cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A possible mechanism underlying mood disorders associated with LUTS: Chronic bladder outlet obstruction causes NLRP3-dependent inflammation in the hippocampus and depressive behavior in rats.

Aims Reports link urinary dysfunction and mood disorders, such as depression, but a causative mechanism has never been postulated. Contemporary discoveries demonstrate a local inflammatory response in peripheral organs can trigger inflammation in the brain, particularly the hippocampus, mediated through the NLRP3 inflammasome. Critically, central inflammation causes depressive behavior. Since bladder outlet obstruction (BOO) evokes a local inflammatory response in the bladder, we hypothesize it will induce NLRP3-dependent inflammation in the hippocampus and depressive behavior. Methods There were four groups of rats: control, sham, BOO, or BOO + glyburide (an NLRP3 inhibitor). BOO was created by urethral ligation over a 1 mm catheter. Sham was tied loosely. Glyburide was provided by slow-release pellet (subcutaneous 50 mg, 21 day, replaced as needed). Rats were analyzed 12 weeks post-op for: hippocampal inflammation, microglial density, neurogenesis, and depression symptoms (open field and sucrose preference). Results BOO elicited hippocampal inflammation, accompanied by an increase in activated microglia (22%) and a decrease in neurogenesis (35%), which was blocked by glyburide. In addition, BOO rats displayed anxiety (57% decrease in exploratory behavior in the open field assay) and anhedonia (21% decrease in sucrose preference), two symptoms of depression. Like inflammation, these symptoms were diminished by glyburide to levels not statistically significantly different from controls. Conclusions BOO, a bladder-localized event, stimulates NLRP3-dependent inflammation in the rat hippocampus after 12 weeks and this inflammation causes depressive behavior. This is the first mechanistic explanation of the link between BOO and depression and provides evidence for a distinct bladder-brain axis.
Microscopical discrimination of human head hairs sharing a mitochondrial haplogroup

In forensic analyses, determining the level of consensus among examiners for hair comparison conclusions and ancestry identifications is important for assessing the scientific validity of microscopical hair examinations. Here, we present data from an interlaboratory study on the accuracy of microscopical hair comparisons among a subset of experienced hair examiners currently analyzing hair in forensic laboratories across the United States. We examined how well microscopical analysis of hair can reliably be used to differentiate hair samples, many of which were macroscopically similar. Using cut hair samples, many sharing similar macroscopic and microscopic features, collected from individuals who share the same mitochondrial haplogroup as an indication of genetic relatedness, we tested multiple aspects that could impact hair comparisons. This research tested the extent to which morphological features related to ancestry and hair length influence conclusions. Microscopical hair examinations yielded accurate assessments of inclusion/exclusion relative to the reference samples among 85% of the pairwise comparisons. We found shorter hairs had reduced levels of accuracy and hairs from populations examiners were not familiar with may have impacted their ability to resolve features. The reliability of ancestry determinations is not yet clear, but we found indications that the existing categories are only somewhat related to current ethnic and genetic variation. Our results provide support for the continued utility of microscopical comparison of hairs within forensic laboratories and to advocate for a combined analytical approach using both microscopical analysis and mtDNA data on all forensic analyses of hair.
Elections, Protest, and Authoritarian Regime Stability: Russia 2008–2020

In a path-breaking study of Russian elections, Regina Smyth reveals how much electoral competition matters to the Putin regime and how competition leaves Russia more vulnerable to opposition challenges than is perceived in the West. Using original data and analysis, Smyth demonstrates how even weak political opposition can force autocratic incumbents to rethink strategy and find compromises in order to win elections. Smyth challenges conventional notions about Putin's regime, highlighting the vast resources the Kremlin expends to maintain a permanent campaign to construct regime-friendly majorities. These tactics include disinformation as well as symbolic politics, social benefits, repression, and falsification. This book reveals the stresses and challenges of maintaining an electoral authoritarian regime and provides a roadmap to understand how seemingly stable authoritarian systems can fall quickly to popular challenges even when the opposition is weak. A must-read for understanding Russia's future and the role of elections in contemporary autocratic regimes.
Repurposing Cathodic Protection Systems as Reliable, in-situ, Ambient Batteries for Sensor Networks

The majority of infrastructure is susceptible to, and therefore must constantly combat, corrosion. The monitoring and maintenance of corrosion protection (or the consequences of its unchecked failure) is often one of the leading costs of infrastructure upkeep. Galvanic cathodic protection is a common corrosion control technique that is employed in applications from home appliances to boats to bridges. At its core, however, galvanic cathodic protection is simply an electrochemical cell---that is, a battery. This presents an opportunity to treat this corrosion protection as an in-situ power source that by definition will last as long as the protection system itself. In this paper, we explore the efficacy of these pervasive, "ambient galvanic cells" as potential energy harvesting sources. We then show how to use these cells as a power source for wireless sensing devices that monitor the health of the same corrosion protection system. Our system takes advantage of newly available LPWAN technologies that allow for effortless wide-area coverage. We demonstrate the viability and efficacy of the system on one of the most common galvanic cathodic protection systems, home hot water heaters. We show that this technique can be a powerful new asset for corrosion monitoring and for deploying wireless sensor networks broadly.
Rethinking the PLRA: The Resiliency of Injunctive Practice and Why It’s Not Enough

