cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Receptor-Mediated Stimulation and Inhibition of Nerve Growth Factor Secretion by Vascular Smooth Muscle

Abstract Nerve growth factor (NGF) is a potent neurotrophin signaling protein, the best-known member of a family of similar neurotrophins. Specific neuronal populations depend upon the neurotrophins for normal function and disturbances in NGF and neurotrophin supply have been implicated in neurodegenerative disease, diabetes, and hypertension. This report details experiments in which the hourly pattern of NGF secretion by cultured vascular smooth muscle cells is examined. Vascular smooth muscle cells are major innervation targets of the neuronal population first discovered to be NGF-dependent: the sympathetic principal neurons. The results show that arginine vasopressin (AVP), angiotensin II (AngII), and α-adrenergic receptor activation, all contractile stimuli, elevate NGF secretion. However, AVP dependably does so alone while AngII requires coactivation of adenosine receptors. Adenosine alone inhibits secretion and the α-adrenergic increase in NGF output can be antagonized by activation of β-adrenergic receptors. A change to fresh culture medium is also a potent stimulus to increased NGF output.
Comparison Study of Airway Reactivity Outcomes due to a Pharmacologic Challenge Test: Impulse Oscillometry versus Least Mean Squared Analysis Techniques

The technique of measuring transpulmonary pressure and respiratory airflow with manometry and pneumotachography using the least mean squared analysis (LMS) has been used broadly in both preclinical and clinical settings for the evaluation of neonatal respiratory function during tidal volume breathing for lung tissue and airway frictional mechanical properties measurements. Whereas the technique of measuring respiratory function using the impulse oscillation technique (IOS) involves the assessment of the relationship between pressure and flow using an impulse signal with a range of frequencies, requires less cooperation and provides more information on total respiratory system resistance (chest wall, lung tissue, and airways). The present study represents a preclinical animal study to determine whether these respiratory function techniques (LMS and IOS) are comparable in detecting changes in respiratory resistance derived from a direct pharmacological challenge.
SU-E-J-27: Appropriateness Criteria for Deformable Image Registration and Dose Propagation

Purpose: Several commercial software packages have been recently released that allow the user to apply deformable registration algorithms (DRA) for image fusion and dose propagation. Although the idea of anatomically tracking the daily patient dose in the context of adaptive radiotherapy or merely adding the dose from prior treatment to the current one is very intuitive, the accuracy and applicability of such algorithms needs to be investigated as it remains somewhat subjective. In our study, we used true anatomical data where we introduced changes in the density, volume and location of segmented structures to test the DRA for its sensitivity and accuracy. Methods: The CT scan of a prostate patient was selected for this study. The CT images were first segmented to define structure such as the PTV, bladder, rectum, intestines and pelvic bone anatomy. To perform our study, we introduced anatomical changes in the reference patient image set in three different ways: (i) we kept the segmented volumes constant and changed the density of rectum and bladder in increments of 5% (ii) we changed the volume of rectum and bladder in increments of 5% and (iii) we kept the segmented volumes constant but changed their location by moving their COM in increments of 3mm. Using the Velocity software, we evaluated the accuracy of the DRA for each incremental change in all three scenarios. Results: The DRA performs reasonably well when the differential density difference against the background is more than 5%. For the volume change study, the DRA results became unreliable for relative volume changes greater than 10%. Finally for the location study, the DRA performance was acceptable for shifts below 9mm. Conclusion: Site specific and patient specific QA for DRA is an important step to evaluate such algorithms prior to their use for dose propagation.
Deafferentation of the Olfactory Bulbs of Male Rats Reduces Erection to Remote Cues from Females

Abstract Edwards, D. A. and A. B. Davis. Deafferentation of the olfactory bulbs of male rats reduces erection to remote cues from females. Physiol Behav 62(1) 145–149, 1997.—If male rats are paired with a receptive, soliciting female rat in a setting that prevents physical contact, but permits auditory, visual, and olfactory contact, some will have erections of the penis—noncontact erections (NCE). Surgical deafferentation of the olfactory bulbs from all the known chemosensory systems of the nasal septum renders rats anosmic, decreases sexual performance in copulation tests with females, and substantially reduces the frequency of NCE. Thus, NCE appear to be primarily regulated though the olfactory perception of volatile chemosensory cues from receptive females.
Contribution of concerted exchange to the entropy of self-diffusion in Si.

