The transition from equilibrium to crack-like forms is discussed and an estimate for the lower and upper limit of the rate of cavity growth during this transition suggested. Expressions for the growth rates of crack-like cavities which grow independently of each other as well as those in an array of interacting cavities are then derived. Several different regimes in which stress dependence of the rate of cavity growth vary are found. Conditions under which these regimes can occur are discussed. A comparison of the theory with several recent experimental studies is made and an excellent agreement between the theory and experiment is obtained assuming that different regimes of cavitation occur in different materials and at different stress levels in the same material.
A Bivalent Tarantula Toxin Activates the Capsaicin Receptor, TRPV1, by Targeting the Outer Pore Domain

Summary Toxins have evolved to target regions of membrane ion channels that underlie ligand binding, gating, or ion permeation, and have thus served as invaluable tools for probing channel structure and function. Here, we describe a peptide toxin from the Earth Tiger tarantula that selectively and irreversibly activates the capsaicin- and heat-sensitive channel, TRPV1. This high-avidity interaction derives from a unique tandem repeat structure of the toxin that endows it with an antibody-like bivalency. The "double-knot" toxin traps TRPV1 in the open state by interacting with residues in the presumptive pore-forming region of the channel, highlighting the importance of conformational changes in the outer pore region of TRP channels during activation.
Insulator to Conductor Transition in Shock Compressed Dielectrics at Multimbar Pressure

Summary form only given. A new generation of materials experiments at high pressures-densities-temperatures is now possible due to a variety of high energy density (HED) facilities and new compression techniques. These facilities will be used over the next decade to measure equation of state and transport properties of materials at multi-gigabar pressure and over 10 fold compression. I will describe recent experiments where high energy lasers were used to measure high pressure shock equation of state and transport properties of a few low Z materials (C, H2O, SiO2) from kbar to 10's of Mbar. In general, with increasing shock pressure these materials transition from an insulator to an electronic conductor. In some materials, like diamond, this transition is coincident with the expected melt transition. In other materials, the onset of conductivity is either determined by chemistry (i.e. SiO2) or thermal activation of carriers across a band gap (H2O)
POLITICAL CORRUPTION IN THE AMERICAN STATES

Political corruption is less common in states that have Moralistic political cultures and more educated populations. Contrary to expectations, however, political corruption is not related to crime rates or urbanization.
The optical activity of d-erythro-sphingomyelin and its contribution to the circular dichroism of sphingomyelin-containing systems

Abstract Circular dichroism studies on bovine brain sphingomyelin show the presence of a strong negative cotton effect below 200 nm, the position and magnitude of which depend on the physical state of the lipid. This cotton effect is thought to arise from the π-π ∗ transition of the amide group in the sphingomyelin backbone. The sphingomyelin contribution to the observed ellipticity of membranes and lipoprotein complexes depends on the mol fraction of amide groups present as sphingomyelin: this contribution is calculated to be less than 2% in the case of serum high density lipoprotein and the order of 20% below 200 nm in the case of the erythrocyte ghost membrane. Due to the similarity of the CD spectrum of sphingomyelin to that of a random coil polypeptide, use of uncorrected ellipticity data is expected to lead to an overestimate of the random coil content of proteins in systems containing a high sphingomyelin content.
Treatment with p -hydroxyphenylpyruvate in the absence of resuscitation extends survival in rats subjected to lethal blood loss

We tested the hypothesis that treatment with an enone-containing compound, p-hydroxyphenylpyruvate (pHPP), the first intermediate in the tyrosine catabolism pathway, could ameliorate the survival time in rats subjected to profound hemorrhagic shock (HS) in the absence of resuscitation. We based this hypothesis on the knowledge that ethyl pyruvate (EP) and related enone-containing compounds are protective in numerous in vitro and in vivo models of oxidant-mediated and cytokine-mediated cellular and organ injury.
Active mode-locking of an external cavity GaInAsP laser incorporating a fibre-grating reflector

Active mode-locking of a GaInAsP semiconductor diode amplifier, coupled to an external cavity incorporating an optical fibre grating as a bandwidth limiting and wavelength selective mirror, is reported. The grating defined the central emission wavelength to the 1.53μm region where modelocked pulses having durations ofless than 10 ps were generated at a repetition rate of 648 MHz.
Self-adjoint boundary value problems with infinitely many boundary points

