cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Beta-3 adrenoceptor expression in the uterosacral ligament in the postmenopausal women with pelvic organ prolapse.

AIMS β3-adrenoceptor (β3-AR) agonist is known to relax the detrusor muscles. Considering that both pelvic organ prolapse (POP) and overactive-bladder (OAB) are frequently seen in the elderly population, the effect of β3-AR agonist on the pelvic floor tissues should be investigated. As a first step, this pilot, experimental, and descriptive study was designed to investigate the presence of β3-AR expression in the uterosacral-ligaments (USLs) in postmenopausal (PMP) women with POP. METHODS After informed consent, PMP women undergoing hysterectomy for POP were recruited for the intraoperative collection of distal USL between 5/2016 and 8/2016. H&E analysis for the USLs and immunohistochemistry (IHC) analysis for β3-AR and α-actin smooth muscle (SM) were carried out. Tissue composition and percentage of β3-AR expression in the USLs were subjectively measured and the staining results were expressed as descriptive analysis. RESULTS Total 11 USL specimens were collected and nine specimens were included for the final analysis (one specimen: used for antibody concentration adjustment and one specimen: failed proper staining). Under high-power-field, the USLs were composed of SM cells (81.5 ± 7.47%) and connective tissues (16.5 ± 7.9%). On IHC analysis, six out of nine specimens expressed β3-AR with a different level of expression in SM cells in the USLs. CONCLUSIONS The majority of distal USLs were composed of SM cells. β3-ARs are expressed in 67% of the study specimens. Considering that both POP and OAB are frequently seen in the elderly population, the effect of β3-AR agonist on the pelvic floor tissues should be investigated further.
Empowering Imbalanced Data in Supervised Learning: A Semi-supervised Learning Approach

We present a framework to address the imbalanced data problem using semi-supervised learning. Specifically, from a supervised problem, we create a semi-supervised problem and then use a semi-supervised learning method to identify the most relevant instances to establish a well-defined training set. We present extensive experimental results, which demonstrate that the proposed framework significantly outperforms all other sampling algorithms in 67% of the cases across three different classifiers and ranks second best for the remaining 33% of the cases.
E-mail as an adjunctive tool in psychotherapy: response and responsibility.

In a world of technological breakthroughs, it is not surprising that psychotherapists have, along with the general population, taken to the multiple possibilities offered by devices or systems that...
Cooperatives—Taxation and the Law

Our objectives in this chapter are aimed at covering questions relating to taxation of agricultural cooperatives. This is an area that is frequently controversial and in which the cooperative is often attacked. The effort of the National Tax Equality Association is directed at what they argue is an area of unfairness by claiming that proprietary corporations are subject to double taxation while cooperative corporations’ taxing is legally handled in such a way that the cooperative pays the tax or patrons pay the tax—a single tax basis. In the case of the private corporation, the corporation pays taxes on its net margins and the stockholders pay taxes upon any dividends paid to them.
Architecture-driven diagnosis of performance failures in a token ring

Communication infrastructures that provide distributed systems with key services can also end up being the medium whereby faults propagate through the system. We have previously observed that a single faulty node can degrade the performance of other, non-faulty nodes in the system. We present a method for identifying the node that is the origin of the failure by examining the architecture-driven constrained network-flows in a distributed system. By identifying the effects of the failure on the network, combined with our knowledge of the network-flow constraints, we can trace the effects of the failure back to its source node. We empirically evaluate our methods on a data set that was generated by injecting multiple performance-faults into a replicated middleware system with an underlying token-ring based group communication protocol. We correctly identify the faulty node in the case of failures that significantly change the performance characteristics of the network.
Data-driven respiratory motion compensation for four-dimensional cone-beam computed tomography (4D-CBCT) using groupwise deformable registration.

PURPOSE To demonstrate the feasibility of using a purely data-driven, a posteriori respiratory motion modeling and reconstruction compensation method to improve 4D-CBCT image quality under clinically relevant image acquisition conditions. METHODS Evaluated workflows that utilized a combination of groupwise deformable image registration and motion-compensated image reconstruction algorithms. Groupwise registration is an approach that simultaneously registers all temporal frames of a 4D image to a common reference instead of one at a time so as to minimize the influence of any individual time point on the global smoothness or accuracy of the resulting deformation model. Four-dimensional cone-beam CT (4D-CBCT) Feldkamp-Davis-Kress (FDK) reconstructions were registered to either iteratively computed mean respiratory phase (mean-frame) or preselected respiratory phase (fixed-frame) reference images to model respiratory motion. The resulting 4D transformations were used to deform projection data during the FDK backprojection operation to create motion-compensated reconstructions. Tissue interface sharpness (TIS) was defined as the slope of a sigmoid curve fit to a mobile tissue boundary and was used to evaluate image quality in regions susceptible to motion artifacts. Image quality improvement was assessed for 19 clinical cases by evaluating mitigation of view aliasing artifacts, TIS, image noise reduction, and contrast for implanted fiducial markers. RESULTS Average (standard deviation) diaphragm TIS recovery relative to initial 4D-CBCT reconstructions was observed to be 87% (46%) using fixed-frame registration alone; 87% (47%) using fixed frame with motion-compensated reconstruction; 101% (68%) using mean-frame registration alone; and 99% (65%) using mean frame with motion-compensated reconstruction. Noise was reduced in sampled soft tissue ROIs by 58% for both fixed-frame registration and registration with motion compensation and by 57% and 58% on average for the corresponding mean-frame methods, respectively. Average improvement in local CNR was observed to be respectively 93% and 98% for fixed-frame registration and registration with motion compensation methods and 116% and 111% for the corresponding mean-frame methods. CONCLUSION Data-driven groupwise registration and motion-compensated reconstruction offer a feasible means of improving the quality of 4D-CBCT images acquired under clinical conditions. The addition of motion compensation reconstruction after groupwise registration visibly reduced the impact of view aliasing artifacts for the clinical image datasets studied.
Multigene sequencing, copy number alteration detection, and survival with first-line PD-1 based therapy in patients with mucosal melanoma.

