cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dermovascular Actions of Certain Steroid Hormones in Castrate, Eunuchoid and Normal Men1

Among the effects on somatic tissues of estrogenie and androgenic hormones, those involving the cutaneous blood vessels are particularly noteworthy. The evidence for this statement is both experimental and clinical. Clinically, both types of hormones have served to provide relief from flushes resulting from gonadal insufficiency. In this regard the actions are in part indirect, involving the central nervous system, and in part directly upon the blood vessels themselves (1, 2, 3). From the experimental standpoint, androgenic substances have been shown to alter both the amount of blood in the cutaneous vessels, and the ratio of oxygenated to reduced hemoglobin (4). In general, the quantity of oxyhemoglobin increases relative to the amount of reduced hemoglobin, following injection of testosterone propionate into castrate and eunuchoid men. As for estrogens, these have been found to dilate the smallest blood vessels of the rabbit's ear (5) and to increase the amount of acetylcholine, a potent vasodilator, in...
Alterations in replication timing of cancer-related genes in malignant human breast cancer cells.

The replication timing of nine genes commonly involved in cancer was investigated in the MCF10 cell lines for human breast cancer progression. Six of these nine genes are part of a constellation of tumor suppressor genes that play a major role in familial human breast cancer (TP53, ATM, PTEN, CHK2, BRCA1, and BRCA2). Three other genes are involved in a large number of human cancers including breast as either tumor suppressors (RB1 and RAD51) or as an oncogene (cMYC). Five of these nine genes (TP53, RAD51, ATM, PTEN, and cMYC) show significant differences (P < 0.05) in replication timing between MCF10A normal human breast cells and the corresponding malignant MCF10CA1a cells. These differences are specific to the malignant state of the MCF10CA1a cells since there were no significant differences in the replication timing of these genes between normal MCF10A cells and the non-malignant cancer MCF10AT1 cells. Microarray analysis further demonstrated that three of these five genes (TP53, RAD51, and cMYC) showed significant changes in gene expression (≥2-fold) between normal and malignant cells. Our findings demonstrate an alteration in the replication timing of a small subset of cancer-related genes in malignant breast cancer cells. These alterations partially correlate with the major transcriptional changes characteristic of the malignant state in these cells. J. Cell. Biochem. 114: 1074–1083, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Goal Levels, Complex Tasks, and Strategy Development: A Review and Analysis

Goal-setting researchers have begun to examine the connections between dif- ficult goals and the development of task-performance strategies (TPSs) for complex tasks. Currently, a well-defined conceptual framework into which these findings can be placed is not available. This article is an initial attempt to build such a framework. The review: (a) distinguishes between several dif- ferent definitions of TPS; (b) develops a task-performance model to identify how a performance shortfall could influence TPS identification, selection, or implementation; (c) examines the impact of different kinds of complexity on strategy characteristics; and (d) concludes with a consideration of future re- search needs.
Round-Robin Study of Asphalt-Concrete Content by Ignition

The National Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT) has developed a test method to determine the asphalt content of hot-mix asphalt (HMA) mixtures by ignition. In the ignition method, an HMA sample is subjected to heat of 538°C (1,000°F) in a furnace to ignite and burn the asphalt cement (AC) from the aggregate. The difference in weight of the sample before and after is used to determine the asphalt content of the mixture. The aggregate recovered after ignition testing may then be used for gradation analysis. A round-robin study was completed by NCAT to determine the accuracy and precision of the ignition method. The round-robin test program is discussed, as well as the accuracy and precision values determined for the measured AC content and gradation using the ignition method. The results of the round-robin study indicate that the ignition method can measure the AC content of HMA mixtures with greater precision than solvent-extraction methods, without significantly affecting the gradation of the aggregate....
Further Experiments with the Masson Trichrome Modification of Mallory's Connective Tissue Stain

Several dyes, notably ponceau 2R, azofuchsin 3B, nitrazine yellow, and Biebrich scarlet may replace imported “ponceau de xylidin” in the Masson ponceau acid fuchsin mixture. Of these Biebrich scarlet appears to be the best and may be used without acid fuchsin.A mixture of equal parts of 5% solutions of phosphomolybdic and phosphotungstic acids is much superior to either acid alone and gives adequate mordanting in 1 minute at 22°C.With the fast green modification, times in plasma and fiber stains can be reduced to 2 minutes each. With anilin blue a 4-minute plasma stain is required. One-minute final differentiation in 1% acetic acid is adequate.Primary mordanting of formalin material may be accomplished by 5 minutes in saturated aqueous mercuric chloride or 2 minutes in saturated alcoholic picric acid. Three minutes washing in running water is required after these mordants.
From music to macromolecules: Using rich media/podcast lecture recordings to enhance the preclinical educational experience

