cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Lateral Somitic Frontier in Ontogeny and Phylogeny

The vertebrate musculoskeletal system comprises the axial and appendicular systems. The postcranial axial system consists of the vertebrae, ribs and associated muscles, and the appendicular system comprises the muscles and skeleton of the paired appendages and their respective girdles. The morphology, proportions, and arrangements of these parts have undergone tremendous variation during vertebrate history. Despite this vertebrate diversity, the cells that form all of the key parts of the musculoskeletal system during development arise from two populations of embryonic mesoderm, the somites and somatic lateral plate. Nowicki et al. (2003. Mech Dev 120:227-240) identified two dynamic domains in the developing chick embryo. The primaxial domain is populated exclusively by cells from the somites. The abaxial domain includes muscle and bone that develop within lateral plate-derived connective tissue. The boundary between the two domains is the lateral somitic frontier. We hypothesize that the primaxial and abaxial domains are patterned independently and that morphological evolution of the musculoskeletal system is facilitated by partially independent developmental changes in the abaxial and primaxial domain. Here we present our hypothesis in detail and review recent experimental and comparative studies that use the concept of the lateral somitic frontier in the analysis of the evolution of the highly derived chelonian and limbless squamate body plans.
Dielectric loss of an oligomeric poly(propylene oxide) in the liquid region above Tg

Abstract Dynamic dielectric studies of oligomeric poly(propylene oxide) (PPO) of M n =3034 , between −10° and 40°C at 0.1, 1, and 10 KHz, reveal a glass transition and a T >Tg liquid-liquid transition. Analysis of d ϵ′ d T in the liquid region of PPO also indicates the presence of T11. The activation enthalpies for the Tg and T11 transitions have been calculated to be 39 and 18 kCal mol−1, respectively. The T11 transition in poly(propylene oxide) has been assigned to the motion of the entire polymer molecule.
Martian paleolacustrine environments and their geological constrains on drilling operations for exobiological research

Abstract The richness of information regarding climate, hydrology and sedimentary deposition acquired from lakes and lacustrine environments makes them among the most valuable targets for the Mars exploration. Moreover, terrestrial lacustrine deposits record a large variety of biological traces and, thus, they are high potential candidates for exobiology study on Mars as well. Paleolakes have been recognized in several settings and ages on the Martian surface. Crater lakes formed by channels debouching into impact craters are more common and characteristic than the lakes in open topographic basins. On the basis of the morphological characteristics of crater lakes we studied along with theoretical models, we suggest that two types of lacustrine basins could have occurred: deep-water lakes and dry lakes. Deep-water lakes show terraces at their rims, Gilbert-type deltas at the mouth of inflowing channels, and a flat uniform floor. Dry lakes are dry for most of the time allowing chemical sediment accumulation. Evidence for this type of lakes is very rare on Mars but the high albedo tone of some deposits suggests their presence. Mineralogical analysis is needed in order to identify this kind of deposits. The sedimentary facies and lithology associated with these two types of lakes are different and they have important implications for drilling operations at the landing sites. We describe the geological setting for each of these two types of lakes and their potential for the exobiology exploration.
STUDIES BASED ON A MALIGNANT TUMOR OF THE RABBIT : IV. THE RESULTS OF MISCELLANEOUS METHODS OF TRANSPLANTATION, WITH A DISCUSSION OF FACTORS INFLUENCING TRANSPLANTATION IN GENERAL.

The results of seven methods of transplantation of a malignant tumor of the rabbit are reported and contrasted with results obtained by intratesticular inoculation. It was found that inoculations made into the brain, the anterior chamber of the eye, and the muscles gave an almost uniform series of takes with the production of comparatively large and vigorously growing tumors. Intracutaneous inoculations were less favorable, while with subcutaneous, intravenous, and intraperitoneal inoculations, a growth was obtained in only 20 to 25 per cent of the animals. In contrast with the malignant course of the disease produced by testicular transplantation, the tumors produced by methods other than intracerebral inoculation were relatively benign. In all cases, the growth was of a purely local character; in some instances, there was invasion of the surrounding tissues with local or regional extension of the growth, but no metastases developed in distant organs. Tumors in the brain soon caused death as a result of pressure, and the ultimate fate of tumors in the eye was not determined, but the growth produced by other methods of local inoculation was of relatively short duration and terminated with spontaneous resolution. It was found that while a good growth could be obtained with material which had been subjected to repeated freezing, thawing, and grinding, the use of cell-free filtrates or desiccated tumor tissue gave negative results. In discussing the experiments reported, it was pointed out that there were three groups of factors which had played important parts in determining the results of transplantation. These were the capacity for growth of the tumor cells, animal resistance, and the advantage given the tumor or the animal by the use of a particular method of inoculation. From an analysis of the results obtained with reference to the operation of these factors, the conclusion was reached that while the quality of malignancy displayed by the tumor was conditioned upon the capacity for growth of the tumor cells, the degree of malignancy exhibited in any given instance was a function of animal resistance which was not entirely specific but corresponded closely with the ability of the animal to meet excess demands arising from other causes and, to this extent, represented an expression of the functional capacity of a mechanism which is concerned primarily with the maintenance of the general animal economy.
CT findings after irreversible electroporation ablation in a porcine model: Radiologic-pathologic correlation

