cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Role of glucocorticoids in regulating interorgan glutamine flow during chronic metabolic acidosis.

The role of glucocorticoids in external glutamine mobilization and renal utilization was evaluated in three groups of chronically acidotic rats: sham-treated controls, adrenalectomized, and adrenalectomized supplemented with triamcinolone. Chronic acidosis was induced by administering NH4Cl in their drinking solution over a three-day period. Adrenalectomized rats were supplemented by triamcinolone at a dose of 40μ/g 100 g/d administered by pellet implantation. Interorgan glutamine flow was evaluated in the postabsorptive state by monitoring net balances across the hindquarters, gut, liver, and kidneys. In the adrenal-intact group, acidosis increased the flow of glutamine from the hindquarters to the kidneys; splanchnic bed uptake, the major glutamine sink in nonacidosis, was eliminated by virtue of hepatic reversal from net uptake to release. Adrenalectomy, in the absence of an exogenous acid load, reversed the flow of glutamine with the kidneys releasing and the hindquarters removing glutamine. Acid loading restored hindquarter glutamine release to levels seen in the intact chronically acidotic animals; however, renal extraction is much less than that exhibited by the intact animals. As a consequence, arterial glutamine concentration rose with the overflow removed by the splanchnic bed, the major glutamine sink in adrenalectomized acidotic rats. Supplementing adrenalectomized acidotic rats with triamcinolone restored glutamine extraction to values seen in intact acidotic rats. Despite the renal extraction, the large hindquarter glutamine release led to hepatic uptake and a high rate of ureagenesis. Glucocorticoids, the release of which is enhanced in metabolic acidosis, appear essential for renal glutamine extraction while playing a lesser role in modulating hindquarter glutamine release. Although glucocorticoid administered to adrenalectomized rats reverses renal release to net extraction, the response is far less than when accompanied by an exogenous acid load indicating a facilitating effect on renal extraction.
Interactions among Irrigation and Nitrogen Fertility Regimes on Mid‐South Cotton Production

Published in Agron. J. 106:1614–1622 (2014) doi:10.2134/agronj13.0457 Copyright © 2014 by the American Society of Agronomy, 5585 Guilford Road, Madison, WI 53711. All rights reserved. No part of this periodical may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. ABSTRACT To maximize pro ts, cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) producers must make the most e cient use of expensive production inputs, such as irrigation and N fertilization. Objectives for this research were to determine how cotton responded to varying levels of irrigation and N fertilization. Field studies were conducted from 2009 to 2012 at Stoneville, MS, using four cotton cultivars. Two soil moisture regimes (dryland and irrigated) and three N fertilization levels (0, 56, and 112 kg N ha–1) were imposed on these varieties. Dry matter partitioning, leaf chlorophyll (Chl) concentration, leaf Chl uorescence, lint yield, yield components, and ber quality data were collected on all the plots. All the cotton cultivars responded similarly to N fertilization and irrigation. Although cotton’s growth responded to both N and irrigation, the level of the bene t from one of these inputs was dependent on the availability of the other component. e highest N fertility rate had higher leaf Chl levels and Fv/Fm uorescence ratios. Lint yield did not respond to irrigation when no N had been applied. Similarly the lint yield N response was muted when the soil moisture was limited. ese data will allow producers to make more informed irrigation and N input allocation decisions, apparently regardless of the cultivar grown.
Overexpression of a citrus NDR1 ortholog increases disease resistance in Arabidopsis.

Emerging devastating diseases, such as Huanglongbing (HLB) and citrus canker, have caused tremendous losses to the citrus industry worldwide. Genetic engineering is a powerful approach that could allow us to increase citrus resistance against these diseases. The key to the success of this approach relies on a thorough understanding of defense mechanisms of citrus. Studies of Arabidopsis and other plants have provided a framework for us to better understand defense mechanisms of citrus. Salicylic acid (SA) is a key signaling molecule involved in basal defense and resistance (R)-gene mediated defense against broad-spectrum pathogens. The Arabidopsis gene NDR1 is a positive regulator of SA accumulation and is specifically required for signaling mediated by a subset of R genes upon recognition of their cognate pathogen effectors. Our bioinformatic analysis identified an ortholog of NDR1 from citrus, ctNDR1. Overexpression of ctNDR1 complemented susceptibility conferred by the Arabidopsis ndr1-1 mutant to Pseudomonas syringae strains and also led to enhanced resistance to an oomycete pathogen Hyaloperonospora arabidopsidis. Such heightened resistance is associated with increased SA production and expression of the defense marker gene PR1. In addition, we found that expression of PR1 and accumulation of SA were induced to modest levels in citrus infected with Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus, the bacterial pathogen associated with HLB disease. Thus, our data suggest that ctNDR1 is a functional ortholog of Arabidopsis NDR1. Since Ca. L. asiaticus infection only activates modest levels of defense responses in citrus, we propose that genetically increasing SA/NDR1-mediated pathways could potentially lead to enhanced resistance against HLB, citrus canker, and other destructive diseases challenging global citrus production.
Neurobiology of Bipolar Illness: Implications for Future Study and Therapeutics