During the latter part of the twentieth century, prison populations in the United States increased exponentially and the nation became notorious for mass incarceration. Despite what many viewed as a broken prison system, in 1996 Congress passed the Prison Litigation Reform Act (“PLRA”), with the avowed purpose of hindering prisoners and their advocates from bringing civil rights actions to challenge prison conditions, laws, and policies. To accomplish this, Congress curbed courts’ most powerful remedial tool—injunctive relief. As a result, early scholarship predicted that injunctive practice would become a useless tool in prison reform litigation. Instead, twenty-five years after Congress passed the Act, a limited injunctive practice has adapted and survived. Through a survey of fifty consent decrees and a series of case studies, this Article shows that some injunctive practice remains possible where (1) lawyers carefully craft consent decrees to sidestep the PLRA’s hurdles to injunctive relief, and (2) judges take persistent and stern measures to help move defendants toward compliance with the decrees. Ultimately, however, this restricted injunctive practice is not enough. This Article demonstrates that despite advocates’ and judges’ best efforts to circumvent the Act’s limitations, the PLRA continues to hamper necessary prison reform. For this reason, it is time to rethink the PLRA—our nation’s recent outcry for reconsideration of the criminal justice system is an ideal catalyst for reassessing the Act and its effects on people least able to assert their rights.
The Influence of Low Temperature Environment on the Growth of Mouse Sarcoma 180

In the state of under-nutrition brought about by the continued use of a diet inadequate in caloric content, endogenous fat is called upon to supplement the caloric deficiency until the fat stores become depleted, when excessive amounts of endogenous protein are used to make up the caloric deficiency. We have previously reported (1) on the effects, some of them of great magnitude, of the various stages of caloric restriction upon the growth of mouse sarcoma 180. In these experiments (2) the level of specific nutrients required for normal growth were maintained, so that the problem was not complicated by the possible effect of lack of some essential growth factor. Bradley (3) has pointed out that until some other mechanism is discovered with which to relate the atrophic shrinkages of surviving tissue cells, and their return to normal mass2 in hypertrophy, we are justified in assuming the autolytic mechanism as the probable one involved. In the experiments described in this paper, the growth of sarcoma 180 was studied under conditions in which certain tissues of the body atrophied and others hypertrophied. These conditions were brought about by a drop of environmental temperature from 20° to 10° C. or lower, resulting in an increase of 100 per cent in food consumption, a greatly augmented body metabolism, a plethora of specific nutrients, and a simultaneous body weight loss with heart and kidney hypertrophy.
Discipline and Development: From Victors to Victims? Rural Middle Classes, Revolutionary Legacies, and the Unfulfilled Promise of Disciplinary Development in Mexico

Beyond Regime Type If we were to choose just one other twentieth-century developer whose surface political profile most nearly parallels that of Taiwan, Mexico would be a principal contender. Both Mexico and Taiwan have been known over the past half century for their strong and enduring systems of one-party rule, fortified through forceful political, ideological, and institutional connections between a vanguard revolutionary party and the state. Both of these countries' party-state apparatuses, the KMT and Mexico's Partido Revolucionario Institucional (PRI), were highly centralized and carefully structured around corporatist principles that mandated the institutional inclusion of a wide variety of class forces drawn from both rural and urban locales. Additionally, the long-term trajectories of political development in both countries are quite similar on many counts, including the timing of democratic opening in the late 1980s and the role played by grassroots democratic movements in bringing this political change. In Taiwan, it was the end of martial law in 1987 that marked the key point of democratic transition, while in Mexico this was the same year that opposition candidate Cuauhtemoc Cardenas broke from the PRI, ran for the presidency on his own, and started Mexico down its current path toward democratic consolidation. Yet despite these political similarities, the economic development trajectories of these two countries over the last half century have diverged considerably.
H/sup infinity / and H/sup 2/ optimal controllers for periodic and multi-rate systems

The solutions to the optimal l/sup 2/ to l/sup 2/ disturbance rejection problem (H/sup infinity /) as well as to the LQG (linear quadratic Gaussian) (H/sup 2/) problem in periodic systems using the lifting technique are presented. Both problems involve a causality condition on the optimal LTI (linear time invariant) compensator when viewed in the lifted domain. The H/sup infinity / problem is solved using the Nehari's theorem, whereas in the H/sup 2/ problem the solution is obtained using the projection theorem in Hilbert spaces. The authors demonstrate that exactly the same method of solution to the H/sup infinity / and H/sup 2/ problems in periodic systems applies when considering the same problems in multirate sampled data systems. >
Effects of home access and availability of alcohol on young adolescents' alcohol use.

