cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mass selection for increased resin yield inGrindelia camporum (compositae)

Tetraploid Grindelia camporum was selected for increased crude resin yield for a period of 2 yr. The observed response to selection, 0.8% of the aboveground dry weight/yr, was highly significant. Differences in resin yield between plants at different phenological stages were also highly significant. The selected line showed some signs of inbreeding depression in comparison to a control line, including lower dry-weight production and higher mortality.
Bat diversity in tropical forest and agro-pastoral habitats within a protected area in the Philippines

Parks and other protected areas in tropical forests often include secondary forest, cropland, and pasture. Documentation of the impact of such anthropogenic disturbance is essential for effective management. We re-sampled bats within Mount Isarog Natural Park (MINP), a protected area in southeastern Luzon, Philippines, seventeen years after a survey in old- and second-growth forest and in agro-pastoral areas was conducted in 1988. By employing harp traps and a tunnel trap, in addition to mist nets as used in the earlier study, we aimed to document species previously undetected by mist netting alone. We documented 26 bat species, seven of which were captured exclusively in harp traps, and two that were only captured in a tunnel trap. This survey resulted in nine new records of bat species for MINP, bringing the total number to 30. We did not recapture four species documented in 1988, all of which were noted in that study as uncommon. Nineteen species were captured in agro-pastoral areas on the south slope, including two Hipposideros spp. not captured at the forested sites.
Crystal structure of rare-earth-rich platinum pnictides RE5Pt2X (RE=Y, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Lu; X=Sb, Bi) and magnetic properties of Er5Pt2Bi

Abstract Fifteen new rare-earth antimonides and bismuthides RE 5 Pt 2 X (see Table 1 ) have been synthesized and characterized by X-ray powder methods. The compounds are isostructural to previously reported RE 5 M 2 X pnictides and adopt the Mo 5 B 2 Si structure (space group I4/mcm , an ordered version of Cr 5 B 3 ). The RE 5 M 2 X series now includes 47 antimonides and bismuthides with M=Ni, Pd, Pt and the heavy rare earths except for ytterbium. Atomic and thermal parameters have been refined and the magnetic susceptibility was measured for Er 5 Pt 2 Bi.
The Scintillation Electronics System for the Uci/Lasl Neutrino Detector

A 15-ton sandwich detector is being installed in the Neutrino Facility at LAMPF to study neutrino electron elastic scattering and neutrino oscillations. An electronics system, intended to service the 160 scintillation counters of this detector, has been designed. This system is CAMAC based, and consists of 40 Analog/ Digital/Logic (ADL) modules and a Control module. This system allows us to define triggers and to record energy and time of events in the scintillation counters. This is implemented for a duration of 32 ?s before, and 64 ms after the trigger. The Control module and prototype ADL modules have been built and tested. We give the design and performance of these units.
Media Review: Pocket Guide—Rocks and Minerals of Southern Africa

by Bruce Cairncross. Random House Struik ( www.randomstruik.co.za ). 160 pages; 2010; R$100 (US$15) (softbound). This interesting book is a condensed version of Cairncross's earlier Field Guide to ...
Restraint stress differentially affects the pathogenesis of an experimental influenza viral infection in three inbred strains of mice

Abstract Genetic variation in the response to stress may play a critical role in susceptibility to inflammatory diseases and development of the immune response. Experimental influenza viral infection was used to study the effects of restraint stress (RST) on pathogenesis and development of the immune response. Three inbred strains of mice (C57BL/6, DBA/2, and C3H/HeN) were infected with influenza A/PR8 and subjected to repetitive cycles of RST during development of the immune response. RST diminished cellular immune and inflammatory response in all three strains; yet only the DBA/2 strain demonstrated RST-associated reduction in influenza viral-induced mortality.
Contemporary estimates of atmospheric nitrogen deposition to the watersheds of New York State, USA

Atmospheric inputs of reactive nitrogen (N) to ecosystems are a particular concern in the northeastern USA, including New York State, where rates of atmospheric N deposition are among the highest in the nation. We calculate the seasonal and annual spatial variations of contemporary inorganic atmospheric N deposition loading to multi-scale watersheds across New York State using numerous monitoring datasets of precipitation and ambient atmospheric N concentrations. Our models build upon and refine previous efforts estimating the spatial distribution of N deposition. Estimates of total inorganic wet deposition (NH4-N + NO3-N) across New York ranged from 4.7 to 10.5 kg ha − 1 yr − 1 under contemporary conditions (averaged 2002–2004), and both seasonal and annual predicted rates of inorganic N deposition (NH4-N, NO3-N, and total) fit relatively well with that of observed measurements. Our results suggest that “hot spots” of N deposition are, for the most part, spatially distributed according to geographic positions (i.e., relative location from sources and the Great Lakes system) and elevation. We also detect seasonal variations in deposition, showing that total wet atmospheric inorganic N deposition inputs to watersheds (extracted from the four-digit HUC calculations) are highest during the spring (mean = 2.4 kg ha − 1, stddev = 0.29) and lowest during the winter months (mean = 1.4 kg ha − 1, stddev = 0.23). Results also suggest that wet NO\(_{3}^{-}\) consistently comprises a slightly higher proportion of wet N deposition than wet NH\(_{4}^{+}\) throughout watersheds of New York, ranging from 2.5 to 6.1 kg NO3-N ha − 1 yr − 1 compared to NH\(_{4}^{+}\), which ranges from 2.2 to 4.4 kg NH4-N ha − 1 yr − 1.
An electron-excessive nitrosyl complex: reactivity of a ligand-centered radical leading to coordinated HNO.

