cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Epidemic status of malaria in Zhenjiang City from 2004 to 2017

Objective To analyze the epidemic situation and epidemiological characteristics of malaria in Zhenjiang City from 2004 to 2017, so as to provide the evidence for formulating the reasonable strategies and measures for malaria prevention and control. Methods The epidemiological data of malaria in Zhenjiang City from 2004 to 2017 were collected and analyzed for the epidemic situation, epidemiological characteristics, species of Plasmodium, blood test status for febrile patients. Results A total of 182 malaria cases were reported in Zhenjiang City between 2004 and 2017, 123 cases (67.58%) were infected with P. vivax, and 55 cases (30.22%) were infected with P. falciparum. Among all the reported cases, 41 (22.53%) were local cases, 66 (36.26%) were imported cases from other provinces in China, 75 (41.21%) were imported cases from abroad. Most of the cases were male (133 cases), and 59.89% of them concentrated in the age groups of 20-50 years. These cases were mainly farmers (24.73%, 45/182) and workers (24.18%, 44/182), and most of the cases occurred from July to September. From 2004 to 2017, the blood tests were conducted for 258 879 febrile patients, with a positive detection rate of 0.007% in the local population and 0.724% in floating population, and there was a statistically significant difference between them (P Conclusions Since 2011, no indigenous cases have been reported in Zhenjiang City, and therefore, the control of imported malaria from abroad has become the key of malaria prevention and control in this city.
Knowledge and Acceptability of Human Papillomavirus Vaccination and Text Message Reminders for Adolescents in Urban Emergency Departments: A Pilot Study.

Purpose Cervical, oropharyngeal and anogenital cancers are vaccine-preventable diseases, but human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination coverage in the US remains poor overall with regional variations in vaccination rates. We explore the acceptability by adolescents and their parents of HPV vaccination and text message reminders in the non-traditional setting of the emergency department (ED). Patients and Methods The modified validated Carolina HPV Attitudes and Beliefs Scale (CHIAS) survey was administered at two urban EDs to adolescents aged 13-18 years and their parents. Demographic information was collected for each participating adolescent. Recruitment occurred with consecutive eligible participants on the ED census list approached within 4-hour blocks from 8am to 8pm. Results Ninety-six adolescents completed the survey. The mean adolescent and parental knowledge scores were 63% (SD=29.7) and 60% (SD=22.1), respectively. The higher the HPV knowledge score among both adolescents and parents, the more likely they were to accept HPV vaccine in ED. Among the 10 cases where the parents disagreed to the HPV vaccine and the adolescents agreed to the HPV vaccine, the mean knowledge score among parents disagreeing was 47 compared to 62 among the remaining parents (p=0.04). Sixty-seven percent of adolescents and 68% of parents were agreeable to the adolescent receiving vaccination in the ED (kappa = 0.24). Seventy-five percent of adolescents and 71% of parents reported being agreeable to receiving text reminders for HPV vaccines (kappa = 0.20). Adolescent agreement with receiving a text message reminder corresponded with an increased willingness to be vaccinated (OR=3.21, 95% CI=1.07-9.57, p-value=0.0368). Sexually active adolescents were older (mean age, 17 years) than those who reported no sexual activity (mean age, 15 years) (p<0.0001). Conclusion Increased knowledge about HPV influences vaccine acceptance. Parents and adolescents may disagree in accepting HPV vaccination. A majority of adolescents and their parents were agreeable to receiving HPV vaccination in the ED and subsequent text message reminders. The ED should be explored further as a non-traditional healthcare setting for HPV vaccination of adolescents.
Fractal Pharmacokinetics, Systems Pharmacology, Network Analysis, Multiscale, Kinetics, Toxicokinetics, Drug Safety

The complexity of pharmacokinetics and drug efficacy during clinical development is due to the multiscale understanding required from molecular drug-target interactions to organismal-level phenotypes. Since the first edition of this volume, a steady growth in advanced mathematical and/or computational techniques has been reported in the improved description and understanding of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. In addition to fractal pharmacokinetics, systems pharmacology and network analysis have provided researchers with better tools to describe drug kinetics in the treatment of disease. These and other approaches are summarized in this chapter.
Generating Relativistic Intensities via Staged Pulse Compression in Dielectric Media

We demonstrate staging of self phase modulation in thin dielectric plates to produce a cost effective means of generating relativistically intense pulses. This new scheme has low loss and maintains focusability.
A Chest X-ray Image Retrieval System for COVID-19 Detection using Deep Transfer Learning and Denoising Auto Encoder