e21579Background: Mucosal melanomas (McM) have lower tumor mutational burden (TMB) and higher fraction of genome with alterations (FGA) than cutaneous melanomas. Sequencing efforts to date suggest ...
Social Skill Focuses of Virtual Reality Systems for Individuals Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder; A Systematic Review:

A systematic review of virtual reality (VR) systems for individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is detailed. The aim of this proceeding is to determine which social skills focuses...
Methicillin-susceptible and Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus Bacteremia: Nationwide Estimates of 30-Day Readmission, In-hospital Mortality, Length of Stay, and Cost in the United States

Background Information on outcomes of methicillin-susceptible and -resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA and MRSA, respectively) bacteremia, particularly readmission, is scarce and requires further research to inform optimal patient care. Methods We performed a retrospective analysis using the 2014 Nationwide Readmissions Database, capturing 49.3% of US hospitalizations. We identified MSSA and MRSA bacteremia using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification among patients aged ≥18 years. Thirty-day readmission, mortality, length of stay, and costs were assessed using Cox proportional hazards regression, logistic regression, Poisson regression, and generalized linear model with gamma distribution and log link, respectively. Results Of 92 089 (standard error [SE], 1905) patients with S. aureus bacteremia, 48.5% (SE, 0.4%) had MRSA bacteremia. Thirty-day readmission rate was 22% (SE, 0.3) overall with no difference between MRSA and MSSA, but MRSA bacteremia had more readmission for bacteremia recurrence (hazard ratio, 1.17 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 1.02-1.34]), higher in-hospital mortality (odds ratio, 1.15 [95% CI, 1.07-1.23]), and longer hospitalization (incidence rate ratio, 1.09 [95% CI, 1.06-1.11]). Readmission with bacteremia recurrence was particularly more common among patients with endocarditis, immunocompromising comorbidities, and drug abuse. The cost of readmission was $12 425 (SE, $174) per case overall, and $19 186 (SE, $623) in those with bacteremia recurrence. Conclusions Thirty-day readmission after S. aureus bacteremia is common and costly. MRSA bacteremia is associated with readmission for bacteremia recurrence, increased mortality, and longer hospitalization. Efforts should continue to optimize patient care, particularly for those with risk factors, to decrease readmission and associated morbidity and mortality in patients with S. aureus bacteremia.
Dimas de Miguel y la jerga luliana de la universalidad

espanolEn este trabajo examino la figura de Dimas de Miguel y, en particular, de su opusculo Breve y compendioso compendio de la arte de Raymundo Llull como parte de un debate en torno a la nocion de universalidad. Dimas de Miguel pertenecio al circulo intelectual que rodeo a Juan de Herrera y que se asocio al rey Felipe II en las ultimas decadas de su vida. Este circulo conservo los aspectos misioneros originales del lulismo, pero se concentro en la faceta del arte luliano que prometia una logica alrededor de la cual todas las disciplinas academicas podian organizarse. Me centrare en tres puntos de analisis de esta universalidad: los catalogos como mapas del legado de la obra luliana en distintas bibliotecas; el establecimiento de un vocabulario de la universalidad en el mencionado tratado de Dimas; y, por ultimo, en la argumentacion de esta universalidad en oposicion a sus detractores academicos y eclesiasticos. EnglishIn this paper, I examine the figure of Dimas de Miguel, namely his brief treatise Breve y compendioso compendio de la arte de Raymundo Llull, as partaking in a debate around the notion of universality. Dimas de Miguel belonged to the intellectual circle around Juan de Herrera, associated with King Philip II in the last decades of his reign. While this circle preserved many of the original missionary aspects of Lullism, it ultimately focused more on the way Llull’s Art promised a universal logic for the organization of the disciplines. This article focuses on three points of analysis of this universality: the way catalogues of Llull’s works serve to map the spread of his legacy across numerous institutions and libraries; the establishing of a vocabulary of universality in Dimas’s aforementioned treatise; and the defense of this form of universality in opposition to its academic and ecclesiastic detractors.
Research Techniques Made Simple: Forward Genetic Screening to Uncover Genes Involved in Skin Biology

The primary goals of modern genetics are to identify disease-causing mutations and to define the functions of genes in biological processes. Two complementary approaches, reverse and forward genetics, can be used to achieve this goal. Reverse genetics is a gene-driven approach that comprises specific gene targeting followed by phenotypic assessment. Conversely, forward genetics is a phenotype-driven approach that involves the phenotypic screening of organisms with randomly induced mutations followed by subsequent identification of the causative mutations (i.e., those responsible for phenotype). In this article, we focus on how forward genetics in mice can be used to explore dermatologic disease. We outline mouse mutagenesis with the chemical N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea and the strategy used to instantaneously identify mutations that are causative of specific phenotypes. Furthermore, we summarize the types of phenotypic screens that can be performed to explore various aspects of dermatologic disease.
A Catalytic Trisulfide in Human Sulfide Quinone Oxidoreductase Catalyzes Coenzyme A Persulfide Synthesis and Inhibits Butyrate Oxidation.