Many findings implicating prefrontal cortical and limbic areas of the brain and endocrine systems in the neuropathology and pathophysiology of bipolar illness have greatly increased our understanding of the neurobiology of the illness. New imaging techniques such as PET, MRI, SPECT, and MRS have detailed more evidence of specific regional alterations in the brains of bipolar patients than was thought possible just 20 years ago. These methods are beginning to be used to help predict response to treatment. Examining the mechanisms of action of mood stabilizers (such as lithium, carbamazepine, and valproate) has provided clues to potential underlying neurobiological abnormalities in the illness. Recent studies of postmortem brain tissue have begun to confirm prefrontal cortical and limbic neurochemical and microstructural alterations in patients with bipolar illness compared with controls. It is postulated that it is the balance between primary pathological versus secondary adaptive alterations in gene expression in the illness and their enhancement or dampening by pharmacotherapy, that may determine the episodic course of mood fluctuations and remissions. Further examination of the pathophysiology and neurobiology of bipolar illness should lead to both more effective treatments and, potentially, secondary and even primary episode prevention.
The genus of Kn − K2

Abstract The minimal genus of K n − K 2 is determined using the method of index two current graphs.
North Americans' Attitudes Toward Illegal Drugs

Public opinion polls conducted from 1969 to 2003 found a variety of opinions on the use, possession, and legalization of marijuana. Public opinion about legalizing marijuana use is increasing, but it is also increasing toward harsher penalties for those who possess a small amount of marijuana. Public opinion regarding the legalization of illegal drugs appears to be influenced by the times. The majority of Americans increasingly believe that the country has made some progress in dealing with the problems of illegal drugs, but Americans are also reporting more difficulty within their families related to marijuana. This article examines trends based in public opinion polls on the use of marijuana in the United States and Canada and discusses the social and political history of marijuana and the biophysical effects, medical uses, definitions, and previous research related to marijuana.
Sodium sulfite as an antioxidant in the acid hydrolysis of bovine pancreatic ribonuclease A

Treatment of hydrochloric acid with sodium sulfite prior to the acid hydrolysis of bovine pancreatic ribonuclease A has been found to suppress the oxidation of cystine, methionine, and tyrosine without adversely affecting the recoveries of other amino acids. Statistical analysis of the results indicated that the assumption of the independence of the mean and the variance, an assumption commonly used in the evaluation of the effects of various treatments, may not be valid in evaluating antioxidants used in the acid hydrolysis of proteins.
A Centennial: Wilhelm Killing and the Exceptional Groups

In his article [3] in the Mathematical Intelligencer (vol. 11, no. 3) A. John Coleman gives a colorful biography of the mathematician Wilhelm Killing and offers an admiring appraisal of his paper [8]. The subject of this paper, the classification of the simple Lie algebras over C, has indeed turned out to be a milestone in the history of mathematics. At the conclusion of his article Coleman lists six reasons why he considers [8] to be such an epoch-making paper, the first one being that it furnished the impetus towards the problem of classifying finite simple groups. Here one could add that the answer to that problem was also motivated by and was partly provided by the classification of simple Lie algebras through Claude Chevalley's paper [2b]. In two sections of his article, entitled "Killing Intervenes" and "The Still Point of the Turning World," Coleman discusses the work of Killing and Elie Cartan on the classification of simple Lie algebras over C. I would like to add a few comments to his discussion (see also [7b]). While Sophus Lie and some of his associates in Leipzig at tempted the problem of classifying all local transformation groups of R n, Killing set himself the problem of finding all possible Zusammensetzungen of r-parameter groups. In other words, he was interested in all possible ways in which a vector space could be turned into a Lie algebra. While Lie was motivated by applications to differential equations, Killing was led to his problem from his work in geometry. Let ~ be a simple Lie algebra over C. Then g is isomorphic to the Lie algebra of linear transformations adX of g given by adX(Y) = IX, Y], with X running through g and [,] denoting the bracket product in the Lie algebra. To study this family it is natural to try to diagonalize the operators ad(X) as effectively as possible. This is the motivation for the definition of a Cartan subalgebra as a subalgebra ~ which is
Tagged photos: concerns, perceptions, and protections

Photo sharing has become a popular feature of many online social networking sites. Many of the photo sharing applications on these sites, allow users to annotate photos with those who are in them. A number of researchers have examined the social uses and privacy issues of online photo sharing sites, but few have explored the privacy issues of photo sharing in social networks. In this paper, we begin by examining some of our findings from a series of focus groups on photo privacy in the social networking domain. We then devise a new mechanism to enhance photo privacy based on these findings.
Ethanol-induced decreases in membrane long-chain unsaturated fatty acids correlate with impaired chick brain development