The reaction of RuHCl(CO)L2 (L = PiPr3) with NO initially forms a 1:1 adduct, shown by DFT calculations and EPR spectroscopy (including the RuD isotopomer) to contain a bent (∠Ru−N−O = 143.9°) nitrosyl where the majority of the spin density is on the nitrosyl nitrogen. This radical adduct transforms further to give equimolar RuCl(NO)(CO)L2 and RuHCl(HNO)(CO)L2, the latter with hydride trans to the nitroxyl ligand HNO. This is the first observation of the synthesis of coordinated HNO from NO itself. DFT calculations lead to the proposal that this H-atom transfer is effected by free NO, and the lifetime of RuHCl(HNO)(CO)L2 is indeed qualitatively dependent on the presence of free NO.
Tubulin and FtsZ structures: functional and therapeutic implications

The microtubule cytoskeleton has lagged nearly a decade behind the actin cytoskeleton with respect to structural information on the basic polymer subunit. This structural inferiority complex has finally been lifted by two recent papers describing the structures of the alpha beta tubulin dimer and FtsZ, a protein similar to tubulin that is essential for cell division in prokaryotes.
No Dogs and Not Many Chinese: Treaty Port Life in China 1843-1943

In 1793 the Chinese Emperor rebuffed the first formal British mission to attempt to open China to foreign trade. However, British merchants persisted, and the first treaty ports were opened in 1843. This is the story of treaty port life in China, detailing the lives of merchants and missionaries. One of the first treaty ports was Shanghai, soon a byword for luxury and squalor. Later small enclaves were opened along the Yangtze, cities like Chongqing, and sub-tropical towns like Beihai. Despite typhoons, disease, banditry and riots, merchants and missionary families in the treaty ports enjoyed steeplechases on "China ponies" and shooting parties on Shanghai's mudflats; Chinese cooks learnt to make Christmas pudding and Chinese tailors copied Paris fashions. Many visitors were drawn to the treaty ports, including Noel Coward and Wallis Simpson, Arthur Ransome and W.H. Auden, Peter Fleming and Robert Fortune. Some stayed on, among them Harold Acton, Osbert Sitwell and Robert Byron, who made temporary home amongst Peking's diplomats. Others sought in the treaty ports a refuge from bankruptcy, persecution or imprisonment. In 1943 the treaty ports were returned to China and most of their inhabitants were interned by the Japanese. yet the record of their residence remains in Shanghai's solid office buildings, in Tianjin's mock Tudor facades, and in the Edwardian villas of Beidahei and Xiamen. Through the reminiscences of the last inhabitants of the treaty ports, some of whom are still alive, this book recalls a foreign life lived in a foreign land.
Wave propagation in a non-linear quasiperiodic Kronig-Penney lattice

We study the transmission problem for electrons in an alternately linear-non-linear medium using a quasiperiodic Kronig-Penney model whose variance in spatial locations obeys the Fibonacci rules. We find that for waves with low intensity and long wavelength, non-linearity enhances the lattice transparency.
Jefferson’s Platonic Republicanism

That Jefferson execrated Plato in an 1814 letter to friend John Adams. In it, he expresses an unsympathetic, hostile view of Plato’s Republic, and the reasons are several. Nonetheless, Plato’s views on what makes government fundamentally sound are, at base, remarkably similar to Jefferson’s both in substance and sentiment, so much so that it is inconceivable to think that Plato’s Republic had little effect on Jefferson’s political thinking. That makes his execration of Plato difficult to understand.This paper is an attempt to show that Jefferson, despite the tenor of his letter to Adams, had much more than a dilettante’s grasp of the political content of Plato’s major work. Jefferson was very likely quite familiar with the work, since his own political philosophy assimilates key substratal Platonic political principles of good, stable governing. His disavowal of the work and execration of Plato, then, is due to a constellation of other factors: Adams’s feelings toward Plato, Jefferson’s views on the corruptions of Jesus’s teachings, his deep-dyed detestation of metempiricism, his view that Plato was an unoriginal thinker, and strong disagreement with Plato’s means to instantiate substratal political principles.
Differential response of NADP-linked hepatic aldehyde dehydrogenase toward taurine: implication for behavioural effects of ethanol