Summary Mitochondrial sulfide quinone oxidoreductase (SQR) catalyzes the oxidation of H2S to glutathione persulfide with concomitant reduction of CoQ10. We report herein that the promiscuous activity of human SQR supported the conversion of CoA to CoA-SSH (CoA-persulfide), a potent inhibitor of butyryl-CoA dehydrogenase, and revealed a molecular link between sulfide and butyrate metabolism, which are known to interact. Three different CoQ1-bound crystal structures furnished insights into how diverse substrates access human SQR, and provided snapshots of the reaction coordinate. Unexpectedly, the active site cysteines in SQR are configured in a bridging trisulfide at the start and end of the catalytic cycle, and the presence of sulfane sulfur was confirmed biochemically. Importantly, our study leads to a mechanistic proposal for human SQR in which sulfide addition to the trisulfide cofactor eliminates 201Cys-SSH, forming an intense charge-transfer complex with flavin adenine dinucleotide, and 379Cys-SSH, which transfers sulfur to an external acceptor.
Case report: optimal tumor cytoreduction and octreotide with durable disease control in a patient with MEN-1 and Zollinger-Ellison syndrome—over a decade of follow-up

Zollinger-Ellison syndrome (ZES) is a rare condition characterized by hypersecretion of gastrin by gastrinoma tumors leading to severe peptic ulcer disease with potential development of gastric carcinoid tumors. Herein, we report the clinical course of a 68-year-old patient with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN-1) who underwent several surgeries to ultimately undergo optimal tumor cytoreduction of locally advanced gastrinomas and symptomatic gastric carcinoids. The patient was subsequently maintained on octreotide long-acting release (LAR). This case report supports consideration for aggressive tumor cytoreduction and octreotide in similar patients with MEN-1-associated ZES for durable disease control and symptom management. The patient is a 68-year-old male with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN-1), diagnosed in 1993 after presenting with recurrent renal calculi and hypercalcemia. Soon thereafter, he presented with symptoms and elevated gastrin levels suggestive of ZES prompting abdominal exploration with partial resection of the duodenum to remove gastrinoma tumor nodules. Within 4 years of the operation, he represented with intractable hypergastrinemia despite optimal medical management with peak gastrin levels exceeding 29,000 pg/mL, in 2006. In January 2007, the patient returned to the operating room for resection of regional peripancreatic and perigastric lymph nodes and enucleation of pancreatic body and tail gastrinoma tumors. Although his gastrin level decreased to 5000 pg/mL with resultant improvement of symptoms, in less than 2 years, he developed disease progression with obstructive symptomatology from enlarging gastric carcinoids and rising gastrin levels. In May of 2008, he underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy and near-total gastrectomy. Since June of 2008, the patient shows no demonstrable progression of disease and remains asymptomatic on LAR octreotide (30 mgs). Gastrin levels have been well controlled (range, 100–624 pg/mL; current 114 pg/mL). Success of this procedure in our case report highlights the potential role for optimal tumor cytoreduction and LAR octreotide to control disease progression in a patient with MEN-I and Zollinger-Ellison syndrome with locally advanced gastrinoma and secondary large gastric carcinoids.
Resuscitation by Flashlight of an Adolescent Snakebite Victim in the Amazon

Nocturnal hunting is a common practice in the dense vegetation of the Amazon, where animals are difficult to see during the day. Resourceful hunters bring flashlights and shine them into the darkness in order …
NATO as a political alliance: continuities and legacies in the enlargement debates of the 1990s

NATO’s ongoing relevance as a political alliance appeared time and again in the debates of the 1990s, as the Western allies struggled to adapt their old institutions to the challenges of a new world, one without the Cold War. This article explores continuities in allied thinking pointing to concerns and considerations that remained no less relevant with the fall of the Berlin Wall, the splintering of the Warsaw Pact, and the unraveling of the Soviet Union. It focuses on the popular notion that NATO represented a political alliance, not merely a military one, showing how Canadian policymakers advocated for NATO enlargement on the basis of the Atlantic alliance’s political credentials. In so doing, this article suggests new avenues to examine and reevaluate the process of NATO enlargement by incorporating the perspectives—and increasingly available archival records—of often neglected members of the alliance.
Stereotactic radiosurgery for acromegaly: an international systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical outcomes

