cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Adventure & Recreation Technologies, Inc: International Finance Case on FX Operating Exposure

Adventure & Recreation Technologies, Inc. is a hypothetical United States manufacturer that wants to evaluate in early 2013 how to deal with the foreign exchange (FX) exposure of its annual cash flow in euros. One issue is whether to financially hedge the FX exposure with euro-denominated debt or a currency swap position.
The angular distribution of asset returns in delay space

In Chapter 7 I reported on a GARCH study of Yeager’s ruble data. At least two considerations limit the value of that study. First, the GARCH model assumes that the underlying error term is normally distributed. But, as Broussard and Koppl (1999) report, Yeager’s ruble returns exhibit kurtosis. The distribution of returns has fat tails; it is not a normal distribution. Second, the model assumes the data are continuous, not discrete. But the ruble data are discrete. The price of hundred-ruble notes moved in jumps of 0.05 marks. It is possible to overcome these two difficulties with non-parametric tools designed to handle discrete data. This chapter reports on a test for herding and contra-herding that uses such tools. It builds on Crack and Ledoit’s (1996) analysis of the “compass rose.”
Longitudinal Monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 IgM and IgG Seropositivity to Detect COVID-19.

Author(s): Suhandynata, Raymond T; Hoffman, Melissa A; Kelner, Michael J; McLawhon, Ronald W; Reed, Sharon L; Fitzgerald, Robert L | Abstract: BackgroundSevere acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is a novel beta-coronavirus that has recently emerged as the cause of the 2019 coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19). Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) based tests are optimal and recommended for the diagnosis of an acute SARS-CoV-2 infection. Serology tests for viral antibodies provide an important tool to diagnose previous exposure to the virus. Here we evaluate the analytical performance parameters of the Diazyme SARS-CoV-2 IgM/IgG serology assays and describe the kinetics of IgM and IgG seroconversion observed in patients with PCR-confirmed COVID-19 who were admitted to our hospital.MethodsWe validated the performance of the Diazyme assay in 235 presumed SARS-CoV-2 negative subjects to determine specificity. Subsequently, we evaluated the SARS-CoV-2 IgM and IgG seroconversion of 54 PCR-confirmed COVID-19 patients and determined sensitivity of the assay at three different timeframes.ResultSensitivity and specificity for detecting seropositivity at ≥15 days following a positive SARS-CoV-2 PCR result, was 100.0% and 98.7% when assaying for the panel of IgM and IgG. The median time to seropositivity observed for a reactive IgM and IgG result from the date of a positive PCR was 5 days (IQR: 2.75-9 days) and 4 days (IQR: 2.75-6.75 days), respectively.ConclusionsOur data demonstrate that the Diazyme IgM/IgG assays are suited for the purpose of detecting SARS-CoV-2 IgG and IgM in patients with suspected SARS-CoV-2 infections. For the first time, we report longitudinal data showing the evolution of seroconversion for both IgG and IgM in a cohort of acutely ill patients in the United States. We also demonstrate a low false positive rate in patients who were presumed to be disease free.
Celebrity Everyday Maker: Public Policy and the Discourse of Celebrity Surrounding Kim Kardiashian

The rise in mass media and transition to networked governance, coupled with a shift to ‘policy-politics’, has left the lines separating politics and celebrity culture blurred and indistinguishable....
Adolescents’ use of school-based health centers and receipt of mental health supports

Abstract Background School-based health centers (SBHCs) are well situated to support students’ mental health needs because they provide crisis intervention, mental health care, and broader interventions to improve school climate. This study examined the association between urban adolescents’ use of SBHCs and their receipt of mental health supports. Methods Data were analyzed from 3,909 high school students attending 10 urban schools with SBHCs in one California county using the 2016–2017 California Healthy Kids Survey. Chi-square tests and multivariate logistic regression were used to measure associations. Effect modification by student gender and race/ethnicity was examined. Results Female SBHC users were significantly more likely to report receiving mental health counseling when needed (Adjusted Odds Ratio/AOR 1.86; 95% Confidence Interval/CI: 1.55, 2.23) and to report having a caring relationship with an adult at school (AOR 1.66; 95% CI: 1.47, 1.89) compared to female non-users. Differences were not found between male users and non-users. SBHC users were more likely than non-users to report having talked to a doctor or nurse about their moods and feelings (AOR 1.65; 95% CI: 1.19, 2.27) and about how school is going (AOR 1.76; 95% CI: 1.30, 2.38). Conclusion Findings suggest that SBHCs may be an important place to address students’ mental health needs.
Review article: the evolution of endpoint assessments for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting and post-operative nausea and vomiting-a perspective from the US Food and Drug Administration.

