cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mechanisms That Produce Nitric Oxide–Mediated Relaxation of Cerebral Arteries During Atherosclerosis

Background and Purpose —The first goal of the present study was to examine the hypothesis that relaxation of cerebral arteries to nitric oxide in primates is dependent on activation of soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC). The second goal was to determine whether the role of sGC in mediating responses to nitric oxide is altered in atherosclerosis. Methods —Basilar arteries from normal and atherosclerotic monkeys were studied in vitro. After precontraction with prostaglandin F2α (0.1 to 1 μmol/L), concentration-response curves to authentic nitric oxide (1 nmol/L to 1 μmol/L), sodium nitroprusside (10 nmol/L to 10 μmol/L; a nitric oxide donor), and papaverine (10 nmol/L to 10 μmol/L; a non–nitric oxide, non–sGC-dependent stimulus) were generated in the presence and absence of 1H-[1,2,4]-oxadiazolo[4,3-a]quinoxalin-1-one (ODQ; 1 and 10 μmol/L; an inhibitor of sGC). The effect of ODQ on basal tone of basilar arteries from normal and atherosclerotic monkeys was also examined. Results —Nitric oxide, sodium nitroprusside, and papaverine produced relaxation that was similar ( P >0.05) in normal and atherosclerotic monkeys. ODQ produced marked inhibition ( P <0.05) of vasorelaxation in response to nitric oxide and nitroprusside but not papaverine. For example, relaxation of the basilar artery in response to nitric oxide (0.1 μmol/L) was inhibited by approximately 85% and 73% by ODQ (1 μmol/L) in normal and atherosclerotic monkeys, respectively. ODQ produced contraction of the basilar arteries, and the increase in tension to ODQ was greater in normal (2.7±0.3 g; mean±SE) than in atherosclerotic monkeys (1.4±0.4 g; P <0.05). In contrast, contraction to prostaglandin F2α was similar in the basilar artery from normal and atherosclerotic monkeys. Conclusions —These findings suggest that (1) relaxation of cerebral arteries in primates in response to nitric oxide is normally dependent, in large part, on activation of sGC and (2) the influence of sGC (via reduced production and/or activity of basal nitric oxide) on cerebral vascular tone is reduced in atherosclerosis.
Planning as argumentation

The planning process is interpreted as a process of rational argumentation. The structure of and standards for rational arguments in any discipline are discussed and subsequently applied to the field of public planning. The principal threats to rational argumentation in planning are seen to be associated with the lack of a shared discourse structure, and with planning's borrowing much of its conceptual repertoire from other disciplines. Planning arguments, unlike arguments in most fields, must supply both empirical and normative premises for their claims. At least three types of reasoning—utilitarian, systems, and procedural—characterize the variation in form among planning arguments. The standards of rational argumentation can allow one to judge the 'better argument' among those based on the same type of reasoning. There are no rational means, however, for judging among competing claims of arguments based upon different types of reasoning in lieu of a public discourse on what constitutes a 'good society'.
Incorporation of [14C] acetate into aflatoxin by resting cultures of Aspergillus parasiticus in the presence of antifungal agents

Resting cultures of Aspergillus parasiticus were treated with sorbic acid (200 ppm), Nα-palmitoyl-l-lysyl-l-lysine ethyl ester dihydrochloride (PLL) (300 ppm), nisin (30 ppm), nystatin (30 U/ml), dichlorvos (9 ppm), butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) (30 ppm) and isoprothiolane (30 ppm). Incorporation of [14C]acetate into aflatoxins B1 and G1 by the mold in the presence of these antifungal agents was measured after 12 h of agitated incubation at 28°C. Nystatin and BHA effectively inhibited incorporation of the label into aflatoxin B1 (73.1 and 56.9%) and G1 (68.9 and 91.6%), respectively, whereas PLL and nisin, at the levels used, were less effective. Sorbic acid caused greater inhibition of de novo synthesis of aflatoxin B1 than of G1 while isoprothiolane exhibited the opposite effect. Because the compounds tested had dissimilar physical, chemical and antimicrobial properties, it is likely that they inhibited synthesis of aflatoxin by different mechanisms. Generally, inhibition of aflatoxin synthesis by the test chemicals under resting conditions was more pronounced than what was reported earlier when the same chemicals (at the same levels) were tested with growing cultures of the mold.
Sildenafil citrate ingestion in a pediatric patient.

