cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
LDL receptor-related protein (LRP) in Alzheimer's disease: towards a unified theory of pathogenesis.

To date, mutations in three genes, beta-amyloid precursor protein (APP), presenilin 1 (PS1), and presenilin 2 (PS2), have been found to be causally related to familial Alzheimer's disease (AD). In addition, polymorphisms in three other genes (among others), apolipoprotein E (apoE), alpha2-macroglobulin (alpham), and the low density lipoprotein receptor-related protein (LRP), are implicated to contribute to AD pathogenesis. Interestingly, the encoded gene products are all functionally related in various ways to LRP. Specifically apoE, alpha2m, secreted APP, and amyloid beta-protein (Abeta) complexed to either apoE or alpha2m are ligands of LRP. Furthermore, over-expression of presenilin 1 results in decreased expression of LRP. Since levels of many LRP ligands are increased in Alzheimer's disease and LRP and its ligands are present in senile plaques, decreased LRP function may be a central component in AD pathogenesis. This review explores the current knowledge of LRP in AD and its relationship to the other known AD susceptibility markers.
Upregulation of Endogenous Neurotrophin Levels in the Brain by Intranasal Administration of Carnosic Acid

The potential of intranasally administered carnosic acid to enhance the endogenous levels of neurotrophins [nerve growth factor and brain-derived neurotrophic factor] in the brain was investigated. Hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD) was used to enhance the aqueous solubility of carnosic acid. The effect of different concentrations of chitosan on the permeation of carnosic acid was investigated across the bovine olfactory mucosa using Franz diffusion cell setup. The formulations were administered [intranasal (i.n.)/subcutaneous route] in Sprague-Dawley rats, and the neurotrophins were sampled from the brain by microdialysis after the treatment period and measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Phase solubility studies revealed that the solubility of carnosic acid was enhanced significantly with increase in the concentration of HP-β-CD. The neurotrophin levels were enhanced significantly upon i.n. administration of carnosic acid with chitosan, which was approximately 1.5-2-fold more over the parenteral route. Nose-to-brain delivery of carnosic acid along with chitosan is a potential approach for treating disorders associated with depletion of neurotrophins.
Infection of murine oligodendroglial precursor cells with Human Herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6)--establishment of a murine in vitro model.

Abstract Background Human Herpesvirus 6 was previously demonstrated to infect human oligodendroglial precursor cells (OPCs) in vitro causing cell cycle arrest and premature differentiation with consequent loss of the precursor pool. Objectives To develop an in vitro murine OPC model to study the cell cycle and differentiation effects of HHV-6 in more readily available, genetically well-defined cells free of the risk of contamination with human herpesviruses. Study design Murine OPCs were exposed to infectious HHV-6A or HHV-6B and analyzed for production of viral transcripts, particles, and replicating virus. FACS analysis and specific markers were used to evaluate effects on cell cycling and differentiation. Results HHV-6 infection of murine OPCs resulted in production of both immediate-early and some late transcripts but no replicating virus by TaqMan quantitative PCR or electron microscopy. Both a specific G1/S cell cycle arrest and premature loss of OPCs through differentiation into oligodendrocytes as previously seen with human precursors were recapitulated. Conclusions Infection of murine OPCs by HHV-6 reproduces the critical phenotypes of cell cycle arrest and altered differentiation seen in human cells. The murine system provides a highly defined, accessible, and reproducible source of cells permitting the elucidation of specific viral and cell cycle genes involved in CNS viral infections of OPCs.
The freezing preservation of vegetables

The commercial preservation of foods and food products began in the United States with the freezing of fish and poultry in 1865, the freezing of small fruits in 1905 and the freezing of vegetables in 1929. The earliest year for which pack statistics for frozen fruit were reported was 1908, when about 10,000 pounds of berries were frozen. The commercial freezing of fruit and fruit products developed slowly at first and increased appreciably only in 1936 and later. Production reached 525 million pounds in 1946, rose to 695 million pounds in 1956, decreased to 620 million pounds in 1959, but reached a maximum of 697 millions in 1960. The commercial production of vegetables started later and at first developed more slowly. The pack amounted to 7 million pounds in 1937 (less than 9%o of the frozen fruit pack), reached 450 million pounds in 1946 (86% of the frozen fruit pack), 1,626,000,000 lbs. in 1959 (26.3% of the frozen fruit pack), and 1,959,000,000 in 1960 (281% of the frozen fruit pack.) The production of frozen vegetables increased much more rapidly during the period 1947-1955, than did that of frozen fruit. The frozen food industry is second to the dry food industry in its use of folding cartons for packaging. A recent survey indicated that the frozen food industry annually uses 3,600 millions of cartons in comparison with 10,200 millions used by the dry food industry. The distribution of use is shown in Table 1. This indicates that 125 plants of 555 were processing
Systemic lupus erythematosus clinical trials—an interim analysis