The effects of taurine, its initial precursor L-cysteine, and the major metabolite taurocholic acid on two ethanol-mediated responses in rodents were studied. Administration of a single dose of taurocholic acid reduced voluntary intake of a 5% ethanol solution by the rat. In the mouse, taurine had no effect on alcohol drinking or on the central depressant action of ethanol, as measured by the duration of ET-produced loss of the righting reflex. Likewise, taurocholic acid and L-cysteine did not significantly influence the duration of ethanol-narcosis time from control mice. Also studied were the effects of acute and short-term (7 or 10 days) administration of these compounds on hepatic ethanol and acetaldehyde metabolizing enzymes. Short-term administration of an equimolar concentration of taurine enhanced endogenous NADP-linked rat liver aldehyde dehydrogenase (L-ALDH) as contrasted with inhibition of the same enzyme by L-cysteine. Short-term (7 days) treatment with L-cysteine induced rat liver NAD-linked ALDH, but acute (single dose) treatment did not. Taurocholic acid short-term administration caused an induction and an inhibition of endogenous mouse liver alcohol dehydrogenase (L-ADH) and L-ALDH, respectively. The results suggest that taurine does not directly interact with ethanol. However, its major metabolite, taurocholic acid, may cause rapid metabolic conversion of ethanol to acetaldehyde by induction of L-ADH, which is then slowly metabolized due to a concomitant inhibition of L-ALDH. This may cause a build-up of acetaldehyde and thereby produce adverse reactions similar to those resulting from the combination of disulfiram and ethanol.
RpoS regulates essential virulence factors remaining to be identified in Borrelia burgdorferi.

Background Since the RpoN-RpoS regulatory network was revealed in the Lyme disease spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi a decade ago, both upstream and downstream of the pathway have been intensively investigated. While significant progress has been made into understanding of how the network is regulated, most notably, discovering a relationship of the network with Rrp2 and BosR, only three crucial virulence factors, including outer surface protein C (OspC) and decorin-binding proteins (Dbps) A and B, are associated with the pathway. Moreover, for more than 10 years no single RpoS-controlled gene has been found to be critical for infection, raising a question about whether additional RpoS-dependent virulence factors remain to be identified.
Surface Monitoring Method for Carbon Capture and Storage Projects

Abstract The effects of global climate change due to increased greenhouse gas emissions are a growing concern. It is important that technology-based solutions be evaluated in the event they need to be implemented. One method of mitigating anthropogenic CO 2 emissions is through geologic storage or sequestration. Most efforts involving Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) focus on CO 2 injection in deep geologic formations. Two issues that arise with CCS technology are public acceptance and monitoring of the horizontal and vertical movements of the CO 2 plume. With most CCS sites the risk for leak will be extremely low; however, it will be critical to assure the public of their safety. One way to mitigate public concern is through an integrated surface monitoring campaign. Natural surface background CO 2 fluxes must be understood to characterize potential leak sites. LI-COR Biosciences has developed the technology to aid researchers in monitoring potential surface leak sites in areas where CCS is implemented. The LI-8100 Automated Soil CO 2 Flux System measures diffusion of CO 2 from the soil into the atmosphere, and the LI-7500 Open Path CO 2 /H 2 O Analyzer, when integrated with a sonic anemometer, can measure the CO 2 flux over a large area. In this paper we discuss these two monitoring methods in detail and present data that illustrates the need for natural surface flux measurements in areas where CCS will be implemented. We will also provide examples of how this technology is currently being used for monitoring CO 2 injections at geologic storage sites.
The emerging field of osteoimmunology

Recent studies have elucidated unanticipated connections between the immune and skeletal systems, and this relationship has led to the development of a new field known as osteoimmunology. The goal of research in this field is to: (1) further understand how the bone microenvironment influences immune cell ontogeny and subsequent effector functions, and (2) translate basic science findings in bone biology to clinical applications for autoimmune diseases that target the skeleton such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In this review, we will examine the recent findings of the interplay between the immune and skeletal systems. This discussion will focus on the cells and signaling pathways in osteoimmune interactions and how innate and adaptive immune effector cells as well as cytokines and chemokines play a role in the maintenance and dysregulation of skeletal-immune homeostasis. We will also discuss how immunomodulatory biologic drugs, which specifically target these cells and effector molecules, have transformed the treatment of autoimmune mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs) and metabolic bone diseases such as osteoporosis.
Dynamic and transparent binary translation

High-frequency design and instruction-level parallelism (ILP) are important for high-performance microprocessor implementations. The Binary-translation Optimized Architecture (BOA), an implementation of the IBM PowerPC family, combines binary translation with dynamic optimization. The authors use these techniques to simplify the hardware by bridging a semantic gap between the PowerPC's reduced instruction set and even simpler hardware primitives. Processors like the Pentium Pro and Power4 have tried to achieve high frequency and ILP by implementing a cracking scheme in hardware: an instruction decoder in the pipeline generates multiple micro-operations that can then be scheduled out of order. BOA relies on an alternative software approach to decompose complex operations and to generate schedules, and thus offers significant advantages over purely static compilation approaches. This article explains BOA's translation strategy, detailing system issues and architecture implementation.
A PCR-based method for uniform 13C/15N labeling of long DNA oligomers

A polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based method is described for uniform 13C/15N labeling of DNA duplexes. In this method, multiple copies of a blunt-ended duplex are cloned into a plasmid with each copy containing the sequence of interest and the restriction HincII sequences at the 5′ and 3′ ends. PCR with uniformly 13C/15N-labeled dNTP precursors results in a labeled DNA duplex containing multiple copies of the sequence of interest. Use of bi-directional primers, instead of self-priming [Louis et al. (1998) J. Biol. Chem. 273, 2374–2378], produces a DNA fragment of unique length. Twenty-four cycles of PCR of this purified product followed by restriction and purification gives (with 30% yield) the uniformly 13C/15N-labeled duplex sequence for multi-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.
Acute effects of d-amphetamine during the follicular and luteal phases of the menstrual cycle in women.

