cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Middle America, Not Mesoamerica, is the Accurate Term for Biogeography

A confusing mixture of “Middle America” and “Mesoamerica” has been used in the recent literature of biogeography for the lands between the United States of America and South America. In the context of both science and English, “Middle America” has nearly 150 years of historical usage and much greater geographical and biogeographical accuracy in its definitions. “Mesoamerica,” coined for anthropology in the mid-20th century, has both looser and more variable definitions, often unconnected to geology or biogeography. Middle America is thus the appropriate English term for this region in the literature of nonhuman biology.The earliest dates given in the Oxford English Dictionary (OED 1989) for use of the Greek “meso-” as a prefix to modify scientific English terms are from 1826 to 1835. These early scien-tific uses came from anatomy and entomology and included such etymological gems as mesoscutellum and mesorectum. A distri-bution of the frequency of 129 dated examples of the use of terms modified by “meso-” reveals that the popularity of coining such words peaked between 1875 and 1900 (OED 1989).Before the incorporation of the Greek “meso-” for “middle” became so popular in scientific English, Baird (1864:1) defined Middle America: “As understood in the present work, the term “North America” is intended to cover the region in and north of the valleys of the Rio Grande and Gila, or north of a line drawn from the mouth of the Rio Grande on the Gulf of Mexico, to that of the Yaqui, near Guaymas, on the east side of the Gulf of Cal-ifornia, and embraces the peninsulas of Florida and of Lower California and Greenland. Middle America extends from the same line southward to the continental part of South America, including Mexico, Guatemala, San Salvador [= El Salvador], Ni-caragua, Honduras, Costa Rica, the Isthmus of Panama and of Darien, and the whole of the West Indies, excepting Trinidad and perhaps Tobago.”By the time he terminated his efforts on his
Calibration of the Respiratory Inductive Plethysmograph with the Single Position Graphic Technique: Accuracy in Different Behavior States in Lambs

Respiratory inductive plethysmography (RIP) can measure breathing patterns noninvasively. Calibration is required for rib cage and abdomen transducers utilizing breaths with different compartment contribution correlated with tidal volume measured by integrated pneumotachography (PNT). This study was performed to determine if RIP remains accurate during sleep states following calibration in the quietly awake state. We used our single position graphic calibration technique (SPG) to calculate gain factors in seven tracheostomized lambs. Validation of gain factors was accomplished by comparing tidal volume obtained simultaneously by RIP and PNT during quiet wakefulness (QW), quiet sleep (QS) and active sleep (AS). Results of the study showed that RIP was accurately calibrated during QW. Accuracy was decreased during QS and AS.
“Chilling” under arbitration and mixed strike-arbitration regimes

This paper investigates the “chilling effect” of arbitration hypothesis using data from public sector collective bargaining activity in Minnesota. Settlement rates under a regime requiring the compulsory arbitration of impasses are compared to rates under a regime permitting a limited right to strike. The authors find a significantly lower settlement rate under the pure arbitration regime. Other factors that could result in this rate differential are discussed. While not ruling out the possibility of unmeasured differences, the authors conclude that the differential is due to differences in regime and not to the confounding factors discussed.
Fragile equality: A black paper's portrayal of race relations in late 19th century Cleveland

The Cleveland Gazette was established in the midst of the major civil rights setbacks of the late 19th century. Although Cleveland, Ohio, provided a racially liberal climate, the Gazette revealed incidents of discrimination against Blacks and demanded that the incidents be corrected. As the Gazette reflected and commented on interracial behavior, it not only exemplified the Black press's role as a barometer for race relations, but also the importance of racial equality in a democratic society.
Genes and transcriptional programs regulating alveolar homeostasis

: Lung formation and homeostasis are regulated by transcriptional programs that are precisely influenced by signaling among various cell types. Alveolar formation and function are dependent upon transcription factors and programs directed by TTF-1, Foxa family members, Stat-3, β-catenin, and others. These nuclear factors determine the behavior of cells during lung morphogenesis, and are used later in development to maintain alveolar homeostasis and pulmonary integrity. Gene mutations (deletion studies) in the mouse, have been used to discern the roles and to identify the target genes of these critical nuclear transcription factors. TTF-1, Foxa2, and β-catenin play distinct and overlapping roles during the formation of the mammalian lung, and are required at precise developmental periods for commitment of endodermal cell lineages, sacculation, and alveolarization, and for maintenance of lung function and homeostasis in the postnatal period. These master regulatory genes are required for the expression of surfactant proteins, lipids and host defense molecules. Mutations in their target genes (e.g. ABCA3 transporter, SP-C and SP-B genes) cause acute and chronic pulmonary diseases in newborns and in older individuals. Mutations in these genes cause interstitial lung disease and acute respiratory failure. In a like manner, disruption of signaling via granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) blocks the expression of PU.1, a member of the Ets transcription factor family of proteins that is required for the regulation of alveolar macrophage differentiation and function. Impairment of GM-CSF signaling results in accumulation of pulmonary surfactant in the alveolar spaces and underlies the human disorder, pulmonary alveolar proteinosis. It is hoped that the elucidation of mechanisms by which transcription regulates lung function and homeostasis will provide insight into the pathogenesis of chronic and acute pulmonary diseases in humans.
Fishes and Decapod Crustaceans of Cape Cod Eelgrass Meadows: Species Composition, Seasonal Abundance Patterns and Comparison with Unvegetated Substrates