Aims The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of parental provision of alcohol and home alcohol accessibility on the trajectories of young adolescent alcohol use and intentions. Design Data were part of a longitudinal study of alcohol use among multi-ethnic urban young adolescents who were assigned randomly to the control group of a prevention trial. Setting Data were collected from a cohort of youth, and their parents, who attended public schools in Chicago, Illinois (2002-2005). Participants The sample comprised the 1388 students, and their parents, who had been assigned randomly to the control group and were present and completed surveys at baseline, in the beginning of 6th grade (age 12). The sample was primarily low-income, and African American and Hispanic. Measurements Students completed self-report questionnaires when in the 6th, 7th and 8th grades (age 12-14 years; response rates 91-96%). Parents of the 6th grade students also completed questionnaires (70% response rate). Findings Student report, at age 12, of parental provision of alcohol and home alcohol availability, and parental report of providing alcohol to their child and the accessibility of alcohol in the home, were associated with significant increases in the trajectories of young adolescent alcohol use and intentions from ages 12-14 years. Student report of receiving alcohol from their parent or taking it from home during their last drinking occasion were the most robust predictors of increases in alcohol use and intentions over time. Conclusions Results indicate that it is risky for parents to allow children to drink during early adolescence. When these findings are considered together with the risks associated with early onset of alcohol use, it is clear that parents can play an important role in prevention. Language: en
Nonlinear Controller Design for Stochastic Systems

This paper presents methods for achieving a reduction in the computational load required to obtain probability distributions in stochastic systems which do not allow us to assume a Gaussian distribution at the output. The evolution of the probability function can be described by the Fokker-Planck equation Two distinct methods: the numerical method and the eigenfunction expansion method were studied for obtaining a stationary probability density function. Examples are given using the eigenfunction method for nonlinear controller parameter selection.
Thermographic measurement of fatigue damage

The paper presents a thermographic technique developed to measure the extent of fatigue damage in composite materials during fatigue loading. It is noted that heat generated by cyclic loading of fatigue damaged material raises the surface temperature. These temperatures were measured with an infrared camera and were used as boundary conditions in a finite element heat transfer program, which has been developed especially to calculate the extent of the heat generation zone, and thereby to define the fatigue damage zone. It is reported that the finite element program was verified by comparing calculated heat generation with the actual heat generation for a simple heat transfer problem that had a closed form solution. Damage zones are calculated for several boron/epoxy fatigue specimens from thermograms of specimens. The calculated damage zones were compared with damage detected by C-scan, X-ray, and scanning electron microscope (SEM) examinations. It is concluded that the analysis was effective in locating the boundaries of the fatigue damage zones.
Seven-drug polychemotherapy in the treatment of advanced and recurrent squamous carcinoma of the female genital tract

Single-agent chemotherapy of advanced and recurrent squamous carcinoma of the female genital tract has been largely ineffective. Combination-drug therapy which has augmented the efficacy of chemotherapy in numerous solid and nonsolid human tumors is usually attended by a degree of toxicity that has discouraged its use against malignancies exhibiting a poor response to single agents. A seven-drug regimen consisting of cyclophosphamide, 5-fluorouracil, actinomycin D, vincristine, cytosine arabinoside, methotrexate, and bleomycin administered during a 24 hour period at 4 week intervals was selected for clinical trial against squamous malignancies of the female genitalia because of its proved broad-spectrum activity among solid tumors and its low incidence of serious toxicity. Severe bone marrow depression occurred during only two of 98 drug cycles involving 23 patients. An objective tumor response was observed in nine of 18 evaluable patients. This regimen appears to be useful in the palliative management of squamous carcinoma of the female genital tract.
Effects of conditioning on the convergence of randomized optimization algorithms