Background: Sildenafil citrate is the first FDA-approved oral agent for male erectile dysfunction. Common adverse effects include flushing, headache, and dyspepsia, although more serious side effects have been reported. Because of its specific therapeutic indication, sildenafil toxicity has been limited almost exclusively to adults. We report a symptomatic case of pediatric sildenafil ingestion. Case: A 2-year-old male ingested 75 mg of sildenafil citrate (Viagra) 2 hours prior to arrival at an emergency room. Ipecac syrup had been given at home with one episode of vomiting. Activated charcoal was considered but withheld due to the delayed presentation to the hospital. The patient was observed in the hospital for 17.5 hours. Observed clinical effects included facial flushing, transient penile engorgement, bilateral rhonchi, and diarrhea. No significant cardiovascular effects were seen. A bronchodilator was given with resolution of rhonchi. No other specific interventions were required. One day after discharge, the patient had one additional bout of diarrhea and complained of pain in the penile region for one day. Two weeks after the exposure, the patient's mother denied any unusual symptoms. Conclusion: Pediatric ingestion of sildenafil may result in mild symptoms including persistent flushing and penile engorgement with associated pain. Penile pain may persist even after resolution of the erection. It is questionable whether the respiratory symptoms and diarrhea were related since neither has been described following sildenafil exposure. Significant cardiovascular symptoms were not seen. Early administration of ipecac syrup did not prevent symptoms from developing.
Steven Wheatley. The Democratic Legitimacy of International Law

The concept of global governance epitomizes transformations in the structure of political organization and highlights changes in the ways in which public authority is exercised. Times of change invite scholars to contemplate the plausibility of orthodox beliefs and doctrinal concepts. They push them towards innovation and there is indeed a strong sense among international lawyers that the terms of debate about the legitimacy of international law are shifting. A number of contributions over the past years have tried to respond to the challenges which phenomena of global governance pose to international legal scholarship. 1 The mounting wealth of literature now comes to speak in Steven Wheatley's book on The Democratic Legitimacy of International Law in which he calls on the legal profession to engage with questions of first principle, to reflect on the nature of international law, and to consider in closer detail the justification of legal constraints beyond the state. The book's main argument is at the outset rather straightforward. Wheatley observes a proliferation of sites of norm production and argues that the delegation of authority to international or transnational actors inevitably involves a loss for democracy. To remedy this deficit, he suggests restating requirements for democratic legitimacy in terms of the deliberative ideal as it is developed in the work of Jurgen Habermas. The book claims the use of Habermas� thought as its innovative edge, and develops its core argument accordingly. �[T]he legitimate exercise of public authority through law�, it claims, �is conditioned by respect for the cardinal principles of deliberative democracy: equality and public reason� (at 2). The book begins by taking stock of accounts suggesting that state sovereignty has lost its plausibility as an exclusive reference point in normative argument. While the grand variety of approaches under discussion converge in agreement on the facts of what �
Volatile Compounds from‐ Heated Glucose

SUMMARY— Volatiles from anhydrous glucose heated in air at 25OT for 30 min were collected in a trap maintained at the temperature of solid carbon dioxide. A concentrated ether extract of the distillate was shown by gas chromatography to contain at least 100 compounds. Among those identified and heretofore unreported from heated glucose were the gamma lactone of 4-hydroxy-2-pentenoic acid, l-(2′-furyl)-propane-1,2-dione (acetylfuroyl), 3-methylcyclopentane-1,2-dione, phenol and methylfuroic acid.
Determinants of Capital Expenditures in the U.S. Restaurant Industry

This article studies the factors that determine capital expenditures of restaurant firms. Regression analysis is used to study a sample of 78 firms from 2002–2012. The study hypothesizes that growth opportunities, free cash flow, and above-average earnings will have a positive impact on the capital expenditures of restaurant firms. The impact of firm size and economic conditions on capital expenditures is also examined. As such, issues critical to the determination of capital expenditures in the U.S. restaurant industry are better understood.
Acute effects of methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) on several complex brain functions in monkeys

The effects of MDMA were assessed in rhesus macaques using behavior in an operant test battery (OTB) consisting of five food-reinforced tasks designed to model aspects of time estimation, short-term memory, and attention, motivation, learning, and color and position discrimination. Testing occurred 30 min after intramuscular, injections of MDMA (0.0, 0.1, 0.3, and 1.0 mg/kg). The behavioral endpoints monitored included percent task completed, response rate or latency, and response accuracy. Percent task completed was significantly decreased in the time estimation, learning, and motivation tasks at 1.0 mg/kg as compared to saline controls. Response accuracies in the time estimation and learning tasks were also decreased at 1.0 mg/kg. Response rate was decreased at 1.0 mg/kg in the motivation task but was not significantly affected in any other tasks. No behavioral endpoints were significantly affected in the short-term memory and attention and color and position discrimination tasks at any dose tested. Results indicate that time estimation, motivation, and learning are more sensitive to the acute effects of MDMA than are short-term memory and attention and color and position discrimination.
Unsupervised video leap segmentation for fast detection of salient segment transformations in mobile sequences