Since the current standards for drug approval were established nearly half a century ago, no drug has been approved for the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Despite this sobering history, interest in drug development for SLE has heightened in the past few years. This enthusiasm has been fueled in large part by the success of biologic therapy for rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases. Unfortunately, despite considerable clinical trial activity, this interest has not yet translated into the discovery of an effective treatment for SLE. This article provides an analysis of the major clinical trials in SLE, and offers an interpretation of the results that could illuminate the path forward.
Primary creep transients due to non-uniform obstacle sizes

The effect of a heterogeneous population of site strengths on creep is considered. It is argued that all of the common creep transients (fast plastic, logarithmic and power-law or Andrade creep) can be explained by a single simple model that is based on a large number of interacting sites. The model naturally develops exhaustion of flow on weaker sites by shedding stress to stronger sites, which themselves are able to flow. Systematic changes in the creep behavior with temperature from the model are similar to those observed experimentally.
Measure of Shear and Compression Components of Puncture Tests

SUMMARY A study was designed to separate and measure the compression components (proportional to area) and the shear components (proportional to perimeter) of a simple puncture test. Two sets of punches were used (one with a constant area and a variable perimeter, and the other with a constant perimeter and a variable area) to measure the compression and shear components in puncture tests on foam plastic board and representative foods. The puncture force for both can be expressed by the equation F = K,P + K,A + C, where K., K, and C are constants, P is the perimeter of the punch, and A is the area of the punch. K, represents the shear coefficient and Kc the compression coefficient of the food being tested. For a given punch, F depends upon K, and K, which are properties of the material being tested. For a given material, F depends on the perimeter and area of the punch. These results can be used as a basis for design of punch shape and size in a practical puncture test. The shear component of a puncture test can be increased or decreased relative to the compression component by manipulating the perimeter/ area ratio of the punch.
Differential floral development and gene expression in grapevines during long and short photoperiods suggests a role for floral genes in dormancy transitioning

Daylength is an important environmental cue for synchronizing growth, flowering, and dormancy with seasonality. As many floral development genes are photoperiod regulated, it has been suggested that they could have a regulatory role in bud endodormancy. Therefore, the influence of photoperiod was studied on inflorescence primordia differentiation and floral pathway related gene expression during the development of overwintering buds in Vitis riparia and V. spp. ‘Seyval’. Photoperiod treatments were imposed 35 days after budbreak, and histological and transcriptomic analyses were conducted during the subsequent 42 days of bud development. Long day (LD, 15 h) and short day (SD, 13 h) buds were floral competent by 21 days of photoperiod treatment (56 days after budbreak); however, the floral meristem developed faster in LD than in SD buds. Analysis of 132 floral pathway related genes represented on the Affymetrix Grape Genome array indicated 60 were significantly differentially expressed between photoperiod treatments. Genes predominantly related to floral transition or floral meristem development were identified by their association with distinct grape floral meristem development and an expression pattern in LD consistent with their previously identified roles in flowering literature. Genes with a potential dual role in floral development and dormancy transitioning were identified using photoperiod induced differences in floral development between LD and SD buds and uncharacteristic gene expression trends in relation to floral development. Candidate genes with the potential to play a dual role in SD dormancy induction include circadian rhythm or flowering transition related genes: AP2, BT1, COL-13, EIN3, ELF4, DDTR, GAI and HY5.
Preservation of hemostatic and structural properties of rehydrated lyophilized platelets: potential for long-term storage of dried platelets for transfusion

Currently, therapeutic platelet concentrates can be stored for only 5 days. We have developed a procedure that permits long-term storage of fixed and lyophilized platelets that retain hemostatic properties after rehydration. These rehydrated lyophilized platelets (RL platelets) restore hemostasis in thrombocytopenic rats and become incorporated in the hemostatic plug of bleeding time wounds of normal dogs as well as von Willebrand disease dogs with partially replenished plasma von Willebrand factor. Ultrastructurally, these platelets are well preserved and are comparable to control normal washed platelets. Flow cytometry analysis shows that RL platelets react with antibodies to the major surface receptors, glycoprotein (GP)Ib and GPIIb/IIIa. These receptors are involved in platelet agglutination, aggregation, and adhesion. In vitro functional tests document the ability of RL platelets to adhere to denuded subendothelium and to spread on a foreign surface. Circulating RL platelets participated in carotid arterial thrombus formation induced in normal canine subjects. The participation of RL platelets in these vital hemostatic properties suggests that with further development they could become a stable platelet product for transfusion.
Two reliability-based iterative majority-logic decoding algorithms for LDPC codes

This paper presents two novel reliability-based iterative majority-logic decoding algorithms for LDPC codes. Both algorithms are binary message-passing algorithms and require only logical operations and integer additions. Consequently, they can be implemented with simple combinational logic circuits. They either outperform or perform just as well as the existing weighted bit-flipping or other reliability-based iterative decoding algorithms for LDPC codes in error performance with a faster rate of decoding convergence and less decoding complexity. Compared to the sum-product algorithm for LDPC codes, they offer effective trade-offs between performance and decoding complexity.
Quality Monitoring and Fault Detection on Stamped Parts Using DCA and LDA Image Recognition Techniques

