cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Aneuploidy induction in Saccharomyces cerevisiae by two solvent compounds, 1-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone and 2-pyrrolidinone

A number of solvent compounds that were tested in Saccharomyces cerevisiae were potent inducers of aneuploidy, although they did not induce any other genetic effects. As an extention of these earlier findings, 1-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone was tested and was found to induce aneuploidy. Several structurally related compounds were also tested; 2-pyrrolidinone induced aneuploidy, but succinimide, pyrrolidine, 1-methylpyrrolidine, 1-methyl-3-pyrrolidinol, and 2-pyrrolidineethanol did not. Maleimide and its N-hydroxy, N-methyl, and N-ethyl derivatives were also negative for aneuploidy induction.
Decreased striatal release of acetylcholine following withdrawal from long-term treatment with haloperidol: modulation by cholinergic, dopamine-D1 and -D2 mechanisms.

Abstract The effect of chronic treatment with haloperidol (2.7–5.3 μmol/kg/day) on K + -evoked release of [ 3 H] acetylcholine (ACh) from superfused slices of the striatum was assessed. Acute injections of haloperidol (0.7–13.3 μmol/kg) produced 5–54% increases in the release of [ 3 H]ACh in the striatum. Chronic treatment with haloperidol for 2.5 and 5 months also resulted in enhanced release of [ 3 H]ACh in the striatum (28–35%). However, withdrawal from 2.5 and 5 months of treatment produced 34 and 38% decreases in K + -evoked release of [ 3 H]ACh in the striatum, respectively. The drug SKF 38393 (D 1 -agonist), produced concentration-dependent (0.1–10 μM) increases (24–59%) in the release of [ 3 H]ACh in the striatum which were blocked by the selective D 1 -antagonist, SCH 23390. The effect of stimulation of D 1 -receptors was significantly reduced after 2.5 or 5 months of chronic treatment with haloperidol. Both LY 171555 (D 2 -agonist) and carbachol (muscarinic agonist) produced concentration-dependent (0.1–10 μM) inhibitions of the release of [ 3 H]ACh in the striatum (LY171555: 28–62%; carbachol: 23–63%). Long-term treatment with haloperidol (2.5 and 5 months) elicited increases in sensitivity to the effect of LY171555, while the effect of carbachol was diminished only after the 5-month treatment period. These findings demonstrate that withdrawal from chronic exposure to haloperidol in the rat results in a reduction in the release of acetylcholine in the striatum. This effect is accompanied by (1) attenuated dopaminergic D 1 mechanisms which ordinarily facilitate evoked release of ACh, (2) enhanced D 2 mechanism which elicits inhibition of the release of ACh in the striatum, and (3) diminished muscarinic inhibitory influence which regulates the release of ACh.
Tension-type headache mimics.

Tension-type headache (TTH) is a relatively featureless headache. Many primary and secondary headache disorders can mimic TTH, particularly in its chronic form, chronic tension-type headache. This review will address both primary and secondary disorders that can present with headaches phenotypically similar to TTH, and will focus on clinical pearls that help distinguish these “mimics” from TTH.
Relationship between uridine kinase activity and rate of incorporation of uridine into acid‐soluble pool and into RNA during growth cycle of rat hepatoma cells

Uridine kinase activity measured in cell-free extracts of Novikoff rat hepatoma cells grown in suspension culture fluctuates about 10 fold during the growth cycle of the cells. Maximum specific activity (units/106 cells) is observed early in the exponential phase and then decreases progressively until the stationary phase. The rate of incorporation of uridine into the acid-soluble pool by intact cells fluctuates in a similar manner and both the rate of uridine incorporation by intact cells and the uridine kinase actvity of the cells increase several fold before cell division commences following dilution of stationary phase cultures with freshmedium. Regardless of the stage of growth, uridine is rapidly phosphorylated to the triphosphate level by the cells. The rates of incorporation of uridine into the nucleotide pool and into RNA by intact cells fluctuate in a similar manner during the growth cycle. However, evidence is presented that indicates that alterations in the rate of incorporation of uridine into RNA are not simply due to changes in the rate of phosphorylation of uridine, but are regulated independently. Inhibition of protein synthesis by treating cells with puromycin or actidione causes a marked inhibition of incorporation of uridine into RNA, but has little effect on the phosphorylation of uridine to UTP for several hours. Thus the depression of incorporation of uridine into RNA probably reflects a decrease in the rate of RNA synthesis as a result of inhibition of protein synthesis. Inhibition of RNA synthesis by treating cells with actinomycin D does not affect the rate of conversion of uridine to UTP and thus results in the accumulation of labeled UTP in treated cells.
Para-ortho transition of artificial H 2 molecule in lateral quantum dots doped with magnetic impurities