Background: Little is known regarding the impact of lecture recordings on medical education.Aim: This study was designed to assess the impact of lecture recordings on the educational experience of first-year medical students.Methods: Students were provided with digital lecture recordings in Molecular Foundations of Medicine, an integrated preclinical science block. Students could access recordings as audio/visual rich media, in which lectures were linked to slide presentations, and as audio-only podcasts. Student reactions were assessed by a mandatory questionnaire on the use of recordings and by a voluntary follow-up questionnaire on the effects of recordings on learning, stress and anxiety.Results: Student response to lecture recordings was universally positive. A high proportion of the class accessed recordings, with rich media being the preferred format. Students felt that the lecture recordings helped them learn course material and reduced stress and anxiety. Finally, the availability of lecture reco...
Chain length specificity for pectin-methylesterase inhibition by anionic detergents

Abstract The possibility that plant auxins affect the methyl esterification of cell wall pectic substances has been suggested by Bennet-Clark (1955) and others. Recently Ordin, Cleland and Bonner (1957) have presented evidence that indolacetic acid (IAA) affects the rate of incorporation of methionine methyl groups into cell wall pectic substances. According to these workers, the findings support the hypothesis that esterification of carboxyl groups of pectin is involved in the auxin mechanism of cell expansion. These reports have suggested to us that a study of higher plant pectic enzymes and of chemical substances affecting their activity might provide new tools and information useful in studying possible auxin-pectic enzyme relationships. McColloch and Kertesz (1947) reported that soaps and alkyl aryl sulfonate detergents powerfully inhibited tomato pectin-methylesterase (PM) activity in vitro . However, since detergents are protein-denaturing agents, it was stated that the observed inhibition might be due to this effect. This communication reports a study of the effects of chain lengths of fatty acid salts and alkyl sulfates on their inhibition of PM.
Simplifying complex sequence information: A PCP-consensus protein binds antibodies against all four Dengue serotypes

Designing proteins that reflect the natural variability of a pathogen is essential for developing novel vaccines and drugs. Flaviviruses, including Dengue (DENV) and West Nile (WNV), evolve rapidly and can “escape” neutralizing monoclonal antibodies by mutation. Designing antigens that represent many distinct strains is important for DENV, where infection with a strain from one of the four serotypes may lead to severe hemorrhagic disease on subsequent infection with a strain from another serotype. Here, a DENV physicochemical property (PCP)-consensus sequence was derived from 671 unique sequences from the Flavitrack database. PCP-consensus proteins for domain 3 of the envelope protein (EdomIII) were expressed from synthetic genes in Escherichia coli. The ability of the purified consensus proteins to bind polyclonal antibodies generated in response to infection with strains from each of the four DENV serotypes was determined. The initial consensus protein bound antibodies from DENV-1–3 in ELISA and Western blot assays. This sequence was altered in 3 steps to incorporate regions of maximum variability, identified as significant changes in the PCPs, characteristic of DENV-4 strains. The final protein was recognized by antibodies against all four serotypes. Two amino acids essential for efficient binding to all DENV antibodies are part of a discontinuous epitope previously defined for a neutralizing monoclonal antibody. The PCP-consensus method can significantly reduce the number of experiments required to define a multivalent antigen, which is particularly important when dealing with pathogens that must be tested at higher biosafety levels.
No Free Lunch: Price Premium for Privacy Seal-Bearing Vendors

Privacy is a significant concern of customers in the business-to-consumer online environment. Several technical, economic, and regulatory mechanisms have been proposed to address online privacy. A current market-based mechanism is the privacy seal, under which a third party assures adherence by a vendor to its posted privacy policy. In this paper, we present empirical evidence of the effect of displaying a privacy seal on the product prices of online vendors of electronic books, download-able audiobooks, and textbooks. Using data collected on these relatively homogeneous products sold by online vendors, we find that while controlling for vendor-specific characteristics, vendors bearing privacy seals charge a premium for such products compared to vendors not bearing a seal. The paper provides empirical evidence of the economic value of privacy assurance from the customers' perspective as measured by the price premium charged for products. The research has implications for researchers and policymakers by providing evidence that privacy is another factor that creates friction in e-commerce, and that prices on the Internet for homogeneous products need not converge.
How Sociological Leaders Rank Learning Goals for Introductory Sociology.

In 2001, the American Sociological Association launched a task force to articulate learning goals for an introduction to sociology course and design an advanced high school sociology curriculum that could also be a model for introductory sociology courses in colleges and universities. This research note describes one of several efforts to validate the learning goals developed by that ASA task force, by asking a sample of peer-designated sociological leaders to complete an electronic survey ranking the importance of the 30 learning goals identified. The top 5 goals were to show the reality of structural factors in social life, place an issue in a larger context, identify and offer explanations for social inequality, recognize the difference between empirical and normative statements, and compare and contrast one’s own context with those of people in other parts of the United States and the world.
Coming Challenges with Terabit-per-Second Data Communication

The growth in network data-rates is outpacing several constituent technologies, which is creating new challenges that cannot be readily overcome through simple extensions of previous approaches. This paper contributes by identifying new challenges facing the emerging data-communication protocols in the 400 Gb/s to 1 Tb/s range. Three particular challenges are presented along with their respective design implications and options: off-chip data interfaces; on-chip data busses; and off-chip buffering.
Public Budgeting in 2020: Return to Equilibrium, or Continued Mismatch between Demands and Resources?

