cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dual mTOR Inhibition Is Required to Prevent TGF-β-Mediated Fibrosis: Implications for Scleroderma.

TO THE EDITOR Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) are central mediators of fibrosis, and their overexpression contributes to the pathophysiology of scleroderma, chiefly by inducing the overproduction of extracellular matrix proteins (ECM) by dermal fibroblasts (Gay et al., 1989; Sargent et al., 2010; Bhattacharyya et al., 2012). TGF-β also promotes the differentiation of dermal fibroblasts into myofibroblasts, which are key mediators of scleroderma (Abraham et al., 2007). Thus, targeting this pathway is a reasonable strategy to treat a variety of fibrotic diseases including scleroderma, for which current treatment options are limited. Herein we explore the potential of novel mTOR inhibition as a means to block the pro-fibrotic effects of TGF-β. Recent studies have suggested a functional role of mTOR in fibrotic diseases and autoimmunity (Ong et al., 2007; Fried et al., 2008; Su et al., 2009; Raychaudhuri and Raychaudhuri, 2014). This pathway is initiated by cytokines and growth factors that induce phosphorylation of Akt(Thr308) and its downstream mediators mTORC1, p70S6K1, and 4E-BP1. In addition to mTORC1, mTOR is now known to comprise a second multi-protein complex, mTORC2, which positively regulates the activity of mTOR through phosphorylation of AktSer473 (Bhagwat et al., 2011). Blockade of mTORC1 has already been attempted as a treatment for scleroderma without much understanding about its molecular mechanism (Fried et al., 2008; Su et al., 2009; Yoshizaki et al., 2010). Such strategies focused only on mTORC1 and did not account for the contributions of mTORC2 (Bhagwat et al., 2011). To increase the effectiveness of mTOR blockade, dual inhibitors targeting both mTORC1 and mTORC2 have now been developed (Bhagwat et al., 2011). Herein, we demonstrate that dual mTOR blockade can more effectively inhibit the pro-fibrotic effects of TGF-β and PDGF. These have therapeutic implications for scleroderma and other TGF-β dominant fibrotic diseases.
Data Architecture for the Next-Generation Power Grid: Concept, Framework, and Use Case

To support next-generation power grid monitoring, protection, and control, we re-view and synthesize the new requirements and challenges of the enabling data architecture. We outline the necessary elements and a framework for the data architecture including the data path, synchronization and alignment layer, high-speed stream processing, databases, data service layer, and the interaction with analytics a control applications. We select and discuss wide-area damping control, a representative real-time closed-loop control application, as a use case to demonstrate the proposed data architecture.
Cutting, pasting and painting: experimental embryology and neural development.

The goal of experimental embryology seems rather simple: to manipulate embryos in systematic ways to elucidate mechanisms of development. Such manipulation involves variations in three main techniques — cutting, pasting and painting — and all three techniques have contributed enormously to the establishment of key principles of neural development.
Reversed intercostal arterial flow in coarctation of the aorta. Intraoperative assessment with the Doppler ultrasonic velocity detector.

Abstract The collateral circulation around a coarctation of the aorta was assessed in 11 patients during operative repair of the lesion. A sterile directional Doppler velocity detector probe was applied directly to the intercostal arteries and flow direction was determined. Prior to the repair, flow in the first two intercostals was normal in direction. Flow was reversed in direction (toward the aorta) in from two to six intercostal arteries arising distad to the coarctation. Following repair, flow was in the normal direction in all intercostal arteries. There was no correlation between the number of intercostals with reversed flow and either the pathological severity of the coarctation or the arm-ankle pressure gradient determined preoperatively. This study confirms the simplicity and utility of the Doppler ultrasonic velocity detector for intraoperative assessment of collateral circulation in coarctation of the aorta.
The Importance of Adult Guardianship for Social Work Practice

Abstract Guardianship is a legal intervention used to protect incapacitated adults through the appointment of a surrogate decision maker. Demographic trends and improvements of medical technology suggest that gerontological social workers ought to be particularly concerned about guardianship as more people live into older ages with some degree of impairment. This article presents an overview of the guardianship decision-making process and of the roles social workers can have in promoting social justice through this process.
The Senior Income Guarantee (SIG): A new proposal to reduce poverty among the elderly

Social Security reform is back near the top of the public agenda after a 15-year absence. The Bush administration seeks a partial privatization of Social Security, while avoiding new payroll taxes. The administration will almost certainly try to limit its agenda to the creation of an individual account system of some sort. But the debate will not necessarily be limited to that issue, nor should it. The narrowness of political margins in Congress, the absence of a strong electoral mandate for the president, and the widespread popularity of the current Old Age and Survivors Insurance (OASI) system suggest that if some type of plan for individual accounts is to be enacted, political and policy trade-offs will have to be made to assemble a winning coalition. Supporters of the Bush administration and skeptics alike should be prepared with thoughtful proposals to improve the overall quality of the income retirement system in the United States, while offering the potential to facilitate agreement on a broader Social Security reform package.One of the key trade-offs that such a reform package faces is the one between the benefit risks inherent in the transformation to a privatized system compared to a guaranteed level of benefit adequacy in old age. We address this trade-off by proposing an effective and relatively inexpensive program to provide a minimally adequate floor to old age income through the Social Security system. This Senior Income Guarantee (SIG) provides a cost-effective method for reducing elder poverty to very low levels. Thus, it provides a counterbalance to the old age income risks inherent in a partially privatized Social Security system.
Next generation enterprise IT systems

