cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dependent multivariate diffusion models and related point process models of ensemble spiking neurons

The first-passage time of a diffusion process through a constant or variable boundary has been the focus of many stochastic models of neuronal membrane potential dynamics. Diffusion processes have been used extensively to model a latent process that may only be observable through consequent renewal point process events. The mathematical relationship between inter-spike intervals and the first-passage time of simple diffusion models is well-known, however this relationship becomes increasingly more complex as the diffusion models become more physiologically realistic, and when multivariate diffusion processes are no longer considered to be independent. The probability density of a diffusing particle position at a particular point in time P(x, t) as defined by the Fokker-Planck equation can be solved, under suitable conditions, using the method of images. We show how the method of images can be extended to a multivariate probability density constructed from marginal densities modeling simple individual spiking neurons using a copula construction that factors out the correlated (dependent) noise structure. This in turn provides a straightforward method for estimating multivariate spike survival and hazard functions from simultaneously recorded single unit activity and, indirectly, the ensemble neuron diffusion noise dependence. The analytical approach is supported by simulated Wiener processes with drift and applied to simultaneous single unit recordings from Heschl's gyrus in awake human subjects. Extensions of this approach to more physiologically realistic diffusion models such as the Ornstein-Uhlenbeck and Feller processes will be discussed.
Boundary-layer separation on a sphere in a rotating flow

The velocity just outside the boundary layer and upstream of the separation ring on a sphere moving along the axis of a slightly viscous, rotating fluid is calculated through a least-squares approximation on the hypothesis of no upstream influence. A reverse flow is found in the neighbourhood of the forward stagnation point for k ≡ 2Ωa/U > k = 2·20 (Ω = angular velocity of fluid, U = translational velocity of sphere, a = radius of sphere) and is accompanied by a forwardseparation bubble, such as that observed by Maxworthy (1970) for k [gsim ] 1. Rotation also induces a downstream shift of the peak velocity; the estimated shift of the separation ring in the absence of forward separation increases with k to a maximum of 24°, in qualitative agreement with Maxworthy's observations.The least-squares formulation is compared with that given by Stewartson (1958) for unseparated flow (Stewartson did not consider separation). Both formulations require truncation of an infinite set of simultaneous equations, but Stewartson's formulation yields a non-positive-definite matrix that may exhibit spurious singularities. The least-squares formulation yields a positive-definite matrix, albeit at the expense of slower convergence for fixed k, and is especially well suited for automatic computation.An ad hoc incorporation of a cylindrical wave of strength [Uscr ], such that the maximum upstream axial velocity is [Uscr ]U, is considered in an appendix. It is found that k decreases monotonically from 2·2 to 0 as [Uscr ] increases from 0 to 1.
The Role of Adjuvant Radiation Therapy for Resected Stage III Thymoma: A Population-Based Study

Background Because of the rarity of the disease and long survival of most patients, the role of adjuvant radiation therapy in patients with surgically resected stage III thymoma is unclear, and few prospective studies are available. The objective was to evaluate the impact of postoperative radiation therapy after resection of stage III thymoma. Methods The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database was queried for all patients with stage III thymoma who underwent surgical therapy and survived more than 30 days after diagnosis. Survival was estimated with the Kaplan-Meier method. The hazard ratio for death was determined using a Cox proportional hazard model. Results There were 476 patients with stage III thymoma identified who underwent surgical therapy, did not receive preoperative radiotherapy, and had complete SEER records with regard to radiation treatment. Postoperative radiation therapy was given to 322 patients (67.6%). Patients who received postoperative radiation therapy were younger and had a higher rate of debulking surgery than patients who did not. Patients receiving postoperative radiation had a median overall survival of 127 months (95% confidence interval, 100.9 to 153.1) compared with 105 months (95% confidence interval, 76.9 to 133.1) in patients treated with surgery alone ( p = 0.038). However, in multivariate analysis, postoperative radiation was not a significant factor affecting overall survival. Disease-specific survival was significantly improved in the adjuvant radiation group, and in multivariate analysis, improved outcomes were associated with postoperative radiation ( p = 0.049). Conclusions In this large population-based study, most patients with stage III thymoma were treated with adjuvant radiation. Postoperative radiation was associated with improved disease-specific survival, but not improved overall survival.
Serpins identified as cell growth inhibitors in human plasma.