Public budgeting in 2010 is dominated, at all levels of government, by continuing high demands for government services and large budget deficits. Looking ahead to 2020, these struggles are likely to continue. The federal government’s 10-year budget outlook is bleak, and its longer-term outlook is even more dismal, driven by growth in health care costs. State and local government budgets will slowly recover from the effects of the recent recession, but will continue to have structural problems. Each of the three major revenue sources—income, sales, and property taxes—are candidates for reform. On the spending side, health care and education will dominate at the state and local level, while controlling entitlement spending is the main federal challenge. Government also will face continued pressures to finance and maintain infrastructure, appropriately staff the budget function, and make good on promises of more transparent and accountable government.
The choice of organizational form as a non-technical barrier to agro-bioenergy industry development.

This paper presents arguments for the importance of market organization in the development of agro-bioenergy industries. One organizational theory, transaction cost economics, highlights the proposed perspective and defines organizational problems that can be typical in agro-bioenergy industries. After considering general features of the current US biopower industry, relying on a survey of power plants actively using forestry and food-processing co-products as fuel, two hypothetical examples illustrate the transaction cost perspective and potential problems that can arise. Finally, possible organizational features and organizational forms in the future agro-bioenergy industry, based on crop residue and energy crops in the US, are presented utilizing transaction cost economics as a foundation. The paper concludes that if organizational issues are not adequately addressed by social scientists, new and mature technologies alike may stay under-developed commercially.
Efficient heartbeats and repair of softstate in decentralized object location and routing systems

Redundancy alone is not sufficient to provide long-term guarantees in distributed systems. Instead, it must be coupled with mechanisms for automatic maintenance. In this paper, we show how Decentralized Object Location and Routing networks (DOLRs) with locality provide a framework for efficient heartbeats and continuous system repair.
Comparative boundary work: US acid rain and global climate change policy deliberations

Boundary work between science and politics in US acid rain and climate change congressional hearings is compared. In the acid rain case, boundaries were flexibly drawn between science and politics as expert scientists tailored their expertise to appear both objective and useful. In climate change hearings during the 1990s, there were fewer examples of direct boundary work. Three explanations are presented: expert scientists and economists drew on knowledge claims from a boundary organization; they drew on a discourse that combined economic growth and environmental protection in more politically acceptable ways; and they developed more sophistication in merging science and politics in hybrid forms. However, these three developments proved to be not completely stable, leading to further boundary work that discursively established a safe scientific domain away from the hearings. Copyright , Beech Tree Publishing.
The intervenor effect in masked priming: How does masked priming survive across an intervening word?

Four masked priming experiments are reported investigating the effect of inserting an unrelated word between the masked prime and the target. When the intervening word is visible, identity priming is reduced to the level of one-letter-different form priming, but form priming is largely unaffected. However, when the intervening word is itself masked, form priming is eliminated altogether, while identity priming remains at the level observed with a visible intervenor. Normal priming effects are obtained when the order of the masked prime and the intervenor is reversed. It is suggested that identity priming consists of two effects, one that depends on the prime being adjacent to the target (a semantic effect), and one that is independent of adjacency (a form effect).
Physiological and Ecological Correlates of Preferred Temperature in Fish

Fishes released from constraints of their previous thermal history tend to limit thermal exposure to a narrow range of temperatures. Thermoregulatory behavior (final preferendum) is a stable characteristic of each species studied, suggesting strong regulation by natural selection. However, the adaptive significance of the final preferendum has not been documented for most species. Species with wide geographic distributions, such as bluegill sunfish and largemouth bass exhibit constant laboratory final preferenda regardless of their geographic origin or thermal histories. This apparent evolutionary anomaly of the final preferendum requires further study. It is no longer adequate to describe responses of fish to thermal gradients, rather falsifiable hypotheses concerning adaptive relations between thermoselection, and physiological, biochemical, life-history and genetic correlates must be developed and tested experimentally.
Spectroelectrochemical study of the generation of tris-(1,10-phenanthroline) iron(II/III) from μ-oxo-bis[aquabis(1,10-phenanthroline) iron(III)]