The next several years will see an unprecedented change in the architecture of enterprise IT systems. There have been many such changes in the past, for example client-server, user workstations, the rise of Linux-UNIX-Windows transaction and query processing and data mining. The coming wave of change will be at least as great as prior sea changes, and perhaps larger than all combined. The keynote discussed the changes, and their technical implications for the design of systems, middleware and applications. First, the talk set background and context that enables the massive change. Some elements included: – The increased adoption of highly parallel systems built using multi-core chips, multiple HW thread cores and blade systems. – General purpose server HW forming the basis for storage and communication subsystems. – The increasing rise of standards, especially general Web service standards and domain specific standards. – The “everyone can program phenomenon”, or all entrants to the work force have basic programming skills.
Seasonal migrations of adult and sub-adult redband trout in a high desert basin of Eastern Oregon, USA

– Redband trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss gairdneri) migrations were tracked between March 2007 and June 2009 in the Donner und Blitzen River, Oregon, USA, using radio telemetry and PIT tags. We investigated the upstream extent and timing of spawning migrations for two groups of trout, considered the factors that influenced the rate of trout migration and explored the seasonal patterns of redband trout migration related to temperature and flow conditions. We found that trout made long-distance migrations (up to 91 km) to spawn. Spawning trout from the lower river and middle river migrated to the same reaches, but lower river trout reached spawning habitats later than individuals from the middle river. Migration rate had a positive relationship with fork length and mean river discharge. We also found that redband trout made upstream spring migrations as sub-adults and as adults. Whereas adult trout migrated to spawn, immature individuals migrated to river segments with more favourable thermal conditions. In both cases, migrations occurred where seasonally appropriate or life-stage-specific habitat patches for growth, survival, or reproduction were spatially segregated.
Early literacy experiences constrain L1 and L2 reading procedures

Computational models of reading posit that there are two pathways to word recognition, using sublexical phonology or morphological/orthographic information. They further theorize that everyone uses both pathways to some extent, but the division of labor between the pathways can vary. This review argues that the first language one was taught to read, and the instructional method by which one was taught, can have profound and long-lasting effects on how one reads, not only in one’s first language, but also in one’s second language. Readers who first learn a transparent orthography rely more heavily on the sublexical phonology pathway, and this seems relatively impervious to instruction. Readers who first learn a more opaque orthography rely more on morphological/orthographic information, but the degree to which they do so can be modulated by instructional method. Finally, readers who first learned to read a highly opaque morphosyllabic orthography use less sublexical phonology while reading in their second language than do other second language learners and this effect may be heightened if they were not also exposed to an orthography that codes for phonological units during early literacy acquisition. These effects of early literacy experiences on reading procedure are persistent despite increases in reading ability.
The limbic circuitry underlying cocaine seeking encompasses the PPTg/LDT

The direct glutamatergic projection from the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) to the nucleus accumbens plays a critical role in mediating the reinstatement of cocaine seeking behavior. The mPFC also sends glutamatergic projections to the pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus (PPTg) and laterodorsal tegmental nucleus (LDT), which in turn send glutamatergic and cholinergic efferents to the ventral tegmental area (VTA) where they synapse on dopaminergic cells that innervate limbic structures including the nucleus accumbens. The goal of these experiments was to examine a potential role for the PPTg/LDT in the reinstatement of cocaine seeking. All rats were trained to self-administer cocaine (0.25 mg, i.v.) on a fixed-ratio 5 schedule of reinforcement. Cocaine self-administration behavior was extinguished and a series of subsequent pharmacological experiments were performed to assess the potential role of the mPFC, PPTg/LDT and VTA in the reinstatement of cocaine seeking. Administration of the D1-like dopamine receptor agonist SKF-81297 (1.0 microg) directly into the mPFC produced a small, but statistically significant, increase in cocaine seeking behavior. Furthermore, microinjection of the ionotropic glutamate receptor antagonist CNQX (0.3 microg) into the PPTg/LDT attenuated the reinstatement of drug seeking induced by a priming injection of cocaine (10 mg/kg, i.p.). Intra-VTA administration of CNQX, the nicotinic receptor antagonist mecamylamine (10.0 microg) or the muscarinic receptor antagonist scopolamine (24.0 microg) also blocked cocaine seeking. Taken together, these results suggest that cocaine priming-induced reinstatement of drug seeking is mediated in part by a serial polysynaptic limbic subcircuit encompassing the mPFC, PPTg/LDT and VTA.
Lesions of an Avian Forebrain Nucleus That Disrupt Song Development Alter Synaptic Connectivity and Transmission in the Vocal Premotor Pathway