We present the magnetic phase diagram of artificial H$_2$ molecule in lateral quantum dots doped with magnetic impurities as a function of external magnetic field and plunger gate voltage. The onset of Mn-Mn antiferromagnetic-ferromagnetic transition follows the electron spin singlet-triplet transition. We deploy a configuration-interaction method to exactly diagonalize the electron-Mn Hamiltonian and map it to an effective Mn-Mn Heisenberg Hamiltonian. We find that Mn-Mn exchange coupling can be described by RKKY-interaction/magnetic-polaron in weak/strong electron-Mn coupling at low/high magnetic fields.
Issues in interpretation of toxicological data for use in risk assessment

Abstract Risk assessment models are most often based upon data obtained from animal bioassays. Not always; do those who perform the risk assessments question the validity of the carcinogenic experiment. The suggestion here is that animal data should be used for calculation of risks only when experiments employ routes that mimic human exposure: oral, inhalation, or dermal. Other issues that concern an experimentalist include the use of maximum tolerated dose. Also an issue is that it is impossible to “prove” a compound is safe, therefore all models must follow the concept that there is no threshold. Other issues are related to unusual results of bioassays, such as the induction of tumors in organs of animals with no human counterpart, and the claims of tumorigenisis in animals with a high spontaneous rate of tumors. The experimentalist suggests that risk assessment values be followed by a number which indicates a certainty factor, the range being 1–5. Number 1 indicates the data are robust, number 5 implies that the risk assessment value is at best determined by conjecture.
Linguistic and stylistic notes to the Hazon Gabriel inscription

This article presents four notes on the recently discovered Hazon Gabriel inscription. Attention is paid to (1) the word in line 24; (2) the phrase in line 77; (3) the presence of alliteration in the text; and (4) the use of variation, especially in the assorted "thus says YHWH" phrases present throughout the composition.
Structure, stress, and tissue repair in aortic valve leaflets.

During the normal cyclic operation of the aortic valve its leaflets are subjected to continual bending, shearing, and membrane stresses. In vivo studies of marked leaflets have shown that the bending stresses are greatest where leaflets are attached to the aortic wall. Pressure stresses during diastole also appear to be high in this region. The internal shearing stresses are difficult to predict because of the semifluid nature of the tissue in the attachment zone. In the present study a model of the attachment region incorporated measurements of leaflet motion from dogs in vivo and from histological sections. From these measurements bending and membrane stresses were derived in order to estimate the total stresses. In this region the total stresses in systole were negligible because membrane stresses are essentially zero, but those in diastole ranged from 76 to 95 g.mm-2 in the circumferential direction and from 37 to 44 g.mm-2 in the radial direction. The calculated stress suggests that excessive tissue wear and valve failure could occur in the absence of tissue replacement. From radioautographic studies of rat valves, proteins and complex sugars of the valve connective tissues were found to be regularly replaced in patterns predictable from the level of stresses.
Lack of a precursor-product relationship between histamine and its metabolites in brain after histidine loading.

Levels of histamine and its major metabolites in brain, tele-methylhistamine (t-MH) and tele-methylimidazoleacetic acid (t-MIAA), were measured in rat brains up to 12 h after intraperitoneal administration of L-histidine (His), the precursor of histamine. Compared with saline-treated controls, mean levels of histamine were elevated at 1 h (+102%) after a 500 mg/kg dose; levels of t-MH did not increase. Following a 1,000 mg/kg dose, mean histamine levels were increased for up to 7 h, peaked at 3 h, and returned to control levels within 12 h. In contrast, levels of t-MH showed a small increase only after 3 h; levels of t-MIAA remained unchanged after either dose. Failure of most newly formed histamine to undergo methylation, its major route of metabolism in brain, suggested that histamine was metabolized by another mechanism possibly following nonspecific decarboxylation. To test this hypothesis, other rats were injected with alpha-fluoromethylhistidine (alpha-FMHis; 75 mg/kg, i.p.), an irreversible inhibitor of specific histidine decarboxylase. Six hours after rats received alpha-FMHis, the mean brain histamine level was reduced 30% compared with saline-treated controls. Rats given His (1,000 mg/kg) 3 h after alpha-FMHis (75 mg/kg) and examined 3 h later had a higher (+112%) mean level of histamine than rats given alpha-FMHis, followed by saline. Levels of t-MH and t-MIAA did not increase. These results imply that high doses of His distort the simple precursor-product relationship between histamine and its methylated metabolites in brain. The possibility that some His may undergo nonspecific decarboxylation in brain after His loading is discussed. These findings, and other actions of His independent of histamine, raise questions about the validity of using His loading as a specific probe of brain histaminergic function.
Initial intramembraneous osteogenesis in vitro.