Bimonthly trawl samples from eelgrass and nearby unvegetated areas on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, showed greater species richness in eelgrass meadows relative to unvegetated areas, and greater summer abundance in vegetation for decapod crustaceans and fishes. The composition of eelgrass-associated decapods and fishes was dominated by cold-water taxa and was strikingly different from that of the better studied eelgrass meadows of the mid-Atlantic coast. Four of the eight decapod species collected, including the second and third most abundant taxa, do not even appear in collections reported from Chesapeake Bay eelgrass meadows. Similarly, 10 of the 22 fish species taken, including the first and sixth most abundant species, are not reported from Chesapeake Bay eelgrass samples. Cape Cod eelgrass beds seem to play a nursery role for several commercially important fish species, although the nursery function is less obvious than in previously studied mid-Atlantic eelgrass meadows.
Molecular orbital calculations for surface-bound metal species: rhodium(I) dicarbonyls on alumina or silica

Abstract The oxide-supported Rh I (CO) 2 species, frequently generated on heterogeneous rhodium catalysts, has been modeled for extended Huckel molecular orbital calculations using, as oxide supports, simple oxyanion structures composed of Si or Al atoms in tetrahedral or octahedral oxygen environments. Calculations for different orientations of Rh I (CO) 2 with respect to the oxyanion structures showed the lowest energy configuration to be that in which the metal car bonyl fragment binds to two oxygen atoms, forming a square planar geometry about the Rh I . Rearrangement to a five-coordinate species with Rh I (CO) 2 bound to three oxygens requires between 0.51 and 1.94 eV of energy, depending upon the oxyanion structure and whether the central atom is Si or Al. The lowest energy for conversion from four- to five-coordination about Rh I occurs upon octahedral anions. The square planar→ five-coordinate conversion is discussed as a surface migration pathway, with relative activation barriers to the migration depending upon the energy of this conversion.
Dental abnormalities associated with X-linked hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia in dogs

To cite this article: Lewis JR, Reiter AM, Mauldin EA, Casal ML: Dental abnormalities associated with X-linked hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia in dogs Orthod Craniofac Res 2010;13:40–47 Structured Abstract Authors – Lewis JR, Reiter AM, Mauldin EA, Casal ML Objectives – X-linked hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia (XLHED) occurs in several species, including humans, mice, cattle and dogs. The orofacial manifestations of ectodermal dysplasia in humans and mice have been extensively studied, but documentation of dental abnormalities in dogs is lacking. The current study describes the results of clinical and radiographic examinations of XLHED-affected dogs and demonstrates profound similarities to findings of XLHED-affected humans. Setting and sample population – Section of Medical Genetics at the University of Pennsylvania, School of Veterinary Medicine. Clinical and radiographic oral examinations were performed on 17 dogs with XLHED, three normal dogs, and two dogs heterozygous for XLHED. Materials and methods – The prevalence and severity of orofacial and dental abnormalities were evaluated by means of a sedated examination, photographs, and full-mouth intraoral radiographs. Results – Crown and root abnormalities were common in dogs affected by XLHED, including hypodontia, oligodontia, conical crown shape, decreased number of cusps, decreased number of roots, and dilacerated roots. Persistent deciduous teeth were frequently encountered. Malocclusion was common, with Angle Class I mesioversion of the maxillary and/or mandibular canine teeth noted in 15 of 17 dogs. Angle Class III malocclusion (maxillary brachygnathism) was seen in one affected dog. Conclusion – Dental abnormalities are common and severe in dogs with XLHED. Dental manifestations of canine XLHED share characteristics of brachyodont tooth type and diphyodont dentition, confirming this species to be an orthologous animal model for study of human disease.
Immunological evidence for a change in subunits of the acetylcholine receptor in developing and denervated rat muscle

Abstract We used specific antibodies to γ, δ, and e subunits to characterize acetylcholine receptor (AChR) in extracts and at endplates of developing, adult, and denervated rat muscle. The AChRs in normal adult muscle were immunoprecipitated by anti-e and anti-δ, but not by anti-γ antibodies, whereas AChRs in denervated and embryonic muscles were precipitated by anti-γ and anti-δ, but showed little or no reactivity to anti-e antibodies. In immunofluorescence experiments, AChRs at neonatal endplates bound antibodies to γ or δ, but not e, subunit, whereas those in adult muscles bound antibodies to e or δ, but not γ, subunit. AChRs at denervated endplates and at developing endplates between postnatal days 9 and 16 bound all three antibodies. We conclude that the distribution of γ and e subunits of the AChR parallels the distribution of AChRs with embryonic and adult channel properties, respectively.
Luminescent gold nanoparticles with pH-dependent membrane adsorption.

