cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Signal-to-Noise Ratios for Structural and Functional Tests in Glaucoma.

Purpose Standard automated perimetry (SAP) demonstrates high variability. Structural tests such as optical coherence tomography (OCT) may be more repeatable. However, comparisons of their ability to detect glaucomatous change are challenging due to different units and dynamic ranges. This study demonstrates a signal-to-noise analysis to perform comparisons within a common framework.
ANTIFERROMAGNETIC HEDGEHOGS WITH SUPERCONDUCTING CORES

Excitations of the antiferromagnetic state that resemble antiferromagnetic hedgehogs at large distances but are predominantly superconducting inside a core region are discussed within the context of Zhang{close_quote}s SO(5)-symmetry-based approach to the physics of high-temperature superconducting materials. Nonsingular, in contrast with their hedgehog cousins in pure antiferromagnetism, these texture excitations are what hedgehogs become when the antiferromagnetic order parameter is permitted to {open_quotes}escape{close_quotes} into superconducting directions. The structure of such excitations is determined in a simple setting, and a number of their experimental implications are examined. {copyright} {ital 1998} {ital The American Physical Society}
WE-C-332-07: Comparison of Image Segmentation Methods On Classification Performance of FFDM CAD

Purpose: To investigate the effect of lesion segmentation on classification performance of FFDM CAD.Method and Materials: Breast lesion segmentation is an essential step in the overall image analysis for computer‐aided diagnosis. Two automatic lesion segmentation methods were investigated using a database of 146 malignant and 136 benign FFDM cases. A region growing method utilizes the size and shape of the evolving lesion contour to determine the lesion margin. A dual‐stage segmentation method employs an initial radial gradient index (RGI) based segmentation and an active contour model. Then 15 lesion features were automatically extracted to quantify the characteristics of margin, spiculation, contrast, shape and texture. An effective subset of features were automatically selected by a stepwise method and merged with a BANN to yield a discriminant score, which estimates the probability of malignancy (PM) for a given lesion. The performance of individual features and the selected feature subset was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, with the area under the ROC curve as a figure of merit. Results: In leave‐one‐out evaluation by lesion, the effective feature subset by the dual‐stage segmentation, including two spiculation features and one gradient texture, yielded an AUC of 0.78, while the effective feature subset from the region growing segmentation, including three spiculation features, one margin sharpness and one average gray level of lesion, yielded an AUC of 0.72. The difference is statistically significant (p = 0.04). Conclusion: Our result shows that the dual‐stage segmentation method has a better classification performance than the region growing method. Conflict of Interest: Some authors receive royalties, research funds or are stockholders in R2 Technologies, Inc, a Hologic company.
Serum amyloid A induces G-CSF expression and neutrophilia via Toll-like receptor 2

The acute-phase protein serum amyloid A (SAA) is commonly considered a marker for inflammatory diseases; however, its precise role in inflammation and infection, which often result in neutrophilia, remains ambiguous. In this study, we demonstrate that SAA is a potent endogenous stimulator of granulocyte colony-stimulated factor (G-CSF), a principal cytokine-regulating granulocytosis. This effect of SAA is dependent on Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2). Our data demonstrate that, in mouse macrophages, both G-CSF mRNA and protein were significantly increased after SAA stimulation. The induction of G-CSF was blocked by an anti-TLR2 antibody and markedly decreased in the TLR2-deficient macrophages. SAA stimulation results in the activation of nuclear factor–κB and binding activity to the CK-1 element of the G-CSF promoter region. In vitro reconstitution experiments also support that TLR2 mediates SAA-induced G-CSF expression. In addition, SAA-induced secretion of G-CSF was sensitive to heat and proteinase K treatment, yet insensitive to polymyxin B treatment, indicating that the induction is a direct effect of SAA. Finally, our in vivo studies confirmed that SAA treatment results in a significant increase in plasma G-CSF and neutrophilia, whereas these responses are ablated in G-CSF– or TLR2-deficient mice.
Cyclic Stretch Induces Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase and Soluble Guanylate Cyclase in Pulmonary Artery Smooth Muscle Cells

In the pulmonary vasculature, mechanical forces such as cyclic stretch induce changes in vascular signaling, tone and remodeling. Nitric oxide is a potent regulator of soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC), which drives cGMP production, causing vasorelaxation. Pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) express inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and while iNOS expression increases during late gestation, little is known about how cyclic stretch impacts this pathway. In this study, PASMC were subjected to cyclic stretch of 20% amplitude and frequency of 1 Hz for 24 h and compared to control cells maintained under static conditions. Cyclic stretch significantly increased cytosolic oxidative stress as compared to static cells (62.9 ± 5.9% vs. 33.3 ± 5.7% maximal oxidation), as measured by the intracellular redox sensor roGFP. Cyclic stretch also increased sGCβ protein expression (2.5 ± 0.9-fold), sGC activity (1.5 ± 0.2-fold) and cGMP levels (1.8 ± 0.2-fold), as well as iNOS mRNA and protein expression (3.0 ± 0.9 and 2.6 ± 0.7-fold, respectively) relative to control cells. An antioxidant, recombinant human superoxide dismutase (rhSOD), significantly decreased stretch-induced cytosolic oxidative stress, but did not block stretch-induced sGC activity. Inhibition of iNOS with 1400 W or an iNOS-specific siRNA inhibited stretch-induced sGC activity by 30% and 68% respectively vs. static controls. In conclusion, cyclic stretch increases sGC expression and activity in an iNOS-dependent manner in PASMC from fetal lambs. The mechanism that produces iNOS and sGC upregulation is not yet known, but we speculate these effects represent an early compensatory mechanism to counteract the effects of stretch-induced oxidative stress. A better understanding of the interplay between these two distinct pathways could provide key insights into future avenues to treat infants with pulmonary hypertension.
Lower bounds on test resources for scheduled data flow graphs