Purpose To characterize computed tomography (CT) findings after irreversible electroporation (IRE) in a porcine model Materials and Methods Twenty two CT-guided IRE lesions were created in livers of 12 pigs. Energy was delivered at 2250-3000 V (pulse length, 90-100 μsec; pulse repetition, 70-90) by using two 18-gauge electrodes with 2-2.5 cm active tip, 1.5-2.0 cm distance between electrodes and a Nanoknife generator (Angiodynamics, Fremont, CA). Triple-phase multi-detector CT imaging was performed prior to IRE application and immediately before euthanasia (2 hours after ablation). Multiple CT imaging features were studied, including: dimensions; coagulation zone attenuation; and presence, as well as characteristics of post ablation enhancement. Zones of ablation were evaluated at gross and histopathologic examination, correlated with CT findings, and subjected to statistical analysis. Results The mean ablation volume measured by CT imaging and gross pathology was 31.8 cm 3 [95% CI: (14.3, 49.4)] and 15.2 cm 3 [95% CI: (12.8,17.6)]. Using a mixed-effects regression model, the two volume means are significantly different (p=0.04) with the size of the ablation zone on the CT appearing larger than the gross size (p=0.0416). Two hours after IRE energy application, the ablation zone appeared as a well demarcated hypoattenuating area. Mean pre, arterial and portal HU for the zone of ablation was 79.6 [95% CI: (73.1, 87.2), 64.3 [95% CI: (57.3, 72.0)], and 73.9 [95% CI: (61.8, 86.1). An incomplete rim of enhancement was observed surrounding the zone of ablation in both the arterial and portal phase with a median thickness of 2.5 mm. Histologic examination revealed a clear demarcation between the ablated liver and adjacent unaffected parenchyma. Coagulation zone was characterized by hepatocellular dissociation often associated with hemorrhage and sinusoidal dilatation. Conclusion CT imaging in the acute period after IRE depicts the ablation zone as a hypoattenuating lesion with a surrounding rim of enhancement. However, it appears to overestimate the dimensions of the ablative injury.
Full-wave simulation of Body Area Networks using the FDTD method

In this paper the authors provide a rigorous full-wave simulation of Body Area Networks (BANs) using the FDTD. Some relevant statistical parameters for path loss are presented for different body-phantom models.
Congenital hypothyroidism detected by a screening program with specimen collection at two time periods

The Northwest (U.S.) Regional Screening Program (NWRSP) for congenital hypothyroidism (CH) employs a primary T4 screen with TSH backup. Heel prick filter paper specimens are routinely collected at 2 time periods: days 1-7 of life and 2-6 weeks of age. Between 5/75 and 3/81, 470,750 infants were tested on the first specimen, while 266,200 were tested on the second specimen. 101 infants were detected with primary hypothyroidism (1:4660), 2 infants had hypopituitary hypothyroidism, while 78 infants were detected with congenital TBG deficiency (1:6035). Of the 101 infants, 90 were detected with a low T4 and elevated TSH on the first specimen (1:5,230), while 11 infants were discovered with a low T4 and high TSH on the second routine specimen (1:24,200). Of these 11 infants, 7 had a T4 concentration above the 3% cutoff on the initial specimen while the other 4 had a T4 below the cutoff, but their TSH concentrations were below the level of sensitivity of the TSH assay (usually <25 μU/ml). Tc99m scans done in 9 of 11 infants showed some residual thyroid tissue in 8 of 9 cases. Six of 7 infants had normal skeletal maturation on X-ray studies. We conclude that 10% of infants with CH appear to have an evolving hypothyroidism which is detected only by a second routine screening test at 2-6 weeks of age. The frequency of detection of CH on the second routine specimen has proven cost-effective in the NWRSP.
Thermodynamic stability of bovine α-crystallin in its interactions with other bovine crystallins

Light scattering measurements were performed on dilute solutions of α-crystallin mixed with different combinations of βH, βL and γ-fractions of bovine lens crystallins. Light scattering intensities were obtained as a function of scattering angle, concentration and temperature. The temperature dependence of the second virial coefficients was used to obtain partial molar enthalpy and end entropy of solutions. The difference between the thermodynamic parameters of the crystallin mixtures and those of the weighted averages of the individual components yielded the excess enthalpy and entropy functions of the solutions. Both the excess enthalpy and entropy functions indicated that thermodynamic stability of α-crystallin is progressively enhanced by its interactions with γ≺(βH+γ)≺(βH+βL+γ) crystallins. The last two combinations showed negative values both for excess enthalpy as well for excess entropy of solutions. Other combinations demonstrated increasing positive values. This implies that the combination of all four crystallins in the vertebrate lens enables the best solvation property as well as the best packing as opposed to any other single or combinatorial arrangements of crystallins. Similar conclusions have been obtained in the past from water and other vapor sorption studies.
Keeping the Bar Low: Why Russia’s Nonresident Fathers Accept Narrow Fatherhood Ideals