The avian forebrain nucleus, the lateral magnocellular nucleus of the anterior neostriatum (LMAN), is necessary for normal song development because LMAN lesions made in juvenile birds disrupt song production but do not disrupt song when made in adults. Although these age-limited behavioral effects implicate LMAN in song learning, a potential confound is that LMAN lesions could disrupt normal vocal motor function independent of any learning role by altering LMAN′s premotor target, the song nucleus, the robust nucleus of the archistriatum (RA). To date, however, no studies have examined directly the effects of LMAN lesions on the circuitry of the RA. We report here that juvenile LMAN lesions rapidly and profoundly affect RA, altering synaptic connectivity within this nucleus, including descending inputs from the song nucleus HVc. Specifically, morphological assays of the dendritic spines of RA projection neurons and axon terminal boutons arising from HVc show a numerical decline in the density of connections in RA in LMAN-lesioned juveniles compared with controls. Concurrently, LMAN lesions alter excitatory transmission within the juvenile RA: after LMAN lesions, the stimulus–response relationship between HVc fibers and RA neurons steepens, and the amplitude of spontaneous monophasic EPSCs increases. Rather than arresting RA in a juvenile state, LMAN lesions transform the structure and function of RA and its connections, such that it is distinct from that of the normal juvenile. In many ways, RA circuitry in LMAN-lesioned juveniles resembles that of normal adults, suggesting that LMAN lesions induce a premature maturation of the vocal motor pathway, which may lead to a loss of behavioral plasticity and abnormal song development.
Linear control semigroups acting on projective space

Linear control semigroupsL⊂=Gl(d,R) are associated with semilinear control systems of the form whereA:R m → gl(d,R) is continuous in some open set containingU. The semigroupL then corresponds to the solutions with piecewise constant controls, i.e., L acts in a natural way onR d {0}, on the sphereS d−1, and on the projective spaceP d−1. Under the assumption that the group generated byL in Gl(d,R) acts transitively onP d−1, we analyze the control structure of the action ofL onP d−1: We characterize the sets inP d−1, where the system is controllable (the control sets) using perturbation theory of eigenvalues and (generalized) eigenspaces of the matrices g eL For nonlinear control systems on finitedimensional manifoldsM, we study the linearization on the tangent bundleTM and the projective bundleP M via the theory of Morse decompositions, to obtain a characterization of the chain-recurrent components of the control flow onU×PM. These components correspond uniquely to the chain control sets onP M, and they induce a subbundle decomposition ofU×TM. These results are used to characterize the chain control sets ofL acting onP d−1 and to compare the control sets and chain control sets.
A physiological approach to the diagnosis of pupils with reading difficulties

(1943). A physiological approach to the diagnosis of pupils with reading difficulties. Peabody Journal of Education: Vol. 20, No. 5, pp. 294-299.
Injection of Radioactivities into the Presolar Cloud: Convergence Testing

According to the hypothesis of the triggered origin of the solar system, the formation of our planetary system was initiated by the impact of an interstellar shock wave on a molecular cloud core. The shock wave originated from a nearby explosive stellar event and carried with it radioactivities produced in the stellar source. In addition to triggering the collapse of the molecular cloud core, the shock wave also deposited some of the freshly synthesized radioactivities into the collapsing system. These radioactivities were then incorporated into the first solar system solids, in this manner leaving a record of the event in the meteoritic material. The viability of the scenario can be assessed by numerical simulations studying the processes involved in injecting shock wave material into the collapsing system. Calculations performed at different resolutions confirm the previously suggested conclusions: injection occurs through Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities, the injection efficiency is approximately 10%, and temporal and spatial heterogeneities in the abundances of the radioactivities in the early solar system are possible. The results are used to estimate dilution factors for different stellar sources.
Completion and Attrition in Adult Basic Education: A Test of Two Pragmatic Prediction Models:

Previous research within the comparative tradition suggests that age and academic ability of ABE participants are related to attrition. Information on these variables is easily obtained by ABE prac...
Historical, ethical, and legal aspects of assisted suicide

This article explores the historical, ethical, and legal antecedents of assisted suicide. Following a differentiation between assisted suicide and euthanasia, the historical aspects of suicide in the United States and other countries are described. Four cardinal principles form the basis for the ethical consideration of practice: autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, and justice. Respect for autonomy is essential to the care of dying patients. However, the exercise of autonomy does not necessarily place an obligation to act on others. This could be important in the consideration of a request to a nurse for assistance in suicide. Nonmaleficence may also be a principle involved in decisions to discontinue treatments that are unwanted by the individual. Beneficence, the prevention of harm or the doing of good, may be in conflict with the respect for autonomy when one considers assisted suicide. Although one may wish to alleviate the suffering, assisting with death as a means of ending the suffering may violate the principle of beneficence even though the individual may, in his or her autonomy, request death. Justice describes what individuals are legitimately entitled to, but individual justice may be abridged by the utilitarian model of justice for society overall. Most states send ambivalent messages about the legal status of assisted suicide. Although many states criminalize assisted suicide, state prosecution of assisted suicide is not common. Furthermore, many juries have found those accused of murder or manslaughter in these instances "not guilty." A summary of the laws of each state related to assisted suicide is included.
Paleomagnetic results from the Lower Devonian Llandstadwell Formation, Dyfed, Wales