Lower bound estimations of resources at various stages of high-level synthesis are essential to guide synthesis algorithms towards optimal solutions. In this paper we present lower bounds on the number of test resources (i.e. test pattern generators, signature analyzers and CBILBO registers) required to test a synthesized data path using built-in self-test (BIST). The estimations are performed on scheduled data flow graphs and provide a practical way of selecting or modifying module assignments and schedules such that the resulting synthesized data path requires a small number of test resources to test itself.
Oncogenic ras Provokes Premature Cell Senescence Associated with Accumulation of p53 and p16INK4a

Oncogenic ras can transform most immortal rodent cells to a tumorigenic state. However, transformation of primary cells by ras requires either a cooperating oncogene or the inactivation of tumor suppressors such as p53 or p16. Here we show that expression of oncogenic ras in primary human or rodent cells results in a permanent G1 arrest. The arrest induced by ras is accompanied by accumulation of p53 and p16, and is phenotypically indistinguishable from cellular senescence. Inactivation of either p53 or p16 prevents ras-induced arrest in rodent cells, and E1A achieves a similar effect in human cells. These observations suggest that the onset of cellular senescence does not simply reflect the accumulation of cell divisions, but can be prematurely activated in response to an oncogenic stimulus. Negation of ras-induced senescence may be relevant during multistep tumorigenesis.
The release of lead from the reduction of lead oxide (PbO2) by natural organic matter.

PbO2 has been identified as an important scale in some distribution systems that historically use lead service lines and free chlorine for maintaining a disinfectant residual. The stability of this highly insoluble scale with respect to its reductive dissolution may play an important role in lead release into drinking water. In this study, we investigated the release of lead from a commercially available PbO2 in the presence of natural organic matter (NOM) using a hydrophobic acid extracted from the Iowa River. Experiments were conducted using synthetic solutions with different NOM concentrations, solution pH, and NOM samples with different levels of prechlorination. It was found that release of lead from PbO2 occurred both in solutions with and without NOM, and the extent of lead release increased with increasing NOM concentration and decreasing pH value. Furthermore, the released lead was Pb(II) and not particulate PbO2 conclusively showing that reductive dissolution occurred. Prechlorination of NOM red...
Biogeochemistry of Estuaries

Whether you are interested in material flux from the continents to the oceans or whether the oysters set down in front of you at a water-front restaurant may have come from polluted waters, we know estuaries are important places. However, anyone attempting to summarize and synthesize the long and rich literature of estuarine research is presented with a daunting task. This is because beyond the concept of an estuary being the transition zone where “fresh water meets seawater,” the exact definition of an estuary is not uniformly agreed upon by scientists in this field. Also, estuaries—regardless of how they are defined—tend to be highly heterogeneous, in both space and time.
A methodology for low power scheduling with resources operating at multiple voltages

This work addresses the problem of low power design in high-level synthesis in the scenario of the resources operating at multiple voltages. The problem of resource-and-latency constrained scheduling is tackled and a novel methodology for scheduling as well as design space exploration is proposed. The proposed methodology achieves maximal power reduction of functional units by identifying the maximal parallelism of power hungry operators in resource-constrained/time-constrained designs. A novel scheme is devised for recognizing the "zones" of parallel operators that result in maximal power savings when rescheduled to lower voltages. The proposed methodology is developed in the framework of a modified stochastic evolution mechanism in order to tame the computational complexity. The proposed scheduling technique is extremely fast and it runs in O(n2), where n is the number of the nodes in the data flow graph of the design. This is the fastest reported time of scheduling algorithms for resource-and-latency constrained scheduling with resources operating at multiple voltages. The algorithm produces results within accuracy of 3-5% of the integer-linear-programming based (i.e., exponential-time-complexity) method. The details and the analysis of the results on the standard high-level synthesis benchmarks are provided. Further, analysis of schedules is given for considering generation of control signals for switching the resources. This is the first work to consider such analysis besides proposing an efficient algorithm.
Encystment and excystment of the paramphistomid trematode Zygocotyle lunata