Background Nausea and vomiting can result in decreased compliance with oncologic therapies for patients with chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV); and increase complications and recovery time for patients with post-operative nausea and vomiting (PONV). CINV refers to nausea and vomiting after antineoplastic therapy administration and PONV is nausea and/or vomiting that occurs in the post-anaesthesia care unit or during the 24 hours following surgery. Aim To analyse the evolution of endpoint assessments utilised in clinical trials to support FDA approval of CINV and PONV therapeutics. Methods A review supported by the US FDA analysed 31 approved New Drug Applications, respective clinical trial protocols and product labelling for CINV or PONV therapeutics with an emphasis on primary endpoint selection. Results Analysis revealed primary endpoints have become more refined and now often include the assessment of both vomiting and rescue medication use (ie, Complete Response). Additionally, the visual analogue scale was recognised as the most prevalent instrument to assess nausea as 58% of reviewed applications included this assessment. An imbalance between available therapies for adults and paediatric patients was also identified as only 39% of the reviewed approved products were indicated for paediatric use. Conclusion The goal of this research was to inform and identify future opportunities for enhanced clinical trial design. Nausea assessment was identified as an opportunity for continued research and development due to the large heterogeneity of instruments used. Furthermore, there is a need for the development of safe and efficacious antiemetic treatments for paediatric patients.
Collective Resonances of Lossy Material Nanoantennas

We analyze the multipole lattice effects on the resonant properties of periodic nanostructures and nanophotonic components made of lossy materials. The periodic arrangement of nanoscatterers facilitates the excitation of additional multipoles and allows light localization in planar photonic components. We show that our design can improve localized resonances and enhance the efficiency of the nanophotonic devices and sensors by adjusting nanoantenna periodicity in in-plane directions.
Fundamental Properties of Elliptic Functions

Chapter 17 is almost entirely devoted to the theory of elliptic functions. The groundwork was prepared in the sections on theta-functions in Chapter 16. In the present chapter, Ramanujan introduces Jacobian elliptic functions and elliptic integrals. It is interesting that Ramanujan does not use the classical notation and terminology from the theory of elliptic functions and integrals. In Section 6, we identify the functions and parameters employed by Ramanujan with the more familiar notations in the theory of elliptic functions.
Polar Stratospheric Cloud (PSC) classification using LIDAR measurements from the recent SAGE III Ozone Loss and Validation Experiment (SOLVE)

Lidar measurements from the recent SAGE III Ozone Loss and Validation Experiment (SOLVE) have been used to identify the number of classes of Polar Stratospheric Clouds (PSCs) and their corresponding characteristics. The backscatter lidar, flown aboard a DC8 aircraft, measures profiles of backscatter at 532 nm and 1064 nm, and depolarization at 532 nm. These data along with the color ratio were used to categorize PSCs using a clustering algorithm. For each group or cluster, the central values or medoids describe the optical characteristics of the clouds. For this preliminary study, five such groups were determined with medoid scattering ratios of 1.13, 11.90, 47.68, 71.07, and, 88.96 at 532 nm. The mean quality index of 0.82 for the five groups shows that the clusters are sufficiently distinct from each other.
Hydrothermal reactions involving equilibrium between minerals and mixed volatiles: 1. Techniques for experimentally loading and analyzing gases and their application to synthetic fluid inclusions

Abstract One of the principal difficulties in investigating mixed-volatile reactions under hydrothermal conditions has been in loading the experimental charges with gas mixtures of known composition. A new technique has been developed based on the fact that solid compounds with pore structures adsorb gases at low temperatures. A gas pipetting apparatus was constructed whereby a known quantity of a gas or gas mixture can be drawn into the experimental capsule by placing it in a low-temperature bath. A solid, such as a zeolite or a gel, is included in the experimental charge. Due to the adsorption of gas by these materials, the resulting vapor pressures are normally
Influence of coarse lag formation on the mechanics of sediment pulse dispersion in a mountain stream, Squire Creek, North Cascades, Washington, United States

[1] Mountain channels closely coupled to landslide-prone hillslopes often exhibit bed surface grain sizes coarser than transportable by annual high flows. Coarse particles within poorly sorted sediment delivered to channels by mass-wasting processes may not be readily transported as bed load and can consequently form lag deposits that influence the morphology, hydraulic roughness, and sediment storage within mountain channel networks. A tracer study and comparison of supply and bed grain size distributions from a valley-spanning landslide in the North Cascades of Washington state were used to derive relations between shear stress and the probability of particle entrainment and erosion from the sediment pulse. Rapid bed surface armoring formed a relatively immobile lag deposit within 2 years. Covering of 20% of the bed by lag boulders with <5% probability of entrainment was sufficient to retard vertical incision and force considerable channel widening during a flood with an 8- to 152-year recurrence discharge on locally gauged streams. Our results imply that numerical models of sediment pulse evolution that do not explicitly incorporate the influence of lag formation may substantially overestimate long-term dispersion rates. The grain size distribution and lithology of a sediment input relative to the flow competence of the receiving channel are important factors influencing the rates and mechanisms of sediment pulse dispersion and the sediment capacitance provided by coarse-grained sediment pulses in mountain drainage basins.
A New Metamodeling Approach for Time-Dependent Reliability of Dynamic Systems with Random Parameters Excited by Input Random Processes