Multiple-frame segmentation, also referred to as video segmentation, is an important step in many video analysis applications for identifying and tracking specific features as they move through a scene. In a mobile, resource-constrained environment such as an intelligent vehicle system, video segmentation can be utilized in preprocessing to reduce image information and increase processing efficiency for high-level scene understanding applications. We introduce video leap segmentation, a highly efficient multiple-frame segmentation approach for use on embedded and mobile platforms where processing speed is critical. The proposed method is demonstrated to successfully track segments across spatial and temporal bounds, generating fast, stable segmentations of images from captured moving-camera video sequences. Video leap segmentation is applied to the task of rough salient segment transformation detection for alerting potential drivers of critical scene changes that may affect steering decisions. Trial results demonstrate that with little added computation, video leap segmentation can be utilized for salient region detection in traffic scenes with high accuracy, correctly detecting 80% of salient segment transformations in trial scenes with less than 5% false positives. Reducing high-level processing to salient areas using the proposed approach has the potential to significantly improve the processing efficiency of scene interpretation applications in intelligent vehicle systems.
Extraction and differentiation of the Su autoantigen from calf thymus nuclei.

Abstract Antibodies to Su antigen have been reported previously a distinct a antigen-antibody system associated with connective tissue diseases; most specifically systematic lupus erythematosus and undifferentiated connective tissue disease. The Su antigen was first identified by double immunodiffusion using calf thymus nuclear extract (CTNE) as a source for Su antigen. In this report, enhanced extraction of Su antigen was achieved using deoxyribonuclease I (DNase) for preparation of CTNE. Only the Am antigen was found in comparable quantities in the DNase CTNE. Western immunoblotting and immunoprecipitation employing DNase CTNE and extracts of [ 35 S]methionine-labeled HeLa cells respectively were used for further characterization and differentiation of the Su antigen. Sera from patients positive for Su antibodies by double immunodiffusion were found to react most specifically with antigen components in a molecular weight range of approximately 50–55 kDa. These methods should assist in further understanding the biochemical properties of the Su antigen.
The BOLD post-stimulus undershoot, one of the most debated issues in fMRI.

Abstract This paper provides a brief overview of how we got involved in fMRI work and of our efforts to elucidate the mechanisms underlying BOLD signal changes. The phenomenon discussed here in particular is the post-stimulus undershoot (PSU), the interpretation of which has captivated many fMRI scientists and is still under debate to date. This controversy is caused both by the convoluted physiological origin of the BOLD effect, which allows many possible explanations, and the lack of comprehensive data in the early years. BOLD effects reflect changes in cerebral blood flow (CBF), volume (CBV), metabolic rate of oxygen (CMRO 2 ), and hematocrit fraction (Hct). However, the size of such effects is modulated by vascular origin such as intravascular, extravascular, macro and microvascular, venular and capillary, the relative contributions of which depend not only on the spatial resolution of the measurements, but also on stimulus duration, on magnetic field strength and on whether spin echo (SE) or gradient echo (GRE) detection is used. The two most dominant explanations of the PSU have been delayed vascular compliance (first venular, later arteriolar, and recently capillary) and sustained increases in CMRO 2 , while post-activation reduction in CBF is a distant third. MRI has the capability to independently measure CBF and arteriolar, venous, and total CBV contributions in humans and animals, which has been of great assistance in improving the understanding of BOLD phenomena. Using currently available MRI and optical data, we conclude that the predominant PSU origin is a sustained increase in CMRO 2 . However, some contributions from delayed vascular compliance are likely, and small CBF undershoot contributions that are difficult to detect with current arterial spin labeling technology can also not be excluded. The relative contribution of these different processes, which are not mutually exclusive and can act together, is likely to vary with stimulus duration and type.
Retrospective reports of the development of obsessive compulsive disorder: extending knowledge of the protracted symptom phase.

Background: In contrast to a wealth of research on the treatment of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), there is a relative paucity of work examining how OCD begins. Available data suggest that there is often a slow progression from the onset of symptoms to meeting criteria for a diagnosis of OCD. Aims: The current study sought to add to existing data documenting the slow-development of OCD, and to extend previous findings by examining potential moderators of this symptom phase and to examine patients’ explanations for the transition from symptoms to disorder. Method: One hundred and ninety-nine individuals with OCD reported on the start of their symptoms and the disorder via an internet-based survey. Results: Over two-thirds of respondents reported that the development of their OCD was gradual. Further, participants reported having experienced obsessions and/or compulsions for an average of 5 years before experiencing full-blown OCD. This extended symptom phase was observed in individuals with early- and late-onset OCD, with an even more protracted symptom phase in the later group. Female gender and onset of compulsions prior to obsessions were also associated with slower progression to full-blown OCD. Finally, explanations for the transition from symptoms to disorder suggest that changes in daily routines and general stress may be particularly important in this transition for individuals that develop clinical OCD at age 18 or later. Conclusions: Existence of a protracted symptom phase may present opportunities for elucidating risk factors for OCD disease progression and a window of opportunity for indicated prevention programs.
Prospective evaluation of magnetic resonance imaging in the management of acute diabetic foot infections.

