cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Soot formation in an opposed flow polymer diffusion flame

This study describes an investigation of the mechanisms of soot formation in an opposed flow diffusion flame on a polyethylene rod. A specially designed burner which maintained the flame in a steady position in the laboratory frame of reference was built. Temperature distributions were measured using thin thermocouples while combined laser light scattering and absorption measurements were used to determine distributions of soot volume fractions, soot aggregate diameters and their number densities. The gaseous flow field as well as that of the soot particles were determined from a model developed for this flame. These results predicted the existence of two separate stagnation planes for the flame gases and the soot particles. Similar to what has been established for jet-like gaseous diffusion flames, nucleation in this flame was also found to take place in the pyrolysis region near the flame front. After nucleation, the particle grow by coalescence, agglomeration and surface growth as they move towards the burning polymer surface, with thermophoretic velocity first in concert with the convective velocity and then against the convective velocity of the gases. A secondary flame front surrounding the sides of the sooty zone cause a circumferential annulus of heavy soot loadings. The local rates of soot formation were determined from the soot mass conservation equation using measured axial distributions of the temperature and the soot volume fraction and calculated gas and soot particle velocities.
IMPACT OF SHORT VERSUS LONG DURATION DUAL ANTIPLATELET THERAPY ON CLINICAL OUTCOMES: A COMPREHENSIVE META-ANALYSIS OF ALL RANDOMIZED CLINICAL TRIALS

Efforts are being made to reduce the duration of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) to prevent complications (mostly bleeding) without increasing stent thrombosis (ST) rates. Data from randomized clinical trials (RCTs) is affected by low power to detect a difference in ST rates. We conducted a meta-
The Politics and Ethics of Introductions to the New Testament

Book reviewed in this essay: Lane Ryo Hirabayashi, (ed.) Teaching Asian America: Diversity and the Problem of Community Ellen T. Charry, By the Renewing of Your Minds: The Pastoral Function of Christian Doctrine Lynne Celli Sarasin, Learning Style Perspectives: Impact in the Classroom
Is there a need to modify existing coping scales to include using electronic media for coping in young people

Children and adolescents spend an average of 7 h a day using electronic media which include television, radio, cellphones, computers, and handheld devices (1); it would be naive to think that time spent on these devices has no effects (2). Indeed, it is clear that media has an effect on all of us, especially, youth who have grown up in a world surrounded by electronic devices (3–5). Decades of study on media use indicate a profound effect on the lives, health, and well being of youth (1). In particular, findings from a large number of studies, though often subject to controversy, link media use to psychosocial (6, 7), behavioral, and health problems (8–10) in children and youth. Potential positive effects of media use have been less studied. Media entertains, teaches, is a tool for communication, and may also be used as a means to cope with stress. We propose a need for the development of a novel assessment scale that will facilitate studies of the role of electronic media as a youth coping strategy.
Relation of body fat distribution to reproductive factors in pre- and postmenopausal women.

TROISI, REBECCA J, ANNE M WOLF, JOANN E MANSON, KELLY M. KLINGLER AND GRAHAM A. COLDITZ. Relation of body fat distribution to reproductive factors in pre- and postmenopausal women. Obes Res. 1995;3:143–151. The cross-sectional relations of several reproductive characteristics with self-reported waist-to-hip circumference ratio were evaluated in 44, 487 pre- and postmenopausal women 40 to 65 years of age who were free of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. All results were adjusted for age, body mass index, cigarette smoking, physical activity, and alcohol intake. Current use of postmenopausal hormones was associated with a significantly lower waist-to-hip ratio than either past or never use independent of type of menopause (0.778 versus 0.784, p=0.0001 and 0.787, p=0.0001, respectively), although associations with type (unopposed estrogens versus combined estrogen and progesterone) and duration of hormone therapy were not noted. Waist-to-hip ratio did not differ between pre- and postmenopausal women, but demonstrated weak positive associations with age at menarche, parity, and age at first birth, and a weak inverse association with past duration of breast-feeding. These data confirm relations of several reproductive factors and use of hormone replacement therapy with body fat distribution. Epidemiologic studies relating body fat distribution to disease outcomes in women should consider these factors as potential confounders.
Hydrogen evolution from corrosion of pure copper

Abstract Using a sensitive direct gas analysis technique, an attempt was made to detect hydrogen evolution from copper corroding in neutral oxygen free chloride solutions. No hydrogen was detected at evolution rates 3 orders of magnitude lower than those reported for copper in pure water.
Music Libraries on YouTube

Little is known about either how music libraries are using YouTube or the amount of music-library-related videos on that popular video-sharing site. This exploratory study aimed to identify music-library YouTube videos and ascertain their common characteristics. Video metadata were examined, and analysis was conducted on visual content, such as the depiction of collection material, staff, and highlights of the facilities. Twenty videos from academic, public, orchestra, and radio-station music libraries were identified. This study sheds light on how music libraries are using YouTube and makes way for future YouTube applications and research into music-library Web 2.0 usage.
How effective is intravenous immunoglobulin for the treatment of relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis?

Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) has been extensively used to treat humoral immunodeficiency states and various immune-mediated conditions. Several studies indicate that the benefits of IVIg with respect to relapses and MRI lesion activity compare favorably with those of interferon β and glatiramer acetate in relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) or clinically isolated syndromes. Fazekas et al. recently reported the results of a multinational, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase II trial of a new preparation of IVIg in 127 participants with RRMS. No significant benefit was demonstrated for IVIg compared with placebo for the primary end point (proportion of relapse-free participants), the main secondary end point (cumulative number of unique newly active brain MRI lesions), or a number of clinical and MRI tertiary end points. Neither the previous positive studies nor the negative results reported by Fazekas et al. can be considered to be definitive, and the utility of IVIg in RRMS remains uncertain at present.
Influence of preoperative atrial fibrillation on late results of mitral repair: is concomitant ablation justified?

Background There is considerable interest in atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation during cardiac operations, but there are few studies addressing the impact of preoperative AF on late outcome of surgery. We therefore investigated AF prevalence in nonrheumatic mitral regurgitation and its effect on late survival and morbidity after repair. Methods From 1993 through 2002, 36% of 2,821patients with mitral regurgitation had preexisting AF. A cohort of these was matched with controls in sinus rhythm (SR) for age, gender, and ejection fraction. Follow-up was by questionnaire. Outcomes were compared between 231AF and 229 SR patients, and patients with different types of preoperative AF. Results Patients with preoperative AF were more symptomatic and frequently had cardiomegaly, heart failure, and higher mean pulmonary artery systolic pressure. Operative mortality was higher for AF patients (2% vs 0, p = 0.05). More AF patients had late adverse cardiac events and stroke (63% vs 31%, p p = 0.01) for the AF group. By multivariate analysis, preoperative AF was not a predictor of long-term survival but was an independent risk factor for late adverse cardiac events and stroke. Conclusions Preoperative AF is a marker for increased surgical risk of mitral regurgitation repair, and a risk factor for late adverse cardiac events and stroke. Although the independent contribution of AF to late survival is uncertain, preoperative AF increases postoperative morbidity independently; therefore, corrective intervention would be expected to benefit patients in this regard.
Selection, inheritance and characterization of carbofuran resistance in the Colorado potato beetle (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)

The objectives were to select for resistance to carbofuran in a susceptible field population of Colorado potato beetles, Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say), assess the progression of resistance, and characterize the inheritance and possible mechanism of resistance. Initial selection in the field resulted in over 99.9% mortality of treated larvae but high resistance in the survivors. Subsequent laboratory selection at c.80% mortality increased resistance to > 100-fold by the fourth generation. Low level cross-resistance to azinphos-methyl was also present. Resistance appeared to be inherited via a single, autosomal, incompletely dominant gene, resulting in decreased acetylcholinesterase sensitivity. A second Michigan population also appeared to exhibit reduced cholinesterase sensitivity. Resistance to carbofuran in a Colorado potato beetle population from Long Island, NY appears to involve primarily mixed-function oxidase enzymes. The history of insecticide use probably affects which primary resistance mechanism appears in response to carbofuran treatment.
Mathematics INstruction using Decision Science and Engineering Tools

MINDSET (Mathematics INstruction using Decision Science and Engineering Tools) is a multiyear project involving collaboration between engineers, educators, and mathematicians at three universities in two states. Through a partnership with secondary teachers, the MINDSET project staff has created a ground-breaking new mathematics curriculum for fourth-year high school students using mathematical-based decision-making tools from the fields of operations research and industrial engineering. High school students are presented a series of real-world problem contexts with the purpose of making the underlying mathematics more relevant to them and allowing them to model the situations and actively do mathematics. This innovative new integration of mathematics and engineering at the high school level provides new opportunities for students, who have not been successful in the abstract world of mathematics, to learn to enjoy and to want to pursue a more applied form of mathematics. This paper reports the results of the nationwide implementation of this engineering-based mathematics course.
Effect of clonidine on upper extremity tourniquet pain in healthy volunteers

Background and Objectives Tourniquet pain is often a limiting factor during intravenous regional anesthesia (IVRA). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of 1 μg/kg of clonidine added to IVRA-lidocaine in decreasing the onset of severe tourniquet pain. Methods Upper extremity IVRA was performed in 15 volunteers with a double-cuffed tourniquet on 2 separate occasions at least 1 week apart. IVRA was established with either 40 mL 0.5% lidocaine (IVRA-L) or 40 mL 0.5% lidocaine with 1 μg/kg clonidine (IVRA-Cl). Verbal pain scores (VPS) from 0 to 10 were recorded every 5 minutes. When the VPS reached 6, the distal cuff was inflated, and the proximal cuff was deflated. This was defined as the first tourniquet time (T1). The study was terminated at a VPS of 10, or at 60 minutes, whichever occurred first. The time from distal cuff inflation to deflation was defined as the second tourniquet time (T2). Total tourniquet time (TT) was the sum of T1 and T2. Results T1 for IVRA-L (21.6 ± 3.9) and IVRA-Cl (22.7 ± 2.7) were not significantly different. T2 and TT were significantly longer (P Conclusion This study shows that the addition of 1 μg/kg of clonidine to 40 mL of 0.5% IVRA-L delays the onset time of tourniquet pain in healthy, unsedated volunteers.
A brief glimpse over the horizon for type 1 diabetes nanotherapeutics