Abstract We have identified a new factor, CFX, in human serum and plasma that inhibits the growth of cultured human and mouse cell lines. CFX was determined to be a negatively charged, hydrophobic glycoprotein, with a native molecular weight of 110–120 kDa and a minimal active subunit of 55 kDa. It is precipitated by 60% ammonium sulfate and is resistant to heat treatment at 100°C for 30 min. CFX was purified from human plasma to a single band on a gel which retained the cell growth inhibitory activity. Amino acid sequence analysis of the CFX band revealed sequences from four human glycoproteins, α1-antichymotrypsin, C1-esterase inhibitor, α1-antitrypsin, and α2-antiplasmin, all members of the superfamily of serpins. Of the four, C1-esterase inhibitor was shown to be the most potent cell growth inhibitor. These results suggest that serpins may play a cell growth inhibitory role in vivo, in addition to their role as protease inhibitors.
Scattered sky observations of stratospheric OCIO at McMurdo Station, Antarctica

Ground-based measurements of scattered light were collected in the Antarctic fall, winter, and spring at McMurdo Station during the winter and spring of 1991. These measurements yielded values of the slant column amounts of the dioxides of chlorine and nitrogen found in the stratosphere. Two different viewing schemes were used to collect this data; a zenith viewing mode to collect light scattered from directly overhead, and a new off-axis viewing mode to collect light scattered along a path at 80 degree(s) zenith angle toward the sun. This new viewing geometry allowed measurements to be made much further into twilight and polar winter than was previously possible with only the zenith viewing mode. Results of this analysis showed that OClO levels were very high in late July and early August, declining through September, and dropping below detection levels in early October.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Selective repair of specific chromatin domains in UV-irradiated cells from xeroderma pigmentosum complementation group C

Abstract The limited DNA-excision repair in UV-irradiated nondividing fibroblasts from xeroderma pigmentosum complementation group C (XP-C) occurs in localized chromatin regions generating large DNA segments (at least 30–70 kb) free of pyrimidine dimers. A genomic fraction enriched for this DNA was isolated on the basis of the larger size of the repaired fragments after UV-endonuclease treatment and screened for specific genes. It contains more copies per μg DNA of two transcriptionally active genes, β-actin and dihydrofolate reductase, compared to the remaining DNA but an equal number of copies per μg DNA of an inactive locus termed 754. We confirmed that the active genes were preferentially repaired by measuring the removal of pyrimidine dimers from specific genomic restriction fragments comprising these sequences. These results mean that a unique set of relatively large chromatin domains are repaired in nondividing XP-C cells, even though most of the DNA remains unrepaired. The repaired domains may be those containing the active genes. This specific repair may account for the relatively high UV-resistance of the nondividing cells. In normal cells, a very rapid repair of a restriction fragment containing the β-actin gene and slow repair of the 754-containing fragment was detected indicating that a similar domain-oriented repair process also exists in these cells. These results are consistent with the previously discovered rapid repair of active genes compared to bulk DNA. Separate damage-recognition systems may exist in human cells for chromatin domains that contain transcribed regions and those that contain no transcribed regions. The latter system may be deficient in XP-C.
Progression of double-hit lymphoma in the midst of R-hyper CVAD.

A 50-year-old female with no medical history presented with B-symptoms for 2 weeks including generalized weakness, fevers, fatigue, and night sweats. Physical exam revealed diffuse cervical and axillary lymphadenopathy with splenomegaly. Initial laboratories showed Coombs-negative hemolytic anemia with agglutination of red blood cells and moderate thrombocytopenia. Some tear drop cells were also seen pointing toward the presence of bone marrow infiltration. Computed tomography (CT) of the body showed a mediastinal mass with widespread lymphadenopathy and splenomegaly. Image 1. Panel A: Right axillary lymph node excisional biopsy showing BCL-2 positivity. Panel B: Right axillary lymph node excisional biopsy showing CD10 positivity. Panel C: Right axillary lymph node excisional biopsy showing follicular low-grade lymphoma. Panel D: Right axillary lymph node excisional biopsy showing low MIB1. Panel E: Mediastinal mass biopsy showing DLBCL with blastoid features. Panel F: Mediastinal mass biopsy showing high MIB1. Panel G: Baseline CT showing a mediastinal mass. Panel H: The mediastinal mass rapidly responded to high dose chemotherapy achieving radiographic complete response after three cycles. Panel I: CT showing recurrence of the mediastinal mass encasing the major thoracic organs.
Attenuation of hypoxic pulmonary hypertension in rats by the HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor, simvastatin

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is characterized by excessive vasoconstriction and vascular wall thickening which is frequently progressive leading to right heart failure and death. Current therapeutic options are limited. The HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, statins, have been shown to have several beneficial effects in the systemic circulation beyond their cholesterollowering action, including improvements in endothelial cell function and inhibition of vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation. We hypothesized that these actions would attenuate hypoxic pulmonary hypertension in rats. Adult, male Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to 4 days of 10% FiO2 (H) vs normoxia (N) and treated with pre-activated simvastatin 20 mg/kg/d sq (HS, NS) vs vehicle (N 4 in each group). H had signficantly greater right ventricular/LV septum and lung to body weight ratios and decreased proportion of non-muscularinized vessels 80 microns on smooth muscle alpha-actin stained sections, compared with N (0.36 /-0.005 vs 0.24 /0.006, 7.6 /0.16 mg/gm vs 5.5 /0.12, and 30 /4%vs 62 /2%, respectively; P 0.001 for all). Treatment with simvastatin (HS) was associated with 10% (0.32 /0.003) and 14% (6.5 /0.2 mg/gm) reduction in the first 2 indices and a 20% (49 /1.7%) increase in the latter (P 0.05 for all 3) compared with H. Conclusion: This preliminary data suggests that simvastatin is capable of attenuating hypoxic pulmonary hypertension and may play a role in the treatment of PAH.
On the relative efficiency of a monotone parameter curve estimator in a functional nonlinear model