Abstract Exposure to ethanol at 0 days of development induced changes in total membrane fatty acid composition at 18 days of development. When exposed to ethanol concentrations ranging from 0–743.27μm/kg egg wt, decreased levels of long-chain, unsaturated membrane fatty acids and increased levels of short-chain, saturated membrane fatty acids were observed in embryonic chick brains at 18 days of development. The ratios of unsaturated membrane/saturated membrane fatty acids correlated with an ethanol-induced reduction in neuron densities within the cerebral hemispheres and three different regions of the optic lobes with correlation coefficients (r) ranging from 0.44 [F = (1, 32) 7.84; P ≤ 0.009] to 0.59 [F = (1, 32) 17.38; P ≤ 0.0002]. The ratios of long-chain/short-chain membrane fatty acids also correlated with an ethanol-induced reduction in neuron densities within the cerebral hemispheres and three different regions of the optic lobes with correlation coefficients (r) ranging from 0.51 [F = (1, 32) 11.27; P ≤ 0.002] to 0.66 [F = (1, 32) 24.40; P ≤ 0.0001]. Cell fractionation studies indicated that the ethanol-induced changes in brain membrane fatty acid composition were restricted to microsomal membranes.
Beyond Einstein: from the Big Bang to black holes

Abstract How did the Universe begin? Does time have a beginning and an end? Does space have edges? Einstein's theory of relativity replied to these ancient questions with three startling predictions: that the Universe is expanding from a Big Bang; that black holes so distort space and time that time stops at their edges; and that a dark energy could be pulling space apart, sending galaxies forever beyond the edge of the visible Universe. Observations confirm these remarkable predictions, the last finding only four years ago. Yet Einstein's legacy is incomplete. His theory raises – but cannot answer – three profound questions: What powered the Big Bang? What happens to space, time and matter at the edge of a black hole? and, What is the mysterious dark energy pulling the Universe apart? The Beyond Einstein program within NASA's office of space science aims to answer these questions, employing a series of missions linked by powerful new technologies and complementary approaches to shared science goals. The program also serves as a potent force with which to enhance science education and science literacy.
Exploiting parallelism in 3-D object recognition using the connection machine

Abstract This paper addresses the problem of parallelism in 3-D object recognition and localization using a fine-grained SIMD architecture such as the Connection MachineTM. The input images of partially occluding three-dimensional objects. The objects are made up of piecewise compositions of curved surfaces. The surfaces of interest are cylindrical, conical and spherical surfaces since they cover a large portion of objects encountered in an industrial environment. Qualitative classification of surfaces based on the signs of the Mean and Gaussian curvature is used to come up with Dihedral feature junctions. Dihedral feature junctions are shown to be robust to occlusion and offer a viewpoint independent scheme for modeling the object models and are well suited for matching and pose determination. Hough clustering is chosen as the constraint propagation mechanism on account of the ease of parallelization. Issues regarding parallelism on the Connection MachineTM for every stage of the recognition and localization process such as segmentations, feature extraction matching and pose determination are discussed. Experimental results on the Connection MachineTM bring out the advantages of exploiting parallelism for 3-D object recognition and localization on a fine-grained SIMD architecture.
HelmCoP: An online resource for helminth functional genomics and drug and vaccine targets prioritization

A vast majority of the burden from neglected tropical diseases result from helminth infections (nematodes and platyhelminthes). Parasitic helminthes infect over 2 billion, exerting a high collective burden that rivals high-mortality conditions such as AIDS or malaria, and cause devastation to crops and livestock. The challenges to improve control of parasitic helminth infections are multi-fold and no single category of approaches will meet them all. New information such as helminth genomics, functional genomics and proteomics coupled with innovative bioinformatic approaches provide fundamental molecular information about these parasites, accelerating both basic research as well as development of effective diagnostics, vaccines and new drugs. To facilitate such studies we have developed an online resource, HelmCoP (Helminth Control and Prevention), built by integrating functional, structural and comparative genomic data from plant, animal and human helminthes, to enable researchers to develop strategies for drug, vaccine and pesticide prioritization, while also providing a useful comparative genomics platform. HelmCoP encompasses genomic data from several hosts, including model organisms, along with a comprehensive suite of structural and functional annotations, to assist in comparative analyses and to study host-parasite interactions. The HelmCoP interface, with a sophisticated query engine as a backbone, allows users to search for multi-factorial combinations of properties and serves readily accessible information that will assist in the identification of various genes of interest. HelmCoP is publicly available at: http://www.nematode.net/helmcop.html.
Evapotranspiration of two vegetation covers in a shallow water table environment

