cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Aquatic Respiration: An Unusual Strategy in the Hellbender Cryptobranchus alleganiensis alleganiensis (Daudin)

Separate and simultaneous determinations of aerial and aquatic gas exchange in the giant salamander, Cryptobranchus alleganiensis alleganiensis (Daudin) were made at 5°, 15°, and 25°C. The aquatic respiration of this animal accounts for over 90 percent of the total volume of oxygen consumed and 97 percent of the total volume of carbon dioxide released at all temperatures. The lungs of these individuals are large transparent sacs which are poor respiratory organs; the lungs probably function more as hydrostatic structures than as gas exchangers. This animal is the largest aquatic vertebrate that lacks gills and yet utilizes almost exclusively an aquatic mode of respiration. Specialized cutaneous modifications, a unique body form, and a peculiar behavioral mechanism are of considerable adaptative significance, and confer to the skin the effectiveness of a veritable "gill."
The reaction of carbohydrates and uronic acids with β-methylindole

Abstract Aldo- and ketu-hexoses produce with β-methylindole a pigment that is soluble with blue color in chloroform. The same applies to ω-hydroxymethylfurfural. Pentoses and uronic acids as well as furfural produce an olive color reaction, but no blue Soluble pigment. Methylpentoses and methylfurfural produce a red pigment, the chloroform extract of which is of raspberry color. The behavior of the heptoses is not characteristic. There is no possibility of differentiating between glucurone and galacturonic acid.
3-picolyl azide adenine dinucleotide as a probe of femtosecond to picosecond enzyme dynamics.

Functionally relevant femtosecond to picosecond dynamics in enzyme active sites can be difficult to measure because of a lack of spectroscopic probes that can be located in the active site without altering the behavior of the enzyme. We have developed a new NAD+ analog 3-Picolyl Azide Adenine Dinucleotide (PAAD+), which has the potential to be a general spectroscopic probe for NAD-dependent enzymes. This analog is stable and binds in the active site of a typical NAD-dependent enzyme formate dehydrogenase (FDH) with characteristics similar to those of natural NAD+. It has an isolated infrared transition with high molar absorptivity that makes it suitable for observing enzyme dynamics using 2D IR spectroscopy. 2D IR experiments show that in aqueous solution, the analog undergoes complete spectral diffusion within hundreds of femtoseconds consistent with the water hydrogen bonding dynamics that would be expected. When bound to FDH in a binary complex, it shows picosecond fluctuations and a large static offse...
Context-Specific Access Control: Conforming Permissions With User Expectations

Current mobile platforms take an all-or-nothing approach to assigning permissions to applications. Once a user grants an application permission to access a particular resource, the application can use that permission whenever it executes thereafter. This enables an application to access privacy sensitive resources even when they are not needed for it to perform its expected functions. In this paper, we introduce "Context-Specific Access Control" (CSAC) as a design approach towards enforcing the principle of least privilege. CSAC's goal is to enable a user to ensure that, at any point in time, an application has access to those resources which she expects are needed by the application component with which she is currently interacting. We study 100 popular applications from Google Play store and find that existing applications are amenable to CSAC as most applications' use of privacy sensitive resources is limited to a small number of contexts. Furthermore, via dynamic analysis of the 100 applications and a small-scale user study, we find that CSAC does not prohibitively increase the number of access control decisions that users need to make.
Teratogenicity Studies of Methadone HCl in Rats and Rabbits

METHADONE maintenance was reported as a treatment for heroin addiction in 19651, and more than 10,000 patients are now maintained on the drug at more than 100 centres throughout the United States (unpublished Lilly Survey, 1970). Wallach et al.2 observed that although women experienced abnormal menses during heroin addiction, regular menstruation and ovulation resumed with daily methadone treatment. In these studies several pregnancies were followed in which methadone maintenance was initiated before or during pregnancy with no apparent effect.
Compaction and Decompaction Algorithms for Sedimentary Carbonates

ABSTRACT The mechanical compaction behavior of shallow marine carbonate sediments has been investigated to develop carbonate compaction algorithms and decompaction curves that can be used in stratigraphic restoration, backstripping analyses, and quantitative models for simulation of carbonate stratigraphy. Deep-water chalks and calcareous oozes are not treated here. Empirical porosity-depth data for carbonate sediments have been compiled and compared with experimentally derived compaction curves to derive appropriate porosity-depth curves for shallow-water carbonate muds and sands. The curves are exponential in form. This review indicates that mud-rich shallow marine carbonates behave differently than sand-rich, grain-supported sediments with regard to reduction in porosity and thickness. Quantitative analysis of compaction behavior in carbonate sediments reveals that, barring early cementation, carbonate muds suffer significant thickness reduction early in their burial history and at shallow depths, e.g., 50% thickness reduction with about 150-200 m overburden. However, primary porosities of carbonate muds, approximately 70-80%, are reduced only to about 42% under that overburden. Thus, the potential exists for significant retention of primary porosity in carbonate muds in the form of microporosity. This indicates that interparticle cementation, with or without chemical compaction, is required to transform muddy carbonate sediments into lithified rock. In the absence of early lithification, carbonate sands compact more slowly than muds. Primary interparticle porosities of about 40-45% can be maintained in the first 200-300 m of burial, with little thickness reduction.
Improving survival rates after civilian gunshot wounds to the brain.