Rationale: Little is known about the interactions between ovarian hormones across the menstrual cycle and responses to psychoactive drugs in humans. Preclinical studies suggest that ovarian hormones such as estrogen and progesterone have direct and indirect central nervous system actions, and that these hormones can influence behavioral responses to psychoactive drugs. Objectives: In the present study, we assessed the subjective and behavioral effects of d-amphetamine (AMPH; 15 mg orally) at two hormonally distinct phases of the menstrual cycle in women. Methods: Sixteen healthy women received AMPH or placebo capsules during the follicular and mid-luteal phases of their cycle. During the follicular phase, estrogen levels are low initially and then rise while progesterone levels remain low. During the mid-luteal phase, levels of both estrogen and progesterone are relatively high. Dependent measures included self-report questionnaires, physiological measures and plasma hormone levels. Results: Although there were no baseline differences in mood during the follicular or luteal phase, the effects of AMPH were greater during the follicular phase than the luteal phase. During the follicular phase, subjects reported feeling more “High”, “Energetic and Intellectually Efficient”, and “Euphoric” after AMPH than during the luteal phase, and also reported liking and wanting AMPH more. Further analyses showed that during the follicular phase, but not the luteal phase, responses to AMPH were related to levels of estrogen. Higher levels of estrogen were associated with greater AMPH-induced increases in “Euphoria” and “Energy and Intellectual Efficiency”. During the luteal phase, in the presence of both estrogen and progesterone, estrogen levels were not related to the effects of AMPH. Conclusions: These findings suggest that estrogen may enhance the subjective responses to a stimulant drug in women, but that this effect may be masked in the presence of progesterone.
"Nothing really matters": Emotional numbing as a link between trauma exposure and callousness in delinquent youth

This study investigated the interrelations among trauma exposure, emotional numbing, and callous-unemotional traits in a sample of 276 youth (68 girls and 208 boys) recruited from 2 juvenile detention centers. Youth completed interview measures of trauma exposure and betrayal trauma, as well as self-report measures of emotional numbing and callous-unemotional traits. Results of path analyses using nonparametric bootstrapping procedures indicated findings consistent with the hypothesis that the association between trauma exposure and callous-unemotional traits was mediated by the general numbing of emotions, R(2) = .40, and also specifically by numbing of sadness, R(2) = .27. In addition, further analyses indicated that numbing of fear, R(2) = .18, and sadness, R(2) = .26, statistically mediated the relations to callous-unemotional traits only for those traumatic experiences involving betrayal. Gender was not found to moderate these effects. Language: en
Patient Factors Associated With Strut Fracture in Björk-Shiley 60° Convexo-Concave Heart Valves

Background Previously established predictors of outlet strut fracture in Bjork-Shiley convexo-concave (CC) valves include larger valve size, larger opening angle (70° versus 60°), younger age at implant, and date of manufacture. We sought to identify patient characteristics that might be predictive of strut fracture and to refine the estimates associated with previously identified predictors. Methods and Results We conducted a case-control study of CC60° valves implanted in the United States and Canada and manufactured between January 1, 1979, and March 31, 1984. Cases included all valves with verified outlet strut fractures reported to the manufacturer from January 1979 through January 1992. Up to 10 controls were selected for each case. Control valves were matched according to implanting surgeon and were required to have been functioning at least as long as their matched case valves. Case and control medical records were reviewed for information on patient medical history before the valve implant. Ther...
Training and Generalization of Social Skills: A Study with Two Developmentally Handicapped, Socially Isolated Children

Treatment and generalization effects of a social skills training package for children were evaluated. Subjects were two children referred for outpatient treatment of psychological and interpersonal...
Versatile phase stabilization technique for holographic recording of large aperture volume Bragg gratings

We present a new method for phase stabilization of a holographic recording system for volume Bragg gratings. The primary feature of this method is that it is extremely flexible and simple to integrate into an existing holographic recording setup. The setup allows for Bragg gratings with arbitrary tilt and resonant wavelength to be recorded. An analysis of the effects of phase stabilization and a method for analyzing the effectiveness of this phase stabilization approach are also introduced and successfully demonstrate its benefits.
Continuous-wave and frequency domain optimization in breast tomosynthesis-guided diffuse spectroscopy