Abstract Through the use of an optically transparent thin-layer electrochemical cell with an Au minigrid working electrode, the redox behavior of 1:2 mole ratio Fe3+:1,10-phenanthroline solution in 0.1 M HNO3 was investigated via visible spectroelectrochemistry. Holding the Au working electrode at reducing potentials is required to achieve both a nominally reversible cyclic voltammogram and spectroscopic evidence of oxidation and reduction of tris-(1,10-phenanthroline)iron(II/III) from a solution prepared with an Fe3+ source. Once formed, the tris-(1,10-phenanthroline)iron(II/III) complex exhibits the expected formal redox potential, 0.88 ± 0.01 V vs. Ag|AgCl|sat'd KCl. The spectroscopic and electrochemical signatures of the tris-(1,10-phenanthroline)iron complex both indicate depletion of this complex with continuous cycling. The need to reduce the solution electrochemically and the gradual depletion of the tris-(1,10phenanthroline)iron(II/III) complex is attributed to the formation of a dimeric oxo-bridging iron(III) species, [(H2O)(phen)2FeOFe(phen)2(H2O)]4+, which is irreversibly reduced at potentials more negative than ∼ +0.20 V presumably to the unstable ferrous form, which converts to tris-(1,10-phenanthroline)iron(II).
Pharmacokinetics of hemoglobin‐based oxygen carrier hemoglobin‐glutamer‐200 bovine (oxyglobin) in the horse

Oxyglobin (OXY) is a hemoglobin-based oxygen carrier (HBOC) made of glutaraldehyde-polymerized bovine hemoglobin (bHb). Products similar to OXY are under development for use as temporary blood substitutes in trauma, shock and anemia. Since they all may increase blood O2-carrying capacity and thus, possibly tissue oxygenation, they may also be used to enhance performance of both equine and human athletes. That is why HBOCs are banned from use in athletic competition. Our goal was to determine the pharmacokinetics of OXY after intravenous (IV) infusion to horses. Blood and urine samples were collected from adult horses that received an IV dose of 32.5 g of OXY. Concentrations of OXY in plasma and urine were quantified using a newly developed LC/Q-TOF-MS/MS detection technique. Level of quantification (LOQ) was 50 μg mL–1. The decline of the plasma concentration-time curve of the HBOC was described by a 2-compartment model (C1 and C2). The median distribution alpha (t1/2k1,0) and elimination beta (t1/2k2,0) half-lives were 1.3 and 12.0 hours, respectively. The bHb molecules in OXY are not of uniform size and vary substantially in molecular weight (MW). Of the OXY molecules 53% were eliminated in C1, which represented the smaller MW molecules and 47% in C2, which represented the larger MW bHb. The maximal 0-time plasma concentration was 662.0 μg/mL and declined to 97.1 μg mL–1 at 24 h. The area below the plasma concentration-time curve was 5143 μg h–1 mL–1. The volumes of C1 and C2 were 86.9 and 63.9 mL kg–1, respectively. Oxyglobin was not detected in urine. This study shows the detection and quantification in equine plasma of a HBOC following IV infusion and demonstrates the short half-life of about 50% of infused bHb molecules.
Self-assembly of 10-microm-sized objects into ordered three-dimensional arrays.

This paper describes the self-assembly of small objectspolyhedral metal plates with largest dimensions of 10 to 30 μminto highly ordered, three-dimensional arrays. The plates were fabricated using photolithography and electrodeposition techniques, and the faces of the plates were functionalized to be hydrophobic or hydrophilic using self-assembled monolayers (SAMs). Self-assembly occurs in water through capillary interactions between thin films of a hydrophobic liquid (a liquid prepolymer adhesive) coated onto the hydrophobic faces of the plates; coalescence of the adhesive films reduces the interfacial free energy of the system and drives self-assembly. By altering the size and surface-patterning of the plates, the external morphologies of the aggregates were varied. Curing the adhesive furnished mechanically stable aggregates that were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). For assemblies formed by plates partially composed of a sacrificial material, a subsequent etching step furnished ful...
Educational programs on alternative energy technology with focus on hybrid electric-drive engineering and technology

This paper reviews the educational program development of alternative energy technology at Wayne State University and specifically describes the development and implementation of a set of 2+2+2 programs in electric drive vehicle engineering and technology, including a Master's Degree in Electric-drive Vehicle Engineering (EVE), a Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Transportation Technology (ETT), and Associate's Degrees in Automotive Technology and Electronic Engineering Technology with emphasis on electric-drive vehicles. The programs also include certificates with Electric Vehicle Technology courses, an undergraduate concentration and a graduate certificate program in EVE, and to simultaneously provide for general public and consumer education. The programs aim to prepare our current and future workforce with the education and skills necessary for the advancement and maintenance of electric vehicles (EV), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV), and fuel cell vehicles (FCV).
Board level energy correlation and interconnect reliability modeling under drop impact

Portable products as well as some larger products may see failures by a high strain rate mechanical loading like that seen in a high or low level drop/shock event. Within the portable product industry there is a wide range of product design, usage and loading conditions. Because of this, standards such as JEDEC, which is meant to generate comparative results addressing component reliability, do little or nothing to generalize the reliability of specific assemblies. To do this we need to consider both failure rates and failure mechanisms to better understand how specific loading conditions affect the failure of an assembly.
Detoxification of blood using injectable magnetic nanospheres: A conceptual technology description