The concerted-exchange (CE) mechanism is at present the only viable candidate for atomic exchange that does not involve intrinsic lattice defects. In order to evaluate its contribution to self-diffusion in Si, we calculate the entropy associated with CE. We include full relaxation of the energy surface through an interatomic potential and take into account the dominant contributions of vibrational modes through the harmonic approximation. This gives an entropy of 6.3${\mathit{k}}_{\mathit{B}}$, which accounts for a large portion of the experimental result (7${\mathit{k}}_{\mathit{B}}$--9${\mathit{k}}_{\mathit{B}}$). We conclude that the CE mechanism is a significant contributor to self-diffusion in Si.
Proton magnetic resonance studies of the microstructure of polymethacrylic anhydride

Methacrylic anhydride was polymerized, in high yields, at temperatures ranging from 1 to 80°, in benzene solution, to linear, soluble polymers. The polymethacrylic anhydride so prepared was hydrolyzed to the corresponding polymethacrylic acid and this poly(acid) esterified by reaction with diazomethane to yield polymethyl methacrylate. The result is given of an x-ray diffraction study of an unstretched film of polymethyl methacrylate prepared in a similar manner. The determination of the fraction of the polymer present in each of the three possible stereoconfigurations, isotactic, syndiotactic, and heterotactic, was made from a nuclear magnetic resonance investigation of the derived polymethyl methacrylate. The results indicate that the stereoconfiguration is influenced by the cyclic polymerization mechanism. The results also indicate that there is a bias toward increasing isotactic character in the polymers with an increase in polymerization temperature. Two possible explanations are offered: one in terms of a kinetic control of the steric placements and the other in terms of a balance between equilibrium and kinetic considerations.
On the geometry of the unit spheres of the Lorentz spaces L w ,1

We identify the extreme points of the unit sphere of the Lorentz space L w ,1 This yields a characterization of the surjective isometries of L w ,1 (0,1). Our main result is that every element in the unit sphere of L w ,1 is the barycenter of a unique Borel probability measure supported on the extreme points of the unit sphere of L w ,1 .
Paediatric priapism—treatment conundrum

Priapism is a rare condition in childhood. The majority of reported cases are boys with sickle cell disease, in whom nonoperative management may be successful when patients present early. We report a 14-year-old boy with sickle cell disease who presented with priapism of 72-h duration and was successfully treated by bilateral saphenocorporal shunts.
Serum Glutamic-Oxaloacetic Transaminase Levels, Muscular Dystrophy and Certain Hematological Measurements in Chicks and Poults as Influenced by Vitamin E, Selenium and Methionine

Abstract STUDIES on muscular dystrophy in chicks have demonstrated that its development depends on a simultaneous deficiency in vitamin E and sulfur-containing amino acids (Dam et al., 1952; Machlin and Shalkop, 1956). Although dietary selenium by itself has been found only partially effective for preventing dystrophy in chicks (Nesheim and Scott, 1961), a synergistic effect between vitamin E and selenium was recently shown (Calvert et al., 1962). In contrast to this, muscular dystrophy in turkey poults can be prevented with dietary selenium as well as vitamin E, whereas the sulfur-containing amino acids are without effect (Walter and Jensen, 1963). Possible synergistic effects of vitamin E and selenium in the prevention of dystrophy in poults have not been tested. An elevated serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase level (GOT) has been suggested as a suitable diagnostic test for muscular dystrophy in lambs and calves (Kuttler and Marble, 1958). Cornelius et al. (1959) reported that inherited…
Health Status in an Invisible Population Carnival and Migrant Worker Children

One goal of Healthy People 2010 (2003) is to close the gap of disparities in access to care and health. The purpose of this descriptive exploratory study was to evaluate health status indicators in the children of itinerant carnival and migrant farmworkers aged birth to 12 years. Health status outcomes (immunization records, well-child examinations, dental health status, and growth parameters) were compared between the two groups and to national averages to identify health disparities. All forms were available in Spanish and English. A total of 97 children were recruited for this study: 45 carnival children and 52 migrant farmworker children.
Analysis of ammonium transporter and urease gene expression in Aureoumbra lagunensis

Abstract The pelagophyte Aureoumbra lagunensis D. A. Stockw., DeYoe, Hargraves et P. W. Johnson, causes ecosystem disruptive algal blooms and is responsible for the longest lasting harmful algal bloom ever recorded (1989–1997). Because of Aureoumbra's small size and its inability to use nitrate, it has been hypothesized that its ability to use ammonium and organic nitrogen, especially at low concentrations, contributed to the unusual persistence of this bloom. This study examined the expression of genes involved in organic and inorganic nitrogen assimilation to determine whether transcript levels were indicative of nitrogen source use and/or sufficiency in this organism. Large volume batch cultures of Aureoumbra were grown with either ammonium or urea as a nitrogen source. Physiological characteristics (C:N, chlorophyll a cell−1, and Fv/Fm) were monitored throughout the growth period, and the expression of the Amt-s1, Amt-s2 and Urec genes was assayed at early-, mid- and late-exponential phases. The transcript levels of only one gene, Amt-s1, appeared to change in response to changing nitrogen concentration, and only by ammonium. The ability to grow and maintain the efficiency of PSII in the absence of external nitrogen suggests that Aureoumbra is well-adapted to low-nutrient environments. The results of this study contribute to our understanding of how algae in general cope with low nutrient availability and should ultimately help to define the dynamics of these HAB events.
Evaluation of the Performance of Piezoceramic Materials at Moderately Elevated Temperatures