The COVID-19 pandemic is the defining global health crisis of our time which is currently challenging families, communities, health care systems, and government all over the world. It is critical to detect and isolate the positive cases as early as possible for timely treatment to prevent the further spread of the virus. It was found in few early studies that patients present abnormalities in chest radiography images that are characteristic of those infected with COVID-19. In the current context, a rapid, accessible and automated screening tool based on image processing of chest X-rays (CXRs) would be much needed as a quick alternative to PCR testing, especially with commonly available X-ray machines and without the dedicated test kits in labs and hospitals. Several classifications based approaches have been proposed recently with encouraging results to detect pneumonia based on CXRs using supervised deep transfer learning techniques based on Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs). These black box approaches are mainly non-interactive in nature and their prediction represents just a cue to the radiologist. This work focuses on issues related to the development of such an automated system for CXRs by performing discriminative feature learning using deep neural networks with a purely data driven approach and retrieving images based on an unknown query image and performing retrieval evaluation on currently available benchmark datasets towards the goal of realistic comparison and real clinical integration. The system is trained and tested on an image collection of 1700 CXRs obtained from two different resources with encouraging results based on precision and recall measures in individual deep feature spaces. It is hoped that the proposed system as diagnostic aid would reduce the visual observation error of human operators and enhance sensitivity in testing for Covid-19 detection.
Laboratory Exercise to Measure Plasmid Copy Number by qPCR.

Quantitative PCR (qPCR) has numerous applications in biology. In an educational setting, qPCR provides students an opportunity to better understand the PCR mechanism by providing both quantitative information about the reactions and also data to troubleshoot PCRs (e.g., melt curves). Here, we present a relatively short (2-h) laboratory activity to demonstrate qPCR to quantify plasmid copy number (CN) by measuring the cycle threshold (CT ) values for a genomic gene and a plasmid gene using transformed cells as a template. The activity can be combined with additional laboratory exercises, including bacterial transformation, to create the template to be used in the qPCRs. This lab activity is ideal for undergraduate laboratory courses that include recombinant DNA technology. (This work was presented at the 2020 Biomedical Engineering Society annual meeting).
Perineural spread of peripheral neurolymphomatosis to the cauda equina

Objective Neurolymphomatosis (NL) is a rare manifestation of lymphoma confined to the peripheral nervous system that is poorly understood. It can be found in the cauda equina, but extraspinal disease can be underappreciated. The authors describe how extraspinal NL progresses to the cauda equina by perineural spread and the implications of this on timely and safe diagnostic options. Methods The authors used the Mayo Clinic medical records database to find cases of cauda equina NL with sufficient imaging to characterize the lumbosacral plexus diagnosed from tissue biopsy. Demographics (sex, age), clinical data (initial symptoms, cerebrospinal fluid, evidence of CNS involvement, biopsy location, primary or secondary disease), and imaging findings were reviewed. Results Ten patients met inclusion and exclusion criteria, and only 2 of 10 patients presented with cauda equina symptoms at the time of biopsy, with 1 patient undergoing a cauda equina biopsy. Eight patients were diagnosed with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, 1 with low-grade B-cell lymphoma, and 1 with mantle cell lymphoma. Isolated spinal nerve involvement was identified in 5 of 10 cases, providing compelling evidence regarding the pathophysiology of NL. The conus medullaris was not radiologically involved in any case. Lumbosacral plexus MRI was able to identify extraspinal disease and offered diagnostically useful biopsy targets. FDG PET/CT was relatively insensitive for detecting disease in the cauda equina but was helpful in identifying extraspinal NL. Conclusions The authors propose that perineural spread of extraspinal NL to infiltrate the cauda equina occurs in two phases. 1) There is proximal and distal spread along a peripheral nerve, with eventual spread to anatomically connected nerves via junction and branch points. 2) The tumor cells enter the spinal canal through corresponding neural foramina and propagate along the spinal nerves composing the cauda equina. To diffusely infiltrate the cauda equina, a third phase occurs in which tumor cells can spread circumdurally to the opposite side of the spinal canal and enter contralateral nerve roots extending proximally and distally. This spread of disease can lead to diffuse bilateral spinal nerve disease without diffuse leptomeningeal spread. Recognition of this phasic mechanism can lead to identification of safer extraspinal biopsy targets that could allow for greater functional recovery after appropriate treatment.
Squirming in density-stratified fluids

In this work, we study the axisymmetric motion of a prototypical swimming organism, a spherical squirmer, in a linearly density-stratified fluid. We assume the inertia is negligible, the stratification is weak, and the swimmer is oriented either vertically upward or downward. The swimmer acts as a settling particle or a neutrally buoyant organism depending on the relative magnitude of its density and the ambient fluid density. While the stratification reduces the speed of a settling particle, it increases (respectively, reduces) the speed of a neutrally buoyant puller (respectively, pusher). The stratification only affects the flow far from the swimmer and this far-field flow due to a settling particle (respectively, neutrally buoyant organism) at low advection of density is same as the flow due to a point-force (respectively, force-dipole) placed in a stratified fluid. The swimmer mixes the surrounding fluid. The mixing caused by a settling particle scales as the ratio of the particle size to the stratification length scale but the mixing due to a neutrally buoyant organism scales as the ratio of the buoyancy to the viscous forces. The latter mixing estimate is much larger than the previous estimate based on the force-dipole model of an organism but still negligible compared to the oceanic mixing. These results are useful to understand the stratification effects on the motility of the organism and the induced mixing.
Postoperative radiotherapy for patients at high risk of recurrence of oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma

Objectives To evaluate the efficacy of postoperative radiotherapy for oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OCSCC) by comparing outcomes of high-risk subgroups. Study Design Retrospective review. Methods Outcome study of 139 patients with OCSCC treated with gross total resection and postoperative radiotherapy ± chemotherapy and at least one high-risk pathologic finding: positive margin (52%), close (0.1–5 mm) margin (27%), or extracapsular nodal extension (ECE; 45%). Results Median follow-up was 2.3 years. Local-regional control (LRC), freedom from distant metastases, cause-specific survival, and overall survival (OS) rates at 5 years were 64%, 85%, 51%, and 36%, respectively. Five-year LRC for negative (>5 mm), close (0.1–5 mm), and positive (carcinoma in situ or tumor at ink) margins were 73%, 83%, and 63%, respectively (P = not significant). Five-year neck control was 100% for node-negative patients, 88% for node-positive patients with no ECE, and 86% for node-positive patients with ECE (P = not significant). The combination of close/positive margin and ECE resulted in worse 5-year LRC (37% vs. 70%, P < 0.001), progression-free survival (26% vs. 60%, P < 0.001), and OS (13 vs. 43%, P < 0.001) compared with a single high-risk indication. Conclusions Local-regional control was the predominant mode of treatment failure. Outcome in our series was not statistically different based on margin status or nodal ECE. This finding is indirect evidence of the efficacy of adjuvant radiotherapy in this setting. Level of Evidence 4. Laryngoscope, 125:630–635, 2015
Sugar analysis of cells in culture: Determination of the sugars of hela cells by isotope dilution☆

An isotope dilution method is described for assaying the sugars of mammalian cells. By using this method, 3 × 107 HeLa cells grown in suspension culture were found to contain 3.3 μg fucose, 12.5 μg mannose, 14.9 μg glucose, 18.0 μg galactose, 21.3 μg glucosamine, 5.7 μg galactosamine, and 12.5 μg N-acetylneuraminic acid; 94% of the fucose of HeLa cells is not extractable with glycolipid solvents.
Cache replacement and server selection for video proxy across wireless Internet

In this paper, we present a study of cache replacement for single server and server selection for multiple servers in wireless Internet. By considering multiple objectives of video proxy, we design a unified cost metric to measure video proxy performance in wireless Internet. Based on the defined unified cost metric, we propose a novel replacement algorithm for single server and a new server selection policy for video servers to improve the end-to-end performance such as throughput, video quality, and startup latency. Simulation results demonstrate that our approaches achieve significantly better performance than the known cache replacement algorithms and sever selection schemes.
Blocking variability: Arctic Amplification versus Arctic Oscillation

To predict future changes in blocking and the resulting weather extremes, some studies have proposed the negative phase of Arctic Oscillation (−AO) as an analogue for Arctic amplification because of similarities between their mean states: reduced midlatitude-to-pole temperature gradients and weakened, equatorward shifted jet streams. Using well-controlled modeling experiments, we show that blocking variations associated with mean state anomalies are opposite depending on whether these anomalies are driven by the internal dynamics as in AO or forced externally as in Arctic amplification. While blocking increases and its latitudinal-distribution shifts poleward in −AO, we find opposite responses when a mean state identical to the −AO mean state is externally forced. Findings suggest that the observed blocking-AO relationship is a correlation which does not imply that the −AO mean state causes increased blocking and should not be employed as a prototype for Arctic amplification. Furthermore, results urge for a careful consideration of causality before using internal variability to predict low-frequency response to external forcings.
Reply to letter to the editor: to D2O or not to D2O? What are the reasons we D2O it at all?

to the editor: the estimation of protein synthesis has long been used as an outcome variable to better understand anabolic processes in skeletal muscle. Much of what we have learned about the regulation of muscle mass and protein metabolism has been a result of our ability to estimate synthesis
Consistency of HDP applied to a simple reinforcement learning problem

Abstract In “reinforcement learning over time,” a system of neural networks learns to control a system of motors or muscles so as to maximize some measure of performance or reinforcement in the future. Two architectures or designs are now widely used to address this problem in an engineering context: backpropagation through time and the adaptive critic family. This article begins with a brief review of these and other neurocontrol methods and their applications. Then it addresses the issue of consistency in using Heuristic Dynamic Programming (HDP), a procedure for adapting a “critic” neural network, closely related to Sutton's method of temporal differences. In a multivariate linear environment, HDP converges to the correct system of weights. However, a variant of HDP—which appeals to common sense and which uses backpropagation with a complete gradient—leads to the wrong weights almost always. Similar consistency tests may be useful in evaluating architectures for neural nets to identify or emulate dynamic systems.
Obsidian-hydration dating of fluvially reworked sediments in the West Yellowstone region, Montana