We describe injectable magnetic nanospheres as a vehicle for selective detoxification of blood borne toxins. Surface receptors on the freely circulating nanospheres bind to toxins. A hand-held extracorporeal magnetic filter separates the toxin-loaded nanospheres from the clean blood, which is returned to the patient. Details of the technology concept are given and include a state-of-knowledge and research needs.
Evaluations of Data Communications in Tower, TRACON, and En Route Air Traffic Control

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has embarked on a large effort to create the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen). NextGen will prepare the National Airspace System to accept increasing air traffic levels and complexity in a safe and efficient manner. Data Communications (Data Comm) is one of the core technologies of NextGen. The use of Data Comm will improve information exchange between pilots and air traffic controllers. In 2009, the FAA conducted three human-in-the-loop experiments to address the use of Data Comm in the Airport Traffic Control Tower, the Terminal Radar Approach Control, and the En Route airspace. The experiments focused on human factors aspects of air traffic control tasks under a variety of conditions including varying percentages of aircraft equipped for Data Comm, different interface designs, and changes in roles of responsibilities of air traffic controllers.
Geographic Information System-based Pipeline Route Selection Process

The Metropolitan Water District of Salt Lake and Sandy recently began construction of the Point of the Mountain Aqueduct. This 1,524 mm (60 in.) diameter pipeline will convey finished water approximately 9 km (12 mi) through mostly developed areas of two communities. Construction of a large-diameter transmission pipeline through heavily developed cities creates many engineering, construction, and public relations challenges. A geographic information system (GIS)-based route selection process was used to provide a rational basis for narrowing hundreds of potential alternatives into one final alignment corridor. The route selection process was based on construction costs as well as important noncost issues. The use of GIS data and GIS analysis software was critical to the success of this project. The GIS software allowed large amounts of pipeline cost-related data to be collected, stored, and documented for each alignment alternative. It was also used to analyze the network of possible alternatives to quickly determine the optimum route between two points based upon construction costs. This allowed for a logical selection and ranking of alternatives, resulting in one final alignment corridor that was acceptable to all of the stakeholders in the project.
Solar Magnetograph Utilizing Fiber Optics

In the usual Babcock magnetograph the sun f s image is scanned by a single exploring aperture which admits light to a spectrograph for subsequent photo- electric detection and analysis. We replace this aperture by a slit, and in the focal plane of the spectrograph a fiber-optic probe dissects the spectral and spatial image, feeding light to an array of 80 photomultiplier tubes. Magnetograms taken with the instrument show a resolution comparable to that achieved by photographic methods, but with the advantage of lower noise and direct measurement of magnetic flux.© (1972) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Scalable Localization with Mobility Prediction for Underwater Sensor Networks

Due to adverse aqueous environments, non-negligible node mobility and large network scale, localization for large-scale mobile underwater sensor networks is very challenging. In this paper, by utilizing the predictable mobility patterns of underwater objects, we propose a scheme, called Scalable Localization scheme with mobility prediction (SLMP), for underwater sensor networks. In SLMP, localization is performed in a hierarchical way, and the whole localization process is divided into two parts: anchor node localization and ordinary node localization. During the localization process, every node predicts its future mobility pattern according to its past known location information, and it can estimate its future location based on its predicted mobility pattern. Anchor nodes with known locations in the network will control the whole localization process in order to balance the tradeoff between localization accuracy, localization coverage and communication cost. We conduct extensive simulations, and our results show that SLMP can greatly reduce localization communication cost while maintaining relatively high localization coverage and localization accuracy.
A hybrid gradient and feasible direction pivotal solution algorithm for general linear programs

The simplex solution algorithm for linear programs (LP) can be considered as a sub-gradient direction method therefore a full gradient solution algorithm might be more efficient. We have developed a full gradient method which consists of three phases. The initialization phase provides the initial tableau which may not have a full set of basis. The push phase uses a full gradient vector of the objective function to obtain a feasible vertex. This is then followed by a series of pivotal steps using the sub-gradient, which leads to an optimal solution (if exists) in the final iteration phase. At each of these iterations, the sub-gradient provides the desired direction of motion within the feasible region. The algorithm hits and/or moves on the constraint hyper-planes and their intersections to reach an optimal vertex (if exists). The algorithm works in the original decision variables space, therefore, there is no need to introduce any new extra variables such as artificial variables. The proposed algorithm is practical, easy for the user to understand, and provides useful information for the decision makers.
Blood flow to contracting human muscles: influence of increased sympathetic activity.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of the increased sympathetic activity elicited by the upright posture on blood flow to exercising human forearm muscles. Six subjects performed light and heavy rhythmic forearm exercise. Trials were conducted with the subjects supine and standing. Forearm blood flow (FBF, plethysmography) and skin blood flow (laser Doppler) were measured during brief pauses in the contractions. Arterial blood pressure and heart rate were also measured. During the first 6 min of light exercise, blood flow was similar in the supine and standing positions (approximately 15 ml.min-1.100 ml-1); from minutes 7 to 20 FBF was approximately 3-7 ml.min-1.100 ml-1 less in the standing position (P less than 0.05). When 5 min of heavy exercise immediately followed the light exercise, FBF was approximately 30-35 ml.min-1.100 ml-1 in the supine position. These values were approximately 8-12 ml.min-1.100 ml-1 greater than those observed in the upright position (P less than 0.05). When light exercise did not precede 8 min of heavy exercise, the blood flow at the end of minute 1 was similar in the supine and standing positions but was approximately 6-9 ml.min-1.100 ml-1 lower in the standing position during minutes 2-8. Heart rate was always approximately 10-20 beats higher in the upright position (P less than 0.05). Forearm skin blood flow and mean arterial pressure were similar in the two positions, indicating that the changes in FBF resulted from differences in the caliber of the resistance vessels in the forearm muscles.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Considerations for Prophylactic Surgery in Asymptomatic Severe Cervical Stenosis: Review Article

