cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Three-Dimensional Approach to the Gust Problem for a Screw Propeller

Abstract : The unsteady lifting surface approach is utilized for the marine propeller case and the correspond ing surface integral equation is solved for the Weissinger mathematical model. The applicability of the Weissinger method to the nonstationary flow case is studied. The kernel function is expressed in closed forms after some mathematical simplification. From numerical calculations of propeller loading which are restricted to a four bladed propeller of sector type blade form with different blade-area ratios and various pitch diameter ratios, conclusions are drawn as to three-dimensional effects as well as to the de pendence of propeller loading on the important parameters, as the blade-area and pitch-diameter ratios.
Evaluation of carbon nanotube x-ray source array for stationary head computed tomography.

Purpose Stationary computed tomography (s-CT) conceptually offers several advantages over existing rotating gantry-based CT. Over the last 40 yr, s-CT has been investigated using different technological approaches. We are developing a s-CT system specifically for head/brain imaging using carbon nanotube (CNT)-based field emission x-ray source array technology. The noncircular geometry requires different assessment approaches as compared to circular geometries. The purpose of the present study is to investigate whether the CNT source array meets the requirements for stationary head CT (s-HCT). Methods Multiple prototype CNT x-ray source arrays were manufactured based on the system requirements obtained from simulation. Source characterization was performed using a benchtop setup consisting of an x-ray source array with 45 distributed focal spots, each operating at 120 kVp, and an electronic control system (ECS) for high speed control of the x-ray output from individual focal spots. Due to the forward-angled geometry of the linear anode, the projected focal spot shape is expected to vary at wide angle views. A pinhole method was implemented to determine the effective focal spot size (FSS) in the imaging plane at a range of angular viewpoints with a flat panel detector. The output spectrum and half value layer (HVL) were also evaluated for a range of viewing angles to characterize the beam quality across the fan-beam. Dosimetry was performed on a simulated scan to evaluate total exposure. Results The prototype CNT x-ray source array demonstrated adequate specifications for a s-HCT imaging machine. The source array was operated at 120 kVp with long-term stability over a full year of regular laboratory use. Multiple cathode current measurements were used to confirm submicrosecond accuracy with regards to exposure time and subsequently dose control. All 45 focal spots were measured with an average value of 1.26 (±0.04) mm × 1.21 (±0.03) mm (equivalent to IEC 1,0). The x-ray spectrum was found to be appropriately filtered based on sources used in existing rotary CT systems. A stable and reliable output of 0.04 mAs per emitter and a resulting dose of 0.015 mGy per projection were observed over several months of rigorous phantom imaging. Dose per projection was regulated by the ECS and measured with ±0.5% tolerance. Conclusions The CNT x-ray source array was found to meet the requirements for the proposed stationary head CT scanner, with regard to FSS, beam quality, and dose precision. The remaining challenges are related to the overall system design of a nonrotating CT scanner with distributed sources. The next phase of the project will incorporate multiple CNT source arrays with multirow detectors in a proof-of-concept study and analysis of a fully functional s-HCT system.
A Bio-Inspired Framework for Joint Angle Estimation from Non-Collocated Sensors in Tendon-driven Systems

Estimates of limb posture are critical for the control of robotic systems. This is generally accomplished by utilizing on-location joint angle encoders which may complicate the design, increase limb inertia, and add noise to the system. Conversely, some innovative or smaller robotic morphologies can benefit from non-collocated sensors when encoder size becomes prohibitively larger or the joints are less accessible or subject to damage (e.g., distal joints of a robotic hand or foot sensors subject to repeated impact). These concerns are especially important for tendon-driven systems where motors (and their sensors) are not placed at the joints. Here we create a framework for joint angle estimation by which artificial neural networks (ANNs) use limited-experience from motor babbling to predict joint angles. We draw inspiration from Nature where (i) muscles and tendons have mechanoreceptors, (ii) there are no dedicated joint-angle sensors, and (iii) dedicated neural networks perform sensory fusion. We simulated an inverted pendulum driven by an agonist-antagonist pair of motors that pull on tendons with nonlinear elasticity. We then compared the contributions of different sets of non-collocated sensory information when training ANNs to predict joint angle. By comparing performance across different movement tasks we were able to determine how well each ANN (trained on the different sensory sets of babbling data) generalizes to tasks it has not been exposed to (sinusoidal and point-to-point). Lastly, we evaluated performance as a function of amount of babbling data. We find that training an ANN with actuator states (i.e., motor positions/velocities/accelerations) as well as tendon tension data produces more accurate estimates of joint angles than those ANNs trained without tendon tension data. Moreover, we show that ANNs trained on motor positions/velocities and tendon tensions (i.e., the bio-inspired set) (i) can reliably estimate joint angles with as little as 2 minutes of motor babbling and (ii) generalizes well across tasks. We demonstrate a novel framework that can utilize limited-experience to provide accurate and efficient joint angle estimation during dynamical tasks using non-collocated actuator and tendon tension measurements. This enables novel designs of versatile and data-efficient robots that do not require on-location joint angle sensors.
Patterns of Intentional Dismemberment in Florida Medicolegal Death Investigations