Abstract A paleomagnetic investigation of the Lower Devonian Llandstadwell Formation in southwest Wales has yielded a characteristic direction (declination = 196°, inclination = −5°) that passes a fold test. Comparison of the corresponding virtual geomagnetic pole (334°E, 39°S) to previously published poles for Great Britain indicates that the magnetization is secondary and likely to be of Carboniferous age. No evidence for post-Hercynian rotation of Pembrokeshire is indicated by our data.
Potentiated 5-hydroxytryptophan response suppression following 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine raphe lesions in an animal model of depression.

Published data from this and other laboratories support the hypothesis that central postsynaptic serotonin (5-HT) receptor activity may be involved in some types of depression (Aprison and Hingtgen 1981, 1986; Aprison et al 1978, 1982; Hingtgen et al 1985, 1989; Mayeda et al 1989; Stockert et al 1988; Takahashi et al 1982). Some recent clinical studies have also supported this concept (Yates et al 1990; Arora and Me|tzer 1989) whereas others have not (Cheetham et al 1988: Crow et al 1984). Evidence of upregulation of 5-HT receptors has been demonstrated in various behavioral models of depression (Takahashi et al 1982; Mayeda et al !989). Furthermore, some studies in which the 5-HT system was selectively lesioned w;th chemical agents found upregulation of 5-HT~ receptors 14 or more days after the lesion (Blackburn et al 1981; Quik and Azmitia 1983). In the present study we tested the effects of 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine (5,7-DHT)-induced
Simultaneous Acquisition of Gradient Echo / Spin Echo BOLD and Perfusion with a Separate Labeling Coil

Arterial spin labeling (ASL) based cerebral blood flow (CBF) imaging complements blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) imaging with a measure that is more quantitative and has better specificity to neuronal activation. Relative to gradient echo (GE) BOLD, spin echo (SE) BOLD has better spatial specificity because it is less biased to large draining veins. While there have been many studies comparing simultaneously acquired CBF data with GE BOLD data in fMRI, there have been few studies comparing CBF with SE BOLD and no study comparing all three. We present a pulse sequence that simultaneously acquires CBF data with a separate labeling coil, GE BOLD and SE BOLD images. Simultaneous acquisition avoids inter-scan variability, allowing more direct assessment and comparison of each contrast’s relative specificity and reproducibility. Furthermore, it facilitates studies that may benefit from multiple complementary measures.
Foreign advisors and capacity building: The case of Kenya

Approximately 100,000 foreign advisors work in the public sectors of Sub-Saharan African countries at an annual cost of more than $4 billion. The numbers, range of services, and costs of such advisors increased during the 1980s while at the same time donors launched new efforts to build professional capacity in the African civil service. Based on a study of advisors and their counterpart economists in Kenya's Ministry of Planning and National Development, this article addresses three important questions: what are the functions carried out by advisors in the development ministries?; why is it so difficult to retain skilled professionals in the civil service?; and how does the provision of advisors affect the retention of skilled government officers?
The disposition of 14C-levamisole in the lactating cow.

1. 14C-Levamisole {1(-)-2,3,5,6-tetrahydro-6-phenyl[U-14C]imidazo[2,1-b]-thiazole} was administered orally and subcutaneously to lactating cows (8 mg/kg body weight). Urine, faeces, milk and blood samples were collected from 0-48 h after dosing and tissues were collected 48 h after dosing.2. 14C-Labelled residues (ppm 14C-levamisole equivalents) in blood were highest at 3 h (2·2 ppm, oral dose) or 6 h (2·1 ppm, subcutaneous dose) and then declined to less than 0·5 ppm 48 h after dosing.3. 14C-Labelled residues in milk were highest in samples collected from 0-12 h after dosing (1·55 ppm and 1·86 ppm of levamisole equivalents from oral and subcutaneously dosed animals, respectively) and declined to 0·6 ppm in milk collected from 36-48 h after dosing. Milk collected from 0-48 h after dosing accounted for 0·2% (oral dose) and 0·6 % (subcutaneous dose) of the total 14C-activity administered as 14C-levamisole. The parent compound, 14C-levamisole, accounted for 12 % or less (declined with time after dosing) of t...
A WHAM-based Kinetics Model for Zn Adsorption and Desorption to Soils