Although most Russian nonresident fathers feel torn between old and new ideals of fatherhood, they end up accepting older, narrow ideals. Fathers reproduce the dominant gender discourse, which deems men irresponsible and infantile and diminishes the importance of fathers. On the basis of extensive fieldwork, including in-depth interviews (N = 21) and observational data, I argue that men reproduce minimalist standards of fatherhood because, in part, keeping the bar low enables them to still consider themselves decent fathers. In addition, fathers’ beliefs about the inherent deficiencies of nonresident fatherhood and the increased socioeconomic pressures and loosened constraints surrounding fatherhood in post-Soviet Russia converge to push fathers to settle for the status quo of detached fatherhood.
Cytokine-Induced Metabolic Dysfunction of MIN6 β Cells Is Nitric Oxide Independent

Abstract Background. An important obstacle to islet transplantation is graft injury due to local production of cytokines generated by host nonspecific inflammatory responses. The detrimental effects that cytokines impart on metabolic function have been associated with nitric oxide (NO) production and apoptosis. We tested the in vitro effects of interleukin (IL)-1β, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)α, and interferon (IFN)γ on glucose-stimulated insulin release in the MIN6 β-cell line and correlated metabolic dysfunction with NO production and rates of apoptosis. Materials and methods. MIN6 cells were cultured in the presence of IL-1β, TNFα, and/or IFNγ. Insulin release was determined by radioimmunoassay. NO production was determined by the Griess reaction. Apoptosis was determined by measuring the sub-G1 phase of DNA content of MIN6 cells by flow cytometry. Results. Cytokine-induced suppression of glucose-stimulated insulin release was enhanced in a time-dependent manner. NO production was stimulated by IL-1β and augmented by TNFα and IFNγ. NG-Monomethyl- l -arginine ( l -NMMA) blocked cytokine-induced NO production but only partially attenuated suppression of glucose-stimulated insulin release. Apoptosis increased in the presence of cytokines and was slightly reduced when NO production was specifically inhibited. Conclusions. Proinflammatory cytokines suppressed glucose-stimulated insulin release in MIN6 cells. The dominant mechanisms involved NO-independent pathways.
Sectoral differences in the use of information technology and matching efficiency in the US labour market

The present study examines how the heterogeneity of use of information technology in production affects the probability that an unemployed worker will be matched with a vacancy. Using US time series from 1967 to 2007, I construct measures of dispersion of the stocks of software and hardware per worker across 13 industries. The measures exhibit three waves whose timing roughly corresponds to the diffusion of mainframe computers in the 1960s and 1970s, personal computers in the 1980s and the Internet in the late 1990s. After controlling for other influences, I find that the probability of transitioning from unemployment to employment responds negatively to an increase in either measure. The results imply that by enhancing technical heterogeneity, the diffusion of a new technology may suppress the job finding rate.
The ligase chain reaction in a PCR world.

S i n c e its discovery in 1985, the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has had a profound impact on detecting genetic and infectious diseases, identifying new genes, and unraveling the mysteries of protein-ligand recognition.(1-s) Its universal utility is due to the exquisite specificity of amplification and ease of cycling made possible by the cloning and careful characterization of a thermostable polymerase from Thermus aquaticus. (6,7) Likewise, cloning of a thermostable ligase enabled a new amplification method, termed ligase chain reaction (LCR), to both amplify DNA and discriminate a single base mutation. (8-1~ Although these DNA amplification techniques are new, they bring to fruition the "enzymes as reagents" philosophy expounded by A. Kornberg and I.R. Lehman a quarter of a century ago. Allele-specific LCR employs four oligonucleotides, two adjacent oligonucleotides which uniquely hybridize to one strand of target DNA and a complementary set of adjacent oligonucleotides, which hybridize to the opposite strand (see Fig. 1, top left). Thermostable DNA ligase will covalently link each set, provided that there is complete complementarity at the junc~ tion. (8) Because the oligonucleotide products from one round may serve as substrates during the next round, the signal is amplified exponentially, analogous to PCR amplification. A single-base mismatch at the oligonucleotide junction will not be amplified and is therefore distinguished (Fig. 1, top right). A second set of mutantspecific oligonucleotides is used in a separate reaction to detect the mutant allele. This review will give a brief introduction to (1) determinants of specificity in amplification reactions; (2) differences between thermostable and thermophilic enzymes; (3) detection of single-base substitutions in DNA diagnostics; (4) characterization of DNA ligases; (5) cloning of DNA ligases; (6) use of ligases in DNA detection; (7) other methods that use ligase, such as ligase-mediated PCR and the branch capture reaction; and (8) potential new uses of ligase in PLCR and nested LCR amplification reactions. It will close with speculations on future prospects.
The use of glial fibrillary acidic protein in first-tier assessments of neurotoxicity