Background Cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) is a devastating pathology that can severely impair quality of life. The symptoms in CSM progress slowly and often do not manifest until they become severe and potentially irreversible. There is a consensus that surgical intervention is warranted in symptomatic patients. The recovery of the neurologic deficit after surgical decompression of the spinal cord varies, and halting the progression of the disease remains the principle aim of surgery.
SPEECH ADDRESSED TO CHILDREN: ISSUES AND CHARACTERISTICS OF PARENTAL INPUT

The linguistic environment of the child was largely taken for granted by the generative grammarians of the 1960's because of their emphasis on innate ideas as a basis for first language acquisition. Only recently have researchers studied the child's environment linguistically, indicating that not only are adults sensitive to and affected by the need to communicate with their children, but that interaction patterns between parent and child change according to the increasing language skill of the child. These interaction patterns are linguistically summarized here in terms of their syntactic and stylistic features. Such features include sentence complexity, number of transformations involved, types of sentences addressed to the child, the use of repetition, modeling, correcting, baby talk register, and the speed of delivery. All of these features are correlated with the age of the child, but many relationships are still unexplored and questions unresolvEd. If the current trend of research continues, our outlook on the role of parental input in the process of first language acquisition may change quite drastically.
Characterization of axon guidance cue sensitivity of human embryonic stem cell-derived dopaminergic neurons

Dopaminergic neurons derived from human embryonic stem cells will be useful in future transplantation studies of Parkinson's disease patients. As newly generated neurons must integrate and reconnect with host cells, the ability of hESC-derived neurons to respond to axon guidance cues will be critical. Both Netrin-1 and Slit-2 guide rodent embryonic dopaminergic (DA) neurons in vitro and in vivo, but very little is known about the response of hESC-derived DA neurons to any axonal guidance cues. Here we examined the ability of Netrin-1 and Slit-2 to affect human ESC DA axons in vitro. hESC DA neurons mature over time in culture with the developmental profile of DA neurons in vivo, including expression of the DA neuron markers FoxA2, En-1 and Nurr-1, and receptors for both Netrin and Slit. hESC DA neurons respond to exogenous Netrin-1 and Slit-2, showing an increased responsiveness to Netrin-1 as the neurons mature in culture. These responses were maintained in the presence of pro-inflammatory cytokines that might be encountered in the diseased brain. These studies are the first to evaluate and confirm that suitably matured human ES-derived DA neurons can respond appropriately to axon guidance cues.
Age causes a redistribution of joint torques and powers during gait

At self-selected walking speeds, elderly compared with young adults generate decreased joint torques and powers in the lower extremity. These differences may be actual gait-limiting factors and neuromuscular adaptations with age or simply a consciously selected motor pattern to produce a slower gait. The purpose of the study was to compare joint torques and powers of young and elderly adults walking at the same speed. Twelve elderly and fourteen young adults (ages 69 and 21 yr) walked at 1.48 m/s over a force platform while being videotaped. Hip, knee, and ankle torques and powers were calculated from the reaction force and kinematic data. A support torque was calculated as the sum of the three joint torques. Extensor angular impulse during stance and positive work at each joint were derived from the torques and powers. Step length was 4% shorter and cadence was 4% higher in elderly adults (both P < 0.05) compared with young adults. Support angular impulse was nearly identical between groups, but elderly adults had 58% greater angular impulse and 279% more work at the hip, 50% less angular impulse and 39% less work at the knee, and 23% less angular impulse and 29% less work at the ankle compared with young adults (t-test, all P < 0.05). Age caused a redistribution of joint torques and powers, with the elderly using their hip extensors more and their knee extensors and ankle plantar flexors less than young adults when walking at the same speed. Along with a reduction in motor and sensory functions, the natural history of aging causes a shift in the locus of function in motor performance.
Comparative performance evaluation of wireless and optical NoC architectures