A novel model has been developed to describe the kinetics of Zn adsorption and desorption to soils. The model incorporates the mechanistic-based equilibrium model WHAM (Windermere humic aqueous model) to account for the chemical variation during the reaction (e.g., pH and Zn2+ concentration), the heterogeneity of binding sites of soil organic matter (SOM), and the nonlinear binding of Zn to SOM. To test the model, kinetic experiments were conducted using a stirred-flow method. Six soils, with low clay fractions and covering a wide range in SOM concentrations, and various Zn concentrations and pHs were studied. Under these experimental conditions, SOM is found to be the major adsorbent for Zn binding. The fast and slow Zn reactions with soils were associated, respectively, with the monodentate and bidentate binding sites of humic substances in WHAM. The model has only three fitting parameters, the two desorption rate coefficients for the fast (monodentate) and slow (bidentate) reaction sites which are constant and independent of soil type, and the reactive organic matter fraction of the total SOM in each soil. All other parameters are derived from WHAM. The model is able to predict Zn release from spiked soils including the effects of Ca competition.
Borderline personality traits correlate with death penalty decisions

This study tested the hypothesis that borderline personality characteristics, including the use of splitting as a defense mechanism, would predict support for the death penalty. A sample of 262 undergraduates responded to the Self-, Other- and Family-Splitting factors of the Splitting Index along with the Borderline Syndrome Index (BSI), the Juror Bias Scale, and a number of instruments measuring support of capital punishment. Instead of the hypothesized direct relationships, Family-Splitting and the BSI correlated inversely with death penalty support. Males were slightly more likely than females to favor capital punishment, and only males displayed an inverse association of Other-Splitting with death penalty support. These unexpected outcomes suggested that complexities in relationships and processes associated with identity formation might require additional research attention as potentially important sources of bias in capital jury trials.
Polyphenolic composition and content in the ripe berries of wild Vitis species

Abstract To explore wild genetic resources for improving fruit and processing quality of cultivated grape cultivars, the polyphenolic composition and content in the ripe berries of 147 grape accessions from 16 Vitis species for two consecutive years were characterised. A total of 48 polyphenolic compounds, including 28 anthocyanins, 6 flavonols, 6 flavanols, 6 hydroxycinnamic derivatives, and 2 hydroxybenzoic acids, were identified via HPLC-MS and quantified by HPLC-DAD. These wild grape species had unique presence of abundant di-glucoside derivatives of anthocyanins. In addition, anthocyanins in most wild species were predominantly nonacylated. The mean contents for anthocyanins, flavanols, flavonols, hydroxycinnamic derivatives, and hydroxybenzoic acids were 9.610, 0.769, 0.093, 0.441 and 0.027 mg g −1 FW, respectively. They were about 2 to 10 folds higher than their respective counterparts in the most widely cultivated grape species Vitis vinifera . As expected, most of these groups of compounds were correlated negatively with berry weight, but positively with the content of total soluble solids.
Intermodal matching of emotional expressions in young children with autism

Abstract This study examined the ability of young children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) to detect affective correspondences between facial and vocal expressions of emotion using an intermodal matching paradigm. Four-year-old children with ASD ( n = 18) and their age-matched normally developing peers ( n = 18) were presented pairs of videotaped facial expressions accompanied by a single soundtrack matching the affect of one of the two facial expressions. In one block of trials, the emotions were portrayed by their mothers; in another block of trials, the same emotion pairs were portrayed by an unfamiliar woman. Findings showed that ASD children were able to detect the affective correspondence between facial and vocal expressions of emotion portrayed by their mothers, but not a stranger. Furthermore, in a control condition using inanimate objects and their sounds, ASD children also showed a preference for sound-matched displays. These results suggest that children with ASD do not have a general inability to detect intermodal correspondences between visual and vocal events, however, their ability to detect affective correspondences between facial and vocal expressions of emotions may be limited to familiar displays.
Stimulation of RNA synthesis in corpora lutea nuclei by human chorionic gonadotropin in vitro.

Abstract Purified nuclei were prepared from pig corpora lutea obtained in early pregnancy. They were incubated for 10 min in both low- and high-ionic strength buffer. Nuclei were found to contain the pentose phosphate pathway for the metabolism of glucose 6-phosphate to 5-phosphoribosyl-pyrophosphate, the de novo pathways of biosynthesis of purine and pyrimidine nucleotides, in addition to chromatin and RNA polymerases. Human chorionic gonadotropin at nM concentrations stimulated the metabolism of [U- 14 C]glucose 6-phosphate by the pentose phosphate pathway and the incorporation of the [ 14 C]ribose moiety into acid-precipitable material in both buffer systems. Human chorionic gonadotropin also stimulated the incorporation of [6- 14 C]orotate.
Biology of Colladonus mendicus (Ball) in Central California

The biology of Colladonus mendicus (Ball) was studied in central California from 1970–1973. Sticky-trap collections of adults showed main periods of flight activity during May, July and November. Populations were usually low in late summer due to the scarcity of the primary host plant, Urtica holosericea , a nettle. Comparisons of nymphal development and adult longevity were made on excised vs intact host leaves. Average developmental times on excised leaves at 24°C, 40±10% RH, and 14 h light were: eggs, 11.4 days; nymphs 23.2 days (males) and 25.9 days (females). Adults which were transferred daily to new host leaves lived an average of 74.3 days (males) and 50.3 days (females). Adults of both sexes lived more than 90 days when transferred to new leaves every 5th day. Nymphs of C. mendicus were parasitized in the field by a pipunculid fly, Pipunculus affinis Cresson.
Osmotic and ionic relationships in the fresh-water flatworm, Dugesia dorotocephala.