Piezoceramic materials used for the actuating and sensing of smart structures are limited in the temperature range in which they can operate. Operation at temperatures above ambient is desired for many applications including aircraft, turbine engine housings and others. The decrease in actuation and sensing capability with increasing temperature is due to the loss of stiffness of the adhesive used to bond piezoceramic patches to structures, and the loss of the piezoceramic properties through partial depoling of the lead zirconate titanate material. This paper examines the performance of piezoceramic patch actuators at moderately elevated temperatures.Copyright © 2002 by ASME
Autophagic Activity and Aging in Human Odontoblasts

Odontoblasts are long-lived post-mitotic cells in the dental pulp, whose function is to form and maintain dentin. The survival mechanisms that preserve the viability of terminally differentiated odontoblasts during the life of a healthy tooth have not been described. In the present study, we characterized the autophagic-lysosomal system of human odontoblasts with transmission electron microscopy and immunocytochemistry, to analyze the mechanisms that maintain the functional viability of these dentinogenic cells. Odontoblasts were found to develop an autophagic-lysosomal system organized mainly by large autophagic vacuoles that are acid-phosphatase-positive to various degrees. These vacuoles expressed the autophagosomal and lysosomal markers LC3 and LAMP2, respectively, in an age-related pattern indicating the organization of a dynamic autophagic machinery. Progressive accumulation of lipofuscin within lysosomes indicates reduced lysosomal activity as a function of odontoblast aging. Our results suggest that autophagic activity in odontoblasts is a fundamental mechanism to ensure turnover and degradation of subcellular components. A reduction in the efficacy of this system might compromise cell viability and dentinogenic secretory capacity. In adult teeth, this condition is described as an 'old odontoblast' stage.
A fratricidal fungal prion

Once again, 50 years after its discovery, the multifaceted het-s gene of Podospora anserina has surprised us. Long ago, it provided an important early example of heterokaryon incompatibility and cytoplasmic inheritance (1–4). In 1997, the product of allele het-s was shown to form a prion (infectious protein) that leads to cell death in incompatible combinations (5–7). Then, spore-killing meiotic drive factors were discovered in natural populations of Podospora (8). Ability to kill was correlated with heterokaryon incompatibility (9), and some of the killer strains resembled het-s in their effects on ascospore abortion. Now, in this issue of PNAS, Dalstra et al. (10) fit pieces of the jigsaw puzzle together, showing that the het-s prion acts as a spore killer in the sexual phase. It can thus be thought of as a selfish genetic element that promotes its maintenance by actively destroying meiotic products that bear the nonprion allele het-S . Podospora is a filamentous ascomycete related to the orange mold Neurospora crassa . Several characteristics of P. anserina have been important for analysis of the het-s gene. Vegetative growth consists of multinucleate syncytial filaments that may be homokaryotic or heterokaryotic, with nuclei that are haploid. Mating occurs between two physiologically distinct mating types. In the sexual phase, all four products of each meiosis are retained together in an ascus containing large spores that are pigmented when viable but unpigmented when inviable. Detection of spore killing and the implication of prions were aided by the curious and precise programming of ascus development in P. anserina , which produces individual ascospores that are normally heterokaryotic for mating type and for any other genes that are segregated into separate nuclei at the second meiotic division, but homokaryotic for genes segregating at the first division. As in other filamentous ascomycetes, …
Neural Strategies for Learning During Sensitive Periods of Development

Precise patterns of neural connectivity and synaptic communication are modified by experience during restricted "sensitive" periods of development, and the circuitry and associated behaviors that emerge during such periods are frequently preserved throughout the lifespan. In many neural systems, the expression of various molecules that influence synaptic transmission and neuronal morphology are developmentally regulated and may serve to constrain the timing of enhanced sensitivity to experiential inputs. In this highly selective review I concentrate on recent findings from the visual system and the song system that provide novel insights into the mechanisms that regulate sensitive period plasticity, and that raise new questions concerning what makes sensitive periods so sensitive.
“Optimal” inflation under dollarization

Abstract This paper analyzes the effects of dollarization, where a country (C) uses money produced by another country (M). We derive a general formula to determine the “optimal” rate of inflation, which maximizes M's welfare but does not take into account any loss to C. We show how this inflation varies with relative income size and output growth. Estimates of the “optimal” inflation rate are made for some countries. We also analyze a contract, under which M shares a fraction of total potential seigniorage with C to induce M to inflate at a rate which leads to no seigniorage accruing to M from C. Finally, we provide estimates of the present discounted value of the seigniorage accruing from M to C. Despite this loss, we estimate the net welfare gain to C's household when dollarization results in a lower rate of inflation.
Inequality and metropolitan rape rates: A routine activity approach

Past studies of the effect of inequality on violent crime assumed that inequality produces in individuals feelings of rage and alienation which increase the chances that certain people will engage in violent crime. Yet the mediating variable in this proposition (e.g., frustration, rage, alienation) cannot be measured directly. In this paper I argue that inequality produces lifestyles which are associated with the opportunity for offenders and victims to come into contact with each other outside the company of suitable guardians. Using routine activity theory, I constructed two criminal opportunity indexes: one measures general opportunity, the other racial differences in lifestyle. I used the FBI's rape rate as the dependent variable because less research has been devoted to understanding why women are at greater risk of rape in some areas than in others. The results showed that the opportunity indexes 1) were the strongest predictors of geographic variation in rape and 2) mediated the effects of inequali...
Predicting Employee Turnover from Friendship Networks