Network-on-Chip architectures with various new emerging interconnect technologies offer unprecedented performance gain compared to their more conventional planar metal interconnect-based counterparts. A comparative analysis of these emerging NoCs will provide a better understanding towards adopting them in the mainstream design. This paper compares performance of small-world NoC architectures having wireless and RF links with optical NoCs and presents design trade offs with system size scaling. Our analysis demonstrates that the small-world NoC architecture with THz wireless shortcuts provides the best performance-area overhead trade-off compared to the other NoCs for both uniform and non-uniform traffic across various system sizes.
Efficacy of targeted supradose cisplatin and concomitant radiation therapy for advanced head and neck cancer: The Memphis experience

Abstract Purpose/Objective : To evaluate the feasibility, response, and toxicity of a Phase II study using targeted supradose cisplating and concurrent radiation therapy in unresectable Stage III–I V head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Methods and Materials : Sixty patients presenting betnween 6 93 – 9 94 were enrolled, 44 (73%) of whom had T4 and/or N2–N3 nodal disease. All patients were treated with rapid targeted superselective intraarterial infusions of cisplatin (150 mg/m2 weekly × 4) and simultaneous sodium thiosulfate intravenously (9 g/m2) for systemic neutralization of cisplatin. Concurrent (day 1) daily radiation therapy was delivered to the primary tumor and overt nodal disease to 66–74 Gy while the uninvolved lower neck received 50 Gy, at 2.0 Gy/fraction. Results : Fifty-one (85%) patients completed the full RADPLAT protocol as planned. Fifty-seven of 60 patients were evaluable for response. Histological (n = 50) or clinical (n = 7) assessment of primary site revealed a complete response (CR) in 52 patients, partial response (PR) in 4, and stable disease (SD) in 1. Of the 40 patients presenting with nodal metastases, pathological (n = 31) or clinical (n = 6) assessment revealed a CR in 25, PR in 11, and SD in 1, while 3 were unevaluable. Overall, for both primary site and nodal disease, CR was attained in 44 (75%), PR in 12 (23%), and SD in 1 (2%) of the 57 evaluable patients. Only 2 (4%) of 57 evaluable patients have recurred above the clavicle, 1 in the primary site and 1 in the regional lymph nodes. Twelve patients (23%) have failed in distant sites. Grade III IV toxicity has included gastrointestinal in 6, hematologic in 6, mucosal in 12, vascular in 4, and neurological in 4 patients. Conclusion : Concurrent radiation therapy and targeted supradose cisplatin (i.e., RADPLAT) can be safely delivered with high response rates and excellent loco-regional control in advanced Stage III IV head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.
Fetal Rights versus the Female Body: Contested Domains

This article examines the debates surrounding the personhood of the fetus in relationship to the mother as these issues were socially constructed in the Mississippi state legislature in 1990 and 1991. In examining the patriarchal assumptions that underlay the proposed Mississippi legislation, the article also addresses the legal ramifications of defining the fetus as a person whose rights are posited as equal to, or greater than, those of the pregnant woman. By relying on medical/scientific definitions of personhood, the groundwork for further refinement and monitoring of women and fetuses is being established, such that what it means to be human is increasingly defined in essentialist terms. In the final evaluation, focusing on conception as the moment in which an “unborn child” is created sets the stage for the ultimate essentialist metaphor: a eugenic definition of personhood.
Issues of variability and durability under synergistic exposure conditions related to advanced polymer composites in the civil infrastructure

Fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composites are increasingly being used for the renewal of civil infrastructure. Due to the specific needs of civil infrastructure including those related to cost, long service-life without regular detailed inspection and maintenance, and field application these materials differ from the aerospace based materials which have been extensively characterized in the past. The use of non-autoclave cure processes and less rigorous levels of quality assurance and control provide challenges related to both property variation and durability. In addition, combinations of hygrothermal exposure conditions with levels of sustained load need to be considered. This paper discusses both these issues as related to the use of typical materials in civil infrastructure.
Rapid transcriptional response to physiological neuronal activity in vivo revealed by transcriptome sequencing

Neuronal activity serves as a gateway between external stimulus from environment and the brain, often inducing gene expression changes. Alternative splicing (AS) is a widespread mechanism of increasing the number of transcripts produced from a single gene and has been shown to alter properties of neuronal genes, such as ion channels and neurotransmitter receptors. Patterns of neural tissue-specific AS have been identified, often regulated by neuron-specific splicing factors that are essential for survival, demonstrating the importance of AS in neurons. In vitro studies of neuronal activity found AS changes in response to neuronal activity in addition to transcriptional ones, raising the question of whether such changes are recapitulated in vivo on behaviorally relevant timescales. We developed a paradigm for studying physiological neuronal activity through controlled stimulation of the olfactory bulb, and performed RNA-Seq transcriptome analysis of olfactory bulbs from odor-deprived and stimulated mice. We found that physiological stimulation induces large, rapid and reproducible changes in transcription in vivo, and that the activation of a core set of activity-regulated factors is recapitulated in an in vitro model of neuronal stimulation. However, physiological activity did not induce global changes in post-transcriptional mRNA processing, such as AS or alternative cleavage and polyadenylation. In contrast, analysis of RNA-Seq from in vitro stimulation models showed rapid activity-dependent changes in both transcription and mRNA processing. Our results provide the first genome-wide look at neuronal activity-dependent mRNA processing and suggest that rapid changes in AS might not be the dominant form of transcriptome alterations that take place during olfactory rodent behavior.
A procedure to identify applications of expert systems in air force base facilities operations and maintenance