The system $$Ly = y' + Py = f,\sum\limits_{i = 0}^m {A_i y(a_i ) = 0} $$ is disvussed when it is self-adjoint under a transformation T. In an appropriate Hilbert space its eigenfunction expansion is derived.
Leukocytes-second line of defense against invading mastitis pathogens

In mammals, neutrophile polymorphonuclear leukocytes constitute one of the essential body defenses against disease. In a large mammal, such as the dairy cow, billions of neutrophils are mobilized to fight infection. For example, over 50 million neutrophils per milliliter milk are commonly in a mammary quarter inflicted with clinical mastitis. However, in spite of these numerous leukocytes, pathogenic organisms remain viable. Recent evidence indicates that bacteria are not eliminated from a diseased quarter because the phagocytic capacity of the neutrophils is reduced in the mammary gland. The morphology and physiology of the leukocyte is examined in this review in an attempt to explain why the phagocytic capacity of the neutrophil is reduced in the mammary gland of the bovine.
A demonstration of appearance and union times of three shoulder ossification centers in adolescent and post-adolescent children

Abstract It is well known that appearance and union times of epiphyseal/apophyseal elements can be used as a tool to estimate age in both living and deceased children. Radiographic documentation of ossification centers within the shoulder region however remains underexplored. This study fills that niche by recording the appearance and, or, union times of the proximal humerus, acromial process and coracoid angle/apex. Shoulder radiographs from 264 males and 189 females between the ages of 10 and 21 years were examined. These images were obtained via two sources including the Michigan State University׳s Clinical Center as well as Query Patricia, an online juvenile radiographic database. Developmental progress of each element was divided into a unique staging system based on the extent to which that center could be visualized. Observations were recorded for each of the three elements and their age/phase distributions are provided. A number of developmental milestones (phases) were observed to always occur before the age of 16 or 18 years. These results suggest that the shoulder region may be of particular value when evaluating the likely direction of an individual׳s age in relation to either of these two common threshold values.
Alcohol drinking in the rat induced by acute intracerebral infusion of two tetrahydroisoquinolines and a β-carboline

Abstract Rats of the Sprague-Dawley strain were pre-screened for their preference of alcohol over water with the solutions of alcohol offered increasing systematically over 12 days from 3–30% concentration. Each rat was then surgically prepared with indwelling guide cannulae so that microinfusions of amine condensation products could be made acutely into either the lateral or third cerebral ventricle. At the same hour on each of the 12 days of the preference test sequence, the test compound or cerebrospinal fluid control vehicle was microinfused in a volume of 5.0 μ1 either unilaterally, bilaterally in the lateral ventricles, or directly into the third ventricle. A single infusion once a day into the lateral ventricle of tetrahydropapaveroline (THP) in doses of 0.1–1.0 μg produced an increase in alcohol drinking in this non-preferring strain of rats. The mean proportions of alcohol to water consumed per day over 12 days, as well as the actual intake of alcohol in g/kg per day rose markedly above control levels. THP evoked an ever-rising intake in grams of alcohol as the concentrations of the fluid offered were increased. Several animals drank voluntarily as much as 8.0–10.0 g/kg per day of alcohol during the latter half of the preference sequence when the alcohol offered was in the range 11–30% concentration. Some rats exhibited “wet dog shakes”, exophthalmos, motor impairment, tail stiffness, piloerection, and broad-based walking. When a mixture of tryptoline and THP, or salsolinol and THP, was infused similarly, again alcohol consumption was enhanced significantly in some rats. These results support the hypothesis that a family of amine condensation products acting within limbic forebrain structures mediates the abnormal selection and intake of alcohol. Thus, these compounds may be involved in the etiology of the addictive state.
Smooth Muscle Cell Phenotype Modulation and Contraction on Native and Cross-Linked Polyelectrolyte Multilayers