A method is introduced to estimate evapotranspiration (ET) in shallow water table environments. The method involves measuring the diurnal fluctuations in total soil moisture above the water table to estimate (i) the net lateral and vertical subsurface flux in the aquifer and (ii) evapotranspiration from the vegetation cover. In a hillslope discharge zone, the net lateral subsurface flux was calculated from the recovery rate of soil moisture between midnight and 0400 h. Evapotranspiration was then estimated from a daily water balance in a soil column that included the water table. The method was tested on two vegetation covers, a pasture in a groundwater recharge area, and a riparian zone with woody vegetation in a groundwater discharge area. A moisture probe carrying eight sensors was used in each area to estimate the total soil moisture in a sandy soil environment. The observed water table fluctuated between land surface and a depth of 1.2 m during the study period, allowing observation and estimation of the total soil moisture in a soil column that included the water table. The results of this investigation support another hypothesis that, in humid, shallow water table environments, ET demand may be supported by adjacent ecosystems. This method provided reasonable results for the two landscapes investigated and was able to capture the variability of evapotranspiration in heterogeneous vegetation covers. It provided a relatively inexpensive alternative to characterize ET within regionally heterogeneous but microhomogenous landscapes. Though tested for coarse-textured soil, the method involving soil moisture monitoring can be easily adapted to other soil types with shallow water table. Another advantage of using this method is that ET can be successfully estimated without detailed knowledge of soil hydraulic properties, subsurface flow patterns, or vegetation characteristics.
On Optimal Permutation Scheduling in Stochastic Proportionate Flowshops

Consider m machines in series with unlimited intermediate buffers and n jobs available at time zero. The processing times of job j on all m machines are equal to a random variable X j with distribution F j . Various cost functions are analyzed using stochastic order relationships. First, we focus on minimizing where c j is the weight (holding cost) and T j the completion time of job j . We establish that if are in a class of distributions we define as SIFR, and and are increasing sequences of likelihood ratio-ordered and stochastic-ordered random variables, respectively, the job sequence [1, 2, … n ] is optimal among all static permutation schedules. Second, for arbitrary processing time distributions, if is an increasing sequence of likelihood ratio-ordered (hazard rate-ordered) random variables and the costs are nonincreasing, then a general cost function is minimized by the job sequence [1,2,…, n ] in the stochastic ordering (increasing convex ordering) sense.
Comparisons of total currents based on storm location, polarity, and flash rates derived from high‐altitude aircraft overflights

[1] We determined total conduction (Wilson) currents and flash rates for 850 overflights of electrified clouds spanning regions including the southeastern United States, the western Atlantic Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico, Central America and adjacent oceans, central Brazil, and the South Pacific. The overflights included storms over land and ocean, with and without lightning, and with positive (i.e., upward directed) and negative Wilson currents. The mean current for oceanic storms with lightning was 1.6 A whereas the mean current for land storms with lightning was 1.0 A. The mean current for oceanic storms without lightning was 0.39 A, and the mean current for land storms without lightning was 0.13 A. On average, land storms with or without lightning had about half the mean current as their corresponding oceanic storm counterparts, while ocean (land) storms with lightning produced 4.1 (7.7) times the mean current as storms without lightning. About 78% of the land storms had detectable lightning, while only 43% of the oceanic storms did. When only lightning storms are considered, land storms had 2.8 times the mean flash rate as oceanic storms (2.2 versus 0.8 flashes min−1, respectively). Approximately 7% (56) of the overflights had negative (or downward directed) Wilson currents. The mean and median total Wilson currents for negative polarity storms were −0.30 and −0.26 A whereas the mean and median currents for positive polarity storms were 1.0 and 0.35 A. We found no significant regional- or latitudinal-based patterns in our total Wilson currents. At 20 km altitude, the full width at half maximum in the electric field profile varied between 12 and 16 km. At 15 km altitude, the full width at half maximum in the electric field profile varied between 1.7 and 3.5 km. Our results indicate that simple scaling laws between cloud top height and lightning flash rates or total storm current output may not be universally applicable. Our results also indicate that some clouds without lightning also contribute to the global electric circuit.
Effect of cortisone or triiodothyronine administration to pregnant rats on lysosomal hydrolases in fetal forebrain and cerebellum

Triiodothyronine injected daily to pregnant rats for the last week of gestation (50 μg/100 g b.wt) increased the specific activities of 5 acid glycosidases in the fetal forebrain and cerebellum. Cortisone (50 mg/100 g b.wt) administered in the same period had no effect on cerebellum acid hydrolases, but decreased their activity in the forebrain.
PDGF Upregulates Mcl-1 Through Activation of β-Catenin and HIF-1α-Dependent Signaling in Human Prostate Cancer Cells

Background Aberrant platelet derived growth factor (PDGF) signaling has been associated with prostate cancer (PCa) progression. However, its role in the regulation of PCa cell growth and survival has not been well characterized.
Isolation of citrosamine from citrus leaves

Abstract A nitrogen containing trisaccharide was found in citrus leaves, identified as glucosamido-glucuronido-inositol and given the trivial name citrosamine.
Methylation-Specific Multiplex Ligation-Dependent Probe Amplification and Identification of Deletion Genetic Subtypes in Prader-Willi Syndrome

