cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Antidepressant Treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Major Depression in Veterans

Many patients with chronic posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) suffer from comorbid major depression. The present study examines the responsiveness of such dual-diagnosis patients to antidepressant medication. Subjects were enrolled in the PTSD medication clinic at the San Diego Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Inclusion criteria were current diagnoses of PTSD and major depression, at least 6 months of regular participation in the clinic, and treatment with antidepressant medication at therapeutic levels and durations. Exclusion criteria were current drug or alcohol abuse, primary psychotic illness, and poor compliance or frequent missed appointments. Among 72 patients meeting inclusion and exclusion criteria, 50% were estimated to be substantially improved, on the basis of Clinical Global Evaluation (CGE) scores of 2 or 1, after remaining on the same antidepressant treatment regimen at therapeutic doses for at least 1 month. Antidepressant medications affecting predominantly serotonin reuptake (sertraline, fluoxetine) were associated with better outcomes than antidepressants affecting predominantly norepinephrine reuptake (nortriptyline, desipramine).
Ozone impacts on competition between tomato and yellow nutsedge: above- and below-ground effects

Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L.) production in the San Joaquin Valley (SJV) of California is challenged by air pollution and weeds. Differential ozone (O 3 ) tolerance of tomato cultivars and weed species may alter crop-weed competition. A study was conducted in open top chambers (OTCs) at the Kearney Research and Extension Center, Parlier, CA, to assess O 3 impacts on competition between tomato and a C 4 weed, yellow nutsedge (Cyperus esculentus L.). Processing tomato (cv. HD 8892 and EMP 113) and nutsedge (locally collected biotypes) were grown in pots for 4 to 8 wk. Population ratios ranged from a tomato plant alone (0:1) to a nutsedge plant alone (1:0), and included 1:1, 2:1, and 3:1. Ozone exposures were to 12 h means of 19.8, 78.0, and 142.3 nL/L. Chlorophyll content of leaves of tomato and nutsedge was reduced with increasing O 3 . Carbon assimilation was reduced in nutsedge but not in tomato. Root respiration was not affected in either species. Tomato main stem length, shoot, and root biomass declined at the highest O 3 concentration under all levels of nutsedge competition. Nutsedge was much less affected. In the absence of O 3 exposure, interspecific competition (all population ratios combined) reduced tomato and nutsedge shoot and root biomass. Tomato was more sensitive to O 3 than nutsedge, but nutsedge was more sensitive to competition than was tomato. Nutsedge allocated greater resources to reproductive structures (tubers) at the highest O 3 exposure. As nutsedge reduced tomato productivity under low and moderate O 3 concentrations, it may become even more difficult to control, exert greater competitiveness, and colonize fields more rapidly because of greater tuber production, in projected near-future environments. Under conditions of greatly increasing ambient O 3 concentrations, nutsedge may become less competitive because of its sensitivity to O 3 .
A parent form of the Children's Depression Inventory: reliability and validity in nonclinical populations.

A parent form of the Children's Depression Inventory (CDI) was investigated in a nonclinical population. In Study 1, the CDI was administered to 50 children and their mothers. One month later, the CDI was readministered to 45 children and their mothers. Children's and mother's CDI ratings were correlated significantly at both Time 1 (r = .37) and Time 2 (r = .59). Test-retest reliability of the Parent-CDI over the 1-month interval was significant (r = .75). In study 2, 96 children were rated by mothers on the CDI. Eighty-one of these children rated themselves on the CDI, and 72 were rated by teachers on the Children's Depression Rating Scale (CDRS). The Parent-CDI was found to be correlated significantly with both the CDI (r = .66) and the CDRS (r = .64). Internal consistency of the Parent-CDI was demonstrated by both a split-half and an item-total analysis. Merits and limitations of this parent form of the CDI for use within a nonclinical population are discussed.
Theoretical investigation of the effects of relative humidity on aerosol respirable fraction.

Abstract The possibility is investigated that high relative humidities, such as the humidity of the upper respiratory tract, may cause hygroscopic particles to grow enough to invalidate the results of respirable mass determinations at lower humidities. The penetration-versus-particle-size characteristics of cyclone-type respirable samplers are approximated with a cumulative log-normal curve. For hypothetical aerosols having log-normal distributions of aerodynamic diameter, this allows the use of a special property of the log-normal distribution to calculate conveniently the penetration of the cyclones, the aerosol respirable mass fraction. Growth in particle diameter is calculated for several humidities, for NaCl and H2SO4 aerosols, then used to predict respirable mass fractions. The ratio of the penetration of the humidified particles to that of the dry particles is found to be as low as 30% for particles of 1 μm and as low as 10% for 3.5 μm diameter particles. The calculations show that aerosols may produce substantially different measured mass respirable fractions as they approach equilibrium under different humidity conditions.
What DSAEK is going on? An alternative to penetrating keratoplasty for endothelial dysfunction.