The connection between the conditioning of a problem instance—the sensitivity of a problem instance to perturbations in the input—and the speed of certain iterative algorithms in solving that problem instance is a recurring topic of study in numerical analysis. This dissertation, consisting of three distinct parts, provides a further connection through the framework of randomized optimization algorithms. In Part I, we explore how randomization can help asymptotic convergence properties of simple, directional search-based optimization methods. Specifically, we develop a randomized, iterative scheme for estimating the Hessian matrix of a twice-differentiable function. Using this estimation technique, we analyze how it can be used to enhance a random directional search method. From there, we proceed to develop a conjugate-directional search method that incorporates estimated Hessian information without requiring direct use of gradients. In Part II, we turn our focus to randomized variants of two classical algorithms: coordinate descent methods for systems of linear equations and iterated projection methods for systems of linear inequalities. We then demonstrate that, under appropriate randomization schemes, linear rates of convergence can be bounded (in expectation) in terms of natural linear-algebraic conditioning measures for these problems. By considering conditioning concepts induced by metric regularity and metric subregularity, we then expand upon these results by examining randomized projection algorithms for convex feasibility problems. Extensions to reflection-based algorithms are also discussed. Observing that convex feasibility problems can be reformulated into the problem of finding a common zero of maximal monotone operators, we proceed by studying the proximal point method in Part III. Specifically, for the problem of finding a zero of a single maximal monotone operator, we show that metric subregularity of that operator is sufficient for linear convergence of the proximal point method, leading to a convergence rate in terms of the conditioning induced by the modulus of subregularity. This result is then generalized—by considering randomized and averaged proximal point methods—to obtain a convergence rate for the problem of finding a common zero of finitely many such operators.
Complete Genomic Screen in Late-Onset Familial Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a complex genetic disorder. Linkage analysis has helped unravel a portion of the genetic component of AD by identifying four loci that play a role in the genetics of AD (amyloid precursor protein, presenilin 1, presenilin 2, and apolipoprotein E). These loci account for approximately 50% of the genetic etiology of AD. A total genomic screen is an efficient way to identify additional genetic effects in AD. A series of multiplex late-onset (>60 years) AD families were ascertained (NINDS-ADRDA diagnostic criteria) and sampled. A subset (n = 16) of the largest families (52 affecteds with DNA, 83 unaffecteds with DNA) were used to rapidly screen the genome (n = 280 markers) for additional major genetic effects. Critical values for regional follow-up were p ≤0.05 for SimIBD or sibpair analysis and/or a LOD score ≥ 1.00. Fifteen regions warranted initial follow-up based on these criteria. An additional screening set was used (n = 38 families, 89 affecteds with DNA, 216 unaffecteds with DNA) for the follow-up analysis. These analyses revealed four regions of continued interest on chromosomes 4, 6, 12, and 20. Chromosome 12 presented the strongest results. Peak two point “affecteds only” LOD scores were 1.3, 1.6, 2.7, and 2.2 and (affected relative pair SimIBD) p values were 0.04, 0.03, 0.14, and 0.04 for D12S373, D12S1057, D12S1042, and D12S390, respectively. These markers span approximately 30 cm near the centromeric region of chromosome 12. Sibpair analysis resulted in two point Maximum Lod Score (MLS) results of 0.4, 1.2, 3.2, and 1.0 for the above markers. Multipoint MLS analysis supported these findings. Saturation mapping of all available markers in the chromosome 12 region as well as further investigation of the regions on 4, 6, and 20 is ongoing with candidate gene analysis to follow.
On the Torque Exerted by a Magnetically Threaded Accretion Disk

Simple expressions are derived for the torque exerted by an accretion disk on a rotating, magnetized object (which may, for example, be a neutron star, a white dwarf, or a T Tauri star). In the equilibrium state (for which there is no net torque on the star), the inner edge of the Keplerian disk R0 is located very close to the corotation radius Rc, for physically plausible assumptions about the dissipation time of the wound-up field component; the equilibrium value ωcrit of the "fastness parameter" ω ≡ (R0/Rc)3/2 lies in the range 0.875-0.95. Empirical constraints requiring ωcrit to be significantly less than unity are thus incompatible with the magnetically threaded disk model.
Factors influencing the amplitude and frequency of essential tremor

Quantitative electromyography (EMG) and triaxial accelerometry were used to measure hand tremor, finger tremor, and forearm motor unit activity in 36 men and 23 women with essential tremor. Hand tremor was studied with and without 300-g mass loading. Tremor and EMG were recorded twice, with a 3-min rest interval, to assess the spontaneous intertrial variability in tremor amplitude, frequency, and motor unit entrainment. In general, the minimum detectable differences in tremor amplitude, frequency, and motor unit entrainment were roughly 30%, 5%, and 10% of the initial sample means, respectively, assuming a sample size of 30 patients, a statistical power of 0.9, and a significance level of 0.05. Linear regression analyses were performed to test the hypotheses that (a) there is an age-associated decrease in tremor frequency that is independent of symptom duration and (b) tremor frequency and motor unit entrainment make independent contributions to tremor amplitude. Our data supported both hypotheses.
Gas chromatography of carbohydrates in alfalfa nectar.

Techniques used for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of caribohydrates in plant tissue are time consuming and tedious (5). Anaqysis of individual sugars such as glucose, fructose, and sucrose ha-s been. accomplished primarily by paper or -thin layer chromatography pWus elution and colori,metric or titrimetric techniques for final determination (2,9). Various conilbinations of techniques are ustuallly employed when making both quantitative and qualitative determinations but consideraible time and effort per sample is inevitable. This paper describes a technique whereby gas ahromatography.has been utiliied for rapid quantitative and qualitative determination of carbohydrates in alifalfa (Medicago sativa var. Sonora) nectar. The development of methods to analyze carbohydrates using gas-liq-uid chromatography has been hindered by the lack of v.olatility of polyhydroxy conpounds (11). However, since the discovery of procedures to prepare volatile carbohydrate derivatives much progress has been made in the preparation of these derivatives. Recent investigators have prepared several different volatile carbolhydrate derivatives (1,4,6). Sweeley et al. (7) were able to separate 20 different trimethylsi,lyl 'sugar de-rivatives 'by employing a SE-52 column and by tusing a temperature programming range from 1250 to 2500 at the tate of 2.30 increase per minute. WeVls (II)
High resolution gamma-ray astronomy: Observations and predictions of line shapes