This study identifies broad patterns of intentional dismemberment in Florida as observed in cases accessioned over a 15-year period at the University of Florida C. A. Pound Human Identification Laboratory. A review of all case files dating from July 2003 through June 2018 (N = 959) found 28 individuals with indications of intentional dismemberment. Decedents ranged from neonatal to 76 years in age at death; half were female, and 91.7% were identified by the medical examiner as White. Transection via sawing was the most common dismemberment mode (50%), followed by disarticulation of joints (19%). The most common implement was a saw, and electric reciprocating saws were the most common saw type. These data are compared to multiple U.S.-based dismemberment samples, positioned within a larger U.S. framework, and assessed against international data. Combined U.S. data suggest female homicide victims are more likely to be dismembered than male homicide victims. The use of three different modes of dismemberment, with transection by sawing more common than transection by chopping and transection by any means more common than disarticulation, is noted across the Eastern U.S. However, selection of implement and mode may be influenced by sub-regional factors such as population density. This is in contrast to available Latin American data, which indicate dismemberments—commonly in the context of organized violence and used as a means of symbolic communication—occur primarily to males and overwhelmingly by chopping. The discrepancies in dismemberment patterns between the U.S. and Latin American contexts illustrate the importance of sociopolitical circumstance when making broad comparisons across geographic samples.
Regulating through Financial Engineering: The Office of Financial Research and Pull of Models

This Essay explores the ways in which establishing The Office of Financial Research (OFR), one of the policy responses to the 2008 crisis, represents the extension of financial engineering into the realm of government regulation. The argument is that quant culture has become so pervasive that we are at a point at which quantitative models are at the center of financial regulation. While the push for the OFR was guided by a desire to better regulate, the result has been an overconfidence in the ability to regulate via measuring risk. Thus, ironically, the OFR may actually contribute to a culture that avoids direct regulation of financial institutions, such as by restricting their size — and thus makes our financial system less safe.
Abstract 1162: Monitoring COVID-19 RNA methyltransferases activities for developing therapeutic drugs

The recent pandemic outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-Cov-2) was first reported in Wuhan, China in late 2019 resulting in infection of over 20 million and death of over one million world-wide as of October 2020. The infection by this virus is highly transmissible and can lead to severe pneumonia and death. The SARS-CoV-2 is an enveloped virus and belongs to the beta coronavirus family containing a large and complex positive-sense single stranded RNA genome (~30kb).It binds to human ACE2 receptor with high affinity, compared to the other CoVs, via its spike protein (S) and membrane fusion leading to the release of its genomic RNA that replicates and produce higher number of subgenomic RNAs. The viral RNA is then capped by nsp 14 and nsp10/16, two nonstructural proteins that catalyze the methylation of RNA to limit its degradation by cellular 59-39exonuclease and evade host immune system. These enzymes play critical role in translation of the viral RNA and its replication and thus leading to viral survival. We have used a bioluminescent high throughput enzyme assay for monitoring the activity of these enzymes in order to develop novel inhibitors which can be advanced for therapeutic treatment. We show that we can determine the activity of nanogram amounts of these enzymes and test the activity of these enzymes using different inhibitors, some of which are competitive with S-adenosyl methionine the canonical substrate for these enzymes. We also show the effect of inhibitors that compete with the oligonucleotide substrate. Finally, we tested the effect of a peptide modulator of COVID-2 on the activity of both nsp10/16 and nsp14. The assay is simple, homogenous, fast, and bioluminescent which provides a very robust platform for testing novel compounds on the viral methyltransferases leading to the generation of new drugs towards inhibiting the replication of COVID19 Citation Format: Said A. Goueli, Kevin Hsiao. Monitoring COVID-19 RNA methyltransferases activities for developing therapeutic drugs [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2021; 2021 Apr 10-15 and May 17-21. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2021;81(13_Suppl):Abstract nr 1162.
Justified inference

This paper proposes a general account of the epistemological significance of inference. This account rests on the assumption that the concept of a “justified” belief or inference is a normative concept. It also rests on a conception of belief that distinguishes both (a) between conditional and unconditional beliefs and (b) between enduring belief states and mental events of forming or reaffirming a belief, and interprets all of these different kinds of belief as coming in degrees. Conceptions of “rational coherence” and “competent inference” are then formulated, in terms of the undefeated instances of certain rules of inference. It is proposed that (non-accidental) rational coherence is a necessary and sufficient condition of justified enduring belief states, while competent inference always results in a justified mental event of some kind. This proposal turns out to tell against the view that there are any non-trivial cases of “warrant transmission failure”. Finally, it is explained how these proposals can answer the objections that philosophers have raised against the idea that justified belief is “closed” under competent inference.
Next Generation Natural Gas Vehicle Program Phase I: Clean Air Partners 0.5 g/hp-h NOx Engine Concept; Final Report