Background Gunshot wounds to the brain are the most lethal of all firearm injuries, with reported survival rates of 10% to 15%. The aim of this study was to determine outcomes in patients with gunshot wounds to the brain, presenting to our institution over time. We hypothesized that aggressive management can increase survival and the rate of organ donation in patients with gunshot wounds to the brain. Study Design We analyzed all patients with gunshot wounds to the brain presenting to our level 1 trauma center over a 5-year period. Aggressive management was defined as resuscitation with blood products, hyperosmolar therapy, and/or prothrombin complex concentrate (PCC). The primary outcome was survival and the secondary outcome was organ donation. Results There were 132 patients with gunshot wounds to the brain, and the survival rates increased incrementally every year, from 10% in 2008 to 46% in 2011, with the adoption of aggressive management. Among survivors, 40% (16 of 40) of the patients had bi-hemispheric injuries. Aggressive management with blood products (p = 0.02) and hyperosmolar therapy (p = 0.01) was independently associated with survival. Of the survivors, 20% had a Glasgow Coma Scale score ≥ 13 at hospital discharge. In patients who died (n = 92), 56% patients were eligible for organ donation, and they donated 60 organs. Conclusions Aggressive management is associated with significant improvement in survival and organ procurement in patients with gunshot wounds to the brain. The bias of resource use can no longer be used to preclude trauma surgeons from abandoning aggressive attempts to save patients with gunshot wound to the brain.
Photonic integration: Si or InP substrates?

A brief review of recent progress in photonic integrated circuits (PICs) is presented. By examining Moore's Law and the roadmap of conventional electronic ICs, valuable lessons in host material selection for PICs are discussed. Finding a primary host material for integration is necessary and vital to the success of the PIC industry. Initial success has been achieved in both InP-based and silicon-based commercial PICs; however, we believe that cost and performance may select silicon as the primary host material, with the urgency to deploy optical interconnects on Si electronic ICs as one of the main reasons. A recently introduced hybrid silicon evanescent platform and devices and silicon/germanium APDs are reviewed as examples to understand the viability of silicon PICs and lead to an understanding of a possible roadmap to next generation large-scale PICs.
1,3-Butadiene and leukemia among synthetic rubber industry workers: exposure-response relationships.

Abstract Previous research updated the mortality experience of North American synthetic rubber industry workers during the period 1944–1998, determined if leukemia and other cancers were associated with several employment factors and carried out Poisson regression analysis to examine exposure–response associations between estimated exposure to 1,3-butadiene (BD) or other chemicals and cancer. The present study used Cox regression procedures to examine further the exposure–response relationship between several unlagged and lagged, continuous, time-dependent BD exposure indices (BD parts per million (ppm)-years, the total number of exposures to BD concentrations >100 ppm (“peaks”) and average intensity of BD) and leukemia, lymphoid neoplasms and myeloid neoplasms. All three BD exposure indices were associated positively with leukemia. Using continuous, untransformed BD ppm-years the regression coefficient (β) from an analysis that controlled only for age was 2.9 × 10−4 (p
Microsphere-adenoviral complexes target and transduce the glomerulus in vivo

Microsphere-adenoviral complexes target and transduce the glomerulus in vivo. Background Developing new treatments for glomerulonephritis makes the glomerulus a logical target for gene therapy. Microspheres may lodge in the glomerulus, and replication-deficient recombinant adenoviruses are potent mediators of gene transfer. We postulated that adenoviral-microsphere complexes could result in DNA transfer (transduction) into glomerular cells in vivo. Methods Two adenoviruses, each one containing a luciferase or β-galactosidase (β-gal) transgene expression cassette, were complexed to polystyrene microspheres. To assess in vivo glomerular transduction with this tool, male Sprague-Dawley rats underwent aortic injections with adenovirus linked to 11 or 16 μm diameter microspheres. Results After 48 hours, adenoviral-microsphere complexes resulted in transduction of up to 19% of glomeruli per kidney section. Endothelial and mesangial cells were transduced with this approach, and transprotein expression persisted for 21 days. Transduction efficiency was greater in the 16 μm group. For all rats, there was a strong correlation between kidney luciferase levels and the number of β-gal-positive glomeruli ( r = 0.87), indicating that transgene expression was primarily glomerular in location. This was supported by reverse transcriptase in situ polymerase chain reaction, which demonstrated glomerular localization of the β-gal transgene. Conclusions The aortic injection of adenoviral-microsphere complexes transduces the glomerulus in vivo and may be a useful tool in developing approaches to gene therapy of glomerular disease.
Long-term outcome of chronic hepatitis C after sustained virological response to interferon-based therapy

Background While the short-term benefits of a sustained virological response (SVR) to interferon-based therapies of chronic hepatitis C (CHC) are well known, the long-term consequences of SVR are less clear.
Peritoneal Surface Oncology: A progress report