The pace at which nanotherapeutic technology for human disease is evolving has accelerated exponentially over the past five years. Most of the technology is centered on drug delivery which, in some instances, offers tunable control of drug release. Emerging technologies have resulted in improvements in tissue and cell targeting while others are at the initial stages of pairing drug release and drug release kinetics with microenvironmental stimuli or changes in homeostasis. Nanotherapeutics has only recently been adopted for consideration as a prophylaxis/treatment approach in autoimmunity. Herein, we summarize the current state-of-the art of nanotherapeutics specifically for type 1 diabetes mellitus and offer our view over the horizon of where we envisage this modality evolving towards.
FABRICATION AND PROPERTIES OF THIN SUPERCONDUCTING OXIDE FILMS

Thin films of Y1Ba2Cu3Oy have been deposited in a three source electron-beam heated deposition system. The films have superconducting transition temperatures of about 90 K after a post deposition annealing treatment. Film thicknesses range from 0.1 to 10 μm and several types of substrates have been used. Films grown on SrTiO3 single crystals generally show the sharpest transitions (ΔTc<1 K). The films have been characterized in a variety of ways including chemical analysis, electron and tunneling microscopy, storage and patterning studies, critical currents and fields, SQUIDs and other physical measurements.
Modelling household purchasing behaviour to analyse beneficial marketing strategies

Price promotion and generic advertising are two common strategies to increase consumer demand for food products. Which one is preferred over the other depends largely, on the relative importance of state dependence and heterogeneity in household purchase decision and behaviour on desired commodity over time. In this article, this issue is investigated for household purchases of fluid milk products using a panel data dynamic Tobit model. The proposed econometric model accounts not only for state dependence and heterogeneity of the purchasing process, but also for the censoring or sample selectivity encountered when using household survey data. Empirical findings show that state dependence is negative and household heterogeneity over milk persists over time implying that advertising efforts aimed at increasing milk consumption would be more effective than short-term price promotions. The results also suggest that advertising efforts should concentrate on attracting new purchasers and increasing purchase fre...
High-aspect-ratio x-ray lithography for magnetic head fabrication

The development of the future-generation magnetic recording heads is based on availability of high resolution and high- aspect ratio lithography. A key step in the magnetic head fabrication process is the formation of high-aspect ratio trenches in photoresist that are subsequently used as a plating mask for the magnetic read-write heads. Currently, 1.2 to 1.5 micrometer wide and 10 micrometer tall trenches in the resist are formed using optical lithography. In the near future, more than 6 micrometer tall resist patterns with trenches of 0.5 micrometer or smaller will be required. A study of using X-ray lithography to generate patterns suitable for future-generation magnetic recording heads was undertaken at the Center for X-ray Lithography at UW-Madison. It was successfully demonstrated that 0.8 micrometer trenches in 15 micrometer thick resist and 0.4 micrometer trenches in 6 micrometer thick resist can be formed. The main steps in the fabrication of the high-aspect ratio resist patterns included (1) production of an initial (master) mask using e-beam lithography, (2) high-contrast replicated (final) X-ray mask manufacturing using X-ray replication process, and (3) actual patterning of thick PMMA resist using the final masks. Both X- ray masks were formed on a 2 micrometer thick silicon-nitride membranes as mask carrier. APEX-E resist 0.5 micrometer thick was used for e-beam writing, and 2 micrometer thick PMMA was utilized for the replicated mask. The absorber was electroplated gold: 0.4 micrometer thick for the master and 1.5 micrometer thick for the final mask. Details are given for 6 micrometer and 15 micrometer thick crack-free PMMA resist formation and characterization, exposure and development conditions.
Colonization and Infection with Antibiotic‐Resistant Bacteria in a Long‐Term Care Facility