Abstract Background Traditionally, penetrating keratoplasty (PK) has been the only surgical treatment for patients with Fuchs' dystrophy and pseudophakic bullous keratopathy. Over the last several years, an alternative technique has become viable. Descemet's stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK) is a partial transplant that replaces only posterior corneal tissue, leaving the healthy anterior cornea intact. Methods A retrospective review of the current literature was conducted. Results Initially, DSAEK surgeons were plagued by high graft dislocation and failure rates. However, modifications have been made to drastically reduce these numbers. With a predictable refractive error, lower rejection rates, and faster recovery time, DSAEK appears ready to surpass PK as the primary surgical option for endothelial dysfunction. Conclusions Corneal endothelial dysfunction is a problem more commonly seen in the middle-age and elderly populations. Until recently, the only option available for these patients was a full-thickness PK. DSAEK is a promising new alternative that preserves the normal healthy cornea, allowing a faster and more stable recovery. This article discusses the indications, procedure, and management of DSAEK and comparisons to PK.
A framework for representing design intent

Abstract This paper presents a framework for interactively capturing the history of a design process. This history includes not only ‘how’ but also ‘why’ the design evolves as its does. We discuss the components of this framework and the representation of the design history. An example in the domain of spatial layouts for small buildings demonstrates how the design history may be used to explain design decisions and to support changes to the design.
A resistance temperature detector for reactors

IN A HEAT POWER PLANT, temperature is a major parameter. The accuracy with which it can be measured determines whether the plant can work efficiently, close to the upper boundaries of mechanical strength and close to critical pressures, or whether performance must be sacrificed by leaving wide safety margins. For this reason, and also because of its large power output and lack of cold junction compensation problems, a resistance thermometer is preferable for use in nuclear reactor applications, such as in atomic-powered submarines.
Does activation-induced deaminase initiate antibody diversification by DNA deamination

Activation-induced deaminase (AID) is expressed only in germinal center B cells. There, it is required for somatic hypermutation, gene conversion and class switch recombination of antibody variable region segments, three processes that diversify antibodies during immune responses. Although AID has homology to RNA-editing enzymes, three recent reports suggest it could initiate the diversification processes by deaminating cytidine residues within the antibody genes themselves.
Novel localization of pp60src in Rous sarcoma virus-transformed rat and goat cells and in chicken cells transformed by viruses rescued from these mammalian cells.

Abstract We have investigated by indirect immunofluorescence and subcellular fractionation the intracellular location of pp60 src in RSV-transformed mammalian cells and in CEF cells transformed by virus rescued from these cells. Two independently derived cell lines were examined: RR1022 cells isolated from an in vivo sarcoma induced in an Amsterdam rat by infection with SR-RSV-D; and Pcl, cells isolated from a soft agar colony of normal goat skin fibroblasts transformed in vitro by SR-RSV-D. Transforming viruses (RSV-RR and RSV-Pcl) were rescued from RR1022 and Pcl cells by fusion with CEF cells. Immunofluorescence microscopy showed association of pp60 src with the nuclear envelope and the juxtanuclear reticular membranes in the transformed mammalian cells and in CEF cells transformed by the rescued viruses, in contrast to the plasma membrane localization of pp60 src seen in SR-RSV-transformed CEF cells. Results of subcellular fractionation by differential centrifugation and fractionation of particulate fractions by equilibrium centrifugation in discontinuous sucrose gradients were in agreement with the differences in pp60 src distribution observed by immunofluorescence microscopy. Although the mammalian cell lines were independently derived, pp60 src s isolated from RR1022 and Pcl cells both lacked amino-terminal 21- and 18-kilodalton [ 35 S]methionine S. aureus V8 protease peptides found in SR-RSV-D pp60 src . Proteolytic peptides identical to those of pp60 src from the mammalian cells were obtained from pp60 src proteins isolated from rescued virus-transformed CEF cells, suggesting that the alteration in the amino-terminal half of the src protein represents a stable change, and that an alteration in the primary structure of pp60 src is responsible for the altered intracellular membrane localization of pp60 src in these cells.
Scrofula: emergency department presentation and characteristics

In the US, scrofula is generally uncommon, but it may be the manifestation of disseminated tuberculosis in immunocompromised patients. Given the delay to obtain PPD results, AFB results, and cultures for TB, the emergency physician (EP) must rely on the history and physical examination to make the diagnosis of scrofula. To illustrate a set of criteria that would be useful to the emergency physician to identify cases of scrofula. We retrospectively reviewed the charts of patients with a final diagnosis of scrofula at our institution to identify the characteristics of patients who present to the emergency department with a neck mass that was eventually diagnosed as scrofula. We found that being foreign born, being HIV+, and having a prior history of a positive PPD appeared to be associated with a diagnosis of scrofula. This review suggests that scrofula should be included in the EP’s differential diagnosis of neck in masses when patients present subacutely and they have significant TB risk factors. In such cases, the EP should strongly consider ruling out pulmonary TB.
Assembly of Poly(3-hexylthiophene)/CdSe Hybrid Nanowires by Cocrystallization