Employees (n=40) at a fast-food restaurant were surveyed about characteristics of their position and their level of satisfaction. Employees were then asked to report with whom they regularly communicated inside and outside the workplace and to indicate how close they were to employees with whom they were linked. Employee turnover was measured after three months had elapsed. A goal of the research was to replicate a model of employee turnover that predicts employees more central in their social network to be less likely to leave, and to test a social support explanation of the centrality model. The results indicated that employees who reported a greater number of out-degree links with friends were less likely to leave. The number of in-degree links with friends did not significantly predict turnover, and neither did network links with peers. Friendship prestige, measured by the number of in-degree links, was strongly correlated with relational closeness and amount of time spent with employees outside the w...
Texas Christian University (TCU) Short Forms for Assessing Client Needs and Functioning in Addiction Treatment

The TCU Short Forms contain a revised and expanded set of assessments for planning and managing addiction treatment services. They are formatted as brief (1-page) forms to measure client needs and functioning, including drug use severity and history (TCUDS II), criminal thinking and cognitive orientation (CTSForm), motivation and readiness for treatment (MOTForm), psychological functioning (PSYForm), social relations and functioning (SOCForm), and therapeutic participation and engagement (ENGForm). These instruments facilitate optically-scanned data entry, computerized scoring, and rapid graphical feedback for clinical decisions. The present study (based on 5,022 inmates from eight residential prison treatment programs) examines evidence on scale reliabilities and measurement structures of these tools. Results confirmed their integrity and usefulness as indicators of individual and group-level therapeutic dynamics.
Stoichiometry Based Steady-State Hepatic Flux Analysis: Computational and Experimental Aspects

The liver has many complex physiological functions, including lipid, protein and carbohydrate metabolism, as well as bile and urea production. It detoxifies toxic substances and medicinal products. It also plays a key role in the onset and maintenance of abnormal metabolic patterns associated with various disease states, such as burns, infections and major traumas. Liver cells have been commonly used in in vitro experiments to elucidate the toxic effects of drugs and metabolic changes caused by aberrant metabolic conditions, and to improve the functions of existing systems, such as bioartificial liver. More recently, isolated liver perfusion systems have been increasingly used to characterize intrinsic metabolic changes in the liver caused by various perturbations, including systemic injury, hepatotoxin exposure and warm ischemia. Metabolic engineering tools have been widely applied to these systems to identify metabolic flux distributions using metabolic flux analysis or flux balance analysis and to characterize the topology of the networks using metabolic pathway analysis. In this context, hepatic metabolic models, together with experimental methodologies where hepatocytes or perfused livers are mainly investigated, are described in detail in this review. The challenges and opportunities are also discussed extensively.
Epibulbar nodular fasciitis associated with floppy eyelids.

Purpose:To report a case of epibulbar nodular fasciitis in a patient with floppy eyelids.Method:Observational case report. Clinical, histologic, and immunohistochemical findings in a patient who underwent excision of a subconjunctival mass.Results:The clinical examination revealed floppy eyelids and
Effect of repeated testing on development of visual acuity in prairie deermice (Peromyscus maniculatus bairdi)

The pattern of development of visual acuity in deermice was determined by elicitation of optokinetic responses. The mice were tested either cross-sectionally (each individual tested only once) or longitudinally (individuals tested repeatedly) after eye opening. Development of acuity was significantly accelerated by the repeated testing procedure.
Exploiting coarse grained parallelism in database applications

An approach to exploiting coarse-grained parallelism in database applications is presented. This approach combines the database facilities of ADAMS with the dependency detection and parallel execution facilities of Mentat. The approach to providing mode-two parallelism is to make changes behind the ADAMS language interface, thus insulating users from the changes in operating environment. In addition, by merging with a mature parallel/distributed computing technology, it has been possible to capitalize on existing software to provide these facilities and avoid building them from scratch. >
Does Ferocactus wislizeni (Cactaceae) have a between-year seed bank?