This study reports further observations on encystment and excystment of the paramphistomid trematode Zygocotyle lunata. Of numerous substrates tested in the laboratory for cercarial encystment, i.e. plastic and glass dishes, Styrofoam™, aluminium foil, snail shells, and cheesecloth, all but cheesecloth allowed for 100% encystment within 4 h of cercarial release at 28°C. Numerous physical and chemical factors were tested to kill cysts, and their capacity to do so was determined by the subsequent inability of cysts to excyst within a chemical excystment medium. Vinegar, Italian salad dressing, soy sauce and 10% solutions of sucrose, acetic acid and sodium chloride were the most detrimental. Freezing, boiling and storage of cysts for more than 2 years also killed them. Several marinades such as lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and various concentrations of potassium permanganate, did not kill the majority of cysts tested. Since Z. lunata is a potential foodborne trematode for humans and animals, it is important to determine suitable ways to control or kill these cysts.
Optimal Low-Power Piezoelectric Actuator Control With Charge Recovery for a Microrobotic Leg

This paper describes an efficient control strategy for a piezoelectric microactuator using charge recovery. For piezoelectric actuators, as well as other actuators that behave primarily as capacitive loads, energy consumption can be reduced by minimizing the number of times an actuator is charged and by recovering stored energy when it is turned off. An integer programming-based algorithm is used to drive microrobotic legs powered by piezoelectric actuators to a specified angle in a specified time using minimum energy. Partial charge recovery is incorporated; this allows the use of a more flexible controller than a pure on-off controller, with two or more intermediate voltage levels between the minimum and maximum voltages available to improve positioning accuracy. Simulated and experimental tests show that a prototype piezoelectric robotic leg joint achieved controlled movements with one third of the energy consumed by a pure on-off controller.
C2 Domain Membrane Penetration by Group IVA Cytosolic Phospholipase A2 Induces Membrane Curvature Changes

Group IVA cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2α) is an 85 kDa enzyme that regulates the release of arachidonic acid (AA) from the sn-2 position of membrane phospholipids. It is well established that cPLA2α binds zwitterionic lipids such as phosphatidylcholine in a Ca2+-dependent manner through its N-terminal C2 domain, which regulates its translocation to cellular membranes. In addition to its role in AA synthesis, it has been shown that cPLA2α promotes tubulation and vesiculation of the Golgi and regulates trafficking of endosomes. Additionally, the isolated C2 domain of cPLA2α is able to reconstitute Fc receptor-mediated phagocytosis, suggesting that C2 domain membrane binding is sufficient for phagosome formation. These reported activities of cPLA2α and its C2 domain require changes in membrane structure, but the ability of the C2 domain to promote changes in membrane shape has not been reported. Here we demonstrate that the C2 domain of cPLA2α is able to induce membrane curvature changes to lipid vesicles, giant unilamellar vesicles, and membrane sheets. Biophysical assays combined with mutagenesis of C2 domain residues involved in membrane penetration demonstrate that membrane insertion by the C2 domain is required for membrane deformation, suggesting that C2 domain-induced membrane structural changes may be an important step in signaling pathways mediated by cPLA2α.
In-Situ Study of Radiation Damage in V2os Induced by Low Energy Electrons

Radiation damage in V2Os induced by electrons in the energy range 0-3 keV has been studied by high resolution electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. Different phase transformations were observed when V205 was irradiated by electrons of different energies. The damage kinetics and the role of electron radiation enhanced diffusion were investigated. It was found that nucleation and growth of lower oxides was driven by electron radiation enhanced diffusion.
A re-examination of variation associated with environmentally stressed organisms

Variation is an essential feature of biological systems. Populations adapt to dynamic environments, in part, because of this variation. In this review, we re-examine phenotypic variation, especially in organisms living in polluted environments. A recent goal of ecotoxicology is to understand the sublethal effects of exposure to pollutants, e.g. responses to endocrine-disrupting contaminants. While variation is an inherent quality of organisms, variance is a statistical measure of the variation of a trait. Increased variance has been associated with organisms living at the perimeter of a population's range, introduced into novel environments, or exposed to pollution. Some researchers have proposed increased phenotypic variance in exposed populations as an evolutionary mechanism, and others have suggested its use as a biomarker. While we agree that variance often increases in the exposed population, we also recognize that the opposite phenomenon occurs. That is, variance can decrease from exposure to pollution. Altered variance in the exposed population-leading to heteroscedasticity-could result in erroneous conclusions (Type II errors). We suggest that exposure to endocrine-disrupting contaminants could influence the health of populations in ways that are not always represented by measures of central tendency, and that variance and distribution should also be examined in environmentally stressed wildlife.
Introducción a “Matrimonio y Estructura de Élite en la Florencia Renacentista, 1282-1500”

El siguiente texto, salido de una ponencia de conferencia y escrito en 1994 es el primer borrador de un articulo publicado en 2010 en Renaissance Quarterly y llamado “Open Elite? Social Mobility, Marriage, and Family in Florence, 1282-1494.” Esta introduccion debate las justificaciones metodologicas para publicar un primer borrador, escrito seis anos antes del articulo final, mas sofisticado. Al descubrir algunos de los pasos del proceso de investigacion permite examinar la relacion entre los dos estilos de “interpretacion” en la historia y el “test de hipotesis” en ciencias sociales.
Long-Term Effects of Parenting-Focused Preventive Interventions to Promote Resilience of Children and Adolescents