Smooth muscle cells convert between a motile, proliferative "synthetic" phenotype and a sessile, "contractile" phenotype. The ability to manipulate the phenotype of aortic smooth muscle cells with thin biocompatible polyelectrolyte multilayers (PEMUs) with common surface chemical characteristics but varying stiffness was investigated. The stiffness of (PAH/PAA) PEMUs was varied by heating to form covalent amide bond cross-links between the layers. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) showed that cross-linked PEMUs were thinner than those that were not cross-linked. AFM nanoindentation demonstrated that the Young's modulus ranged from 6 MPa for hydrated native PEMUs to more than 8 GPa for maximally cross-linked PEMUs. Rat aortic A7r5 smooth muscle cells cultured on native PEMUs exhibited morphology and motility of synthetic cells and expression of the synthetic phenotype markers vimentin, tropomyosin 4, and nonmuscle myosin heavy chain IIB (nmMHCIIB). In comparison, cells cultured on maximally cross-linked PEMUs exhibited the phenotype markers calponin, smooth muscle myosin heavy chain (smMHC), myocardin, transgelin, and smooth muscle alpha-actin (smActin) that are characteristic of the smooth muscle "contractile" phenotype. Consistent with those cells being "contractile", A7r5 cells grown on cross-linked PEMUs produced contractile force when stimulated with a Ca(2+) ionophore.
RECQL4 in genomic instability and aging

Helicases are ubiquitous proteins that unwind DNA and participate in DNA metabolism including replication, repair, transcription, and chromatin organization. The highly conserved RecQ helicase family proteins are important in these transactions and have been termed the guardians of the genome. Humans have five members of this family: WRN, BLM, RECQL4, RECQL1, and RECQL5. The first three of are associated with premature aging and cancer prone syndromes, but the latter two proteins have not yet been implicated in any human disease. Although WRN and BLM have been fairly well characterized, RECQL4 has only recently been intensively investigated. The sum of this work to date has shown that RECQL4 has helicase activity and localizes to telomeres and mitochondria. In addition, new protein partners are emerging, implicating RECQL4 in novel processes. Here, we describe these recent findings which place RECQL4 at the crossroads of genomic instability and aging processes.
Carbon Dioxide and Molecular Nitrogen as Switches between Ionic and Uncharged Room-Temperature Liquids Comprised of Amidines and Chiral Amino Alcohols

The properties of reversible, room-temperature, chiral, ionic liquids (L-A-C) are reported. They are easily prepared by passing CO2 gas through equimolar mixtures of a simple amidine (L) and a chiral amino alcohol (A), L/A, derived from a naturally occurring amino acid, and they can be returned to their L/A states by passing a displacing gas, N2, through the ionic liquid; the process of passing from uncharged to charged states can be repeated several times without discernible degradation of each phase. All of the 40 L/A combinations examined form room-temperature ionic liquids (most to ca. 50 °C under 1 atm of CO2) and they remain liquids to at least −20 °C. The L-A-C phases are more viscous than their corresponding L/A phases, the conductivities are much higher in the L-A-C phases than in the L/A phases, and the solubility characteristics of the liquids can be modulated significantly by exposing them to either CO2 or N2 gas. The spectroscopic characteristics of the L/A and L-A-C phases have been compared...
Distribution of sulphides and oxidised sulphur components in SNC meteorites

Abstract Stepped combustion analysis of sulphur-bearing phases in SNC meteorites indicates that sulphates and sulphides are widespread at low abundance in these meteorites. The amount of sulphate sulphur is highest in shergottites: Shergotty (190 ppm) and ALHA 77005 (90 ppm). Nakhla and Chassigny contain lower sulphate sulphur contents (80–85 ppm) compared with shergottites, but their oxidised/reduced sulphur ratios are significantly greater ( ⩾ 1.5) which indicates higher net oxidation states. Nakhla and Chassigny also contain elemental sulphur as an additional oxidised component. An origin of the sulphates (and elemental sulphur) by terrestrial weathering processes cannot be completely rejected, but it is considered more likely that the minerals were incorporated into the host rocks as relict grains of weathering or alteration products formed on the surface of the SNC parent body.
SU‐GG‐T‐568: The Effect of Change in Target Volume and Tissue Heterogenity on Dose Distributions during the Course of Treatment with Intensity Modulated Proton Radiotherapy