This study evaluates obsidian-hydration dating in postglacial fluvial terraces cut into an outwash plain near West Yellowstone, Montana. Fluvial transport fractures obsidian grains. However, some old hydration rinds may be preserved, thus, a grain may record several fracturing events. The most recent fracturing event at West Yellowstone is recorded in surface sediments from all of the terraces, which were cut in a shorter period of time than the technique can discern. They formed about 19,000 ± 1000 yr ago, using published hydration-rate estimates and a mean rind thickness of 6.34 ± 0.14 μm (1 SE). Alternatively, the application of published hydration-rate constants for the Obsidian Cliff flow with an estimated effective hydration temperature of 1.4°C yield an age of 24,400 ± 1100 yr (1 SE). Thicker rinds record fracturing during Bull Lake glaciation and cooling cracks from the emplacement of several source flows. Much of the observed spread in rind thicknesses (6.34 ± 1.69 μm: 1 SD) is probably the result of chemically induced variations in hydration rate. Terrace ages based on a single rind would range from 13,000 to 39,000 yr (±1 SD). Therefore, it is inappropriate to (1) use a set of hydration-rate constants determined from a single sample to calculate ages for multiple artifacts or geological samples, (2) date an archaeological or geological event on the basis of a single artifact, or (3) generate a chronostratigraphy on the basis of individual dates as a function of depth. Multiple evaluations of source chemistry and hydration rates and multiple rind measurements are required to date fracturing events.
Aflatoxin binders II: reduction of aflatoxin M1 in milk by sequestering agents of cows consuming aflatoxin in feed.

Sequestering agents bind dietary aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and reduce absorption from an animal's gastrointestinal tract. As a result, they protect an animal from the toxic effects of AFB1 and reduce transfer of the metabolite, aflatoxin M1 (AFM1), into milk. Three experiments, using late-lactation Holstein cows fed AFB1-contaminated feed, were conducted to evaluate several potential sequestering agents for their abilities to prevent or reduce the transmission of AFM1 into milk. Six agents previously tested in our laboratory forAFB1 binding in vitro were evaluated in these experiments. These were: SA-20®, an activated carbon (AC-A); Astra-Ben-20®, a sodium bentonite (AB-20); MTB-100®, an esterified glucomannan (MTB-100); RedCrown®, a calcium bentonite (RC);Flow Guard®, a sodium bentonite (FG); and Mycrosorb®, a sodium bentonite (MS). Five of the six sequestering agents significantly (P < 0.01) reduced AFM1 contamination of milk (AB-20, 61%; FG, 65%; MS, 50%; MTB-100, 59%; and RC, 31%); whereas, AC-A, activated carbon, had no effect on AFM1 transmission at 0.25% of feed. By the first milking (1 day after cows consumed contaminated feed), AFM1 appeared in milk, then reached maximum levels after three days, and was absent from milk within four days after AFB1 was removed from the feed. Sodium bentonites at 1.2% of feed showed good potential asAFB1 binders; MTB-1OO, a yeast cell wall product, was equally effective at 0.05% in feed. PotentialAFB1 binding agents should be evaluated experimentally to demonstrate efficacy. Our data show that sequestering agents can reduce AFM1 in milk of cows fed AFB1-contaminated feed.
Regression quantiles and related processes under long range dependent errors

This paper obtains asymptotic representations of the regression quantiles and the regression rank-scores processes in linear regression setting when the errors are a function of Gaussian random variables that ale stationary and long range dependent. These representations are then used to obtain the limiting behavior of L- and linear regression rank-scores statistics based on the above processes. The paper also obtains the asymptotic uniform linearity of the linear regression rank-scores processes and statistics based on residuals under the long range dependent setup. It thus generalizes some of the results of Jureckova [In Proceedings of the Meeting on Nonparametric Statistics and Related topics (A. K. Md. E. Saleh, Ed.) pp. 217-228. Elsevier, Amsterdam/New York] and Gutenbrunner and Jureckova [Ann. Statist. 20 305-329] for the case of independent errors to one of the highly useful dependent errors setup.
Partial reinforcement effects on discrimination learning

Rats were trained on a series of reversals of a successive discrimination in which the percent­ age of S+ trials ending in food was varied. Changes in the discrimination index occurred more slowly with 50% reinforcement than with 100% reinforcement when the number oftraining trials was equated across conditions, but were approximately invariant when the conditions were equated with respect to the number of obtained reinforcements. Presentation of free reinforcement dur­ ing the intertrial intervals reduced the overall rate of discrimination acquisition, but left this invariance unaffected. Invariance in reinforcements necessary to attain acquisition also occurred when different discriminations correlated with different percentages of reinforcement were in­ termixed within experimental sessions. The failure of the invariance effect to be disrupted by either manipulation suggests that previous accounts of the invariance effect in terms of "compa­ rator" models of conditioning (e.g., Gibbon & Balsam, 1981) are inadequate. Percentage of reinforcement is among the most fre­ quently investigated behavioral variables. The great majority of studies have examined its influence on response vigor or persistence during extinction (e.g., par­ tial reinforcement acquisition and extinction effects). Far fewer studies have examined its effects during discrimi­ nation learning, in part because such effects seem intui­ tively obvious. That is, the less frequently that responses to a positive stimulus (S+ ) are followed by reinforcement, the more training will be required for the discrimination to be learned. Several different studies appear to confirm this intuition (e.g., Bowman, 1963; Williams, 1976b). Although discrimination is clearly retarded in terms of the number of training trials required for acquisition, there appears to be little effect of percentage of reinforcement when the measure is the number of reinforced trials. Eckerman (1969) studied the effects of nonreinforced responses to an S+ in a successive discrimination proce­ dure in which the proportion of S+ presentations ending in food was varied from 0.16 to 1.0 and reinforcement never occurred during S- presentations. As expected, more training time was needed to achieve the discrimi­ nation for the smaller reinforcement probabilities. But with respect to the measure of reinforcements to crite­ rion, the rate of discrimination was approximately con­ stant across all of the probability-of-reinforcement con­ ditions. Similarly, Gibbon, Farrell, Locurto, Duncan, and Terrace (1980) varied the probability of reinforcement in an autoshaping procedure and found that the number of reinforcements required to attain acquisition was approx
Thermal and electronic transport properties of p-type ZnSb.