We present a new method to preorganize electron donor and acceptor materials into hybrid nanowire structures, enabled by crystallization of regioregular poly(3-hexylthiophene) (rrP3HT) in solution in the presence of CdSe nanorods functionalized with the same polymer. These well-organized nanocomposite fibers are potentially attractive building blocks for optoelectronic devices and active layers in photovoltaics.
CHRONIC IDIOPATHIC HYPOPARATHYROIDISM WITH SUPERIMPOSED ADDISON'S DISEASE IN A CHILD

CASE reports of hypoparathyroidism following thyroidectomy far out-number those of idiopathic parathyroid deficiency. As late as 1939 Drake et al. (10) found only eight established cases in the literature (2, 3, 5, 6, 21, 26, 27), to which they added six cases of their own. To date 20 more cases have been reported (4, 7, 12, 13, 15, 19, 23, 24, 34, 39, 40, 41, 44). Of these 34 cases, 24 had their onset of symptoms before the age of 15, and only two, both children, showed associated signs of adrenal insufficiency. The rare occurrence of combined parathyroid and adrenal insufficiency, and the absence of previous pathological reports in such cases in the modern literature prompted the following case report. CASE REPORT1 First admission: E. K. was admitted to the New York Nursery and Child's Hospital in June, 1934, at the age of 9½ years because of convulsions. Her birth and early development had been normal. Convulsive seizures began at three years of age and recurred at approximately yearly intervals. At th...
Carinomezium (Coleoptera: Ptinidae): A new genus from the Namaqualand region of South Africa

A unique new genus and species of spider beetle from Namaqualand from the Succulent Karoo Biodiversity Hotspot in South Africa is described. The genus Carinomezium gen. n. is characterized by pronounced longitudinal carinae on the elytra, four large rounded setal tufts that cover the pronotum, and the very small body size. The single representative species, Carinomezium namaquaensis sp. n. is diagnosed, described, and illustrated. The phylogenetic placement of this taxon is also discussed.
Microfluidic Applications for Andrology

Perhaps one of the most exciting and revolutionary scientific discoveries of the past 3 decades has been the development of in vitro fertilization (IVF) to treat human infertility. It is impossible to quantify its effect on numerous families since the first IVF birth in 1978 in Oldham, England (Steptoe and Edwards, 1978). With increasing clinical utilization of assisted reproductive technologies (ART), scientists and clinicians gain insights into basic gamete and embryo biology and translate that knowledge into improving the process of IVF. Critical analyses of individual steps have improved outcomes. Attention to sperm processing and isolation to increase recovery of motile sperm and reduce sperm damage has improved fertilization rates and embryo development (Mortimer, 1994). Use of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) has allowed fertilization even in severe cases of compromised sperm quality or number (Bonduelle et al, 1999). Finally, refinement of embryo culture has led to improved in vitro embryo development and implantation rates (Gardner and Lane, 1998; Pool, 2002). Most scientific attention, however, has focused on methodologies rather than technology development and equipment. Semen is still processed in test tubes regardless of technique, sperm are physically placed with oocytes after processing, and fertilization and embryo culture occur in culture dishes, test tubes, or both with relatively large vol-
Probiotics and Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is characterised by a chronic dysregulation of the inflammatory response in the gastrointestinal tract. While the pathogenesis is unclear, studies have demonstrated that the gastrointestinal tracts of patients with IBD are populated with increased levels of adherent and pathogenic bacteria. This evidence, combined with growing data accumulated from genetic studies as well as animal models of IBD, indicates that an aberrant response to altered enteric flora plays a significant role in the disease process. Current therapies for IBD have been directed towards the development of anti-inflammatory agents and immunomodulators to attenuate the inflammatory response in the gastrointestinal tract. Antibiotics are also partially effective in the treatment of IBD, presumably by altering the bowel flora. However, it is clear from clinical trials that immunomodulators and antibiotics are not effective in a large proportion of patients with IBD and other therapeutic alternatives need to be pursued. Probiotics are microbial supplements capable of recolonising the bowel with non-pathogenic strains of bacteria or yeast. Probiotics have long been shown to be beneficial in both infectious and non-infectious digestive disorders. Growing evidence indicates that probiotics may be effective in the treatment of specific clinical IBD conditions. This article addresses the current evidence for the role of enteric flora in the pathogenesis of IBD and the clinical evidence supporting the use of probiotics in specific clinical IBD conditions.
Seeing, Hearing, and Talking Race: Lessons for White Teachers from Four Teachers of Color

As student populations in K–12 schools in the United States continue to diversify and the teaching force remains largely White, cross-cultural teaching is an increasingly common phenomenon. In this article, a White teacher educator draws upon interviews with four teachers of color who work in Chicago public schools to examine ways White teachers might work more effectively and respectfully with African-American and Latino students—particularly in urban communities. The interviewees identify several steps White teachers can take to rethink and strengthen their practice, including listening to teachers of color, examining personal privilege and “whiteness,” being honest about gaps of knowledge and committing to learning more, clarifying one's purposes for teaching, and maintaining high expectations for students.
Investigations of heme ligation and ligand switching in cytochromes p450 and p420.