Purpose: To investigate the changes in dose distribution due to changes in tissue heterogeneity during the course of treatment with intensity modulated protonradiotherapy (TMPT). Method and materials: A retrorespective study was conducted using CTimages acquired from daily CT‐guided IMRT treatments for cancer of paranasal sinus. IMPT planning from the Eclipse treatment planning system (Varian Medical Systems) was used to design and calculate the dose distribution and to evaluate the dose volume histograms of GTV, CTV, PTV, and OAR for the first and consecutive daily CTimages acquired on a CT‐on‐rails system. Two‐beam optimization was performed on the acquired CTimage for the first day of treatment. A verification plan was calculated on subsequent daily CTimages by using the same beams' orientation with the same number of beam spots and fluence patterns as used for the first day. Results: The reduction in volume from the first to last day of treatment for GTV, CTV, and PTV were 5%, 1%, and 1%, respectively. The volumetric coverage of GTV, CTV and PTV by 95% isodose line distribution were reduced by 13%, 6%, and 7%, respectively for the same period. The total dose received by 95% of the GTV, CTV, and PTV volume was reduced by 1.5%, 3%, and 5%, respectively. The maximum dose received by brainstem was actually reduced by 52%. Conclusion: Small volumetric changes in tissue heterogeneity will have a diverse effect on tumor coverage for intensity modulated protonradiotherapy. The heterogeneity changes within the target volume affect the range of individual proton pencil beams that collectively optimize the tumor coverage.
Tumor Necrosis Factor-α Increases Circulating Osteoclast Precursor Numbers by Promoting Their Proliferation and Differentiation in the Bone Marrow through Up-regulation of c-Fms Expression

Osteoclasts are essential cells for bone erosion in inflammatory arthritis and are derived from cells in the myeloid lineage. Recently, we reported that tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFalpha) increases the blood osteoclast precursor (OCP) numbers in arthritic patients and animals, which are reduced by anti-TNF therapy, implying that circulating OCPs may have an important role in the pathogenesis of erosive arthritis. The aim of this study is to investigate the mechanism by which TNFalpha induces this increase in OCP frequency. We found that TNFalpha stimulated cell division and conversion of CD11b+/Gr-1-/lo/c-Fms- to CD11b+/Gr-1-/lo/c-Fms+ cells, which was not blocked by neutralizing macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) antibody. Ex vivo analysis of monocytes demonstrated the following: (i) blood CD11b+/Gr-1-/lo but not CD11b-/Gr-1- cells give rise to osteoclasts when they were cultured with receptor activator NF-kappaB ligand and M-CSF; and (ii) TNF-transgenic mice have a significant increase in blood CD11b+/Gr-1-/lo cells and bone marrow proliferating CD11b+/Gr-1-/lo cells. Administration of TNFalpha to wild type mice induced bone marrow CD11b+/Gr-1-/lo cell proliferation, which was associated with an increase in CD11b+/Gr-1-/lo OCPs in the circulation. Thus, TNFalpha directly stimulates bone marrow OCP genesis by enhancing c-Fms expression. This results in progenitor cell proliferation and differentiation in response to M-CSF, leading to an enlargement of the marrow OCP pool. Increased marrow OCPs subsequently egress to the circulation, forming a basis for elevated OCP frequency. Therefore, the first step of TNF-induced osteoclastogenesis is at the level of OCP genesis in the bone marrow, which represents another layer of regulation to control erosive disease.
The Effect of Metal Complexation on Hydrogen Sulfide Transport Across the Sea-Air Interface

Hydrogen sulfide dissolved in surface seawater is distributed into free forms which include the volatile neutral H2S and its conjugate anions, and also into a set of involatile metal complexes. Calculation of the sulfide fraction capable of supporting sea-air flux is sensitive to large uncertainties in complexation equilibrium relationships, both for the sulfides themselves, and for organic ligands competing with them to coordinate dissolved copper. Saturation can be achieved relative to the troposphere if metal interactions are minimized, or if strong sulfide binders are titrated.
Portable, low-power, mechanically cooled Ge spectrometer

Abstract A light-weight portable mechanically cooled γ-ray spectrometer has been constructed and tested. The spectrometer is based on a high-purity n-type Ge coaxial crystal, ∼5 cm long×5 cm diameter, a small, low-power Stirling cycle microcooler, and a low-power custom electronics package. The energy resolution of the spectrometer is ∼3.5 keV at E γ =662 keV, the power requirements are ∼15 W DC, and the combined weight of the Ge, housing, and controller is approximately 10 pounds. The spectrometer qualifies therefore as “hand held”. It is suitable for field operations, because of its light-weight, low-power draw, and operational lifetime. The microcooler itself has a MTBF >30,000 h, and the spectrometer runs for several months (at least 6) before a 2 day recycle is required.
An Energy Scalable Computational Array for Sensor Signal Processing

Harvesting energy from environmental sources can extend wireless sensor network node lifetime beyond the limits of battery technology. However, the output power from an energy harvester is highly variable. We propose a domain-specific computational array which maximizes sensor performance by matching system power consumption to the available scavenged energy through power scalable approximate signal processing. The array consists of distributed arithmetic (DA) based functional units coupled with a reconfigurable interconnect structure. Each unit implements several core linear and nonlinear signal processing functions in an area efficient manner which also minimizes leakage power. Several sensor DSP applications (FIR, IIR, and FFT) have been mapped onto the array. Post-layout simulations confirm that the proposed domain-specific computational array is energy efficient and energy scalable.
Like/as: metaphor and meaning in bioethics narrative.