Abstract : We propose a new metamodeling method to characterize the output \201response\202 random process of a dynamic system with random parameters, excited by input random processes. The metamodel can be then used to efficiently estimate the time-dependent reliability of a dynamic system using analytical or simulation-based methods. The metamodel is constructed by decomposing the input random processes using principal components or wavelets and then using a few simulations to estimate the distributions of the decomposition coefficients. A similar decomposition is also performed on the output random process. A kriging model is then established between the input and output decomposition coefficients and subsequently used to quantify the output random process corresponding to a realization of the input random parameters and random processes. What distinguishes our approach from others in metamodeling is that the system input is not deterministic but random. The quantified output random process is finally used to estimate the time-dependent reliability or probability of failure of the dynamic system using the total probability theorem. The proposed method is illustrated with a numerical example.
High pressure hydrogen permeance of porous stainless steel coated with a thin palladium film via electroless plating

Abstract The high-pressure (100–2800 kPa) hydrogen permeance of two membranes, each composed of a thin palladium film (∼22 μm) deposited on the oxidized surface of a porous stainless steel tubular substrate (0.2 μm grade support) has been determined over the 623–723 K temperature range. The hydrogen flux was proportional to the H 2 partial pressure in the retentate raised to an exponent of ∼0.55 for one membrane and ∼0.64 for the other, indicating that the transport of hydrogen through the composite membrane was primarily limited by bulk diffusion. Overall, the hydrogen permeance of these membranes was within a wide range of values previously reported with thin film palladium membranes of comparable thickness. The first membrane exhibited no detectable helium flux at hydrogen partial pressures less than 350 kPa for a retentate stream composed of 90% hydrogen and 10% helium. H 2 /He selectivity decreased to values as low as 12, however, at total transmembrane pressure differentials as great as 2800 kPa. As the membranes were heated from 623 to 723 K under pressures of up to 2800 kPa, the permeance of each membrane remained invariant at values of ∼1.5 × 10 −4 and ∼2.9 × 10 −4 mol/(m 2 s Pa 0.5 ), then decreased by ∼35% when the membrane was cooled back to 623 K, indicating some degradation of the membranes under the high-pressure testing conditions. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis revealed that extremes in the palladium film thickness ranged from about 10–50 μm with palladium “fingers” extending into the pore structure anchoring the palladium layer to the support. Although surface characterization could not pinpoint the source of the degradation, intermetallic diffusion could not be ruled out in spite of the presence of the oxide layer.
Target indexing in SAR images using scattering centers and the Hausdorff distance

Abstract This paper is concerned with efficient and accurate indexing for target recognition in SAR images. We present a method that efficiently retrieves correct object hypotheses using the major axis of a pattern of scattering centers in SAR images and the Hausdorff distance measure. The features that we use are the locations of scattering centers in SAR returns. Experimental results show that indexing using major axis efficiently narrows down the number of candidate hypotheses and that the Hausdorff distance measure performs well in picking the correct hypothesis. These properties of the algorithm along with computational efficiency make our method a promising approach to target indexing in SAR images.
Sensitization to dust mites in children with allergic rhinitis in Singapore: does it matter if you scratch while you sneeze?

Summary Background Previously published data established Blomia tropicalis, as the major source of allergic sensitization in asthmatic children in tropical Singapore. Objective To define the prevalence, clinical characteristics and risk factors of species-specific mite sensitization in paediatric allergic rhinitis (AR) patients in this unique environment. Methods We performed a prospective evaluation of newly diagnosed AR patients, from 1 May 2003 to 30 April 2004, from the otolaryngology and allergy outpatient clinics of the Kendang Kerbau Children's Hospital in Singapore. Patients included in the study showed evidence of sensitization to at least one respiratory allergen source and completed a detailed questionnaire. Relative risk of sensitization and associated risk factors were calculated using logistic regression analysis with the forward stepwise model. Multivariate regression analysis was performed to adjust for confounding interactions. Continuous values were compared using anova, SPSS 9.0 for Windows (SPSS Inc., 1999). Results One hundred and seventy-five patients were included, 119 (68%) males, 142 (81%) Chinese, age mean 7.9 years (range 2–16). Sixty-eight patients (39%) reported a concomitant diagnosis and/or clinical complaints of bronchial asthma and 84 (48%) of atopic dermatitis. Skin prick test results were positive for traditional house dust mites (Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus. and D. farinae mix) in 85% of patients and for B. tropicalis in 62%. Overall mite sensitization was 98%, household pets 10%, moulds 9% and food proteins 12%. By far the single most significant factor associated with Dermatophagoides sensitization in this group was the presence of allergic eczema (odds ratio (OR) 31.8%, 95% confidence interval (CI) 3.6–285, P=0.002). Allergic eczema was negatively associated with B. tropicalis sensitization (OR 0.26%, 95% CI 0.14–0.5). Conclusions Children with AR and concomitant atopic dermatitis show a preferential sensitization to the Dermatophagoides mites. In our population, B. tropicalis sensitization is more prominent in children with pure respiratory allergy.
Antibiotic selection in head and neck infections.