The shapes of gamma-ray lines carry unique information about the physical processes and conditions in astrophysical sites. Galactic center and SN 1987A lines have been observationally resolved allowing their shapes to be studied. There are also significant new theoretical results concerning line shapes from Type I supernovae, supernova remnants and the interstellar medium. New work is presented on a simple treatment of line profiles for rotating disks and spherical shells.
Binary read-only-memory multiplier

A new structure for a multiplier employing a read-only memory (r.o.m.) lookup table is proposed. The multiplier is capable of operation at high speeds, with high accuracy.
Narrow Linewidth Microlasers on Silicon

After reviewing several laser sources based on high-Q microtoroid lasers, the recent observation of fundamental linewidths as narrow as 4 Hz in microtoroid lasers will be described. Inverse-power (Schawlow-Townes) broadening is observed.
Energy policies for sustainable development in developing countries

Abstract Energy use and environmental degradation associated with its use in developing countries are expected to increase well into the 21st century, with adverse ramifications on sustainable development prospects worldwide. This paper examines various energy policies to promote sustainable development in developing countries, noting that many such policies imply lower overall growth rates. Short-term policies such as measures encouraging efficient use of energy are generally energy specific, while long-term measures encompass broader development policies having an impact on energy resource development and use patterns. Economic and institutional barriers and constraints which may impede the effectiveness of these policies exist in many developing countries. These barriers and constraints often constrain general development prospects as well.
Risk factors and their relationship to prognosis in myelodysplastic syndromes

Recent efforts have been directed at improving the methodology for predicting clinical outcomes in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). This review focuses on the development of a consensual, prognostic, risk-based analysis system generated by the International MDS Risk Analysis Workshop. In the workshop, cytogenetic, morphological, and clinical data were combined and collated from a relatively large group of patients with primary MDS. Critical prognostic variables were evaluated using the data set. Based on these findings, the International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS) was developed, compared with other systems, and shown to provide more accurate prognoses regarding survival and evolution to acute myeloid leukemia in MDS patients. The improvement was due to several features of the workshop model: more refined cytogenetic categorization, inclusion of cytopenias, improved subdivision of marrow blast percentages, four subgroups defining outcome, and separate stratification for age. The IPSS should result in better-defined clinical outcomes in MDS and provide a framework for future studies determining the possible role of molecular determinants (e.g. oncogenes, tumor suppressor genes, cytokine expression and responsiveness) for evaluating prognoses. The IPSS will likely prove useful in the design and analysis of therapeutic trials in MDS as well as in patient management.
Nonspectral Dirac random-phase approximation for finite nuclei

We present a version of the random-phase approximation for the description of nuclear excitations which is a consistent extension of the QHD1 mean-field theory of the ground states of doubly magic nuclei. This approach includes correlations induced by the isoscalar {sigma} and {omega} mesons of QHD1. Our method employs a nonspectral single particle propagator in such a way that we avoid any basis truncation and automatically include the escape widths implied by the theory. Our calculations yield exactly conserved random-phase approximation transition currents as well as correct treatment of spuriosity for 1{sup {minus}}T=0 excitations. Because of the flexibility of our numerical method, we can treat discrete excitations, giant resonances, and the continuum response in general---including quasielastic scattering---in a unified way. We compare our results with experimental ({ital e},{ital e}{prime}) form factors for various discrete excitations in {sup 12}C, {sup 16}O, {sup 40}Ca, and {sup 48}Ca as well as with the quasielastic Coulomb response functions for {sup 12}C and {sup 40}Ca. Agreement with transition charge densities is typically quite good and in some cases superior to comparable nonrelativistic random-phase approximation calculations. Transition current densities are less well described. The question of sum rules in the relativistic random-phase approximation is also addressed.
The May 1915 eruptions of Lassen Peak, II: May 22 volcanic blast effects, sedimentology and stratigraphy of deposits, and characteristics of the blast cloud

Abstract The May 22, 1915 eruptions of Lassen Peak involved a volcanic blast and the emplacement of three geographically and temporally distinct lahar deposits. The volcanic blast occurred when a Vulcanian explosion at the summit unroofed a shallow magma source, generating an eruption cloud that rose to an estimated height of 9 km above sea level. The blast cloud was probably caused by the collapse of a small portion of the eruption column; absence of a flank vent associated with these eruptions argues against it originating as an explosion that has been directed by vent geometry or location. The volcanic blast devasted ∼7 km2 of the northeast flank of the volcano, and emplaced a deposit of juvenile tephra and accidental lithic and mineral fragments. Decrease in blast deposit thickness and median grain size with increasing distance from the vent suggests that the blast cloud lost transport competence as it crossed the devastated area. Scanning electron microscope examination of pyroclasts from the blast deposit indicates that the blast cloud was a dry, turbulent suspension that emplaced a thin deposit which cooled rapidly after deposition. Lahar deposits were emplaced primarily in Lost Creek, with minor lahars flowing down gullies on the west, northwest and north flanks of the volcano. The initial lahar was apparently triggered early in the eruption when the blast cloud melted the residual snowpack as it moved down the northeast flank of the peak. The event that triggered the later lahars is enigmatic; the presence of approximately five times more juvenile dacite bombs on the surface of the later lahars suggests that they may have been triggered by a change in eruption style or dynamics.
Synthesis and Biological Activity of 6-Hydroxyguanidino-and 6-Hydroxyureidopurine And Their Ribonucleosides