Field and laboratory experiments at Tumamoc Hill, Tucson, Arizona, U.S.A., demonstrated that Ferocactus wislizeni, a common perennial cactus in the northern Sonoran Desert, has a between-year seed bank. In laboratory studies, F. wislizeni seeds lost dormancy during storage at room temperature and had a light requirement for germination. Field experiments suggested that as much as 2% of the annual seed crop might escape post-dispersal predation even when unprotected; where suitable safe sites exist, a higher percentage might escape. Germination of seed recovered monthly from above- and below-ground components of an artificial seed bank showed that seeds can survive at least 18 months in and on the soil. Seed banks enable F. wislizeni to take advantage of favorable rains and temperatures throughout the growing season, thus increasing the number of opportunities for germination. Moreover, seed banks enable F. wislizeni to respond hugely when the climate seems especially favorable, thus producing the large cohorts necessary to compensate for high seedling mortality.
Asymmetric collaboration through tele-presence

A heterogeneous distributed system that enables people in geographically separate locations to share a common workspace is presented. In particular, the applicability of such a system to the notion of asymmetric collaboration is illustrated by a chess scenario. In our system one user (novice) works in the real world and the other user (expert) works in a parallel virtual world. They are assisted in this task by an Intelligent Agent (IA) with considerable knowledge about the environment.
A 1.6pJ/bit 96% Stable Chip-ID Generating Circuit using Process Variations

A 128b 6.3pJ/b, 96%-stable chip-ID generation circuit using process variation is designed in a 0.13mum CMOS technology. The circuit consumes 162nW from a 1V supply at low readout frequencies and 6.34muW at 1 Mb/s. Two layout techniques are designed and fabricated to provide a performance comparison of power consumption and ID reliability
Oxindole; Isatin; 1H‐Indole‐2,3‐dione

[91-56-5] C8H5NO2 (MW 147.13) InChI = 1S/C8H5NO2/c10-7-5-3-1-2-4-6(5)9-8(7)11/h1-4H,(H,9,10,11) InChIKey = JXDYKVIHCLTXOP-UHFFFAOYSA-N (reagent used primarily as an electrophilic component in a wide array of reactions) Physical Data: mp 193–195 °C1; 202–203 °C.2 Solubility: Slightly soluble in water. Soluble in polar organic solvents such as methanol, acetone, DMSO, DMF, acetonitrile, or ethyl acetate. Partially soluble in organic solvents such as CH2Cl2 or CHCl3. Not soluble in nonpolar organic solvents such as hexanes, benzene, and toluene. Form Supplied in: orange solid; commercially available. Analysis of Reagent Purity: 1H NMR spectroscopy.3 Handling, Storage, and Precautions: Shelf stable. Eye and skin irritant. Intraperitoneal LD50 (rat) is 7.740 mg kg−1.4 Preparative Methods: Sandmeyer isatin synthesis is the most well-established and frequently-used preparative method for the synthesis of 2,3-indolinedione (isatin).5 In this method, aniline 1 undergoes condensation with chloral hydrate and hydroxylamine hydrochloride in aqueous sodium sulfate to form an isonitrosoacetanilide 2. The isonitrosoacetanilide 2 cyclizes upon exposure to concentrated sulfuric acid and the crystalline isatin 3 is collected by filtration (eq 1). The Sandmeyer isatin synthesis is also applicable to anilines with electron-withdrawing substituents.6 New preparative methods for isatin and isatin derivatives continue to be reported, such as the oxidation of indoles to isatins,7 the isolation of isatin from Comamonas sp.,8 and the palladium-catalyzed preparation of isatins from nitrobenzenes.9 (1)
Synthesis and Preclinical Evaluation of Glycoconjugate Vaccines against Group B Streptococcus Types VI and VIII

Group B Streptococcus (GBS) types VI and VIII are prevalent among serotypes isolated from pregnant women in Japan. Maternal vaccination with a safe and effective GBS vaccine has been proposed as a rational approach to prevent neonatal GBS disease. Because antibody specific for the capsular polysaccharide (CPS) antigens of GBS is protective, vaccines were developed with purified type VI and VIII CPS coupled to tetanus toxoid. In rabbits the newly synthesized conjugate vaccines elicited high-titered, type-specific antibody that was opsonically active in vitro. Moreover, litters born to mice actively vaccinated with the conjugate vaccines, in contrast to uncoupled CPS or saline, were protected against an ordinarily lethal challenge of GBS of homologous serotype. GBS types VI and VIII conjugate vaccines of the design presented may be important components of a multivalent GBS vaccine for use in regions where these serotypes predominate.
Comment on Barkow

The "Noble Savage" who heeds Barkow's (1978) advice to invest his time in his sister's children when parental certainty drops to 1/3 would be doing himself, and his genes, a disfavor. While Barkow correctly computes the probability of common genes between father and child at 1/6, the native's relatedness to his sister would not be 1/4 plus (1/4) (1/3) as Barkow asserts. If parental certainty is 1/3, then the likelihood that an individual and his sister
Oestrogen Replacement Therapy and Breast Cancer Risk: A Case-Control Study