Single crystal p-type zinc antimonide in thermoelectric, thermoconductivity and electronic transport measurements
Introduction to homogeneous networks

This paper surveys a variety of knowledge representation schemes and robot design architectures, including Hierarchical, Feedback-Based, Object Oriented, Process Oriented, Rule-Based and Subsumption. Robot hardware and software issues are discussed using several examples, in particular the 'Go-Fetch' robot is analyzed.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Teaching Mathematics in the Seventeenth and Twenty-first Centuries

(2002). Teaching Mathematics in the Seventeenth and Twenty-first Centuries. Mathematics Magazine: Vol. 75, No. 4, pp. 256-262.
Design and evaluation of a workplace intervention to promote organ donation.

Background—A number of efforts have been made to improve rates of deceased organ donation. However, few have been specifically designed for implementation in the workplace.Objectives—To design and evaluate a workplace intervention to increase documentation of intention to be posthumous organ donors, communication of donation intention to families, and family members' documentation of their donation intentions.Methods—The study was a randomized controlled trial of corporate employees. Within each corporation, worksites were randomized to a control condition or 1 of 2 educational interventions. Measures included baseline and 1-month postintervention measures of stage of organ donation intention, stage of family notification, and family members' organ donation intention.Results—Across 12 corporations, 40 worksites with a total of 754 participants were randomized. At 1-month follow-up, 495 participants (66%) completed a posttreatment questionnaire. The percentage of participants who signed organ donor cards i...
Degrees of tax indexation and nominal interest rates: Effects of inflation on incentives to save and invest

This paper examines the effects of inflation expectations on nominal interest rates, and incentives to save and invest under partial and complete tax indexation schemes. One would expect that a partially indexed structure would be better than a non-indexed system. However, this is not the case—it reduces the adverse effects of inflation on the incentives to save, but accentuates them on the incentives to invest. Moreover, a change from a non-indexed tax structure to a fully-indexed structure will, ceteris paribus, lead to lower equilibrium interest rates, whereas a switch to a partially indexed system will imply higher rates.
Effect of induced alkalosis on swimming time trials.

Abstract Previous studies have shown that sodium bicarbonate ingestion prior to exercise may improve performance during repeated (interval) bouts. To examine the practical implications of such findings, seven collegiate swimmers participated in simulated swim competitions of multiple events following sodium bicarbonate (B) ingestion, placebo (P) ingestion and control (C ‐ no ingestion) treatments. Each swimmer reported to the laboratory 1 h prior to the simulated competitions (72 h apart) and was randomly assigned to one of the three experimental treatments. Competition consisted of one relay (100 yards;91.4 m) and two individual (200 yards; 182.8 m) swimming events with 20 min rest between events. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) with repeated measures revealed no significant differences in performance times as a result of the three treatments (P>0.05). The results suggest that sodium bicarbonate ingestion prior to swim competition consisting of significant rest intervals between events is not an ergogenic p...
Research on Power Grid Reasoning Expert System Based on Ontology

Abstract Power Grid reasoning expert system is a complex system. To solve knowledge sharing of knowledge Base in expert system, we abstract and analyze the power grid security investigation procedure by using ontology Technology. With ontology-based Power Grid knowledge base, we establish associated relationship of procedure vocabularies. In this paper, we introduce and analyze of semantic reasoning tools such as Jena. The reasoner mechanism and inference rules of grammar has been included and explained. At last we give a specific application of security investigation procedure ontology and reasoning.
Anticonvulsant effects of adenosine analogues on amygdaloid-kindled seizures in rats.

Abstract Male Long-Evans rats were stereotaxically implanted with a bipolar electrode in the central amygdala and with a stainless-steel cannula in the lateral cerebral ventricle. Rats were then kindled once daily until 3 consecutive Stage 5 kindled seizures were elicited. Adenosine analogues were injected into the lateral cerebral ventricle to examine their effects on behavioral seizures and afterdischarge duration following a kindling stimulus. 5'-N-ethylcarboxamidoadenosine (NECA) and (-)-N-(1-methyl-2-phenylethyl)-adenosine( l -phenylisopropyladenosine) ( l -PIA) produced dose-related reductions of amygdaloid-kindled seizures with NECA exhibiting slightly more potent anticonvulsant activity than l -PIA. Parenteral injections of caffeine, at a dose which had no effect on seizure parameters, antagonized the anticonvulsant effects of NECA. These results are consistent with the notion that adenosine is a modulator of synaptic activity in the CNS and methylxanthines exert a specific antagonism of central adenosine receptors.
Medical problem solving: A ten-year retrospective.