pH regulates many cellular processes and is also an indicator of disease progression. Therefore, pH-responsive materials often serve as either tools in the fundamental understanding of cell biology or medicine for disease diagnosis and therapy. While gold nanoparticles have broad biomedical applications, very few of them exhibit pH-dependent interactions with live cells in a native biological environment due to nonspecific serum protein adsorption. Herein, we report that by coating luminescent gold nanoparticles with a natural peptide, glutathione, and the simplest stable aminothiol, cysteamine, we enabled the nanoparticles to exhibit not only high resistance to serum protein adsorption but also pH-dependent adsorption onto live cell membranes in the presence of serum proteins. Incorporating this pH-dependent membrane adsorption behavior into gold nanoparticles could potentially catalyze new biomedical applications of metal nanoparticles in the fundamental understanding of biological processes as well as ...
Cell mediated immunity (CMI) and post transplant viral infections — Role of a functional immune assay to titrate immunosuppression

Abstract Cell mediated immunity (CMI) was assessed by the ImmuKnow assay in 12 patients after kidney transplantation, who presented with viral infection. Treatment included lowering of immunosuppression in all cases and antiviral treatment if indicated. The assay was repeated during the follow up. The ImmuKnow assay at time of presentation of viral infections was 56.8 ± 58.2 (range 3–178; median 22) ATP ng/ml. With the clearance of viral infection and lowering of immunosuppression, the assay showed an increase in the level of CMI at 194.5 ± 118.9 (range 53–409; median 150) ATP ng/ml. There was viral clearance or stabilization in all cases and there was no incidence of allograft rejection. The ImmuKnow assay of CMI can be used to titrate initial immunosuppression reduction and its subsequent increase, in patients with viral infection after transplantation.
Regional and global modeling of aerosol optical properties with a size, composition, and mixing state resolved particle microphysics model

Abstract. There exist large uncertainties in the present modeling of physical, chemical, and optical properties of atmospheric particles. We have recently incorporated an advanced particle microphysics (APM) model into a global chemistry transport model (GEOS-Chem) and a regional weather forecasting and chemistry model (WRF-Chem). Here we develop a scheme for calculating regional and global aerosol optical depth (AOD) from detailed aerosol information resolved by the APM model. According to GEOS-Chem-APM simulations, in most parts of the globe, the mass of secondary species resides mainly within secondary particles (60–90%), but in certain regions a large fraction (up to 50–80%) can become coated on various primary particles. Secondary species coated on black carbon and primary organic carbon particles significantly increase the size and hygroscopicity of these particles and thus impact their optical properties. The GEOS-Chem-APM model captures the global spatial distributions of AOD derived from AERONET, MODIS, and MISR measurements, generally within a factor of ~2. Our analysis indicates that modeled annual mean AODs at all sky and clear sky conditions differ by ~20% globally averaged and by >50% in some regions. The time series of WRF-Chem-APM predicted AOD over the northeastern United States in June 2008 have been compared to those from seven AERONET sites. Overall, the model mostly captures the absolute values as well as the variations of AOD at the AERONET sites (including dramatic changes associated with the crossing of high AOD plumes). Both GEOS-Chem and WRF-Chem simulations indicate that AOD over the northeastern US is dominated by secondary particles and have large spatiotemporal variations.
There are no reliable symptoms for erosive oesophagitis and Barrett's oesophagus: endoscopic diagnosis is still essential

Aims: To evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of different symptoms in erosive reflux oesophagitis and Barrett's oesophagus. Methods: The presence of reflux symptoms was compared between a case population of 306 patients with endoscopically determined erosive reflux oesophagitis, 235 patients with biopsy-proven Barrett's oesophagus and a control population of 198 subjects without reflux disease. Results: Heartburn at any time and heartburn at night represented the only two symptoms to be simultaneously sensitive and specific. Symptoms that were induced by various foods, such as fat, tomato, chocolate, citrus or spices, tended to cluster in the same sub-group of patients. Similarly, heartburn induced by exercise, lying down or bending over tended to occur in the same sub-groups. The frequency of symptoms was influenced more by the presence of mucosal erosions than by the presence of Barrett's oesophagus. Reflux symptoms occurred more frequently in the presence rather than the absence of Barrett's oesophagus, and in long segment rather than short segment of Barrett's mucosa. Conclusions: Endoscopic inspection of the oesophageal mucosa remains the only certain method by which to reliably diagnose erosive reflux oesophagitis and Barrett's oesophagus.
Seipin: a mysterious protein.