Diverse neurotoxic insults result in proliferation and hypertrophy of astrocytes, a subtype of central nervous system glia. The hallmark of this response, often termed “reactive gliosis,” is the enhanced expression of the major intermediate filament protein of astrocytes, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). These morphological observations suggest that GFAP may be a useful biochemical indicator of neurotoxicity. To investigate this possibility we have administered prototype neurotoxicants to experimental animals and then assessed the effects of these agents on the tissue content of GFAP, as determined by radioimmunoassay. We found that assays of GFAP reveal dose-, time-, and region-dependent patterns of neurotoxicity at toxicant dosages below those that cause light microscopic evidence of cell loss or damage. No false positives have been seen following exposure to a variety of pharmacological agents. By using regional assessments of GFAP in a first-tier evaluation, it should be possible to localize ar...
Digital Filter Design for Jamming Mitigation in 802.15.4 Communication

Jamming attackers can dramatically increase attack efficiency and stealth by randomly or periodically cycling the jamming transmission on and off, attacks respectively known as random and periodic jamming. In this paper, we analyze the impact of such attacks on the IEEE 802.15.4 communication protocol, commonly used in wireless sensor networking applications, and show that the cycling behavior introduces a narrow spectral component into the received signal. We propose the inclusion of a digital filter at the receiver side to effectively eliminate this spectral component, and we discuss the benefits involved in this filter design. We evaluate the impacts of random and periodic jamming with and without the proposed filter, through implementation in software defined radios. Through our evaluation, we observe over 90% reduction in packet error rate with the proposed digital filter.
Cholestasis in acute stroke: an investigation on its prevalence and etiology.

ObjectiveLiver cholestatic enzymes and/or bilirubin occasionally occur in acute stroke and are usually, but not always, ascribed to comorbid conditions. We investigated the frequency and possible etiology of this phenomenon.Material and methodsProspective evaluation of post-admission biochemical cholestasis of all patients hospitalized with acute stroke was conducted during a 21-month period.ResultsOf 169 consecutive patients, 18 (10.7%) developed cholestasis. In 7 of the patients (4.1%; 4 M, 3 F, median age 70 years, range 57–82 years) no apparent cause of cholestasis could be found, and they were further evaluated (Group A). These patients were compared with 21 randomly selected stroke patients without cholestasis, matched for age and gender, and who acted as controls (Group B). Group A patients were in a deeper coma than the controls (Glasgow Coma Scale 3.4±0.8 versus 1.9±0.7, p<0.001), associated with severe autonomic and hypothalamic involvement, while no such manifestations were present in Group B (...
Adjunctive technique for the use of ProGlide vascular closure device to improve hemostasis.

The Perclose ProGlide (Abbott Vascular, Santa Clara, Calif) is indicated for the closure of 5F to 21F femoral artery access sites. We describe an adjunctive technique for the use of the ProGlide vascular closure device to improve hemostasis. After routine use of the device, a hollow tube (cut from the injection port of an introducer sheath) is placed over the free tails of suture. These tubes are secured in place by a hemostat that grasps the free suture tails, creating a Rummel-style tourniquet that compresses the arteriotomy, improving hemostasis. The tubes doubly serve as a conduit for the administration of prothrombotic agents directly in the event that hemostasis is not adequately achieved.
The Island Syndrome in Coastal Wetland Ecosystems: Convergent Evolution of Large Bills in Mangrove Passerines

ABSTRACT. Passerine birds on islands tend to have larger bills than their mainland relatives. The morphological shift may be related to reduced interspecific and increased intraspecific competition. Emberizid sparrows in North American salt marshes also show consistently greater bill size. We tested the hypothesis that passerines restricted to mangrove forests, another continental system with low species diversity and high population densities, also have larger bills than their closest nontidal relatives. We found a consistent pantropical pattern of longer and deeper bills in passerine birds restricted to mangroves. These results indicate that disproportionately longer bills in relation to body size in passerines restricted to coastal saline habitats, just like those found on islands, seems to be a general ecological rule. The similar pattern in bill morphology suggests that ecological and evolutionary processes thought to occur only in island systems might also occur in some continental systems.
Characterization of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis Response to Atrazine and Metabolites in the Female Rat

Atrazine (ATR) has recently been shown to activate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in rodents. The current study investigated the effect of ATR and two of its chlorinated metabolites, desisopropylatrazine (DIA) and diamino-s-chlorotriazine (DACT), on the HPA axis in the Long-Evans female rat. A single oral gavage administration of 75 mg/kg ATR or 60.2 mg/kg DIA (a dose equimolar to the applied ATR dose) during the morning of proestrus resulted in significant, acute increases in circulating adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), corticosterone, and progesterone. Oral doses of ATR or DIA were given daily over the course of the 4-day ovarian cycle starting on the day of vaginal estrus, resulted in a similar, dose-responsive activation of the HPA axis. The increase in ACTH, corticosterone, and progesterone by these compounds was of a similar magnitude to that produced by 5-min restraint stress. Single or multiple oral exposures to DACT, on the other hand, did not significantly alter pituitary-adrenal hormone release. These results were observed despite plasma levels of DACT being higher than any other metabolite at the time of hormone measurement. Overall, circulating metabolite concentrations following equimolar dosing were much higher than those observed after ATR administration. Additional studies indicated that the activation of the HPA axis by oral exposure to ATR and DIA was not due simply to the stimulation of gastrointestinal afferents. Similar responses were observed in rats which received an oral dose of ATR following bilateral subdiaphramatic vagotomy and following intravenous administration of DIA in jugular vein catheterized animals. We conclude that ATR and the metabolite DIA significantly activate the HPA axis following oral exposure in the female rat. Activation of this endocrine axis by these chlorotriazines could contribute to the induced changes of female reproductive function reported previously.
Spt10-Dependent Transcriptional Activation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae Requires both the Spt10 Acetyltransferase Domain and Spt21