Subcontractor report details work done by Clean Air Partners to develop 0.5 g/hp-h NOx natural gas engine exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) technology for the Next Generation Natural Gas Vehicle Program.
Modeling complexity in secure distributed computing

Security considerations play an increasingly important role for distributed computing. In the future, dependable distributed systems for open networks can no longer be designed without taking malicious attacks into account. The enabling technology for security is cryptography, which has been placed on sound theoretical foundations during the last twenty years. The formal model of modern cryptography is based on computational complexity theory because of the need for modeling computational diffficulty; it differs substantially from the formal models of distributed computing, which do not usually deal with bounds on time complexity or with randomization. We argue that an integration of these two approaches is necessary for reasoning about the security of cryptographic protocols in distributed systems.We discuss the notion of a uniformly bounded protocol statistic that allows for composing protocols with computational security; it has recently been proposed for constructing cryptographic randomized atomic broadcast protocols for asynchronous systems.
Rateless Codes and Big Downloads

This paper presents a novel algorithm for downloading big files from multiple sources in peer-to-peer networks. The algorithm is simple, but offers several compelling properties. It ensures low hand-shaking overhead between peers that download files (or parts of files) from each other. It is computationally efficient, with cost linear in the amount of data transfered. Most importantly, when nodes leave the network in the middle of uploads, the algorithm minimizes the duplicate information shared by nodes with truncated downloads. Thus, any two peers with partial knowledge of a given file can almost always fully benefit from each other’s knowledge. Our algorithm is made possible by the recent introduction of linear-time, rateless erasure codes.
Generation of electrostatic waves by nongyrotropic protons

Abstract We study a nongyrotropic proton - plasma instability using two-dimensional, electrostatcic computer simulations. Through comparison of these simulations with simulations using ring protons we identify uniquely nongyrotropic effects. Perpendicular propagating electrostatic Bernstein harmonics are unstable for the plasma parameters studied here. The field energy produced by the nongyrotropic protons is up to three times the energy produced by the ring protons. The nongyrotropic protons also generate electric field waveforms, perturbations on top of normal Bernstein harmonics, which are not found in waveforms produced by ring protons.
Chemical contamination of soils in the New York City area following Hurricane Sandy

This paper presents a unique data set of lead, arsenic, polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) concentrations in soil samples collected from the metropolitan New York City area in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. Initial samples were collected by citizen scientists recruited via social media, a relatively unusual approach for a sample collection project. Participants in the affected areas collected 63 usable samples from basements, gardens, roads, and beaches. Results indicate high levels of arsenic, lead, PCBs, and PAHs in an area approximately 800 feet south of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) Superfund site at Newtown Creek. A location adjacent to the Gowanus Canal, another Superfund site, was found to have high PCB concentrations. Areas of high PAH contamination tended to be near high traffic areas or next to sites of known contamination. While contamination as a direct result of Hurricane Sandy cannot be demonstrated conclusively, the presence of high levels of contamination close to known contamination sites, evidence for co-contamination, and decrease in number of samples containing measureable amounts of semi-volatile compounds from samples collected at similar locations 9 months after the storm suggest that contaminated particles may have migrated to residential areas as a result of flooding.
Continuous measurement of breathlessness during exercise : validity, reliability, and responsiveness

A continuous method for recording changes in breathlessness (dyspnea) during exercise is introduced and compared with the traditional discrete method. Instudy 1, a category-rating scale was present...
The friction-related component of a comprehensive slip-prediction model. I. Literature search for parametric inputs for ratiometric analysis

To prevent slips, a comprehensive model for the prediction of slip would be useful. Such model must consider both qualitative and quantitative factors. Here, the author explores factors which can have a significant influence on pedestrian/walkway friction and, therefore, on slip probability. These factors will, in pt. II of this paper, be used as inputs to a set of ratiometrically-derived, dimensionless parameters which will characterize the friction-related component of a comprehensive slip-prediction model.
Classical Lumps and Their Quantum Descendants

A stone thrown into a still body of water makes ripples that spread out and eventually die away. The stone disturbs the water, gives it energy, but, even if we ignore friction, this energy tends in the course of time to spread out over the water. If we imagine the water to be infinite in extent, then, if we wait long enough, at no point is the water appreciably different from its state before the stone was cast. The disturbance dissipates.
Lipoproteins from the Hemolymph and Ovaries of Marine Invertebrates