In 2001, a locus for autosomal-recessive congenital generalized lipodystrophy was identified on chromosome 11q13 and mutations in a novel gene named Berardinelli–Seip congenital lipodystrophy 2 ( BSCL2 ) were reported. Earlier this year, heterozygous mutations in the BSCL2 gene, restricted to the N-glycosylation (N–X–S/T) motif, were reported in autosomal-dominant distal hereditary motor neuropathy and Silver syndrome, which are disorders with distinctly different phenotypes from lipodystrophy. BSCL2 encodes seipin, a transmembrane protein that is localized to the endoplasmic reticulum. It is proposed that its homology to midasin, an AAA (ATPases associated with various cellular activities) domain-containing nuclear protein that is involved in RNA transport, might yield some clues as to how mutant forms of seipin cause two clinically distinct syndromes.
The role of expectancy in comparative judgments

Researchers interested in the processing of relational information have sought a satisfactory explanation for the congruity effect in linear orders. It is relatively easy to select either the greater of two objects that are high on a dimension or the lesser of two objects that are low on a dimension, but it is relatively difficult to determine the greater of two objects that are low in magnitude or the lesser of two objects that are high in magnitude. One explanation of the congruity effect is the expectancy hypothesis that claims that the choice of the comparative primes objects of particular magnitudes. We present two experiments that demonstrate that a congruity effect of equivalent magnitude is obtained when the comparative is presented after the stimulus pair. Moreover, this equivalence cannot be attributed to the salience of the dimensions we employed, because this equivalence held for stimuli that were classified as salient and for those classified as nonsalient. These findings are interpreted in the context of some current explanations of the congruity effect.
Proteasomal Components Required for Cell Growth and Stress Responses in the Haloarchaeon Haloferax volcanii

Little is known regarding the biological roles of archaeal proteases. The haloarchaeon Haloferax volcanii is an ideal model for understanding these enzymes, as it is one of few archaea with an established genetic system. In this report, a series of H. volcanii mutant strains with markerless and/or conditional knockouts in each known proteasome gene was systematically generated and characterized. This included single and double knockouts of genes encoding the 20S core α1 ( psmA ), β ( psmB ), and α2 ( psmC ) subunits as well as genes ( panA and panB ) encoding proteasome-activating nucleotidase (PAN) proteins closely related to the regulatory particle triple-A ATPases (Rpt) of eukaryotic 26S proteasomes. Our results demonstrate that 20S proteasomes are required for growth. Although synthesis of 20S proteasomes containing either α1 or α2 could be separately abolished via gene knockout with little to no impact on growth, conditional depletion of either β alone or α1 and α2 together rendered the cells inviable. In contrast, the PAN proteins were not essential based on the robust growth of the panA panB double knockout strain. Deletion of genes encoding either α1 or PanA did, however, render cells more sensitive to growth on organic versus inorganic nitrogen sources and hypo-osmotic stress and limited growth in the presence of l-canavanine. Abolishment of α1 synthesis also had a severe impact on the ability of cells to withstand thermal stress. This contrasted with what was seen for panA knockouts, which displayed enhanced thermotolerance. Together, these results provide new and important insight into the biological role of proteasomes in archaea.
Privacy in marital relationships

The current study examines privacy within the marital context. Spouses (N=83) completed self‐report measures assessing their perceptions of privacy intrusive behaviors, behaviors they would select to restore privacy, and marital satisfaction. Overall, persons expect privacy violations from their spouses, although psychological and informational violations appear less appropriate. Less satisfied couples show a greater need to restore privacy after a privacy violation takes place. Implications for strategy selection are discussed.
The fatty acid composition of human gliomas differs from that found in nonmalignant brain tissue

To compare the fatty acid composition of tumor tissue from glioma patients with that of normal brain tissue, tissue samples were obtained from 13 glioma patients and from 3 nonmalignant patients. Following lipid extraction, total fatty acid composition was measured using gas-liquid chromatography. Samples were further separated into phospholipids and neutral lipids. Representative samples were then separated into phospholipid classes by thin-layer chromatography and the fatty acid composition assayed. Levels of the polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), were significantly reduced (P=0.029) in the glioma samples compared with normal brain samples; mean values were 4.8±2.9% and 9.2±1.0%, respectively. This reduction in glioma DHA content was also observed in terms of phospholipids (4.6±2.1% vs. 9.6±0.8%,P=0.002). The phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylethanolamine phospholipid classes were reduced in the glioma samples. Differences were also noted in the n-6 PUFA content between glioma and normal brain samples. The glioma content of the n-6 PUFA linoleic acid was significantly greater (P<0.05) than that observed in the control samples in terms of total lipids. Thus, the fatty acid composition of human gliomas differs from that found in nonmalignant brain tissue.
Cardiac CINE imaging with IDEAL water‐fat separation and steady‐state free precession

Purpose to decompose multicoil CINE steady-state free precession (SSFP) cardiac images acquired at short echo time (TE) increments into separate water and fat images, using an iterative least-squares “Dixon” (IDEAL) method. Materials and Methods Multicoil CINE IDEAL-SSFP cardiac imaging was performed in three volunteers and 15 patients at 1.5 T. Results Measurements of signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) matched theoretical expectations and were used to optimize acquisition parameters. TE increments of 0.9–1.0 msec permitted the use of repetition times (TRs) of 5 msec or less, and provided good SNR performance of the water-fat decomposition, while maintaining good image quality with a minimum of banding artifacts. Images from all studies were evaluated for fat separation and image quality by two experienced radiologists. Uniform fat separation and diagnostic image quality was achieved in all images from all studies. Examples from volunteers and patients are shown. Conclusion Multicoil IDEAL-SSFP imaging can produce high quality CINE cardiac images with uniform water–fat separation, insensitive to Bo inhomogeneities. This approach provides a new method for reliable fat-suppression in cardiac imaging. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2005;22:44–52. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Graphics and Human Information Processing: A Review of Five Books