Purpose: Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) and Angelman syndrome (AS) are complex neurodevelopmental disorders caused by loss of expression of imprinted genes from the 15q11-q13 region depending on the parent of origin. Methylation-specific multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MS-MLPA) kits from MRC-Holland (Amsterdam, The Netherlands) were used to detect PWS and AS deletion subtypes. We report our experience with two versions of the MS-MLPA-PWS/AS kit (original A1 and newer B1) in determining methylation status and deletion subtypes in individuals with PWS. Methods: MS-MLPA analysis was performed on DNA isolated from a large cohort of PWS subjects with the MS-MLPA-PWS/AS-A1 and -B1 probe sets. Results: Both MS-MLPA kits will identify deletions in the 15q11-q13 region but the original MS-MLPA-A1 kit has a higher density of probes at the telomeric end of the 15q11-q13 region, which is more useful for identifying individuals with atypical deletions. The newer B1 kit contains more probes in the imprin...
Personal, Social, and Situational Influences Associated with Dietary Experiences of Participants in an Intensive Heart Program

Abstract This investigation examined influences on the dietary experiences among coronary heart disease patients in an intensive lifestyle heart program. This exploratory study relied on semistructured qualitative interviews performed over a 4-month data collection period. Purposeful sampling recruited 19 men and 4 women. A cross-sectional design selected participants at several time points in program participation.The Constant Comparative Method was used for analyzing the qualitative data.The study identified several types of factors that program participants reported to be influences shaping their diet change experiences. Personal factors influencing dietary change included preprogram experiences such as cardiac surgery and diet history, as well as emotional disposition, diet strategies, physical state, and views about the program, diet, and heart disease. Social relationships (immediate family, friends and relatives, and other program members) and situational contexts (eating out, job flexibility, and times of crises) also were influences. Participants reported that each of these influences either facilitated or complicated their dietary changes. These findings provide nutrition educators with information that can assist in developing personalized approaches for helping individuals who seek dietary change.
Another Look at Stochastic Condensation for Subgrid Cloud Modeling: Adiabatic Evolution and Effects

The theory of stochastic condensation, which models the impact of an ensemble of unresolved supersaturation fluctuations S on the volume-averaged droplet-size distribution f (r), is revisited in the modern context of subgrid cloud parameterization. The exact transition probability density for droplet radius driven by independent, Gaussian S fluctuations that are periodically renewed is derived and shown to be continuous but not smooth. The Fokker–Planck model follows naturally as the smooth-in-time approximation to this discrete-in-time process. Evolution equations for the moments of f (r) that include a contribution from subgrid S fluctuations are presented; these new terms are easily implemented in moment-based cloud schemes that resolve supersaturation. New, self-consistent expressions for the evolution of f (r) and mean supersaturation S in a closed, adiabatic volume are derived without approximation; quite appropriately, these coupled equations exactly conserve total water mass. The behavior of this adiabatic system, which serves as a surrogate for a closed model grid column, is analyzed in detail. In particular, a new nondimensional number is derived that determines the relative impact of S fluctuations on droplet spectral evolution, and the contribution of fluctuations to S is shown to be negative definite and maximal near the accommodation length and has a direct correspondence to the analysis of Cooper. Observational support for the theory of stochastic condensation is found in cloud droplet spectra from cumulus cloud fields measured during the Rain in the Cumulus over the Ocean (RICO) and Small Cumulus Microphysics Study (SCMS) campaigns. Increasing spectral broadening with increasing spatial scale is discovered and compares well with theoretical predictions. However, the observed spectra show evidence of non-Gaussian S fluctuations and inhomogeneous mixing, processes neglected in the current theory.
The incorporation of uridylic acid into ribonucleotidyl-deoxyribonucleic acid.

Abstract The terminal ribonucleotide of ribonucleotidyl-DNA acts as a site of attachment of uridylic acid when ribonucleotidyl-DNA is incubated in the presence of UTP and an enzyme from rat liver which incorporates ribonucleotides into RNA. With guanylyl-DNA as the acceptor molecule, DNA becomes covalently linked to polyuridylic acid with a chain length of about 13 uridylic acid residues.
Appropriate use of clinical microbiology tests

Laboratory medicine lacks the tools necessary to define appropriate test use; nonetheless, existing laboratory test characteristics, although inadequate, provide a common starting point for developing definitions of appropriate test use. As Lundberg [1], Szczepura [15], and van Walraven and Naylor [2] have emphasized, developing a process for defining appropriate laboratory use should receive a high priority. There is a particular need to develop methods for standardizing studies [59]. Laboratory medicine does not, however, lack the tools necessary to change test use. Although past interventions were largely ineffective, there is growing evidence that test use can be changed by use of a variety of approaches. By using the existing tools there is much that can be done to change inappropriate test use, such as minimizing redundant testing or the use of tests that have no clinical relevance. The real opportunities will come when there are scientifically and medically sound definitions of appropriate test use that can be used to change test use and improve patient care in a cost-effective way.
Elucidating the Effects of Cortisol and Stress on Economically Important Traits in Channel Catfish