A general procedural problem selection approach is described for use in almost any environment to help select problems appropriate for the application of expert system technology. The five criteria used in the approach are outlined as follows: (1) the problem or task should be the appropriate size and type; (2) genuine experts must exist who are willing to share their skills to solve the problem; (3) the problem should be realistic and solvable; (4) the expert system should be justifiable for any one of the following reasons: there is a high payoff for solving the problem correctly, human expertise is scarce or being lost, or the expertise needed is in a hostile or remote location; (5) the expert system should use appropriate computer techniques. The application of this process to the facility construction, operations, and maintenance functions of air force civil engineering is summarized. >
Congenital Dermal Sinus

A congenital dermal sinus tract is an uncommon type of spinal dysraphism that results when a focal area of the ectoderm fails to separate from the underlying lying neuroectoderm, a process termed nondysjunction. Nondysjunction prevents the insertion and subsequent development of mesodermal tissue, which normally separates the spinal cord from the skin. Congenital dermal sinus tracts occur rarely and are usually located in the lumbar or lumbosacral regions. Skin findings include abnormal pigmentation, subcutaneous lipomas, skin tags, hypertrichosis, angiomas, infection, and sinus ostia with a cephalically oriented tract, which may prompt further investigation and subsequent diagnosis. Congenital dermal sinus tracts may also be seen with other pathologic inclusion tumors such as dermoids, epidermoids, and teratomas. Treatment is surgical excision, with successful results in more than 90% of patients. 1 To our knowledge, neither antenatal diagnoses nor cutaneous cystic findings have been reported for congenital dermal sinus tracts to date. We report a case of a dermal sinus incorrectly identified prenatally and postnatally as myelomeningocele.
Analysis of metamaterial absorber blueprints for optical ‘black holes’

We investigate the design of metamaterial blueprints for reflectionless (impedance-matched) absorbers over non-planar surfaces in connection with optical ‘black holes’. New metamaterial blueprints of near-reflectionless absorbers are suggested for integration into optical ‘black hole’ metamaterials.
Regional industries as critical infrastructures: A tale of two modern cities

The research state-of-the-art mentions critical infrastructures (CI) in the same breath as studies about cataclysmic threats, events instantiated by a terrorist or cyber-attack, and/or a natural disaster. This paper suggests that a threat to CI may also result from slowly evolving, gradual, and undetectable events that build up over time. Entire regional industries and their associated networks exhibit punctuated equilibria-type phenomena. Embedded within regional economies and operating as a system-of-system (SoS), regional industries are CI that exhibit gradual evolutionary changes. This paper examines: athe automotive industry and its impact to the City of Detroit, Michigan bthe heavy defence/military-contractor industry in the Hampton Roads (Virginia). The paper concludes that a reorientation of CI research to include slow evolving events is necessary with calls for new investment in management, planning, and monitoring approaches that can deal with slow and evolving threat events.
Tobacco smoking, polymorphisms in carcinogen metabolism enzyme genes, and risk of localized and advanced prostate cancer: results from the California Collaborative Prostate Cancer Study

The relationship between tobacco smoking and prostate cancer (PCa) remains inconclusive. This study examined the association between tobacco smoking and PCa risk taking into account polymorphisms in carcinogen metabolism enzyme genes as possible effect modifiers (9 polymorphisms and 1 predicted phenotype from metabolism enzyme genes). The study included cases (n = 761 localized; n = 1199 advanced) and controls (n = 1139) from the multiethnic California Collaborative Case–Control Study of Prostate Cancer. Multivariable conditional logistic regression was performed to evaluate the association between tobacco smoking variables and risk of localized and advanced PCa risk. Being a former smoker, regardless of time of quit smoking, was associated with an increased risk of localized PCa (odds ratio [OR] = 1.3; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.0–1.6). Among non-Hispanic Whites, ever smoking was associated with an increased risk of localized PCa (OR = 1.5; 95% CI = 1.1–2.1), whereas current smoking was associated with risk of advanced PCa (OR = 1.4; 95% CI = 1.0–1.9). However, no associations were observed between smoking intensity, duration or pack-year variables, and advanced PCa. No statistically significant trends were seen among Hispanics or African-Americans. The relationship between smoking status and PCa risk was modified by the CYP1A2 rs7662551 polymorphism (P-interaction = 0.008). In conclusion, tobacco smoking was associated with risk of PCa, primarily localized disease among non-Hispanic Whites. This association was modified by a genetic variant in CYP1A2, thus supporting a role for tobacco carcinogens in PCa risk.