cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The inhibition of growth hormone release by gastrin-releasing peptide involves somatostatin release.

Injection of gastrin-releasing peptide-27 (GRP) into the third ventricle (IVT) has been shown previously to lower plasma GH levels and block the GH release induced by GRF, suggesting that GRP might act via stimulation of the release of somatostatin (SRIF) into hypophysial portal vessels. Several experiments were performed to test this hypothesis. In the first experiment rat median eminence (ME) fragments were incubated in medium containing concentrations of GRP ranging from 1 pM to 1 μM, and SRIF levels were measured after the 30- min incubation period. GRP significantly stimulated SRIF release at doses of 0.1 nM to 1 μM. Microinjection of SRIF antiserum (3 μl) IVT prevented GRP (2 μg, IVT) from inhibiting the GH surge induced by GRF (1 Mg/kg, iv). A slight but significant decrease in basal plasma GH levels was observed after GRP administration even in the presence of SRIF antiserum. Finally, to rule out a GRP-GRF interaction at the pituitary level, tubes containing dispersed rat pituitary cells (2.5 × 10...
Simulation of Initiation, Transport, and Deposition of Granular Avalanches: Current Progress and Future Challenges☆

Abstract Since 1989 models to route debris flows and avalanches for hazards mitigation have been constructed using the seminal work of Savage and Hutter. With this approach a Saint Venant model for wet or dry granular flow is constructed by depth integrating equations for mass and momentum conservation, evaluating stress using bulk mixture values and a Coulomb failure criterion. Such models rely on just three forces to determine whether motion will occur: the force giving downslope acceleration, drag along the bed during flow, and the stress gradients derived from variations in thickness of the flow. With this construction most avalanche models simply begin with a force imbalance set large enough to reproduce the runout and deposits observed. However research into granular flow mechanics has advanced our knowledge considerably in recent years, allowing construction of a new and more powerful class of models that incorporate the effects of changes in internal structure in the flow, and explicitly include phenomenon such as fluid-solid coupling during rapid deformation of saturated granular mixtures. The defining feature of these more sophisticated models is that they can evolve from a stable stress state into an unstable state such that, given certain conditions, an initially stable rock or soil masscanbegin to creep or deform slowly well before it eventually accelerates rapidly andflows downhill. The contrast between simple and sophisticated models is illustrated by comparison of a simple model for an estimated rockfall hazard in California using a Savage and Hutter approach with a sophisticated, fully coupled fluid-solid model that successfully simulated initiationand transport of experimental debris flows without arbitrarily adjusting any model parameters.
A multi-agent simulation of the pharmaceutical supply chain

The pharmaceutical supply chain is composed of multiple firms interacting to produce and distribute drugs in an uncertain environment. In this work, we develop and validate a multi-agent simulation of the supply chains associated with the pharmaceutical industry. We demonstrate that the operating norms of a particular industry can be accurately represented to create an industry-specific model capable of tracing its evolution. Our model is initialized using 1982 financial data with 30 manufacturers, 60 suppliers, and 60 distributors. Three types of drugs, blockbusters, medium and small, with a 12-year lognormal product life cycle are released by manufacturers. Each quarter the distributors bid for future market share of the released products, and the suppliers bid for acceptable margins. Mergers and acquisitions, based on assets and expected profitability, are allowed at each level. One thousand replications, each lasting the equivalent of 39 years, are used to validate the model.
Homology cloning of aspartic proteases from an endocrine cell line using the polymerase chain reaction

Abstract Oligonucleotides directed towards the active site regions of aspartic proteases were used as primers for the polymerase chain reaction to identify a unique sequence (asppcr1) from the AtT-20 anterior pituitary corticotrope cell line. Asppcr1 showed the greatest similarity (85% identity) to human cathepsin E [(1989) J. Biol. Chem. 264, 16748–16753]. Northern blot analysis of AtT-20 RNA revealed a single 1.9 kB message. Nuclease protection experiments indicated that asppcr1 mRNA was present in pancreas, spleen, testis and liver at low levels and undetectable in heart and brain. This contrasted with the lysosomal aspartic protease, cathepsin D whose mRNA showed a broader tissue distribution. The restricted message distribution of asppcr1 supports a more specific role for this aspartic protease in aspect(s) of cellular physiology.
Acute traumatic central cord syndrome: MRI-pathological correlations