We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical outcomes for patients with acromegaly treated with stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). Primary outcomes were 5- and 10-year endocrine remission (ER) and endocrine control (EC). Secondary outcomes were 10-year radiographic local control (LC), visual toxicity, and hypopituitarism rates. Weighted random effects meta-analyses using the DerSimonian and Laird methods were conducted to characterize and compare effect sizes. Mixed effects regression models were used to examine correlations between potential prognostic factors and primary and secondary outcomes. In total, 1533 patients across 20 published studies with acromegaly treated with SRS were included. At 5-years, estimated ER and EC rates were 43.2% (95% CI 31.7–54.6%) and 55.0% (95% CI 27.6–82.4%), respectively. At 10-years, estimated ER and EC rates were 56.9% (95% CI 47.5–66.4%) and 69.7% (95% CI 47.7–91.8%), respectively. The estimated 10-year LC rate was 92.8% (95% CI 83.0–100%). Visual toxicity and hypopituitarism following SRS were estimated to be 2.7% (95% CI 1.3–4.2%) and 26.8% (95% CI 16.9–36.7%), respectively. Every 1 Gy increase in margin prescription dose beyond 17 Gy was estimated to result in a 0.41% increased risk of visual toxicity (p = 0.03). No prognostic factors were associated with EC, ER, LC, or hypopituitarism. SRS was well-tolerated in the management of pituitary acromegaly resulting in gradually improving ER and EC rates over time that approached 60% and 70%. SRS-related visual loss is an uncommon treatment-related side effect, and patient-specific clinical decision making remains critical.
Isolation Improvement between Closely-Spaced Antennas Using EBG

Isolation improvement between two closely spaced antennas using a single column EBG is proposed for compact wireless devices. The proposed design developed for the 2.4 GHz WLAN band achieves more than 17 dB isolation improvement between two planar inverted-F antennas (PIFAs) compared to the no-EBG case. As a result, improved MIMO capacity is also achieved. The proposed design can be scaled up or down in frequency and may be implemented for small devices such as, smart watches, Wi-Fi routers, internet of things (IoT) devices etc.
Impact of Schottky Barrier on the Performance of Two-Dimensional Material Transistors

Double-gated monolayer two-dimensional (2D) material transistor is expected to offer ideal (~60 mV/dec) subthreshold swing (SS) for gate lengths well below 10 nm. However, the ideal 2D transistor assumes Ohmic contacts whereas a realistic metal/2D Schottky contact can degrade SS. Transport simulations including scattering is necessary to correctly describe carrier thermalization and predict the SS degradation. Scaled 2D transistors with a Schottky barrier height (SBH) smaller than 100 meV and doping concentration in the extension region larger than 2x1013 cm-2 are required to achieve high performance.
Geographic distance, firm affiliations, and IPO performance: evidence from China

Firms going through an initial public offering (IPO) face many uncertainties. Geographic distance between the firm headquarters and the major financial centers, where most investors are located, is...
Controlling violence: Criminal justice, society, and lessons from the US

Based on a lecture to policy makers in Brazil, this essay explores lessons that developing nations can learn from US experiences in the fight against violence and crime. A brief summary of trends in crime, criminal justice policy, and criminal punishment in the US over the past four decades is followed by an evaluation of the dominant imprisonment strategy of the 1970s through 1990s. It is argued that benefits of the massive increase in criminal punishment have been few and that costs have been excessive in terms of material, human, and social capital. Nonetheless, the American experience provides inspiration when we consider the broader societal potential for social organization: values and norms; self-interest and involvement in legitimate exchange networks; mobilization of social capital; and diverse mechanisms of social control. These concepts are explained, and specific institutions and mechanisms to control violence and crime are explored under each of them.
Who Competes with Whom? A Demand-Based Perspective for Identifying and Representing Asymmetric Competition

A host of strategic management and marketing issues, including competitive analysis and strategic decision making, hinges on accurately identifying and representing competitive market structures. It is readily acknowledged that competitive market structures are typically asymmetric; namely, one firm may actively compete with another in a given market but not vice versa. However, empirical efforts to assess these competitive asymmetries have been lacking in the strategy literature. We propose a new spatial methodology to identify and represent asymmetric competitive market structures. Specifically, we devise a new stochastic multidimensional scaling procedure that is calibrated from actual consumer consideration/choice sets to estimate and uncover competitive asymmetries. The proposed methodology can be effectively employed in the analysis of appropriate data from either demand- or supply-side approaches to assess competitive market structure. We illustrate our proposed methodology with survey data collected from two different commercial applications: one from the U.S. luxury automobile market and the other from the U.S. portable telephone market. We contrast the findings of the proposed methodology against traditional symmetric approaches for identifying and representing competitive market structures, and discuss the respective strategic insights.
Higher-order harmonic generation and strong field ionization with Bessel–Gauss beams in a thin jet geometry