Lipids are involved in a number of essential processes in the growth and reproduction of marine invertebrates. Membrane lipids, primarily phospholipids and sterols, combine with membrane proteins to form insoluble complexes that are important in membrane structure. Many marine invertebrates have oil droplets within cells of hepatic-type tissues. These droplets are primarily triacylglycerols or wax esters and serve as energy stores. Finally, lipids occur in water-soluble lipoproteins where phospholipids, triacylglycerols, and sterols are combined with various apoproteins. Lipids are transported between various tissues via hemolymph lipoproteins. Female-specific lipoproteins occur in the hemolymph and eggs of adult females of many marine invertebrates. These egg lipoproteins provide protein and lipid for the development of larvae after they hatch from the egg.
Visual terrain editor: an interactive editor for real terrains

Although many applications make use of 3D terrains, few, if any, applications allow editing of real terrains to correct errors in the original terrain data or to allow visualization of an altered terrain. This paper describes an application, the Visual Terrain Editor that allows both manual and automated editing of real terrains for use in other visualization applications.
Strategic initiatives in the online environment: opportunities and challenges

Purpose – The paper aims to present a strategic model for online program success in higher education and to discuss the implications of web‐based teaching for learning assessment and program evaluation.Design/methodology/approach – This paper uses an analytic approach to deconstruct a successful online program to identify necessary elements for the initiative to become apart of the institutional culture.Findings – The paper traces the evolution of online learning in higher education over the past decade, poses the necessary strategic planning questions that must be answered, identifies critical success factors, argues that that the broadening scope of evaluation will have to encompass emerging constructs such as information fluency, and hypothesizes online learning as a systemic initiative.Research limitations/implications – The study intends to stimulate case study research at other colleges and universities using the template of this paper to assess whether or not the model constructs and elements are r...
Photoresponse and electroresponse studies of polymer light-emitting diodes

Abstract We have developed and applied a non-destructive and non-invasive technique, the saturated photovoltage (SPV), to measure the internal built-in potential, V bi , in conducting polymer based light-emitting diodes (LED). We found that V bi scales with the difference in work function between the two capping metal electrodes in a variety of polymer LEDs, independent of the constituent polymer. The SPV technique can be used as a diagnostic tool to study the polymer device quality and degradation. In addition, the photocurrent excitation spectra of polymer LEDs are shown to be sensitive to states in the gap and also to spectral features above the optical gap.
Holocene and Latest Pleistocene Activity on the Mesquite Lake Fault near Twentynine Palms, Eastern California Shear Zone: Implications for Fault Interaction

Paleoseismic data from the Mesquite Lake fault reveal evidence for up to four prehistoric earthquakes since the latest Pleistocene, with three large surface- rupturing events in about the past 10.2 ka. Three events were recorded in trenches excavated for this investigation on Mesquite Lake playa. A buried fault scarp brack- eted by accelerator mass spectrometer radiocarbon ages of detrital charcoal indicate that a mid to late Holocene event occurred between about 2.7 and 7.4 ka, most likely between about 3.9 and 4.6 ka. An early Holocene rupture defined by a subtle buried scarp and upward-terminating fissures is bracketed between about 7.7 and 10.2 ka. Evidence for an inferred late Pleistocene event prior to about 10.2 ka includes a subtle scarp, upward termination of faults, folding, and in-filled craters and fissures. A previous paleoseismic investigation just south (2 km) of the playa identified at least one event in the past 1.3 ka, although this event was not identified in this study at the playa site. Apparent vertical offsets of about 1.0 m and 1.2 m for the last two events at the playa site suggest a sequence of similar serial ruptures. These separa- tions are comparable to the height of surficial scarps just south of the playa. Because the vertical separations produced by each event are similar, the Mesquite Lake fault, at least locally, experiences similar slip-per-event. Since the initiation of Holocene playa development just over 10.2 ka ago, we estimate a horizontal slip rate of 0.7- 0.9 mm yr 1 that is consistent with slip rates for other faults in the eastern California shear zone. Despite large uncertainties, event stratigraphy at the playa site shows that periods of quiescence up to thousands of years separated large ruptures, similar to other faults in the eastern California shear zone. Comparison of paleoseismic studies in the eastern California shear zone suggest that the Mesquite Lake, and possibly the Bullion and Lavic Lake faults in the eastern part of the shear zone may have failed during periods of seismic quiescence in the western part of the zone, at about 1- 5 ka. This suggests that seismic strain release may vary spatially across the shear zone and that temporal clusters of earthquakes are not necessarily spatially limited to specific regions.
High Ionic Strength Formation of DOPA‐Melanin Coating for Loading and Release of Cationic Antimicrobial Compounds

Melanins are widespread in nature, providing pigmentation, photoprotection, anti-oxidant, metal binding and other biological properties.[1] An important subclass of melanins is eumelanin, which forms from tyrosine through a pathway involving 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA) oxidation, intramolecular cyclization, oligomerization, and aggregation to form an insoluble and heterogeneous solid.[2,3] Research on eumelanins is in part motivated by an interest in understanding structure-property relationships in the context of biological function,[4] but also due to a growing interest in the interesting optical, electrical properties and technological applications of melanin thin films.[5–7]
Culturally tailored education to promote lifestyle change in Mexican Americans with type 2 diabetes