Abstract The channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus is an important aquaculture species in the United States and has received considerable research attention in efforts to improve production. Three traits of importance to the U.S. farm-raised channel catfish industry are disease resistance, growth, and reproduction. While many factors affect these three traits, a fish's response to stress can have a substantial impact on production attributes. Understanding the relationships between the stress response and components of that response, such as plasma cortisol concentration, is important to the development of better management and breeding practices to maximize production. Although much of the data regarding the fish physiological consequences of stress and elevated plasma cortisol has been collected from studies of salmonids, recent advances have been made toward understanding these relationships in channel catfish. The present review synthesizes the research conducted over the past several years regarding th...
Lifting a Realistic SO(10) Grand Unified Model to Five Dimensions

It has been shown recently that the problem of rapid proton decay induced by dimension-five operators arising from the exchange of colored Higgsinos can be simply avoided in grand unified models where a fifth spatial dimension is compactified on an orbifold. Here we demonstrate that this idea can be used to solve the Higgsino-mediated proton decay problem in any realistic $\mathrm{SO}(10)$ model by lifting that model to five dimensions. A particular $\mathrm{SO}(10)$ model that has been proposed to explain the pattern of quark and lepton masses and mixings is used as an example. The idea is to break the $\mathrm{SO}(10)$ down to the Pati-Salam symmetry by the orbifold boundary conditions. The entire four-dimensional $\mathrm{SO}(10)$ model is placed on the physical $\mathrm{SO}(10)$ brane except for the gauge fields, the $45$ and a single $10$ of Higgs fields, which are placed in the five-dimensional bulk. The structure of the Higgs superpotential can be somewhat simplified in doing so, while the Yukawa superpotential and mass matrices derived from it remain essentially unaltered.
Patterns and predictors of institutionalization in community-based dementia patients.

Objective: To investigate patterns and predictors of institutionalization in a community-based sample of dementia patients. Setting: The Mayo Clinic Alzheimer's Disease Patient Registry (ADPR), a community-based prospective registry. Patients: Two hundred seventy-five participants, including 145 dementia patients and 130 controls on whom longitudinal follow-up data was available. The mean ages were 79.9 and 78.8 years, and the mean Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores at enrollment were 22.1 and 28.1 points for the demented cases and controls, respectively. Measures: Place of residence, marital status, number of direct support providers, global cognitive status, activities of daily living and instrumental activities of daily living were used in hazards modeling of institutionalization. Results: The results from our community-based sample suggest a high rate of institutionalization for dementia patients. One-half of the sample of dementia patients were institutionalized within 2.5 years of enrollment in our patient registry. Identified assistance providers were absent in a significant proportion (36%) of our dementia sample. Marital status, global cognitive function, and functional status were significant terms in hazards models of institutionalization. Age, gender, number of direct caregivers, and dementia etiology were not associated with significant risk. Seventy-two percent of the dementia patients who died over the course of this study had been placed in nursing home care prior to death (with a mean length of stay of 2.8 years). Conclusions: Social (marital status) and disease-related variables (cognitive and functional status) are related to risk for institutionalization. These variables may be useful in estimating time to institutionalization in various clinical and research populations.
Measurement of a spin 2 state in 102Ag and the decay of 102Ag

Abstract A spin 2 state has been observed in 102 Ag by atomic beam magnetic resonance techniques. Energies and relative intensities of a number of gamma rays following the decay of 102 Ag have been determined with a Ge(Li) detector. A search for conversion electrons from the isomeric transition in 102 Ag with a Si(Li) detector was not successful.
Energy expenditure in patients with chronic renal failure

Although nondialyzed, chronically uremic patients and patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis often show evidence for wasting and calorie malnutrition and have low dietary energy intakes, their energy expenditure has never been systematically evaluated. It is possible that low energy intakes are an adaptive response to reduced energy needs; alternatively, energy expenditure could be normal or high and the low energy intakes would be inappropriate. Energy expenditure was therefore measured by indirect calorimetry in 12 normal individuals, 10 nondialyzed patients with chronic renal failure, and 16 patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis. Energy expenditure was measured in the resting state, during quiet sitting, during controlled exercise on an exercise bicycle, and for four hours after ingestion of a test meal. Resting energy expenditure (kcal/min/1.73 m2) in the normal subjects, chronically uremic patients and hemodialysis patients was, respectively, 0.94 +/- 0.24 (SD), 0.91 +/- 0.20, and 0.97 +/- 0.10. There was also no difference among the three groups in energy expenditure during sitting, exercise, or the postprandial state. Within each group, energy expenditure during resting and sitting was directly correlated. During bicycling, energy expenditure was directly correlated with work performed, and the regression equation for this relationship was similar in each of the three groups. These findings suggest that for a given physical activity, energy expenditure in nondialyzed, chronically uremic patients and maintenance hemodialysis patients is not different from normal. The low energy intakes of many of these patients may be inadequate for their needs.
Whole-genome association studies of sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis : are retroelements involved?