The Fourth International Workshop on Peritoneal Surface Malignancy took place in Madrid (Spain) on December 2, 3 and 4, 2004. The meeting brought together 132 health care professionals currently working on or interested in the management of peritoneal surface malignancy, from 19 countries. The topics covered included diagnostic pathology, technology of hyperthermic peritoneal perfusion, quantitative prognostic indicators, accreditation of treatment programs, ovarian cancer, gastric cancer, peritoneal mesothelioma, appendiceal mucinous tumors, colorectal cancer, morbidity and mortality, and were presented by 25 invited speakers. This article summarizes the most significant discussion points and conclusions relative to the aforementioned topics. The following consensus points were reached: (1) cytoreductive surgery combined with perioperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy is unquestionably considered the standard of care for mucinous appendiceal tumors with peritoneal spread at the present time; (2) there is a need for standardization in the nomenclature used in this field and as a first step "HIPEC" was chosen as the recommended acronym to be used to refer to hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy in the future; (3) close international collaboration is needed to advance in the standardization of prognostic indicators, technology for HIPEC, accreditation of peritoneal surface malignancy treatment programs, anesthesia management and pathology, and ad hoc working groups were assembled for some of these issues. Future directions for clinical research in this field, especially in carcinomatosis of colorectal origin were identified and extensively discussed.
¿Por qué volver a los textos coloniales?: herencias y coherencias del pensamiento americano en el discurso colonial

Resumen es: En este articulo, se propone una refl exion sobre los textos coloniales, debatiendo con el discurso critico que adhiere a las perspectivas post modernas...
Using competing speech to estimate articulatory automatization in children: the possible effect of masking level and subject grade.

Abstract In order to study the possible influence of masking level and subject grade on a procedure for determining a child's articulatory automatization (Manning et al., 1976) 47 first and second grade and 49 third and fourth grade children were administered the McDonald Deep Test Articulation under one of five conditions of auditory masking (earphones only, or presentation of competing speech at 50, 60, 70, or 80 dB SPL). Results indicated no significant difference in subject performance across the factors of masking level and subject grade. The findings suggest that these factors do not appear to be critical in the clinical application of the suggested procedure for estimating children's automatization of newly acquired phonemes.
Characterization of a new type of thymoma variants supersensitive to dexamethasone.

Abstract The murine T-cell lines W7 and T1M1 undergo cytolysis in response to glucocorticoids. Variants of these lines have been isolated that are supersensitive to glucocorticoids and some properties of these variants are described. Both the W7 and T1M1 supersensitive variants are killed faster than their parental line by dexamethasone, and this phenotype appears stable. Both variants contain the same amount of glucocorticoid receptors as their parental line, with unchanged affinity for dexamethasone and capacity to translocate to the nucleus. The increased sensitivity of the variants is not due to increased nuclear fragility or membrane permeability. Glucose uptake and phosphorylation, as well as lactate and glycogen production, are unchanged in the variants. The variants have not acquired an increased sensitivity to calcium either in the presence or the absence of dexamethasone. While the cytotoxicity of cAMP is unchanged in the T1M1 variants, the W7 variant supcrsensitive to dexamethasone has acquired increased sensitivity to cAMP. This indicates that the cause of the supersensitivity to dexamethasone is different in the W7 and T1M1 variants, and that the W7 variant could be altered in a step common to the cytolytic responses to cAMP and to glucocorticoids.
EIPH: postrace endoscopic evaluation of Standardbreds and Thoroughbreds.

Summary The incidence and severity of exercise-induced pulmonary haemorrhage (EIPH) in the 2 most commonly raced horse breeds, Thoroughbreds (TB) and Standardbreds (STD), were studied, with particular interest in the possible influence of frusemide (F) and/or the breed (or running gait) on EIPH. The appearance of blood within the trachea was semi-quantified using a published 5-point system, with zero assigned when no blood was observed, and numbers 1–4 assigned with increasing amounts of blood. Considering each endoscopic examination as a separate event, approximately 75% of the postrace endoscopic examinations had blood-scores of 1, 2, 3, or 4, regardless of breed or F administration. For horses examined twice, the chances of finding blood-scores of 1 or greater in either of the examinations increased to approximately 95%. All horses examined 3 or more times had endoscopic blood-scores of 1 or greater following one or more races, again, irrespective of the breed or F administration. Mean ± s.e. ‘blood scores’ were 1.5 ± 0.1 and 1.8 ± 0.2 for TB, and 1.4 ± 0.2 and 1.2 ± 0.1 for STD racing with and without prerace F, respectively. Therefore, there was no apparent effect of breed (or possibly racing gait) on EIPH, and no differences in the incidence or severity of EIPH were observed between horses with or without prerace frusemide administration.
Histidine:pyruvate transamination and phyenylalanine:pyruvate transamination may be catalyzed by the same enzyme.