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to report the results of a culturally tailored diabetes intervention for Mexican Americans on physical activity and to report the results of a focus group with intervention participants. Data sources: Seventeen Mexican American subjects with type 2 diabetes participated in the study. The study used a pretest/posttest control group design with 10 subjects in each group (N = 20). Outcome measures included the number of steps walked weekly, weight, and body mass index (BMI). Pedometers were used to measure the daily number of steps in the intervention group. A focus group provided data on participant satisfaction. Conclusions: Results suggest a positive effect of the intervention on physical activity level, weight, and sense of control over diabetes self-management. Intervention participants had a statistically significant increase in the number of steps walked per day and a statistically significant mean weight loss of five pounds. Focus group results indicate that participants were satisfied with the culturally tailored intervention and that they and their families benefited from the intervention. Implications for practice: A culturally tailored diabetes self-management program may result in improved outcomes for Mexican Americans with type 2 diabetes.
Oil and Gas Developments in West Virginia in 1950

In 1950, total wells drilled in West Virginia, reported to March 7, 1951, number 744, an increase of 44 over 1949, or 6+ per cent. Permits to drill total 848, an increase of 35 over 1949, or 4+ per cent. Wells abandoned under abandonment permits total 802, including 275 gas wells and 527 oil wells. These are wells drilled before May, 1929. Wells drilled since that date, when abandoned, are abandoned under the original drilling-permit number. Information is lacking for the second half of 1950, but 2 oil wells and 63 gas wells are reported for the first half of the year as abandoned under original drilling-permit number. Wells completed were: gas, 417; oil, 106; oil and gas wells, 34; storage, brine, water-intake, and pressure wells, 30; dry holes, 157. Compared with 1949, as wells decreased 10; oil wells increased 28; oil and gas wells increased 10; storage et al. wells increased 3; and dry holes increased 13. Percentage of dry holes was 21, up about ½ per cent over 1949. Depth of wells completed ranged from 220 to 6,097 feet, compared with 56 to 8,635 feet in 1949. One well is shut down at 9,085 feet. Total footage drilled increased 78,465 feet over 1949, or approximately 4.1 per cent. The average of wells (2,668 feet) was 56 feet less than in 1949. The total initial daily open flow of the gas wells was 468,334 MCF, an increase of 116,217 MCF, or 33 per cent. The size of the gas wells ranged from 11 to 25,000 MCF, compared with 6 to 25,000 MCF in 1949. The total daily initial oil in 1950 was 1,528¼ barrels, an increase of 685½ barrels over 1949, or 81 1/3 per cent. Size of oil wells ranged from ¼ barrel to 80 barrels, compared with ¼ barrel to 50 barrels in 1949. The number of wells drilling or unreported if completed at the end of the year was 313, an increase of 42 over the previous year. Letters were sent to 193 operators regarding 457 wells not reported. Replies were received from 115 operators regarding 356 wells, leaving 78 operators unheard from regarding 101 wells. Preliminary estimates of production for 1950: gas, 197,210,000 MCF; oil, 2,788,000 barrels. Estimated number of producing wells at end of 1950: gas, 13,875; oil, 14,575. A table gives statistics by counties.
A new perfusion apparatus for the study of the effects of drugs on the coronary vessels.

A new apparatus for the perfusion of the isolated rabbit heart by a modified Langendorff method is described. It utilizes the principle introduced by Katz in methods of perfusion of isolated organs in which the flow is constant and the perfusion pressure changes in parallel with the tonus of the vessels. The apparatus described in this communication includes: a flow meter introduced to measure the rate of inflow in the manometer, a special constant level reservoir fed by an allglass pump, a mixture of O2 and CO2 used to aerate the water column, and an allglass system, except for the short piece of rubber tubing near the heart, in which the fluid circulates.
The interaction of pronunciability and response pretraining on the paired-associate performance of third-grade children ☆ ☆☆

Abstract Following relevant, irrelevant, or no pretraining with the response terms of a paired-associate (PA) task, third-grade children were compared on PA performance. The response terms represented three levels of rated pronunciability within lists. Analysis of free learning indicated that performance increased as rated pronunciability increased. Analysis of PA performance revealed a facilitation due to relevant pretraining which increased as ease of pronunciability decreased. Examination of the types of errors committed during PA learning related the beneficial effect of relevant pretraining to a greater availability of the response terms for recall.
A three amino acid peptide, Gly-Pro-Arg, protects and rescues cell death induced by amyloid β-peptide