It is generally accepted that the inactive P420 form of cytochrome P450 (CYP) involves the protonation of the native cysteine thiolate to form a neutral thiol heme ligand. On the other hand, it has also been suggested that recruitment of a histidine to replace the native cysteine thiolate ligand might underlie the P450 → P420 transition. Here, we discuss resonance Raman investigations of the H93G myoglobin (Mb) mutant in the presence of tetrahydrothiophene (THT) or cyclopentathiol (CPSH), and on pressure-induced cytochrome P420cam (CYP101), that show a histidine becomes the heme ligand upon CO binding. The Raman mode near 220 cm–1, normally associated with the Fe-histidine vibration in heme proteins, is not observed in either reduced P420cam or the reduced H93G Mb samples, indicating that histidine is not the ligand in the reduced state. The absence of a mode near 220 cm–1 is also inconsistent with a generalization of the suggestion that the 221 cm–1 Raman mode, observed in the P420-CO photoproduct of ind...
Metabolic complications of obesity

The rising prevalence of obesity is accompanied by an increasing number of patients with the metabolic complications of obesity. The major complications come under the heading of the metabolic syndrome. This syndrome is characterized by plasma lipid disorders (atherogenic dyslipidemia), raised blood pressure, elevated plasma glucose, and a prothrombotic state. The clinical consequences of the metabolic syndrome are coronary heart disease and stroke, type 2 diabetes and its complications, fatty liver, cholesterol gallstones, and possibly some forms of cancer. At the heart of the metabolic syndrome is insulin resistance, which represents a generalized derangement in metabolic processes. Obesity is the predominant factor leading to insulin resistance, although other factors play a role. The mechanistic link between insulin resistance and the metabolic syndrome is complex. The relationship is modulated by yet other factors, such as physical activity, body fat distribution, hormones, and a person's genetic polymorphic architecture. A better understanding of the molecular basis of this relationship is needed to suggest new targets for prevention and treatment of the complications of obesity. In addition, understanding at the clinical level will lead to improved management of these complications.
Comparative analysis of Bragg fibers.

In this paper, we compare three analysis methods for Bragg fibers, viz. the transfer matrix method, the asymptotic method and the Galerkin method. We also show that with minor modifications, the transfer matrix method is able to calculate exactly the leakage loss of Bragg fibers due to a finite number of H/L layers. This approach is more straightforward than the commonly used Chew’s method. It is shown that the asymptotic approximation condition should be satisfied in order to get accurate results. The TE and TM modes, and the band gap structures are analyzed using Galerkin method.
The CHARA Catalog of Orbital Elements of Spectroscopic Binary Stars

Optical interferometry is entering a new age, with several ground-based long-baseline observatories now making observations of unprecedented resolution. Interferometers bring a new level of resolution to bear on spectroscopic binaries, enabling the full extraction of the physical parameters for the component stars with high accuracy. In the case of double-lined systems, a geometrically determined orbital parallax becomes available as well. The first step in preparing to observe spectroscopic binaries is to list them, which has not been done since the 1989 publication of the Eighth Catalogue of the Orbital Elements of Spectroscopic Binaries by Batten et al. We present a new catalog with roughly half again as many listings as the Eighth Catalogue. Angular separation predictions are made for each catalog entry. The numbers of spectroscopic binaries available for study as a function of several important observational parameters are explored, and in particular, the number of spectroscopic binaries as a function of expected separation is discussed.
Arachidonic acid-derived oxidation products initiate apoptosis in vascular smooth muscle cells

Abstract The mechanism of arachidonic acid (AA)-induced apoptosis in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) was studied in the A-10 rat aortic smooth muscle cell line. Treatment of serum-deprived VSMCs with 50 μM AA for 24 h resulted in a loss of cell viability. The apoptotic effect of AA was characterized by annexin V binding, sub-G1 population of cells, cell shrinkage and chromatin condensation. AA-induced VSMC death was attenuated by antioxidants alpha-tocopherol and glutathione, the hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) scavenger catalase and by serum proteins, albumin and gamma globulins. Moreover, the AA peroxidation products, 12(S)-hydroperoxyeicosatetraenoic acid (HPETE), 15(S)-HPETE, 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal (HNE) and malondialdehyde (MDA) caused VSMC apoptosis. These data suggest an oxidative mechanism of AA-induced VSMC death. The apoptotic effect of AA was pH-dependent, being inhibited by extracellular alkalinization to pH 8.0. AA inhibited serum-stimulated cell cycle progression in quiescent cells, but not in proliferating cells. In conclusion, AA, through its oxidation products causes VSMC apoptosis. Antioxidants, by inhibiting VSMC apoptosis, may prevent consequent pathological events such as atherosclerotic plaque rupture.
Point defects in Cd(Zn)Te and TlBr: Theory