The relationship between oestrogen replacement therapy and breast cancer risk was examined based on data obtained from a population-based case-control study of breast cancer on Long Island, New York, USA. Cases were defined as female residents of two Long Island counties, aged 20-79, who were diagnosed with breast cancer between 1 January 1984 and 31 December 1986. Age- and county-matched controls were selected from driver's licence files. Among all postmenopausal women, there was no significant association between ever-use of hormones to treat menopausal symptoms and breast cancer risk. There was also no significant positive association in any subgroup defined by type of menopause (natural, hysterectomy with at least one ovary intact, bilateral oophorectomy) or age at menopause. Additionally, there was no increasing trend in risk with duration of use either overall or in any subgroup, nor was there an effect at any interval since last use. A significant elevation in risk was observed in women with 10-19 years since first exposure, which was concentrated in women with a natural menopause or hysterectomy with at least one ovary remaining, and women aged > 45 at menopause. Results of logistic regression analysis revealed no important confounding by any of several established breast cancer risk factors. However, a significant interaction was observed between body mass index (BMI) and oestrogen use, with an effect of oestrogen use being seen only in the thinnest tercile. Although biologically plausible explanations for this finding exist, the effect of chance cannot be ruled out.
Flow Encountering Abrupt Topography

Abstract : To obtain spatial surveys of currents and hydrography around a large (with respect to the Rossby radius) island in the North Equatorial Current (NEC) and small islands in the North Equatorial Countercurrent (NECC).
Comparison of single mechanism and multi mechanism‐based approaches for kinetics of sediment removal

Abstract The process of cohesive particle sedimentation in aquatic environments is perceived as one of continuous formation of aggregates by coagulation and their separation from the water column by accumulation on the deposition bed. Over the temporal scales of practical interest for natural systems, many physical, chemical, and environmental factors govern the rate of sedimentation, hence a purely physics‐based description has not yet been developed. A new information‐based model that uses experimental information to derive governing parameters, while predicting removal through power law relationships, is proposed and tested. Analytical solutions derived for this model are shown to be applicable over large ranges of concentrations and to various fluid‐sediment environments. Comparisons with numerically derived and observed data show that the analytical model is a versatile tool that improves fundamental understanding of the physical processes involved in sedimentation. The inverse problem of identificat...
Cation-chloride cotransporters in the nervous system: General features and clinical correlations

Maintenance of intracellular chloride (Cl−) concentration ([Cl−]i) is critical for volume regulation and determines the effects of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and glycine-mediated neurotransmission. Cation-chloride cotransporters (CCC) transport Cl− together with sodium (Na+), potassium (K+), or both, across plasma membranes and have an important role in maintenance [Cl−]i. The CCC in the nervous system include the Na–K–2Cl cotransporter NKCC1, which mediates Cl− influx, and various K–Cl cotransporters, such as KCC2 and KCC3, that extrude Cl− from the cell. NKCC1 mediates regulatory volume increase in response to cell shrinkage; KCC3 primarily mediates regulatory volume decrease in response to cell swelling. The precise balance between NKCC1 and KCC2 activity and their effect on [Cl−]i determines the consequences of GABAergic and glycinergic signaling in the nervous system. In immature neurons, the predominant effects of NKCC1 renders the effects of GABA and glycine depolarizing, which is important for development of neuronal circuits. In the adult nervous system, the predominant KCC2 action is critical for the inhibitory effects of GABA and glycine in most synaptic circuits. Increased activity of NKCC1 contributes to cerebral edema and excitotoxicity in the setting of traumatic or ischemic brain injury, whereas impaired activity of KCC2 renders GABAergic inhibition ineffective and contributes to the pathogenesis of seizures and pain. The molecular physiology of the CCC and their role in neurologic disorders have been the subjects of several comprehensive reviews.1–11 BDNF= : brain-derived neurotrophic factor; CCC= : cation-chloride cotransporters; [Cl–]i= : intracellular chloride concentration; DRG= : dorsal root ganglion; ECl= : Cl− equilibrium potential; GABA= : γ-aminobutyric acid; GABAAR= : GABAA receptors; GlyR= : glycine receptor; KCC= : K-Cl cotransporters; NCC= : Na-Cl cotransporters; NKCC= : Na-K-2Cl cotransporters; TLE= : temporal lobe epilepsy; TMZ= : temozolomide
Railgun hybrid armatures, experimental results and performance characteristics

Six hybrid armature designs were evaluated in the UTSI one-centimeter square-bore railgun. Advanced diagnostic instrumentation was used to determine the characteristics of hybrid armatures which include a compound armature (current in plasma brushes to the metal armature followed by a plasma armature). The hybrid armatures were compact, with shorter current distributions than plasma armatures as measured with both optical and electromagnetic probes. Although the results are preliminary, due to the limited geometries investigated, the results are very encouraging. The short (less than one-bore-diameter) hybrids demonstrated efficiencies equal to or greater than plasma armatures and good armature stability. >
The Masters and the Slaves

The Masters and the Slaves:. Study In the Development of Brazillian Civilizat ion. Gilberto Freyrev Translated by Samuel Putnam. Second English Language edition. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1986. xc. 476 pp., glossary, bibl iog raphy, index of persons, Index of subjects. $14.95 (paper). ISBN 0-520-05665-5.
Managing Risk of IT Security Outsourcing in the Decision-Making Stage

With the promised benefits for outsourcing IT security services also come major risks. IT security outsourcing decisions possess major legal, organizational and contractual risks. Drawing on National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) publications as the principal source of information, supplemented by interviews with key security personnel, this research reviewed and extracted IT security risk elements which culminated in a flow-chart to aid decision-making with respect to IT security outsourcing.
Theory and interpretation of transient photoluminescence measurements