Amyloid beta-peptide (Abeta) contributes to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD), causing neuronal death through apoptosis. In this study, the neuroprotective role of small peptides, Gly-Pro-Glu (GPE), Gly-Glu (GE), Gly-Pro-Asp (GPD), and Gly-Pro-Arg (GPR) were examined against Abeta-induced toxicity in cultured rat hippocampal neurons. We report here that GPR (10-100 microM) prevented Abeta-mediated increase in lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release and Abeta inhibition of MTT reduction, even in neurons that were pre-exposed to Abeta for 24 or 48 h. Since GPR prevented Abeta inhibition of MTT reduction, the anti-apoptotic effect of GPR was studied by examining activation of caspase-3 and expression of p53 protein. Caspase-3 was significantly activated by 20 microM Abeta25-35 and 5 microM Abeta1-40, but GPR effectively prevented the Abeta-mediated activation of caspase-3. Similarly, Abeta increased numbers of p53-positive cells, but GPR prevented this Abeta effect. Our findings suggest that GPR can rescue cultured rat hippocampal neurons from Abeta-induced neuronal death by inhibiting caspase-3/p53-dependent apoptosis.
The role of divalent cations in potassium channels.

Abstract The most heterogeneous of the ion channel proteins may be those selective for potassium ions. This broad class of channels includes, among many others, voltage dependent potassium channels important for repolarizing nerve and muscle action potentials (so-called delayed rectifier K channels). While it has been known for many years that external divalent cations, especially Ca 2+ , produce alterations in K channel function, these effects have generally been interpreted as indirect actions mediated by membrane surface charges. Recent studies have provided evidence that this interpretation needs to be reevaluated. Indeed, these new data suggest that Ca 2+ ions are integral to normal functioning of the delayed rectifier K + channels.
Observation of Soot Superaggregates with a Fractal Dimension of 2.6 in Laminar Acetylene/Air Diffusion Flames

We report the observation of a novel phase of soot in an acetylene/air laminar diffusion flame. As was measured by a small-angle light scattering apparatus, the phase consists of about 10-μm superaggregates with a fractal dimension of D ≃ 2.6. This phase coexists with submicrometer D ≃ 1.8 soot fractal aggregates typical for most flames. Both percolation and shear-induced restructuring are considered as possible mechanisms of formation for those superaggregates.
The chromatoid body in mouse spermatogenesis: evidence that it may be formed by the extrusion of nucleolar components.

The chromatoid body is an intensely staining cytoplasmic organelle which is present during spermiogenesis of many eukaryotes. The present fine structure studies of this body in the testes of the mouse show that it is first apparent in the cytoplasm of pachytene and diplotene cells and is located in the immediate vicinity of the nuclear membrane. At this stage the chromatoid body is usually adjacent to similar staining intranuclear material which is probably of nucleolar origin. The fully developed chromatoid body has the same staining reaction, texture, and multilocularity as does a portion of the nucleolus of pachytene and diplotene cells. Numerous precedents exist in other organisms for a similar extrusion of nucleolar material into the cytoplasm in both interphase and meiotic cells. These observations provide support for the early proposal that the chromatoid body is derived from intranuclear and probably nucleolar material.
Having it Both Ways: Consciousness, Unique Not Otherworldly

I respond to Chalmers’ (2006, 2010) objection to the Phenomenal Concept Strategy (PCS) by showing that his objection is faced with a dilemma that ultimately undercuts its force. Chalmers argues that no version of PCS can posit psychological features that are both physically explicable and capable of explaining our epistemic situation. In response, I show that what Chalmers calls ‘our epistemic situation’ admits either of a phenomenal or of a topic-neutral characterization, neither of which supports Chalmers’ objection. On the one hand, if our epistemic situation is characterized phenomenally, then Chalmers’ demand that PCS should explain our epistemic situation is misplaced. PCS can explain our epistemic situation only if there is a reductive explanation of consciousness. But according to PCS, no reductive explanation of consciousness can be given. On the other hand, if our epistemic situation is characterized topic-neutrally, then PCS is not only physically explicable, but it also explains our epistemic situation. Either way, PCS is safe.
Morphine and somatostatin analogue reduce c-fos expression in trigeminal subnucleus caudalis produced by corneal stimulation in the rat