In this article, we address three questions concerning the long-term effects of parenting-focused preventive interventions: 1) Do prevention programs promote effective parenting in families facing normative stressors as well as those facing frequent adversity? 2) Do parenting programs prevent children's long-term problems? 3) Do changes in parenting mediate long-term effects of programs? We address these questions by summarizing evidence from 22 programs with randomized trials and followups of three years or longer. We describe in more detail two interventions for divorced and bereaved families, suggesting that they prevent a range of problems and promote a range of developmental competencies over a prolonged period. Program effects to strengthen parenting mediated many of these long-term outcomes.
Sexual Health Knowledge in a Sample of Perinatally HIV-infected and Perinatally-exposed Uninfected Youth

This study describes sexual health knowledge in perinatally HIV-infected (PHIV+) and perinatally-exposed uninfected (PHIV-) ethnic-minority youth, ages 9-16 years, residing in NYC (n=316). Data on youth sexual health knowledge (e.g., pregnancy, STDs, birth control) and caregiver-adolescent communication about sexual health were examined. Participants in both groups answered only 35% of the sexual health knowledge questions correctly (mean=6.6/19). Higher scores were found among youth who reported more communication about sex with caregivers (vs. those who did not report talking about sex with caregivers; 8.54 vs. 5.84, p<.001) and among PHIV+ youth who were aware of their status (vs. PHIV+ youth who were not; 7.27 vs. 4.70, p<.001). Age was positively correlated with sexual health knowledge (beta=.489, p<.001). Both PHIV+ and PHIV- youth had poor sexual health knowledge, suggesting a need for sexual health education for both groups. Data suggest that interventions focused on caregiver-child risk communication may be important for prevention.
GraphScope: parameter-free mining of large time-evolving graphs

How can we find communities in dynamic networks of socialinteractions, such as who calls whom, who emails whom, or who sells to whom? How can we spot discontinuity time-points in such streams of graphs, in an on-line, any-time fashion? We propose GraphScope, that addresses both problems, using information theoretic principles. Contrary to the majority of earlier methods, it needs no user-defined parameters. Moreover, it is designed to operate on large graphs, in a streaming fashion. We demonstrate the efficiency and effectiveness of our GraphScope on real datasets from several diverse domains. In all cases it produces meaningful time-evolving patterns that agree with human intuition.
The Political and Legal Philosophy of James Wilson 1742-1798

Mark David Hall fills a void in the literature by providing a comprehensive analysis of Wilson's political and legal philosophy. By placing him in the context of the history of ideas, and by showing how his political theory influenced his concrete contributions to the creation of the American republic, Hall reveals Wilson's views of morality, epistemology, and human nature. These views made him the founding period's most important advocate of a strong and democratic national government that also protects the rights of the individual. The Political and Legal Philosophy of James Wilson, 1742-1798 is a significant examination of the intellectual and political legacy of one of America's leading founders. The book will be of great interest to political scientists, historians, and students of the law.
Mathematical limits of parallel computation for embedded systems

Embedded systems are designed to perform a specific set of tasks, and are frequently found in mobile, power-constrained environments. There is growing interest in the use of parallel computation as a means to increase performance while reducing power consumption. In this paper, we highlight fundamental limits to what can and cannot be improved by parallel resources. Many of these limitations are easily overlooked, resulting in the design of systems that, rather than improving over prior work, are in fact orders of magnitude worse.
Fracture of the radial head with ulnar collateral ligament rupture.

Comminuted radial head fractures may be associated with ligament injuries about the elbow. 2'8 The anterior band of the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) has been shown to be the primary restraint to valgus instability, but the radial-capitellar articulation provides an important secondary restraint. 8'14n5 Without ligamentous injury, radial head excision for type III radial head fractures usually produces acceptable results. 1'2'12 However, in the presence of UCL rupture, radial head excision produces gross instability. ~sn4 Prosthetic silicone radial head replacement may stabilize the elbow and protect the UCL repair, but no clinical studies have been conducted to provide convincing evidence. We report a case treated in this fashion with 24 months follow-up.
Elevated Levels of Dietary Ascorbic Acid Increase Immune Responses in Channel Catfish