A combined tomosynthesis and diffuse spectroscopy system may provide both spatial and physiological information about breast tissue. Using patient tomosynthesis images and simulated near infrared measurements, it is possible to accurately reconstruct for hemoglobin, water and lipid concentrations. This study utilizes both frequency domain and continuous wave components, given the constraints of a projection geometry but with broadband illumination in order to accurately recover chromophore concentrations from the segmented tissue regions. This analysis will assist in determining the optimum hardware components for a combined system that is currently being built, in order to achieve the best possible accuracy in quantifying tissue properties. Comparing several different configurations including variations in the number of wavelengths, number of regions reconstructed as well as reconstruction methods within the frequency domain components of the system may decrease the complexity, cost and examination time without significant decreases in accuracy.
Development of a flexible chip infrared (IR) thermal imaging system for product qualification

A flexible and efficient chip Infrared (IR) thermal imaging system was implemented on the product manufacturing test platform by collaboration with the burn-in/wafer test, systems, process, and failure analysis teams. A liquid cooling cell was successfully designed and tested. The imaging system was applied to investigate some wafer probe power/thermal issues for server high end products. Furthermore, we applied the method of Spatially-resolved Imaging of Microprocessor Power (SIMP) [1] to translate the thermal map into a power map. Finally, we propose a new concept of product thermal qualification as a supplement and potential alternative to the traditional thermal test vehicle (TTV) qualification.
Can parallel mutation and neutral genome selection explain Eastern African M1 consensus HVS-I motifs in Indian M haplogroups.

Controversy surrounds the relationship between the Eastern African M1 haplogroup and Indian M haplogroups. Some researchers see a “relationship” between the Eastern African M1 and Indian M haplogroups,[1-3] while other researchers maintain that the Eastern African HVS-I signature motif 16,129, 16,189, 16,249, and 16,311,[4] is not found in Indian M haplogroups, and this results from “parallel mutation.”[5-6]
Coverage Policy Development for Personalized Medicine: Private Payer Perspectives on Developing Policy for the 21-Gene Assay

Purpose: Personalized medicine is changing oncology practice and challenging decision making. A key challenge is the limited clinical evidence for many personalized medicine technologies. We describe the strategies private payers employed to develop coverage policy for personalized medicine using the example of the 21-gene assay in breast cancer. Methods: We examined the coverage policies of six private payers for the 21-gene assay. We then interviewed senior executives (n 7) from these payers to elucidate factors informing coverage decisions. We additionally focused on the timing of payer decisions compared with the timing of evidence development, measured by publication of primary studies and relevant clinical guidelines. Results: The 21-gene assay became commercially available in 2004. The interviewed payers granted coverage between 2005 and 2008. Their policies varied in structure (eg, whether prior authorization was required). All payers reported clinical evidence as the most important factor in decision making, but all used some health care system factors (eg, physician adoption or medical society endorsement) to inform decision making as well. Payers had different perceptions about the strength of clinical evidence at the time of the coverage decision. Conclusion: Coverage of the 21-gene assay is currently widespread, but policies differ in timing and structure. A key approach private payers use to develop coverage policies for novel technologies is considering both clinical evidence and health care system factors. Policy variation may emerge from the range of factors used and perception of the evidence. Future research should examine the role of health care system factors in policy development and related policy variations.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy: Current Status, Recent Developments, and Future Directions

Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) was developed as a treatment for parasuicidal women with borderline personality disorder and has been adapted for several other populations. This article describes standard DBT and several adaptations of it and reviews outcome studies with borderline patients in outpatient, inpatient, and crisis intervention settings, borderline patients with substance use disorders, suicidal adolescents, patients with eating disorders, inmates in correctional settings, depressed elders, and adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. This treatment outcome review is followed by discussion of predictors of change in DBT, possible mechanisms of change, and current developments in theory, practice, and research.
Boiling liquid nitrogen heat transfer in channels with porous copper inserts

Abstract Copper mesh, compressed and formed into porous matrices of various shapes and sizes, has been routinely used in high heat load/flux component cooling with water at the Advanced Photon Source (APS) to significantly enhance the heat transfer performance. Now the same mesh configuration is being applied to the cryogenic cooling of optical components, such as the monochromators, mirrors and multilayers with liquid nitrogen in single phase. Two-phase heat transfer is avoided to prevent flow-induced noise (vibrations and jitter) in the ultrasensitive optical components. Hence there is a great need to understand the limits of single-phase heat transfer with copper mesh using liquid nitrogen. Recently an extensive experimental program has been undertaken to investigate the heat transfer limits in conductive porous matrices with liquid nitrogen as the coolant. This paper presents the data obtained, compares the data with existing single- and two-phase correlations, and interprets the results for cryo-cooled optical component cooling applications.
Stochastic Petri net analysis of a replicated file system

The authors present a stochastic Petri net model of a replicated file system in a distributed environment where replicated files reside on different hosts and a voting algorithm is used to maintain consistency. Witnesses, which simply record the status of the file but contain no data, can be used in addition to or in place of files to reduce overhead. A model sufficiently detailed to include file status (current or out-of-date) as well as failure and repair of hosts where copies or witnesses reside, is presented. The number of copies and witnesses is not fixed, but is a parameter of the model. Two different majority protocols are examined. >
Chronic renal hypoxia after acute ischemic injury: effects of L-arginine on hypoxia and secondary damage.