Functional regression models that relate functional covariates to a scalar response are becoming more common due to the availability of functional data and computational advances. We introduce a functional nonlinear model with a scalar response where the true parameter curve is monotone. Using the Newton-Raphson method within a backfitting procedure, we discuss a penalized least squares criterion for fitting the functional nonlinear model with the smoothing parameter selected using generalized cross validation. Connections between a nonlinear mixed effects model and our functional nonlinear model are discussed, thereby providing an additional model fitting procedure using restricted maximum likelihood for smoothing parameter selection. Simulated relative efficiency gains provided by a monotone parameter curve estimator relative to an unconstrained parameter curve estimator are presented. In addition, we provide an application of our model with data from ozonesonde measurements of stratospheric ozone in which the measurements are biased as a function of altitude.
An operator-based approach to the analysis of ruin-related quantities in jump diffusion risk models

Abstract Recent developments in ruin theory have seen the growing popularity of jump diffusion processes in modeling an insurer’s assets and liabilities. Despite the variations of technique, the analysis of ruin-related quantities mostly relies on solutions to certain differential equations. In this paper, we propose in the context of Levy-type jump diffusion risk models a solution method to a general class of ruin-related quantities. Then we present a novel operator-based approach to solving a particular type of integro-differential equations. Explicit expressions for resolvent densities for jump diffusion processes killed on exit below zero are obtained as by-products of this work.
Enumeration of Permutations by Descents, Idescents, Imajor Index, and Basic Components

Abstract Multivariable extensions of classic permutation cycle structure results are obtained by counting permutations by descents, idescents, imajor index, and basic components.
Rehearsal as a control process

A probe experiment using lists of four CVC-word pairs was carried out, manipulating the opportunity to rehearse between the end of the list and the onset of the probe. Following the test on the last list, subjects were asked to write down as many of the responses (words) from the entire experiment as they could remember. Rehearsal resulted in significantly better performance on the probe responses, but there was no difference between the rehearsal and no-rehearsal conditions on the final free recall of response items. The results support the notion that rehearsal does not automatically increase the response strength of items in the long-term store.
The effect of screw fixation on initial rigidity of tibial knee components

Initial rigid fixation is essential for bone ingrowth into a porous-coated prosthesis. In this study, the amount of micromotion between a cut tibial surface and a custom tibial base-plate mounted with various types of screw fixation was measured. Motion transducers were placed at the corners of the baseplate to detect liftoff and subsidence. Central and eccentric loads were then applied. The variables tested included screw number and position, as well as screw length and type of bone purchase. A four-screw peripheral configuration had less micromotion than a three-screw triangulated configuration, and both had less micromotion than a two-screw central condyle configuration. Long screws with cancellous purchase and screws with cortical purchase had less micromotion than short screws with cancellous purchase. These results indicate that important variables which contribute to the initial rigidity of a cementless tibial implant using screw fixation include screw number, configuration, length, and type of bone purchase.
Thrust vectoring characteristics of the F-18 high alpha research vehicle at angles of attack from 0 to 70 deg

An investigation was conducted to determine the multiaxis thrust-vectoring characteristics of the F-18 High Alpha Research Vehicle (HARV). A 0.10-scale model was modified with hardware to simulate the three-vane thrust vectoring system of the F-18/HARV. This investigation was conducted at Mach numbers ranging from 0.30 to 0.70, at angles of attack from 0 to 70 deg, and nozzle-pressure ratios from 2.0 to approximately 5.0. Results indicate that the thrust vectoring system of F-18/HARV can successfully generate multiaxis thrust vectoring. During vectoring, resultant thrust-vector angles were always less than the corresponding geometric vane deflection angle and were accompanied by large thrust losses.
Strings of opposite magnetic charges in a gauge field theory

We show that there are soliton–like solutions representing arbitrarily located M vortices and N antivortices with opposite magnetic charges in an Abelian gauge field theory. We establish an existence and uniqueness theorem and prove that the total magnetic flux is proportional to M − N but the total energy is proportional to M + N . In the presence of Einstein's gravity, we establish an existence theorem under a necessary and sufficient condition that ensures the geodesic completeness of the corresponding gravitational metric. The coexisting vortices and antivortices are now cosmic strings and antistrings and the total magnetic flux and matter–gauge energy are given by similar expressions as those for vortices. Besides the energy, the total curvature also provides an exact, quantized, measurement of the number of the strings of the two types.
Blowout fracture of the orbital floor with entrapment caused by isolated trauma to the orbital rim.