New vision technologies provide an opportunity for fast detection and diagnosis of quality problems compared with traditional dimensional measurement techniques. This paper proposes a new use of image processing to detect quality faults using images traditionally obtained to guide manufacturing processes. The proposed method utilizes face recognition tools to eliminate the need of specific feature detection on determining out-of-specification parts. The algorithm is trained with previously classified images. New images are then classified into two groups, healthy and unhealthy. This paper proposes a method that combines Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT) with either Principal Component Analysis (PCA) or Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) to detect faults, such as cracks, directly from sheet metal parts.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Flow in Cylindrical Sediment Traps

Abstract Flow behavior in cylindrical settling traps was observed in steady flow for trap Reynolds numbers (Re) between 1,600–30,500. The effects due to aspect ratio, wall thickness, a funnel at the bottom of the trap, and the presence of a mooring line were investigated. Although the data are semiquantitative, they show that upwelling frequency and intensity increased as Re increased and as the aspect ratio decreased. The relationships between the thickness of the bottom layer, the frequency of upwelling, and the settling velocity of a particle determines whether deposition occurs through the bottom tranquil layer or the viscous sublayer. Since the thickness of the bottom tranquil layer can be scaled by the trap diameter, the settling behavior of particles cannot be modeled simply by Re and the aspect ratio, as can flow behavior, but also depends on the ratio of flow velocity to settling speed. Flow behavior induced by wave action is similar in many ways to that generated by steady flow at the same Re. Depending upon flow conditions in the trap, either the measured flux or the size distribution of the material collected may differ substantially from that outside the trap. Traps that are designed so that upwelling does not occur during their deployment will give the best estimates of flux and particle distribution. This means that in most cases several small traps are preferable to a single large trap.
Exemplification and Constituent Realism: A Clarification and Modest Defense

In this article I present and (modestly) defend a hybrid position which we may call a Platonist constituent ontology. More specifically, I present a version of exemplification which entails (1) a certain form of Platonism, (2) a constituent ontology of ordinary objects, (3) a view of exemplification as a “tiedto” nexus, and (4) a view of properties as abstract objects that are non-spatially “in” ordinary objects. I clarify two sets of preliminary issues, present my hybrid analysis of exemplification, raise and seek to undercut an argument against my constituent realism, and surface some of the costs and benefits relevant to assessing the relative merits of relational versus constituent realism.
Polymorphism T→C (−34 bp) of gene CYP17 promoter in Greek patients with polycystic ovary syndrome

Abstract Objective: To investigate the frequency of T→C substitution (−34 bp) of gene CYP17 promoter in Greek patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and to elucidate its role in the pathogenesis of the syndrome. Design: Follow-up study. Setting: Academic research setting. Patient(s): Fifty patients with PCOS and 50 healthy women. Intervention(s): Body mass index and the waist-hip ratio were determined for each woman. Blood samples were obtained for DNA analysis and hormone estimates. Main Outcome Measure(s): Serum total T levels. Result(s): Seventeen patients (34%) did not carry the base pair substitution (genotype A1A1) and their mean (± SD) total T level was 75.7 ± 32.2 ngl/dL, 29 patients (58%) were heterozygous carriers of the A2 allele (genotype A1A2) and their mean total T level was 77.8 ± 29.9 ng/dL, and 4 patients (8%) carried the A2 allele in homozygosity (genotype A2A2) and their mean total T level was 87.0 ± 2.8 ngl/dL. Twenty-two controls had the genotype A1A1 (44%) and their mean total T level was 39.1 ± 15.5 ng/dL, whereas 28 (56%) had the genotype A1A2 and their mean total T level was 44.9 ± 22.1 ng/dL. Homozygosity of the polymorphic A2 allele was not observed in controls, and this difference (8% versus 0%) was statistically significant. Conclusion(s): Although this base pair substitution is not the primary genetic defect in PCOS, it may aggravate the clinical picture of hyperandrogenemia, particularly when homozygosity exists.
Design Characteristics Of A Skylab Soft X-Ray Telescope

An unprecedented amount of high-quality scientific data has been obtained by the S-056 soft X-ray telescope experiment, together with five other major solar experiments aboard the Skylab Apollo Telescope Mount. A 10-year period will be required to get the 26,000 frames of data into proper form. The optical schematic of the instrument is discussed, and the instrument and its subsystems are described.
Regional expression of heat shock protein-70 mRNA and c-fos mRNA following focal ischemia in rat brain.