OBJECTIVE: To assess colonization and infection with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), high­ level gentamicin-resistant enterococci (R-ENT) and gentami­ cin and/or ceftriaxone-resistant Gram-negative bacilli (R­ GNB) and the factors that are associated with colonization and infection with these organisms. DESIGN: Monthly surveillance for colonization and infec­ tion over a period of 2 years. In the second year, an intervention to decrease MRSA colonization by the use of mupirocin ointment was carried out. SETTING: Long-term care facility attached to an acute care Veterans Affairs Medical Center. PATIENTS: A total of 551 patients in the facility were followed for a period of 2 years. MEASUREMENTS: Colonization and infection rates with MRSA, R-ENT, and R-GNB. Analysis of risk factors asso­ ciated with colonization and infection with these three groups of organisms. MAIN RESULTS: In the first year, colonization rates were highest for MRSA (22.7 ± 1% patients colonized each month) and R-ENT (20.2± 10/0) and lower for R-GNB (l2.6± 1%). After introduction of decolonization of nares and wounds with mupirocin, the rate of MRSA colonization fell significantly to 11.5 ± 1.8%, but rates remained un­ changed for R-ENT and R-GNB. Risk factors for MRSA colonization included the presence of wounds and decubitus ulcers. For R-ENT, the presence of wounds, renal failure, intermittent urethral catheterization, low serum albumin, and poor functional level were significant. For R-GNB, intermittent urethral catheterization, chronic renal disease, inflammatory bowel disease, presence of wounds, and prior pneumonia were significantly associated with colonization. Overall, of infections caused by known organisms, 49.6% were due to MRSA, R-ENT, or R-GNB, and 50.4% were
Dynamic planning of construction activities using hybrid simulation

Abstract Traditional planning methods such as CPM and PERT have been useful tools to manage construction projects' execution. However, models developed using these methods often fail to deliver realistic estimates of project duration, cost and productivity. Failure of traditional planning methods is attributed to the uncaptured causal–effect relationships that exist among the project variables. This paper presents a new method that integrates DES and SD models to address the operational and soft/strategic variables on a single computation platform. The expected outcomes are realistic project schedule networks and enhanced understanding of the interactions of the project's factors. Two cases from the construction sector are used to test and verify this method. Productivity and completion durations were monitored with/without the impact of factors, in which a significant discrepancy has been observed. The new method provided better understanding of the project behavior and contributed to overcome limitations associated with traditional planning methods.
The potentiating action of tetrandrine in combination with chloroquine or qinghaosu against chloroquine-sensitive and resistant falciparum malaria.

Summary Using chloroquine-sensitive (CS) and chloroquine-resistant (CR) strains of Plasmodium falciparum in vitro , interactions between tetrandrine (TT) and either chloroquine (CQ) or qinghaosu (QHS, artemisinin) were assessed using isobolograms. Sums of the fractional inhibitory concentration for the combination of the two drugs are less than one and therefore, we can conclude that in vitro TT and CQ or QHS act synergistically against CS and CR falciparum malaria. Remarkably, using CR malaria, TT can lower the IC50 dose of CQ as much as 40 fold. These drug combinations may impair the advantage that the development of CQ resistance conveys on the parasite.
Developmental Synaptogenesis and General Anesthesia: A Kiss of Death?

Normal cognitive development depends on the timely formation of meaningful neuronal circuitries. These, in turn, depend on the proper formation and functioning of neuronal synapses, which control the flow of information between neurons. The time period when synapse formation is most intense is referred to as synaptogenesis, coinciding with the peak of brain development. The latest animal and human research suggests that general anesthetics, which act by modulating the fine balance in neurotransmission, may disturb the fine homeostasis necessary for neuronal signaling, resulting in morphometric and functional disturbances of developing synapses in synaptogenesis. Anesthesia-induced impairment of synaptogenesis is strongly age-dependant. At a younger stage, neurons respond by decreasing synaptic densities. But in later development, they respond by overly upregulating synapse formation. Although a direct causal link between disturbed synaptogenesis and behavioral development is not yet established, several animal studies have confirmed that cognitive development of rodents and non-human primates could be permanently impaired after a single exposure to clinically-relevant general anesthetics. Clinical evidence is now beginning to emerge suggesting that very young children may be susceptible to anesthesia-induced impairment of behavioral development, cognitive in particular. This review will summarize some of the presently available evidence regarding anesthesia-induced effects on developmental synaptogenesis and intellectual functioning.
Synergistic predation, density dependence, and population regulation in marine fish

Understanding natural causes of density dependence is essential for identifying possible sources of population regulation. Field experiments on a model system of coral reef fishes showed that small juveniles of Chromis cyanea suffer heavy mortality that is spatially density-dependent only in the presence of two suites of predators: transient piscivores attacking from above, and reef-resident piscivores attacking from below. In the absence of either kind of predator, early mortality of Chromis is virtually density-independent. Because piscivores may have regulatory roles in this and similar marine systems, overfishing these predators may have ramifications for the remainder of the exploited community.
Insecticide Resistance and Cross-Resistance in Aedes nigromaculis

Laboratory tests on a strain of irrigated pasture mosquitoes, Aedes nigromaculis (Ludlow), collected from locations where control attempts with numerous insecticides failed during 1968 and 1969 show high resistance to commercial organophosphorus insecticides. This report includes the 1st confirmed case of mosquito resistance to naled, which is normally a very potent adulticide. The resistant strain shows less tolerance to carbamates than to other types of compounds that have been studied. A new carbamate, RE-11775 (m-sec -butylphenyl N -methyl-N-(phenylthio) carbamate) shows very promising larvicidal and adulticidal activity against the organophosphorusresistant strains.
Patterns of Cell Division, Cell Differentiation and Cell Elongation in Epidermis and Cortex of Arabidopsis pedicels in the Wild Type and in erecta