There are two main theories on the cause of blowout fractures of the orbit: the “hydraulic” theory and the “buckling force” theory. Although both mechanisms have been shown responsible for experimental blowout fractures, the role of isolated rim trauma in producing clinical blowout fractures with entrapment of orbital soft tissues continues to be questioned. I examined a 69-year-old patient who developed a blowout fracture with clinical evidence of entrapment after isolated trauma to the orbital rim. Five days previously the patient had had a cataract extraction and implantation of an intraocular lens in the ipsilateral eye, which remained undisturbed by the trauma. This case supports the role of a buckling force to the rim in producing orbital blowout fractures. Review of the circumstances of injury in large series of blowout fractures suggests that this mechanism may be operative in the majority of cases.
A signal subspace approach for interference locations in adaptive antenna arrays

Closed-loop adaptive weights corresponding to different mainbeam directions are shown to have sufficient information which can be processed by eigenstructure methods to yield the signal and noise subspaces without the need for an estimate of the covariance matrix. Since adaptive algorithms can be implemented using continuous-time adaptive loops, locating the interferences using only the adaptive weights provides an option to avoid sampling and, in turn, eliminates the need for the data snap shots. This option is important to consider when operating at high frequency and with large signal bandwidth. The combined adaptive-eigenstructure approach is presented using exact statistics and the assumption of narrow-band uncorrelated jamming sources. >
CdZnTe array detectors for synchrotron radiation applications.

An X-ray linear-array detector was fabricated using high-pressure Bridgman-grown CdZnTe. The detector area was 175 × 800 µm and the pitch size was 250 µm. The measured dark current for the test 16-element detector was as low as 0.1 pA at 800 V cm−1 with excellent uniformity. Energy spectra were measured using a 57Co radiation source. Both a small-pixel effect and charge sharing were observed. For the arrays, an average 5.8% full width at half-maximum (FWHM) at the 122 keV photopeak was obtained with a standard deviation of 0.2%. A large-area detector (1 × 1 cm) of the same material before fabrication exhibited a low-energy tail at the photopeak, which limits the photopeak FWHM to 8%, typically due to hole trapping. At energies below 60 keV, charge sharing between elements was observed. The charge sharing was greatly reduced by providing a path to ground for unwanted charges. A prototype readout electronic system for an eight-channel array detector was developed. A readout system intended for a multielement solid-state detector system was also used. The array detector will be used for high-energy diffraction and Compton scattering measurements at the Advanced Photon Source.
Acculturation and Reported Intimate Partner Violence Among Latinas in Los Angeles

This study sought to understand the relationship between acculturation and reporting intimate partner violence (IPV) among Latinas. A cross-sectional interviewer-administered survey was conducted at public health care clinics throughout Los Angeles County. Logistic regression was used to estimate the effect of acculturation on reporting IPV. An increasing trend of reporting IPV was observed among Latinas who were more acculturated (chi-square = 41.02, p = .0006). Highly acculturated Latinas were more likely to report IPV compared with least acculturated Latinas (prevalence odds ration = 2.18, 95% confidence level = 0.98, 4.89) and moderately acculturated Latinas were more likely to report IPV compared with least acculturated Latinas (prevalence odds ration = 1.29, 95% confidence level = 0.69, 2.43). Culturally competent IPV prevention programs may be the key to significantly reducing the number of women exposed to this serious public health problem.
Non-destructive estimation of Pinus taeda L tracheid morphological characteristics for samples from a wide range of sites in Georgia

Tracheid coarseness, specific surface, wall thickness, perimeter, and radial and tangential diameter from 119 radial strips of Pinus taeda L. (loblolly pine) trees grown on 14 sites in three physiographic regions of Georgia (USA) were measured by SilviScan. NIR spectra were also collected in 10 mm increments from the radial longitudinal surface of each strip and split into calibration (9 sites, 729 spectra) and prediction sets (6 sites, 225 spectra). NIR spectra (untreated and mathematically treated first and second derivative and multiplicative scatter correction) were correlated with tracheid properties to develop calibrations for the estimation of these properties. Strong correlations were obtained for properties related to density, the strongest R2 being 0.80 (coarseness), 0.78 (specific surface) and 0.84 (wall thickness). When applied to the test set, good relationships were obtained for the density-related properties (Rp2 ranged from 0.68 to 0.86), but the accuracy of predictions varied depending on math treatment. The addition of a small number of cores from the prediction set (one core per new site) to the calibration set improved the accuracy of predictions and, importantly, minimized the differences obtained with the various math treatments. These results suggest that density related properties can be estimated by NIR with sufficient accuracy to be used in operational settings.
Radiometric equalization of nonperiodic striping in satellite data