This essay reviews the origins, findings and influence of the monograph Medical Problem Solving: An Analysis of Clinical Reasoning. Majorfindings of the monograph are reviewed in the light of subse...
Calculating Storage Needs for an Optical Archive

Computed radiography (CR) and film digitizers have now made it possible to begin conversion of standard film archives to electronic storage of image data. Advantages of electronic storage include increased image availability; decreased image loss; electronic image enhancement and analysis; and savings in space and possible savings in personnel time required to operate the image archive.
On the dynamics of magma mixing by reintrusion: implications for pluton assembly processes

Abstract Many plutons have formed by repeated intrusion, with complex internal contacts characterized by sharp and diffuse kinematic and compositional domains. We performed numerical experiments of mixing following magma chamber recharge that explicitly considers the fluid dynamics of multiphase mixtures. In the limit of zero diffusivity of intensive scalar quantities and low Stokes number, mingling by fluid instability is equivalent to deformation, and persistent fluid structures are kinematic ‘attractors’. Three distinct regimes are exemplified, and can be described by their multiphase Reynolds (or Grashof) number. For a Reynolds number greater than about 100, an internal intrusive contact will collapse by internal wave-breaking, and chaotic magma mingling and mixing yield a nearly chamber-wide stratification. This flow may scour mushy regions at the walls and widely distribute previously crystallized material. For Reynolds numbers from 10 to 100, the internal wave does not break, and the stratification occupies less of the chamber, leaving islands of unmixed material. For Reynolds numbers around 1, internal slumping and folding can occur, and is the most likely to be preserved by a mineral fabric. Internal, sub-vertical contacts require a high absolute viscosity in the resident magma, representing a time-break between episodes of reintrusion. The shape of perched mafic domains captures the progress of sinking from higher levels into regions of increasing strength and crystallinity.
Neural network analysis for hierarchical prediction of soil hydraulic properties

The solution of many field-scale flow and transport problems requires estimates of unsaturated soil hydraulic properties. The objective of this study was to calibrate neural network models for prediction of water retention parameters and saturated hydraulic conductivity, K s , from basic soil properties. Twelve neural network models were developed to predict water retention parameters using a data set of 1209 samples containing sand, silt, and clay contents, bulk density, porosity, gravel content, and soil horizon as well as water retention data. A subset of 620 samples was used to develop 19 neural network models to predict K s . Prediction of water retention parameters and K s generally improved if more input data were used. In a more detailed investigation, four models with the following levels of input data were selected: (i) soil textural class, (ii) sand, silt, and clay contents, (iii) sand, silt, and clay contents and bulk density, and (iv) the previous variables and water content at a pressure head of 33 kPa. For water retention, the root mean square residuals decreased from 0.107 for the first to 0.060 m 3 m -3 for the fourth model while the root mean square residual K s decreased from 0.627 to 0.451 log(cm d -1 ). The neural network models performed better on our data set than four published pedotransfer functions for water retention (by 0.01-0.05 m 3 m -3 ) and better than six published functions for K s (by 0.1-0.9 order of magnitude). Use of the developed hierarchical neural network models is attractive because of improved accuracy and because it permits a considerable degree of flexibility toward available input data.
Renal function and genetic polymorphisms in pediatric heart transplant recipients.

Background Common genetic variations influence rejection, infection, drug metabolism, and side effect profiles after pediatric heart transplantation. Reports in adults suggest that genetic background may influence post-transplant renal function. In this multicenter study, we investigated the association of genetic polymorphisms (GPs) in a panel of candidate genes on renal function in 453 pediatric heart transplant recipients. Methods We performed genotyping for functional GPs in 19 candidate genes. Renal function was determined annually after transplantation by calculation of the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). Mixed-effects and Cox proportional hazard models were used to assess recipient characteristics and the effect of GPs on longitudinal eGFR and time to eGFR 2 . Results Mean age at transplantation was 6.2 ± 6.1 years. Mean follow-up was 5.1 ± 2.5 years. Older age at transplant and black race were independently associated with post-transplant renal dysfunction. Univariate analyses showed FASL (C-843T) T allele ( p = 0.014) and HO-1 (A326G) G allele ( p = 0.0017) were associated with decreased renal function. After adjusting for age and race, these associations were attenuated ( FASL , p = 0.075; HO-1 , p = 0.053). We found no associations of other GPs with post-transplant renal function, including GPs in TGFβ1, CYP3A5, ABCB1, and ACE . Conclusions In this multicenter, large, sample of pediatric heart transplant recipients, we found no strong associations between GPs in 19 candidate genes and post-transplant renal function. Our findings contradict reported associations of CYP3A5 and TGFβ1 with renal function and suggest that genotyping for these GPs will not facilitate individualized immunosuppression for the purpose of protecting renal function after pediatric heart transplantation.
Optical Thermal Ratchet

We present an optical realization of a thermal ratchet. Directed motion of Brownian particles in water is induced by modulating in time a spatially periodic but asymmetric optical potential. The net drift shows a maximum as a function of the modulation period. The experimental results agree with a simple theoretical model based on diffusion.
Resonances in Baryon Baryon and Pion - Deuteron Scattering