A promising alternative to Gaussian beams for use in strong field science is Bessel–Gauss (BG or Bessel-like) laser beams, as they are easily produced with readily available optics and provide more flexibility of the spot size and working distances. Here we use BG beams produced with a lens-axicon optical system for higher-order harmonic generation (HHG) in a thin gas jet. The finite size of the interaction region allows for scans of the HHG yield along the propagation axis. Further, by measuring the ionization yield in unison with the extreme ultraviolet (XUV), we are able to distinguish regions of maximum ionization from regions of optimum XUV generation. This distinction is of great importance for BG fields, as the generation of BG beams with axicons often leads to oscillations of the on-axis intensity, which can be exploited for extended phase-matching conditions. We observed such oscillations in the ionization and XUV flux along the propagation axis for the first time. As is the case for Gaussian modes, the harmonic yield is not maximum at the point of highest ionization. Finally, despite Bessel beams having a hole in the center in the far field, the XUV beam is well collimated, making BG modes a great alternative when spatial filtering of the fundamental is desired.
Giant bilateral axillary artery aneurysms with left complete obstructive thrombus in intravenous immunoglobulin-sensitive Kawasaki disease: a case report

Background Kawasaki disease (KD) is a systemic vasculitis that predominantly affects medium-sized arteries. In addition to well-known coronary artery aneurysms (CAAs), peripheral systemic artery aneurysms (SAAs) have also been sporadically reported. In the literatures, SAAs occurred mainly in untreated, intravenous immunoglobin (IVIG)-resistant, or severe refractory KD, and thrombotic events in SAAs were rarely reported. Case presentation A 10-month-old boy with a history of KD was referred to our hospital for suspected pseudoaneurysm of the axillary arteries. Four months prior to presentation, he had persistent fever, conjunctival congestion, and rash. On the 10th day of fever echocardiogram showed biliteral CAAs. He was then diagnosed with KD and given IVIG 2 g/kg and aspirin at a local hospital. His fever and symptoms soon subsided and he was discharged with low dose aspirin and dipyridamole. One month prior to presentation, his parents incidentally palpated swellings in his bilateral axillae. On admission, physical examination revealed a pulsatile swelling in his right axilla and a non-pulsatile swelling in the left with impalpable left brachial and radial pulses, cooler and less active left upper limb than the right one. While the pulses of other three limbs were normal. Ultrasound examination revealed giant bilateral axillary artery aneurysms (AAAs) with massive thrombus in the left. Angiography confirmed giant bilateral AAAs with left AAAs completely occluded and fine collateral vessels connecting to the distal brachial artery, in addition to giant bilateral multiple CAAs without stenoses. The patient was given intravenous prostaglandin for 10 days to allow for formation of collateral circulation, as well as aspirin, low molecular weight heparin (which was switched to warfarin before discharge) and metoprolol. At discharge, the temperature and movement of his left upper limb improved significantly. On follow-up at 7 months, his left upper limb further improved and was similar to the right with no occurrence of cardiovascular events. The images of CAAs and AAAs on echocardiogram and computerized tomography remained the same. Conclusions This case highlights the importance of evaluating peripheral SAAs in KD patients with CAAs, even if their course of treatment appears smooth. For both large non-aortic SAAs and CAAs in KD patients, antithrombotic therapy is of utmost importance.
Lack of pathologic clot lysis following gynecologic surgery

Abstract Blood samples from 34 patients who had been subjected to gynecologic surgery were studied to determine if increased fibrinolytic activity was present within the immediate postoperative period. As measured by the whole blood clot lysis time and the thrombin time, there is no change elicited in the fibrinolytic system within two hours after surgery. Any alteration in either the whole blood clot lysis time or the thrombin time in the postoperative period cannot be attributed to the procedure itself. There was a tendency toward delayed clot lysis in a small number of patients undergoing dilatation and curettage. However, this is of no clinical significance.
Wireless Underground Sensor Networks

ireless underground sensor networks (WUSNs) can enable many important applications such as intelligent agriculture, pipeline fault diagnosis, mine disaster rescue, concealed border patrol, and crude oil exploration. The key challenge to realize WUSNs is the wireless communication in underground environments. Most existing wireless communication systems utilize a dipole antenna to transmit and receive propagating electromagnetic (EM) waves, a method that does not work well in underground environments due to the high material absorption loss. The magnetic induction (MI) technique provides a promising alternative solution that could address the current problem in underground environments. Although MI-based underground communication has been intensively investigated theoretically, little effort has been made so far to develop a testbed for MI-based underground communication that can validate the theoretical results. In this article, a testbed of several MI-based communication systems is designed and implemented in an in-lab underground environment. The testbed realizes and tests not only the original MI mechanism utilizing a single coil but also recently developed techniques that use the MI waveguide and threedirectional (3D) MI coils. The experiments are conducted in an in-lab underground environment with reconfigurable environmental parameters, such as soil composition and water content. This article provides the principles and guidelines for developing the MI underground communication testbed, which is very complicated and time consuming due to the new communication mechanism and the new wireless transmission medium.
Follitropin (Fsh) And A Phorbol Ester Stimulate The Phosphorylation Of The Fsh Receptor In Intact-Cells