Some properties of histidine:pyruvate transaminase (HPT) and phenylalanine:pyruvate transaminase (PPT) in the cytosol of rat liver were studied. HPT and PPT activity could not be separated by DEAE-Sephadex A-50 or hydroxylapatite column chromatography, and the ratio of HPTPPT activity remained constant during these purification procedures. The two enzyme activities also showed similar heat stability and responses to glucagon injection. Based on these findings, we suggest that a single enzyme may specifically catalyze histidine:pyruvate and phenylalanine:pyruvate transamination.
Behavioral factors affecting HIV prevention for adolescent and young adult IDUs

Epidemiological and sociobehavioral data regarding HIV-related risk and injection drug use among adolescents and young adults are examined to provide insight and assistance to nurses delivering preventive intervention and community and clinical care. The increase in HIV/AIDS cases among injection drug users (IDUs), adolescents, and African Americans strongly suggests that clinical care providers acquire a better understanding of the sociocultural and behavioral context within which health care is provided. Transition into injection drug use, high-risk injecting and sexual behaviors, sociodemographic differences, and the importance of social networks are discussed. Nurses are encouraged to provide health promotion, disease prevention messages, and health care to IDUs in small nontraditional clinical settings and to seek out the assistance of the IDUs' social network to increase adherence and compliance to complex prevention and therapeutic efforts.
Digital Computer Control of the Bevatron Inflection System

A program is being carried out at the Bevatron, in cooperation with the 200-BeV Design Study,1 to investigate the application of computerized digital control to accelerators. Specifically, a digital-computer control system has been placed in operation at the Bevatron injector for investigation of control and operator interaction between an on-line control computer and an operating accelerator. The system controls transport and inflection of the 19.3 proton beam. The computer, which is remotely located from the accelerator, collects and disseminates control information through time-shared, hybrid (analog -- digital) interface hardware. Data transmission is via twisted pair cable. With this system the beam's center of gravity has been maintained at the entrance of the achromatic inflector, in the transverse planes, to ±0.1 mm and ±0.1 mrad2 by closed-loop sampled-data control of steering magnets at three points along the beam-transport channel. Beam-position information is obtained from 200-MHz resonant induction electrodes3 located near each steering magnet. In addition, the inflector deflection and focussing elements may be set by the operator and then regulated automatically by the computer. The operator may request typewritten or cathode-ray-tube (CRT) alphanumeric display or a CRT plot of parameters of interest. Optimization of the circulating charge in the accelerator by automatic adjustment of the inflector magnets and on-line diagnostics of certain injector components during trouble periods are planned.
Piezoelectric composites of PZT and some semi-crystalline polymers

Abstract Piezoelectric composites of PZT ceramics and several semi-crystalline polymers have been produced by embedding slender PZT rods (4 volume percent) in the polymers. The observed dielectric constants were considerably lower than that of pure PZT. The hydrostatic piezoelectric voltage coefficients of the composites were larger than PZT, even though the composite hydrostatic piezoelectric strain coefficients were lower. Composite figures of merit ranged from one-third to six times that of PZT.
Comparison of UV synthetic spectra with broadband and spectral irradiances

Converting discreet narrowband filter radiometer irradiance measurements into continuous allows the construction of weighted doses such as an erythemal and plant action spectra. Synthetic spectra were retrieved from 7 UV narrowband channels using a fast 5 parameter fit. The synthetic spectra are compared with measurements from a collocated spectroradiometer and the erythemally weighted doses from the synthetic spectra are compared with daily erythemal doses from a collocated broadband radiometer. The agreement in spectral data ranges generally from 0.75 to 1.25 depending upon wavelength and solar zenith angle. Agreement between daily erythemal doses are generally between 0.70 and 0.90.
Managing Uncertainty in Multiscale Systems via Simulation Model Refinement

The motivating question for this article is: ‘How should a system level designer allocate resources for auxiliary simulation model refinement while satisfying system level design objectives and ensuring robust process requirements in multiscale systems? Our approach consists of integrating: (i) a robust design method for multiscale systems (ii) an information economics based approach for quantifying the cost-benefit trade-off for mitigating uncertainty in simulation models. Specifically, the focus is on allocating resources for reducing model parameter uncertainty arising due to insufficient data from simulation models. A comprehensive multiscale design problem, the concurrent design of material and product is used for validation. The multiscale system is simulated with models at multiple length and time scales. The accuracy of the simulated performance is determined by the trade-off between computational cost for model refinement and the benefits of mitigated uncertainty from the refined models. System level designers can efficiently allocate resources for sequential simulation model refinement in multiscale systems using this approach.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Optogalvanic spectroscopy of the zeeman effect in singly-ionized xenon

Summary form only given. We present optogalvanic measurements of Zeeman effects on two xenon lines: the 5d 2F7/2 rarr 6p 2D0 5/2 transition of singly-ionized xenon at 834.724 nm and the 6p [3/2]1 rarr 6d [5/2]0 1 transition of neutral xenon at 834.745 nm. Hamamatsu L2783 xenon-neon galvatron is placed in the gap of a C-coil electromagnet with the laser beam path perpendicular to the magnetic field. Excitation is provided by a narrow-linewidth TUI Optics TA-100/830 tapered-amplifier diode laser; lock-in amplification isolates the optogalvanic signal from noise in the galvatron discharge. A half-wave plate controls the polarization of the beam, permitting separation of the components. By comparing the observed spectra with computational models of the Zeeman effect on fine and hyperfine energy levels, we explore the utility of Zeeman splitting of xenon laser-induced fluorescence spectra as a magnetic component intensity diagnostic in electrostatic thruster plumes
Hydrocarbon profiles from puparia of diapausing and nondiapausing flesh flies (Sarcophaga crassipalpis) reflect quantitative rather than qualitative differences