Histone levels are a key factor in several nuclear processes, including transcription and chromosome segregation. Previous studies have demonstrated that Spt10 and Spt21 are required for the normal transcription of a subset of the histone genes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and sequence analysis has suggested that Spt10 is an acetyltransferase. We have now characterized several aspects of transcriptional activation of histone genes by Spt10 in vivo. Our results show that activation by Spt10 is dependent on its acetyltransferase domain. At HTA2-HTB2, the histone locus whose transcription is most strongly dependent on Spt10, Spt10 is physically recruited to the promoter in an Spt21-dependent and a cell cycle-dependent manner. Furthermore, Spt10 and Spt21 directly interact. These results, taken together with the identification of spt10 mutations that suppress an spt21Δ mutation, suggest a model for transcriptional activation by Spt10 and Spt21.
Red electro-luminescence from ZnS:Mn-F thin film

Thin film EL device made of ZnS:TbF 3 , Mn by means of electron beam evaporation yield red light (peak wave length 7000 A) at a brightness of 60 Fl. The color of the light varied from orange to red according to the concentration ratio of TbF 3 to Mn. Two emission bands were observed, namely at 5850 A and 7000 A. Since the orange band is obviously due to the localized center of Mn2+, our experimental results support that the red emission band is due to the localized center of Mn2+, our experimental results support that the red emission bands is due to the localized center of Mn-F.
Utilization of Multiphoton Imaging For Real-Time Fate Determination of Mesenchymal Stem Cells in an Immunocompetent Mouse Model

The clinical application of Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) for the treatment of a variety of diseases is the focus of intense research. Despite large research efforts many questions regarding MSC biology in vivo remain unanswered. For instance, we do not know for certain whether MSCs exert their therapeutic effects directly within the target tissue or indirectly by influencing the polarization of other cell types, such as macrophages, which can then home to the target tissue microenvironment. To help address this issue, the application of intravital multiphoton microscopy allows for the determination of the dynamic action of intact MSCs versus endogenous host cells at the target tissue site in real time.
Direct killing of patients in humanitarian situations and armed conflicts: the profession of medicine is losing its meaning.

Abstract. During armed conflicts over the past several years, attacks on humanitarian workers and patients have increased, including the most recent overt killing of patients in their hospital beds in South Sudan and Central African Republic, and bombardments of hospitals in Iraq, Syria, and other countries. Direct attacks on patients inside hospitals, as well as social structural dynamics that undermine patient safety and security, are met with apparent indifference by international and medical communities. How can the medical profession remain silent and stand by while these factors render its core mission futile? In this article, I aim to shed light on this issue, and its implications for the future of the neutral and impartial provision of medical care; provide an analysis of underlying and contributing factors; discuss current international strategies; reflect on the responsibility of health providers; explore ways to strengthen our roles as physician advocates; and call for the medical profession to do more to protect medicine's core values.
Activation of p44/42 in human natural killer cells decreases cell-surface protein expression: Relationship to tributyltin-induced alterations of protein expression

Tributyltin (TBT) activates the mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK), p44/42 in human natural killer (NK) cells. TBT also reduces NK cytotoxic function and decreases the expression of several NK-cell proteins. To understand the role that p44/42 activation plays in TBT-induced loss of NK cell function, this study investigated how selective activation of p44/42 by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) affects NK cells. Previously it was shown that PMA caused losses of lytic function similar to those seen with TBT exposures. This study examined activation of p44/42 in the regulation of NK-cell protein expression and how this regulation may explain the protein expression changes seen with TBT exposures. NK cells exposed to PMA were examined for levels of cell-surface proteins, granzyme mRNA, and perforin mRNA expression. The expression of CD11a, CD16, CD18, and CD56 were reduced, perforin mRNA levels were unchanged, and granzyme mRNA levels were increased. To verify that activation of p44/42 was responsible for the alterations seen in CD11a, CD16, CD18, and CD56 with PMA, NK cells were treated with the p44/42 pathway inhibitor (PD98059) prior to PMA exposures. In the presence of PD98059, PMA caused no decreases in the expression of the cell-surface proteins. Results of these studies indicate that the activation of p44/42 may lead to the loss of NK cell cytotoxic function by decreasing the expression of CD11a, CD16, CD18, and CD56. Further, activation of p44/42 appears to be at least in part responsible for the TBT-induced decreases in expression of CD16, CD18, and CD56.
Developing persuasion knowledge by teaching advertising literacy in primary school