The acute traumatic central cord syndrome (ATCCS) is commonly stated to result from an injury which affects primarily the center of the spinal cord and is frequently hemorrhagic. To test the validity of this widely disseminated hypothesis, the magnetic resonance images [MRI] of 11 consecutive cases of ATCCS caused by closed injury to the spine were analyzed and correlated with the gross pathological and histological features of 3 cervical spinal cords obtained at post mortem from patients with ATCCS, including 2 of patients studied by MRI. The MRI studies were performed acutely (18 h to 2 days after injury) in 7 patients and subacutely (3-10 days after injury) in 4. Ten of the 11 patients had pre-existing spondylosis and/or canal stenosis. The 11th suffered a cervical fracture. All patients exhibited hyperintense signal within the parenchyma of the cervical spinal cord on gradient echo MRI. None showed MRI features characteristic of hemorrhage on T1-weighted spin echo or T2-weighted gradient echo studies. Gross and histological examination of the necropsy specimens showed no evidence of blood or blood products within the cord parenchyma: the primary finding was diffuse disruption of axons, especially within the lateral columns of the cervical cord in the region occupied by the corticospinal tracts. The central gray matter was intact. In patients with ATCCS, the predominant loss of motor function in the distal muscles of the upper limbs may reflect the importance of the corticospinal tract for hand and finger function in the primate. In this study, the MRI and pathological observations indicate that ATCCS is predominantly a white matter injury and that intramedullary hemorrhage is not a necessary feature of the syndrome; indeed, it is probably an uncommon event in ATCCS. We suggest that the most common mechanism of injury in ATCCS may be direct compression of the cervical spinal cord by buckling of the ligamenta flava into an already narrowed cervical spinal canal; this would explain the predominance of axonal injury in the white matter of the lateral columns.
Artificial neural network based model for computation of injection mould complexity

The cost of injection mould construction depends primarily on the mould complexity. The ability to estimate the mould complexity before releasing the final drawings for construction purposes will greatly help the designers to understand the implications of their design on cost. Mould complexity depends on several factors such as part geometry, parting line, materials, and number of cavities per mould. In most industries, the mould complexity evaluation is performed manually based on past experiences of mould makers. Faced with a shortage of experienced mould makers, there is a pressing need for development of computer-aided tools for mould complexity evaluation. In this study, a neural network-based design tool for computing the mould complexity index, which represents the degree of difficulty of mould manufacturing, has been developed and implemented using a 14-3-1 backpropagation network running on the CNAPS neuro-computer.
Care of the Elderly Patient with Lower Extremity Amputation

Background: The elderly patient with a lower extremity amputation (LEA) remains relatively common in most family medicine practices. LEA can be categorized into three major types: partial foot, transtibial amputation, and transfemoral amputation. Family physicians have not been well trained to provide care to these patients. Methods: A literature review was performed using the key words “lower extremity amputation,” “aged” and “rehabilitation.” Results and Conclusions: Appropriate medical, surgical, and rehabilitative care can have a positive effect on the functional outcome for an elderly patient with a lower extremity amputation. The family physician can be instrumental in preparing the patient and family for surgery, providing psychological support, preventing and treating complications, managing comorbid illness, and assisting in rehabilitation. In addition, the family physician is primarily responsible for the daily care needs of these patients.
Mediastinal germ cell tumors.

Mediastinal germ cell tumors are uncommon tumors that occur predominantly within the anterior mediastinum and frequently present as a very large mass with local compression. Symptoms are typically vague and represent the local mass effects of the tumor. Chest computed tomography and examination of serum tumor markers provide the critical workup before a tissue diagnosis is obtained. Seminomas are extremely sensitive to both chemotherapy and radiation and are primarily treated nonsurgically. Benign teratomas without malignant elements are extremely resistant to both chemotherapy and radiation and are treated exclusively with surgical resection with excellent outcomes. Malignant nonseminomatous germ cell tumors are primarily treated with chemotherapy, with adjuvant surgery reserved for patients with residual mediastinal masses after systemic therapy.
EFFECTS OF GOSSYPOL ON IN VITRO BOVINE OOCYTE MATURATION AND STEROIDOGENESIS IN BOVINE GRANULOSA CELLS

Abstract Recently, we demonstrated an adverse effect of gossypol on steroidogenesis of bovine luteal, porcine granulosa and rat adrenocortical cells as well as on bovine, rat and hamster early embryonic development. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of varying dosages of gossypol on bovine oocytes and granulosa cells from small and large follicles. Oocytes and bovine granulosa cells from small follicles were harvested from 3- to 8-mm follicles, and bovine granulosa cells from larger follicles (>15 mm) were used. Bovine oocytes were cultured in the presence of 10, 50 and 150 μg/ml gossypol for 26 to 28 h. Both bovine granulosa cells and bovine granulosa cells from larger follicles were treated with 0.1, 0.5, 2.5 and 12.5 μg/ml gossypol in the presence or absence of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) for 6 h. Cumulus expansion, meiotic progression of oocytes, progesterone production and intracellular cAMP formation in granulosa cells were measured. Gossypol significantly decreased cumulus expansion and inhibited nuclear maturation of oocytes. In bovine granulosa cells, gossypol inhibited cAMP formation only at 12.5 μg/ml. In bovine granulosa cells from larger follicles, hCG significantly increased both progesterone and cAMP levels. Treatment with gossypol significantly decreased hCG-induced cAMP formation in a dose-dependent manner. Basal cAMP level and progesterone secretion were significantly inhibited by only 12.5 μg/ml gossypol. However, inhibition of hCG-induced progesterone secretion was more dramatic. These results indicate that gossypol is capable of inhibiting cumulus expansion and nuclear maturation of bovine oocytes, and progesterone production and cAMP formation in bovine granulosa cells from larger follicles.
Iron-Arsenic Associates in ZnSe