Abstract N 6 −(1-hydroxyguanidino)purine IIa, and its 9-β-D-ribonucleoside derivative IIb were prepared by reacting at room temperature 6-hydroxyadenine Ia and 6-hydroxyadenosine Ib, with 1-guanyl-3,5-dimethylpyrazole nitrate in DMF. Refluxing IIa and IIb in 95% ethanol gave N6−(1-hydroxyureido)purine and its ribonucleoside derivative respectively; the latter compound was also obtained by refluxing Ib with 1-guanyl-3,5-dimethylpyrazole nitrate in ethanol. The two base analogs were inactive against L1210 cells in vitro, but the nucleoside derivatives inhibited the growth of these cells by 50% at 5 × 10 -6 and 6 × 10−7 M respectively. Compound IIb, at 200 mg/kg/day × 5, increased the life span of L1210-bearing DBA/2N mice by 57%. Cytofluorometric determinations showed that IIb inhibited cell growth in the G2 phase of the cell cycle. also found to inhibit adenosine deaminase activity with a Ki = 3.47 μM.
Functional orthosis post pectoralis muscle rupture

This author described her success at fabricating a chest compression orthosis for a patient who underwent repair of a pectoralis major muscle rupture. The repair occurred nine months prior to orthotic fabrication, but the patient continued to experience weakness and pain which limited motion. The design of the orthotic allowed him increased mobility and functional use. – V ictoria P riganc , PhD, OTR, CHT, CLT, Practice Forum Editor
Biomechanical Characteristics of 10 Arthroscopic Knots

Purpose: To determine the optimal arthroscopic slip knot through comparison of ease of placement, loop security, knot security, and amount of suture material needed. Methods: Ten commonly used arthroscopic knots (Dines knot, Duncan loop, Field knot, Giant knot, Lieurance Modified Roeder knot, Nicky's knot, SMC knot, Snyder knot, Tennessee slider, Weston knot) were tested. Ten knots were tied with No. 2 Ethibond (Ethicon, Somerville, NJ) for each testing mode trial. Each knot was tested with the Instron materials testing machine (Instron, Norwood, MA) for (1) forward and backward sliding characteristics; (2) loop security prior to securing with half-hitches (by assessing load); (3) resistance to sliding; (4) knot security after securing with 3 alternating half-hitches on alternating posts (by assessing ultimate load); (5) resistance to sliding; (6) distance to failure; and (7) knot weight, to evaluate for amount of suture material needed. Analysis of variance ( P Results: The Dines knot performed best, exhibiting superior biomechanical characteristics in 6 of 7 measured categories. The only category in which the Dines knot did not perform superiorly was forward sliding, indicating that the Dines knot can be rated as intermediate in ease of placement. Conclusions: Once in place, the Dines knot provides superior loop security and knot security, with use of less suture material. Clinical Significance: This study comprehensively analyzed 10 commonly used arthroscopic knots and identified the one that exhibited the best characteristics.
Thermodynamics of chalcocite-xanthate interactions

Abstract Eh-pH diagrams have been constructed for chalcocite in the presence of xanthate. Stability regions for cuprous xanthate have been shown to be dependent on the sulfur oxidation state. As oxidation proceeded from elemental sulfur to sulfate, the copper xanthate stability region under alkaline conditions extended to lower potentials. The voltammograms indicated that xanthate reacted with chalcocite to form cuprous xanthate and a nonstoichiometric copper sulfide starting near −40 mV. This is in agreement with the thermodynamic calculations made for the case involving oxidation to elemental sulfur. However, the voltammograms showed that the initial xanthate adsorption peak, which is attributed to chemisorbed xanthate, started between −275 and −295 mV. Based on this information, chemisorbed xanthate is calculated to have a standard free energy relative to the xanthate ion of between −12.6 and −13.1 kcal/mol.
Electrical resistivity and magnetoresistance of carbon/graphite fibers intercalated with nitric acid and arsenic pentafluoride

A series of high performance, experimental carbon/graphite fibers was intercalated and examined with respect to their metallic conductivity behavior by resistivity and magnetoresistance versus temperature measurements. One fiber was a polyacrylonitrile (PAN)-type precursor and three were pitch base precursors. All four types showed substantially similar behavior in the pristine state with respect to room temperature resistivity and the sign and magnitude of the temperature coefficient of resistivity. After intercalation with either nitric acid or nitric acid followed by AsF5, the PAN-based fibers displayed a resistivity versus temperature behavior qualitatively similar to their pristine counterparts but displaced to lower resistivity. On the other hand, the pitch fibers with the same intercalation treatment exhibited metallic behavior (a positive temperature coefficient of electrical resistivity and a small magnetoresistance). These manifestations of metallic behavior are usually indicative of some three dimensional graphite structure in the carbon fibers.
The impact of virtual product dissection environments on student design learning and self-efficacy