As part of a larger project to integrate advertising literacy into school curriculum, this research evaluates the effectiveness of an initial three-hour advertising literacy classroom intervention among eight- and nine-year-olds. The field experiment (a pretest/posttest, control/experimental group design) was implemented in 10 third grade classes in a three-week time period in three high-poverty schools in the United States. Low advertising literacy occurred at baseline. Evaluation results indicated significant increases in intervention students' understanding of the message creator, the selling intent, persuasive strategy, and target audience. Recommendations for curriculum development, refinement, and implementation for a wider audience are discussed.
Everything Old is New Again: An Essay Review of Anthony G. Amsterdam & Jerome Bruner, Minding the Law (Harv U. Press 2000)

In the first chapter of their excellent book, Minding the Law, Anthony Amsterdam and Jerome Bruner provide an Invitation to a Journey to make the already familiar strange again. They examine four common skills of lawyers from a new perspective: categorizing, rhetoric, narrative, and culture. In examining their ideas, I apply them to various constitutional law cases.
Effect of Warming Rates on the Viability of Frozen Fungous Spores

A study was made of the effect of warming rates on the recovery of fungous spores frozen and stored at liquid-nitrogen temperature. Recoveries approximating those of the pre-freeze controls were ob...
The Organization of Hypocrisy: Talk, Decisions, and Action in Organizations

The article reviews the book “The Organization of Hypocrisy: Talk, Decisions, and Action in Organizations,” by Nils Brunsson.
Estimation of Wind Turbine Blade Forces with a State-Augmented Kalman Filter

This paper explores the possibility of estimating the forces on a wind turbine blade using a small set of structural response measurements. A Kalman lter, modi ed to include the input vector in the state vector, is employed to estimate the load state and full blade state. This technique is proposed as an alternative to direct measurement of the in ow state (i.e. local angle of attack and air speed) and subsequent calculation of aerodynamic forces. The estimation procedure is demonstrated with a simple beam model of a 1.5 MW turbine blade exposed to realistic aerodynamic loading.
Large eddy simulations of compressible convection

Large-eddy simulation (LES) technique has been applied to two-dimensional compressible convection in a plane-parallel layer of ideal gas with intermediate density contrast. The general flow patterns consist of a series of rolls in the horizontal which are coherent throughout the entire vertical domain, much like findings by a number of investigators. The horizontal component of the subgrid-scale (SGS) force appears to enhance fluctuations of pressure and density, which in turn cause the resultant force, say fpg arising from pressure gradient and gravity terms, to increase in magnitude in such a way that fpg, besides balancing the inertial terms, can essentially offset the vertical component of the SGS force. Consequently, compared to a solution obtained omitting the SGS terms, the flow field of the LES solution only shows moderate differences. There is some indication that the overall SGS effect tends to reduce the asymmetry between the vertical flows in the interior of the domain while enhancing it in the base region.
Influences of fluoride exposure in drinking water on serum androgen binding protein and testosterone of male adults

Aim:To explore the relationship between environmental fluoride exposure and the concentration of serum androgen binding protein( ABP) as well as testosterone( T) of male adults. Methods:A cross-sectional study was conducted in 7 villages of Tongxu county including 2 endemic fluorosis villages( EFV),2 EFV implemented with defluoridation project villages( DFPV) and 3 control villages( CV). Males who aged 18 to 50 years born in the villages were recruited using cluster sampling. Drinking water,urine and blood samples were collected. The fluoride levels of drinking water and urine samples were detected by fluoride-ion selective electrode method. ABP was determined using ELISA method and T was determined using chemiluminescence method. Results:The fluoride concentrations in drinking water were( 2. 44 ±1. 88),( 0. 36 ± 0. 30) and( 0. 37 ± 0. 15) mg / L in EFV,DFPV and CV,respectively( F = 12. 289,P 0. 001). It was significantly higher in EFV than those in DFPV and CV( P 0. 05). Compared with DFPV[( 1. 38 ± 0. 67) mg / L]and CV[( 1. 04 ±0. 49) mg/L],the urinary fluoride concentration of EFV[( 2. 49 ±1. 40) mg/L]was higher( F =71. 563,P 0. 001),and there was a significant difference between DFPV and CV( P 0. 05). Serum ABP level of adults from EFV[( 16. 01 ±10. 83) nmol/L]was significantly lower than that from DFPV[( 22. 42 ±28. 12) nmol/L]and CV[( 27. 94 ±31. 90) nmol / L]( F = 28. 807,P 0. 001). No significant differences were observed in serum T concentration among three groups( F = 0. 268,P = 0. 765). There was a negative relationship between T and age of men who were investigated in CV and DFPV( β =- 0. 238,- 0. 262,P 0. 05). Conclusion:Environmental fluoride exposure may affect serum ABP level in male.
Anti-inflammatory Effects of Ganoderma lucidum Triterpenoid in Human Crohn's Disease Associated with Downregulation of NF-κB Signaling.