Electron paramagnetic resonance of ${\mathrm{Fe}}^{3+}$ in the strong trigonal field of a nearest-neighbor substitutional arsenic in ZnSe is reported. Superhyperfine structure is observed from the four nearest neighbors - one arsenic and three seleniums. The parameters appearing in an effective spin Hamiltonian with $S=\frac{1}{2}$ are ${g}_{\ensuremath{\parallel}}^{e}=2.0238$, ${g}_{\ensuremath{\perp}}^{e}=6.168$, $A({\mathrm{Fe}}^{57})=6.2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}4}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$, $B({\mathrm{Fe}}^{57})=16.8\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}4}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$, ${K}_{\ensuremath{\parallel}}({\mathrm{As}}^{75})=8.71\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}4}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$, and ${K}_{\ensuremath{\perp}}({\mathrm{As}}^{75})=16.20\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}4}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$.
The effect of melting-induced volumetric expansion on initiation of laser-induced forward transfer

A numerical model was developed to investigate thermal processes that initiate laser-induced forward transfer (LIFT). The model included laser absorption, conduction, melting, and volumetric expansion in a thin film. The model was used to investigate the role of volumetric expansion associated with the melting process and was used to help explain surface deformations observed in previous studies of LIFT. The results of the model indicated that volumetric expansion initiated fluid motion that was directed away from the substrate, and the fluid motion was sufficient to induce surface deformations that remained after solidification. The resulting textured surface was similar to that observed experimentally below the droplet expulsion threshold. The fluid motion away from the substrate may explain the mechanism by which droplet formation occurs.
Influence of Stimulus Duration on a Regional Measure of NaCl Taste Sensitivity

The present study demonstrates that perithreshold temporal integration occurs in the human taste system across stimulus durations ranging from 200 to 1500 ms in a manner analogous to that seen in other major sensory systems. Thus, the notion that gustation is comparatively insensitive to temporal stimulus parameters at threshold levels is disproved.
Numerical Thermal Simulation of Cryogenic Power Modules Under Liquid Nitrogen Cooling

Understanding the thermal performance of power modules under liquid nitrogen cooling is important for the design of cryogenic power electronic systems. When the power device is conducting electrical current, heat is generated due to Joule heating. The heat needs to be efficiently dissipated to the ambient in order to keep the temperature of the device within the allowable range; on the other hand, it would be advantageous to boost the current levels in the power devices to the highest possible level. Projecting the junction temperature of the power module during cryogenic operation is a crucial step in designing the system. In this paper, we present the thermal simulations of two different types of power metal-oxide semiconductor field effect transistor modules used to build a cryogenic inverter under liquid nitrogen pool cooling and discussed their implications on the design of the system.
Effects of ploidy and gear on the performance of cultured oysters, Crassostrea virginica: Survival, growth, shape, condition index and Vibrio abundances

Abstract In 2011 at a commercial oyster farm in Grand Bay, Alabama, we conducted an experimental field test of ploidy (triploids and half-sibling diploids) and gear type: 1) LowPro bottom cages (Chesapeake Bay Oyster Company — CBOC), 2) adjustable long-line baskets (BST, Ltd.), 3) OysterGro floating cages (Ketcham Supply) and 4) floating bags (CBOC). Eastern oysters, Crassostrea virginica , were deployed in the four gear types from May 5 to October 11 (166 days), with replicate bags of each ploidy assigned to each gear type (n ≥ 3). Survival, growth (both shell dimensions and weight measurements, adjusted to account for differences between the ploidies at the onset of the experiment), and oyster shape (‘fan’ & ‘cup’ ratios) were quantified at the conclusion of the experiment. Condition indices were determined in both August and October, while abundances of the bacteria, Vibrio vulnificus and V. parahaemolyticus , were quantified in August and September. Survival was equivalent between ploidies, but differed significantly among gear types with poor survival in the bottom cages (affected by the oyster drill, Stramonita haemastoma ). In terms of growth, triploids grew better than diploids for almost all metrics. Among gear types, growth was poorest in the bottom cages. For dry tissue weight, there was a significant ploidy by gear interaction; within floating bags, there was no difference between triploids and diploids, but triploids had higher dry tissue weight than the diploids in any other gear type. No differences were observed in fan ratios among treatments, but triploids had significantly higher cup ratios than diploids. For condition index, unexpectedly there was no clear pattern explained by ploidy in the August sample. In October, however, triploid condition index exceeded the diploid condition index. Finally, there was no significant effect of gear or ploidy on the abundances of the two Vibrio spp. assessed, but there was a tendency for these abundances to be lower in triploids than diploids. This study adds to the growing body of published evidence of the benefits of genetic triploidy to the Eastern oyster aquaculture industry. We conclude that oyster farmers could expect to benefit from raising triploid oysters, but that the magnitude of these benefits will depend on the type of gear selected.
Combination of u.v.-B. and ozone reduces pollen tube growth more than either stress alone