Plant organ shape and size are established during growth by a predictable, controlled sequence of cell proliferation, differentiation, and elongation. To understand the regulation and coordination of these processes, we studied the temporal behavior of epidermal and cortex cells in Arabidopsis pedicels and used computational modeling to analyze cell behavior in tissues. Pedicels offer multiple advantages for such a study, as their growth is determinate, mostly one dimensional, and epidermis differentiation is uniform along the proximodistal axis. Three developmental stages were distinguished during pedicel growth: a proliferative stage, a stomata differentiation stage, and a cell elongation stage. Throughout the first two stages pedicel growth is exponential, while during the final stage growth becomes linear and depends on flower fertilization. During the first stage, the average cell cycle duration in the cortex and during symmetric divisions of epidermal cells was constant and cells divided at a fairly specific size. We also examined the mutant of ERECTA, a gene with strong influence on pedicel growth. We demonstrate that during the first two stages of pedicel development ERECTA is important for the rate of cell growth along the proximodistal axis and for cell cycle duration in epidermis and cortex. The second function of ERECTA is to prolong the proliferative phase and inhibit premature cell differentiation in the epidermis. Comparison of epidermis development in the wild type and erecta suggests that differentiation is a synchronized event in which the stomata differentiation and the transition of pavement cells from proliferation to expansion are intimately connected.
Seizures induce phase shifts of rat circadian rhythms.

Abstract Rationale: Epileptic seizures may alter neuroendocrinological cycles. Light pulses induce phase shifts in circadian rhythms. Using hippocampal-kindled rats to ensure maximal clinical expression, we determined if seizures likewise induce phase shifts. Methods: We monitored the circadian rhythm of temperature (CRT) with intraperitoneal radiotelemetry in rats ( n =21) isolated from time cues and light for 3-week trials. Seizures were triggered with hippocampal electrical stimulation at different circadian phases. Optimized, least-error phase shifts were calculated from preictal and postictal CRTs. Induced seizures were referenced to CRT ( t max =00:00, 24-h circadian cycle). Results: Phase shifts (individual responses=57) differed across the circadian cycle. Rather than forming a clear phase–response curve, phase shifts were especially variable between 00:00 and 06:00 h. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that electrically-induced seizures induce advances and delays in CRT in a phase-dependent fashion but in a pattern different from typical light-induced phase shifts. Disorders of circadian regulation may contribute to some of the altered endogenous cycles associated with epilepsy.
Temperature profiles inside webs of the fall webworm, Hyphantria cunea (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae): Influence of weather, compass orientation, and time of day

Abstract 1. Webs of the fall webworm ( Hyphantria cunea ) were studied to determine how web temperatures change over 24-h periods. 2. Temperatures inside webs were strongly elevated compared to ambient temperatures for 6–8 h per day. On rainy, overcast days and at night, however, web temperatures were very close to ambient temperatures. 3. South-facing and north-facing webs were not significantly different in their capacity to absorb and retain heat. Directions of webs were not biased toward south, north, east, or west. 4. Although webworms cannot physiologically elevate body temperatures, they clearly do create living spaces that efficiently capture diurnal environmental heat.
FMRI under sedation: what is the best choice in children?

Background: Pediatric fMRI may require sedation. The aim of this study is to compare different sedation schemes to determine which medication yields least failures and the best activation. Methods: A total of 100 children who had fMRI performed as part of the work up for epilepsy surgery, were divided into different medication groups (Pentobarbital, Propofol, Dexmedetomidine, Sevoflurane). Comparison was performed among the groups for number of failures, rank of activation, adverse effects, anesthesia time, and recovery time. The study was approved by the IRB and followed all HIPAA guidelines. BOLD sequences were utilized to perform two block-design paradigms (auditory and visual). The activation was ranked into 5 categories according to the presence and localization of the activation. Descriptive and parametric statistics (ANOVA) were utilized to look for significant differences. Results: Pentobarbital yielded the least amount of failures, for the auditory task, followed by propofol, while sevoflurane yielded the highest number of failures for both tasks. In the visual task, propofol administered after dexmedetomidine resulted in the least number of failures. Brain activations were not statistical different (auditory: ANOVA, P = 0.42; F = 1.01; visual: ANOVA, P = 0.077; F = 2.1). The shortest recovery time was obtained with sevoflurane, followed by propofol. Agitation and cardiac complications were seen in 28% of cases in the pentobarbital group. Conclusion: No statistically significant difference in brain activation was found utilizing different sedative medications in children with intractable epilepsy. A trend toward less failures was obtained with pentobarbital and propofol; however pentobarbital was more frequently associated with undesirable side effects. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.4021/jocmr1047w
Decreased Hepatic Nuclear L-Triiodothyronine Receptors in Rats and Mice Bearing Transplantable Neoplasms