In situ hybridization was used to estimate regional levels of heat shock protein-70 (HSP-70) mRNA and c-fos mRNA in two related models of focal cerebral ischemia. In the first model, permanent occlusion of the distal middle cerebral artery (MCA) alone caused a patchy increase in HSP-70 mRNA by 1 h in the central zone of the MCA territory of the ipsilateral neocortex. Tissue levels of HSP-70 mRNA continued to increase for several hours and remained elevated at 24 h. In contrast to the focal expression of HSP-70, c-fos mRNA was increased throughout the ipsilateral cerebral cortex by 15 min and remained elevated for least 3 h. The wide distribution of c-fos expression suggests it may have been caused by spreading depression. In the second model, severe focal ischemia was produced with a combination of transient (1-h) bilateral carotid artery occlusion and permanent MCA occlusion. Combined occlusion for 1 h without reperfusion caused expression of HSP-70 mRNA only in regions adjacent to the central zone of th...
Path-Goal Theories of Leadership: A Meta-Analysis

Meta-analyses of 120 studies were conducted to test hypotheses of path-goal theories. Chi-square results showed that potential situational and artifactual moderators exist for the relationships of leader behaviors with the dependent variables. Of 16 moderator tests that could be conducted, 7 met the criteria as moderators; however the effect of one moderator was in the opposite direction to that hypothesized. The analyses indicated that much of the research testing path-goal theories has been flawed. Suggestions for future research are made.
Put Theory Into Practice

Audrey J. Jaeger, Stephany Dunstan, Courtney Thornton, Alyssa B. Rockenbach, Joy G. Gayles, and Karen J. Haley argue that applying our theoretical frameworks in everyday decision making will help us to be more efficient and effective—and they provide a user-friendly analogy to guide us in this endeavor.
‘Ought’ implies ‘can’ and the principle of alternate possibilities

In his paper ‘What we are morally responsible for’,1 Harry Frankfurt claims, in passing, that while the ‘Frankfurt Counterexamples’2 are counterexamples to the Principle of Alternate Possibilities (PAP: An agent is morally blameworthy3 for what she has done only if she could have done otherwise), they are not counterexamples to the famous Kantian maxim that ‘Ought’ implies ‘Can’. In an Analysis paper of a few years ago, David Widerker objected to Frankfurt’s claim by arguing that the ‘Ought’ implies ‘Can’ maxim (The Maxim: If an agent is morally obligated to act in a particular way, then the agent has the ability to act in that way) entails PAP; hence, counterexamples to PAP are counterexamples to the Maxim as well.4 Widerker’s argument points to a serious problem for those who believe that PAP is to be rejected for roughly the reasons that Frankfurt suggests, even though the Maxim is to be maintained. Such a position might be important for what John Fischer has termed ‘actual sequence’ views of freedom:5 views that see the status of an action as free or unfree as depend-
Projected noise in submillimeter-wave mixers with InSb Schottky diodes

The reduction of the equivalent noise temperature in liquidnitrogen-cooled submillimeter-wave mixers by the use of Schottky barriers on InSb instead of GaAs is evaluated by an analytical model that assumes limited local oscillator power and matched impedances. The calculations, executed at 1.0 and 1.8 Thz, take plasma resonance and skin effect into account. For single and multiple contacts on homogeneous semiconductor materials of optimum doping, the noise of InSb diodes is smaller than that of GaAs diodes by a factor of 3 to 14. A simplified model is used to predict the performance of epitaxial structures as well as alternative materials.
Femtochemistry at high pressures. Solvent effect in the gas-to-liquid transition region

We report new studies on the effect of solvent on the femtosecond dynamics of the dissociation and recombination of iodine in the gas-to-liquid transition region. The pressure of the solvent (helium, neon, argon and krypton) spans the range from 0 to 2500 bar, corresponding to solvent densities from the ideal gas-phase limit to the liquid-like fluid regime. The reactive cross section and the dynamics of the collision of the fragments with the solvent and with each other are discussed in relation to the solvent polarizability and the structure of the solvent cage.
Using the learning cycle to teach biology concepts and reasoning patterns

The learning cycle method of teaching is introduced in the context of biology instruction. The learning cycle is a three-phase inquiry approach consisting of exploration, term introduction, and concept application. The approach has proven effective at helping students construct concepts and conceptual systems as well as develop more effective reasoning patterns, primarily because it allows students to use If/thenfTherefore reasoning to test their own ideas and to participate in the knowledge construction process. Three types of learning cycles exist (i.e., descriptive, empirical-abductive, and hypothetical-predictive) that represent points along a continuum from descriptive to hypothetico-predictive science.
The Phytophthora sojae genome contains tandem repeat sequences which vary from strain to strain.

The oomycetePhytophthora sojaecauses root and stem rot of soybean. InP. sojae,37 cultivar-specific physiological races have been reported with different reactions against 13 single dominant resistance genes in soybean. Recent genetic studies have demonstrated that theP. sojae–soybean interaction follows Flor's gene-for-gene model. Genomic subtraction was carried out to isolate race-specific DNA sequences possibly including avirulence genes. DNA from a race 1 isolate was subtraction-enriched with the DNAs from race 19 and race 22 isolates. The enriched DNAs were used to differentially screen aP. sojaegenomic library. Characterization of the clones obtained identified repetitive sequences with variable copy numbers among isolates. Five of these repetitive sequences were tandemly repeated and were localized on single chromosomes. The sixth corresponded to the ribosomal RNA genes. These observations suggest that gene amplification could contribute to the generation of genetic diversity inP. sojae.Enriched sequences corresponding to avirulence genes were not detected.
t(X;14)(p22;q32)/t(Y;14)(p11;q32) CRLF2-IGH translocations from human B-lineage ALLs involve CpG-type breaks at CRLF2, but CRLF2/P2RY8 intrachromosomal deletions do not