Abstract The rate of in vitro Nicotiana tabacum L. “Bel-W3” pollen tube growth was reduced 62 and 44%, respectively, when pollen tubes were exposed to 120 ppb ozone (O 3 ) for 3 hr or 300 μW/cm 2 ultraviolet-B (u.v.-B) radiation for 30 min. Petunia hybrida Vilm. “White Cascade” pollen tube growth was reduced 34 and 59%, respectively, upon exposure to O 3 or u.v.-B at the above doses. The combination of u.v.-B at 300 μW/cm 2 for 30 min, followed by O 3 at 120 ppb for 3 hr, reduced pollen tube growth by 79% for “Bel-W3” and 75% for “White Cascade”. The effect appeared to be additive, implying that different target areas may be affected by the two stressors. In the Northeast, plants are exposed to both u.v.-B and O 3 during the normal growing season. This may result in an unexpectedly higher stress on the reproductive system than had been previously suspected based on these two stressors acting individually.
Excitonic correlations in the intermetallic Fe 2 VAl

The intermetallic compound ${\mathrm{Fe}}_{2}\mathrm{VAl}$ looks nonmetallic in transport and strongly metallic in thermodynamic and photoemission data. It has in its band structure a highly differentiated set of valence and conduction bands leading to a semimetallic system with a very low density of carriers. The pseudogap itself is sensitive to the presence of Al states, but the resulting carriers have only minor Al character. The effects of generalized gradient corrections to the local density band structure are shown to be important, reducing the carrier density by a factor of 3. Spin-orbit coupling results in a redistribution of the holes among pockets at the Brillouin zone center. Doping of this nonmagnetic compound by 0.5 electrons per cell in a virtual crystal fashion results in a moment of $0.5{\ensuremath{\mu}}_{B}$ and destroys the pseudogap. We assess the tendencies toward the formation of an excitonic condensate and toward an excitonic Wigner crystal and find both to be unlikely. We propose a model in which the observed properties result from excitonic correlations arising from two interpenetrating lattices of distinctive electrons ${(e}_{g}$ on V) and holes ${(t}_{2g}$ on Fe) of low density (one carrier of each sign per 350 formula units).
Target injection and tracking for inertial fusion energy

Copyright (c) 1996 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. In an inertial fusion power plant, several cryogenic targets must be injected each second into a reaction chamber with speeds of about 100 m s −1 . This speed can be achieved with an acceleration in the range from 1000 to 10000 m s −2 . The total accuracy of driver beam pointing and target position prediction must be less than p0.6 mm for a 3 mm beam spot radius. A 0.1μm thick dual membrane supporting the capsule in the hohlraum will allow nearly 2000 m s −2 acceleration. The strength of frozen DT in the capsule is calculated to allow acceleration in excess of 10000 m s −2 if the DT temperature is less than 17 K. A gas gun is the preferred device for injecting indirect drive targets owing to its simplicity and proven reliability. The amount of gas required for each target (about 10−100 mgr is acceptable. A revolver loading mechanism is recommendced with a cam-operated poppet valve to control the gas flow. Slots near the muzzle of the gun barrel are recommended to vent gas and thereby to improve accuracy and to aid gas pumping. Optical target tracking and electronic timing devices can predict target arrival time with sufficient accuracy. Target steering by electrostatic deflection of the in-flight target is shown to be feasible and would avoid the need to point the beams actively. Calculations show that induced tumble from electrostatically steering the target is not excessive. An experiment has been designed to develop target injection and to verify the predicted accuracy of sequential injection and tracking of multiple targets.
Localized Growth of Carbon Nanotubes on CMOS Substrate at Room Temperature Using Maskless Post-CMOS Processing

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been successfully synthesized on foundry CMOS substrate using maskless post-CMOS surface micromachining and localized heating techniques. The integrated heater is directly made of gate polysilicon and suspended over a micromachined cavity for thermal isolation. The synthesized CNTs are connected to CMOS interconnect metal layers without the need of any metal deposition. It is experimentally verified that the electrical properties of the neighboring CMOS transistors are unchanged after CNT growth.
Non-Born–Oppenheimer calculations of atoms and molecules

We review a recent development in high-accuracy non-Born–Oppenheimer calculations of atomic and molecular systems in a basis of explicitly correlated Gaussian functions. Much of the recent progress in this area is due to the derivation and implementation of analytical gradients of the energy functional with respect to variational linear and non-linear parameters of the basis functions. This method has been used to obtain atomic and molecular ground and excited state energies and the corresponding wave functions with accuracy that exceeds previous calculations. Further, we have performed the first calculations of non-linear electrical properties of molecules without the Born–Oppenheimer approximation for systems with more than one electron. The results for the dipole moments of such systems as HD and LiH agree very well with experiment. After reviewing our non-Born–Oppenheimer results we will discuss ways this method can be extended to deal with larger molecular systems with and without an external perturbation.
Effects of complex wind regimes and meteorlogical parameters on wind turbine performances