Infectious complications of the foot are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in diabetic patients. This prospective study evaluated the ability of MRI to adequately direct the medical and surgical management of 41 diabetic patients with acute foot infections. Forty-seven MRI scans of the foot in question were performed and classified as consistent with osteomyelitis, abscess, cellulitis or diffuse soft tissue infection, or any combination of these. Twenty-seven scans were negative or showed ill-defined soft tissue infection, or superficial cellulitis. Nineteen of these infections were treated nonoperatively and 17 resolved without surgical intervention. MRI was unsuccessful in directing management in one patient in whom an abscess spontaneously drained but was not seen on an MRI scan 4 days earlier. Eight scans revealed focal osteomyelitis and all eight of these patients were successfully managed with one operation. MRI showed a focal abscess in 12 patients, and adequate drainage was achieved without excessive disruption of uninvolved tissue planes in 11 of these patients. The remaining patient required a major amputation from the outset. Based on clinical outcome during the acute hospitalization period, operative findings, and/or pathologic confirmation, the positive predictive value of MRI in defining infectious pathology in the foot was 100% in this series of 20 positive scans. The negative predictive value of MRI was 96%. On the basis of this experience, we conclude that MRI is a diagnostic modality particularly well suited to evaluate acute diabetic foot infections and reliably aids in the management of acute infection to avoid exploration and debridement of uninvolved tissue. Furthermore, MRI was able to reliably define the site and extent of infection and allow effective surgical management.
Rule-Bending: Can Prudential Judgment Affect Rule Compliance and Values in the Workplace?

With increased pressure to perform, fewer resources, and more regulation, employees may justify a lack of compliance by calling it rule-bending rather than rule-breaking. The present study addresse...
Summer learning and its implications: Insights from the Beginning School Study

There is perhaps no more pressing issue in school policy today than the achievement gap across social lines. Achievement differences between well-to-do children and poor children and between disadvantaged racial and ethnic minorities and majority whites are large when children first begin school, and they increase over time. Despite years of study and an abundance of good intentions, these patterned achievement differences persist, but who is responsible, and how are schools implicated? The increasing gap seems to suggest that schools are unable to equalize educational opportunity or, worse still, that they actively handicap disadvantaged children. But a seasonal perspective on learning yields a rather different impression. Comparing achievement gains separately over the school year and the summer months reveals that much of the achievement gap originates over the summer period, when children are not in school. The authors review Beginning School Study research on differential summer learning across social lines (that is, by family socioeconomic level) and its implications for later schooling outcomes, including high school curriculum placements, high school dropout, and college attendance. These studies document the extent to which these large summer learning differences impede the later educational progress of children of low socioeconomic status. Practical implications are discussed, including the need for early and sustained interventions to prevent the achievement gap from opening wide in the first place and for high-quality summer programming focused on preventing differential summer learning loss.
The enzymic synthesis of ganglioside. II. UDP-galactose: N-acetylgalactosaminyl-(N-acetyl-neuraminyl)galactosyl-glucosyl-ceramide galactosyltransferase in rat brain

Abstract This paper describes the developmental pattern, subcellular distribution and general properties of UDP-galactose: N -acetylgalactosaminyl-( N -acetylneuraminyl)-galactosyl-glycosyl-ceramide galactosyltransferase (UDP-galactose: G M 2 ganglioside galactosyltransferase) in rat brain. 1. 1. The enzyme was detected in fetal rat brain, and the specific activity increased linearly up to 5 days post partum . A sharp peak of enzyme activity occurred during the period of active myelination. Significant enzymic activity was detected in adult rat brain. 2. 2. The enzyme from fetal rat brain was localized with the mitochondrial and microsomal particles. The percentage of enzyme activity in the mitochondrial fraction increased after birth, and was found to be localized with this fraction at 10 days of age. Appreciable enzymic activity in the nuclear fraction was found only in the adult brain. 3. 3. General properties of the enzyme: (a) The enzyme was specific for G M 2 ganglioside and UDP-galactose. (b) EDTA inhibited the enzyme which also required Mn 2+ for maximum activity. (c) The K m value for G M 2 ganglioside was 94 μM and 12 μM for UDP-galactose. G M 2 ganglioside was inhibitory at a concentration equal to or greater than 0.35 mM. (d) The pH optimum ranged between 6.5 and 7.15.
Role of calcium in isoproterenol cytotoxicity to cultured myocardial cells