Channel catfish fingerlings were fed purified diets containing 0 to 3000 mg/kg of ascorbic acid until external signs of scurvy were seen in the fish fed the ascorbic acid-deficient diet. At this time, resistance to bacterial infection, antibody production, complement activity and phagocytic activity were assessed for fish from the various dietary treatments. Mortality rates of fish experimentally infected with Edwardsiella ictaluri, the bacterium causing enteric septicemia in channel catfish, decreased with increases in dietary ascorbic acid doses, ranging from 100% for fish fed the ascorbic acid-deficient diet to 15% for fish fed 300 mg ascorbic acid per kilo gram diet and 0 for fish fed 3000 mg ascorbic acid per kilogram diet. Antibody response to E. ictaluri antigen, hemolysis of sensitized sheep erythrocytes by comple ment activity and phagocytic engulfment of E. ictaluri by peripheral phagocytes were each impaired in fish fed the diet without supplemental ascorbic acid; intracellular bactericidal activity of the phagocytes was not affected by ascorbic acid deficiency. There were no differences in antibody production, complement activity, or phago cytic activities among fish fed diets containing 30-300 mg ascorbic acid/kg of diet. However, the dose level of 3000 mg ascorbic acid/kg significantly enhanced antibody production and complement activity. J. Nutr. 115: 123-131, 1985.
An Interactive Statistical Image Segmentation and Visualization System

Supervised learning can be used to segment /identify regions of interest in images making use of color and morphological information. A novel object identification algorithm was developed in Java to locate immune and cancer cells in images of immunohistochemically-stained lymph node tissue from the recent Kohrt study[1] and also shows promise in other domains. Our method leans heavily on the use of color and the relative homogeneity of object appearance. As is often the case in segmentation, an algorithm specifically tailored to the application works better than using broader methods that work passably well on any problem. Our main innovation is interactive feature extraction from color images. We also enable the user to improve the classification with an interactive visualization system. This is then coupled with the statistical learning algorithms and intensive interaction with the user over many classification-correction iterations, resulting in a highly accurate and user-friendly solution. The system ultimately provides the locations of every cell in the entire tissue. This data can be analyzed using standard statistical methods such as spatial analyses or robust clustering. This data is invaluable in the study of multidimensional relationships between cell populations and tumor structure.
Genetics of anxiety disorders: the complex road from DSM to DNA.

Anxiety disorders are among the most common psychiatric disorders, affecting one in four individuals over a lifetime. Although our understanding of the etiology of these disorders is incomplete, familial and genetic factors are established risk factors. However, identifying the specific casual genes has been difficult. Within the past several years, advances in molecular and statistical genetic methods have made the genetic dissection of complex disorders a feasible project. Here we provide an overview of these developments, with a focus on their implications for genetic studies of anxiety disorders. Although the genetic and phenotypic complexity of the anxiety disorders present formidable challenges, advances in neuroimaging and experimental animal models of anxiety and fear offer important opportunities for discovery. Real progress in identifying the genetic basis of anxiety disorders will require integrative approaches that make use of these biologic tools as well as larger-scale genomic studies. If successful, such efforts may yield novel and more effective approaches for the prevention and treatment of these common and costly disorders. Depression and Anxiety, 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
A Linear Time Euclidean Spanner on Imprecise Points

Ans-spanner on a setS ofn points in R d is a graph onS where for every two points p;q2 S, there exists a path between them in G whose length is less than or equal to sj pqj wherejpqj is the Euclidean distance between p and q. In this paper, we consider the construction of a Euclidean spanner for imprecise points where we take advantage of prior, inexact knowledge of our input. In particular, in the rst phase, we preprocess n ddimensional balls with radius r that are approximations of the input points with the guarantee that each input point lies within its respective ball. In the second phase, the specic points are revealed and we quickly compute a spanner using data from the preprocessing phase. We can compute (or update) the (1 + ")-spanner in time O(n(r + 1 ) d log(r + 1 )) after O(n(r + 1 ) d log ) preprocessing time where is the ratio between the furthest and the closest pair of points. Our algorithm does not have any restrictions on the distribution of the points. It is the rst such algorithm with linear (update) running time.
Population diversity in Pacific herring of the Puget Sound, USA

Demographic, functional, or habitat diversity can confer stability on populations via portfolio effects (PEs) that integrate across multiple ecological responses and buffer against environmental impacts. The prevalence of these PEs in aquatic organisms is as yet unknown, and can be difficult to quantify; however, understanding mechanisms that stabilize populations in the face of environmental change is a key concern in ecology. Here, we examine PEs in Pacific herring (Clupea pallasii) in Puget Sound (USA) using a 40-year time series of biomass data for 19 distinct spawning population units collected using two survey types. Multivariate auto-regressive state-space models show independent dynamics among spawning subpopulations, suggesting that variation in herring production is partially driven by local effects at spawning grounds or during the earliest life history stages. This independence at the subpopulation level confers a stabilizing effect on the overall Puget Sound spawning stock, with herring being as much as three times more stable in the face of environmental perturbation than a single population unit of the same size. Herring populations within Puget Sound are highly asynchronous but share a common negative growth rate and may be influenced by the Pacific Decadal Oscillation. The biocomplexity in the herring stock shown here demonstrates that preserving spatial and demographic diversity can increase the stability of this herring population and its availability as a resource for consumers.
Heavy Mineral Distribution on the Continental Shelf off ACCRA, Ghana, West Africa