Hydrocarbons on the puparia of flesh flies, Sarcophaga crassipalpis, were analyzed to determine whether the abundance of hydrocarbons on puparia from diapausing individuals (twice the amount extracted from puparia of nondiapausing individuals) was the consequence of an increase in deposition of select hydrocarbons or an overall increase in deposition. Hydrocarbons from the puparia of both diapausing and nondiapausing individuals are saturated and range in chain length from 25 to 33 carbons. GC-MS analyses indicate that the hydrocarbon fraction contains n-, terminally and internally branched monomethyl-, and 3,x-, 5,x- and internally branched dimethylalkanes. The diapausing and nondiapausing empty puparia contained 39.4 and 42.9% n-alkanes, 46.5 and 44.7% monomethylalkanes, and 9.5 and 8.5% dimethylalkanes, respectively. No major differences in the percent composition of the different hydrocarbons were noted between the two groups. This suggests that the amount of hydrocarbon, rather than the composition, contributes to the lower transpiration rates observed in diapausing pupae. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Cyclosporine impairs release of endothelium-derived relaxing factors in epicardial and resistance coronary arteries.

BACKGROUND Cyclosporin A is reported to impair endothelium-mediated vasorelaxation and induce endothelin release in some noncoronary vascular beds. We wished to determine whether acute cyclosporine administration induces endothelial dysfunction in coronary conductance or resistance arteries. METHODS AND RESULTS We examined the effect of intracoronary acetylcholine, N omega-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), L-arginine, nitroglycerin, and adenosine before and after acute cyclosporine administration (3 mg/kg IV over 30 minutes) in anesthetized dogs. Flow velocity was measured with a 0.014-in Doppler wire to assess resistance vessel responses, and epicardial coronary lumen area was simultaneously measured with a 4.3F, 30-MHz imaging catheter inserted over the Doppler wire. In 6 dogs, acetylcholine-induced increase in flow velocity was attenuated by cyclosporine in vehicle (137% to 55% at 10(-5) mol/L, P CONCLUSIONS The present study shows that cyclosporine acutely impairs release of endothelium-derived relaxing factor in canine conductance and resistance coronary arteries and provides evidence for decreased epicardial nitric oxide release after cyclosporine. The potential contribution of acute cyclosporine-induced coronary endothelial dysfunction to posttransplant vasculopathy needs further study.
Reply by Author to Rebuttal by W. P. Rodden

Rodden, W. P., "A Method for Deriving Structural Influence Coefficients from Ground Vibration Tests," AIAA Journal, Vol. 5, May 1967, pp. 991-1000. Natke, H. G., private correspondence with W. P. Rodden, July 11,1966. Flanelly, W. G., and Herman, A., "The State of the Art of System Identification of Aerospace Structures," System Identification of Vibrating Structures, Reprints of Papers presented at ASME Winter Meeting, 1972, pp. 121-131. Falkner, V. M., "The Calculation of Aerodynamic Loading on Surfaces of any Shape," R&M 1910, British Aeronautical Research Council, 1943. Watkins, C. E., Woolston, D. S., and Cunningham, H. J., "A Systematic Kernel Function Procedure for Determining Aerodynamic Forces on Oscillating or Steady Finite Wings at Subsonic Speeds," NASAR-48, 1959. Guyan, R. J., "Reduction of Stiffness and Mass Matrices," AIAA Journal, Vol. 3, Feb. 1965, p. 380.
Crystallization of sucrose from aqueous solution

Abstract The results of W. J. Dunning and N. Albon [in “Growth and Perfection of Crystals” (Doremus, Roberts, and Turnbull, Eds.), p. 446, Wiley, New York] and B. M. Smythe [Aust. J. Chem. 20 1087 1097 1115 1967] on the crystallization rate of sucrose from aqueous solution are discussed. This rate is controlled mainly by diffusion of sucrose in the solution, as shown by impurity effects. The diffusion layer thickness δ in the solution is probably less than the thickness of a hydrodynamic boundary layer. The W. K. Burton-N. Cabrera-F. C. Frank surface diffusion theory [Philos. Trans. R. Soc. London Ser. A 243, 299 1951] describes well the observations of spirals and step growth on sucrose by Dunning and Albon.
Pharmacotherapy of age-related macular degeneration.

Background: Age-related macular degeneration is the leading cause of blindness in the developed world. The number of persons with vision loss from age-related macular degeneration is projected to increase dramatically over the next few decades. Therefore, effective therapeutic and prophylactic agents are greatly needed. Objective: This article will discuss some of the newer treatment strategies that may help to reduce the incidence of visual loss from age-related macular degeneration. Some of these therapies and strategies can be implemented today, while many are hypothetical based on current laboratory data and ongoing clinical trials. Methods: A review of the literature and ongoing clinical trials was undertaken. Conclusion: Current therapies using antioxidants for prevention of the progression of age-related macular degeneration and anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapies for neovascular age-related macular degeneration have given us tools for tackling this disease better and reducing the num...
Prolonged peak elevations in cytoplasmic free calcium ions, derived from intracellular stores, correlate with the extent of thrombin-stimulated exocytosis in single human umbilical vein endothelial cells.