Background Crohn’s disease (CD) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the gastrointestinal tract. Current medications have potentially serious side effects. Hence there is increasing interest in alternative therapies. We previously demonstrated the anti-inflammatory effects of FAHF-2 in-vitro on PBMCs and mucosa from CD subjects. Here we investigated the anti-inflammatory effects of a bioactive compound isolated from Ganoderma lucidum (G. lucidum), a key herbal constituent of FAHF-2, in CD in vitro.
Automated CT Perfusion for Ischemic Core Volume Prediction in Tandem Anterior Circulation Occlusions.

Background/Aim: CT perfusion (CTP) predicts ischemic core volumes in acute ischemic stroke (AIS); however, assumptions made within the pharmacokinetic model may engender errors by the presence of tracer delay or dispersion. We aimed to evaluate the impact of hemodynamic disturbance due to extracranial anterior circulation occlusions upon the accuracy of ischemic core volume estimation with an automated perfusion analysis tool (RAPID) among AIS patients with large-vessel occlusions. Methods: A prospectively collected, interventional database was retrospectively reviewed for all cases of endovascular treatment of AIS between September 2010 and March 2015 for patients with anterior circulation occlusions with baseline CTP and full reperfusion (mTICI3). Results: Out of 685 treated patients, 114 fit the inclusion criteria. Comparison between tandem (n = 21) and nontandem groups (n = 93) revealed similar baseline ischemic core (20 ± 19 vs. 19 ± 25 cm3; p = 0.8), Tmax >6 s (175 ± 109 vs. 162 ± 118 cm3; p = 0.6), Tmax >10 s (90 ± 84 vs. 90 ± 91 cm3; p = 0.9), and final infarct volumes (45 ± 47 vs. 37 ± 45 cm3; p = 0.5). Baseline core volumes were found to correlate with final infarct volumes for the tandem (r = 0.49; p = 0.02) and nontandem (r = 0.44; p 3; p = 0.5) tandem lesions. Conclusions: The prediction of baseline ischemic core volumes through an optimized CTP analysis employing rigorous normalization, thresholding, and voxel-wise analysis is not significantly influenced by the presence of underlying extracranial carotid steno-occlusive disease in large-vessel AIS.
Pancreatic cysts: What imaging characteristics are associated with development of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma?

Abstract Purpose To assess relationship between pancreatic cysts (PC) and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and to compare imaging features of PC in subjects who develop PDAC and those who do not. Material and methods This case-control IRB-approved HIPAA-compliant study included patients with PDAC (cases) and lung cancer (controls), diagnosed between 1/1/05–1/1/14. The most recent abdominal CT/MR of each patient done >6 months prior to cancer diagnosis date was reviewed by radiologist blinded to case/control status. Presence of PC, number and size of largest PC, presence of main pancreatic duct (MPD) dilatation (MPD >3 mm) were recorded. Simple PC was defined as lack of calcifications, septations and enhancement. Logistic regression models with binary outcome of PDAC were constructed. Results There were 88 cases and 273 controls with mean ages of 69.6 years (±10.3) and 69.8 years (±12.0), respectively (p = 0.864). PC were present in 21.6% (19/88) cases and in 9.2% (25/273) controls (p = 0.002). The OR of PC for development of PDAC was 2.83, adjusting for age, sex and race (p = 0.001). Mean PC size was 14.8 mm (±8.7) in cases and 7.6 mm (±8.0) in controls (p = 0.007). PC were solitary in 6 (31.6%) of 19 cases and 21 (84.0%) of 25 controls (p = 0.001). There was no significant difference in proportions of simple cysts or MPD dilatation between cases and controls. Multiple PC had 8.2 times increased odds of PDAC compared with solitary PC, adjusting for cyst size (p = 0.007). Conclusion Multiple PC are associated with 8.2 times higher odds of PDAC compared with solitary PC.
Is It Time to Use De Novo mTOR Inhibitors Posttransplant

The use of mTOR inhibitors evokes debate in transplantation. Numerous clinical trials have explored the role of the mTOR inhibitors sirolimus and everolimus in kidney transplantation, but the results have been mixed; they have not shown a clear benefit over the current regimens. However, many of these trials were impacted by the difficulties and uncertainties in managing side effects and the dosing of the mTOR inhibitors. Being aware of the effective treatments available for these side effects, understanding the pathophysiology of the mTOR pathway allows patients to remain on therapy. Successful side effect management means that the longer term, advantageous benefits of mTOR inhibition can be gained by the kidney recipient and means that it is time to use de novo mTOR inhibitors in kidney recipients.
Dispersion of the coherent MIMO block-fading channel

In this paper we consider a channel model that is often used to describe the mobile wireless scenario: multiple-antenna additive white Gaussian noise channels subject to random (fading) gain with full channel state information at the receiver. Dynamics of the fading process are approximated by a piecewise-constant process (frequency non-selective isotropic block fading). This work addresses the finite blocklength fundamental limits of this channel model. Specifically, we give a formula for the channel dispersion - a quantity governing the delay required to achieve capacity - and present achievability and (partial) converse bounds. Multiplicative nature of the fading disturbance leads to a number of interesting technical difficulties that required us to enhance traditional methods for finding channel dispersion. Knowledge of channel dispersion opens the possibility for studying the impact of channel dynamics, antenna selection rules, etc on the communication rate.
Fiber-Optic Distributed-Temperature Sensing