Abstract Primary cultures of rat myocardial cells were used to evaluate the cellular dynamics of calcium accumulation after exposure to isoproterenol (ISO). Non-toxic concentrations of ISO (2.4 × 10 −7 M) caused a gradual increase in myocyte calcium uptake. These effects peaked 3 min after exposrue and returned to control levels within 2 min. Toxic concentrations of ISO caused a biphasic increase in calcium uptake. The initial phase peaked 1 min after exposure and returned to control levels by 3 min. A second phase was characterized by a progressive increase in calcium uptake that plateaued 10 min after exposure. Ascorbic acid (AA, 5 × 10 −3 M) and sodium bisulfite (SB, 9.6 × 10 −4 M) did not modify the calcium uptake of the initial phase, whereas propranolol (1 × 10 −6 M) and verapamil (1 × 10 −5 M) prevented the initial rise in calcium uptake. In contrast, the antioxidants prevented the second phase of ISO-induced calcium uptake, whereas verapamil and propranolol did not. The toxic accumulation of calcium induced by ISO may be due to oxidative damage of the sarcolemma. Antioxidants may prevent the formation of oxidative metabolites from ISO and the subsequent calcium overload. Our results show that agents which modify slow calcium-channel transport do not prevent ISO-induced calcium overload in our cell culture system.
Differentiable actions of classical groups on spheres

WE SHALL consider actions (G, cp, Cm) of a compact connected Lie group G acting differentiably on a homotopy /iI-sphere Cm. For x E I”, G, is the subgroup of g E G with q(g, _Y) = g.r = s; G,’ the connected component of the identity of G,, G(x) ={gx / y E G) is the orbit passing through x. The type of the orbit G(x) is the conjugacy class of G, in G. A point I E C” lies on a principal orbit if G(.Y) is of maximal dimension and G,Y has a minimal number of components. The notion of principal orbit type is due to D. Montogomery. He has shown, under more general conditions than here, that those points which lie on principal orbits form an open dense submanifold. See [l], Chap. IX.
Early continence outcomes of posterior musculofascial plate reconstruction during robotic and laparoscopic prostatectomy.

Objectives To detail the technique and evaluate in a preliminary study the effectiveness of posterior reconstruction of Denonvilliers' musculofascial plate (PRDMP) in enhancing early continence after robotic and laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (RP). Patients and methods Thirty-two consecutive patients having robotic or laparoscopic RP with PRDMP (group 1). Thirty previous patients not having PRDMP were compared as historical controls (group 2). Continence, as measured by patient self-reporting of the number of pads used/24 h, was assessed at 3 days and 6 weeks after catheter removal, by telephone interview. 'Continent' was defined as the use of none or one pads, 'moderate incontinence' as two pads, and 'severe incontinence' as more than two pads. Intraoperative transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS) was used to measure the membranous urethral length before and after PRDMP. Results At 3 days after catheter removal, more patients in group 1 were continent than in group 2 (34% vs 3%, P = 0.007). At 6 weeks continence was again better in group 1 (56% vs 17%, P = 0.006). The mean length of the membranous urethra on TRUS measured before RP, after RP but before the musculofascial suture, and afterward, was 15.6, 12 and 14 mm, respectively. Thus, reconstruction restored the length of the transected membranous urethra by a mean of 2 mm. Conclusions PRDMP during robotic and laparoscopic RP leads to improved maintenance of membranous urethral length and significantly higher early continence rates.
Effect of the Temperature-Emissivity Contrast on the Chemical Signal for Gas Plume Detection Using Thermal Image Data

Detecting and identifying weak gaseous plumes using thermal imaging data is complicated by many factors. These include variability due to atmosphere, ground and plume temperature, and background clutter. This paper presents an analysis of one formulation of the physics-based radiance model, which describes at-sensor observed radiance. The background emissivity and plume/ground temperatures are isolated, and their effects on chemical signal are described. This analysis shows that the plume's physical state, emission or absorption, is directly dependent on the background emissivity and plume/ground temperatures. It then describes what conditions on the background emissivity and plume/ground temperatures have inhibiting or amplifying effects on the chemical signal. These claims are illustrated by analyzing synthetic hyperspectral imaging data with the adaptive matched filter using two chemicals and three distinct background emissivities.
Issue expertise in policymaking

In considering issue expertise in policymaking, we unpack differences in the supply and types of expertise with attention to the presumed privileged role of the bureaucracy. Our empirical investigation is based on witness testimonies of congressional hearings for a policy area involving various forms of expertise – critical infrastructure protection policymaking. Three sets of findings stand out. One set substantiates the role of the bureaucracy as an important information conduit while also showing it is not a primary source of issue expertise. A second set shows how differences in issue maturity and salience affect the demand for and supply of expertise. A third set illustrates the influence of a small cadre of hyper-expertise in drawing attention to problems and solutions across different venues. These findings challenge the conventional view of the bureaucracy in policymaking while expanding the understanding of different sources of information and types of issue expertise in policymaking.
A Genetic Screen for Temperature-Sensitive Cell-Division Mutants of Caenorhabditis elegans