We have used indo-1-loaded human endothelial cells (EC) in monolayer culture and quantitative laser scanning fluorescence microscopy techniques to investigate the magnitude and duration of the change in cytoplasmic free calcium ([Ca2+]i) required for thrombin-stimulated von Willebrand factor (vWF) secretion in individual EC. Both alpha-thrombin and a 14 amino acid thrombin receptor activating peptide stimulate an increase in EC [Ca2+]i that is agonist dose dependent. Low-dose agonist treatment generates asynchronous oscillations (i.e., repetitive spikes < 80 sec duration) in [Ca2+]i. Stimulation with higher agonist concentrations generates a prolonged single peak elevation in [Ca2+]i. Both the number of cells displaying prolonged [Ca2+]i peaks and the mean amplitude of the peaks increase as a function of agonist concentration. Higher doses of agonist also cause sustained elevations in [Ca2+]i that depend upon extracellular Ca2+. Oscillations in [Ca2+]i are not sufficient to stimulate significant vWF secretion, and sustained elevations in [Ca2+]i are not required for maximal secretion. Both the number of cells displaying prolonged peaks and the mean peak amplitude correlate with increasing levels of vWF secretion from the culture. We have used the expression of P-selectin, a secretory granule membrane protein, as a marker for measuring thrombin-induced exocytosis in individual EC. Both the number of secreting cells and the amount of secretion per cell increase as a function of thrombin concentration. The graded responses in [Ca2+]i amplitudes and the graded exocytotic response may be causally related.
XUV/Demo III multivehicle operator control unit

This paper describes the Operator Control Unit (OCU) developed for use in the first of three yearly demonstrations and Battle Lab Warfighting Experiments (BLWEs) for the Demo III/XUV program. The OCU hardware and software provides the man machine interface to a team of Experimental Unmanned Vehicles (XUVs). The OCU provides the capabilities to command and control multiple autonomous unmanned vehicles performing collective and individual scout tasks in support of battalion scout missions. The paper provides an overview of the OCU requirements, the hardware configuration, the man machine interfaces, and software capabilities necessary to support mission planning and execution for XUV scout missions. Additionally we will discuss lessons learned from virtual and constructive simulations conducted at the Mounted Maneuver Battle Labs and from OCU development, integration, and testing.
Vivid memories of emotional events: the accuracy of remembered minutiae.

It has been claimed that emotional arousal causes a narrowing of attention, and, therefore, impoverished memory encoding. On this view, if details of an emotional event are reported subsequently, these details must be after-the-fact reconstructions that are open to error. Our study challenges these claims. Using a long-term (2-week), incidental learning procedure, wefound that emotion promotes memory both for information central to an event and for peripheral detail. This contrasts with the results of explicit instructions to remember or to attend closely to the event, both of which seem to promote memory for the event’s gist at the expense of detail. The likely mechanisms underlying these effects are discussed.
Epileptiform stimulus increases Homer 1a expression to modulate synapse number and activity in hippocampal cultures

Neurons adapt to seizure activity structurally and functionally to attenuate hyperactive neural circuits. Homer proteins provide a scaffold in the postsynaptic density (PSD) by binding to ligands through an EVH1 domain and to other Homer proteins by a coiled-coil domain. The short Homer isoform 1a (H1a) has a ligand-binding domain but lacks a coiled-coil domain and thus acts in a dominant-negative manner to uncouple Homer scaffolds. Here, we show that treating rat hippocampal cultures with bicuculline and 4-aminopyridine (Bic+4-AP) evoked epileptiform activity and synchronized Ca2+ spiking, measured with whole cell current-clamp and fura-2-based digital imaging; Bic+4-AP increased H1a mRNA through the activation of metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5). Treatment with Bic+4-AP for 4 h attenuated burst firing and induced synapse loss. Synaptic changes were measured using a confocal imaging-based assay that quantified clusters of PSD-95 fused to green fluorescent protein. Treatment with an mGluR5 antagonist blocked H1a expression, synapse loss, and burst attenuation. Overexpression of H1a inhibited burst firing similar to Bic+4-AP treatment. Furthermore, knockdown of H1a using a short hairpin RNA (shRNA) strategy reduced synapse loss and burst attenuation induced by Bic+4-AP treatment. Thus an epileptiform stimulus applied to hippocampal neurons in culture induced burst firing and H1a expression through the activation of mGluR5; a 4-h exposure to this stimulus resulted in synapse loss and burst attenuation. These results suggest that H1a expression functions in a negative-feedback manner to reduce network excitability by regulating the number of synapses.
The effective recombination coefficient measured in the auroral E-region during a sudden commencement electron precipitation event

Abstract Incoherent scatter radar observations are utilized to derive the effective recombination coefficient and the ion production rate in the auroral E -region during a sudden commencement precipitation event. The recombination coefficient is found to be (1.1 ± 0.3) × 10 −7 cm 3 sec −1 in good agreement with present laboratory measurements of the dissociative recombination coefficient of O 2 + for an electron temperature close to 500 K. The ion production rate associated with the SC is found to be at least 4.5 × 10 4 el cm −3 sec −1 at 110 km, this corresponds to an enhancement above the background ionization by more than a factor of 10. The background ionization is also larger than expected from solar EUV radiation due to ionization associated with a PCA event present.
Variability and Maintenance of Turbulence in the Very Stable Boundary Layer