Fiber optic related technology enables us to measure temperature distribution along entirelength of optical fiber over several kilometers. This newly developed system is completelydifferent from conventional electrical sensors in that it uses optical fiber itself as a sensor. Thesystem measures temperature distribution by detecting Raman scattered light intensity usingoptical time domain reflectometry-OTDR-method.In this paper, we first explain principle of this unique sensing system, and then discuss relationbetween the system's performance and performance of laser light source which is one ofthe most important devices of the system. Also experimental results are shown for each applicablelasers. It became clear that a system using 850nm laser diode is effective for short distancemeasurement while high power, longer wavelength light source must be engaged to measurelonger distance.
The history of electromagnetic theory through the lives of its founders

This engaging book presents the history of the development of the science of electromagnetism through the lives of two of its founders. The first seven chapters of this seventeen-chapter book belong to Michael Faraday, the story of whose rise to scientific prominence from an unprivileged background (his father was a blacksmith) is eternally appealing. Chapters eight through fifteen belong to James Clerk Maxwell, a truly great scientist whose name should be better known than it is. The book’s penultimate chapter introduces the ‘‘Maxwellians’’—the Britons Oliver Heaviside, Oliver Lodge, and George Francis Fitzgerald and their German colleague, Heinrich Hertz—and describes their achievements building on Maxwell’s and Faraday’s contributions. The final chapter takes us from Michelson and Morley’s 1887 experiment disproving the existence of the aether to Einstein’s annus mirabilis of 1905, in which, among other achievements, he explained the photoelectric effect, predicted the photon, and published his special theory of relativity. The book also contains a useful chronology of the main scientific breakthroughs covered in the book, as well as an eight-page insert of black-andwhite illustrations of not only the book’s two heroes at different times in their careers and of some of Faraday’s apparatus and laboratory, but also of William Thomson, who played a role in the life of each, and of other members of the tale’s dramatis personae, including Andre Marie Ampere, perhaps the most collegial of Faraday’s French colleagues; Faraday’s scientific hero and mentor Humphry Davy (though their relationship was ultimately damaged); Katherine Maxwell (who some considered his ‘‘awful wife’’); and the ‘‘Maxwellians’’ Heaviside and Hertz. In their acknowledgments, the authors share the book’s back story. As a graduate student in physics, one of the authors heard Nobel laureate C. N. Yang talk about the history of field theory, which led to major breakthroughs in modern physics and underlies the Standard Model. Yang traced field theory back to simple instruments
Turing Degrees and Muchnik Degrees of Recursively Bounded DNR Functions

Let \(\varphi _i\), \(i\in \mathbb {N}\) be a standard enumeration of the 1-place partial recursive functions \(\varphi :\;\subseteq \mathbb {N}\rightarrow \mathbb {N}\).
Mad, Homeless, and Unwanted: A History Of The Care Of The Chronic Mentally Ill in America

The history of the care and treatment of the mentally ill in America for nearly four centuries offers a sobering example of a cyclical pattern that alternated between enthusiastic optimism and fatalistic pessimism. In the nineteenth century an affinity for institutional solutions led to the creation of the mental hospital, an institution designed to promote recovery and to enable the individual to return to the community. No institution ever lives up to the claims of its promoters, and the mental hospital was no exception. Plagued by a variety of problems, its reputation and image were slowly tarnished. When it became clear that hospitals were caring for large numbers of chronic patients, the stage was set for an attack on its legitimacy after World War II. Its detractors insisted that a community-based policy could succeed where an institutional policy had failed, and that it was possible to identify mental illnesses in the early stages, at which time treatment would prevent the advent of chronicity. Between the 1940s and 1960s, there was a sustained attack on institutional care that finally succeeded when Congress enacted and the president signed a piece of legislation that shifted the locus of care and treatment back to the community. The community mental health policy proved no less problematic than its institutional predecessor. Indeed, the emergence of a new group of young chronic mentally ill persons in the 1970s and 1980s created entirely new problems, for the individuals who constituted this group proved difficult to treat and to care for under any circumstances. Each of these stages was marked by unrealistic expectations and rhetorical claims that had little basis in fact. In their quest to build public support and legitimate their cherished policy, psychiatric activists invariably insisted that they possessed the means to prevent and to cure severe mental disorders. When such expectations proved unrealistic, they placed the blame either upon callous governments, an uninformed public, or an obsolete system that failed to incorporate the findings of medical science. If American society is to deal effectively, compassionately, and humanely with the seriously mentally ill, several elements must be taken into account. First, the seriously mentally ill include individuals with quite different disorders, prognoses, and needs. Secondly, outcomes vary considerably over time. Some schizophrenics, for example, have reasonably good outcomes; others lapse into chronicity and become progressively more disabled. Finally, serious mental disorders are often exacerbated by poverty, racism, and substance abuse. Although psychiatric therapies can alleviate symptoms and permit individuals to live in the community, there is no "magic bullet" that will cure all cases of serious mental illnesses in the same way that antibiotic drugs are effective against acute infectious diseases.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)