The effects of various crystal defects on the performances of CdTe, Cd1−xZnxTe (CZT), and TlBr for room-temperature high-energy radiation detection are examined using first-principles theoretical methods. The predictive, parameter-free, atomistic approaches used provide fundamental understanding of defect properties that are difficult to measure and also allow rapid screening of possibilities for material engineering, such as optimal doping and annealing conditions. Several recent examples from the author's work are reviewed, including: (i) accurate calculations of the thermodynamic and electronic properties of native point defects and point defect complexes in CdTe and CZT; (ii) the effects of Zn alloying on the native point defect properties in CZT; (iii) point defect diffusion and binding leading to Te clustering in Cd(Zn)Te; (iv) the profound effect of native point defects—principally vacancies—on the intrinsic material properties of TlBr, particularly its electronic and ionic conductivity; and (v) a study on doping TlBr to independently control the electronic and ionic conductivity.
Advances of the Correlation Mapping Method to Eliminate the Peak-Locking Effect in PIV Analysis

The Peak-locking effect causes mean bias in most of the existing correlation based algorithms for PIV data analysis. This phenomenon is inherent to the Sub-pixel Curve Fitting (SPCF) through discrete correlation values, which is used to obtain the sub-pixel part of the displacement. A new technique for obtaining sub-pixel accuracy, the Correlation Mapping Method (CMM), was proposed by Chen & Katz [1, 2]. This new method works effectively and the peak-locking disappears in all the previous test cases, including applying to both synthetic and experimental images. The random errors are also significantly reduced. In this paper, an optimization of the algorithm is reported. Using sub-pixel interpolation, the cross-correlation function between image 1 and image 2 is expressed as a polynomial function with unknown displacement, in which the coefficients are determined by the autocorrelation function of the image 1. This virtual correlation function can be matched with the exact correlation value at every point in the vicinity of the discrete correlation peak (a 5×5 pixels area is chosen in the present study). A least square method is used to find the optimal displacement components that minimize the difference between the real and virtual correlation values. The performances of this method at the presence of background noise and out-of-plane motion are investigated by using synthetic images, as well as the influence of under-resolved particle images, and compared with the result of the SPCF method. The advantage of the CMM over SPCF is demonstrated in these studies.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Characterization in vitro and in vivo of hammerhead ribozymes directed against murine tumor necrosis factoralpha.

A hammerhead ribozyme directed against murine TNFalpha (mTNFalpha) mRNA has been constructed. In vitro studies showed that this ribozyme was released from the parent molecule by flanking cis-acting hammerhead and hairpin ribozymes. This same anti-mTNFalpha ribozyme specifically cleaved both synthetically derived substrate RNA and mTNFalpha mRNA within a pool of total cellular RNA. Endogenous delivery of this anti-mTNFalpha ribozyme via the self-cleaving cassette reduced mTNFalpha mRNA and protein levels in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated, stably transfected murine macrophage RAW 264.7 cells. When complexed to liposomes and exogenously delivered to mouse peritoneal macrophages, the same ribozyme, with and without the cis-acting ribozymes, reduced mTNFalpha protein levels. However, an irrelevant ribozyme delivered in an identical fashion was also effective at reducing mTNFalpha protein levels. These data suggest that anti-mTNFalpha ribozymes can be constructed which efficiently cleave mTNFalpha mRNA, but irrelevant RNA/liposome complexes also effectively limit TNFalpha mRNA expression and can mimic functional ribozyme activity under in vitro conditions.
The influence of wave frequency and wave height on the behaviour of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in cages

Abstract The understanding of the behaviour of fish in cages is limited, yet is important for the efficient management of farmed fish. The feeding, swimming and social activity of rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss , in two cage types (rigid-cage and bag-cage), was video-taped under various wave conditions in a large wave tank. Results indicated that the amount of time spent swimming and the number of interactions between fish were significantly positively correlated with wave frequency and height. The effect of wave frequency and height on the distance between individuals and their distribution patterns was also significantly correlated. The effect of wave frequency on all the variables was stronger than the effect of wave height, and appears to be important in modifying behaviour. The influence of wave frequency and height on swimming and social interaction was higher in the bag-cage than in the rigid-cage, probably because the rigid structure of the cage dissipated some of the wave energy which resulted in less stress on the fish.
Comparing Empires: Manchu Colonialism

(1998). Comparing Empires: Manchu Colonialism. The International History Review: Vol. 20, No. 2, pp. 255-262.
Association of a 5S gene transcription factor with 5S RNA and altered levels of the factor during cell differentiation