Wind turbine power performance for the energy production calculations has traditionally been modeled assuming a set of simple average input meteorological conditions. Wind turbine power curve tests are also performed with this assumption, based on criteria defined in the IEC-12-1 standard. While this approach has proven to be adequate for the wind industry for several years, the increasing size of wind turbines (WT)—coupled with an improved awareness of the wind flow variation throughout the boundary layer—has generated concern that the effects of complex meteorological conditions on turbine power performance are not well understood. However, the uncertainty of power performance measurements is closely related to the uncertainty in the wind velocity, turbulence and other meteorological parameters and their effects on the wind turbine performances.
A dynamic interaction index based on set point transmittance

Etude des interactions statiques et dynamiques entre les variables d'entree et de sortie afin de choisir le systeme de commande optimal
In situ lateral patterning of thin films of various materials deposited by physical vapor deposition

An approach to pattern directly thin films of various materials deposited by different physical vapor deposition methods is presented. Co and Ag films deposited by pulsed laser deposition and e-beam evaporation, respectively, were fabricated into 650- and 1000-nm-spaced parallel stripes on Si(100) surfaces by simultaneous two-beam ultraviolet laser interference irradiation of the substrate surface during deposition. The resulting morphology consists of 1- to 2-nm-height stripes, which have the same direction and spacing as the interference fringes. This approach has the potential to allow long-range ordering of well-defined patterns over large areas because the spacing and geometrical patterns are defined by the laser interference. Furthermore, the fact that this method works for different materials and does not require any lithography masks, etching steps, or substrate prepatterning, makes it promising as a simple and economical lateral patterning approach.
Critics gone wild: Counterinsurgency as the root of all evil

The Western interventions in Iraq and Afghanistan have produced a heated polemic concerning the merits and demerits of counterinsurgency – the operational approach underpinning both campaigns. The two books reviewed here provide a good summation of the arguments against counterinsurgency: it is not a strategy and will fail when mistaken as such; its theory does not make intervention and war significantly easier; and even the most successful counterinsurgency campaigns have been bloody, violent, and protracted. Yet as this review highlights, beyond these central points, criticism of counterinsurgency is too often off the mark in its approach and totalizing in its pretentions. There is much to criticize and an urgent need to learn from past campaigns, yet bold claims and broad generalizations can mislead rather than enlighten. The analysis is particularly unhelpful when the definition of the central issue at hand – counterinsurgency – is being unwittingly or deliberately distorted. In the end, these two boo...
Current challenges in atmospheric propagation research

We present an analysis of atmospheric propagation effects on current and proposed imaging systems. Effects such as extinction, resolution, beam spreading, anisotropy, and heterodyne efficiency are discussed. We also discuss a new DARPA program that will use atmospheric turbulence to an advantage to achieve super-resolution imaging. This super-resolution imaging phenomenon exploits a micro-lensing effect caused by atmospheric turbulence through use of a fast camera and signal processing to achieve better-than-diffraction limited resolution.
A generalization of the calculus of finite differences to nonuniformly spaced variables

In the conventional calculus of finite differences the n sets of k independent variables x(1)?, x(2)??x(k)? are assumed uniformly spaced along each of the k axes of a rectangular frame. Occasionally nonuniform spacings are also assumed, but only along one dimension.
Broken symmetry in multiply-connected two-dimensional spaces in the presence of long-range magnetic flux and the multiple-valued wave function

For each homotopy class of Feynman paths the arbitrary parameter of one-dimensional unitary representation of the fundamental group is uniquely determined by the symmetry of space. The multiple-valued wave function which gives fractional angular momentum is a consequence of nonzero parameter. An artificial scattering of electron by an impenetrable flux tube can be rejected because of our results.
CADAVERIC ANATOMY OF PELVIC FRACTURE URETHRAL DISTRACTION INJURY: MOST INJURIES ARE DISTAL TO THE EXTERNAL URINARY SPHINCTER

ABSTRACTPurpose:: The anatomy of posterior urethral distraction injuries is controversial. We present a cadaver study of posterior urethral distraction injuries. To our knowledge this is the first study that establishes that the most common location is distal to the external urinary sphincter.Materials and Methods:: We performed an autopsy review of 10 male patients with posterior urethral distraction injuries.Results:: Urethral disruption occurred distal to the external urinary sphincter in 7 of 10 patients. It appeared to occur when the anterior pelvic ring and urogenital diaphragm complex were displaced caudal and rostrally, tearing the urogenital diaphragm off of the urethra. The average inner mucosal defect ± SD was 3.5 ± 0.5 cm, while the defect between the outer urethral layer (tunica of the spongiosum) was 2.0 ± 0.2 cm due to mucosal retraction. Simple and complex injuries could be observed, according to the clinical classification proposed by Turner-Warwick in 1989. Simple injuries had less signi...
Short-term vitamin D receptor activation increases serum creatinine due to increased production with no effect on the glomerular filtration rate