Publisher Summary This chapter gives a condensed account of results obtained by a quantitative study of the heavy minerals in samples from the recent sediment cover of the continental shelf off Accra, Ghana, on the northern side of the Gulf of Guinea. A quantitative study of the heavy minerals in sea-bottom samples taken along a line across the continental shelf off Accra shows that their distribution on the inner shelf is governed by their specific gravities, the heavier minerals decreasing in quantity more rapidly outwards than the lighter ones, whereas their abundance on the outer shelf is closely related to those of the underlying (Pleistocene?) rock, which has been amply reworked. The non-opaque heavies derived from the coast appear to indicate transportation in a west to southwest direction, opposite to the flow of the Guinea current, which predominately occurs on the surface of the sea.
The Ghost of Moynihan: The Role of Racial Attitudes and Traditional Family Values in Attitudes Toward Childcare

It is widely known amongst scholars of public opinion that race-targeted policies prompt opposition from individuals that carry negative racial attitudes. However, much less is known regarding the role of race and policies that are not race-targeted. This paper argues that a non-race-targeted issue can trigger racial attitudes if that policy issue can be connected to some sort of racial myth. Using GSS data from the year 2012, this paper finds that negative racial attitudes are significantly correlated with opposition toward childcare. This paper argues that the relationship between racial attitudes and attitudes toward childcare is a function of the myth, tracing back to the Moynihan Report, that the black family is dysfunctional.
Microglia digest Staphylococcus aureus into low molecular weight biologically active compounds

Excess sleep and fever are central nervous system (CNS) facets of the acute phase response; these responses are induced by microbial products, such as muramyl peptides, via their ability to enhance cytokine production. Although peripheral macrophages are known to digest bacteria, thereby releasing muramyl peptides that, in turn, stimulate cytokine production, it was unknown whether CNS phagocytes such as microglia also had this capacity. Primary cultures of microglia were allowed to phagocytize and digest Staphylococcus aureus radiolabeled with a cell wall-specific marker. Radiolabeled low molecular weight substances released into the culture medium were partially purified and tested for the ability to induce excess sleep, fever, and cytokine production. These substances increased non-rapid eye movement sleep, electroencephalographic slow-wave activity, and brain temperature after intracerebroventricular injection into rabbits. They also induced interleukin-1, tumor necrosis factor, and the interleukin-1 receptor antagonist production in human monocytes. Results suggest that microglia perform fundamental macrophage functions and further implicate microglia as resident immunocompetent cells.
The Center Still Holds: The Potential for Liberal Internationalism Survives

Recent research including a prominent article in this journal has argued that America’s longstanding foreign policy orientation of liberal internationalism has been in serious decline because of rising domestic partisan divisions. We question the theoretical logic and empirical evidence driving this argument. We reanalyze extant evidence on congressional roll call voting and public opinion surveys, which is often used to support the claim that liberal internationalism has declined. We also analyze new evidence about partisan divisions in Congress using policy gridlock and co-sponsorship data from other studies of American politics. We do not observe the decline in bipartisanship in foreign policy that conventional wisdom suggests. We also find no evidence of a Vietnam War or a post Cold War effect on domestic partisan divisions on foreign policy. Unlike much of the recent literature, we argue that growing domestic political divisions over foreign policy have not made liberal internationalism impossible. It persists as a possible grand strategy for the US in part because of globalization pressures.
Proton pump inhibitors and chronic kidney disease: is it time to sound the alarm?

Proton pump inhibitors are widely used worldwide for the management of gastroesophageal reflux, but have been associated with the development of interstitial nephritis and acute kidney injury. A large observational study using data from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities cohort and the Geisinger Health System demonstrates an association between the use of proton pump inhibitors and chronic kidney disease. Although the study does not prove causality, the robustness of the findings in two cohorts suggests a need for further study and reevaluation of the safety of these agents for widespread, non-prescription use.
Incorporation of labeled glycine into erythrocyte glutathione of rabbits; effect of nutritional muscular dystrophy.

Summary1. Compared with Vit. E-supplemented rabbits, average red blood cell GSH levels of dystrophic rabbits not receiving Vit. E supplements were found to be 50% higher. 2. In spite of this higher concentration of GSH in the dystrophic group the s.a. of GSH after injection of glycine-1-C14 was not significantly different in the two groups, indicating a higher rate of glycine incorporation in the dystrophic group. 3. Specific activity of unbound glycine in plasma and whole blood was approximately the same in the two groups. This indicates that the higher incorporation of glycine-1-C14 into erythrocyte GSH of dystrophic animals was not caused by a higher s.a. of the glycine precursor pool.
Alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency; a hereditary enigma.