Abstract We have previously purified from Xenopus ovaries a protein factor (TF IIIA) which is necessary for the accurate in vitro transcription of 5S RNA genes. We now report that this factor (a 5S gene transcription effector) is identical by immunological, chemical and functional criteria to the protein associated with 5S RNA (the gene product) as a 7S ribonucleo-protein (RNP) complex in immature oocytes. After oocyte maturation, TF IIIA is no longer detectable functionally or immunologically in unfertilized eggs, which do not synthesize 5S RNA in vitro. Moreover, we cannot detect TF IIIA immunologically in extracts from Xenopus somatic cells which, nevertheless, efficiently transcribe 5S genes.
Human tryptamine metabolism decreases during night sleep

Fourteen healthy male volunteers took part in a study which aimed to determine whether utilization of tryptamine changes in relation to sleep and wakefulness. For this purpose urine samples were collected every 4 hr and urinary tryptamine and indoleacetic acid (IAA) were determined by fluorometric and spectrophotometric methods. Urinary concentration of IAA progressively increased during the day and fell during the night when subjects were asleep but not when subjects were awake. This evidence indicates that behavioral state rather than circadian variation determines the level of urinary IAA. Tryptamine (T) concentration also progressively increased during the day and continued to increase during the night. The mean log10 (IAA/T) ratio indicates that tryptamine metabolism decreases during the night when subjects are asleep. Therefore, human sleep may be associated with diminished activity of peripheral tryptamine.
Max-weight scheduling in networks with heavy-tailed traffic

We consider the problem of packet scheduling in a single-hop network with a mix of heavy-tailed and light-tailed traffic, and analyze the impact of heavy-tailed traffic on the performance of Max-Weight scheduling. As a performance metric we use the delay stability of traffic flows: a traffic flow is delay stable if its expected steady-state delay is finite, and delay unstable otherwise. First, we show that a heavy-tailed traffic flow is delay unstable under any scheduling policy. Then, we focus on the celebrated Max-Weight scheduling policy, and show that a light-tailed flow that conflicts with a heavy-tailed flow is also delay unstable. This is true irrespective of the rate or the tail distribution of the light-tailed flow, or other scheduling constraints in the network. Surprisingly, we show that a light-tailed flow can be delay unstable, even when it does not conflict with heavy-tailed traffic. Furthermore, delay stability in this case may depend on the rate of the light-tailed flow. Finally, we turn our attention to the class of Max-Weight-α scheduling policies; we show that if the α-parameters are chosen suitably, then the sum of the α-moments of the steady-state queue lengths is finite. We provide an explicit upper bound for the latter quantity, from which we derive results related to the delay stability of traffic flows, and the scaling of moments of steady-state queue lengths with traffic intensity.
Temporal changes in heart size, hematocrit and erythrocyte membrane protein in copper-deficient rats

Abstract The temporal relationship between Cu depletion and the development of anemia, cardiac hypertrophy and altered erythrocyte membrane protein composition was investigated. Male, weanling Sprague-Dawley rats were fed diets containing either
Financial Management Practices of Couples with Great Marriages

The purpose of this qualitative study was to learn about financial management practices of 64 self-selected couples from throughout the United States who believe they have great marriages. Three themes emerged from the data. First, for most couples one of the partners handled the day-to-day finances and that required trust and communication. Second, these couples had little or no debt or had a goal of paying off debt. Third, couples lived within their means and were frugal. Other findings described these couples’ practices of having joint or separate accounts, how they dealt with financial challenges, and their view of other couples having financial challenges.
Water or slime? A platform for automating water treatment systems: poster abstract

Worldwide, the availability of water is increasingly becoming a political and environmental concern. With a quarter of the world's population living downstream of the receding Himalayan glaciers [1], tensions over availability of fresh water supplies will only rise in the coming years. Surprisingly, few technical solutions have arisen to rein in wasteful water consumption or pollution. In fact, society has a poor understanding about the causes of wasteful consumption and pollution patterns at the heart of these concerns. With Emonix H2O, we aim to provide a platform for municipalities in developing and developed regions to identify and control sources of waste in water distribution and treatment systems. Emonix H2O provides users with a high-level understanding about water consumption patterns by tracking flow rate and water quality across multiple locations in real time. In a pilot deployment, we demonstrate that simply making system maintainers aware of malfunctions in treatment equipment can drastically reduce waste and pollution.
Meta-Analysis of Single-Case Design Research on Self-Regulatory Interventions for Academic Performance

The current study examined the effects of self-regulatory interventions on reading, writing, and math by conducting a meta-analysis of single-case design research. Self-regulatory interventions have promise as an effective approach that is both minimally invasive and involves minimal resources. Effects of the interventions were analyzed by academic subject, grade, educational placement, and the number of sessions. Results indicated that self-regulatory strategies showed promise in addressing academic issues in the areas of reading, writing, and math regardless of age, grade, educational placement, and intervention length.
Tiling DNA microarrays for fly genome cartography.