The relationship of turbulence quantities to mean flow quantities, such as the Richardson number, degenerates substantially for strong stability, at least in those studies that do not place restrictions on minimum turbulence or non-stationarity. This study examines the large variability of the turbulence for very stable conditions by analyzing four months of turbulence data from a site with short grass. Brief comparisons are made with three additional sites, one over short grass on flat terrain and two with tall vegetation in complex terrain. For very stable conditions, any dependence of the turbulence quantities on the mean wind speed or bulk Richardson number becomes masked by large scatter, as found in some previous studies. The large variability of the turbulence quantities is due to random variations and other physical influences not represented by the bulk Richardson number. There is no critical Richardson number above which the turbulence vanishes. For very stable conditions, the record-averaged vertical velocity variance and the drag coefficient increase with the strength of the submeso motions (wave motions, solitary waves, horizontal modes and numerous more complex signatures). The submeso motions are on time scales of minutes and not normally considered part of the mean flow. The generation of turbulence by such unpredictable motions appears to preclude universal similarity theory for predicting the surface stress for very stable conditions. Large variation of the stress direction with respect to the wind direction for the very stable regime is also examined. Needed additional work is noted.
New source of ultra-cold positron and electron beams

Abstract We have developed a new and versatile source of cold ( ΔE≈0.018 eV ) , low-energy ( E≈0−9 eV ) , magnetized positrons and electrons. Particles are extracted from thermalized, room-temperature, single species plasmas confined in a Penning trap. Typically, the trap contains from 107 to 109 particles, which can be released either in the form of a quasi steady-state beam or as a pulsed beam. Of the order of 100 pulses of 105 positrons, each 10 μs in duration, have been achieved. Size, duration and frequency of pulses within a pulse train are easily variable over a wide range. Cold quasi steady-state electron beams with a diameter of ≈3 mm have also been achieved. Limited only by the total charge contained in the trap, electron currents of 0.1 μA for several milliseconds have been generated routinely. This source represents a combination of attractive features not previously available using any single technique.
Outcomes of high-dose unilateral kidney irradiation in patients with gastric lymphoma

Abstract Purpose: To review the long-term clinical effects of unilateral kidney irradiation on overall renal function and blood pressure in patients with gastric lymphoma. Methods and Materials: In the study were 27 patients with Stage I or II gastric lymphoma who had undergone irradiation of at least 24 Gy to ≥1/3 of the left kidney. They include 16 women and 11 men, aged 31 to 77, with a mean age of 57.6 years (median 56). Fifteen patients had Stage I and 12 had Stage II disease. In 13 patients the whole kidney had been irradiated, and 14 had had partial kidney irradiation, at doses ranging between 24 and 40.5 Gy. All patients received combined chemotherapy with various drugs: all patients received corticosteroids, and five received cis-platinum. Their follow-up ranged between 0.7 and 7.8 years (mean 3.4 years). Data on possible effects of the treatment on blood pressure, renal function as assessed by blood urea and creatinine, and kidney shrinkage as seen by serial computed tomography scanning were collected on all patients. Results: Three patients had persistent, mild elevations of urea and creatinine levels, which did not require special treatment. All three also received cis-platinum. Ipsilateral kidney shrinkage was evident in most patients. In 19 patients the craniocaudal measurement of the kidney shrank by ≥1.6 cm. Shrinkage in other dimensions was also evident. The degree of atrophy was related to the volume of kidney irradiated. Only two patients developed hypertension, both at a low level of 150/90; one patient had had 40 Gy to the whole kidney, the other 40 Gy to half the kidney. Neither patient had elevated urea or creatinine. Conclusions: Notwithstanding the shrinkage to the irradiated part of the kidney, the treatment did not lead to clinically significant hypertension or renal dysfunction. The administration of cis-platinum to patients with gastric lymphoma that requires kidney irradiation should be further evaluated.
An Efficient FDTD Method for Axially Symmetric LWD Environments

In this paper, an unconditionally stable finite- difference time-domain (FDTD) method in cylindrical coordinates is developed to analyze electromagnetic responses under axially symmetric measure-while-drilling/logging-while-drilling (MWD/LWD) environments. The method is based on the application of the Crank-Nicholson scheme to the FDTD method in cylindrical coordinates. To accelerate the solution of this approach, an algebraic multigrid method is applied. For several MWD/LWD electromagnetic simulations, it is observed that the proposed method can be close to 20 times faster than the conventional FDTD method.
IN VITRO MICROSCOPIC ANALYSIS OF APICAL 3MM OBTURATION AFTER GT, LIGHTSPEED, AND PROFILE ROOT CANAL PREPARATION