Oral and maxillofacial surgeons see patients with infections as part of their everyday practice. It is imperative to understand the mechanisms of antimicrobial resistance, its potential problems, and the means of overcoming it. This situation raises several important questions with respect to antimicrobial therapy for odontogenic infections: 1. Is there a problem of antibiotic resistance? 2. How does antibiotic resistance arise?
Interface morphology during crystallization—I. Single filament, unconstrained growth from a pure melt

Steady-state dendrite growth theories are compared with the experimental data in various metallic and non-metallic systems. The influence of sidebranches and the effect of interface kinetics on the dendrite growth rates are discussed. A dimensionless kinetic parameter, q, is defined and it is found that when q < 1, the interface kinetic effect becomes significant. Furthermore, the theory of parabolic dendrite is extended to study the effect of anisotropy in the interface kinetic coefficient on the growth rate of needle and plate dendrites. The results show that the anisotropy effect is quite significant under growth conditions of small Peclet numbers.
Single-cell responses to ionizing radiation.

While gene expression studies have proved extremely important in understanding cellular processes, it is becoming more apparent that there may be differences in individual cells that are missed by studying the population as a whole. We have developed a qRT-PCR protocol that allows us to assay multiple gene products in small samples, starting at 100 cells and going down to a single cell, and have used it to study radiation responses at the single-cell level. Since the accuracy of qRT-PCR depends greatly on the choice of “housekeeping” genes used for normalization, initial studies concentrated on determining the optimal panel of such genes. Using an endogenous control array, it was found that for IMR90 cells, common housekeeping genes tend to fall into one of two categories—those that are relatively stably expressed regardless of the number of cells in the sample, e.g., B2M, PPIA, and GAPDH, and those that are more variable (again regardless of the size of the population), e.g., YWHAZ, 18S, TBP, and HPRT1. Further, expression levels in commonly studied radiation-response genes, such as ATF3, CDKN1A, GADD45A, and MDM2, were assayed in 100, 10, and single-cell samples. It is here that the value of single-cell analyses becomes apparent. It was observed that the expression of some genes such as FGF2 and MDM2 was relatively constant over all irradiated cells, while that of others such as FAS was considerably more variable. It was clear that almost all cells respond to ionizing radiation but the individual responses were considerably varied. The analyses of single cells indicate that responses in individual cells are not uniform and suggest that responses observed in populations are not indicative of identical patterns in all cells. This in turn points to the value of single-cell analyses.
Endothelial cell apoptosis is accelerated by inorganic iron and heat via an oxygen radical dependent mechanism.

Abstract Background. Iron participates in diverse pathologic processes by way of the Fenton reaction, which catalyzes the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). To test the hypothesis that this reaction accelerates apoptosis, we used human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) as surrogates for the microvasculature in vivo. Methods. HUVECs were loaded with Fe [III](ferric chloride and ferric ammonium citrate) with 8-hydroxyquinoline as carrier and were then challenged with two stimuli of the heat shock response, authentic heat or sodium arsenite. Iron dependence was tested with two chelators, membrane-impermeable deferoxamine and membrane-permeable o-phenanthroline. The role of ROS was assessed with superoxide dismutase, catalase, and the reporter compound dichlorofluorescein diacetate. The mechanism of cell death was assessed with three complementary techniques, Annexin V/propidium iodide labeling, the TUNEL stain, and electron microscopy. Results. Iron-loaded HUVECs executed apoptosis after a heat shock stimulus. Iron-catalyzed formation of ROS appeared to be a critical mechanism, because both chelation of iron and enzymatic detoxification of ROS attenuated this apoptosis. Conclusions. Inorganic iron, in concert with chemical and physical inducers of the heat shock response, may trigger apoptosis. The accumulation of iron in injured tissue may thereby predispose to accelerated apoptosis and account, in part, for poor wound healing and organ failure.
John Rowzée Peyton and the myth of the mound builders.

Some of the first recorded archaeology done in North America was accomplished by John Rowzee Peyton in 1774. With two companions, Peyton escaped from jail in Santa Fe. Using a compass and a copy of the Delisle map of 1703, he made his way to an Osage camp on the Missouri River and thence to St. Louis. En route, he stopped to excavate in a burial mound. His interpretation of the mounds he saw is one of the first recorded instances of the Mound Builder myth. There is reason to suspect that Peyton may have been responsible for the origin of the myth, as an oral tradition among the educated elite of the American colonies.
Improving Retrieval Performance by Relevance Feedback

Relevance feedback is an automatic process, introduced over 20 years ago, designed to produce query formulations following an initial retrieval operation. The principal relevance feedback methods described over the years are examined briefly, and evaluation data are included to demonstrate the effectiveness of the various methods. Prescriptions are given for conducting text retrieval operations iteratively using relevance feedback.
The combination limit in multimedia retrieval