Abstract Five books on charts and graphs are reviewed from the standpoint of cognitive psychology. The review focuses on properties of the human visual information-processing system, and it considers how well the recommendations offered by each book work within the strengths and weaknesses of that system. The books reviewed are Semiology of Graphs, by J. Bertin (translated by W. J. Berg) (1983); Graphical Methods for Data Analysis, by J. M. Chambers, W. S. Cleveland, B. Kleiner, and P. A. Tukey (1983); Mapping Information, by H. T. Fisher (1982); Statistical Graphics, by C. F. Schmid (1983); and The Visual Display of Quantitative Information, by E. R. Tufte (1983).
Sneaky snails and wasted worms: kleptoparasitism by Trichotropis cancellata (Mollusca, Gastropoda) on Serpula columbiana (Annelida, Polychaeta)

Individuals of the marine snail Trichotropis cancellata can either suspension feed or steal food from tube-dwelling polychaete worm hosts (kleptoparasitism). Because kleptoparasitism is facultative in this case, the performance of both members can be evaluated separately and together. I used field experiments to compare the growth of suspension feeding snails with that of snails (either singly or in groups) on Serpula columbiana polychaete hosts. All sizes of T. cancellata grew more quickly (up to 18 times faster) when parasitizing S. columbiana than when restricted to suspension feeding. Kleptoparasitism provided a proportionally greater growth benefit for small and medium- sized snails than for larger ones, suggesting that smaller gastropods are more food-limited when suspension feeding. Fecundity was positively correlated with snail size, so the growth benefits of kleptoparasitism are likely to be selectively advantageous. Increasing numbers of medium-sized snails on a host reduced individual snail growth rates, suggesting competition for the worm's food. All snails were equally affected; there was not a superior competitor among medium-sized snails. Para- sitism was experimentally demonstrated because serpulid worms grew their tubes more slowly when supporting parasitic snails and were increasingly negatively affected by additional medium-sized parasitic snails. Adding large parasitic snails did not exacerbate the negative impact on worm tube growth, so I concluded that a single large snail reduces worm hosts to their minimal rate of tube extension. Suspension feeding T. cancellata gain additional resources when they switch to klepto- parasitism.
NAFTA's Impact on Mexico: Rural Household-Level Effects

importance of transactions costs and imperfect information in explaining market failures and the functionality of agrarian institutions (see Bardhan). This approach has permitted the analysis of behavioral patterns that previously had been poorly understood, but it has been relatively weak for normative purposes. Aggregate analyses of the impact of trade and policy reforms by contrast have relied on models that generally abstract from these features and postulate instead the existence of perfect markets with exceptions such as surplus labor, price regulation, fixed nominal exchange rates, and mark-up prices in certain sectors of the economy. These models do not take into account the differential incidence of market failures across households. For this rea-
Design and performance of high-gain free-electron lasers with grazing incidence, unstable ring resonators

Grazing incidence, ring resonators have been proposed for high-grain free-electron lasers to alleviate the problem of inordinately high irradiance on intracavity optics. Such resonators are also relatively compact, and consequently, their alignment tolerances are more manageable. A geometric design algorithm and detailed computer analysis of a high-gain free-electron ring laser with hyperboloid-paraboloid grazing incidence telescopes is presented. A 3-D wave optics computer code is used to determine the loaded-cavity transverse-mode characteristics of the high-gain unstable ring and to examine the issue of transverse-mode control as a function of the key resonator parameters. Perturbation sensitivity of the individual elements is also determined and compared to that of a corresponding long stable resonator. >
Regulation of Human Renin mRNA Expression and Protein Release in Transgenic Mice

The renin-angiotensin system plays a major role in the regulation of blood pressure and electrolyte homeostasis in mammals. In this study, we subjected transgenic mice containing a human renin genomic construct to a variety of pharmacological and physiological manipulations to test whether expression of the human renin gene and release of active human renin is appropriately regulated in this model. These manipulations were designed to test major regulators of renin release, including angiotensin II, the macula densa, renal perfusion pressure, and β-adrenergic receptors. We used human plasma renin concentration and human renal renin mRNA levels to document the response of the transgene to these stimuli. Human plasma renin concentration increased in response to both angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition with captopril and isoproterenol and decreased after a high salt diet. A low salt or sodium-deficient diet did not stimulate renin release. Human renin mRNA levels in kidney increased after captopril but were unchanged in the other experimental groups. We also measured the levels of human renin mRNA in double transgenic mice containing the same human renin gene in addition to the human angiotensinogen gene. These mice are chronically hypertensive and have increased circulating levels of angiotensin II. Human renin mRNA levels in the kidney were paradoxically elevated compared with their single transgenic normotensive counterparts. These transgenic mice provide a model for examination of human renin regulation and may help elucidate the molecular mechanisms that regulate the gene in response to physiological cues.
Input distributions for VISA