Vitamin D receptor activation has been associated with increased serum creatinine and reduced estimated glomerular filtration rates, raising concerns that its use may be detrimental to kidney function. Here we studied the effect of vitamin D receptor activation on serum creatinine, creatinine generation, and its clearance. We measured baseline serum creatinine and 24-h urine creatinine in 16 patients with chronic kidney disease. The measurements were repeated every day for 7 days, during which time the patients received 2μg paricalcitol, an orally active vitamin D receptor activator, every morning. At 4 days after stopping the vitamin analog, measurements were continued for 3 days. Geometric mean parathyroid hormone levels decreased from 77pg/ml at baseline to 43pg/ml at the end of treatment and significantly rebounded to 87pg/ml following paricalcitol withdrawal, thereby supporting the biological efficacy of the analog dose used. With this therapy, the serum creatinine significantly increased at a rate of 0.010mg/dl/day and urine creatinine at a rate of 17.6mg/day. Creatinine and iothalamate clearances did not change, whereas urine albumin decreased insignificantly. Thus, short-term vitamin D receptor activation increases creatinine generation and serum creatinine, but it does not influence the glomerular filtration rate.
Sodium-coupled sugar transport: effects on intracellular sodium activities and sodium-pump activity

Intracellular sodium activities, (Na)c, were determined in Necturus small intestine before and after addition of galactose to the mucosal bathing solution. In the absence of galactose, (Na)c averaged 12 millimoles per liter. Within 2 minutes after the addition of galactose to the mucosal solution, (Na)c increased to a mean value of 20 millimoles per liter and then declined, in parallel with an increase in transcellular sodium transport, to a value that did not differ significantly from that observed in the absence of the sugar. The final steady state in the presence of galactose was characterized by a three- to fourfold increase in the rate of transcellular Na+ transport in the absence of a significant increase in (Na)c. Thus, the increase in steady-state basolateral pump activity cannot be attributed to an increase in the intracellular sodium transport pool.
Skin microdialysis-based estimation of systemic bioavailability fraction

ABSTRACT: Systemic bioavailability is usually determined from plasma data. However, when plasma is difficult to access, as in young children, alternative methods would be particularly beneficial. The present study investigates the possibility of calculating systemic bioavailability fraction ( F ) from skin concentrations measured by two microdialysis (MD) sampling methods: continuous microdialysis and intermittent microdialysis. When the drug concentration in skin is a linear and time-invariant function of plasma concentration, the area under the drug concentration curve in skin is directly proportional to the drug absorbed systemically. To verify this theory, we compared the F estimated from MD concentrations in the skin with that obtained from the plasma data in the same experiment. Two model drugs were selected for the study: amoxicillin and ketoprofen. Drugs were administered to rabbits as intravenous infusion or oral suspension according to a randomized crossover design. F estimated by either MD method was not significantly different from that obtained from the plasma for both drugs tested. However, the skin data exhibited a larger variability. These results confirm that skin MD could be an alternative way to obtain data for the calculation of systemic fraction of drug absorbed. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association.
A randomized controlled trial evaluating the use of Ensure® during preparation for colonoscopy

A randomized controlled trial evaluating the use of Ensure® during preparation for colonoscopy
Unitarity of interacting fields in curved spacetime

On globally hyperbolic spacetimes, each foliation by spacelike hypersurfaces corresponds to a Hamiltonian description of field theory, and unitarity follows formally from the Hermiticity of the Hamiltonian. For a renormalizable theory, unitarity at each order in perturbation theory follows from the corresponding Hermiticity of each term in the time-ordered product of interaction Hamiltonians. For more general spacetimes, one can still use the path integral to obtain a generalized Lehmann-Symanzik-Zimmermann reduction formula for $S$-matrix elements and the corresponding perturbative expansion. Unitarity imposes an infinite set of identities on the scattering amplitudes, which are the generalizations of the flat-spacetime Cutkosky rules. We find these explicitly to $O({\ensuremath{\lambda}}^{3})$ in a $\ensuremath{\lambda}{\ensuremath{\phi}}^{4}$ theory, and show how to find the relations to any order. For globally hyperbolic spacetimes the unitarity identities are satisfied [at least to $O({\ensuremath{\lambda}}^{3})$] because of a single property of the configuration-space propagator that reflects the causal structure of the spacetime.
Molecular vibrational state distributions in collisions