Combining search results from multimedia sources is crucial for dealing with heterogeneous multimedia data, particularly in multimedia retrieval where a final ranked list of items of interest is returned sorted by confidence or relevance. However, relatively little attention has been given to combination functions, especially their upper bound performance limits. This paper presents a theoretical framework for studying upper bounds for two types of combination functions. A general upper bound and two approximations are proposed for monotonic combination functions. We also studied the upper bounds for linear combination functions using a global optimization technique. Our experimental results show that the choice of combination functions has a considerable influence to retrieval performance.
Combining DNA Sequences and Morphology in Systematics: Testing the Validity of the Dragonfly Species Cordulegaster bilineata

Morphological and molecular techniques are rarely combined when answering questions of taxonomic validity. In this study, we combine morphological techniques with DNA sequences to determine the validity of the dragonfly species Cordulegaster bilineata. The two dragonfly species C. bilineata and C. diastatops are very similar in size, body color, and morphological characters, and due to these similarities, the status of C. bilineata as a valid species is in question. In this study we compare morphological measurements of males and internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS-1) sequences of rDNA between the two taxa. The hamule measurements (where copulation occurs) of males show little difference between the taxa in question, but the anal appendage measurements (where the male first contacts the female) show marked divergence between the two taxa. Cluster analysis with these anal appendage measurements correctly assigns almost all individuals measured into their respective taxon. PCR amplification products of ITS-1 display a approximately 50 bp size difference between C. bilineata (n = 4) and C. diastatops (n = 5) regardless of collection site. Sequence data for these amplifications show 51 bp missing in one locus in the ITS-1 of C. bilineatarelative to C. diastatops. A lone population of C. diastatops from Wisconsin has three individuals with ITS-1 products that match the size of both C. bilineata and C. diastatops. One individual from this population appears to yield two ITS-1 amplification products that match both C. bilineata and C. diastatops. Although this population may be evidence for hybridization between the two taxa, such hybridization is not necessarily sufficient to disqualify the validity of a separate species designation for C. bilineata. Morphology and ITS-1 sequences depict a high degree of divergence that is consistent with species-level differences.
Hydrogen as an Atomic Beam Standard

After a preliminary discussion of feasibility, new experimental work with a hydrogen beam is described. A space focused magnetic resonance technique with separated oscillatory fields is used with a monochromatic beam of cold hydrogen atoms which are selected from a higher temperature source. The first resonance curves and other experimental results are presented. These results are interpreted from the point of view of accuracy potential and frequency stability, and are compared with hydrogen maser and cesium beam capabilities.
Restriction and Elimination Diets in ADHD Treatment

Food elimination diets are defined and the history of their investigation in relation to attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is reviewed. After noting that a consensus has emerged that an elimination diet produces a small but reliable aggregate effect, the present review provides updated quantitative estimates of effect size and clinical response rates to elimination diets. It then highlights key issues that require research attention, in particular characterization of dietary responders. Finally, because some children may benefit, clinical guidelines at the present state of knowledge are summarized. It is concluded that updated trials of elimination diets are sorely needed for ADHD.
Stochastic excitation of suspended cables involving three simultaneous internal resonances using Monte Carlo simulation

Abstract In the neighborhood of three simultaneous internal resonance conditions among four normal modes, the response behavior of a suspended cable to random Gaussian excitation is studied using computational simulations. The study includes the interaction between the first two in-plane and the first two out-of-plane modes. When the first in-plane mode is externally excited its response can act as a parametric excitation to the other three modes through nonlinear coupling. The governed modal equations of motion are numerically simulated using a double-precision, initial value problem solver Adam-Moulton algorithm. The random excitation is generated numerically from a normal distribution using an inverse Cumulative Distribution Function (CDF) technique. The numerical results are processed to estimate response statistics such as mean squares power spectra, probability density functions, and autocorrelation functions. The modes, which are indirectly excited, exhibit the well-known phenomenon ‘on-off intermittency’ in the neighborhood of stochastic bifurcation. Furthermore, in the neighborhood of internal resonances the directly excited mode is found to transfer energy to other modes. Under Gaussian excitation the response coordinates of the four modes are essentially non-Gaussian narrow band random processes with a central frequency close to each mode natural frequency.
Olfactory deficits in mice overexpressing human wildtype α‐synuclein