To the editor: Rearrangements involving the type I cytokine receptor subunit CRLF2 occur in 5% to 7% of all adult and pediatric B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemias (B-ALL) and in 60% of B-ALL in children with Down syndrome.[1][1]–[4][2] CRLF2 rearrangement places full-length CRLF2
A model of central place forager prey choice and an application to faunal remains from the Mimbres Valley, New Mexico

Drawing on models from foraging theory, many researchers have used assemblages of animal bones from archaeological sites to document cases of resource depression and reduced foraging efficiency. This paper presents a model of central place forager prey choice that unifies several issues that these previous studies have addressed through the use of separate models. In comparison to the models usually employed, the model presented here makes assumptions that more closely match the ways in which human hunting is often carried out, and it also makes it easier to determine how decisions about the processing of prey at their point of capture will combine with decisions about prey choice to influence overall foraging efficiency for central place foragers. The benefits that arise from the use of such a model are illustrated by applying it to archaeofaunal data from the Mimbres Valley, southwestern New Mexico, where it appears that people experienced depression of large mammal resources, and declining hunting efficiency, during the period between about AD 400 and AD 1200.
Mode III Fracture Mechanics Analysis With Fourier Series Method

A numerical scheme based on the Fourier series method is developed for the solution of Laplace’s equation on a polygonal domain. This scheme is applied to the solution of the pure mode III fracture mechanics problem. For the single edge cracked strip problem under out-of-plane loading, the value of the J-Integral evaluated from the Fourier solution was found to be in good agreement with classical solution. The real power of the scheme lies in its applicability to general polygonal shapes. This capability is illustrated by three sample problems that involve strips with a slanted crack, multiple cracks and branching cracks under mode III loading.
Protein kinase C delta (PKCδ) interacts with microtubule organizing center (MTOC)-associated proteins and participates in meiotic spindle organization

Defects in meiotic spindle structure can lead to chromosome segregation errors and genomic instability. In this study the potential role of protein kinase C delta (PKCdelta) on meiotic spindle organization was evaluated in mouse oocytes. PKCdelta was previously shown to be phosphorylated during meiotic maturation and concentrate on the meiotic spindle during metaphases I and II. Currently we show that when phosphorylated on Threonine 505 (pPKCdelta(Thr505)), within the activation loop of its C4 domain, PKCdelta expression was restricted to the meiotic spindle poles and a few specific cytoplasmic foci. In addition, pPKCdelta(Thr505) co-localized with two key microtubule organizing center (MTOC)-associated proteins, pericentrin and gamma-tubulin. An interaction between pPKCdelta(Thr505) and pericentrin as well as gamma-tubulin was confirmed by co-immunoprecipitation analysis using both fetal fibroblast cells and oocytes. Notably, targeted knockdown of PKCdelta expression in oocytes using short interfering RNAs effectively reduced pPKCdelta(Thr505) protein expression at MTOCs and leads to a significant (P < 0.05) disruption of meiotic spindle organization and chromosome alignment during MI and MII. Moreover, both gamma-tubulin and pericentrin expression at MTOCs were decreased in pPKCdelta(Thr505)-depleted oocytes. In sum, these results indicate that pPKCdelta(Thr505) interacts with MTOC-associated proteins and plays a role in meiotic spindle organization in mammalian oocytes.
Cardiac Abnormalities in One Case of Maple Syrup Urine Disease

Classic Maple Syrup Urine Disease is a rare and serious metabolic disorder caused by inability to metabolize leucine, valine, and isoleucine properly. Accumulation of branched chain ketoacids leads to impairment of all vital organs, including the heart. Corrected QT index is prolonged during the early stages of the disorder. Quantitative Doppler demonstrates abnormalities in ventricular compliance and relaxation characteristics. Maple Syrup Urine Disease, myocardial diseases, echocardiography, Doppler, long QT syndrome
Synthesis of symmetrical and unsymmetrical alkyl disulfides with attached flavin analog for formation of self-assembled monolayers on gold

Abstract We describe a general procedure for the synthesis of symmetrical and unsymmetrical disulfides with an attached flavin analog. Self-assembled monolayers of these disulfides on gold have potential applications as pH sensors and electrocatalysts. The use of a self-assembled monolayer prepared from one of these disulfides in probing the pH of solutions is reported.
Ethics, biotechnology, and global health: The development of vaccines in transgenic plants