Ischemic acute renal failure (ARF) results in the permanent loss of peritubular capillaries and predisposes the progression of chronic renal failure. The present study was undertaken to determine w...
Anionic synthesis of aromatic amide and carboxyl functionalized polymers. Chain-end functionalization of poly(styryl)lithium withN,N-diisopropyl-4-(1-phenylethenyl)benzamide

The novel syntheses of N,N-diisopropyl-4-benzoylbenzamide, N,N-diisopropyl-4-(1-hydroxy-1-phenylethyl)benzamide, and N,N-diisopropyl-4-(1-phenylethenyl)benzamide (1) are described. ω-Amidopolystyrene (2) was synthesized in quantitative yields by the reaction of poly(styryl)lithium with stoichiometric amounts of N,N-diisopropyl-4-(1-phenylethenyl)benzamide (1) in toluene/tetrahydrofuran (4 : 1 v/v) at −78°C. Deblocking of the amide protecting group by acid hydrolysis quantitatively provides the corresponding aromatic carboxyl chain-end functionalized polystyrene (3). The functionalization agent and functionalized polymers were characterized by HPLC, thin-layer chromatography, size exclusion chromatography, vapor phase osmometry, spectroscopy (1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, and FTIR), potentiometry, and elemental analysis. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 36: 1233–1241, 1998
Computing laboratories and the small community college: defining the directed computing laboratory in the small college computing environment

The small community college faces a unique set of challenges in laboratory implementation. This paper identifies the computing environment at a particular small community college, discusses the instructional content desired by the college, surveys various approaches to laboratories, and offers the approach that the college is using to implement appropriate instructional computing labs. The suggested approach provides for both an “OPEN” and “SCHEDULED” lab, promotes instructor freedom as no one lab approach is dictated by the lab setup, allows directed labs where they are appropriate and documents that class contact hours are set according to standards.
Variable voltage task scheduling algorithms for minimizing energy/power

In this paper, we propose variable voltage task scheduling algorithms that minimize energy or minimize peak power for the case when the task arrival times, deadline times, execution times, periods, and switching activities are given. We consider aperiodic (earliest due date, earliest deadline first), as well as periodic (rate monotonic, earliest deadline first) scheduling algorithms. We use the Lagrange multiplier method to theoretically determine the relation between the task voltages such that the energy or peak power is minimum, and then develop an iterative algorithm that satisfies the relation. The asymptotic complexity of the existing scheduling algorithms change very mildly with the application of the proposed algorithms. We show experimentally (random experiments as well as real-life cases), that the voltage assignment obtained by the proposed low-complexity algorithm is very close to that of the optimal energy (0.1% error) and optimal peak power (1% error) assignment.
Management of Chronic Alveolar Hypoventilation with Nasal Positive Pressure Breathing

Negative pressure ventilation is the most common method of providing assisted ventilation without a tracheostomy. Unfortunately, negative pressure devices have several disadvantages and are not well tolerated by all patients. We present a patient in whom intermittent assisted ventilation was applied successfully by using a nasal mask to provide positive pressure ventilatory support.
Minority women's attitudes about aging

Many factors combine to make middle age a critical period with respect to views about aging. To examine the effects of culture, background, and familial characteristics on attitudes toward old age, 304 middle-aged women from Black, Cuban, American Indian, Chicano, and white cultures were studied. A stepwise multiple regression analysis examined the contribution of each variable in the prediction of attitudes toward old age. Attitude toward death, attitude toward family, and church affiliation were found to be important predictors of attitude toward old age. Thus, clinicians dealing with middle-aged women having negative attitudes or fears about aging and old age in general may need to examine family dynamics as well as views about death and dying for possible problems. Where religion is already an integral part of a client's life, perhaps clinicians could use this orientation for added support.
Anti-lymphangiogenic properties of mTOR inhibitors in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma experimental models.

Background: Tumor dissemination to cervical lymph nodes via lymphatics represents the first step in the metastasis of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and is the most significant predictor of tumor recurrence decreasing survival by 50%. The lymphatic suppressing properties of mTOR inhibitors are not yet well understood. Methods: Lymphatic inhibiting effects of rapamycin were evaluated in vitro using two lymphatic endothelial cell (LEC) lines. An orthotopic mouse model of HNSCC (OSC-19 cells) was used to evaluate anti-lymphangiogenic effects of rapamycin in vivo. The incidence of cervical lymph node metastases, numbers of tumor-free lymphatic vessels and those invaded by tumor cells in mouse lingual tissue, and expression of pro-lymphangiogenic markers were assessed. Results: Rapamycin significantly decreased lymphatic vascular density (p=0.027), reduced the fraction of lymphatic vessels invaded by tumor cells in tongue tissue (p=0.013) and decreased metastasis-positive lymph nodes (p=0.04). Rapamycin also significantly attenuated the extent of metastatic tumor cell spread within lymph nodes (p< 0.0001). We found that rapamycin significantly reduced LEC proliferation and was correlated with decreased VEGFR-3 expression in both LEC, and in some HNSCC cell lines. Conclusions: The results of this study demonstrate anti-lymphangiogenic properties of mTOR inhibitors in HNSCC. mTOR inhibitors suppress autocrine and paracrine growth stimulation of tumor and lymphatic endothelial cells by impairing VEGF-C/VEGFR-3 axis and release of soluble VEGFR-2. In a murine HNSCC orthotopic model rapamycin significantly suppressed lymphovascular invasion, decreased cervical lymph node metastasis and delayed the spread of metastatic tumor cells within the lymph nodes.
Reduction of abdominal adhesions using composite collagen-GAG implants for ventral hernia repair.