Abstract o 1. Tissue osmolality, Na+, K+, and Cl− concentrations, diffusional water permeability and undirectional ion fluxes were measured in the freshwater flatworm Dugesia dorotocephala. 2. Tissue levels of Na+, K+, and Cl− are all higher than the corresponding ion concentration in the external medium. 3. The diffusional water permeability of the body surface of Dugesia is 2.38 × 10−5 cm/sec, while the measured tissue osmolality was 125 mOsm. 4. Unidirectional Na+ efflux is decreased as the external osmolality is increased, indicating that Na+ may be involved in the excretory process in this animal. 5. Ion and water permeabilities in Dugesia are influenced by the level of Ca2+ in the external medium.
A treatment reengagement intervention for syringe exchangers

Poor sustained treatment engagement limits the effectiveness of all modalities of substance abuse treatment. This study evaluated the efficacy of a novel treatment reengagement intervention for a subset of syringe-exchange program (SEP) participants (N = 113) that had enrolled in treatment as part of a 4-month clinical trial (M. Kidorf et al., 2009). Three reengagement conditions for participants leaving treatment were compared. Motivational referral condition (MRC) participants (n = 31) could attend group sessions that focused on renewing treatment interest. MRC plus incentive (MRC + I) participants (n = 49) could receive modest monetary incentives for attending these sessions and reenrolling in treatment. Standard referral condition participants (n = 33) could not attend groups or receive incentives. Across a 1-year observation window, almost all study participants (86%) were discharged from treatment. MRC + I participants attended more group sessions than MRC participants and were considerably more likely to reenroll in treatment than participants in the other study conditions. Reengagement strategies can further enhance the public health benefits of SEPs by increasing rates of treatment participation over time.
The Apply of Rough Set Theory Based on Parameter Optimization in Remote Numerical Control Milling Machining

Based on the response style of Custom/Server, the optimization model system of milling machining technique has been built up, in which the current network source, technology and the Rough Set theory was utilized. The purpose of the system is to get the maximum productivity under the conditions that the present face roughness Ra and dimension precision must be assured. The results shows that the Rough Set can be used to get the formula when the sample information is not of precision caused by the overlap of machining parameter class. The formula induced from Rough Set theory can be used to optimize the parameter of milling machining from the technique department distributed in different location by internet
Input load identification from optimally placed strain gages using D-optimal design and model reduction

Abstract This paper presents a time domain technique for estimating dynamic loads acting on a structure from strain time response measured at a finite number of optimally placed strain gages on the structure. The technique utilizes model reduction to obtain precise load estimates. The structure essentially acts as its own load transducer. The approach is based on the fact that the strain response of an elastic vibrating system can be expressed as a linear superposition of its strain modes. Since the strain modes as well as the normal displacement modes are intrinsic dynamic characteristics of a system, the dynamic loads exciting a structure are estimated by measuring induced strain fields. The accuracy of estimated loads is dependent on the placement of gages on the instrumented structure and the number of retained strain modes from strain modal analysis. A solution procedure based on the construction of a D-optimal design is implemented to determine the optimum locations and orientations of strain gages that will provide the most precise load estimates. A novel approach is proposed which makes use of model reduction technique, resulting in significant accuracy in the dynamic load estimation. Validation of the proposed approach through numerical example problems is also presented which reveals the effectiveness and robustness of the technique even in the presence of errors (noise) in strain measurements.
Control of Grape Mealybug on Pear With Oil-Insecticide Combinations

A series of diazinon-oil combinations was evaluated for the Control of grape mealybug, Pseudococeus maritimus (Ehrhorn), on pear. Diazinon alone and dichlorvos were also used. The control was evaluated by 3 sampling methods at different times during the season. After application, the plots were evaluated by extracting mealybugs from fruit buds by means of a Berlese funnel with heat. After the petal-fall period, mealybugs were counted at the base of sucker shoots. At the harvest, fruit samples were taken and those showing sooty mold and russet were classed as damaged. The results showed that diazinon in combination with a light oil (70 vis.), a heavy oil (200 vis.) and a wetting agent (X-77) gave better control than diazinon in combination with a standard dormant oil. Diazinon alone at twice the dosage used in the oil combinations also was effective, but dichlorvos did not give acceptable control.
Ultrastructural characterization of carbohydrate distribution on milk lipid globule membrane

Abstract Lipid globules from rat milk were washed free of milk proteins and stained with free ferritin, cationized ferritin, Concanavalin A-ferritin, ruthenium red or alcian blue. Biotin was covalently attached to membrane carbohydrates and complexed with avidin-ferritin. Free ferritin did not show significant interaction with the bilayer membrane surrounding milk lipid globules or with the coat material associated with the inner face of this membrane. All other staining methods revealed carbohydrates to be distributed uniformly or in discrete granules or patches over the entire surface of the lipid globule membrane. By biotin-avidin-ferritin staining, glycoconjugates also appeared to be associated with the internal coat material of the membrane.
Reliability of the finite element method for calculating free edge stresses in composite laminates