As compared with conventional vaccine production systems, plant-made vaccines (PMVs) are said to enjoy a range of advantages including cost of production and ease of storage for distribution in developing countries. In this article, we introduce the science of PMV production, and address ethical issues associated with development and clinical testing of PMVs within three interrelated domains: PMVs as transgenic plants; PMVs as clinical research materials; and PMVs as agents of global health. We present three conclusions: first, while many of the ethical issues raised by PMVs are familiar, PMVs add a new dimension to old issues, and raise some novel issues for ethicists and policy-makers; secondly, it is premature to promise broad applicability of PMVs across the developing world without having demonstrated their feasibility; thirdly, in particular, proponents of PMVs as a solution to global health problems must, as a condition of the ethical conduct of their research, define the commercial feasibility of PMVs for distribution in the developing world.
Histology and fine structure of spermatozoa and egg passage in the female tract of Dermacentor andersoni stiles (Acari-Ixodidae)

Abstract The final phase of spermiogenesis in the hard tick Dermacentor andersoni occurs in the seminal receptacle of engorged females. This phase is characterized mainly by rupture of the outer sheath of advanced spermatids at their pointed tips, and subsequent elongation as the internal column of these cells evaginates. The sheath invaginates at the opposite end to form the narrow posterior half of the sperm cell. Rupture of the endospermatophoric wall releases the large mass of contained spermatozoa, which begin migration up one or both oviducts. During the migration to the ovarian lumen, spermatozoa exhibit a propensity for active penetration of epithelial cells lining the oviducts. This phenomenon is also observed with spermatozoa in the ovarian lumen. Penetration of epithelial cells by spermatozoa is interpreted to be a response by the latter in seeking eggs for penetration and fertilization.
Strain differences in light-contingent barpress behavior of the rat

Leverpress response rates to light-onset reinforcement were obtained for 480 rats from 12 inbred strains: ACI, A990, A35322, F344, INR, IR, MNR/Har, MNRA, MR/Har, TS1, TS3, WAG. The results provide parametric data for methodological use and add to the standardization of these strains as behaviorally defined lines. No relationship was found between response rate and eye pigmentation.
Disintegration performance of renal multivitamin supplements.

Abstract Objective : Vitamins have traditionally been regulated as dietary supplements and have not been required to meet the same rigorous product quality performance standards as drug products. Impaired product performance, such as failure to disintegrate and/or dissolve in the gastrointestinal tract, could limit the absorption of vitamins. Furthermore, patients with renal disease have been reported to experience a wide range in gastrointestinal pH, which could influence a product's performance. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of pH on the in vitro disintegration of renal multivitamin supplements. Design : Products were studied using the United States Pharmacopeial Convention standard disintegration apparatus. Products were tested in simulated gastric fluid, neutral fluid, and intestinal fluid. Product failure was defined as two or more individual tablets or capsules failing to disintegrate completely within compendial limits. Results : Of 11 products tested, 4 products failed the disintegration study test in all pH conditions. Sixty-four percent of the products showed statistically significant differences in disintegration time (DT) based on pH. As pH increased, time to disintegration increased. Conclusion : The DT of commercially available renal multivitamin supplements was highly variable. Poorest product performance was shown in simulated intestinal fluid. The pH significantly affected in vitro disintegration in greater than half the products tested. How this affects dissolution and in vivo performance has yet to be studied.
Using an expert system to explore enhanced oil recovery methods

Abstract This paper describes the use of an expert system, written with inexpensive shells (CLIPS and EXSHELL) for running on personal computers (PCs), to assist in selecting complex petroleum recovery processes. CLIPS is a forward-chaining rule-based system written in C, with rules entered in a LISP-like format. EXSHELL is a backward-chaining rule-based system written in PROLOG. These shells were used to write a system, an expert assistant, for use by petroleum engineers to screen candidate processes for enhanced oil recovery (EOR). The final choice is always made on the basis of economic evaluations. Testing has shown that the expert assistant greatly reduces the amount of work involved in making this choice. Rather than doing exhaustive economic calculations for all possible processes, the work is reduced to an economic comparison between the two or three most promising candidates. Rather than having to glean information and data from graphs or charts in technical papers, the user and the system work interactively to obtain the needed information. The system automatically selects the optimal paths to the solutions and is easily updated as new data on recovery processes become available. This paper also demonstrates the utility and power of these inexpensive shells, compares the approach used by each, and demonstrates the relative advantages of data-driven vs goal-driven search for this screening problem.
Preferential Marriage among the Rukuba of Benue‐Plateau State, Nigeria

The overall system of Rukuba marriage is formally a straight exchange of women between the component units of two exogamous moieties, component units which in turn abduct each other's wives in secondary marriage. The youths and girls of each of these component units pair off in formalized premarital relationships until girls marry out in the other moiety. The exchange pattern between the moieties works in such a way that the eldest girl of a set of uterine sisters must marry her mother's last lover's son, and her junior sisters are preferentially married in their mother's natal component unit, thus introducing a delayed exchange between the component units of opposite moieties working concurrently with the straight exchange system between the moieties. This is made possible by the various combinations of primary and/or preferential marriage and subsequent secondary marriages. [Rukuba, moieties, Nigeria, preferential marriage]
Effects of diagnostic/remedial instruction on science learning: A meta analysis