Calvariae of fetal mice 12 to 13 days in utero were placed in Rose chambers and cultured in BGJb medium supplemented with 20% fetal calf serum and antibiotics. After periods of 7 and 12 days, the explants were harvested and processed for light and electron microscopy. The mesenchymal cells, after a brief lag time, differentiated into osteoblasts which produced woven bone. Light and electron microscopic observations showed that in vitro, as well as in vivo, growth and development share all of the same characteristics of initial intramembraneous osteogenesis: (1) migration and differentiation of mesenchymal cells into osteoblasts, (2) the subsequent appearance of matrix vesicles in the extra-cellular space, (3) crystallization of hydroxyapatite within and about these vesicles, (4) growth of hydroxyapatite crystals into spheroidal nodules of bone, and (5) the subsequent fusion of these nodules into seams of woven bone. Thus cellular involvement in initial osteogenesis has been observed in a system where differentiation into osteoblasts and initial calcification takes place in vitro, suggesting that the events responsible for these phenomena have occurred within the cells prior to their morphological differentiation.
‘Graduation’ problems amongst micro and small enterprises in Eastern Nigeria, 1960–91†

One of the contending issues in the literature is the question of what determines the growth of micro and small enterprises (MSEs). In this article a sample of 37 firms, established in Eastern Nigeria about four decades ago, is used to evaluate why some firms grow while others stagnate. The study shows that only a few of the sample firms had grown into larger categories, while the majority had either stagnated or closed entirely. The case histories of the successful firms are examined, and it appears that they were able to grow because of their adoption of innovative management strategies which are generally uncommon amongst MSEs.
Equivalent Parallel and Perpendicular Unsaturated Hydraulic Conductivities: Arithmetic Mean or Harmonic Mean?

For saturated flows, it is well known that the equivalent parallel hydraulic conductivity is equal to the arithmetic mean of all individual hydraulic conductivities of the layers parallel to flows, and the equivalent perpendicular hydraulic conductivity is equal to the harmonic mean of all individual hydraulic conductivities of the layers perpendicular to flows. Due to the nonlinear relationship between the unsaturated hydraulic conductivity and the saturation, the validity of the same schemes for unsaturated flows needs to be examined. This study investigated equivalent hydraulic conductivities for unsaturated vertical flows under two distinct soil layering scenarios, layers parallel to flows (i.e., parallel vertical slabs or columns) and layers perpendicular to flows (i.e., horizontal layers). The two scenarios are referred to as the horizontal heterogeneity scenario and vertical heterogeneity scenario, respectively. The main objectives of this study were to: (i) examine the appropriateness of using simple arithmetic and harmonic means of hydraulic conductivity for unsaturated flows for the horizontal and vertical heterogeneity scenarios; and (ii) investigate the equivalent unsaturated hydraulic conductivities that are applicable to large-scale hydrologic process modeling. The considered domain is typical for unsaturated flow that lies between the ground surface at the top and the groundwater table at the bottom. Results demonstrate that the arithmetic mean for the horizontal heterogeneity scenario and the harmonic mean for the vertical heterogeneity scenario, extended from the saturated flow situations, would introduce large relative errors in simulating the actual flux for coarser textured soils and for heterogeneous soils with large hydraulic parameter variances.
Surface and interfacial FTIR spectroscopic studies of latexes. XII. Particle size effect and surfactant behavior in electrodeposited Sty/n–BA latex films

Polarized attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was used to assess the mobility and orientation of sodium dioctylsulfosuccinate surfactant molecules at the film-air (F-A) and film-substrate (F-S) interfaces in electrodeposited latex films. Copolymer compositions ranging from 100% poly(n-BA) to 50%/50% Sty/n-BA were examined. When particle diameters are 50 and 100 nm, it appears that the 1046 cm -1 band is detected at the F-A and F-S interfaces. However, the 1056 cm -1 band is detected only for 50%/50% Sty/n-BA at the F-A interface with an average particle diameter of 100 nm. These studies allow us to determine that at the F-A interface, SDOSS surfactant molecules are preferentially parallel to the surface. Utilizing electrodeposition of latex particles, it is possible to slow the coalescence process, which ultimately allows us to follow diffusion and mobility of low-molecular-weight SDOSS surfactant molecules.
Scholars program applications deadline

The New York Academy of Sciences, in partnership with the U.S. Department of State and a consortium of nearly 40 women's colleges, has launched the NeXXt Scholars Program for the 2012ndash;2013 academic year. The program aims to “engage, connect, and advance young women from countries with predominantly Muslim populations and young American women to pursue undergraduate degrees in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields,” according to the academy. The academy will provide partnership, mentorship, and networking support for these scholars with a selected STEM mentor fellow. The deadline for applications is 10 August. For more information, see http://www.nyas.org/NexxtScholars.
Policies to reduce OECD vulnerability to oil-supply disruptions

Abstract A number of proposals for reducing the level of exposure of the oil importing countries to oil supply interruptions are reviewed and contrasted. Although none of these options is without cost or complication, several appear to offer significant benefits relative to the status quo. Now is the time to fill the current void in energy emergency planning.
Irrepressible monetarist conclusions from a non-monetarist model

Abstract This paper presents monetary/fiscal multiplier results from the MPS Econometric Model which give irrepressible monetarist conclusions. Albert Ando's challenge to monetarist to develop their own model may now be reserved. Weak fiscal policy is supported by the MPS Model and reflects the dominant role of money in the short-run macro economic adjustment process.
An Earthquake Alarm System

This paper describes a four-channel Earthquake Alarm system designed to monitor four seismic stations located some distance apart. The sensitivity is set so that a Richter magnitude of 6.5 at 8,000 km appearing at three out of the four stations will trigger an alarm.
Federal timber restrictions, interregional spillovers, and the impact on US softwood markets