Abstract Images acquired by remote sensing contain radiometric errors caused by variations in the sensor response. In this note, we present a unified treatment of the correction of periodic or nonperiodic errors, which provides some insight into the relation of correction algorithms to the type of radiometric degradation. Successful correction of a NOAA Very High Resolution Radiometer (VHRR) thermal infrared image is demonstrated.
Leptospirosis presenting as atypical pneumonia, respiratory failure and pyogenic meningitis

A 20-year-old man who looked after a pack of hounds was admitted with a short history of headache, fever, haemoptysis and muscle cramps. Investigations showed type I respiratory failure with diffuse pneumonitis, pyogenic meningitis and raised liver enzymes. Leptospirosis was suspected and treated with the appropriate antibiotics leading to a full recovery. The diagnosis was confirmed by a titre of I/2560 to Leptospira icterohaemorrhagiae. The case illustrates an unusual presentation of this infection and argues for early antibiotic treatment.
The impact of complications on outcomes after resection for esophageal and gastroesophageal junction carcinoma.

Abstract Background Efforts to improve surgical outcomes have traditionally focused on improving preoperative patient selection and reducing the risk of postoperative medical complications. Strategies to optimize surgical technique have been less well studied. We sought to assess the relation between complications related to surgical technique and outcomes after esophagogastrectomy for cancer. Study design Medical records of 510 consecutive patients undergoing esophagogastrectomy for invasive squamous cell carcinoma or adenocarcinoma at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center from 1996 to 2001 were reviewed. Data on diagnosis, stage of disease, therapies received, surgical approach, patient comorbidities, technical complications, and postoperative medical complications and outcomes including length of stay and overall survival were determined by one reviewer of the medical records. The primary predictor was surgical complications and the primary outcome was survival. Results Of the 150 patients studied 138 (27%) had complications directly attributable to surgical technique, such as an anastomotic leak, a paralyzed vocal cord, or chylothorax. At 3 years 43 of 138 patients (31%) with technical complications were alive, whereas 179 of 372 patients (48%) without technical complications were alive. Technical complications were associated with increased length of stay (median 23 days versus 11 days, p Conclusions Technical complications have a large negative impact on survival after esophagogastrectomy for cancer. Strategies to optimize surgical technique and minimize complications should improve outcomes in this cancer operation.
In the search for new anticancer drugs. 29. A study on the correlation of lipophilicities, ionization constants and anticancer activities of aminoxyl labeled TEPA congeners

Ionization constants for a series of sterically hindered pyrrolidine, pyrroline and piperidine derivatives were determined by potentiometric titrations. The pKa values for the secondary amines as a group ranged from about 7.7 to 11.7, whereby the ring size had no decisive effect on the values. The corresponding hydroxylamine derivatives as a group had distinctly lower pKa values than the amine derivatives ranging between about 4.0 and 6.3. It was shown using the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation that at physiological pH, arbitrarily chosen 6, 7 and 8, the amine derivatives would exist mainly in the protonated form, whereas the hydroxylamine derivatives would be expected to be mainly in the unprotonated form. In contrast, the 4-hydroxy-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperdin-1-oxyl radical, under analogous conditions, was a neutral species, i.e. it could not be titrated in aqueous media. On the basis of these results, it was hypothesized that the alkylating anticancer drugs of TEPA (N,N:N'N':N",N"-tri-1,2-ethanediylphosphorictriamide) type, containing sterically hindered carrier moieties, would be expected to permeate across cell membranes, and, consequently, exhibit anticancer activities according to the following sequence: spin-labeled drugs containing no titratable components > hydroxylamine derivatives > secondary amine congeners. This assumption is confirmed by good correlations of anticancer activities of these drugs with their pKa values, and the partition coefficients. The conclusion was reiterated that, in the quest for a rational design of anticancer drugs, the aim should be to construct agents with partition coefficients approaching the logarithm of zero, either from the negative or positive side, and pKa values as low as practically possible and applicable.
Prophet compared to gambler: additive inequalities for transforms of sequences of random variables

Abstract Additive comparisons are given between optimal expected gains of a prophet and a gambler. A gambler knows only the past and the present and a prophet is a player with complete foresight. The optimal expected gains are obtained by betting on differences of consecutive uniformly bounded random variables. For example, if the random variables are i.i.d. and [0,1]-valued, then the difference between the prophet and the gambler is at most n 16 for a game of length n, and the bound n 16 is the best possible.
Chromatography of lysosomal enzymes

Abstract The soluble fraction of rat liver lysosomes has been chromatographed on DEAE-cellulose, Sephadex G-200, and CM-cellulose. Not all of the lysosomal enzymes measured were separated by chromatography on DEAE-cellulose or Sephadex G-200, although separation into groups of enzymes was possible. CM-cellulose chromatography gave the best resolution. Multiple peaks for acid phosphatase, acid pyrophosphatase, β-acetylglucosaminidase, and ribonuclease were observed and the properties of some of the isoenzymes were studied. Arylsulfatase A and B were well separated. It was confirmed that most of the arylsulfatase in rat liver is of the B type. Many of the enzymes were purified 4- to 18-fold over the soluble fraction of lysosomes. The advantages of fractionating lysosomal enzymes from a single source are discussed.
Electrochemical Properties of Nanostructured Porous Gold Electrodes in Biofouling Solutions