Abstract Work is currently underway at Battelle's Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) to improve the probabilistic models used to simulate pressurized thermal shock (PTS) events, and further, to incorporate these improvements into the present Vessel Integrity Simulation Analysis (VISA) code. Key inputs are the model used to compute the shift in reference temperature for nil ductility transition (ΔRTNDT) and the distribution of flaw sizes. It is noted that slight changes in the way flaw depths are categorized have significant and undesirable effects on simulation results. To minimize the effects of categorization, it is recommended that a variable be simulated from the cumulative form of its distribution, rather than a frequency form. The probability assigned to depths greater than 0.25 inches also has a significant effect on results. Although the probabilities assigned to deep flaws by various flaw depth distributions differ by several orders of magnitude, there are insufficient data to determine which (if any) of the proposed distributions are realistic. Results of a Monte Carlo study to determine the effect of variability in parameters which affect ΔRTNDT are reported. A physically realistic method of simulating ΔRTNDT is proposed.
Cross-regulation of signaling pathways: An example of nuclear hormone receptors and the canonical Wnt pathway

Predicting the potential physiological outcome(s) of any given molecular pathway is complex because of cross-talk with other pathways. This is particularly evident in the case of the nuclear hormone receptor and canonical Wnt pathways, which regulate cell growth and proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, and metastatic potential in numerous tissues. These pathways are known to intersect at many levels: in the intracellular space, at the membrane, in the cytoplasm, and within the nucleus. The outcomes of these interactions are important in the control of stem cell differentiation and maintenance, feedback loops, and regulating oncogenic potential. The aim of this review is to demonstrate the importance of considering pathway cross-talk when predicting functional outcomes of signaling, using nuclear hormone receptor/canonical Wnt pathway cross-talk as an example.
Synthesis and characterization of N- and P- doped tin oxide nanowires

Bulk-scale synthetic methods for preparing doped tin oxide (SnO 2 ) nanowires (NWs) are presented. n-and p-doping is achieved through insertion of Antimony and Lithium in tin oxide lattice, respectively. We also present a comparison of the structural and optical properties of SnO 2 nanoparticles (NPs), and SnO 2 NWs. Both n-type and p- type NWs display a characteristic red shift in their photoluminescence (PL) spectra. Surface plasmons observed in these systems imply high carrier concentrations. These corrosion resistant materials are useful in fabricating ultra-sensitive gas detectors and transparent electronics.
Hydrogen and Dihydrogen Bonding as Important Features of the Reactivity of the Bridging Hydride in Pyrazolate-Bridged Dialuminum Complexes

Treatment of diisobutylaluminum hydride with 3,5-disubstituted pyrazoles in 2:1 stoichiometry affords the bridging hydride complexes [(μ,η1:η1-R2pz)(AliBu2)2(μ-H)]. A theoretical study of the reaction of [(μ,η1:η1-R2pz)(AliBu2)2(μ-H)] with methanol predicts that the reaction proceeds by way of an intermediate containing a strong dihydrogen bond, suggesting that dihydrogen bonding is an important feature of the reactivity of organoaluminum hydrides.
Tumor progression, early diagnosis and prognosis of melanoma

Primary melanomas evolve from melanocytes or from precursor lesions through two stages: the radial and vertical growth phases. The radial growth phase may be in situ or microinvasive, but is a non-tumorigenic neoplastic process, while the vertical growth phase is tumorigenic. The prognosis in radial growth phase is excellent irrespective of thickness or other variables. Curable radial growth phase melanomas can be recognized by surveillance of patients identified by screening for risk markers which include dysplastic nevi, common nevi, freckles, and other indicators of chronic or acute sun exposure or sun sensitivity. The prognosis in vertical growth phase depends on attributes of the tumor and of the host. The tumor mitotic rate, the presence of host tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) within the vertical growth phase, and tumor thickness are the most powerful predictors of survival. New prognostic attributes are needed not only to provide for more accurate prognosis and diagnosis, but also to test the relevance of in vitro or animal studies in a human neoplastic system. Such attributes will be developed in the future based on markers that are associated with tumor progression. Candidate markers include growth factors and cytokines and their receptors, adhesion molecules and their ligands, chemotactic and motility factors, immune response-related molecules, and tumor-associated proteases. Some of these markers that are represented in the transition from radial to vertical growth phase will be reviewed. The tumor progression model presented here has been of value in the development of more accurate prognostic models, and in the elucidation of mechanisms of the malignant phenotype in melanoma.
The Effects of Radiation on Science Instruments during Grand Tour Type Missions

A discussion is presented of the extent of radiation effects encountered with radiation source models and the status of protection techniques for representative science instruments proposed for the Outer Planets Grand Tour missions. Preliminary results of a literature search to collect damage/interference effects data on sensitive components such as silicon detectors and vidicon tubes are described along with results from the various experimenters whose instruments have been used as models in previous studies.
An evaluation of the molecular structure of octachlorodibenzofuran