While recent design efforts have led to the development of virtual dissection tools that reduce the costs associated with physical dissection, little is known about how these virtual environments impact student design learning. Therefore, the current study was developed to address this knowledge gap through two investigations: (1) an experimental study that examines the impact of virtual dissection on design learning, knowledge retention, and self-efficacy and (2) a qualitative study focused on student experiences during virtual dissection. These studies show that physical dissection leads to a higher electromechanical self-efficacy gain compared with virtual dissection; however, the method of dissection did not affect student learning. We use these findings to provide recommendations for the use of product dissection in design education.
Accurate Analytical Self-Consistent-Field Functions for Atoms. VII. Several Excited States of Cu and Cu +

Self-consistent-field calculations have been performed by the Hartree-Fock-Roothaan method for a number of excited states of Cu and ${\mathrm{Cu}}^{+}$. A large number of carefully chosen and optimized Slater-type basis functions are used in order to assure a good fit to the true self-consistent-field function.
Hypnosis with children: Selected readings compiled

(1980). Hypnosis with children: Selected readings compiled. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis: Vol. 28, No. 3, pp. 289-293.
The American Society for Clinical Investigation — the first 100 years

The annual Atlantic City meeting of the Young Turks was an exciting event — an opportunity to hear great science, to explore career opportunities, and to meet and make friends. Though the 1950s, ’60s, and ’70s, the meetings remained relatively intimate, broadly covering the best in medicine and constantly growing until the participants outgrew the Atlantic City venue to eventually spawn the numerous specialty annual meetings that we have today.
American Beliefs: What Keeps a Big Country and a Diverse People United

Is the United States better understood in terms of the things that bind its people together or those that divide them? This is a perennial question. Earlier generations lined up in favor of consens...
Changes in cathepsin C activity during spontaneous and induced metamorphoses of the bullfrog.

The specific activity of cathepsin C and other tissue parameters have been studied in five tadpole tissues during spontaneous and triiodothyronine (T3)-induced metamorphosis. During spontaneous metamorphosis, all these tissues showed an increase in cathepsin C activity at some point in the metamorphic climax. The effect is especially pronounced in the tadpole tail in which cathepsin C activity increases at least 100-fold from an almost undetectable level to the highest activity in any tissue tested. Cathepsin C activity also increased 3- to 4-fold in the gills, but from a much higher initial premetamorphic level. An increase in enzyme activity in kidney, liver, and lungs was also observed during spontaneous metamorphosis. However, only in tail tissue was there a decisive increase in cathepsin C activity up to 14 days after an injection of an effective dose of T3. The implications of these data have been discussed in relation to the mechanism of tissue resorption and the possibility of additional factors being involved in certain metamorphic processes.
Detection and Quantification of Dehalogenimonas and “Dehalococcoides” Populations via PCR-Based Protocols Targeting 16S rRNA Genes

Members of the haloalkane dechlorinating genus Dehalogenimonas are distantly related to “Dehalococcoides” but share high homology in some variable regions of their 16S rRNA gene sequences. In this study, primers and PCR protocols intended to uniquely target Dehalococcoides were reevaluated, and primers and PCR protocols intended to uniquely target Dehalogenimonas were developed and tested. Use of the genus-specific primers revealed the presence of both bacterial groups in groundwater at a Louisiana Superfund site.
Platelet-associated IgG assay using flow cytometric analysis

Abstract In this study we describe an immunofluorescent assay system to measure platelet-associated immunoglobulin G levels using flow cytometric analysis. This semi-quantitative system allows ready distinction of immune from non-immune related thrombocytopenias. It is simple to perform, highly reproducible and has the advantage of requiring a minimum concentration of 5000 platelets/μl per assay sample.
FMRFamide signaling promotes stress-induced sleep in Drosophila

Enhanced sleep in response to cellular stress is a conserved adaptive behavior across multiple species, but the mechanism of this process is poorly understood. Drosophila melanogaster increases sleep following exposure to septic or aseptic injury, and Caenorhabditis elegans displays sleep-like quiescence following exposure to high temperatures that stress cells. We show here that, similar to C. elegans, Drosophila responds to heat stress with an increase in sleep. In contrast to Drosophila infection-induced sleep, heat-induced sleep is not sensitive to the time-of-day of the heat pulse. Moreover, the sleep response to heat stress does not require Relish, the NFκB transcription factor that is necessary for infection-induced sleep, indicating that sleep is induced by multiple mechanisms from different stress modalities. We identify a sleep-regulating role for a signaling pathway involving FMRFamide neuropeptides and their receptor FR. Animals mutant for either FMRFamide or for the FMRFamide receptor (FR) have a reduced recovery sleep in response to heat stress. FR mutants, in addition, show reduced sleep responses following infection with Serratia marcescens, and succumb to infection at a faster rate than wild-type controls. Together, these findings support the hypothesis that FMRFamide and its receptor promote an adaptive increase in sleep following stress. Because an FMRFamide-like neuropeptide plays a similar role in C. elegans, we propose that FRMFamide neuropeptide signaling is an ancient regulator of recovery sleep which occurs in response to cellular stress.
Consensus over martingale graph processes