The interlaminar normal stress distributions along the interface between the +45 deg and -45 deg plies of a graphite/epoxy laminate, obtained by various investigators, were found to disagree in both magnitude and sign. The reliability of the displacement-formulated finite element method in analyzing the edge-stress problem of a composite laminate is investigated. The history of the edge-stress problem is reviewed, and two well-known elasticity problems, one involving a stress discontinuity and one a singularity, are analyzed. The finite element analysis in these problems yields accurate stress distributions everywhere except in two elements closest to the stress discontinuity or singularity. Stress distributions for a + or -45 deg ply laminate near the singularity were similar to those of the two elasticity problems, demonstrating the methods, accuracy for calculating interlaminar stresses in composite laminates. The disagreement between the numerical methods was attributed to the unsymmetric stress tensor at singularity.
On the use of the method of quadrature by differentiation for solving eigenvalue problems in hydrodynamic stability

Abstract The usefulness of the method of quadrature by differentiation for solving eigenvalue problems in hydrodynamic stability is demonstrated. A numerical example, the Taylor problem, is presented in order to show the efficacy of the method and provide a basis of comparison with other approximate methods (e.g. the Galerkin method). The results were found to be in good agreement with experimental data and it was demonstrated that the method of quadrature by differentiation in comparison with other analytical methods requires no trial and error, no extensive mathematical investigation, and no lengthy computer computations.
A discus-hulled wave measuring buoy

Abstract Described herein is a self-contained, discus-hulled buoy 1.5 m dia., weighing 150 kg, which uses inertial instruments to measure wave height and tilt. Wave tank calibration and the theory of shallow draft buoys demonstrate such a hull accurately follows waves with length greater than twice the buoy diameter. The non-linear response of the buoy determines its sensitivity to low-frequency waves in a sea. And the ratio of wave signal to instrument “noise” is constant over the energetic part of the ocean-wave spectrum for measurements of wave acceleration and slope.
The Effect of Movement-Based Instruction on First- and Third- Graders' Achievement in Selected Music Listening Skills:

This study investigated the effects of movement-based instruction on the achievement of first- and third-graders in selected listening skills. Sixty-one normal first-graders and 52 normal third-gra...
The Bown self-report inventory (SRI): a quick screening instrument for mental health professionals.

Summary The Bown Self-Report Inventory (SRI), a 48-item instrument yielding eight scale scores and a total score, has been presented as a quick-screening mental health instrument. Completion of the SRI requires no more than 15 minutes of a respondent's time and it can be scored by nonprofessional personnel quickly and expeditiously. Interpretation should, of course, be reserved for the professional. The test has hitherto been administered to large samples drawn mainly from college student populations. Reliability and validity data have been satisfactory. In this report, scale and total score reliabilities obtained from a sample of 244 female college students are high enough to meet generally accepted standards for devices used for individual prediction. The test, statistical analyses and brief mention of previous research are submitted for possible use by investigators in mental health settings. Additional data, including a Spanish translation of the test and a computer program which obtains scale and total scores from IBM cards containing item scores, are available from the senior author.
Alopecia areata treated with topical minoxidil

• A 1% minoxidil topical solution was used to treat 48 patients with alopecia areata, ie, 24 patients with patchy disease and 24 patients with alopecia totalis or alopecia universalis. Twenty-five patients had terminal hair regrowth; in 11 of the 25 patients, it was cosmetically acceptable. No clinical features of the disease seemed to indicate the likelihood of hair regrowth. Hair regrowth began approximately two months after the initiation of treatment and was not uniformly well maintained after the treatment was terminated. One patient had an allergic contact dermatitis reaction to the minoxidil solution; no systemic side effects were seen. No notable systemic absorption was found in 18 adult patients. Effects on cutaneous blood flow or the immune system or some direct effect on hair follicles are possible mechanisms by which minoxidil therapy might stimulate hair growth. (Arch Dermatol1984;120:457-463)
In vitro and in vivo studies of heparinized-collageno-elastic tubes

Heparin was covalently coupled to collageno-elastic grafts (CET) derived from lamb carotid arteries, by using the crosslinking agent 1-ethyl-3 (3-dimethyl-aminopropyl) carbodiimide (EDC). The collagenous grafts were pretreated with various aminating agents in order to enhance the number of available binding sites on the collagen surface. By varying the EDC/heparin weight ratio, the pH of the immobilization media, and the pretreatment agent, a global search pattern maximized heparin loading at 3.90 +/- 0.36 USP heparin/cm2 collagenous graft surface when the EDC/heparin ratio was 2:1 at a pH of 1.5 with 1 M hydroxylamine sulfate as the pretreatment agent. Heparinized CETs were superior to nonheparinized CETs by exhibiting both enhanced antiplatelet activity in using an in vitro differential recirculation reactor with chromium-51 tagged platelets and enhanced patency when interposed in canine carotid arteries. Both antiplatelet activity and patency duration for heparinized CETs were independent of heparin loading.
Growth Hormone Response to Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone in the Urethane-Anesthetized Rat: Effect of Thyroid Status*