Accumulation of α-synuclein in neurons of the central and peripheral nervous system is a hallmark of sporadic Parkinson’s disease (PD) and mutations that increase α-synuclein levels cause familial PD. Transgenic mice overexpressing α-synuclein under the Thy1 promoter (Thy1-aSyn) have high levels of α-synuclein expression throughout the brain but no loss of nigrostriatal dopamine neurons up to 8 months, suggesting that they may be useful to model pre-clinical stages of PD. Olfactory dysfunction often precedes the onset of the cardinal motor symptoms of PD by several years and includes deficits in odor detection, discrimination and identification. In the present study, we measured olfactory function in 3- and 9-month-old male Thy1-aSyn mice with a buried pellet test based on latency to find an exposed or hidden odorant, a block test based on exposure to self and non-self odors, and a habituation/dishabituation test based on exposure to non-social odors. In a separate group of mice, α-synuclein immunoreactivity was assessed in the olfactory bulb. Compared with wildtype littermates, Thy1-aSyn mice could still detect and habituate to odors but showed olfactory impairments in aspects of all three testing paradigms. Thy1-aSyn mice also displayed proteinase K-resistant α-synuclein inclusions throughout the olfactory bulb. These data indicate that overexpression of α-synuclein is sufficient to cause olfactory deficits in mice similar to that observed in patients with PD. Furthermore, the buried pellet and block tests provided sufficient power for the detection of a 50% drug effect, indicating their usefulness for testing novel neuroprotective therapies.
Experimental Encephalitis Caused by Herpes Simplex Virus: Comparison of Treatment with Tilorone Hydrochloride and Phosphonoacetic Acid

A mouse model of encephalitis caused by herpes simplex virus was used to compare the antiviral activity of tilorone hydrochloride with that of phosphonoacetic acid. These compounds were also administered simultaneously to determine whether the combination had a synergistic effect. Rates of survival and concentrations of virus in brain were used as criteria for judging the effectiveness of treatment. The fatal course of encephalitis was not altered by any treatment protocols in which tilorone hydrochloride was used alone. Four days of treatment with phosphonoacetic acid resulted in a long-term survival rate of about 15% of the infected, treated animals, and extension of this therapy for an additional three days resulted in an overall survival rate of about 35%. No increase in survival rate was obtained by use of phosphonoacetic acid and tilorone hydrochloride in combination. The concentration of virus in the brains of tilorone hydrochloridetreated animals did not differ significantly from that in the untreated, infected control animals. Treatment with phosphonoacetic acid resulted in a reduction in titer of virus in brain and in an increased rate of survival. A mouse model of encephalitis caused by herpes simplex virus (HSV) was used to compare the antiviral activity of tilorone hydrochloride with that of phosphonoacetic acid. Neither compound had previously been used to treat encephalitis produced in this way. Tilorone hydrochloride was selected because it is an interferon inducer in
Differential down-regulation of pulmonary β1- and β2-adrenoceptor messenger RNA with prolonged in vivo infusion of isoprenaline

The down-regulation by isoprenaline of beta 1 and beta 2-adrenoceptors in rat lung was investigated at the receptor protein and messenger RNA level. Rats were treated with either isoprenaline or vehicle for 2 h, 1 day and 7 days. Isoprenaline treatment resulted in significant decreases of both beta 1- and beta 2-adrenoceptor density after 1 day with maximal decreases of 65 +/- 7 and 65 +/- 5% for beta 1- and beta 2-adrenoceptors, respectively, at 7 days. The administration of isoprenaline had no effect on binding affinities of either beta 1 or beta 2-adrenoceptors. beta 1-Adrenoceptor mRNA was significantly decreased by 58 +/- 10, 73 +/- 4 and 51 +/- 11% at 2 h, 1 day and 7 days, respectively, after isoprenaline treatment. However, the beta 2-adrenoceptor mRNA was not changed at 2 h after treatment and was significantly decreased by 35 +/- 11 and 45 +/- 12% at 1 day and 7 days, respectively after treatment. This time course of beta 2-adrenoceptor mRNA correlated well with that of the transcription factor cyclic AMP response element binding protein-like DNA binding activity, determined by gel shift assay. These findings indicate the existence of distinct mechanisms for down-regulation of beta 1- and beta 2-adrenoceptors and suggest the involvement of cyclic AMP response element binding protein in the down-regulation of beta 2-adrenoceptors in rat lung.
Determination of the sensitive volume by irradiation and the ionization density

Lea's formula for the determination of size of the sensitive volume is corrected and applied to experiments on inactivation of the tobacco mosaic virus using three different wave lengths of x-rays. The purely geometric concept of the sensitive volume is not sufficient for explaining the known dependence of the inactivation of this virus on wave length. The concept of transfer of energy around the ionizing particles is discussed in this connection in a manner similar to that suggested by Pollard and Forro for the inactivation of theT−1 phage, and results similar to those given by these authors are obtained from an analysis of the inactivation data of J. W. Gowen (tobacco mosaic virus). Differences of interpretation of these two sets of experiments carried out with different types of radiation are pointed out.
Evaluation of Tissue Convective Energy Balance Equation in Unheated Tissue With a Realistic Vessel Network