The concentration of hepatic nuclear T3 receptors was measured in isolated nuclei from athyreotic mice bearing thyrotrophic tumors and intact rats with Walker 256 carcinoma. Receptor concentration was reduced in all tumor-bearing animals. The mean receptor capacity of the Walker tumor-bearing rats [0.31 ± 0.05 (SEM) ng/mg DNA] was significantly decreased from simultaneously assayed controls (0.47 ± 0.04 ng/mg DNA; P < 0.01). No change in the apparent equilibrium association constant was observed. In individual rats, the magnitude of the decrease in nuclear T3 receptor concentration was highly correlated with the decrease in tumor-free body weight. Additional studies showed that the decrease in nuclear receptors was not due to delayed equilibration of added T3 with nuclear sites in vitro or to an increase in endogenous hepatic T3 concentration. The plasma concentration of total and free T3 and T3 was decreased in tumor-bearing rats. Plasma TSH concentration, however, remained unchanged. Thus, these transpl...
A fast algorithm for preserving noise while reducing image size

When a standard image thumbnail is generated by filtering and subsampling the original, information about the blur and noise of the original is lost. This loss of information makes it difficult to use standard thumbnails for image browsing since they do not distinguish between good quality and bad quality originals. This paper addresses image noise, developing a fast algorithm for preserving noise while reducing image size. Multirate signal transformations modify a traditional denoising and subsampling approach so that most of the processing occurs at the low spatial sampling rate of the reduced-sized output image. Experiments with noisy images and simulations show that the results of the new algorithm are very similar to the results of traditional denoising and subsampling. For the subsampling ratios typical between originals and image thumbnails, the new algorithm is an order of magnitude faster.
Safety of serial MRI in patients with implantable cardioverter defibrillators

Objective While patients with cardiac implantable electronic devices could benefit from magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, the presence of such devices has been designated as an absolute contraindication to MR. Although scanning algorithms are proposed for cardiac implantable electronic devices, their safety remains uncertain. To address this issue, the safety of serial cardiac MR scans was evaluated in patients with implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs). Methods Three serial cardiac MR scans were prospectively performed at 1.5 T on 10 patients (9 men) of median age 56 years (range 51–68) with ICDs. ICD interrogation was performed before and after the MR scan and at a follow-up of median 370 days (range 274–723). Image quality was also assessed. Results In all patients MR scanning occurred without complications. There were no differences between pre- and post-MR pacing capture threshold, pacing lead or high voltage lead impedance, or battery voltage values. During follow-up there were no occurrences of ICD dysfunction. Although most patients had image artifacts, the studies were generally diagnostic regarding left ventricular function and wall motion. Delayed enhancement imaging was of good quality for inferior wall and inferolateral infarcts, but ICD artifacts often affected the imaging of anterior wall infarcts. Conclusion Serial MR scans at 1.5 T in patients with ICDs, when carefully performed in a monitored setting, have no adverse effects on either patient or device. When required, single or multiple MR scans at 1.5 T may therefore be considered for clinical diagnostic purposes in these patients.
Quantifying surface-to-reservoir electromagnetics for waterflood monitoring in a Saudi Arabian carbonate reservoir

ABSTRACTWe modeled surface-to-borehole controlled-source electromagnetics to assess the sensitivity of electromagnetic fields to the detection and evolution of the waterfront position in a Saudi Arabian carbonate reservoir. We studied a test well drilled for research purposes at the edge of the current waterfront. The 3D reservoir saturations were obtained by using a black oil simulator and later converted to resistivity using Archie’s empirical relation. The anisotropic overburden model was derived from the upscaling of triaxial resistivity logs acquired from the surface to reservoir depth in the well. The modeling study was performed by the combination of 3D finite-element time-domain and 3D finite-difference frequency-domain methods using surface galvanic sources in radial and transverse polarization modes with borehole receivers. Results indicated that the electric-field components have the largest sensitivity to static reservoir resistivity distributions and to the time-lapse resistivity changes. The...
On the beating of ASE and XPM noise in optical receivers

Presents a theoretical study on the effects of beating between amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) noise and cross-phase modulation (XPM)-induced noise in optical receivers. Our theory of ASE-XPM beat noise predicts that such beating effects are actually beneficial to receiver performance, resulting in lower error probabilities. The ASE-XPM beat noise produces skewed non-Gaussian probability distributions and shifts optimum receiver threshold closer to the one level. These conclusions are insensitive to the exact noise statistics assumed for XPM or ASE.
Shared Regulation in the United States Securities Industry

The processes determining regulatory impacts are increasingly centered within firms and industries themselves, and in the working relationships among private and public actors. This article examines two aspects of this issue: (a) the effects of economic interdependence on the social control of industry and (b) the emergence and behavior of regulatory professions within the private sector and their collaboration with public regulatory counterparts. We consider how these forces have influenced private regulation in the United States securities industry.
An Evaluation of Dual-Media Contaminant Transport for SRS Environmental Applications