Full-genome tiling arrays provide powerful biological evidence to support gene predictions and suggest the need for new and improved annotations. New studies using tiling arrays of the Drosophila melanogaster genome show that 85% of the fly genome is transcribed and processed into mature transcripts, representing 30% of the fly genome.
The Effect of Temperature on Gelation Time for Polyacrylamide/Chromium (III) Systems

Gelled polymers are being applied to modify the movement of injected fluids in the vicinity of injection and production wells in secondary and enhanced oil-recovery projects. One approach to gelation is to form a bulk gel in situ by injecting a slug of a polyacrylamide polymer solution containing chromium(VI) followed by a polymer slug containing a reducing agent such as sodium bisulfite. Upon mixing, CR(VI) is reduced to Cr(III), and in the subsequent reaction a gel is formed. The gelation time controls the volume of fluid that can be injected in the treatment and thus is an important variable in the process. Gelation time is known to be a function of the concentration of the reactants (chromium ion, reducing agent, and polymer) as well as the polymer type, and some data relating these variables to gelation time have been reported. Another variable affecting the reaction rate is temperature, but no data relating gelation time and temperature have been published. The purposes of the work described in this paper were to obtain experimental data on the effect of temperature on gelation time for typical polyacrylamide/Cr(III) gel systems over the range of temperatures commonly encountered in reservoirs and to develop a methodmore » of correlating the data. Gelation times were measured for five different polymers, including polymers with various degrees of hydrolysis and polymers with nonionic, anionic, and cationic character. The temperature range was 25 to 80/sup 0/C. Polymer, metal ion, and redox system concentrations and salinity also were varied. It was determined that, for a given polymer-reducing agent system at a specified concentration, the gelation time decreases as temperature is increased. The data were correlated in a manner analogous to the Arrhenius method of correlating chemical reaction rate data.« less
A study of object relations in a case of ulcerative colitis

Summary A case report of a patient with acute, fulminating ulcerative colitis has been presented. The present day psychiatric theories of ulcerative colitis have been briefly reviewed. An unusual form of object relation (a dog as key object or primary attachment) is strongly suggested by the data of this case.
Trade and dominion: The European oversea empires in the eighteenth century,

Between the mid-15th and the mid-18th century, every European country bordering the Atlantic (and some that did not) acquired land overseas. But, as these imperial powers rushed to grab colonies, the world began to grow too small for these competing adventurers. Continuing the story he began in The Age of Reconnaissance, the author of the highly praised History of Civilization series now deals with the second phase of empire--its expanded operations, collisions, mutinies, alterations of course, and changing attitude toward the subject races.
Dutch Elm Disease and Botanical Variation in English Elm

THE severe outbreaks of Dutch elm disease (Ceratocystis ulmi) in parts of southern England have not followed the pattern of earlier occurrences, and continue to cause concern. Features of particular interest are the possible effects of the disease in reducing the range of botanical variation in the English elm, and the extent to which the distributions of elm species have themselves influenced the intensity and extent of the outbreaks. It is generally agreed that the major division of the English elms is between Ulmus glabra Huds. (Ug), native in the north of England and more sporadic in the south, and the Ulmus minor and Ulmus procera complex. Until recently, U. minor has been referred to as U. carpinifolia Glad., and, together with U. procera, is probably native to southern Europe. The presence of the two species in England, where they seldom set seed, is most easily explained by human introduction from late pre-Roman time onwards. U. minor and U. procera are usually distinguishable in England. Hybrids between U. glabra and U. minor are well known, and Richens1,2 has suggested that hybrids may also occur between U. procera and U. glabra as well as between U. minor and U. procera.
Crack path simulation and identification in polycrystalline alumina

Abstract A transgranular crack is observed in polycrystalline alumina (Lucalox). By a 2-D calculation, it is proposed that surface crack propagation is dominated by the grain cleavage plane rather than the high residual stresses from processing.
High Output Saturation and High-Linearity Uni-Traveling-Carrier Waveguide Photodiodes

Waveguide uni-traveling-carrier photodiodes (UTC-PDs) have been fabricated and tested. Output saturation currents greater than 40 mA at 1 GHz are demonstrated for a 10 mumtimes150mum photodiode (PD). The third-order intermodulation distortion is also measured and exhibits a third-order output intercept point of 43 dBm at 20 mA and 34 dBm at 40 mA for this same PD. UTC-PDs with geometries of 5 mumtimes100 mum and 10 mumtimes100 mum are also compared and it is shown that a wider waveguide PD has improved saturation characteristics due to the lower optical power density which reduces the saturation at the front end of the device
A Test Partitioning Technique for Scheduling Tests for Thermally Constrained 3D Integrated Circuits

Increasing design complexity coupled with new design and manufacturing techniques being used for modern integrate circuits is creating challenges for test environment. The goal of system-on chip (SoC) test scheduling has always been to reduce test application time. Added design constraints for SoC environment are making this scheduling more difficult. This difficulty is increased by manufacturing techniques like 3D stacked integrated circuits. Traditional test schedules for 3D stacked ICs can be either prohibitively long or may not exist without resorting to test partitioning. Partitioning methods proposed in literature have been ad hoc or simplistic. This paper presents a test partitioning method specifically designed for thermally constrained tests for the purpose of reducing test application time of 3D stacked integrated circuits under temperature constraint. The efficiency of the method is demonstrated by comparing it to the ad hoc methods previously investigated in the literature.
Transparent query caching in peer-to-peer overlay networks