This work presents the first numerical validation/sensitivity study of a new bio-heat equation, the tissue convective energy balance equation (TCEBE) in an unheated tissue with a simple but physiologically realistic 3D arterial blood vessel network. The validation of the TCEBE is performed by comparing its predictions of the tissue temperature field with the predictions of a test case in which the 3D conduction energy equation is solved in the tissue and the 1D convective energy equation is solved in the embedded blood vessel network. To perform the sensitivity analysis of the TCEBE, the effects of size of the vessels, and the inlet temperature of arterial blood on the tissue temperature distribution are presented. The relationship between the Pennes’ perfusion related term and the true tissue perfusion has also been investigated. Results show that 1) the TCEBE has a potential to replace the Pennes’ equation as a new, more accurate bio-heat equation, and 2) the Pennes’ perfusion related term is dominated by the heat transfer from larger vessels through their overall heat transfer coefficients, i.e. their ‘UA’ values, and the effect of true tissue perfusion on Pennes’ perfusion related term is negligible.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Classifying patients suspected of appendicitis with regard to likelihood

Abstract Background We sought to develop a clinical predictive model for acute appendicitis and contrast it with current clinical practice. Methods A prospective observational study of patients presenting with signs or symptoms consistent with acute appendicitis. Random-partition modeling was used to develop an appendicitis likelihood model (ALM). Results Four hundred thirty-nine patients were enrolled, 101 with appendicitis, and 338 with other diagnoses. The ALM classified patients as “low likelihood” if they had a white blood cell count 13,000 with rebound tenderness or both voluntary guarding and neutrophil count >82%. The ALM outperformed actual clinical practice with regard to “missed” appendicitis, negative laparotomies, and total number of imaging studies. Conclusion The ALM may permit more judicious use of advanced radiographic imaging with lower nontherapuetic laparotomy rates.
Effect of age on peptide chain initiation and elongation in preparations from brain, liver, kidney and skeletal muscle of the C57B1/6J mouse

The effects of age on the initiation and elongation stages of protein synthesis were measured in cell-free preparations from brain, liver, kidney and skeletal muscle of young (3-5 months) and senescent (23-27 months) female C57B1/6J mice. The ability to form initiation complexes from isolated 40 S and 60 S ribosomal subunits decreased only slightly with age. In contrast, the rate of peptide chain elongation decreased by 67% in brain preparations, 80% in liver, 81% in kidney and 85% in skeletal muscle of the senescent mice when compared with the young mice.
Activation of cannabinoid receptor 1 inhibits increased bladder activity induced by nerve growth factor

Nerve growth factor (NGF) is an important mediator of inflammatory pain, in part by sensitizing afferent nerve fibers, and expression of NGF is increased during bladder inflammation. We investigated whether intravesical instillation of the selective cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1) agonist arachidonyl-2'-chloroethylamide (ACEA) affects NGF-induced increased bladder activity in female C57BL/6J wild-type (WT) mice. We also examined the effects of intravesical NGF in female fatty acid amide hydrolase knock-out (FAAH KO) mice. We found that CB1 and tyrosine kinase A (trkA, the high-affinity NGF receptor) were present in L6 dorsal root ganglion (DRG) afferent neurons and in bladders of both genotypes. Intravesical NGF increased bladder activity that was inhibited by intravesical ACEA in WT mice. The inhibitory effects of ACEA were reversed by the selective CB1 antagonist AM 251. Intravesical NGF failed to affect bladder activity in FAAH KO mice, and treatment with AM251, restored the stimulatory effects of NGF on the bladder in FAAH KO mice. These results indicate that activation of CB1 inhibits increased bladder activity induced by NGF.
A Polymetamorphic Complex in the Eastern Alaska Range

A polymetamorphic basement complex is exposed in the Rainbow Mountain-Gulkana Glacier area, south of the Denali fault, in the Eastern Alaska Range. Reconstruction of the polycyclic history is based on a sequence of mineral assemblages, on structural relationships, and on associated units which have participated in less than the full sequence of metamorphic events. Preliminary work indicates four principal cycles of recrystallization, although little of the history of each cycle is yet known. These four events with their characteristic mineral facies and tentative ages are: (4) Mesozoic syn- or post-intrusive recrystallization in greenschist facies marginal to quartz diorite stocks, (3) Pre-Devonian synkinematic greenschist metamorphism, (2) Amphibolite facies metamorphism and migmatization of Paleozoic(?)-Precambrian(?) age, and (1) Precambrian granulite facies metamorphism. The presence of a granulite-bearing terrane in the Alaska Range, as well as the known occurrence of granulites at two other widespread localities, strongly points to the existence of a Precambrian basement underlying a large part of Alaska. This Alaska Range polymetamorphic unit is structurally and lithologically related to the Birch Creek Schist across the Denali fault. The two units most probably share a common history of deformation and recrystallization, and a continuing study of these relationships may lead to a better understanding of the entire block of metamorphic rocks in Interior Alaska.
Importance of minor groove functional groups for the stability of DNA duplexes.