The effect of electrode porosity on the electrochemical response of redox active molecules (potassium ferricyanide, ruthenium(III) hexammine, and ferrocene methanol) in the presence of bovine serum albumin or fibrinogen was studied at macroporous (pore diameter: 1200 nm), hierarchical (1200/60 nm), and nanoporous (<50 nm) gold. These electrodes were prepared using standard templating or dealloying techniques, and cyclic voltammetry (CV) was utilized to evaluate the effect of protein adsorption on the electron transfer of the diffusing redox probes. Following exposure to albumin (or fibrinogen) under near neutral pH conditions, planar gold electrodes showed an immediate reduction in Faradaic peak current and increase in peak splitting for potassium ferricyanide. The rate at which the CV curves changed was highly dependent on the morphology of the electrode. For example, the time required for the Faradaic current to drop to one-half of its original value was 3, 12, and 38 min for planar gold, macroporous gold, and hierarchical gold, respectively. Remarkably, for nanoporous gold, only a few percent drop in the peak Faradaic current was observed after an hour in solution. A similar suppression in the voltammetry at planar gold was also noted for ruthenium hexammine at pH 3 after exposure to albumin for several hours. At nanoporous gold, no significant loss in response was observed. The order of performance of the electrodes as judged by their ability to efficiently transfer electrons in the presence of biofouling agents tracked porosity with the electrode having the smallest pore size and largest surface area, providing near ideal results. Nanoporous gold electrodes when immersed in serum or heparinized blood containing potassium ferricyanide showed ideal voltammetry while significant fouling was evident in the electrochemical response at planar gold. The small nanopores in this 3D open framework are believed to restrict the transport of large biomolecules, thus minimizing passivation of the inner surfaces while permitting access to small redox probes to efficiently exchange electrons.
Glucocorticoids and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 regulate parathyroid hormone stimulation of adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate-dependent protein kinase in rat osteosarcoma cells.

Glucocorticoids increase and 1,25-dihydoxyvitamin D3 [1,25-(OH)2D3] decreases the activity of PTH-responsive adenylate cyclase, altering intracellular cAMP in a rat osteoblast-like cell line (ROS 17/2.8). This study was undertaken to measure the subsequent activation of the cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA). Pretreatment of ROS cells for 2 days with the glucocorticoid triamcinolone acetonide (TRM), shifted the dose-response curve for PKA activation by PTH upward compared to the control value. Basal PKA activity was enhanced 50% by TRM, and the PTH concentration required for maximal activation of PKA decreased from 1.0 to 0.05 ng/ml. At the lowest effective PTH concentration (0.05 ng/ml) the mean PKA activity ratio increased to 0.73 in TRM-treated cells compared with 0.45 in untreated cells. Pretreatment with 1,25-(OH)2D3 had opposite effects, shifting the dose-response curve for PKA activation by PTH downward and to the right, decreasing the basal activity ratio from 0.26 to 0.16, and increasing the PTH...
Male chimpanzees compromise the foraging success of their mates in Kibale National Park, Uganda

Sexual conflict develops when the optimal reproductive strategy for one sex inflicts fitness costs upon the other sex. Among species with intense within-group feeding competition and high costs of reproduction, females are expected to experience reduced foraging efficiency by associating with males, and this may compromise their reproductive ability. Here, we test this hypothesis in chimpanzees, a species with flexible grouping patterns in which female avoidance of large subgroups has been attributed to their relatively high costs of grouping. In an >11-year study of the Kanyawara community of East African chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) in the Kibale National Park, Uganda, the availability of sexually receptive females was a key determinant of the number of males in parties. In turn, females experienced significantly lower C-peptide of insulin levels, indicative of reduced energy balance, during periods when they associated with more males. Female associates did not produce the same negative effect. C-peptide levels positively and significantly predicted female ovarian steroid production, indicating that the costs of associating with males can lead to downstream reproductive costs. Therefore, we conclude that Kanyawara chimpanzees exhibit sexual conflict over subgroup formation, with the large groupings that allow males to compete for mating opportunities inflicting energetic and reproductive costs on females. Because association with males is central to female chimpanzees’ anti-infanticide strategy, and males may confer other benefits, we propose that reproductive success in female chimpanzees hinges on a delicate balance between the costs and benefits of associating with male conspecifics.
Widespread, lavalike silicic volcanic rocks of Trans-Pecos Texas