A novel screen to isolate conditional cell-division mutants in Caenorhabditis elegans has been developed. The screen is based on the phenotypes associated with existing cell-division mutations: some disrupt postembryonic divisions and affect formation of the gonad and ventral nerve cord-resulting in sterile, uncoordinated animals-while others affect embryonic divisions and result in lethality. We obtained 19 conditional mutants that displayed these phenotypes when shifted to the restrictive temperature at the appropriate developmental stage. Eighteen of these mutations have been mapped; 17 proved to be single alleles of newly identified genes, while 1 proved to be an allele of a previously identified gene. Genetic tests on the embryonic lethal phenotypes indicated that for 13 genes, embryogenesis required maternal expression, while for 6, zygotic expression could suffice. In all cases, maternal expression of wild-type activity was found to be largely sufficient for embryogenesis. Cytological analysis revealed that 10 mutants possessed embryonic cell-division defects, including failure to properly segregate DNA, failure to assemble a mitotic spindle, late cytokinesis defects, prolonged cell cycles, and improperly oriented mitotic spindles. We conclude that this approach can be used to identify mutations that affect various aspects of the cell-division cycle.
Shear Thickening and Time-Dependent Rheological Behavior in Aqueous Polyacrylic Ester Dispersions

Abstract We have observed, in a commercial aqueous polyacrylic ester dispersion, a shear thickening phenomenon that exhibits time-dependent rheological behavior. The critical shear rate γ c for the shear thickening transition varies with volume fraction, temperature, pH, and particle size distribution, in a manner which indicates that the phenomenon is associated with a reversible shear-induced colloidal order–disorder transition. However, we find that, in the shear thickening region, the rheology may also evolve with time. Our observations suggest that the time-dependence is caused by the temporary formation of particle clusters at high shear rates.
Low-pH-Dependent Changes in the Conformation and Oligomeric State of the Prefusion Form of Herpes Simplex Virus Glycoprotein B Are Separable from Fusion Activity

The cellular requirements for activation of herpesvirus fusion and entry remain poorly understood. Low pH triggers change in the antigenic reactivity of the prefusion form of the herpes simplex virus (HSV) fusion protein gB in virions, both in vitro and during viral entry via endocytosis (S. Dollery et al., J. Virol. 84:3759-3766, 2010). However, the mechanism and magnitude of gB conformational change are not clear. Here we show that the conformation and oligomeric state of gB with mutations in the bipartite fusion loops were similarly altered despite the fusion-inactivating mutations. Together with previous studies, this suggests that fusion loop mutants undergo conformational changes but are defective for fusion because they fail to make productive contact with the outer leaflet of the host target membrane. A direct, reversible effect of low pH on the structure of gB was detected by fluorescence spectroscopy. A soluble form of gB containing cytoplasmic tail sequences (s-gB) was triggered by mildly acidic pH to undergo changes in tryptophan fluorescence emission, hydrophobicity, antigenic conformation, and oligomeric structure and thus resembled the prefusion form of gB in the virion. In contrast, soluble gB730, for which the postfusion crystal structure is known, was only marginally affected by pH using these measures. The results underscore the importance of using a prefusion form of gB to assess the activation and extent of conformation change. Further, acidic pH had little to no effect on the conformation or hydrophobicity of gD or on gD's ability to bind nectin-1 or HVEM receptors. Our results support a model in which endosomal low pH serves as a cellular trigger of fusion by activating conformational changes in the fusion protein gB.
Performance enhancement using intra-server caching in a continuous media server

Continuity of stream playback is the crucial constraint in designing a continuous media server. From a distributed memory architectural model developed earlier, we found that there were many points where the stream capacity of the server could be improved. The stream capacity was usually limited by the storage bottlenecks. Serving streams from memory cache eliminates disk accesses and data transfers between nodes which, in turn, helps relieve those bottlenecks. However, the capacity of the server ultimately depends on client access patterns. Client request assignment has an impact on cache hit ratio as well as workload distribution. It is also the major factor reflecting the server performance. In some cases where lower playback quality at some point in time is acceptable, delays can be added to improve the missed packet rate. This paper proposes various techniques to enhance the server performance and shows their reflections under different circumstances. Some techniques work well together. The best combination improves the capacity of the server by approximately 30%.
Neutralization of Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha Suppresses Antigen-Specific Type 1 Cytokine Responses and Reverses the Inhibition of Mycobacterial Survival in Cocultures of Immune Guinea Pig T Lymphocytes and Infected Macrophages

ABSTRACT Neutralization of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) significantly down-regulated antigen-induced lymphoproliferation and the expression of interleukin-12 p40 and gamma interferon mRNA and enhanced the viability of intracellular attenuated and virulent mycobacteria in cocultures of immune T cells and macrophages obtained from Mycobacterium bovis BCG-vaccinated guinea pigs. This suggests the crucial role of TNF-α in the activation of a type 1 T-cell response against Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection.
An MOS cell circuit for compact implementation of reaction-diffusion models