Whole-genome association studies (WGASs) have identified single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (sALS). However, WGASs have so far produced results that are not consistent with those obtained from monogenic association studies focused on genes found to be relevant to ALS in functional biological studies. We propose that such inconsistencies might be at least partially alleviated by using approaches that integrate weakly associated SNPs. Several independent studies have detected abnormal reverse transcriptase (RT) activity in sALS patients, suggesting the involvement of retroelements in ALS pathogenesis. Here, we discuss the functions of genes with SNPs or mutations in sALS and consider whether these might implicate the involvement of a putative retroelement associated with sALS pathogenesis. New experimental models for studying retroviral activation and the effects of xenobiotic agents in ALS will be needed to further investigate a potential role of retroelements in the etiology of sALS.
Is Peer Interaction Necessary for Optimal Active Learning

This study compared the effect on student performance when active-learning exercises were completed individually versus in cooperative groups. Students who worked in groups on the exercises outperf...
The Army Topographic Command Gravity Program in the western United States

The Gravity Division of the Department of Geodesy of the Army Topographic Command (TOPOCOM) (formerly Army Map Service) in Washington, D.C., has been involved in various types of gravity survey operations in the western United States since 1965. The Division, with a staff of approximately twenty-five, undertakes the following activities: (1) land gravity surveys; (2) coastal and lake bottom gravity surveys; (3) a limited amount of research and development, including new techniques for gravity measurement such as a helicopter gravity measuring system, earth-tide studies, and improvements in surveying procedures and technology; (4) calibration and maintenance of a large number of LaCoste-Romberg gravimeters at a laboratory near Herndon, Virginia; (5) development and implementation of procedures and programs for computer reduction of various types of gravity data for geodetic purposes; and (6) financial and administrative monitoring of contracts for procurement of gravity data involving TOPOCOM and various university and government agencies throughout the world. The Department of Defense requires gravity data for various geodetic and mapping purposes. Required gravity coverage for selected land and shallow-water areas is obtained through (1) field surveys by TOPOCOM personnel, (2) contracts with university, state, or federal groups either engaged in or interested in gravity surveying operations in the selected areas, or (3) cooperative programs involving personnel from TOPOCOM and other agencies or universities. In western North America, TOPOCOM has engaged in gravity survey operations on a contract or cooperative basis with the following groups: (1) the Universities of Washington, Puget Sound, Montana, Oregon, Utah, Arizona, Stanford, California at Santa Barbara, California at San Diego, Hawaii, and MIT; (2) U.S. Geological Survey; (3) California Division of Mines and Geology; (4) the Dominion Observatory in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Design and development of an airborne multispectral imaging system

Advances in imaging technology and sensors have made airborne remote sensing systems viable for many applications that require reasonably good resolution at low cost. Digital cameras are making their mark on the market by providing high resolution at very high rates. This paper describes an aircraft-mounted imaging system (AMIS) that is being designed and developed at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi (A&M-CC) with the support of a grant from NASA. The approach is to first develop and test a one-camera system that will be upgraded into a five-camera system that offers multi-spectral capabilities. AMIS will be low cost, rugged, portable and has its own battery power source. Its immediate use will be to acquire images of the Coastal area in the Gulf of Mexico for a variety of studies covering vast spectra from near ultraviolet region to near infrared region. This paper describes AMIS and its characteristics, discusses the process for selecting the major components, and presents the progress.
To engage in evidence-based practice, you must first find the evidence.

Whenever possible, issues of safety and quality, as well as the cost-effectiveness of health care, have driven the initiative to promote evidence-based practice (EBP). Nurses who work with HIV-infected peoplemay be highlymotivated to base their practices on the best scientific evidence, but theymay not necessarily know where to find such evidence. This column is intended to provide direction in locating the best evidence available for nursing practice. Nurses typically practice in a particular context, that is, a setting with a specific patient population. Evidence is most useful for practice when it reflects the same type of context. For that reason, clinical questions for which evidence is sought are clearest when they are asked in a format that identifies the patient population, intervention being studied, comparison practice, and outcome (Melnyk & Fineout-Overholt, 2005). As you begin to think of ways to find scientific evidence to undergird your practice, you will want to keep those factors in mind, and you will also want to consider the setting. If you find that there is a great deal of research published on your topic of interest, then you can narrow it down by patient population and setting. If there is very little information available, then you will need to search more broadly. But as you review the material, you will ultimately need to consider the information in terms of its applicability to the patients in your setting. Finding the evidence will require searching through the following two main sources: already existing compilations of evidence indicating current best practice and a review of the published data.
Separation of CO2 and N2 by adsorption in C168 schwarzite: a combination of quantum mechanics and molecular simulation study.