Objective: To compare the quality o f continuous wave obturation technique following preparation o f theapical third with three different NiTi rotary instrumentation systems.Methodology: Mesiobuecal canals o f 75 extracted human maxillary’ and mandibular molars were used instudy. After instrumentation 25 canals each with GT P ro file .06 and LightSpeed, canals were obturatedwith continuous wave technique 3-5 mm from the working length. Roots were sectioned at 1mm, 2 mm,and 3 mm from the apex and stained with methylene blue. Two operators evaluated pictures o f each section(24X) for obturation quality. Grades o f 1- good adaptation, thin sealer film; 2- irregularities with thick filmof sealer separating gutta-percha for up to I 3 from the canal walls; 3- voids or thick film o f sealer separatinggutta-percha from the canal walls for more than 1/3 were assigned.Results: The average obturation grade at I mm was G T r 2 .16, ProFile =1.96. LightSpeed 1.80; at 2 mmGT =1.84. ProFile =1.52, LightSpeed =1.52; at 3 mm G T = I.4 0 , ProFile = 1.40, LightSpeed =1.20. OverallLightSpccd showed better results but Kniskal-Wallis test showed no differences among groups at all threelevels. Statistically significant improvements were revealed in the quality o f tilling as the distance fromthe apex increased.Conclusion: Under the conditions o f this study, root canals shaped by GT, LightSpeed and ProFiles revealedsimilar quality o f root canal obturation. The quality o f root canal obturation improved in all groups as thedistance from the apex increased.
Major insect pests and economics of fresh-market tomato in eastern Virginia

Abstract Major insect pests of fresh-market tomato, Lycopersicon esculentum Miller, in eastern Virginia were identified as those responsible for reducing marketable fruit yield from 1998 through 2000. Nineteen arthropod pest species infested spring- and fall-grown tomato crops, but only thrips, stink bugs, and Lepidopterans, particularly the corn earworm ( Helicoverpa zea [Boddie]), reduced yield. Fruit injury by thrips and stink bugs was greater in the spring crop than in the fall crop, whereas fruit injury by Lepidopterans was greater in the fall crop. Marketable fruit yield in untreated spring and fall crops averaged 34% (range=12–51%) and 33% lower (range=26–38%), respectively, than fruit yield in treated plots. Based on these reductions and typical prices for fresh-market tomato, the loss in return per hectare in an untreated tomato field was estimated to range from $US3015 to $US17,883 in the spring crop and $US2555 to $US11,074 in the fall crop. Development of an integrated pest management program for tomato in eastern Virginia should focus initially on thrips, stink bugs and Lepidopterans such as the corn earworm.
The force of selection on the human life cycle

In this paper, I present evidence for a robust and quite general force of selection on the human life cycle. The force of selection acts in remarkably invariant ways on human life histories, despite a great abundance of demographic diversity. Human life histories are highly structured, with mortality and fertility changing substantially through the life cycle. This structure necessitates the use of structured population models to understand human life history evolution. Using such structured models, I find that the vital rates to which fitness is most sensitive are pre-reproductive survival probabilities, particularly the survival of children ages 0-4. The fact that the preponderance of selection falls on transitions related to recruitment combined with the late age at first reproduction characteristic of the human life cycle, creates a fitness bottleneck out of recruitment. Because of this, antagonistic pleiotropy with any trait that detracts from the constituent transitions to recruitment is expected. I explore the predictors of variation in the force of selection on early survival. High fertility increases the selective premium placed on early survivorship, while high life expectancy at birth decreases it.
Serum testosterone recovery after cessation of long-term luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone agonist in patients with prostate cancer.

Objectives The time to testosterone recovery after the cessation of androgen deprivation therapy appears to be dependent on the therapy duration. Most men will recover normal testosterone levels within 18 months according to the findings from studies that frequently involved fewer than 3 years of androgen deprivation therapy. Our goal was to assess the proportion of patients who remain castrated after cessation of longer duration luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) agonist therapy for prostate cancer. Methods We reviewed 15 patients who had received at least 48 months of continuous goserelin injection therapy for prostate cancer and had not been receiving the therapy for at least 18 months. The serum testosterone and prostate-specific antigen data were obtained. Results The mean duration of LHRH agonist therapy was 73 months (range 48 to 110). At the cessation of therapy after a mean follow-up of 31 months, 53% had testosterone levels that remained castrated. Only 1 patient achieved normal testosterone levels. Of the patients with greater than castrate testosterone levels, 71% experienced a prostate-specific antigen rise. All the men with an intact prostate who had testosterone recovery to greater than castrate levels had a prostate-specific antigen increase, which might represent a return toward the pretreatment baseline. Of the patients who started therapy after age 70 years, 78% remained castrated versus 17% of those who started before 70 years. Conclusions Of the men who had received 4 or more years of LHRH agonist therapy for prostate cancer, 53% remained castrated up to 2.5 years after therapy cessation. Patients who started LHRH agonist therapy after age 70 were more likely to remain castrate after stopping long-term therapy.
Quantum phase flip gate based on plasmonic double-bar resonators

We demonstrate a quantum phase flip gate between two QDs that resonantly couple to plasmonic double-bar resonators with asymmetric coupling strengths. Large coupling strengths can be achieved due to the deep subwavelength mode volumes of the optical modes in plasmonic double-bar resonators. High fidelity (∼98%) and high success probability of the phase gate operation have been obtained when the coupling strength ratio (g2/g1) and resonant mode decay rate (κ/g1) are optimized. The subwavelength-scale plasmonic structures provide tremendous potential for solid-state quantum information processing.