A model to study the influence both of six-quark configurations and of channel coupling in baryon-baryon scattering is presented. In this paper the nonstrange $s$-wave six-quark (${q}^{6}$) configurations and channels coupling to them are investigated. The $(I,{J}^{P})=(0,{1}^{+}) \mathrm{and} (1,{0}^{+}){q}^{6}$ states have a small recoupling to the $\mathrm{NN}$ $S$ waves causing repulsion in these waves. The $(1,{0}^{+}){q}^{6}$ state couples to $\ensuremath{\pi}d$ through quark-antiquark creation and shows up as a resonance in the $^{3}P_{0}$ wave. In the $^{1}D_{2}$ $\mathrm{NN}$ wave a resonant behavior is caused by the $NN\ensuremath{-}N\ensuremath{\Delta}$ coupling. The $(1,{2}^{+}){q}^{6}$ state enhances the resonant behavior around the $N\ensuremath{\Delta}$ threshold. The same enhancements are observed in the $^{3}P_{2}$ $\ensuremath{\pi}d$ wave. The $(0,{3}^{+}){q}^{6}$ state causes a narrow resonance ($\ensuremath{\Gamma}\ensuremath{\sim}1$ MeV) in the coupled $^{3}D_{3}\ensuremath{-}^{3}G_{3}$ $\mathrm{NN}$ waves.
Tell me what

“Tell Me What” is smart phone based image recognition system, and it is also an automatic pipeline for generating image recognition systems to recognize an arbitrary set of entities. For any given set of entities, “Tell Me What” backend system automatically fetches related image data from the Internet for each entity, and then run a comprehensive data cleaning process to purify the data. A multi-class classifier and inverted index are then built based on the cleaned data. For an unknown new image captured by a camera, the user is allowed to optionally highlight regions and then a classification process and a search process are applied to get recognition results. Distributed computing techniques are applied to ensure that the backend model and index generation processes can be done in a few hours.
Whole mammary gland organ culture, selection of appropriate gland.

This report presents the results of studies on differences in the responsiveness of the different mammary glands of virgin mice in whole mammary gland organ culture. The entire second and third thoracic and the fourth inguinal mammary fat pads containing the parenchyma were excised and incubated in Waymouth's medium (MB752/1) supplemented with the hormones estradiol, progesterone, aldosterone, insulin, growth hormone, and prolactin. The rate of DNA synthesis was determined by acid-insoluble [3H]-thymidine radioactivity. Morphological measures of the extent of lobulo-alveolar development in the parenchyma were used as criteria of induction of mammogenesis in organ culture. It was evident that, after 3 and 5 days incubation in vitro, the mammary parenchyma in the second thoracic fat pad is the most responsive to the hormone-supplemented medium.
Thermochemical conversion of polysaccharides in concentrated alkali to glycolic acid

Degradation of starch and cellulose in alkaline solutions above 8N NaOH favored the production of glycolic acid. In 16N NaOH, starch and cellulose degraded at 240°C to produce, respectively, 46 and 43% yields of glycolic acid. At these same conditions, 24 and 12% yields of oxalic acid were also produced from starch and cellulose. Raising the amount of starch or cellulose above 10 g in 250 mL 16 N NaOH lowered the percent yields of glycolic and oxalic acids, but increased absolute yields sufficiently to consider larger polysaccharide: 16 N NaOH ratios for commercial use. Substituting KOH for NaOH lowered glycolic and oxalic acid yields, and demonstrated the effect of the alkali cation on the conversion reactions.
Critical and three phase behavior in the carbon dioxide/tridecane system

The PT behavior of the carbon dioxide/normal alkane series exhibits a distinct transition in the CO2/nC13H28 system. This particular diagram is characterized by two liquid—liquid—vapor (l-l-g) loci, a lower liquid-upper liquid (l-l) critical branch extending from high pressures to the upper critical end point (UCEP) and two liquid—vapor (l-g) critical branches which cross near the lower critical end point (LCEP). An experimental PTx diagram in the vicinity of the CO2 critical point, LCEP and K point reveals the emergene at the LCEP of a l-l region which increases in size with temperture while the upper liquid—vapor (L2-g) region diminishes, eventually disappearing at the K point. The l-l-g surface illustrates the compositional changes of each phase with temperture. Detailed Px diagrams at three temperatures between the LCEP and K point are presented and each exhibits two critical points, a l-l-g locus and curves of constant phase volume ratio which show discrete changes in both value and slope at the l-l-g locus. Graphical and numerical methods of determining the phase densities and compositions from three phase volumetric behavior are presented.
LED Based Light Monitoring System for the Primex Experiment at Jefferson Lab

A multichannel Light Monitoring System (LMS) based on super-bright blue LED, has been developed for the high resolution electromagnetic hybrid calorimeter (HYCAL) at Jefferson Lab. The central part of the calorimeter consists of 1200 PbWO4 crystal modules. The prototype LMS has been constructed and tested, and has demonstrated a capability of providing an adequate light pulse per each channel, equivalent to the signal of 5 GeV electrons in the detector. The final Light Monitoring System with 1800 output channels and fiber optics light distribution system is presently under construction. The light source of the LMS represents an assembly of 31 super bright blue LEDs connected in series. The uniformity of the output light is achieved by mixing light from the LED assembly in an integrating sphere. The light intensity is being monitored using PIN photo diode and reference photomultipliers with Am radioactive source. In order to achieve (0.1 0.3)% long term stability, the system including the light source, the photo diode with the preamplifier and the reference PMT, is thermally stabilized.
Exploring luminescence-based temperature sensing using protein-passivated gold nanoclusters