Structural biomaterials can restore abdominal wall integrity but may cause adhesions to the underlying viscera. Collagen-glycosaminoglycan (CG) matrices induce the formation of connective tissue and may reduce adhesion formation to permanent biomaterials such as polypropylene (PP) mesh. Composite implants were created by interposing PP mesh within a porous CG matrix created composite implants. The implants were cross-linked with glutaraldehyde one group (CG-G/PP) or left untreated (CG-nG/PP) and compared to PP mesh. At 4 weeks, the abdominal wall was assessed for the degree of adhesions. The composite implants developed a nascent connective tissue-like structure that reduced adhesions to the bowel. The thickest connective tissue developed in the CG-G/PP group (0.7 ± 0.1 mm) and thinnest in the PP mesh (0.05 ± 0.01 mm). The surface area covered with adhesions was greatest in the PP group (72 ± 17%) compared with the CG-G/PP group (28 ± 15%) or the CG-nG/PP group (21 ± 8%). Bowel preferentially adhered to the PP mesh, whereas omentum had some adherence to all constructs. Integrating a biodegradable extracellular matrix analog with a permanent structural biomaterial reduced adhesions in this animal model. Alterations in cross-linking of the CG matrix altered the biological response. This technology may be useful in reconstructive surgery by reducing adhesion formation, while maintaining the strength of permanent structural biomaterials. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res (Appl Biomater) 58: 75–80, 2001
Using Virtual Environments for Conducting Small Unit Mission Rehearsals

This research examined the use of virtual environments as a viable dismounted infantry mission rehearsal tool. Four squads of soldiers individually conducted two missions that involved clearing a t...
Predictable and Progressive Testing of Multithreaded Code

The Chess (Checker for System Software) testing tool repeatedly executes a multithreaded program while guaranteeing predictable and deterministic scheduling and progressively exploring more schedules to uncover errors quickly.
Reducing Retroactive Interference through the Use of Different Encoding Techniques: An Exploration of Pre-Test/Post-Test Analyses.

Retroactive interference (RI) in list learning occurs when the learning of a second list of words interferes with the recall of the first learned list. Having the lists be thematically different can reduce retroactive interference within list learning; however, this study demonstrates how RI can be reduced when the lists contain similar words. Words can be organized by way of encoding (verbally and visually). Interference occurs when two lists are encoded the same way; therefore, encoding two lists in different ways reduces RI. Ninety-three participants were randomly assigned to 1 of 6 conditions. Participants who encoded one list visually and one list verbally retained more words on final recall from list one, than participants who encoded both list the same way. Two control conditions were used to assess highest recall. The results demonstrated that RI can be reduced when two lists are encoded in different ways. A second experiment using modified methods was also conducted with similar results.
Discriminant and concurrent validity of a simplified DSM-based structured diagnostic instrument for the assessment of autism spectrum disorders in youth and young adults.

Background To evaluate the concurrent and discriminant validity of a brief DSM-based structured diagnostic interview for referred individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs).
Diphenylhydantoin as a blocking agent of the proton-sensitive component of Na efflux in baranacle muscle fibers.

Abstract Earlier experiments with barnacle muscle fibers had indicated that ouabain is a more powerful inhibitor of the Na pump than diphenylhydantoin (DPH), and that the ouabain-insensitive Na efflux is markedly stimulated by lowering the external pH, raising the external K concentration or by microinjecting CaCl 2 . In the present work the effect of acidification of the bathing medium before and after external application of DPH was investigated. This revealed that (i) the action of DPH is pH-dependent, and (ii) DPH blocks or inactivates the proton-sensitive component of the Na efflux.
Heart transplantation to a physiologic single lung in patients with congenital heart disease

Background Heart-lung transplantation has been recommended for patients with end-stage congenital heart disease (CHD) and single-lung physiology due to either discontinuous pulmonary arteries (PAs) and unilateral PA hypertension (HTN) or absence of 1 PA. Methods Eleven patients with CHD and single-lung physiology underwent heart transplantation (HT). Diagnoses included: tetralogy of Fallot, absent left PA ( n = 4); single-ventricle s/p classic Glenn ( n = 7), with absent left PA ( n = 1); and severe left PA HTN ( n = 6). Results Mean time from last surgery was 13 ± 8 years; mean number of operations (op) was 3.2 ± 1.7. Mean age was 21 ± 11 years (range 9.5 to 43). Complications and procedures before HT included hemoptysis ( n = 2), plastic bronchitis ( n = 1) and interventional catheterization ( n = 6). Mean cardiopulmonary bypass and ischemic time was 275 ± 72 and 268 ± 75 minutes, respectively. Mean time to extubation was 4.6 ± 3.2 days, and mean length of stay was 19 ± 7 days. Post-operative morbidity included bleeding ( n = 4), vocal cord paralysis ( n = 1) and coil embolization of aortopulmonary collaterals ( n = 3). Early post-operative survival was 82%. Cause of death was aortic rupture ( n = 1) and bleeding ( n = 1). Eight patients are alive 4 years (range 0.9 to 7.6) after HT. PA continuity was established in 6 patients; post-HT lung perfusion scan showed no increase in perfusion to the left PA. One patient died from rejection 3 years post-HT. Conclusions HT can be performed successfully in patients with single-lung physiology. HT is the procedure of choice in patients with end-stage CHD and a physiologic single lung.
Truncated E-cadherin potentiates cell death in prostate epithelial cells.