In this paper, we consider a consensus seeking process based on repeated averaging in a randomly changing network. The underlying graph of such a network at each time is generated by a martingale random process. We prove that consensus is reached almost surely if and only if the expected graph of the network contains a directed spanning tree. We then provide an example of a consensus seeking process based on local averaging of opinions in a dynamic model of social network formation which is a martingale. At each time step, individual agents randomly choose some other agents to interact with according to some arbitrary probabilities. The interaction is one-sided and results in the agent averaging her opinion with those of her randomly chosen neighbors based on the weights she assigns to them. Once an agent chooses a neighbor, the weights are updated in such a way that the expected values of the weights are preserved. We show that agents reach consensus in this random dynamical network almost surely. Finally, we demonstrate that a Polya Urn process is a martingale process, and our prior results in [1] is a special case of the model proposed in this paper.
Liquid lens confocal microscopy with advanced signal processing for higher resolution 3D imaging

The paper first highlights the use of multiple electronically controlled optical lenses, specifically, liquid lenses to realize an axial scanning confocal microscope with potentially less aberrations. Next, proposed is a signal processing method for realizing high resolution three dimensional (3-D) optical imaging using diffraction limited low resolution optical signals. Using axial shift-based signal processing via computer based computation algorithm, three sets of high resolution optical data is determined along the axial (or light beam propagation) direction using low resolution axial data. The three sets of low resolution data are generated by illuminating the 3-D object under observation along its three independent and orthogonal look directions (i.e., x, y, and z) or by physically rotating the object by 90 degrees and also flipping the object by 90 degrees. The three sets of high resolution axial data is combined using a unique mathematical function to interpolate a 3-D image of the test object that is of much higher resolution than the diffraction limited direct measurement 3-D resolution. Confocal microscopy or optical coherence tomography (OCT) are example methods to obtain the axial scan data sets. The proposed processing can be applied to any 3-D wave-based 3-D imager including ones using electromagnetic waves and sound (ultrasonic) waves. Initial computer simulations are described to test the robustness of the proposed high resolution signal processing method.
A quantitative X-ray microanalysis thin film method using K-, L-, and M-lines

We have developed an improved quantitative X-ray microanalysis method using new relative intensity factors and ionization cross section equations. The method uses K-lines from Z=11 to 60 and all measurable L- and M-lines. Our most important improvement over existing procedures is in the equation for ionization cross section which takes the form Q x ~ b ln ( c U x ) / E x 2 U x d ; where Ex=excitation energy, U=overvoltage (E0/Ex), and b, c, and d are functions of atomic number. We obtained experimental k values on particulates of eight stoichiometric compounds using a STEM at 100 and 200 kV. These data and selected values from the literature were used to obtain the following functions for b, c and d: bK(Z⩽30)=8.874-8.158 ln Z+2.9055 (ln Z)2—0.35778 (ln Z)3; bK(Z>30)=0.661; bL=0.2704+0.00726 (ln Z)3; bM= 11.33-2.43 ln Z; cK=cL=cM=1; dK = 1.0667—0.00476 Z; dL = dM = 1. Precision and accuracy data obtained on eight samples using a variety of line combinations gave an overall relative accuracy of±4.4%.
Renal cell carcinoma with an emphasis on drug therapy of advanced disease, part 2.

Purpose. The diagnosis, staging, and management of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) are reviewed. The mechanism, pharmacokinetics, toxicity, clinical activity, and application of molecularly targeted agents in RCC are emphasized. Summary. RCC is the eighth most commonly diagnosed malignancy in the United States. The most common signs and symptoms are gross hematuria, flank pain, and the presence of a flank mass. Localized disease is found in about 55% of patients, 19% of patients have locally advanced disease, and 20% of patients have metastatic disease. Surgical resection is the mainstay of therapy for stage I–III RCC. The pharmacotherapy of RCC is undergoing significant change. Standard therapy used to include the cytokines interferon alfa and aldesleukin. High-dose aldesleukin is used to treat select patients. Its major value is the durability of responses in the few patients who achieve a complete remission. However, cytokines have been largely displaced by sorafenib tosylate, sunitinib malate, and temsirolimus due to their lower rates of toxicity and positive effects on progression-free survival. Bevacizumab has also shown activity in patients with advanced disease. Estimated five-year survival rates for patients with RCC are 89.6% for localized disease, 60.8% for regional disease, and 9.5% for patients with distant metastases. Studies are currently under way to assess the activity of combinations of available agents and new targeted agents as adjuvant therapy and for the management of advanced RCC. Conclusion. The options available for the management of advanced RCC have expanded considerably in the past five years with the advent of molecularly targeted therapies.