The dual-media approach to contaminant transport modeling has emerged over the years as a clear improvement over the conventional Fickian advection-dispersion, or single-medium model, in an increasing number of settings. Recent application to the MADE-2 tracer test at Columbus Air Force Base has extended interest to field-scale plume migration in unconsolidated sediments. Subsequent application to tritium migration from the SRS F- and H-area seepage basins within this study also demonstrated improved transport predictions.
Experiments with automatic text filing and retrieval in the office environment

A series of experiments using statistical techniques for the filing and retrieval of business text are described. The text documents used in the experiments are a combination of memos, letters, reports and informal messages. The results show that these techniques are effective in the office environment and, using this as a basis, recommendations are made for the design of the text filing and retrieval component of an office information system.
Pulmonary Blastomycosis in a Domestic Ferret (Mustela putorius furo)

Abstract A 34-month-old male, neutered ferret was referred to University of Wisconsin, Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital Special Species Health Service with a 6-week history of dyspnea, coughing, lethargy, and weight loss. The patient was not responding to antibiotic therapy and his condition was deteriorating. When presented to the teaching hospital, the animal was in respiratory distress, lethargic and had an ulcerative, crusting lesion on the left naris. In a standard, whole-body radiographic study of the ferret, lesions were identified in the chest cavity. A thoracic computed tomographic examination was then performed to better delineate the extent of the lesions and determinate the best position for fine-needle aspiration of the abnormal tissue. Cytology and fungal culture of the aspirated material confirmed blastomycosis. Despite intensive care, the animal died within 24 hours of presentation. Necropsy results confirmed pyogranulomatous pleuropneumonia with focal pulmonary abscessation caused by a Blastomyces dermatitidis infection. This case is the second report of B. dermatitidis granulomatous pneumonia and pleuritis in a ferret and the first report of this disease in a domestic ferret exclusively housed indoors. Additionally, this is the first description of pulmonary blastomycosis computed tomographic findings in a nonhuman species.
A Comprehensive Genetic Association Study of Alzheimer Disease in African Americans

Objectives To evaluate the association of genetic variation with late-onset Alzheimer disease (AD) in African Americans, including genes implicated in recent genome-wide association studies of whites. Design We analyzed a genome-wide set of 2.5 million imputed markers to evaluate the genetic basis of AD in an African American population. Subjects Five hundred thirteen well-characterized African American AD cases and 496 cognitively normal African American control subjects. Setting Data were collected from multiple sites as part of the Multi-Institutional Research on Alzheimer Genetic Epidemiology (MIRAGE) Study and the Henry Ford Health System as part of the Genetic and Environmental Risk Factors for Alzheimer Disease Among African Americans (GenerAAtions) Study. Results Several significant single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were observed in the region of the apolipoprotein E gene (APOE). After adjusting for the confounding effects of APOE genotype, one of these SNPs, rs6859 in PVRL2, remained significantly associated with AD (P = .0087). Association was also observed with SNPs in CLU, PICALM, BIN1, EPHA1, MS4A, ABCA7, and CD33, although the effect direction for some SNPs and the most significant SNPs differed from findings in data sets consisting of whites. Finally, using the African American genome-wide association study data set as a discovery sample, we obtained suggestive evidence of association with SNPs for several novel candidate genes. Conclusions Some genes contribute to AD pathogenesis in both white and African American cohorts, although it is unclear whether the causal variants are the same. A larger African American sample will be needed to confirm novel gene associations, which may be population specific.
The Programming Paradigm Evolution

The paradigms and principles governing software development span from machine-language to aspect-oriented programming, and they continue to change and grow.
Gene therapy for spinal fusion using an insect vector

Commentary on Fu T-S, Chang Y-H, Wong C-B, Wang I-C, Tsai T-T, Lai P-L, et al. Mesenchymal stem cells expressingbaculovirus-engineered BMP-2 and VEGF enhance posterolateral spine fusion in a rabbit model. Spine J 2015;15(9):2036–44.
Research of range-based synergetic localization algorithm in wireless sensor networks

Localization error is a widely considered problem in the node localization of wireless sensor network. The error can be caused by many reasons, and the most important three reasons are measurement distance, localization cumulative error and the number of anchor nodes. This paper proposes a range-based synergetic localization algorithm, which makes the best of all the sensor network for localization, using TDOA technology to reduce measurement error, and introducing the concept of classification to reduce error cumulative. Experimental results show that the proposed algorithm can achieve high accurate localization with fewer anchor nodes.
Seismic Refraction Study of Buried Valley Near Peninsula, Ohio: ABSTRACT

A seismic refraction study of the ancestral Cuyahoga River Valley in Boston and Northampton townships provided data for a structural contour map of the bedrock surface. The results generally agree with previous work, but a narrower valley floor is indicated. Inferences from the seismic velocities were made as to the bedrock type and to the nature of the glacial fill. The data are generally statistically significant for the area except in several locations where problems were encountered in interpreting the proper waveforms in the field. End_of_Article - Last_Page 1287------------
Confirmation of the Microsomal Triglyceride Transfer Protein Genetic Effect on Lipids in Young African American Men From the CARDIA Study