The effects of diagnostic prescriptive instruction on learning has been the focus of many studies. The purpose of this article is to review and analyze the results of experimental studies based on diagnostic prescriptive instruction as it effects science achievement. Meta-analysis techniques were used to condense and synthesize the results of a multiple set of empirical studies into an interpretable form. The statistic calculated is referred to as “effect size.” This value is based upon the group means and standard deviations established from reported data of each individual study. An ERIC search identified a body of studies which examined a total of 30 dependent variables. Subjects used in the combined studies numbered over 500 college, high school, and middle school students. From this information an effect size was calculated on each dependent variable. Data were organized by categorizing all treatments into one of three types: (1) control, no diagnosis and no prescription: (2) Treatment I, diagnosis and no prescription: or (3) Treatment II, diagnosis and prescription or remediation. A mean effect size was then calculated for each treatment type. The results indicated that diagnostic prescriptive instruction significantly and positively influences science achievement. But there is no clear indication from the body of research that the use of prescription or remediation in addition to diagnosis brings about a significant additional increase in achievement.
The Nature of Artifacts

In Book II, Chapter 1 of the Physics Aristotle attempts to distinguish natural objects from artifacts. He begins by stating that a natural object ‘has in itself a source of change and staying unchanged, whether in respect of place, or growth and decay, or alteration’. But this is not sufficient to distinguish natural objects from artifacts. As he points out later, a wooden bed, for example, can rot or burn, and this is surely a change whose source is, in part, internal to the bed. To make his distinction, Aristotle writes that in a natural object the internal ‘source of change and remaining unchanged’ belongs to it ‘primarily and of itself, that is, not by virtue of concurrence’. The bed rots because it happens to be made of wood: the change is due to its material, not due to its essence, namely that it is a bed. A natural object, however, changes because of its essence, that is, because it is the natural object that it is.
Effects of Corticosterone, Hydrocortisone, and Corticotropin on Production of Antibodies in Rabbits.

The effects of hydrocortisone, corticosterone, and pituitary adrenocorticotropin on antibody production were studied immunochemically in rabbits. Hydrocortisone in doses as low as 2.5 mg. per day (approximately 1.0 mg. per kg. per day) markedly depressed antibody production whereas corticosterone in doses four times as large exerted no significant effect. Corticotropin in doses of 15 units daily exerted an effect similar to that of corticosterone, but its effect was more like that of hydrocortisone when given in doses twice as great. This finding is in agreement with observations that the prolonged administration of corticotropin in sufficient dosage leads to increased output of hydrocortisone by the adrenal cortex of the rabbit. Corticosterone did not antagonize the effect of hydrocortisone on antibody production, but seemed to act additively with it. Although each of the hormones tested induced some adverse effect on nitrogen balance as measured by the weights of the animals, and hydrocortisone induced the more striking decreases in weight, there was no direct correlation between the effects of these hormones on antibody production and their effects on weight.
A murine model of stress controllability attenuates Th2-dominant airway inflammatory responses

Epidemiological and experimental studies suggest a positive correlation between chronic respiratory inflammatory disease and the ability to cope with adverse stress. Interactions between neuroendocrine and immune systems are believed to provide insight toward the biological mechanisms of action. The utility of an experimental murine model was employed to investigate the immunological consequences of stress-controllability and ovalbumin-induced airway inflammation. Pre-conditioned uncontrollable stress exacerbated OVA-induced lung histopathological changes that were typical of Th2-predominant inflammatory response along respiratory tissues. Importantly, mice given the ability to exert control over aversive stress attenuated inflammatory responses and reduced lung pathology. This model represents a means of investigating the neuro-immune axis in defining mechanisms of stress and respiratory disease.
Interfacial Engineering of Ultrathin Metal Film Transparent Electrode for Flexible Organic Photovoltaic Cells

and good ﬁ lm quality in order to get optimal transparency and low sheet resistance. The continuity of ultrathin Ag ﬁ lm is governed by its nuclea-tion and growth kinetics on substrate, which can be affected by the surface energy of the seed layer and the deposition condi-tions. The poor wettability of Ag on electrically insulating sub-strates (i.e., glass, polyethylene naphthalate (PEN)) often leads to poor ﬁ lm continuity due to unfavorable disparity in surface energy and poor adhesion to the substrate.
Partition Priming in Judgment Under Uncertainty

We show that likelihood judgments are biased toward an ignorance-prior probability that assigns equal credence to each mutually exclusive event considered by the judge. The value of the ignorance prior depends crucially on how the set of possibilities (i.e., the state space) is subjectively partitioned by the judge. For instance, asking “what is the probability that Sunday will be hotter than any other day next week?” facilitates a two-fold case partition, (Sunday hotter, Sunday not hotter), thus priming an ignorance prior of 1/2. In contrast, asking “what is the probability that the hottest day of the week will be Sunday?” facilitates a seven-fold class partition, (Sunday hottest, Monday hottest, etc.), priming an ignorance prior of 1/7. In four studies, we observed systematic partition dependence: Judgments made by participants presented with either case or class formulations of the same query were biased toward the corresponding ignorance prior.
Contrast-enhanced CT of acute isodense subdural hematoma.