Abstract An econometric model of the US softwood lumber and timber markets is estimated and used to simulate the price, trade, and welfare effects of reductions in federal timber sales in the western US commencing in the late 1980s. Results indicate that the timber sale reductions increased lumber prices by roughly 15 percent in the mid-1990s. Lumber consumers were the unambiguous losers from the policy, while lumber and timber producers were net welfare gainers as the quantity-induced losses to western lumber producers were more than offset by price increases and quantity gains to southern US and Canadian lumber producers and timber producers in all regions.
The Making of the President, 1999

It is hard to believe that more than ten years has gone by since I served the IEEE as its 1999 president. That is because being president of IEEE was such a unique opportunity that many of the resulting experiences have been integrated into my professional life. In this article, my objective is to provide a window for readers into the conditions leading to my election, the experiences that unwittingly prepared me to be IEEE president, and my accomplishments in that role.
Endoscopic transsphenoidal resection of a large chordoma in the posterior fossa.

Encouraged by an experience with endoscopic transsphenoidal pituitary surgery, an endoscopic transsphenoidal technique was applied in a patient with a large chordoma in the posterior fossa. The patient was a 40-year-old man with a two-year history of progressive ataxia, a memory disorder and emotional instability. A magnetic resonance (MR) scan of the brain revealed a midline posterior fossa mass measuring 4 cm in diameter located between the clivus and the brainstem. The basilar artery and its bifurcation were encased by the tumor and the brainstem was also distorted by the tumor. Obstructive hydrocephalus was treated previously with a ventriculoperitoneal shunt and fractionated external beam radiation treatment was given without histological diagnosis at another hospital. Subtotal resection of the tumor was achieved utilizing an endoscopic transsphenoidal technique through the patient's nostril. The portion of the tumor located behind the basilar artery was not resected in order to protect the brainstem perforating arteries. The patient showed dramatic improvement of his symptoms postoperatively. Residual tumor located behind the basilar artery was treated by stereotactic gamma-knife surgery. This is the first reported case of a large posterior fossa chordoma being treated by an endoscopic transsphenoidal technique.
Reactive Nitrogen Species in Acetaminophen-Induced Mitochondrial Damage and Toxicity in Mouse Hepatocytes

Acetaminophen (APAP) toxicity in primary mouse hepatocytes occurs in two phases. The initial phase (0−2 h) occurs with metabolism to N-acetyl-p-benzoquinoneimine which depletes glutathione, and covalently binds to proteins, but little toxicity is observed. Subsequent washing of hepatocytes to remove APAP and reincubating in media alone (2−5 h) results in toxicity. We previously reported that the reincubation phase occurs with mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT) and increased oxidative stress (dichlorodihydrofluorescein fluorescence) (DCFH2). Since DCFH2 may be oxidized by multiple oxidative mechanisms, we investigated the role of reactive nitrogen species (RNS) leading to 3-nitrotyrosine in proteins by ELISA and by immunoblots. Incubation of APAP with hepatocytes for 2 h did not result in toxicity or protein nitration; however, washing hepatocytes and reincubating in media alone (2−5 h) resulted in protein nitration which correlated with toxicity. Inclusion of the MPT inhibitor, cyclosporine A, in...
Stress regulation and cognitive control: evidence relating cortisol reactivity and neural responses to errors

In this study, we tested the relationship between error-related signals of cognitive control and cortisol reactivity, investigating the hypothesis of common systems for cognitive and emotional self-regulation. Eighty-three participants completed a Stroop task while electroencephalography (EEG) was recorded. Three error-related indices were derived from the EEG: the error-related negativity (ERN), error positivity (Pe), and error-related alpha suppression (ERAS). Pre- and posttask salivary samples were assayed for cortisol, and cortisol change scores were correlated with the EEG variables. Better error–correct differentiation in the ERN predicted less cortisol increase during the task, whereas greater ERAS predicted greater cortisol increase during the task; the Pe was not correlated with cortisol changes. We concluded that an enhanced ERN, part of an adaptive cognitive control system, predicts successful stress regulation. In contrast, an enhanced ERAS response may reflect error-related arousal that is not adaptive. The results support the concept of overlapping systems for cognitive and emotional self-regulation.
Scattering of electrons from He+ targets for energies up to the n = 3 threshold

Abstract Using an algebraic close coupling expansion which includes nine target eigenstates, the excitation cross sections as well as resonance parameters are computed for 0 ⩽ L ⩽ 2 and incident energies between the n = 2 and n = 3 thresholds of the He + ion. These eigenstates are made up of the real 1s, 2s, 3s, 2p, 3p, 3d states plus two s-type and one p-type pseudo states that simulate the continuum.
CrIS/NPP On-Orbit Performance

CrIS is a hyperspectral infrared sounding instrument now flying on the Suomi NPP satellite. This paper describes the instrument design, its on-orbit data characteristics, the results of calibration/validation activities, and future instrument enhancements.
Recovery of gonadal function following hypothalamic lesions in Japanese quail.