Eight oligonucleotide duplexes have been prepared with four pairs of selected complementary pairs of native/analogue heterocyclic bases incorporated at a selected test site. The base pairs vary in the nature of their functionality in the minor groove. Each pair has a minor groove purine amino group present or absent, and correspondingly has a minor grove pyrimidine carbonyl present or absent. Loss of duplex stability is most notable when the minor groove pyrimidine carbonyl is absent although in other respects normal Watson-Crick hydrogen bonding is maintained in these sequences. These differences in stability are discussed in terms of possible variations in minor groove hydration.
Irrigation Timing for Bollworm Management in Cotton

Irrigations were timed, with the aid of an Heliothis forecasting computer model, to occur before, during, and after peak ovipositional activity by Heliothis zea (Boddie). In stressed cotton, irrigations applied during peak ovipositional activity resulted in an increase in the number of eggs laid. In non stressed cotton, larval survival was increased when irrigations were applied during peak egg deposition. Boll worm hazard in cotton can be reduced effectively by not irrigating during the 7–10 day period before and 3–4 days after peak oviposition.
The Effects of Moisture on the Thermal Conductivity of Soils With a Bibliography on the Heating of Cables

It has been appreciated for many years that the presence of moisture in the soil surrounding underground cable was of assistance in dissipating the heat generated within the cable. But little was definitely known, however, of the exact changes in the thermal conductivity of soils caused by the presence of moisture. The following article shows that moisture plays a predominant part. The relative thermal conductivity of various types of perfectly dry soils, such as sand, clay, gravel, etc., covers a range from only one to two, while he addition of moisture increases the range to five times or more that of dry soils. The article also includes a bibliography on the heating of underground cables, giving reference to 59 papers on the subject in English, French and German.
Forest vegetation in relation to surface water chemistry in the North Branch of the Moose River, Adirondack Park, N.Y.

The Regional Integrated Lake-Watershed Acidification Study (RILWAS) was conducted to identify and to quantify the environmental factors controlling surface water chemistry in forested watersheds of the Adirondack region of New York. The RILWAS vegetation research was designed to: (1) compare the quantitative patterns of forest cover and tree community structure in the study catchments of the Moose River drainage system; and (2) identify important vegetation differences among study watersheds that might help to explain inter-watershed differences in water chemistry and aquatic responses to acidic deposition. Field transect data indicated that the overall drainage system includes 50% mixed forest cover, 38% hardwood forest, 10% coniferous forest, and 2% wetland cover. Major tree species include yellow birch, red spruce, American beech, sugar maple, eastern hemlock, and red maple. Analysis of forest structure indicated that mean weighted basal area estimates ranged two-fold from 24–48 m2ha−1 among watersheds. Likewise, mean weighted estimates for aboveground biomass and aboveground annual productivity ranged among watersheds from 160 to 320 MT ha−1 and from 8 to 18 MT ha−1 yr−1, respectively. Results showed that differences in surface water chemistry were independent of vegetation differences among watersheds.
The Time Dependence of Particle Engulfment

The rate of engulfment of nominal 8.0μm soda-lime glass particles into plasticized polystyrene substrate was measured using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). Initially, after the particles were deposited onto the substrates, a finite-size contact radius was observed. The degree of embedment appears consistent with estimates made using the JKR formalism. However, over time, the particle appears to become engulfed into the substrate. Initially, the engulfment rate is rather slow. However, as the particle becomes more engulfed, the rate of engulfment appears to increase until the particle is halfway submerged. After that, the engulfment rate appears to decrease, leaving the caps of the particles still visible after several months. It is proposed that the variations in the engulfment rate can be understood if it is assumed that the particle is at terminal velocity in a viscous medium, as determined by a Stokes' law drag force opposing the z-component of a surface force pushing the particle into the substrate.
Mutagenic interaction of sodium azide on mutations induced in barley seeds treated with diethyl sulfate or N-methyl-N′-nitrosourea

Abstract The effects of sodium azide (NaN 3 ) in combination with diethyl sulfate (dES) or N -methyl- N ′-nitrosourea (MNH) on mutation frequency in barley were studied. It was found that sodium azide produced high frequencies of chlorophyll mutations when used alone and has a synergistic effect on mutation yields following MNH treatments. However, the mutation frequency was decreased whe azide was applied following dES treatment of seeds. The mutagenic efficiency of azide was found to be high, possibly because of low “physiological” damage. The synergistic increase in mutation yields by MNH and azide treatment indicates that azide has unusual promise as a mutagen for both practical and research applications.
Dynamical Analysis of a General Mass-Spring Arrangement in Beam Systems

Abstract The free vibration analysis of general structural arrangements consisting of beams with discrete spring-mass oscillators is presented. The dynamical model considered by Nicholson and Bergman, in which the driving force exerted by the discrete oscillator at a node depends on the displacement at that node, is extended to account for the more general case where the driving forces exerted by the discrete oscillators also depend on the displacements of the adjacent nodes. A detailed derivation of the governing differential equation of motion for such systems is presented. The self-adjoint property of the resulting differential operator is shown which assures that the eigenvalues of the dynamical system are both real and positive. The orthogonality conditions for the eigenfunctions are also derived. Two methods, namely, the Green's function method and the particular integral method, are developed to treat the resulting differential equation of motion. Detailed parametric studies are performed to study the vibrational characteristics of general dynamical systems. A Galerkin method solution is also derived for comparison and for validation of the formulations presented.