Results of a series of computer simulations of a transient photoluminescence experiment are presented. It is demonstrated that even in regions where the experimentally obtained decay curves show single exponential behavior, the slopes do not correspond to any single physical carrier lifetime. A series of measurements over a range of intensities is required to extract such parameters. >
Diagnostic assessment of search controls and failure modes in many-objective evolutionary optimization

The growing popularity of multiobjective evolutionary algorithms (MOEAs) for solving many-objective problems warrants the careful investigation of their search controls and failure modes. This study contributes a new diagnostic assessment framework for rigorously evaluating the effectiveness, reliability, efficiency, and controllability of MOEAs as well as identifying their search controls and failure modes. The framework is demonstrated using the recently introduced Borg MOEA, -NSGA-II, -MOEA, IBEA, OMOPSO, GDE3, MOEA/D, SPEA2, and NSGA-II on 33 instances of 18 test problems from the DTLZ, WFG, and CEC 2009 test suites. The diagnostic framework exploits Sobol's variance decomposition to provide guidance on the algorithms' non-separable, multi-parameter controls when performing a many-objective search. This study represents one of the most comprehensive empirical assessments of MOEAs ever completed.
Clinical presentation and protocol for management of hepatic sarcoidosis

The liver is one of the most commonly involved extrapulmonary sites in sarcoidosis. Hepatic sarcoidosis has a broad range of presentations from scattered, asymptomatic noncaseating granulomas with normal liver enzymes, which are very common in patients with known pulmonary sarcoidosis, to portal hypertension and cirrhosis, which are relatively uncommon. Diagnosis is based on a combination of clinical, laboratory and histological manifestations. The authors' protocol for management of patients with suspected sarcoidosis of the liver without focal lesions includes a transjugular liver biopsy with portal pressure measurements to confirm the diagnosis, rule out coexisting liver diseases and to identify select patients with fibrosis or portal hypertension for consideration of immunosuppression. Steroids and azathioprine are the preferred agents and methotrexate is not recommended.
Comments regarding 'Best medical therapy or wishful thinking in carotid disease? a single centre audit in Germany'.

The management of carotid artery disease has been carefully scrutinized over the past thirty years. The choice of surgery as compared to stenting for carotid disease has become more controversial with the recent data published from the CREST trial in the United States. The results from CREST can be interpreted in different ways, but I believe it has justified the efficacy and safety of carotid endarterectomy (CEA). This finding is especially true in older patients. The original clinical trials from the 1980’s and 1990’s (e.g. NACET and ACAS) demonstrated the value of carotid endarterectomy as compared to medical management in preventing TIA and stroke. The limitation of medical management at the time of publication of these trials was that aspirin alone was utilized as the sole agent in the majority of these studies. Our “medicine cabinet” has becomemuch more diversified and a combination of aspirin, Plavix, statin agents, b-blockers, and other medications are now readily available that assist in TIA and stroke prevention in patients with carotid artery disease. In light of the changes in the available “best” medical therapy, the results of the earlier clinical trials have been questioned. Many people have suggested that the carotid artery surgery trials need to be repeated with the current available medications
Megace Mystery: A Case of Central Adrenal Insufficiency

Megestrol acetate (MA) is a synthetic progestin with both antineoplastic and orexigenic properties. In addition to its effects on the progesterone receptor, MA also binds the glucocorticoid receptor. Some patients receiving MA therapy have been reported to develop clinical features of glucocorticoid excess, while others have experienced the clinical syndrome of cortisol deficiency-either following withdrawal of MA therapy or during active treatment. We describe a patient who presented with clinical and biochemical features of central adrenal insufficiency. Pituitary function was otherwise essentially normal, and the etiology of the isolated ACTH suppression was initially unclear. The use of an exogenous glucocorticoid was suspected but was initially denied by the patient; ultimately, the culprit medication was uncovered when a synthetic steroid screen revealed the presence of MA. The patient's symptoms improved after she was switched to hydrocortisone. Clinicians should be aware of the potential effects of MA on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis.
Devastating Delayed Leukoencephalopathy Associated with Bath Salt Inhalation.

“Bath salts” or synthetic cathinone toxicity remains a potentially deadly clinical condition. We report a delayed leukoencephalopathy with persistent minimally conscious state. Case report. A 36-year-old man presents with delayed encephalopathy, dysautonomia, fulminant hepatic failure, and renal failure from severe rhabdomyolysis after consuming bath salts. MRI showed diffusion restriction in the splenium of the corpus callosum and subcortical white matter. The combination of acute leukoencephalopathy, rhabdomyolysis and fulminant hepatic failure may point to bath salt inhalation and should be known to neurointensivists.
Initial Results from Radiometer and Polarimetric Radar-based Icing Algorithms Compared to in situ Data