Several silicic units of the Trans-Pecos volcanic field have outcrop and thin-section scale features of lava flows but areal extents and aspect ratios of ignimbrites. These voluminous rocks (up to hundreds of cubic kilometres per unit) are quartz trachytes to low-silica rhyolites (68% to 72%SiO 2 ). Lava flow features include flow banding and folding, elongated vesicles, and autobreccias and vitrophyres at the base and top of units. Pyroclastic flow features include sheetlike geometry, lateral extents up to 70 km, aspect ratios as low as 1:700, and areal extents up to 3000 km 2 . A few of these units are clearly rheomorphic ignimbrites, but others show no unambiguous evidence of a primary pyroclastic origin. Although no adequate explanation currently exists for the origin of the latter, we evaluate two end-member hypotheses: (1) they are ignimbrites in which extreme rheomorphism has obliterated primary internal features, and (2) they are highly viscous lavas with unusually high heat retention or effusion rates that allowed them to spread over great areas. Either origin requires a rock type and eruptive mechanism not commonly recognized.
Hormonal insights into the pathogenesis of cyclic idiopathic edema.

Cyclic Idiopathic edema is a nonlife-threatening syndrome of excessive weight gain. Although the cause is not clear, a number of hormones are postulated to be involved. Altered vascular permeability and increased lymph formation may also be part of the disorder. This article reviews some relevant data as to the pathogenesis of this noninflammatory disorder, concluding with an approach to diagnosis and therapy.
Staurosporine potentiates platelet activating factor stimulated phospholipase C activity in rabbit platelets but does not block desensitization by platelet activating factor.

Summary The possible involvement of protein kinase C activation in regulating PAF-stimulated PLC activity was studied in rabbit platelets. PAF (100 nM for 5 seconds) stimulated incorporation of 32 P into proteins and caused [ 3 H] InsP 3 levels to increase about 260% of control. These responses were compared after platelets were pretreated with either PAF, phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) or staurosporine and also after pretreatments with staurosporine followed by PAF or PMA. Pretreating platelets with staurosporine potentiated PAF-stimulated [ 3 H] InsP 3 levels by 54% and blocked protein phosphorylation. Pretreatments with PAF and PMA caused PAF-stimulated [ 3 H] InsP 3 levels to decrease to 115 and 136%, respectively. Staurosporine pretreatment blocked the decrease caused by the PMA pretreatment but not that by PAF. This study demonstrates that PAF-stimulated PLC activity is negatively affected by protein kinase C (PKC) activation and that inhibition of PKC activity did not prevent desensitization of PLC by PAF.
On The Computation Of Intrinsic Surface Properties With Structured Lighting

A new technique for computing intrinsic surface properties is developed in this research. Intrinsic surface properties refer to those properties of a surface which are not affected by the choice of the coordinate system, the position of the viewer relative to the surface, and the particular parametric representation used to describe the imaged surface. Since intrinsic properties are characteristics of a surface, they are ideal for the purposes of representation and recognition. The intrinsic properties which we are interested in are the principal curvatures, the intrinsic distance, and the lines of curvature. We propose to adopt a structured lighting sensing configuration where a grid pattern is projected to encode the object surfaces for analysis. At each stripe junction, the curvature of the projected stripe on the object surface is computed and related to that of the normal section which shares the same tangential direction as the projected curve. The principal curvatures and their directions at the stripe junction under consideration are then recovered using Euler's theorem. Application of this technique to represent and discriminate several simple surface types is also addressed.
Abortion: Rights, Responsibilities, Obligations

Is there a moral right to abortion? If so, do abortions nonetheless violate morally significant obligations? Bertha Manninen (2010) approaches the first question by examining whether a fetus or emb...
What is the potential for inhaled p38 inhibitors in the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

p38 has been an intensely studied therapeutic target in the pharmaceutical industry. With more than 20 compounds entering human trials, none have progressed beyond Phase II to the best of our knowledge. The transient efficacy seen in many of the Phase II trials has raised some concerns for the future potential of this target, particularly in rheumatoid arthritis. With this caveat, there is good evidence for p38 inhibition to be efficacious in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and there are now several oral compounds currently in development for this disease, with encouraging data beginning to emerge. With an inhaled agent likely to improve the therapeutic window between efficacy and some of the common adverse events observed with oral p38 inhibitors it would seem a sensible approach to take for a disease of the lung. This review will highlight the potential for an inhaled p38 inhibitor in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, as well as some of the design principles that are important to consider whe...
Coordination failure as a source of congestion in information networks

Coordination failure, or agents' uncertainty about the action of other agents, may be an important source of congestion in large decentralized systems. The El Farol problem provides a simple paradigm for congestion and coordination problems that may arise with over utilization of the Internet. This paper reviews the El Farol problem and surveys previous approaches, which typically involve complex deterministic learning algorithms that exhibit chaotic-like trajectories. This paper recasts the problem in a stochastic framework and derives a simple adaptive strategy that has intriguing optimization properties; a large collection of decentralized decision makers, each acting in their own best interests and with limited knowledge, converge to a solution that (optimally) solves a complex congestion and social coordination problem. A variation in which agents are allowed access to full information is not nearly as successful. The algorithm, which can be viewed as a kind of habit formation, is analyzed using a weak convergence approach, and simulations illustrate the major results.
A Tale of Two Paradigms