The influence of morphine and somatostatin on nociceptor-evoked activation of central trigeminal neurons and cardiovascular reflex responses was assessed in barbiturate-anaesthetized rats. Morphine or the somatostatin analogue, octreotide, was given intracerebroventricularly 20 min prior to application of mustard oil to the corneal surface. The expression of the immediate early gene, c-fos, was used to estimate neuronal activation within the spinal trigeminal nucleus. Morphine reduced the number of Fos-positive neurons produced at the transition region between trigeminal subnucleus caudalis and the upper cervical spinal cord, whereas c-fos expression at the subnucleus interpolaris/caudalis transition was not affected significantly. Morphine also reduced the arterial pressure and heart rate responses to corneal stimulation in proportion to the dose of morphine and required a threshold dose similar to that which reduced c-fos expression. Naloxone prevented the morphine-induced inhibition of c-fos expression and cardiovascular reflex responses to corneal stimulation. Somatostatin analogue reduced the number of Fos-positive neurons at the subnucleus caudalis/cervical cord transition, but not at the subnucleus interpolaris/caudalis transition, an effect that was not prevented by naloxone. Somatostatin analogue did not blunt the cardiovascular responses evoked by corneal stimulation. A subthreshold dose of morphine plus a threshold dose of somatostatin analogue caused a greater inhibition of Fos-positive neurons at the subnucleus caudalis/cervical cord transition, but not in reflex-evoked autonomic responses, than the same dose of either drug alone. Intracerebroventricular administration of morphine and somatostatin analogue inhibit corneal activation of neurons within the superficial laminae at the subnucleus caudalis/cervical cord transition through opioid and non-opioid-dependent neural pathways, respectively. By contrast, the low sensitivity of corneal-responsive neurons at the subnucleus interpolaris/caudalis transition to analgesics suggests that these neurons are not simply a rostral extension of the medullary dorsal horn. Correlation analyses suggest that morphine-induced inhibition of cardiovascular responses to corneal stimulation depend on the activity of neurons at the subnucleus caudalis/cervical cord transition and not on those at the subnucleus interpolaris/caudalis transition region.
The complexity and challenges of the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification to International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, Clinical Modification transition in EDs

Beginning October 2015, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services will require medical providers to use the vastly expanded International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM) system. Despite wide availability of information and mapping tools for the next generation of the ICD classification system, some of the challenges associated with transition from ICD-9-CM to ICD-10-CM are not well understood. To quantify the challenges faced by emergency physicians, we analyzed a subset of a 2010 Illinois Medicaid database of emergency department ICD-9-CM codes, seeking to determine the accuracy of existing mapping tools in order to better prepare emergency physicians for the change to the expanded ICD-10-CM system. We found that 27% of 1830 codes represented convoluted multidirectional mappings. We then analyzed the convoluted transitions and found that 8% of total visit encounters (23% of the convoluted transitions) were clinically incorrect. The ambiguity and inaccuracy of these mappings may impact the workflow associated with the translation process and affect the potential mapping between ICD codes and Current Procedural Codes, which determine physician reimbursement.
Establishment of a Recombinant Hepatic Cell Line Stably Expressing Alcohol Dehydrogenase

Abstract Hepatocytes cultured for extended periods of time lose the ability to express alcohol dehydrogenase and thus, the ability to efficiently oxidize ethanol. Therefore, it has been difficult to investigate the effects of chronic ethanol oxidation by hepatocytes in vitro. To circumvent this problem, we have inserted the coding region of an exogenous alcohol dehydrogenase gene into an hepatic cell line. Using the human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line, Hep G2, we have constructed an hepatic cell line that stably expresses alcohol dehydrogenase. These recombinant cells, termed HAD 73.1 cells, express approximately 40% of the alcohol dehydrogenase activity of freshly isolated rat hepatocytes. When the ethanol metabolizing ability of these cells was directly measured, the results indicated that not only were these cells able to metabolize ethanol at approximately 70% of the rate of freshly isolated rat hepatocytes but acetaldehyde concentrations of up to 50 μM were detected in the medium. Furthermore, the level of acetaldehyde produced during ethanol oxidation was augmented by cyanamide, an inhibitor of acetaldehyde oxidation, while the ability of these cells to metabolize ethanol was inhibited by pyrazole, an inhibitor of alcohol dehydrogenase. These results suggest that this in vitro system will be a valuable tool enabling detailed biochemical studies exploring the effects of chronic ethanol oxidation on the liver and the mechanisms of alcohol-induced hepatic cell injury.
Mechanical Milk: An Essay on the Social History of Infant Formula.

This article describes how the infant formula, originally designed to save babies' lives, ended up responsible for perhaps millions of their deaths. It reaches back 300 years into the idea of the body as a machine, the rise of science and industrial capitalism, the emergence of nutrition and pediatrics, the growth of the formula industry and resistance to it. It shows how the formula became an icon of modernity, whose promise was truth and happiness through technology, work and the production of goods, but whose reality was, for most people, exploitation, colonialism and the destruction of `vernacular' ways of life.
The borderline patient in the general hospital

The usefulness of the general hospital inpatient service for the borderline patient is described. The short-term nature of most general hospital units requires a setting that facilitates the rapid establishment of a holding environment and the re-establishment of self-object transferences. Borderline patients have particular difficulty in accepting responsibility for their feelings and behavior and, instead, tend to blame themselves and others. An approach to inpatient care that defines expectations of both patient and family prior to and early in the admission of the patient is elaborated clinically and theoretically. Such an approach offers a way of working with the potential regression in borderline patients, especially around the important issues of responsibility and blaming. The staff's awareness of countertransference problems related to the patient and family as well as to the patient's therapist are described as important ingredients in successful work with these patients.
Impairment of recent memory by marihuana and THC in rhesus monkeys.