We would like to thank Cynthia Cohen for her critique of the report of the first stages of the NIH Roadmap Grant on Oncofertility, which is just in the first years of the animal modeling phase, alt...
Stress and the Administrator—a Look At Theory and Reality:

Principals are no strangers to stress. In addition to the stress of adminis tering a school, they also often face the stress of calls for reform, school-community relations, and personal problems. Stress reduc tion is essential for life and health.
Promoting Electrocatalytic Activity of a Composite SOFC Cathode La0.8Sr0.2MnO3+δ/Ce0.8Gd0.2O2-δ with Molten Carbonates

Publication Info Published in Journal of The Electrochemical Societye, Volume 161, Issue 3, 2013, pages F226-F232. ©Journal of The Electrochemical Society 2013, The Electrochemcial Society. © The Electrochemical Society, Inc. 2013. All rights reserved. Except as provided under U.S. copyright law, this work may not be reproduced, resold, distributed, or modified without the express permission of The Electrochemical Society (ECS). The archival version of this work was published in Journal of The Electrochemical Society. Publisher’s Version: http://dx.doi.org/10.1149/2.034403jes
Prediction in chaotic nonlinear systems: Methods for time series with broadband Fourier spectra.

We consider the problem of prediction and system identification for time series having broadband power spectra that arise from the intrinsic nonlinear dynamics of the system. We view the motion of the system in a reconstructed phase space that captures the attractor (usually strange) on which the system evolves and give a procedure for constructing parametrized maps that evolve points in the phase space into the future. The predictor of future points in the phase space is a combination of operation on past points by the map and its iterates. Thus the map is regarded as a dynamical system and not just a fit to the data. The invariants of the dynamical system, the Lyapunov exponents and optimum moments of the invariant density on the attractor, are used as constraints on the choice of mapping parameters. The parameter values are chosen through a constrained least-squares optimization procedure, constrained by the values of these invariants. We give a detailed discussion of methods to extract the Lyapunov exponents and optimum moments from data and show how to equate them to the values for the parametric map in the constrained optimization. We also discuss the motivation and methods we utilize for choosing the form of our parametric maps. Their form has a strong similarity to the work in statistics on kernel density estimation, but the goals and techniques differ in detail. Our methodology is applied to "data" from the H\'enon map and the Lorenz system of differential equations and shown to be feasible. We find that the parameter values that minimize the least-squares criterion do not, in general, reproduce the invariants of the dynamical system. The maps that do reproduce the values of the invariants are not optimum in the least-squares sense, yet still are excellent predictors. We discuss several technical and general problems associated with prediction and system identification on strange attractors. In particular, we consider the matter of the evolution of points that are off the attractor (where few or no data are available), onto the attractor where long-term motion takes place. We find that we are able to realize maps that give a least-squares approximation to the data with rms variation over the attractor of 0.5% or less and still reproduce the dynamical invariants to 5% or better. The dynamical invariants are the classifiers of the dynamical system producing the broadband time series in the first place, so this quality of the maps is essential in representing the correct dynamics.
An analysis of gravity model distance exponents

This study examines variations in the basic parameter of the gravity model: the distance or travel time exponent. In a conceptual examination of the exponent under ideal conditions, it is noted that the exponent will be low if either production or consumption of the phenomena is geographically concentrated. It is further noted that if all regions produce and consume the phenomena, this generally implies a large number of substitute regions, and therefore a large exponent. These three variables are made operational and related to a set of eighty exponents for 1967 commodity flows in the United States. A multiple regression model is derived and utilized to estimate the exponents. The latter are then used to reestimate the flows. The root mean squared errors are quite similar for the fitted and estimated exponents. Implications of the research appear to be consistent with variations of the exponent in the urban context.