The articles in this special issue of Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice address topics that may improve the flow of knowledge from research to clinical practice settings. In this commentary, these topics are viewed from the perspective of an efficacy researcher. Progress in the treatment for mental disorders depends on the bidirectional flow of knowledge between researchers and practitioners. Evidence-based practice is possible for most mental disorders (i.e., schizophrenia, bipolar affective disorder, major depressive disorder, the full range of anxiety disorders, and alcoholism and the other chemical dependence disorders), yet there is strong evidence that many (if not most) sufferers do not receive treatments that are known to be effective. Therefore, there is at least a partial disconnect between the processes that result in discovery and confirmation of novel therapeutics and implementation of new approaches to treatment in day-to-day practice settings.
Speed-up collisions in strong-field double ionization

We compare quantum and classical models of double ionization (DI) for aligned-electron helium in strong laser fields, considering specifically the role of recollision processes in which the returning electron travels in the direction of the laser force. Quantum studies show that for the knee region in our model a small but persistent portion of the total DI occurs through these speed-up collisions.We show that classical modeling displays similar collisions and reveals that with-the-force doubly ionizing collisions typically involve two-particle trajectories in which both electrons can be said to have been bound or very nearly bound at the zero of the laser field just before the collision. Trajectories leading to the with-the-force doubly ionizing collisions can be classified into two categories-direct excitation, in which there is no unambiguous single ionization before the doubly ionizing collision, and recapture, in which an ionized electron returns to the core and is recaptured prior to the speed-up collision. Comparison of the classical and quantum situations for our laser parameters yields evidence that for our parameters the quantum system favors the direct-excitation pathway over the reattachment pathway.
Silver Impregnation of Degenerating Axons in the Central Nervous System: A Modified Technic

Frozen sections of formalin-fixed brains containing surgical lesions, were treated with 15% ethanol for 0.5 hr., soaked in 0.5% phosphomolybdic acid for 0.25–1.0 hr., and subsequently treated with 0.05% potassium permanganate for 4–10 min. (The duration of the latter treatment is critical and individually variable). Subsequent procedure is as follows: decolorize in a mixture of equal parts of 1% hydroquinone and 1% oxalic acid; wash thoroughly and soak sections in 1.5% silver nitrate for 20–30 min.; ammoniacal silver nitrate (silver nitrate 0.9 g., distilled water 20 ml., pure ethanol 10 ml., strong ammonia 1.8 ml., 2.5% sodium hydroxide 1.5 ml.) 0.5–1.0 min.; reduce in acidified formalin (distilled water 400 ml., pure ethanol 45 ml., 1% citric acid 13.5 ml., 10% formalin 13.5 ml.) 1 min.; wash, and pass section through 1% sodium thiosulfate (0.5–1.0 min.); wash thoroughly and pass sections through graded alcohols and xylene (3 changes); cover in neutral synthetic resin.
A unified formal specification for a multi-consistency replication system for DHTs

In the modern Internet, scalable and reliable storage mechanisms have become a requirement. Distributed hash tables provide scalable management of storage, but don't support consistency of replicated mutable data. In this paper, we argue that replication is an intrinsic building block of computer-based systems and we present a formal model for specifying replication services that provide support for a range of consistency policies and take into account fault tolerance, liveness and application-specific data constraints. This unified model is general and expressive, permitting a better understanding of the space of possible consistency semantics and protocols, and facilitating the notion of a contract between a client and the service. The model is applied to a multi-consistency replication system designed to be deployed on distributed hash tables. We outline design choices in the replication layer, formally analyze the requirements for several consistency semantics, sketch the implementation and detail the application of the formal model to the eventual consistency protocol.
Architecture exploration for embedded processors: Design framework for embedded bio-medical processors

In this paper we will discuss the emerging application of “low-power” computing in bio-medical systems, both for ultra-low-energy and low heat producing embedded implantable devices, as well as for low power dissipation but high performance embedded computing platforms which process the large data sets collected from the sensors and implants in realtime. We will discuss the power and real-time performance requirements of the embedded platforms. We will outline the path to developing and analyzing bio-medical benchmark suite and identify the computational and data characteristics of a selected application - both for implantable devices and for external portable data processing platforms. This paper will also include an in-depth look at available simulation and design space exploration tools for different processor micro-architectures which can be used to design the green bio-medical computation platform.
Design of WARP: A wireless open-access research platform

This paper presents the design ofWARP, a custom platform for research in advanced wireless algorithms and applications. The platform consists of both custom hardware and FPGA implementations of key communications blocks. The hardware consists of FPGA-based processing boards coupled to wideband radios and other I/O interfaces; the algorithm implementations already include a flexible OFDM physical layer. Both the hardware specifications and algorithm implementations will be freely available to academic researchers to enable the development of a widely disseminated, highly capable platform for wireless research.