SEVERAL studies with humans have indicated that marihuana and its active ingredient, delta-9-tetrahydro cannabinol (THC), have disruptive effects on short term memory1–3. Of the few animal studies on THC, only that of Scheckel et al.4 addressed the question of memory impairment. The results of that study were attributed to lack of motivation. The study described here was designed to elucidate the effects of marihuana on short term memory in rhesus monkeys using an automated delayed matching-to-sample task. In our laboratory, monkeys have been trained to puff cigarettes for a water reward, and thus we are able to study the effects of marihuana smoke while avoiding the set problems associated with human subjects. Another group of monkeys, trained on a similar memory task, was administered oral THC. Significant memory impairment was established with both modes of administration.
Wind Tunnel Demonstration of Aeroelastic Tailoring Applied to Forward Swept Wings

The principle of aeroelastic tailoring with advanced composite materials to increase the divergence speed of a forward swept wing has been demonstrated through low-speed wind tunnel tests. The approach was to perform a low-cost, fairly simple wind tunnel test on a variable sweep cantilever wing model. Available analytical methods were shown to accurately predict the divergence speed of both aluminum and composite plate structures in the subsonic speed range. Methods were evaluated for predicting the onset of divergence using subcritical windtunnel data. Results of the analyses and tests are presented in this report.
Metaphyseal factors promote calcium incorporation in physeal chondrocyte cultures

Our hypothesis is that physiological mineralization within the mammalian growth plate is a consequence of communication between cartilage chondrocytes and cells within metaphyseal bone. To test this hypothesis, chondrocytes were isolated from the proliferative region of the fetal ovine physis and co-cultured with cells or conditioned medium from cells characteristic of those in metaphyseal bone. The mineralization potential of chondrocytes alone and in the presence of other cells or conditioned medium was determined by 45calcium incorporation. Co-culture of chondrocytes with a crude cell isolate from metaphyseal bone resulted in a stimulation of 45calcium incorporation of 93% above that observed in the individual cell populations alone. Conditioned medium from metaphyseal bone cultures also stimulated 45calcium incorporation. This response to conditioned medium was dose-dependent and stable to 90°C. Vascular endothelial cells and conditioned medium from chondrocyte and osteoblast cultures did not stimulate 45calcium incorporation by physeal chondrocytes. Thus, cells found in the metaphyseal bone produce a soluble factor, which promote calcium incorporation by physeal chondrocytes. The source of this factor is not chondrocytic, osteoblastic, or endothelial in origin.
Relationships Between Mobilization of Free Fatty Acids from Adipose Tissue, and the Concentrations of Calcium in the Extracellular Fluid and in the Tissue

Injection of 50 U adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) in rabbits produces 3 hr later a 260–680 % increase in serum FFA concentration, a 27% reduction in the concentration of calcium in serum, and a 500–1100% increase in the concentration of calcium in adipose tissue. Incubation of adipose tissue slices from rabbit, hamster or rat in the homologous serum containing 10 μg/mlACTH or epinephrine causes, in association with the hormone-stimulated lipolysis, a 40–49 % decrease in medium calcium and a 150–460% increase in tissue calcium. When the incubation medium is Krebs-Ringer buffer +bovine serum albumin instead of serum, a similar degree of lipolysis is stimulated in rabbit adipose tissue by ACTH, but no detectable redistribution of calcium from medium to tissue occurs. (Endocrinology 84: 926, 1969)
Prospective protective effect of parents on peer influences and college alcohol involvement

This prospective study used a conceptually-based risk and protective framework to investigate whether parental influences exert a protective effect on the robust association between peer influences and college alcohol involvement. Participants were incoming freshmen in the control condition of a randomized clinical trial, N = 256, 57.0% women, baseline age: M = 18.36 years (SD = 0.41). Participants completed telephone surveys in the summer before matriculation (baseline) and in the spring of the freshman (10-month) and sophomore years (22-month) with 85.6% retention at 22-months. Latent growth models were estimated for heavy episodic drinking and alcohol-related consequences. Descriptive norms and social modeling among peers were positively associated with initial heavy drinking and consequences; parental drinking permissiveness was positively associated with initial heavy drinking. Greater social modeling among peers was associated with less growth in consequences. Parental monitoring was not significantly associated with alcohol involvement. Pre-matriculation social modeling exhibited a weaker positive association with initial heavy drinking and consequences at low pre-matriculation parental drinking permissiveness compared to high. Similarly, pre-matriculation descriptive norms exhibited a weaker positive association with initial heavy drinking at low pre-matriculation parental drinking permissiveness compared to high. Pre-matriculation descriptive norms were not significantly associated with growth in heavy drinking at low parental drinking permissiveness; in contrast, higher pre-matriculation descriptive norms were associated with less growth in heavy drinking at high parental drinking permissiveness. Findings provide support for a protective parental influence on peer-alcohol relations extending into college. Parental drinking permissiveness may be an important target for parent-based interventions.