Abstract Several properties of halogenated dibenzofurans indicated unusual behavior when the 1 and 9-positions were halogenated. This behavior was thought to be due to steric crowding causing the molecule to twist out of planarity to relieve the crowding. In a more definitive study, the molecular structure of octachlorodibenzofuran was determined by x-ray diffraction and was found to be planar with crowding of all chlorines, particularly those at the 1 and 2-positions rather than the expected 1 and 9-positions.
Kinetic Monte Carlo Simulations of Anisotropic Lithium Intercalation into LixFePO4 Electrode Nanocrystals

The kinetic anisotropy of lithium ion adsorption and lithium absorption for LixFePO4 olivine nanocrystals is simulated and reported. The kinetics depend on the orientation of the electrolyte/LixFePO4 interface with respect to the far-field ionic flux. As a consequence of these kinetics and a Li miscibility gap in LixFePO4, the particle geometry and orientation also have an effect on the morphology of the two-phase evolution. These processes accompany the charge and discharge behavior in battery microstructures and a direct influence on battery behavior is suggested. A kinetic Monte Carlo (KMC) algorithm based on a cathode particle rigid lattice is used to simulate the kinetics in this system. In these simulations the adsorption kinetics of the electrolyte/electrode interface are treated by coupling the normal flux outside the particle from a continuum numerical simulation of Li-ion diffusion in the electrolyte to the atomistic KMC model within the particle. The interfacial reaction depends on local concentration and the potential drop at the interface via the Butler–Volmer (B–V) relation. The atomic potentials for the KMC simulation are derived from empirical solubility limits (as determined by OCV measurements). The main results show that the galvanostatic lithium-uptake/cell-voltage has three regimes: 1) a decreasing cell potential for Li-insertion into a Li-poor phase; 2) a nearly constant potential after the nucleation of a Li-rich phase Li(1-β)FePO4; 3) a decreasing cell potential after the Li-poor phase has been evolved into a Li-rich phase. The behavior in the second regime is sensitive to crystallographic orientation.
Extension of a two-structure model for electrolyte solutions to aqueous mixed electrolyte systems

Abstract A two-structure model for electrolyte solutions has been extended to the prediction of the activity coefficient of each component in a mixed electrolyte solution. Activity coefficients predicted using this model agree as well with fitted-observed values for a number of mixtures as those predicted using a model which retains a Debye-Huckel term at all ionic strengths. The advantages of the two-structure model include: (1) fewer adjustable parameters are needed per component electrolyte; and (2) the fact that two of the parameters describing the ionic strength dependence of the activity coefficient of the component electrolytes seem to have direct physical origin.
Plasticity of Urinary Bladder Reflexes Evoked by Stimulation of Pudendal Afferent Nerves after Chronic Spinal Cord Injury in Cats

Bladder reflexes evoked by stimulation of pudendal afferent nerves (PudA-to-Bladder reflex) were studied in normal and chronic spinal cord injured (SCI) adult cats to examine the reflex plasticity. Physiological activation of pudendal afferent nerves by tactile stimulation of the perigenital skin elicits an inhibitory PudA-to-Bladder reflex in normal cats, but activates an excitatory reflex in chronic SCI cats. However, in both normal and chronic SCI cats electrical stimulation applied to the perigenital skin or directly to the pudendal nerve induces either inhibitory or excitatory PudA-to-Bladder reflexes depending on stimulation frequency. An inhibitory response occurs at 3-10 Hz stimulation, but becomes excitatory at 20-30 Hz. The inhibitory reflex activated by electrical stimulation significantly (P<0.05) increases the bladder capacity to about 180% of control capacity in normal and chronic SCI cats. The excitatory reflex significantly (P<0.05) reduces bladder capacity to about 40% of control capacity in chronic SCI cats, but does not change bladder capacity in normal cats. Electrical stimulation of pudendal afferent nerves during slow bladder filling elicits a large amplitude bladder contraction comparable to the contraction induced by distension alone. A bladder volume about 60% of bladder capacity was required to elicit this excitatory reflex in normal cats; however, in chronic SCI cats a volume less than 20% of bladder capacity was sufficient to unmask an excitatory response. This study revealed the co-existence of both inhibitory and excitatory PudA-to-Bladder reflex pathways in cats before and after chronic SCI. However our data combined with published electrophysiological data strongly indicates that the spinal circuitry for both the excitatory and inhibitory PudA-to-Bladder reflexes undergoes a marked reorganization after SCI.
Even patients with changing moles face long dermatology appointment wait-times: A study of simulated patient calls to dermatologists

Background Previous studies have shown long wait-times for general dermatology patients seeking routine appointments. No evidence has been gathered on wait-times for patients with urgent problems or on the impact of physician extenders on access to dermatologic care. Objective and Methods To evaluate access for patients with an urgent problem, we performed scripted patient telephone calls to 851 dermatologists to assess wait-times for both patients with Medicare and those paying out-of-pocket complaining of a changing mole. Results Mean wait-times were similarly long for patients paying out-of-pocket (38.2 days) and those on Medicare (38.9 days; P = .85). Acceptance rates and wait-times varied greatly by geographic area (range of mean wait-times, 19.7-73.4 days). Many dermatologists (23.3%) employed a physician extender, and the wait-times for these extenders (27.9 days) were significantly shorter than those for the physicians supervising them (45.8 days; P Limitations The metropolitan areas sampled represented about one tenth of practicing dermatologists in the United States, and no remote or highly rural communities were included. Conclusions Patients with a changing pigmented lesion, a possible indicator of malignancy, face wait-times just as long as those previously published for patients with routine complaints. Medicare patients did not experience any greater barriers to access. Although the use of physician extenders remains controversial, these practitioners were able to schedule patients more quickly than their supervising physicians.
A semilocal convergence analysis for directional Newton methods