A bio-inspired MOS cell design, which can be used in reaction-diffusion systems, and the corresponding implementation of a test reaction-diffusion CNN (RD-CNN) layer is presented. The network architecture and an approximate analysis of its certain D.C. characteristics are given. A test chip, which includes an array of the connected cells, is implemented. The chip also has separate test cells, which employ thick oxide MOSFET. The wave propagation in the network and I-V characteristics of the cells using thick-oxide MOSFETs are demonstrated and verified with measured results. The cell circuits and the resulting network are very compact and easily implementable with available technologies.
A multiple-precision division algorithm

The classical algorithm for multiple-precision division normalizes digits during each step and sometimes makes correction steps when the initial guess for the quotient digit turns out to be wrong. A method is presented that runs faster by skipping most of the intermediate normalization and recovers from wrong guesses without separate correction steps.
Evaluation of the strategies and performance of low ROI market share leaders

This study examines the strategies of 41 businesses which are market share leaders, but have poor performance. Hypotheses are tested relating to market stability and product demand characteristics, as well as organizational commitments and competitive strategies.
Sonographic evaluation of epididymal malakoplakia.

Malakoplakia is a benign chronic inflammatory process that manifests with granulomatous changes and most often involves the urogenital system. In this report, we present a rare case of isolated epididymal malakoplakia with the pathologic and sonographic findings.
Connected dominating sets in disk graphs with bidirectional links

In this paper, we study the connected dominating set (CDS) problem in disk graphs. The CDS problem has a significant impact on an efficient design of routing protocols in wireless networks. This problem has been studied extensively in unit disk graphs, in which each node has the same transmission range. However, in wireless ad hoc networks, the transmission ranges of all nodes are not necessary equal. In this paper, we introduce the CDS problem in disk graphs and present a constant approximation algorithm which can be implemented as a distributed algorithm.
D-Zipfian: a decentralized implementation of Zipfian

Zipfian distribution is used extensively to generate workloads to test, tune, and benchmark data stores. This paper presents a decentralized implementation of this technique, named D-Zipfian, using N parallel generators to issue requests. A request is a reference to a data item from a fixed population of data items. The challenge is for each generator to reference a disjoint set of data items. Moreover, they should finish at approximately the same time by performing work proportional to their processing capability. Intuitively, D-Zipfian assigns a total probability of 1/N to each of the N generators and requires each generator to reference data items with a scaled probability. In the case of heterogeneous generators, the total probability of each generator is proportional to its processing capability. We demonstrate the effectiveness of D-Zipfian using empirical measurements of the chi-square statistic.
Preexisting behavior renders a mutation adaptive: flexibility in male phonotaxis behavior and the loss of singing ability in the field cricket Teleogryllus oceanicus

Flexibility in behavior and other traits can pave the way for rapid evolutionary change. A wing mutation, ‘‘flatwing,’’ eliminates the ability of .90% of male field crickets (Teleogryllus oceanicus) from one Hawaiian population to produce song to attract females. The morphological change was favored because calling is risky in Hawaii, attracting deadly parasitoid flies. An earlier study suggested that instead of calling, silent flatwing males use satellite behavior, approaching one of the few remaining callers and intercepting females attracted to them. Satellite-like behavior may have existed as a behavioral option prior to the wing mutation, accommodating the loss of singing ability, or behavior may have changed simultaneously with the spread of the mutation. In phonotaxis trials, males from different populations across the crickets’ range varied in the distance at which they settled from the source of broadcast song, behaving more or less like satellites. Anecdotally, we noted satellite behavior in all populations, and importantly, males from the mutated population and its direct ancestor behaved similarly. This suggests that the alternative behavior is not strictly associated with the mutation and instead predated the change in morphology. We hypothesized further that satellite behavior may have been preexisting because it is beneficial under other circumstances, such as poor mating success. Virgin males did not show enhanced phonotaxis relative to multiply mated males, however. We conclude that satellite behavior predated the mutation in wing morphology, providing obligately silent males with an alternative method of locating mates and effectively rendering the wing mutation adaptive. Whereas mating history does not appear to influence phonotaxis behavior in males, other factors such as the acoustic environment and demographic conditions may be important contributors to behavioral decisions during male mate location. Key words: alternative mating behavior, flatwing, phonotaxis, rapid evolution, satellite. [Behav Ecol]
A New Inverter Output Passive Filter Topology for PWM Motor Drives

In this paper a new inverter output filter is proposed. The proposed filter is comprised of a conventional resistance, inductance, capacitance (RLC) network cascaded with an LC trap filter and an additive coil on the inductor of the RLC filter. The scheme is very effective in reducing the switching harmonics, suppressing the common-mode voltage and reducing differential-mode dv/dt . This paper illustrates and analyzes the common-mode and differential-mode equivalent circuit of the filter in detail. The voltage transfer functions of the differential-mode circuit and the common-mode equivalent circuit are analyzed. An engineering design method of the filter parameters is presented. The experiments with a conventional filter and the proposed filter are also done. The comparison verifies the proposed filter viability and effectiveness in eliminating in eliminating common-mode voltage and differential-mode dv/dt .
A SPSS/PC+ program listing for scoring the leader behavior analysis II-self scale