Peer-to-peer (p2p) systems such as Gnutella and KaZaa are routinely used by millions of people for sharing music and many other files over the Internet, and they account for a significant portion of the Internet traffic. The p2p traffic can be broken down into two categories: protocol messages for maintaining and searching the overlay p2p network, and data messages for downloading data files. This paper makes the following two contributions. First, we present a study of the locality in the collective Gnutella query protocol messages being initiated and forwarded by servants within the same organization. Second, we propose a transparent query caching scheme to reduce the bandwidth consumed by p2p traffic going in and out of the gateway of an organization. Our locality measurements show that there is significant locality in the collective queries going through a gateway forwarded by servants behind that gateway, and the locality increases with the population of those servants. Our proposed transparent caching scheme preserves the user experience, i.e., users continue to use the same servants as before, and queries result in similar query hits with or without the caching running. Measurements of our transparent caching proxy in an experimental testbed of eight passive Gnutella servants in a LAN has shown a query cache hit rate of up to 63%, an uplink query traffic reduction of up to 62%, and a downlink query hit traffic reduction of up to 12% at the gateway.
The Requisites: Nuclear Medicine

H.A. Ziessman, J.P. O’Malley, J.H. Thrall, and F.H. Fahey, Eds. Philadelphia, PA: Saunders, 452 pages, $93.75 This book is an organized overview of nuclear medicine pertinent to clinical practice and has been one of the most popular textbooks for trainees in nuclear medicine and radiology since
Vision-guided mobile robot navigation using retroactive updating of position uncertainty

The authors describe a vision-guided mobile robot navigation that allows a mobile robot to navigate indoors at speeds of approximately 10 m/min in the presence of obstacles. This system uses empirically constructed models of the dependence of robot-motion-uncertainties on commanded motions for vision-based self-location and for the planning of future motions toward the goal. The vision processes are model-based and use a Kalman filter to reduce the uncertainties in the position of the robot as the landmarks in the scene are matched with features extracted from the images. Position updating using vision is retroactive in the sense that the robot does not wait for the results of vision processing to become available. When the vision results do become available, the robot then retroactively updates the positional uncertainties. In addition to this retroactive updating feature, another major difference between the FINALE system of Kosaka and Kak (1992) and the work reported here is that now the authors are able to execute multiple tasks concurrently. >
CT Imaging of Myocardial Perfusion and Viability: Future Perspectives

The notion of evidence-based medicine (EBM) has transformed the science and practice of medicine substantially over the past decades. EBM has been defined as “the conscientious, explicit and judicious use of current best evidence in making decisions about the care of individual patients" (Sackett et al. 1996). EBM thus demands that medical procedures be justified by objective measures of performance. This general trend in healthcare has long been ignored by the radiological field, with the formal concept of evidence-based radiology (EBR), only recently established (Evidence-Based Radiology Working Group 2001; Sheehan et al. 2007; Collins 2007; Malone 2007; Dodd et al. 2004). At least in part, this may be explained by the conceptual framework of EBM, which is primarily designed to assess the efficacy of therapeutic procedures, such as pharmacological, surgical, or other interventions. Many criteria used to assess the quality of studies and levels of evidence in EBM are not directly applicable to diagnostic imaging.
Mechanical control of cation channels in the myogenic response

Microcirculatory vessel response to changes in pressure, known as the myogenic response, is a key component of a tissue's ability to regulate blood flow. Experimental studies have not clearly elucidated the mechanical signal in the vessel wall governing steady-state reduction in vessel diameter upon an increase in intraluminal pressure. In this study, a multiscale computational model is constructed from established models of vessel wall mechanics, vascular smooth muscle (VSM) force generation, and VSM Ca2+ handling and electrophysiology to compare the plausibility of vessel wall stress or strain as an effective mechanical signal controlling steady-state vascular contraction in the myogenic response. It is shown that, at the scale of a resistance vessel, wall stress, and not stretch (strain), is the likely physiological signal controlling the steady-state myogenic response. The model is then used to test nine candidate VSM stress-controlled channel variants by fitting two separate sets of steady-state myogenic response data. The channel variants include nonselective cation (NSC), supplementary Ca2+ and Na+, L-type Ca2+, and large conductance Ca2+-activated K+ channels. The nine variants are tested in turn, and model fits suggest that stress control of Ca2+ or Na+ influx through NSC, supplementary Ca2+ or Na+, or L-type Ca2+ channels is sufficient to produce observed steady-state diameter changes with pressure. However, simulations of steady-state VSM membrane potential, cytosolic Ca2+, and Na+ with pressure show only that Na+ influx through NSC channel also generates known trends with increasing pressure, indicating that stress-controlled Na+ influx through NSC is sufficient to generate the myogenic response.