A semilocal convergence analysis for directional Newton methods in n-variables is provided in this study. Using weaker hypotheses than in the elegant related work by Y. Levin and A. Ben-Israel and introducing the center-Lipschitz condition we provide under the same computational cost as in Levin and Ben-Israel a semilocal convergence analysis with the following advantages: weaker convergence conditions; larger convergence domain; finer error estimates on the distances involved, and an at least as precise information on the location of the zero of the function. A numerical example where our results apply to solve an equation but not the ones in Levin and Ben-Israel is also provided in this study.
Performance-driven macrocell placement

High performance applications in computing and communications require optimization of the VLSI hardware implementations in order to achieve the desired performance. Performance-driven macrocell placement is a key step in the process of minimizing interdevice delays and thus allowing increased performance. A quad-partitioning algorithm with a tabu search and a fuzzy cost function is proposed for optimizing macrocell placement. This is an iterative, partitioning-based approach designed to reduce path lengths and thus total delay. The results show that the addition of the fuzzy cost function as well as other improvements produce up to 43% better results than similar approaches on the test circuits.
Risk Factors for 30-Day Readmissions of Individuals with Decompensated Cirrhosis.

Objectives Patients with cirrhosis have a high rate of 30-day hospital readmission that affects their quality of life and contributes to increased healthcare-related costs. The aim of our study was to identify frequency, predictors, and preventable causes of hospital readmissions among patients with decompensated cirrhosis. Methods We retrospectively reviewed electronic medical records of all patients with a confirmed diagnosis of decompensated cirrhosis admitted to Dayton VA Medical Center between 2009 and 2013. Demographics, clinical factors, laboratory values, and outcomes were recorded. Univariate analysis was performed using independent samples t tests and Wilcoxon rank sums tests for continuous variables and χ(2) or Fisher exact tests for categorical variables. A multiple logistic regression analysis was performed for variables found to be significant by univariate analysis to predict the risk factors for 30-day readmission. A detailed chart review was conducted for all patients readmitted within 30 days by a single gastroenterologist to identify the reason for readmission and to decide whether any of these readmissions were preventable. Results The 30-day readmission rate for decompensated cirrhotic patients was 27.03%. The risk factors for 30-day readmission were higher body mass index (BMI), lower body temperature, higher blood urea nitrogen, higher creatinine, more cirrhosis-related complications, and more readmissions per year per univariate analysis. Multivariable analysis revealed only BMI as a significant predictor of 30-day readmission (P = 0.023). A total of 36.7% of 30-day readmissions were possibly preventable. Conclusions The independent variable that predicted 30-day readmission in patients with decompensated cirrhosis was higher BMI. Approximately one-third of 30-day readmissions were possibly preventable. These findings support the need to develop specific interventions for disease management to improve patient care and save on extraneous healthcare costs.
Refining temporal constraints on metamorphism in the Nashoba terrane, southeastern New England, through monazite dating

Electron-microprobe dating of monazite grains within high-grade mylonitic rocks of the Nashoba terrane in eastern Massachusetts provides new temporal constraints on metamorphism in southeastern New England. In situ dating of monazite grains from three fault zones has allowed the timing of multistage events to be discerned. Three distinct metamorphic events were detected in the Nashoba terrane. The fi rst metamorphic event (M1) occurred from 435 to 400 Ma, with an average age of 423 Ma. A second metamorphic event (M2) occurred at ca. 390 Ma and was associated with widespread migmatization. A third metamorphic event (M3) occurred during the ca. 378‐ 371 Ma time interval and was possibly associated with the Neoacadian orogeny. Intermittent monazite growth during the 360‐305 Ma interval suggests that the main phase of metamorphism in the shear zones was complete, but the highly deformed fault zones acted as a conduit for fl uid migration, which was responsible for the production of young monazite grains. By at least 345 Ma, the Nashoba terrane had cooled below the stability of sillimanite.
Time-Sensitive Control-Flow Checking for Multitask Operating System-Based SoCs

This paper presents a new approach based on a watchdog infrastructure intellectual property (I-IP) core to detect control-flow faults that affect CPU execution time. More precisely, this approach aims at detecting those faults that change the expected CPU instruction sequence and that as consequence, change also (by increasing or reducing) the expected CPU time allocated for the execution of the monitored task. The underlined advantage of this approach is the ability of detecting faults in systems-on-chips (SoCs) simultaneously running multiple tasks under the control of a real-time (preemptive) operating system (OS). In this multi-task scenario, the I-IP performs fault detection in a time-shared basis. Practical experiments based on the IEC 62.132-2 Std. for IC electromagnetic immunity measurement have been carried out and the obtained results are discussed.