Abstract Electrolytic or radiofrequency lesions were made in the anterior and ventral regions of the hypothalamus of male and female Japanese quail. Testicular function (assessed by rapid regression of the cloacal gland) was immediately impaired in twelve individuals. Laparotomy on day 21 of the experiment showed regressed testes. Nine males recovered from the antigonadal effects of the lesions. In the remainder, damage in the median eminence (2) or its posterior division (1) resulted in permanent cessation of testicular function. Ovarian function was interrupted in twenty birds. Laparotomy revealed regressed ovaries and oviducts in twelve hens; six of these resumed ovulating approximately 51 days after being lesioned while in six others the ovaries remained regressed for 133 days. Eight hens had moderately to fully developed ovaries at the time of laparotomy. Five of these resumed ovulating on day 25 of the experiment. The remaining three failed to ovulate throughout the duration of the experiment (133 days), yet at autopsy the ovaries appeared well developed. As in males, permanent interruption of ovarian function resulted from lesions in the entire median eminence (3), the anterior division of the median eminence (1), or the posterior division of the median eminence (4). In addition, damage to the anterodorsal region of the infundibular nuclear complex interrupted ovarian activity in a single bird.
Global Hyper-synchronous Spontaneous Activity in the Developing Optic Tectum

Studies of patterned spontaneous activity can elucidate how the organization of neural circuits emerges. Using in vivo two-photon Ca2+ imaging, we studied spatio-temporal patterns of spontaneous activity in the optic tectum of Xenopus tadpoles. We found rhythmic patterns of global synchronous spontaneous activity between neurons, which depends on visual experience and developmental stage. By contrast, synchronous spontaneous activity between non-neuronal cells is mediated more locally. To understand the source of the neuronal spontaneous activity, input to the tectum was systematically removed. Whereas removing input from the visual or mechanosensory system alone had little effect on patterned spontaneous activity, removing input from both systems drastically altered it. These results suggest that either input is sufficient to maintain the intrinsically generated spontaneous activity and that patterned spontaneous activity results from input from multisensory systems. Thus, the amphibian midbrain differs from the mammalian visual system, whose spontaneous activity is controlled by retinal waves.
Varied electrophysiologic patterns in spinocerebellar ataxia type 2

The autosomal dominant ataxias are a heterogenous group of disorders. Almost 30 different genetic loci have been identified. Spinocerebellar ataxia type 2 (SCA2) is one of many autosomal dominant cerebellar ataxias. Electrophysiologic studies in SCA2 have shown mainly a sensory neuropathy or neuronopathy. To determine if electrophysiologic testing reveals concomitant or isolated involvement of motor nerves in SCA2 we reviewed historic and electrophysiologic data on all cases of genetically confirmed SCA2 who underwent nerve conduction studies and needle electromyographic during initial evaluation at our institution. We performed electrophysiologic studies in six genetically confirmed, unrelated, cases of SCA2 and discovered that in three patients, there were findings consistent with motor neuronopathy or neuropathy without sensory involvement. One patient had normal results and only one had a pure sensory neuropathy or neuronopathy. The sixth patients had mixed sensorimotor neuropathy. This is the first study that demonstrates isolated involvement of motor neurons and/or axons occur in SCA2. Therefore, electrophysiologic findings in SCA2 are not limited to mainly a sensory neuropathy but are varied and can even mimic slowly progressive motor neuron disease.
Characterizing organic mood syndrome, depressed type☆

In this report, a first comprehensive description of the clinical features of patients with organic mood syndrome, depressed type (OMS-D), in a psychiatric hospital population is presented. This description is based on information from 130 OMS-D patients among 14,889 patients who presented for initial evaluation over a 5-year period. This description includes an enumeration of the common clinical symptoms of this syndrome. Following this, the severity of the symptoms of OMS-D are compared with those of its crude "functional" equivalent of major depressive disorder, single episode (MDD-SE). In addition, associated factors are presented concerning demographics, level of functioning, comorbidity, electroencephalographic and computed tomographic abnormalities, and current physical problems. These findings provide preliminary support for the validity of this diagnostic category, and provide relevant information concerning proposed changes in this category as listed in the DSM-IV Options Book.
Statin use and risk of haemorrhagic stroke in a community-based cohort of postmenopausal women: an observational study from the Women's Health Initiative