In early 2015, a field campaign was conducted at the NASA Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio, USA. The purpose of the campaign is to test several prototype algorithms meant to detect the location and severity of in-flight icing (or icing aloft, as opposed to ground icing) within the terminal airspace. Terminal airspace for this project is currently defined as within 25 kilometers horizontal distance of the terminal, which in this instance is Hopkins International Airport in Cleveland. Two new and improved algorithms that utilize ground-based remote sensing instrumentation have been developed and were operated during the field campaign. The first is the 'NASA Icing Remote Sensing System', or NIRSS. The second algorithm is the 'Radar Icing Algorithm', or RadIA. In addition to these algorithms, which were derived from ground-based remote sensors, in-situ icing measurements of the profiles of super-cooled liquid water (SLW) collected with vibrating wire sondes attached to weather balloons produced a comprehensive database for comparison. Key fields from the SLW-sondes include air temperature, humidity and liquid water content, cataloged by time and 3-D location. This work gives an overview of the NIRSS and RadIA products and results are compared to in-situ SLW-sonde data from one icing case study. The location and quantity of super-cooled liquid as measured by the in-situ probes provide a measure of the utility of these prototype hazard-sensing algorithms.
The Quantification and Definition of Handedness: Implications for Handedness Research

Handedness studies clearly have a significant role to play in the study of cerebral dominance, and careful attention to study design will further increase their value to researchers. Specifically, handedness studies should include an appropriate number of experimental and control participants to demonstrate statistical significance and must control for age, as well as other factors not discussed including gender, educational background, and familial handedness (McGee & Cozad, 1980). A sensitive, validated measuring instrument (e.g., the EHI, rather than SDH) should be administered and scored quantitatively with a method such as the LS, which produces a score that is sensitive to both the degree and direction of handedness. The distribution of the entire range of scores should be tested for normality, and segments of the handedness range should be selected and assessed for differences between experimental and control groups using the appropriate statistics.
In vitro antiviral activity and cytotoxicity of aspirin: lack of selective activity against influenza A virus or rhinovirus

'Summary Because of a report that aspirin 5-10mM has potent anti-influenza virus A activity in vitro, we assessed aspirin's cellular cytotoxicity and inhibitory effects for influenza A and rhinovirus in cell culture. Aspirin 5-10mM was inhibitory for the growth of uninfected rhesus monkey kidney, MOCK, MRC-5 strain human embryonic lung, and HeLa cells. Concentrations of 2.5mM and lower had no inhibitory affects for growth of representative influenza A strains in MOCK or RMK cells or for rhinovirus serotype 39 or 1A in MRC-5 and HeLa cells. In summary, our in vitro studies did not find evidence for selective anti-rhinovirus or influenza A virus activities at non-cytotoxic concentrations of aspirin.
Comparison of glass eel stages of American eel and speckled worm eel in a northeast Florida estuary

Since 2001, a glass American eel, Anguilla rostrata (Lesueur), survey has been conducted at Guana River Dam, Florida, USA. Although present in earlier samples, glass speckled worm eel, Myrophis punctatus Lutken, were not identified until a large proportion appeared in samples in 2006. To determine whether the species could be separated in historical samples, weight–length relationships were compared between the two species. Then, with data from the full survey period, relationships between catch rate and annual percent contribution of glass speckled worm eel were explored in relation to temperature, water flow and salinity. Glass speckled worm eel were found to weigh significantly less and had distinguishing physical characteristics that could be used for identification. Glass speckled worm eel constituted between 0 and 34% of the catch, with no detectable pattern in timing or abundance among years. In 2006 and 2012, which had the two largest catches of glass speckled worm eel, relationship between nightly catch rate and measured environmental variables was inconsistent, even when measured variables had a similar range in values. It is recommended that south-eastern, including Gulf of Mexico, USA, states restrict harvest of glass American eel to prevent the incidental capture and exportation of glass speckled worm eel. Efforts should be made to ensure proper species identification in glass eel surveys.
Time-variant reliability assessment through equivalent stochastic process transformation

Abstract Time-variant reliability measures the probability that an engineering system successfully performs intended functions over a certain period of time under various sources of uncertainty. In practice, it is computationally prohibitive to propagate uncertainty in time-variant reliability assessment based on expensive or complex numerical models. This paper presents an equivalent stochastic process transformation approach for cost-effective prediction of reliability deterioration over the life cycle of an engineering system. To reduce the high dimensionality, a time-independent reliability model is developed by translating random processes and time parameters into random parameters in order to equivalently cover all potential failures that may occur during the time interval of interest. With the time-independent reliability model, an instantaneous failure surface is attained by using a Kriging-based surrogate model to identify all potential failure events. To enhance the efficacy of failure surface identification, a maximum confidence enhancement method is utilized to update the Kriging model sequentially. Then, the time-variant reliability is approximated using Monte Carlo simulations of the Kriging model where system failures over a time interval are predicted by the instantaneous failure surface. The results of two case studies demonstrate that the proposed approach is able to accurately predict the time evolution of system reliability while requiring much less computational efforts compared with the existing analytical approach.