To the Editor: We previously studied the association between the −493 G/T polymorphism of the microsomal triglyceride transfer protein (MTP) gene and the lipid profile in young African American men from the CARDIA cohort.1 The total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) levels were significantly higher in the TT genotype in the first 4 consecutive measures between 1985 and 1993, but not in the 5th measure in 1996. We analyzed the new data measured in 2001 from the same cohort to test whether the nonsignificant result in the 5th measure is due to diminished genetic effect with age or random variation of data. The results from analysis of …
Dimensions of systems biology

Systems biology, possibly the latest sub-discipline of biology, has arisen as a result of the shockwave of genomic and proteomic data that has appeared in the past few years. However, despite ubiquitous initiatives that carry this label, there is no precise definition of systems biology other than the implication of a new, all-encompassing, multidisciplinary endeavor. Here we propose that systems biology is more than the integration of biology with methods of the physical and computational sciences, and also more than the expansion of the single-pathway approach to embracing genome-scale networks. It is the discipline that specifically addresses the fundamental properties of the complexity that living systems represent. To facilitate the discussion, we dissect and project the multifaceted systems complexity of living organisms into five dimensions: (1) molecular complexity; (2) structural complexity; (3) temporal complexity; (4) abstraction and emergence; and (5) algorithmic complexity. This “five-dimensional space” may provide a framework for comparing, classifying, and complementing the vast diversity of existing systems biology programs and their goals, and will also give a glimpse of the magnitude of the scientific problems associated with unraveling the ultimate mysteries of life.
Substrate Stiffness Regulates Solubility of Cellular Vimentin

The intermediate filament protein vimentin is involved in the regulation of cell behavior, morphology, and mechanical properties. Previous studies using cells cultured on glass or plastic substrates showed that vimentin is largely insoluble. Although substrate stiffness was shown to alter many aspects of cell behavior, changes in vimentin organization were not reported. Our results show for the first time that mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs), endothelial cells, and fibroblasts cultured on different-stiffness substrates exhibit biphasic changes in vimentin detergent solubility, which increases from nearly 0 to 67% in hMSCs coincident with increases in cell spreading and membrane ruffling. When imaged, the detergent-soluble vimentin appears to consist of small fragments the length of one or several unit-length filaments. Vimentin detergent solubility decreases when these cells are subjected to serum starvation, allowed to form cell-cell contacts, after microtubule disruption, or inhibition of Rac1, Rho-activated kinase, or p21-activated kinase. Inhibiting myosin or actin assembly increases vimentin solubility on rigid substrates. These data suggest that in the mechanical environment in vivo, vimentin is more dynamic than previously reported and its assembly state is sensitive to stimuli that alter cellular tension and morphology.
Preventing parameterized vulnerability in Web based applications

This paper proposes techniques that can be exploited by an attacker to pass application parameters in a Web application. We also illuminate their limitations and suggest strategies for mitigating these schemes
Education for Sustainable Development and Climate Change Education in China: A Status Report.

Recognizing the significance of education in promoting sustainable development (SD), China has developed a number of policies and initiatives relating to education for sustainable development (ESD)...
Weighting for godot: learning heuristics for GSAT

We investigate an improvement to GSAT which associates a weight with each clause. GSAT moves to assignments maximizing the weight of satisfied clauses and this weight is incremented when GSAT moves to an assignment in which this clause is unsatisfied. We present results showing that this algorithm and its variants outperform one of the best known modifications of GSAT to date using two metrics: number of solved problems on a single try, and minimum mean number of flips to solve a test suite of problems.
Prereaders' Understanding of Function of Print: Characteristic Trends in the Process.

The authors investigated how prereaders gain understanding about the function of print. The purpose was to determine if there are characteristic trends in children's processing of function of print which can be described and which can offer insight into that process.
Carbon isotopes as indicators of dispersal patterns in Devonian-Mississippian shales of the Appalachian Basin

Measurement of the carbon isotopic composition of organic matter in about 200 samples from the Devonian shale sequence of the eastern United States shows a definite transition from nonmarine values of around −25‰, through intermediate values in prodelta samples, to distal, basinal samples with values around −30.5‰. This trend matches very closely that found for paleocurrents in the sequence from sole markings on turbidite siltstone beds. Thus, the carbon isotopes suggest that the organic matter, and hence the enclosing shale, had the same dispersal pattern as the silt-stones. Furthermore, the steady westward change to more marine values indicates that the Cincinnati Arch was never sufficiently positive to act as a source of organic matter. The nonmarine carbon has an isotopic composition very similar to that of coal and so probably represents woody material. The basinal values, however, are much lighter than modern marine plankton. This may be a diagenetic effect or it may reflect a difference in the Devonian plankton.