Abstract Experimental vibrational spectra of H2 in the collision with a proton at 30 eV in the laboratory frame are compared to results from calculations using the electron nuclear dynamics. Nuclei are treated classically. Interpreting the classical vibration in terms of a coherent state yields quantum vibrational levels reproducing the experimental results. This result indicates that collision dynamics, including vibrational excitation, does not require numerical-grid wave packet dynamics for an understanding of the fundamental mechanisms involved, but that the concept of coherent state can provide a simple and accurate method to resolve product vibrational states from fully dynamical classical trajectories.
Self Management of Rest Breaks by VDT Users

Video display terminal (VDT) users can benefit from frequent, short rest breaks in terms of improved productivity and well-being. However, VDT users report that scheduled breaks can seriously disrupt some tasks. This laboratory study tested if performance feedback would promote better self management of discretionary rest breaks. Undergraduate typists (N=31) entered lines of randomized words for 65 min. A mandatory rest break was administered whenever discretionary rest breaks did not total 30 s every 10 min. Typists in the experimental condition received feedback indicating how their discretionary breaks compared to a criterion. Typists in the control condition received no such feedback. Mood and musculoskeletal discomfort were assessed before and after the work period, followed by a questionnaire about the break system. Performance measures included keystroke rate, error rate, and correction rate (backspace use). Measures of heart rate and heart rate variability were also collected. Both the number of f...
Improving multi-lattice alignment based spoken keyword spotting

In previous work, we showed that using a lattice instead of the 1-best path to represent both the query and the utterance being searched is beneficial for spoken keyword spotting. In this paper, we introduce several techniques that further improve our multi-lattice alignment approach, including edit operation modeling and supervised training of the conditional probability table, something which cannot be directly trained by traditional maximum likelihood estimation. Experiments on TIMIT show that the proposed methods significantly improve the performance of spoken keyword spotting.
Effect of 5-[(125)I]iodo-2'-deoxyuridine uptake on the proliferation and pluripotency of human embryonic stem cells.

AbstractPurpose: Human embryonic stem cells (hESC) hold a great potential for regenerative medicine because, in principle, they can differentiate into any cell type found in the human body. In addition, studying the effect of ionizing radiation (IR) on hESC may provide valuable information about the response of human cells to IR exposure in their most naive state, as well as the consequences of IR exposure on the development of organisms. However, the effect of IR, in particular radionuclide uptake, on the pluripotency, proliferation and survival of hESC has not been extensively studied.Methods: In this study we treated cultured hESC with 5-[125I]iodo-2′-deoxyuridine (125IdU), a precursor of DNA synthesis. Then we measured the expansion of colonies and expression of pluripotency markers in hESC.Results: We found that uptake of 125IdU was similar in both hESC and HT1080 human fibrosarcoma cells. However, treatment with 0.1 μCi/ml 125IdU for 24 hours resulted in complete death of the hESC population; wherea...
Convergent Stakeholder Theory

We describe two divergent approaches to stakeholder theory—a social science approach and a normative ethics approach—and examine their differences and similarities. Since neither approach is complete without the other, we propose a new way of theorizing about organizations: the development of normatively and instrumentally sound convergent stakeholder theory. This form of theory is explicitly and unabashedly normative, demonstrating how managers can create morally sound approaches to business and make them work.
Signaling and regulation of the platelet glycoprotein Ib-IX-V complex.

Purpose of reviewThe platelet adhesion receptor, the glycoprotein Ib–IX–V complex, not only mediates platelet adhesion but also transmits signals leading to platelet activation, aggregation and secretion. Significant progress has been made recently on the signaling pathways and regulatory mechanisms
The impact of the lung allocation scoring system at the single national Veterans Affairs Hospital lung transplantation program

Objective: The lung allocation score (LAS) has changed the distribution of donor lungs for transplantation. This study was undertaken to evaluatethe impact of the LASon a uniquepatientpopulation undergoing lung transplantation(LTX) at the single nationalVeterans Affairs(VA) LT center. Methods: One hundred and ten consecutive VA patients underwent LTX between 1994 and 2007. Patients transplanted using the LAS (LAS, n = 26) were compared to patients transplanted prior to introduction of the LAS (pre-LAS, n = 84). Results: Waiting time decreased from 353.8 254.7 (pre-LAS) to 238.0 306.6 (LAS) days (p < 0.01). Recipient diagnoses have changed with an increase in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis [11% (9/84) pre-LAS vs 46% (12/26) LAS, p < 0.01] and a decrease in emphysema [57% (48/84) pre-LAS vs 35% (9/26) LAS, p < 0.01]. Mean LAS calculation was 33.1 2.9 for pre-LAS versus 41.9 9.8 for the LAS (p < 0.01). Postoperative complications did not differ between the groups. Length of hospital stay decreased from 44.3 42.9 (pre-LAS) to 18.1 12.3 (LAS) days (p < 0.01). Hospital mortality and 1-year survival did not differ between the pre-LAS and LAS groups (7% vs 8%; p = 0.72 and 92% [95% confidence interval (CI) 86—98] vs 92% [CI 82—100]; p = 0.23, respectively). Conclusions: The LAS appears to be achieving its objectives by reducing waitlist time and altering the distribution of lung disease being transplanted on the basis of medical necessity in the U.S. VA population. In addition, the LAS does not appear to have adversely affected short-term post-transplant outcomes in our recipient cohort. # 2009 European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Array pattern synthesis