BACKGROUND. E-cadherin, a fundamental component of the adherens junction, is known to mediate aggregation-dependent cell survival. We have previously identified a novel, calpain-dependent proteolytic cleavage of E-cadherin that resulted in the generation of a stable 100-kDa E-cadherin fragment (E-cad 1 0 0 ) in prostate epithelial cells in response to cell death stimuli. We postulated that the E-cad 1 0 0 fragment may play a role in abrogating survival of LNCaP cells following induction of apoptosis. METHODS. Wild-type E-cadherin and E-cad 1 0 0 were engineered, tagged with GFP, and stably expressed in LNCaP cells. These cell lines were characterized for E-cadherin-GFP/β-catenin interactions, endogenous E-cadherin and β-catenin expression, and sensitivity to apoptosis induced by PKC activation. RESULTS. E-cad 1 0 0 -GFP demonstrated a punctuate expression pattern, in contrast to E-cad 1 2 0 -GFP, which was membrane-localized. E-cad 1 0 0 -GFP, unlike E-cad 1 2 0 -GFP, failed to bind to and co-localize with β-catenin. Transient or stable overexpression of E-cad 1 0 0 resulted in the downregulation of endogenous E-cadherin expression at the cell membrane. Activation of PKC in LNCaP cells which overexpressed E-cad 1 0 0 potentiated cell death. CONCLUSIONS. Truncated E-cadherin may play a role in the regulation of endogenous E-cadherin expression and epithelial cell survival.
Genetic modification of hypertension by sGCα1

Hypertension is an important modifiable risk factor for coronary heart disease, congestive heart failure, stroke, end-stage renal disease, and peripheral vascular disease, but many of the molecular mechanisms and genetic factors underlying the development of the most common forms of human hypertension remain to be defined. Abundant evidence suggests that nitric oxide (NO) and one of its primary targets, the cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP)-generating enzyme soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC), have a critical role in regulating blood pressure. The availability of murine models of hypertension and the revolution in human genetics research (e.g., genome-wide association studies [GWAS]), resulting in the identification of dozens of genetic loci that affect normal variation in blood pressure and susceptibility to hypertension, provide a unique opportunity to dissect the mechanisms by which NO-cGMP signaling regulates blood pressure and to gain important insights into the pathogenesis of hypertension. In this review, we will give an overview of the current knowledge relating to the role of sGC in the regulation of blood pressure, discussing data obtained from genetically modified mouse models as well as from human genetic studies.
Antiproliferative Actions of Angiotensin-(1-7) in Vascular Smooth Muscle

Abstract —Hemodynamic factors, circulating hormones, paracrine factors, and intracrine factors influence vascular smooth muscle growth and plasticity. The well-characterized role of angiotensin II in the modulation of vascular tone and cell function may be critically involved in the mechanisms by which vascular smooth muscle responds to signals associated with vascular endothelial dysfunction and increases in oxidative stress. Studies from this laboratory suggest that the trophic actions of angiotensin II may be intrinsically regulated by angiotensin-(1-7), a separate product of the angiotensin system derived from the common substrate, angiotensin I. Exposure of cultured vascular smooth muscle cells to angiotensin-(1-7) inhibited the trophic actions of angiotensin II and reduced the expression of the mitogenic effects of both normal serum and platelet-derived growth factor. The growth-inhibitory actions of angiotensin-(1-7) were blocked by the selective d-alanine 7 -angiotensin-(1-7) antagonist and the nonselective angiotensin receptor blocker sarcosine 1 -threonine 8 -angiotensin II. In contrast, subtype-selective antagonists for the AT 1 and AT 2 receptors had no effect on the inhibitory actions of angiotensin-(1-7), a finding that is consistent with the pharmacological characterization of a high-affinity 125 I-labeled angiotensin-(1-7) binding site in the vasculature by use of selective and nonselective angiotensin II receptor antagonists. The relevance of these findings to the proliferative response of vascular smooth muscle cells after endothelial injury was confirmed by assessment of the effect of a 12-day infusion of angiotensin-(1-7) on neointimal formation. In these experiments, the proliferative response produced by injuring the carotid artery was inhibited by angiotensin-(1-7) through a mechanism that could not be explained by changes in arterial pressure. Because plasma angiotensin-(1-7) increased to levels comparable to those found in animals and human subjects given therapeutic doses of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin-(1-7) may be one factor participating in the reversal of vascular proliferation during inhibition of angiotensin II formation or activity.