To evaluate the role of thyroid hormones in regulation of the GH-stimulatory effects of TRH and human pancreatic GH-releasing factor (hpGRF-40), we studied the plasma GH responses to these secretagogues under conditions of thyroid hormone deprivation and replacement in the urethane- anesthetized rat. In euthyroid control rats, TRH (1 μg/kg) elicited a small transient rise in plasma GH, which peaked at 2–5 min and returned to basal by 20 min. In chronically hypothyroid rats (10 weeks after thyroidectomy), intrapituitary GH was markedly depleted to less than 0.1% of normal, and TRH was completely ineffective in eliciting a plasma GH response to TRH. In chronically hypothyroid rats given T4 (20 μg/kg daily) for 4 days, intrapituitary GH was partially repleted, and the GH response to TRH was markedly enhanced compared to that in euthyroid rats. The extent to which the GH response to TRH was enhanced by chronic hypothyroidism, followed by short term T4 treatment, depended on the duration of T4 administration. ...
Connectionist networks learn to transmit chaos.

Abstract Evidence presented in the preceding paper indicates that the activity of some neurons during the generation of coordinated motor patterns may be attributable to chaos. Because even “simple” biological systems are difficult to control, we have used Connectionist networks in order to inquire into the question of whether a chaotic signal originating in one part of the nervous system can be learned and transmitted by another. We have examined a number of different architectures, and report here the findings for a simple net work consisting of one input unit, four hidden units, and one output unit. During training sessions, the input of the circuit was given analog values of either the 3.60 or 3.95 logistic equation, or of one variable of the three-variable Rossler attractor. The backpropagated error in the learning algorithm was a function of the difference between the input value and the output at each iteration. Iterations involving small changes in analog value resulted in good similarity between the input and output signals, but little learning occurred because of the small error propagated back to the synapses. With larger differences in the analog values (and larger feedback error) at each iteration, we found that networks learned to transmit different chaotic attractors. Once the network learned one input, it could transmit another without changing the synapses. Increasing the number of hidden units increased the rate of learning. But learning at the hidden unit level was not needed because the network could still learn to transmit all the signals even when the error-backpropagating teacher to the hidden units was turned off, thus leaving learning to occur only at the output unit synapses. In all cases, the output was always distorted, as shown by comparing the input and output time series directly, the input/output 1-D maps of the logistic equations, and the phase portraits of the Rossler attractor. However, the network transmitted the dynamical features of the different input signals better than it did the specific parametric values. The findings indicate that the multifunctional capability of the network to transmit different signals with the same set of synaptic weights arose from conditioning relating to common features in the dynamics of the input signals rather than to the specific parametric values in their time series.
Studies of the effect of ionic compounds on the stability of glutamate dehydrogenase

Abstract 1. 1. Glutamate dehydrogenase ( l -glutamate: NAD(P) oxidoreductase (deaminating), EC 1.4.1.3), in solution in the absence of protective ions, is rapidly inactivated as the pH of the solution is raised to 8 or higher. The addition of some ionic compounds greatly retards this alkaline inactivation. 2. 2. Alkaline phosphate and ammonium salts are among the best protective agents; Tris is one of the least effective. 3. 3. The inactivation of glutamate dehydrogenase in aqueous solutions appears to pass through stages which include conversion of an active form, relatively resistant to inhibition by progesterone, dicumarol, o- phenanthroline , thyroxine and fluorenyl-acetamide, to another active form which is more susceptible to the action of these inhibitors. 4. 4. The rapidity of these changes in the glutamate dehydrogenase molecule is related to the nature of the salt solution used to suspend the crystalline enzyme and to that used to dissolve and dilute this suspension.
Use of global atrial fibrillation organization to optimize the success of burst pace termination.

OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to determine if burst atrial pacing would have an effect on terminating atrial fibrillation. BACKGROUND We hypothesized that frequency domain analysis of a filtered wide bipolar atrial electrogram describes the global organization of atrial fibrillation (AF) and should vary over time. Timing burst pacing to periods of high organization of AF should promote regional atrial conduction block and terminate AF. METHODS Nine dogs were conditioned with rapid atrial pacing for 48 h. Electrogram recordings were made from a wide right atrium (RA) to left atrium (LA) bipole and digitally filtered. A fast-Fourier transform was performed every 0.5 s on a sliding 2-s window, and the organization index (OI) was calculated as a ratio of the area of the first four harmonic peaks to the total power of the spectrum. Organization indexes >0.5 indicated more organized AF activity. Right atrium and LA burst pacing (burst) (cycle length 50 ms, 9.9 ms, 9.9 mA, 1 to 4 s) was performed through decapolar catheters. Burst was either random or synchronized to OI >0.5. RESULTS Burst termination was attempted 1,814 times (889 OI sync, 925 random) and succeeded in seven of nine dogs. Burst had an overall success rate of 11.1% versus 6.3% for random (p 0.5 increases the efficacy of burst pace termination of AF. Biatrial pacing is more effective than either RA or LA pacing alone.