Alpha- 1-antitrypsin (A-l-AT) is a glycoprotein enzyme inhibitor found in the serum alpha-1-globulins. Production of this compound by the liver is governed by a pair of completely penetrant codominant autosomal alleles. Nine of these variant alleles have been identified and 17 phenotypes, to date, have been discovered. The deficiency state of A-l-AT is not always associated with a disease. In fact, where such data are available, only the Piz allele has been definitely incriminated as being of etiologic significance in the conditions cited below. From surveys of hospital populations in the United States and general populations in Norway it is estimated that the proportions of individuals with the PiZZ genotype (homozygously deficient) range from 0.07 to 0.2%. The two major diseases that have been associated with A-l-AT deficiency are pulmonary emphysema of early onset and juvenile hepatic cirrhosis. In either of these conditions the hepatic cells may contain characteristic deposits of A-l-AT in the form of PAS-positive intracytoplasmic globules: perhaps due to a defect in the carbohydrate moiety, the molecule of A-l-AT does not cross the cell membrane and accumulates in the site of origin. Very recently, A-l-AT has been demonstrated in the alveolar hyaline membranes of neonates who had respiratory distress syndrome. It seems likely that in the future other clinical conditions may be found to be caused by, or associated with, deficiency of this enzyme inhibitor.
Interferometric mapping of charge carrier modulation in CMOS ICs

We demonstrate spatial mapping of time-dependent electrical activity of ICs through dual-phase interferometric back-side imaging with a silicon aplanatic solid immersion lens. Inverter chains in a 180nm technology node test chip are investigated at the clock frequency of the circuit.
Effects of zolpidem alone and in combination with nabilone on cannabis withdrawal and a laboratory model of relapse in cannabis users

Each year, over 300,000 individuals in the USA enter treatment for cannabis use disorder (CUD). The development of effective pharmacotherapy for CUD is a priority. This placebo-controlled study examined the effects of zolpidem alone and in combination with nabilone on cannabis withdrawal and a laboratory measure of relapse. Eleven daily, non-treatment-seeking cannabis users completed three, 8-day inpatient phases; each phase tested a different medication condition in counter-balanced order. On the first day of each phase, participants were administered placebo capsules t.i.d. and smoked experimenter-administered active cannabis (5.6 % Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)). On days 2–8, the participants were administered capsules containing either placebo (0 mg at 0900, 1800, and 2300 hours), zolpidem (0 mg at 0900 and 1800, and 12.5 mg at 2300), or zolpidem (12.5 mg at 2300) and nabilone (3 mg at 0900 and 1800). Cannabis withdrawal, subjective capsule effects, and cognitive performance were examined on days 3–4, when only inactive cannabis (0.0 % THC) was available for self-administration. “Relapse” was measured on days 5–8, when participants could self-administer active cannabis. Both medication conditions decreased withdrawal-related disruptions in sleep, but only zolpidem in combination with nabilone decreased withdrawal-related disruptions in mood and food intake relative to placebo. Zolpidem in combination with nabilone, but not zolpidem alone, decreased self-administration of active cannabis. Zolpidem in combination with nabilone also produced small increases in certain abuse-related subjective capsule ratings, while zolpidem alone did not. Neither medication condition altered cognitive performance. Clinical testing of nabilone, either alone, or in combination with zolpidem is warranted.
More Is More: Disentangling the Importance of Ejaculation Frequency

Increased sexual activity is a recognized marker for overall good health and has been linked to disease prevention across a broad range of morbidities in the aging population [1]. However, causality and directionality are not always clear. Rider et al [2] address this issue through their prospective study design, with careful consideration of reverse causation, and modeling that is inclusive of both effect modification and multivariate adjustment for health markers. Despite rigorous methods, frequency of ejaculation per month (EPM) may be a marker for some unmeasurable vitality factor that is correlated with lower risk of prostate cancer (PCa). Although the authors acknowledge this, their study nonetheless provides evidence that more frequent ejaculation may prevent low-risk PCa. Supporting the validity of the authors’ conclusions was a clear dose-response effect in which increasing EPM was associatedwith decreasing PCa risk estimates. The strongest effect was observed among men aged 40-49 yr, arguing for immediate causation. Rigorous examination of phenotypes of PCa addressed the heterogeneous nature of the disease for more direct correlation to potential etiologic mechanisms. The lack of evidence for a link between more frequent EPM and aggressive PCa may mean only that the effect size is washed out by stronger etiologic mechanisms within this phenotype. Biological plausibility is critical to understanding the validity of the association that Rider et al [2] and others have demonstrated. As noted by the authors, citrate metabolism may be central to this mechanism. Citrate is excreted at high levels in the seminal fluid, and the prostate is responsible for citrate production in the semen [3]. Consequently, the prostate has extremely high levels of citrate
Case 7-1984

Presentation of Case A 34-year-old man was admitted to the hospital because of a progressive Central-nervous-system disorder. The patient was born of an uneventful pregnancy and delivery and developed normally in his early years. At the age of 14 years he was a "B" student and participated actively in sports. At about this time his parents began to notice that he walked with a shuffling gait, with his head held erect and tilted backward. If seated on a bench without back support he slowly leaned backward until he fell. He gave up playing the trumpet because of inability to manipulate . . .
Mediators of contraction-evoked skeletal muscle depressor response in anesthetized rats.