Using a hierarchical multiscale approach combining quantum mechanics and molecular simulation, we have investigated the adsorption of pure CO2 and N2 and their mixture at room temperature in C168 s...
Normal MR appearances of the posterior pituitary in central diabetes insipidus associated with septo-optic dysplasia

Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of the pituitary in children with central diabetes insipidus usually shows absence of the normal high signal within the posterior gland. The high signal of the normal posterior pituitary is thought to be due to the presence of intra- cellular storage granules of vasopressin. MR imaging has been advocated as a useful investigation to aid in the distinction between central diabetes insipidus and other causes of thirst and polydipsia. We report the case of an infant with central diabetes insipidus in association with septo-optic dysplasia in whom MR imaging showed normal appearances of the posterior pituitary. The mechanism of central diabetes insipidus in this case may be related to a failure of hypothalamic function affecting osmoreception, rather than to a deficiency of vasopressin. Normal MR appearances of the pituitary do not exclude central diabetes insipidus in infants with midline cerebral malformations.
Pastoral Transhumance in the Southern Balkans as a Social Ideology: Ethnoarcheological Research in Northern Greece

La transhumance pastorale, strategie economique, dans la region de Grevena au nord de la Grece s'exprime aussi dans l'ideologie culturelle de l'identite ethnique et sociale des Koutsovlach : les forces economiques sont inseparables des forces ideologiques et sociales. Mais l'A. veut aussi fournir au prehistorien des analogies utiles tirees de contextes historiques et ethnographiques pouvant etre appliquees aux interpretations archeologiques sur les origines du pastoralisme specialise.
Characteristics and pitfalls of contrast-enhanced, T1-weighted magnetization transfer images of the brain

Rationale and Objectives. This study was undertaken to clarify the difference in signal pattern on contrast material-enhanced T1-weighted magnetic resonance (MR) magnetization transfer (MT) images between enhancing and nonenhancing lesions in various intracranial diseases and to determine the necessity of nonenhanced MT images for evaluating lesional contrast enhancement. Materials and Methods. MR images of 116 patients who underwent nonenhanced T1-weighted imaging, nonenhanced MT imaging, and contrast-enhanced MT imaging were reviewed. The increase in signal intensity of lesions relative to normal brain was compared between nonenhanced T1-weighted images and contrast-enhanced MT images. Signal intensity of lesions was compared with that of the striate nucleus and white matter on contrast-enhanced MT images. True enhancement was determined by comparison with nonenhanced MT images. Results. In all, 143 lesions, including 86 enhancing and 57 nonenhancing lesions, were identified among 63 patients. Almost all (99%) of the enhancing lesions were hyperintense to striate nucleus on contrast-enhanced MT images, and most (>87%) showed moderate to marked signal intensity increase from nonenhanced T1-weighted images to contrast-enhanced MT images. Most (>95%) of the nonenhancing lesions showed mild or no increase in relative signal intensity, and most (75%) were iso- or hypointense to striate nucleus on contrast-enhanced MT images. A few nonenhancing lesions (4%–6%), however, showed increase in signal intensity that was indistinguishable from true enhancement without comparison to nonenhanced MT images. Conclusion. Nonenhanced MT images should be obtained to assess pathologic enhancement accurately.
The Unexpected Uses of Urso- and Tauroursodeoxycholic Acid in the Treatment of Non-liver Diseases

Tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA) is the taurine conjugate of ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA), a US Food and Drug Administration–approved hydrophilic bile acid for the treatment of certain cholestatic liver diseases. There is a growing body of research on the mechanism(s) of TUDCA and its potential therapeutic effect on a wide variety of non-liver diseases. Both UDCA and TUDCA are potent inhibitors of apoptosis, in part by interfering with the upstream mitochondrial pathway of cell death, inhibiting oxygen-radical production, reducing endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, and stabilizing the unfolded protein response (UPR). Several studies have demonstrated that TUDCA serves as an anti-apoptotic agent for a number of neurodegenerative diseases, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and Huntington's disease. In addition, TUDCA plays an important role in protecting against cell death in certain retinal disorders, such as retinitis pigmentosa. It has been shown to reduce ER stress associated with elevated glucose levels in diabetes by inhibiting caspase activation, up-regulating the UPR, and inhibiting reactive oxygen species. Obesity, stroke, acute myocardial infarction, spinal cord injury, and a long list of acute and chronic non-liver diseases associated with apoptosis are all potential therapeutic targets for T/UDCA. A growing number of pre-clinical and clinical studies underscore the potential benefit of this simple, naturally occurring bile acid, which has been used in Chinese medicine for more than 3000 years.
Psychosocial Factors in Pediatric Asthma

This review discusses evidence-based perspectives on psychosocial factors in pediatric asthma. Future directions for inquiry and clinical management also are addressed.