This report illustrates the usefulness of contrast-enhanced CT in the evaluation of a case of acute head trauma with unexplained midline shift. In our case, an acute isodense subdural hematoma enhanced, as did the CSF cisterns and the isodense cerebral contusions
Rate-Distortion Optimized Video Summary Generation and Transmission Over Packet Lossy Networks

The goal of video summarization is to select key frames from a video sequence in order to generate an optimal summary that can accommodate constraints on viewing time, storage, or bandwidth. While video summary generation without transmission considerations has been studied extensively, the problem of rate-distortion optimized summary generation and transmission in a packet-lossy network has gained little attention. We consider the transmission of summarized video over a packet-lossy network such as the Internet. We depart from traditional rate control methods by not sacrificing the image quality of each transmitted frame but instead focusing on the frames that can be dropped without seriously affecting the quality of the video sequence. We take into account the packet loss probability, and use the end-to-end distortion to optimize the video quality given constraints on the temporal rate of the summary. Different network scenarios such as when a feedback channel is not available, and when a feedback channel is available with the possibility of retransmission, are considered. In each case, we assume a strict end-to-end delay constraint such that the summarized video can be viewed in real-time. We show simulation results for each case, and also discuss the case when the feedback delay may not be constant.
Range policy of adaptive cruise control vehicles for improved flow stability and string stability

A methodology to design the range policy of adaptive cruise control vehicles and its companion servoloop control algorithm is presented in this paper. A nonlinear range policy for improved traffic flow stability and string stability is proposed and its performance is compared against the constant time headway policy, the range policy employed by human drivers, and the Greenshields policy. The proposed range policy is obtained through an optimization procedure with traffic flow and stability constraints. A complementary controller is then designed based on the sliding mode technique. Microscopic simulation results show that stable traffic flow is achieved by the proposed method up to a significantly higher traffic density.
Commentary: Treatment of lichen planopilaris: Some progress, but a long way to go

F or both patients and clinicians, lichen planopilaris (LPP) is a very challenging disease. Clinically and histologically, we observe active inflammation and disease progression, but our safe and simple anti-inflammatory medications often prove to be woefully inadequate. After topical and intralesional corticosteroids have been tried without good disease control, what are we to do? Unfortunately, the evidence in support of current therapies is questionable, and for some medications, quite weak. The relevant literature is limited to case reports, case series, and expert opinion (level IVor V evidence), with no randomized, controlled trials performed to date. Most case series studies are difficult to interpret as they are inherently biased, are usually retrospective, lack control groups, and seldom discuss long-term follow-up. Midto high-potency topical corticosteroids are generally considered first-line treatment for LPP, usually in conjunction with intralesional corticosteroids. One series of 30 patients treated with topical steroids for 12 weeks showed complete clearing of inflammation and halting of disease progression in 66% of patients, with an additional 20% having mild improvement. Similar decreases in signs and symptoms with topical corticosteroids have been
A Fourier-Based Optimal Control Approach for Structural Systems

This paper considers the optimal control of structural systems with quadratic performance indices. The proposed approach approximates each configuration variable of a structural model by the sum of a fifth order polynomial and a finite term Fourier-type series. In contrast to standard linear optimal control approaches which typically require the solution of Riccati equations, the method adopted here is a near optimal approach in which the necessary and sufficient condition of optimality is derived as a system of linear algebraic equations. These equations can be solved directly by a method such as Gaussian elimination. The proposed approach is computationally efficient and can be applied to structural systems of high dimension and/or to structural systems with fixed (or highly penalized) terminal states without numerical difficulties.
Convex enclosures for the reachable sets of nonlinear parametric ordinary differential equations

This article describes convex enclosures for the reachable sets of nonlinear parametric ordinary differential equations (ODEs). Such equations arise from the control parametrization of nonlinear control systems, and the computation of reachable sets for such systems is central to many control and verification problems. The method presented computes convex and concave relaxations of the ODE solutions with respect to the parameters, which are then used to compute a convex enclosure of the reachable set. This enclosure is expressed as an infinite intersection of halfspaces, so that a convex polyhedral enclosure of the reachable set can be computed by considering any finite m of these halfspaces. The method requires the solution of m dynamic optimization problems which are guaranteed to be convex, even when the reachable set is itself nonconvex.
Fiber Draw Synthesis

Traditional fiber-optic drawing involves a geometric scaling where the fiber materials and their relative position are both identical to those found in the fiber preform. To date, all thermally drawn fibers are limited to the preform composition and geometry. Recently we have demonstrated the ability to synthesize new compounds in situ during the fiber drawing process thus addressing one of the key limitations of this process. I will present progress and discuss the opportunities for extending the architecture and materials selection of fibers through fiber draw chemical synthesis.