Objectives: To determine whether statin treatment is associated with increased risk of haemorrhagic stroke (HS) in older women. A secondary objective was to evaluate HS risk in users of combined statin and antiplatelet treatment. Design: Observational study: secondary data analysis from the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) clinical trials. Setting: Women were recruited from 40 participating sites. Participants: Cohort of 68 132 women followed through 2005 (parent study) and for an additional 5 years in the extension study. Main outcome measures: Statin use was assessed at baseline and at follow-up visits (1, 3, 6 and 9 years). Women brought medications in original containers for inventory. Strokes were ascertained semiannually and centrally adjudicated. Risk of HS by statin use (timevarying covariate, with the ‘no use’ category as the referent) was estimated from Cox proportional hazard regression models adjusted for age (model 1); risk factors for HS (model 2); and possible confounders by indication (model 3). Prespecified subgroup analyses were conducted by use of antiplatelet medications. Results: Final models included 67 882 women (mean age, 63±7 years). Over a mean follow-up of 12 years, incidence rates of HS were 6.4/10 000 person-years among statin users and 5.0/10 000 person-years among non-users (p=0.11). The unadjusted risk of HS in statin users was 1.21 (CI 0.96 to 1.53); after adjusting for age and HS risk factors the HR was 0.98 (CI 0.76 to 1.26). Risk of HS was higher among women on statins and antiplatelet agents versus women on antiplatelet medications alone (HR=1.59; CI 1.03 to 2.47); p for interaction=0.011.
Fencing a Field: Imagined Others in the Unfolding of a Neighborhood Park Conflict:

This article offers a detailed analysis of a neighborhood dispute over fencing a public park. Unlike the archetypal turf battles between longstanding and new neighborhood residents described in pre...
Visual Analytics: Scope and Challenges

In today's applications data is produced at unprecedented rates. While the capacity to collect and store new data rapidly grows, the ability to analyze these data volumes increases at much lower rates. This gap leads to new challenges in the analysis process, since analysts, decision makers, engineers, or emergency response teams depend on information hidden in the data. The emerging field of visual analytics focuses on handling these massive, heterogenous, and dynamic volumes of information by integrating human judgement by means of visual representations and interaction techniques in the analysis process. Furthermore, it is the combination of related research areas including visualization, data mining, and statistics that turns visual analytics into a promising field of research. This paper aims at providing an overview of visual analytics, its scope and concepts, addresses the most important research challenges and presents use cases from a wide variety of application scenarios.
On the Economic Success of GATT/WTO Dispute Settlement

What features of the dispute settlement process help governments live up to their trade liberalization commitments? Exploiting data on GATT/WTO trade disputes initiated and completed between 1973 and 1998, this paper identifies economic and institutional determinants that help defendant governments commit to liberalizing trade. We find substantial evidence consistent with the theory that power measures, including threat of retaliation by the plaintiff, yield credibility to allow defendant governments to live up to their commitments. We find only limited evidence, however, that particular procedural or institutional features beyond the basic GATT/WTO dispute settlement forum itself contributed to the successful economic resolution of trade disputes.
Cerebral atrophy in Cushing's disease.

BACKGROUND Cushing's disease causes significant pathological changes throughout the body as a result of elevated cortisol levels. Very few systematic investigations have focused on the morphologic effects of hypercortisolism on the central nervous system. The validity of using premature cerebral atrophy as a diagnostic tool for Cushing's disease remains unknown. METHODS This study includes 63 patients with Cushing's disease who were evaluated and treated at the University of Virginia Medical Center. Radiologists randomly compared these individuals with age- and sex-matched controls in a blinded protocol, assessing the degree of cerebral atrophy on computed tomography and magnetic resonance scans. RESULTS Patients with Cushing's disease showed significant premature atrophy when compared with controls. This trend continued after subdividing the groups based on age and duration of symptoms except in the following groups: age greater than 60, duration of symptoms less than 1 year, and symptoms lasting between 4-5 years. CONCLUSIONS Excluding the three aforementioned groups, the hypercortisolemic state manifested in patients with Cushing's disease promotes the premature development of cerebral atrophy, which can be identified on routine radiologic imaging and may assist in the clinical diagnosis of the condition.
Regional test of a model for shallow landsliding

Landslides mapped in 14 watershed analyses in Oregon and Washington provide a regional test of a model for shallow landsliding. A total of 3224 landslides were mapped in watersheds covering 2993 km2 and underlain by a variety of lithologies, including Tertiary sedimentary rocks of the Coast Ranges, volcanic rocks of the Cascade Range and Quaternary glacial sediments in the Puget Lowlands. GIS (geographical information system) techniques were used to register each mapped landslide to critical rainfall values predicted from a theoretical model for the topographic control on shallow landsliding using 30 m DEMs (digital elevation models). A single set of parameter values appropriate for simulating slide hazards after forest clearing was used for all watersheds to assess the regional influence of topographic controls on shallow landsliding. Model performance varied widely between watersheds, with the best performance generally in steep watersheds underlain by shallow bedrock and the worst performance in generally low gradient watersheds underlain by thick glacial deposits. Landslide frequency (slides/km2) varied between physiographic provinces but yielded consistent patterns of higher slide frequency in areas with lower critical rainfall values. Simulations with variable effective cohesion predicted that high root strength effectively limits shallow landsliding to topographic hollows with deep soils and locations that experience excess pore pressures, but that low root strength leads to higher probabilities of failure across a greater proportion of the landscape. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Language: en
OASIS: an online and accurate technique for local-alignment searches on biological sequences