Using a cell line stably transfected with the rat follitropin (FSH) receptor cDNA we demonstrate that the FSH receptor becomes phosphorylated when cells are exposed to FSH. Since binding of FSH to its receptor results in an increase in cAMP and inositol phosphate accumulation, we examined the potential involvement of protein kinase A and C in mediating receptor phosphorylation. Stimulation of protein kinase A does not appear to be necessary because hFSH-induced receptor phosphorylation was minimally impaired in a cell line that overexpresses cAMP phosphodiesterase. Moreover, stimulation of the protein kinase A pathway with other agonists result in minimal phosphorylation of the FSH receptor. Stimulation of the protein kinase C with a phorbol ester did result in an increase in receptor phosphorylation, and down-regulation of the protein kinase C decreased, but did not abolish, the FSH-induced receptor phosphorylation. The possible impact of phosphorylation on the functions of the receptor was examined by testing if conditions that lead to phosphorylation decrease the ability of FSH to stimulate cAMP synthesis. Our data show that as with the addition of FSH, addition of a phorbol ester also results in a decrease in the ability of FSH to stimulate cAMP synthesis.
Antibodies to ragweed extract: Demonstration by collodion particle technique in immune rabbit serum but not in serum of treated patients

Abstract 1.1. Cohen and Weller's preliminary report of the demonstration of precipitins in the sera of treated and not in untreated ragweed-sensitive patients could not be confirmed. Reasons are given which seem to show that their conclusion was not justified. 2.2. Neither the thermostable antibody nor reagin could be titrated when human sera were mixed with collodion or parlodion or other particles which had been sensitized by ragweed extract. 3.3. Antiragweed rabbit serum agglutinated ragweed-sensitized collodion and parlodion particles consistently. Normal rabbit serum controls, properly prepared, were negative.
Localization and developmental expression patterns of the neuronal K-Cl cotransporter (KCC2) in the rat retina.

The processing of signals by integrative neurons in the retina and CNS relies strongly on inhibitory synaptic inputs, principally from GABAergic and glycinergic neurons that serve primarily to hyperpolarize postsynaptic neurons. Recent evidence indicates that the neuron-specific K–Cl cotransporter 2 (KCC2) is the major chloride extrusion system permitting hyperpolarizing inhibitory responses. It has been hypothesized that depolarizing GABA responses observed in immature neurons are converted to hyperpolarizing responses in large part by the expression of KCC2 during the second week of postnatal development. The cell-specific localization and developmental expression of KCC2 protein have been examined in relatively few neural tissues and have never been studied in retina, of which much is known physiologically and morphologically about inhibitory synaptic circuits. We examined the localization of KCC2 in adult rat retina with immunohistochemical techniques and determined the time course of its postnatal expression. KCC2 expression was localized in horizontal cells, bipolar cells, amacrine cells, and, most likely, ganglion cells, all of which are known to express GABA receptor subtypes. Developmentally, KCC2 expression in the retina increased gradually from postnatal day 1 (P1) until P14 in the inner retina, whereas expression was delayed in the outer plexiform layer until P7 but reached its adult level by P14. These data support the hypothesis that the function of KCC2 is intimately involved in GABAergic synaptic processing. Furthermore, the delayed temporal expression of KCC2 in the outer plexiform layer indicates that GABAergic function may be differentially regulated in retina during postnatal development and that GABA may produce depolarizing responses in the outer plexiform layer at times when it generates hyperpolarizing responses in the inner plexiform layer.
Endothelin B receptor contribution to peripheral microvascular function in women with polycystic ovary syndrome

Endothelin-1 is elevated in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and may play a role in the endothelial dysfunction associated with PCOS. Endothelin-1 binds two receptor subtypes, endothelin A (ET-A) and endothelin B (ET-B). We hypothesized that ET-A mediates vasoconstriction in the cutaneous microvasculature in women with and without PCOS. We further hypothesized that while the ET-B receptors mediate vasodilatation in both groups of women, this response would be blunted in women with PCOS. During local skin warming, we used laser Doppler flowmetry combined with intradermal microdialysis to measure skin blood flow (SkBF) during graded ET-A (BQ-123) and ET-B (BQ-788) antagonist infusions in women with (n = 6) and without (n = 8) PCOS. In both groups, SkBF increased during local heating. The percentage of maximal SkBF-[BQ123] sigmoidal dose-response curve indicated a vasodilatory response as the concentration of the antagonist increased (Hill slope 4.96 ± 4.77, 4.74 ± 5.01; logED(50) 2.53 ± 0.09, 2.49 ± 0.09 nm, for PCOS and Control, respectively). In contrast, the % max SkBF-[BQ788] curve indicated a vasoconstrictive response (Hill slope -4.69 ± 3.85, -4.03 ± 3.85; logED(50), 2.56 ± 0.09, 2.41 ± 0.12 nm, in PCOS and Control). Moreover, the SkBF-[BQ788] curve shifted to the right in women with PCOS, suggesting attenuated ET-B receptor mediated vasodilatation during local skin warming compared to Controls. Thus, the endothelium located ET-B receptors function similarly in women with and without PCOS, although with blunted responsiveness in women with PCOS. Our studies suggest that the lower ET-B receptor responsiveness associated with PCOS may reflect lower endothelial-mediated vasodilatation independent of generally lower vascular reactivity.
An Inter-entry Invocation Selection Mechanism for Concurrent Programming Languages