This pair of review articles describes various synthesis techniques which have proven useful in determining the excitations of arrays that are to produce desired radiation patterns. Part I deals with equispaced linear arrays and Part II with planar arrays. The latter may have its radiating elements disposed in rectangular, triangular, or circular grids, and the boundary can be arbitrary, e.g., rectangular, circular, or elliptical. Sum and difference patterns (characterized by lobes interspersed by deep nulls) and shaped patterns (such as cosecant-squared) are discussed. Only the array factor is considered; the resulting patterns need to be multiplied by the element factor.
Explaining ethical failures of leadership

When an ethical failure of leadership is exposed, we are often disposed to look for an explanation of the leader’s behavior, not an analysis of the moral status of what was done. On one such explanatory account, ethical failures are essentially volitional, not cognitive. Ethically fallen leaders knew that what they were doing was morally wrong but, nevertheless, were motivated to do it anyway. My thesis is that the volitional explanation of human immorality will not be sufficient to explain ethical failures of leadership. Simply applying the volitional explanation of human immorality to leadership contexts ignores the fact that leadership brings with it peculiar cognitive challenges that can lead to ethical failure. Specifically, leadership induces and maintains a leader’s belief that he is somehow excepted from the moral requirements that apply to the rest of us.
Achieving convergence-free routing using failure-carrying packets

Current distributed routing paradigms (such as link-state, distance-vector, and path-vector) involve a convergence process consisting of an iterative exploration of intermediate routes triggered by certain events such as link failures. The convergence process increases router load, introduces outages and transient loops, and slows reaction to failures. We propose a new routing paradigm where the goal is not to reduce the convergence times but rather to eliminate the convergence process completely. To this end, we propose a technique called Failure-Carrying Packets (FCP) that allows data packets to autonomously discover a working path without requiring completely up-to-date state in routers. Our simulations, performed using real-world failure traces and Rocketfuel topologies, show that: (a) the overhead of FCP is very low, (b) unlike traditional link-state routing (such as OSPF), FCP can provide both low loss-rate as well as low control overhead, (c) compared to prior work in backup path pre-computations, FCP provides better routing guarantees under failures despite maintaining lesser state at the routers.
Nonimaging solar concentrator with near-uniform irradiance for photovoltaic arrays

We report results of a study our group has undertaken to design a solar concentrator with uniform irradiance on a planar target. This attribute is especially important for photovoltaic concentrators. We find that a variety of optical mixers, some incorporating a moderate level of concentration, can be quite effective in achieving near uniform irradiance.
Calcium-dependent depolarizations originating in lizard motor nerve terminals.

Action potentials and afterpotentials were recorded via a microelectrode inserted into motor axons innervating the lizard ceratomandibularis muscle. Intra-axonal injection of Lucifer yellow dye indicated that these axons innervate multiple (at least 6–25) motor terminals. In 10 mM tetraethylammonium (TEA), the action potential was followed by a sequence of afterpotentials, whose amplitude and duration increased with increasing proximity to motor nerve terminals. In axons impaled within 1 mm of their most distal terminals, these afterpotentials included a depolarizing plateau (mean amplitude and duration: 32 mV, 24 msec) and a subsequent smaller depolarization that decayed over a time course of several hundred milliseconds. These depolarizing afterpotentials were Ca dependent: They increased with increasing bath [Ca] and were abolished by low [Ca]-high [Mg] solutions, by omega-conotoxin (GVIA, 1 microM), by addition of Cd (1 microM) or Mn (0.3–1 mM) to the bath, and by selective perfusion of Cd over the terminal region. In [Ca]-free solutions the afterpotentials were restored by selective perfusion of Ca over the terminal region but not by Ca applied to the more proximal nerve trunk. When Na influx was eliminated by 1–10 microM tetrodotoxin or by substitution of TEA for bath Na, passage of depolarizing current into the axon evoked prolonged depolarizing afterpotentials that were blocked by Mn. Bay K 8644 (0.1–1 microM), a dihydropyridine that prolongs the opening of certain calcium channels, enhanced mainly the slower component of the depolarizing afterpotential. Nimodipine (0.1–1 microM), a dihydropyridine that favors the closed state of some calcium channels, shortened the plateau phase of the depolarizing afterpotential. Another antagonist dihydropyridine, nitrendipine (0.1–1 microM), had little or no effect on the depolarizing afterpotential but did antagonize the actions of Bay K 8644. These results suggest that the intraaxonally recorded Ca- dependent afterpotentials are caused by electrotonic spread of depolarizations produced by calcium influx into that axon's terminals and that some motor nerve terminal calcium channels are sensitive to certain dihydropyridines.