A common query against large protein and gene sequence data sets is to locate targets that are similar to an input query sequence. The current set of popular search tools, such as BLAST, employ heuristics to improve the speed of such searches. However, such heuristics can sometimes miss targets, which in many cases is undesirable. The alternative to BLAST is to use an accurate algorithm, such as the Smith-Waterman (S-W) algorithm. However, these accurate algorithms are computationally very expensive, which limits their use in practice. This paper takes on the challenge of designing an accurate and efficient algorithm for evaluating local-alignment searches. To meet this goal, we propose a novel search algorithm, called OASIS. This algorithm employs a dynamic programming A*-search driven by a suffix-tree index that is built on the input data set. We experimentally evaluate OASIS and demonstrate that for an important class of searches, in which the query sequence lengths are small, OASIS is more than an order of magnitude faster than S-W. In addition, the speed of OASIS is comparable to BLAST. Furthermore, OASIS returns results in decreasing order of the matching score, making it possible to use OASIS in an online setting. Consequently, we believe that it may now be practically feasible to query large biological sequence data sets using an accurate local-alignment search algorithm.
Dendritic Cells in Dengue Virus Infection: Targets of Virus Replication and Mediators of Immunity

Dendritic cells (DCs) are sentinels of the immune system and detect pathogens at sites of entry, such as the skin. In addition to the ability of DCs to control infections directly via their innate immune functions, DCs help to prime adaptive B and T cell responses via antigen presentation in lymphoid tissues. Infected Aedes aegypti or Ae. albopictus mosquitoes transmit the four dengue virus (DENV) serotypes to humans while probing for small blood vessels in the skin. DENV causes the most prevalent arthropod-borne viral disease in humans, yet no vaccine or specific therapeutic is currently approved. Although primary DENV infection confers life-long protective immunity against re-infection with the same DENV serotype, secondary infection with a different DENV serotype can lead to increased disease severity via cross-reactive T cells or enhancing antibodies. This review summarizes recent findings in humans and animal models about DENV infection of DCs, monocytes and macrophages. We discuss the dual role of DCs as both targets of DENV replication and mediators of innate and adaptive immunity, and summarize immune evasion strategies whereby DENV impairs the function of infected DCs. We suggest that DCs play a key role in priming DENV-specific neutralizing or potentially harmful memory B and T cell responses, and that future DC-directed therapies may help induce protective memory responses and reduce dengue pathogenesis.
Synthesis and characterization of phosphonate‐containing polysiloxanes

Phosphonate-functionalized polysiloxanes have been prepared with a new siloxane/phosphonate monomer. The reaction of 3-chloropropylmethyldimethoxysilane with trimethylphosphite or triethylphosphite produces several new monomers containing pendant phosphonate groups. Copolymerization with dimethyldimethoxysilane has produced polymers soluble in most organic solvents. The acid hydrolysis of the phosphoryl esters has produced hydrophilic siloxane polymers containing phosphonic acid groups. The thermal properties of the polymers and several related small molecules have been compared with thermogravimetric analysis. Both the monomers and the resulting polymers have been characterized with 1H, 13C, 31P, and 29Si NMR. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 48–59, 2003
Structure of non-binary regular ldpc cycle codes

In this paper, we study non-binary regular LDPC cycle codes whose parity check matrix has fixed column weight 2 and fixed row weight d. We prove that the parity check matrix of any regular cycle code can be put into a concatenation form of row-permuted block-diagonal matrices after row and column permutations if d is even, or, if d is odd and the code's associated graph contains at least one spanning subgraph that consists of disjoint edges. Utilizing this structure enables parallel processing in linear-time encoding, and parallel processing in sequential belief-propagation decoding, which increases the throughput without compromising performance or complexity. Numerical results are presented to compare the code performance and the decoding complexity.
Hybrid position/force control of an active handheld micromanipulator for membrane peeling.

Background Peeling procedures in retinal surgery require micron-scale manipulation and control of sub-tactile forces. Methods Hybrid position/force control of an actuated handheld microsurgical instrument is presented as a means for simultaneously improving positioning accuracy and reducing forces to prevent avoidable trauma to tissue. The system response was evaluated, and membrane-peeling trials were performed by four test subjects in both artificial and animal models. Results Maximum force was reduced by 56% in both models compared with position control. No statistically significant effect on procedure duration was observed. Conclusions A hybrid position/force control system has been implemented that successfully attenuates forces and minimizes unwanted excursions during microsurgical procedures such as membrane peeling. Results also suggest that improvements in safety using this technique may be attained without increasing the duration of the procedure. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Differences in the Aβ40/Aβ42 ratio associated with cerebrospinal fluid lipoproteins as a function of apolipoprotein E genotype