In the present study, mediators of muscle contraction-evoked cardiovascular responses were examined in anesthetized rats. Rhythmic contractions of the hindlimb triceps surae muscle were produced by stimulating the tibial nerve (motor threshold 22.7 +/- 2.3 microA; n = 10) by using a 1 s on-1 s off pattern. Mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR) responses were recorded before and after 1) muscarinic receptor blockade (atropine sulfate; 2.0 mg/kg i.v., n = 5); 2) nitric oxide synthase inhibition with N omega-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME; 300 microM/kg i.v., n = 7); 3) beta-adrenoceptor blockade (propranolol; 2.0 mg/kg i.v., n = 10); and 4) bilateral adrenalectomy (n = 4). Rhythmic stimulation (10-s) significantly reduced MAP (P < 0.05) and elicited small decreases in HR that were abolished by neuromuscular blockade (n = 4). Atropine had no effect on MAP or HR responses to contraction. L-NAME increased baseline MAP (112.2 +/- 2.2 to 137.1 +/- 4.6 mmHg, P < 0.05) and attenuated contraction-evoked reductions of MAP (P < 0.05) without affecting HR. L-NAME-induced response deficits were mimicked in four separate rats by elevating MAP with phenylephrine (7-10 micrograms.kg-1.h-1 iv) to a level not different from that produced by L-NAME. Bilateral adrenalectomy and propranolol did not significantly affect HR responses but reduced contraction-evoked decreases in MAP from 14.3 +/- 2.9 to 7.7 +/- 2.2 mmHg and from 13.4 +/- 1.3 to 6.3 +/- 3.1 mmHg, respectively (P < 0.05). Baseline MAP was unchanged. We conclude that adrenal catecholamines, acting at beta-adrenoceptors, contribute significantly to the contraction-evoked depressor response in rats. No role for muscarinic receptors is evident in this response. Furthermore, attenuation of depressor responses to contraction after nitric oxide inhibition could result from an indirect effect of the pressor actions of L-NAME.
MAPPINGS INTO THE SPHERE

This chapter discusses the mappings from a surface into the sphere and continuous mapping f of an orientable surface S into the complex plane. The concept of winding numbers is used to derive properties of these mappings. For concreteness, the sphere has been represented as a complex plane with a point at infinity adjoined. The finite points are specified either by complex numbers z = x + iy , or by the corresponding coordinate pairs ( x, y ), where x and y are Cartesian coordinates in a Euclidean plane. In analytic geometry, a pair of parametric equations is used: x = f(t) , y = g(t) , to express the rectangular coordinates of the points of the curve as continuous functions of a parameter t which ranges over a real interval [ a , b ] on which a ≤ t ≤ b . The chapter also discusses about the Brouwer degree, Brouwer fixed-point theorem, applications of the winding number in complex analysis, fundamental theorem of algebra, Rouche's theorem, Borsuk–Ulam theorem, and Ham Sandwich theorem.
Laparoscopic Antireflux Surgery

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a common disease. Established treatment options are lifestyle modifications, medications and laparoscopic anti-reflux surgery (LARS). In this chapter we present the definition of GERD, a basic diagnostic algorithm, indication for LARS and details of the common surgical techniques in use.
Towards efficient and privacy-preserving location-based comment sharing

Location-based comment sharing is a popular social application, yet it often requires an access to privacy-sensitive user's locations, user's preferences, and user's comments. In this paper, we propose an efficient and privacy-preserving location-based comment sharing scheme which allows users to post and search comments about locations without compromising the privacy of the selected location, comments and keywords used to search. Specifically, we propose a posting protocol and a searching protocol where the server is unable to know the locations and the keywords used by the post users and search users. In addition, a user's comment is only accessible to the users who belong to the same group. We provide a privacy analysis on the privacy properties, and evaluate our scheme through a real experiment with smartphones and Amazon Cloud services. The analysis and experimental results show that our scheme well preserves the privacy and is very efficient in terms of computation and communication overhead.
Classifying Northern New England Landscapes for Improved Conservation

On the Ground Ecological land classification enables improved conservation by linking land types to vegetation, ecosystem services, disturbance regimes, and conservation practices. Defining landscape-scale ecological site groups allows for the development of generalized state-and-transition models for summarizing the major ecological dynamics and associated conservation practices within a region. We defined nine ecological site groups for northern New England (MLRA 143) by identifying the fewest number of ecological classes as possible while retaining maximum utility of state-and-transition models for each class. Ecological site groups provide scalability of ecological site information and simplify the development of ecological concepts and the application of appropriate conservation practices.
Unsolved Problems in the Locomotion of Mammalian Sperm

Infertility is a significant health problem. On the other hand, unintended pregnancies also remain a major concern for women worldwide. Improved methods could be developed for diagnosing and treating infertility, as well as for contraception, if more were known about how sperm move through the female reproductive tract. Such information would also benefit dairy production, because fertility of cattle has been declining. Four major questions remain about sperm movement: (1) How do sperm pass through the cervix? (2) How do sperm pass through the uterotubal junction? (3) How are sperm stored and released in the oviduct? (4) Are sperm guided by chemotaxis to the egg? One important aspect of these unknowns is how physical features of the female tract affect the movement of sperm. Expertise in microfluidics and the modeling of movement at low Reynolds numbers would help biologists immensely in addressing these questions.