Application-level message passing is supported by many concurrent programming languages. Such languages allow messages to be generated by invoking an entry. Messages are removed from an entry by an invocation selection mechanism. Such mechanisms may allow selection from a set of entries (multi-way receive). Many concurrent languages provide support for multi-way receives, but they are limited in their expressive power. This paper presents three proposed inter-entry selection mechanisms. The proposed mechanisms overcome the limitations of the existing mechanisms. Each of these mechanisms allows an invocation selection algorithm to examine the entire set of pending invocations (and their parameters) as part of the invocation selection process. These mechanisms are analyzed and compared both qualitatively and quantitatively.
High‐resolution 3‐D P wave attenuation structure of the New Madrid Seismic Zone using local earthquake tomography

A three-dimensional (3-D), high-resolution P wave seismic attenuation model for the New Madrid Seismic Zone (NMSZ) is determined using P wave path attenuation (t*) values of small-magnitude earthquakes (MD < 3.9). Events were recorded at 89 broadband and short-period seismometers of the Cooperative New Madrid Seismic Zone Network and 40 short-period seismometers of the Portable Array for Numerical Data Acquisition experiment. The amplitude spectra of all the earthquakes are simultaneously inverted for source, path (t*), and site parameters. The t* values are inverted for QP using local earthquake tomography methods and a known 3-D P wave velocity model for the region. The four major seismicity arms of the NMSZ exhibit reduced QP (higher attenuation) than the surrounding crust. The highest attenuation anomalies coincide with areas of previously reported high swarm activity attributed to fluid-rich fractures along the southeast extension of the Reelfoot fault. The QP results are consistent with previous attenuation studies in the region, which showed that active fault zones and fractured crust in the NMSZ are highly attenuating.
Preliminary performance measurements from a second generation diffraction enhanced imaging system

Purpose: The goal of this study was to begin quantifying the performance of a second generation diffraction enhanced imaging (DEI) system designed to reduce imaging time from our first generation system. Background: DEI, a phase contrast x-ray imaging modality, generates images with enhanced soft tissue contrast at a lower dose than conventional radiography. Our group has previously reported on an x-ray tube-based DEI system, but a substantial gap remained between the imaging time of that system and that of a clinical DEI system. Method: A high power, rotating anode x-ray tube was integrated into this second generation DEI system along with an image intensifier to improve photon counting efficiency. Images of phantoms were acquired using a tube power of 10 kW (125 kVp, 80 mA) at the silicon [333] reflection with the analyzer crystal at its half-reflectivity point. Results: Our preliminary results show comparable image contrast to the first generation DEI system. Imaging time was reduced by a factor four and x-ray-on time was reduced by a factor of sixty from the initial prototype system. Conclusions: These early results from our second generation diffraction enhanced imaging system show significant reduction in imaging time with preservation of DEI contrast.
Experimental allergic encephalomyelitis: Activation of myelin basic protein-sensitized spleen cells by specific antigen in culture

Abstract In vitro culture with myelin basic protein (BP) permits transfer of experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) with as few as 5 × 10 6 sensitized Lewis rat spleen cells. Activation of the sensitized cells is effective with as little as 0.1 μg/ml BP. No activation is obtained after 4 hr in culture with BP but is significant after 12 hr; optimal transfer occurs after 72 hr of culture. Homogenized cells or concentrated culture supernatants do not transfer disease. Spleen cells capable of activation by BP are found at the height of disease as well as after recovery from EAE. The use of NH 4 Cl or distilled water to lyse erythrocytes (RBC) prior to culture abolishes BP-induced [ 3 H]TdR uptake but does not adversely affect transfer of EAE. Further studies on the role of cellular proliferation suggest that a stage of cell division is necessary for enhanced transfer of disease, but that this may occur in the recipient animals after cell transfer.
CORRELATIONS BETWEEN SERUM CONCENTRATIONS OF LEPTIN AND BEEF CARCASS COMPOSITION AND QUALITY

Steers (n = 84) of various genotypes raised under diverse management conditions from the 2001 Missouri State Beef carcass contest were used to evaluate the relationship between serum concentrations of leptin and beef carcass composition and quality. Serum and carcass data including hot carcass weight: adjusted 12'h rib fat thickness; percentage kidney; pelvic and heart fat (KPH); marbling score: and USDA yield grades were measured at harvest. Leptin was correlated with back fat thickness over the 1 zh rib, yield grade, and marbling score (r = 0.35, r = 0.19, r = 0.26, P 0.10). Serum concentrations of leptin may be useful to objectively evaluate carcass composition in fed cattle and may provide a means by which carcass quality can be predicted in the live animal.
Martian hydrogen exosphere charge exchange with solar wind

[1] Charge exchange of solar wind with the Martian exosphere has been shown to play a crucial role in the formation of the magnetic pileup boundary observed by Mars Global Surveyor. However, the question of how the Martian exospheric structure is quantitatively altered by charge exchange of the solar wind remains open. To answer this question, a three-dimensional Monte Carlo exosphere model was developed. In this model the effects of planetary rotation, photoionization, Lyman α scattering, and charge exchange with the solar wind are included. Although the change of exospheric density profile is indistinctive, simulation results show that the existence of the hot atomic hydrogen population produced by charge exchange alters the exospheric temperature structure greatly and the symmetry of the exospheric structure is totally destroyed at high altitude. Another noticeable phenomenon is that charge exchange and Lyman α scattering combine to make the nightside exosphere be cooler than and expand more slowly than the ambient exosphere. In the end we use our simulation results to estimate the contribution of the hot component to Ly α emission. Furthermore, output of our model can be used to predict particle observations made by future missions to Mars.
Thermal and Mechanical Effects in the Spreading of a Liquid Film Due to a Change in the Apparent Finite Contact Angle