We explore the analytical performance and limitations of optically monitoring aqueous-phase temperature using protein-protected gold nanoclusters (AuNCs). Although not reported elsewhere, we find that these bio-passivated AuNCs show pronounced hysteresis upon thermal cycling. This unwanted behaviour can be eliminated by several strategies, including sol–gel coating and thermal denaturation of the biomolecular template, introducing protein-templated AuNC probes as viable nanothermometers.
INVESTIGATION OF THE ACOUSTIC STREAMING IN A RECTANGULAR CAVITY INDUCED BY THE VIBRATION OF ITS LID

This paper investigates fluid flow in a rectangular cavity whose lid (the upper boundary) vibrates in one standing wavelength. The fluid in the cavity is driven by the sinusoid streaming velocity at the edge of the viscous boundary layer near the lid. When the vibration Reynolds number is sufficiently large, the boundary layer thickness is negligible. The properties of the primary and secondary eddies and the interaction between the primary eddies are discussed in detail for the cavities of three different aspect ratios.
NAAG peptidase inhibitors and deletion of NAAG peptidase gene enhance memory in novel object recognition test.

The peptide neurotransmitter N-acetylaspartylglutamate (NAAG) is inactivated by the extracellular enzyme glutamate carboxypeptidase II. Inhibitors of this enzyme reverse dizocilpine (MK-801)-induced impairment of short-term memory in the novel object recognition test. The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that NAAG peptidase inhibition enhances the long-term (24 hr delay) memory of C57BL mice in this test. These mice and mice in which glutamate carboxypeptidase II had been knocked out were presented with two identical objects to explore for 10 minutes on day 1 and tested with one of these familiar objects and one novel object on day 2. Memory was assessed as the degree to which the mice recalled the familiar object and explored the novel object to a greater extent on day 2. Uninjected mice or mice injected with saline prior to the acquisition session on day 1 demonstrated a lack of memory of the acquisition experience by exploring the familiar and novel objects to the same extent on day 2. Mice treated with glutamate carboxypeptidase II inhibitors ZJ43 or 2-PMPA prior to the acquisition trial explored the novel object significantly more time than the familiar object on day 2. Consistent with these results, mice in which glutamate carboxypeptidase II had been knocked out distinguished the novel from the familiar object on day 2 while their heterozygous colony mates did not. Inhibition of glutamate carboxypeptidase II enhances recognition memory, a therapeutic action that might be useful in treatment of memory deficits related to age and neurological disorders.
Measurement of the Force-Distance Profile for the Interaction between a Dislocation and a Point Defect

It is demonstrated that the force-distance profile for a dislocation and a single point defect can be determined from amplitude-dependent internal-friction measurements.
A generalized hybrid orbital (GHO) method for the treatment of boundary atoms in combined QM/MM calculations

A generalized hybrid orbital (GHO) method has been developed at the semiempirical level in combined quantum mechanical and molecular mechanical (QM/MM) calculations. In this method, a set of hybrid orbitals is placed on the boundary atom between the QM and MM fragments, and one of the hybrid orbitals participates in the SCF calculation for the atoms in the QM region. The GHO method provides a well-defined potential energy surface for a hybrid QM/MM system and is a significant improvement over the “link-atom” approach by saturating the QM valencies with hydrogen atoms. The method has been tested on small molecules and yields reasonable structural, energetic, and electronic results in comparison with the results of the corresponding QM and MM approximations. The GHO method will greatly increase the applicability of combined QM/MM methods to systems comprising large molecules, such as proteins.
Role of metabotropic glutamate receptors in oligodendrocyte excitotoxicity and oxidative stress

Developing oligodendrocytes (OLs) are highly vulnerable to excitotoxicity and oxidative stress, both of which are important in the pathogenesis of many brain disorders. OL excitotoxicity is mediated by ionotropic glutamate receptors (iGluRs) of the α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid/kainate type on these cells. Here we report that metabotropic GluRs (mGluRs) are highly expressed in OL precursors but are down-regulated in mature OLs. Activation of group 1 mGluRs attenuates OL excitotoxicity by controlling downstream oxidative stress after iGluR overactivation and also prevents nonexcitotoxic forms of oxidative stress by inhibiting reactive oxygen species accumulation and intracellular glutathione loss. The modulating effect of group 1 mGluRs on hypoxic-ischemic OL injury is not due to iGluR endocytosis that occurs in neurons in response to mGluR activation but requires activation of PKCα after G protein coupling to phospholipase C. Our results reveal a previously undescribed role for mGluRs in limiting OL injury and suggest that targeting group 1 mGluRs may be a useful therapeutic strategy for treating disorders that involve excitotoxic injury and/or oxidative stress to OLs.