The epsilon4 allele of apolipoprotein E (ApoE) is a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD). ApoE, which is important for lipid metabolism, is also a major constituent of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) lipoproteins (LPs). Although ApoE in the CSF is derived from the central nervous system, the relation between LP metabolism in plasma and CSF is not clear. Soluble amyloid-beta (Abeta) protein may normally be associated with CSF LPs. It is converted in AD to a fibrillar form in brain parenchyma. ApoE and CSF LPs may regulate this process. The purpose of this study was to characterize CSF LPs from healthy, cognitively normal, fasted, elderly individuals at different risk for AD based on ApoE genotype. Lipid composition of CSF LPs did not differ with ApoE genotype. Interestingly, plasma and CSF high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and apolipoprotein AI (ApoAI) levels were correlated. Importantly, as assessed by size-exclusion chromatography, Abeta in CSF coeluted in fractions containing LPs and was influenced by ApoE genotype: E4-positive subjects displayed significant elevations in Abeta40/Abeta42 ratios. These results suggest that plasma ApoAI/HDL levels can influence CSF ApoAI/HDL levels and that interactions between Abeta and central nervous system LPs may reflect changes in brain Abeta metabolism before the onset of clinical disease.
Exploration of Attacks on Current Generation Smartphones

Due to the ever increasing capabilities of current generation smartphones, they are quickly becoming more attractive targets for malicious attackers. The potential of porting attacks and malware from modern computers to these mobile devices is becoming a reality. In this paper, we explore the possibility of staging some attacks on the 802.11 network interface which is common to all smartphones. We begin by explaining and carrying out the exploitation of the SSH vulnerability on jailbroken iPhones that was discovered in late 2009. This paper then looks at simple network flooding attacks with the intention of causing a simple denial of service by depleting the battery life of the device. It is also our intention to show that these flooding attacks can be carried out utilizing a smartphone as the aggressor in order to attack other mobile devices and that the procedure for such attacks is not difficult. A simple tool is developed in order to carry out these attacks and to show that even though these attacks are relatively simple, they can have profound effects.
Comparative Effects of Chlorpromazine Hydrochloride and Quaternary Chlorpromazine Hydrochloride on the Central Nervous Systems of Rats and Mice

The effects of quaternary chlorpromazine HCl (QCPZ) and the tertiary parent compound chlorpromazine hydrochloride (CPZ) on the central nervous system were investigated in male rats and mice. CPZ was much more potent than QCPZ in inducing depressant effects on spontaneous activity of mice, forced motor activity of rats, continuous shock avoidance of rats, and potentiation of hexobarbital sleeping time in mice. Neither compound significantly altered the threshold of convulsive seizures induced by either pentylenetetrazol or strychnine. Although quaternization of the CPZ molecule at the terminal side chain nitrogen produced a decrease in central nervous system activity, the resulting compound was much more toxic than CPZ.
Classification of precipitation type from space borne precipitation radar data and 2D wavelet analysis

Classification of precipitation into convective and stratiform type is an important product of Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) data set. This work presents the results of a new algorithm, used to classify precipitation into convective and stratiform types, developed using two dimensional wavelet transform. The methodology analyzes the three dimensional radar profile of precipitation in both horizontal and vertical directions (with respect to the surface of the earth). The rain type is determined by analyzing the wavelet coefficients of the horizontal and vertical details of each plane. The data structure used in each plane is rebuilt using the suitable wavelet coefficients to extract the proper signal components at the selected plane. Data from TRMM-PR are analyzed to produce precipitation type classification. The results are compared against ground validation inferences.
Euthyroid pretibial myxedema.

Objective: To describe a case of biopsy-proven pretibial myxedema in a man with normal thyroid function. Methods: We present the pertinent clinical and laboratory data for the current case and review previously published information on pretibial myxedema. Results: Our patient, a 53-year-old man, had the characteristic lesions of pretibial myxedema on the anterolateral aspects of his calves. Laboratory tests showed normal thyroid function. The thyroid-stimulating immunoglobulin value was above normal. No exophthalmos or goiter was present. This uncommon dermopathy is typically associated with Graves' disease, accompanied by clinical hyperthyroidism, ophthalmopathy, and goiter. Conclusion: The pathogenesis of pretibial myxedema remains elusive. It is presumed to be an autoimmune phenomenon attributable to the presence of serum thyroid-stimulating immunoglobulin, although immunofluorescence studies have failed to demonstrate a direct role for such an immunoglobulin. Only two other cases of biopsy-proven pret...
The Use of Information System Technology to Develop Tests on Insider Trading and Asymmetric Information

Issues related to insider trading remain popular research topics. Empirical studies using historical data are limited by two key factors: 1) the inability to identify exactly who possesses inside information, and 2) the inability to identify the accuracy of information possessed. Advances in information system technology enable us to overcome these problems in the laboratory. Using this technology, we create a research shell to conduct experiments where we can identify the exact type and quality of information accessible by each trader. Our system includes the capability to monitor individual activities in accessing inside information. The system can automatically impose a monetary penalty if random monitoring identifies a trader accessing inside information. Our experiments involve traders who receive access to inside information without initial knowledge of the quality of that information. The results indicate that traders were able to outperform the market if penalties for being caught accessing such information were not included. Once penalties were included, however, no significant performance differences were observed. Finally, in a second set of experiments involving a simplified market with infrequent electronic monitoring and low penalty amounts, inside information seemed to be rapidly and effectively disseminated to traders possessing no inside information.