A new physical model for the spreading dynamics of fluids with an apparent finite contact angle on solid substrates is presented. The model is based on the premise that both interfacial intermolecular forces and temperature control change-of-phase heat transfer and (therefore) motion in the moving contact line region. Classical change-of-phase kinetics and interfacial concepts like the Kelvin–Clapeyron, Young–Dupre, and augmented Young–Laplace equations are used to compare the effects of stress (change in apparent dynamic contact angle) and temperature (superheat). Explicit equations are obtained for the velocity, heat flux, and superheat in the contact line region as a function of the change in the apparent contact angle. Comparisons with experimental data demonstrate that the resulting interfacial model of evaporation/condensation not only describes the “apparently isothermal” contact line movement in these systems at 20°C but also describes the substrate superheat at the critical heat flux.
The development of renal pathology

I N HIS LETTER to the contributors of this special edition, the guest editor suggested that we focus on the years 1950 to 1990-the lifetime of the National Kidney Foundation-and that we draw heavily on our own experiences and reflections. The first is easy but, except to the very brash, the second presents problems because it would be all too easy to turn the article into a brochure of self-aggrandizement. Yet , in spite of these reservations, the suggestions have considerable merit and with due diffidence I shall adopt them.
Early false-negative diffusion-weighted imaging in brainstem infarction

It has been well established that acute ischemic lesions can be identified with diffusion-weighted imaging before they are detected on computed axial tomography or conventional magnetic resonance imaging sequences. Previous studies examining the sensitivity and specificity of diffusion-weighted imaging for acute stroke have dealt primarily with cortical stroke. Only limited information is available on the accuracy and temporal evolution of findings on diffusion-weighted imaging in patients with brainstem infarction. We present a case of lateral medullary infarction with false-negative diffusion-weighted imaging 16 hours after symptom onset and a brief review of the literature on the utility of diffusion-weighted imaging in early detection of brainstem stroke. Cases with false-negative initial imaging are increasingly more commonly reported in the literature, with initial images being obtained from 0.5 to over 24 hours after symptom onset. This delay in radiographic confirmation of brainstem stroke emphasizes the continuing need for accurate clinical diagnoses, especially in the early hours after symptom onset, when thrombolysis remains a treatment option. Delays in diagnosis and initiation of treatment of brainstem stroke may increase the associated morbidity and mortality.
PET tomography in studies of distributions of 7.6-min potassium 38 in the dog heart.

Potassium 38 emits a 2.68-MeV (max) positron, followed promptly by a 2.17-MeV γ-ray in 99.8% of its disintegrations. A positron is emitted also, followed by a 3.94-MeV γ-ray, in 0.2% of the decays. The pairs of 511-keV PET±γ-quanta, which are emitted at 180±0.3° to each other, are in true coincidence with the prompt γ-rays emitted by the daughter nucleus, within the resolving time of PET instrumentation. Studies made with phantoms by means of a commercial version of the MGH PET camera demonstrated that quantitatively satisfactory images are derived, despite the presence of the prompt γ-rays. Two-dimensional (2-D) focal-plane images reveal high uptake of38K promptly in the myocardium of dogs, under barbiturate sedation. Third-dimensional (3-D) transverse section PET tomographic images, through four 1.0-cm-thick heart “slices” orthogonal to the plane of the 2-D images and with 1.4-cm sequential spacing, show38K uptake to be concentrated especially highly in the left ventricle, as expected. Peak levels of activity were observed over the myocardium at 12 s after intravenous bolus injection of ionic38K. Dynamic mode 2-D images were taken at intervals as short as 0.5 s and extending to 1 h.
Complete sets and the polynomial-time hierarchy

Abstract New proofs of two properties of the polynomial-time hierarchy are given. The classes in the hierarchy are characterized using polynomially bounded quantifiers. Using this result, a sequence of complete sets for the hierarchy is exhibited.
Effect of Open Metal Sites on Adsorption of Polar and Nonpolar Molecules in Metal−Organic Framework Cu-BTC

Atomistic grand canonical Monte Carlo simulations were performed in this work to investigate the role of open copper sites of Cu-BTC in affecting the separation of carbon monoxide from binary mixtures containing methane, nitrogen, or hydrogen. Mixtures containing 5%, 50%, or 95% CO were examined. The simulations show that electrostatic interactions between the CO dipole and the partial charges on the metal−organic framework (MOF) atoms dominate the adsorption mechanism. The binary simulations show that Cu-BTC is quite selective for CO over hydrogen and nitrogen for all three mixture compositions at 298 K. The removal of CO from a 5% mixture with methane is slightly enhanced by the electrostatic interactions of CO with the copper sites. However, the pore space of Cu-BTC is large enough to accommodate both molecules at their pure-component loadings, and in general, Cu-BTC exhibits no significant selectivity for CO over methane for the equimolar and 95% mixtures. On the basis of the pure-component and low-co...