A SPSS/PC+ program listing is reported to facilitate scoring the Leader Behavior Analysis II-Self instrument. Output provides scores for leadership styles, isolates primary leadership style, and calculates style effectiveness and flexibility scores.
Narrow-bandwidth paired photons with controllable waveform

This study reports the experimental demonstration of a high-brightness source of paired photons based on an double-/spl Lambda/ atomic level configuration in cold /sup 87/Rb atoms. The source is capable of producing pairs of correlated photons with bandwidths as small as 5 MHz at into a single spatial mode. Strong counter-propagating coupling and pump lasers are applied and the system spontaneously emits pairs of photons at Stokes and anti-Stokes frequencies. The backward-wave geometry ensures that a spontaneously emitted photons will be oppositely directed and that they can be detected without additional filtering.
Serum Colony Stimulating Factor Levels in Irradiated Germfree and Conventional GFW Mice

SummaryGermfree and conventional CFW mice were evaluated for elevations in serum CSF levels at varying time intervals after 850 R whole body irradiation. Conventional mice showed elevations of CSF levels on Days 6–9 while sera from germfree mice were inactive on Days 1–10. The data suggests that the bacterial flora of the gut play a role in the elevations of serum CSF seen after irradiation.The technical assistance of Mrs. Mildred Rosen-field is gratefully acknowledged.
Salary and Quality Compensation for Physician Practices Participating in Accountable Care Organizations.

BACKGROUND The accountable care organization (ACO) is a new organizational form to manage patients across the continuum of care. There are numerous ques- tions about how ACOs should be optimally structured, including compensation arrangements with primary care physicians. METHODS Using data from a national survey of physician practices, we com- pared primary care physicians' compensation between practices in ACOs and practices that varied in their financial risk for primary care costs using 3 groups: practices not participating in a Medicare ACO and with no substantial risk for pri- mary care costs; practices not participating in an ACO but with substantial risk for primary care costs; and practices participating in an ACO regardless of their risk for primary care costs. We measured physicians' compensation as the percentage of compensation based on salary, productivity, clinical quality or patient experi- ence, and other factors. Regression models estimated physician compensation as a function of ACO participation and risk for primary care costs while controlling for other practice characteristics. RESULTS Physicians in ACO and non-ACO practices with no substantial risk for costs on average received nearly one-half of their compensation from salary, slightly less from productivity, and about 5% from quality and other factors. Physicians not in ACOs but with substantial risk for primary care costs received two-thirds of their compensation from salary, nearly one-third from productiv- ity, and slightly more than 1% from quality and other factors. Participation in ACOs was associated with significantly higher physician compensation for quality; however, participation was not significantly associated with compensation from salary, whereas financial risk was associated with much greater compensation from salary. CONCLUSION Although practices in ACOs provide higher compensation for qual- ity, compared with practices at large, they provide a similar mix of compensation based on productivity and salary. Incentives for ACOs may not be sufficiently strong to encourage practices to change physician compensation policies for bet- ter patient experience, improved population health, and lower per capita costs.
Interspecific Differences in Feeding Behavior and Survival Under Food-Limited Conditions for Larval Aedes albopictus and Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae)

Aedes albopictus has replaced Aedes aegypti in much of the latter species’ historic range within the United States. The leading hypothesis for this displacement is exclusion via resource competition; however, the proximate mechanism producing a competitive advantage for A. albopictus over A. aegypti has not been identified. We performed laboratory experiments to test the hypotheses that these species differ in feeding behavior, and that these differences result in differences in survival when resources are scarce. Differences in feeding behavior were assessed in three environments with food (growing microorganisms) available: 1) in fluid only; 2) on leaf surfaces only; 3) or both in fluid and on leaf surfaces. We determined behavior of larvae in these environments, recording their positions (bottom, wall, leaf, top, or middle) and activities (browsing, filtering, resting, or thrashing) using instantaneous scan censuses. A. albopictus spent significantly more time at leaf surfaces, whereas A. aegypti spent more time engaging in nonfeeding activities. Both species showed a significant shift in foraging activity toward leaves when leaves were available. In a second experiment, we recorded survivorship for individuals raised in two treatment combinations: whole or half 17-mm disks of live oak leaves, with or without direct access to the leaf surface (controlled using nylon mesh, which allowed movement of microscopic organisms, but prevented mosquito larva movement between container sides). After 31 d, survivorship of A. albopictus was significantly greater than that of A. aegypti regardless of treatments. Moreover, A. albopictus showed significantly greater survivorship compared with A. aegypti when deprived of access to leaf surfaces and in whole leaf disk treatments, suggesting superior resource-harvesting ability for A. albopictus. Our experiments suggest that differences in foraging behavior contribute to the competitive advantage of A. albopictus over A. aegypti that has been observed in North America.