cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Aortic root replacement with Medtronic Freestyle bioprosthesis: 25-year experience.

Background Stentless porcine bioprothesis is a surgical strategy to treat aortic root disease. Use has been limited due to the concern for long-term valve degeneration. This study evaluated the perioperative and late outcomes of patients with aortic root disease requiring root replacement. Methods A total of 409 patients underwent aortic root replacement by a single surgeon using a stentless porcine bioroot between February 1996 and May 2020. The cohort was divided into two groups (age ≤65 and >65 years). Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data and Kaplan-Meier curves used to evaluate long-term outcomes. Results Patients age >65 years were more likely to be female (p = .01), have hypertension (p = .01), require circulatory arrest (p = .01), and have concomitant coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) (p = .04). Baseline creatinine >1.8 (p = .20), diabetes (p = .06), and ejection fraction (p = .20) were similar between groups. The 1-, 5-, and 10-year survival for patients age ≤65 years were 92%, 87%, and 69%, respectively, significantly better than patients age >65 (88%, 73%, and 43%, respectively) (p 65 years, respectively (p = .24). Conclusion Patients with aortic root disease can be treated with acceptable perioperative outcomes, long-term survival, and low reoperation rates using a stentless porcine bioprothesis. It should be considered irrespective of age due to its excellent durability and freedom from anti-coagulation requirement.
Healthcare to the Home: Enabling Distributed Health Service Delivery by Removing Barriers to Entrepreneurial Exploration

Increasing the overall share of health services provided directly to the home constitutes a significant—and as yet mostly unrealized—opportunity to improve healthcare in the United States. Home healthcare as I define it in this paper includes four service models: (1) medical house calls or home-based primary care, (2) health agency care or peer-to-peer health service delivery, (3) telehealth or remote medicine and mobile health (mHealth), and (4) exponential technologies for healthcare. Key to realizing the benefits of healthcare to the home is to remove barriers to entrepreneurial exploration that historically have constrained the evolution of service models in the healthcare industry, notably (1) labor market barriers to entry (e.g., licensing and certification requirements or scope-of-practice rules) and (2) technical barriers to entry (e.g., regulatory approvals, standards for interoperability).
Long-term Thermo-hydraulic Response of the Shallow Subsurface soil in the Vicinity of a Buried Horizontal Heat Source

Abstract Heat and mass transfer in the shallow subsurface and in the vicinity of buried heat sources has been often studied based on rather simplifying assumptions, such as the Equilibrium Phase Change (EPC), disregarding film flow, and adsorptive soil-water characteristics. In this study, a fully coupled non-isothermal multiphase flow model is developed that utilizes the Non-equilibrium Phase Change (NEPC) approach. First, the performance of the EPC and NEPC approaches is assessed and validated against the in-field experimental data. The second and main objective of this study is to analyze the thermo-hydraulic response of granular soil close to a buried horizontal heat source (e.g., electrical cables) for one year under real meteorological conditions. Numerical results indicate that the NEPC model has higher robustness in predicting the volumetric water content in the soil close to the soil-atmospheric boundary. However, NEPC and EPC approaches estimate the same temperature variations in the soil. In the case of precipitation (e.g., rainfall), the NEPC model predicts higher degrees of saturation in deeper soil in which the infiltrated water reaches 150 cm below the surface, while, in the EPC model, the infiltrated water barely reaches the 100 cm depth. The increase in moisture content close to the heat source facilitates the heat transfer in the medium and thus results in a 40% to 50% reduction in soil temperature close to the heat source. An accurate prediction of the soil moisture content in the medium is needed to evaluate the performance and thermal capacity of buried electrical cables. Furthermore, the heating/cooling cycles contribute to gradually drying the soil in the vicinity of the heater until the hydraulically equilibrated condition is attained.
Behaviors of the corvids towards common buzzard Buteo buteo on urban and extra-urban areas of the Mazowieckie Province.

Behaviors of the corvids towards common buzzard Buteo buteo on urban and extra-urban areas of the Mazowieckie Province. The study was based on observations of birds of the crow family (Corvidae) since May till November, during intensive training of a raptor common buzzard Buteo buteo on various areas – urban and extra-urban, of the Mazowieckie Province at various times of the day. A distinct difference was noted in the activity of the corvids depending on land development. In the study period, 305 birds were recorded, the majority of which (n = 276) were noted on the urban area, which constituted 91% of all birds observed in the entire study period. The evaluation was also signifi cantly affected by day time. In the afternoon hours, the activity of birds towards common buzzard was signifi cantly higher and reached 65% on average. A lower activity of the birds was observed on extra-urban areas where representatives of the crow family – Eurasian jay Garrulus glandarius and Eurasian magpie Pica pica – showed minimal interest in the bird of prey. They were undertaking individual attempts of scaring the raptor off, without intensive alerting signals and calling other individuals.
A Philosophy of the Patellofemoral Joint: A Logical Clinical Approach

A philosophy or pathomechanical and pathophysiological theory of the patellofemoral joint is described which leads to a logical etiology-based clinical classification, provides a framework for measurement and analysis of the six anatomic abnormalities that affect the normal function of the patellofemoral joint, and presents a simple and logical approach to treatment, both operative and non-operative. This theory, based on the careful clinical measurement of these six potential abnormalities, is also able to explain the two major symptoms of patellofemoral disorders, anterior knee pain and patellar instability, using available scientific data.
Analyzing computer applications in national collegiate athletic association's men's basketball programs

The purpose of this investigation was to analyze and evaluate the use of computers in the administration of men's basketball programs of the National Collegiate Athletic Association and to determine the effectiveness of the specific computer applications and software used in those programs. A comparison of the institutions' divisional status and the computer availability and usage was analyzed. The effectiveness of the use of the computer to the organization of the basketball program was analyzed. The effectiveness of the use of the computer to the success in terms of team record of the basketball program was analyzed. The software applications other than the basic functions of word processing, database managing, and spreadsheet operating were also examined and analyzed. The effectiveness of the individual categories of computer usage was analyzed. The sample size for this study was 740, the number of Division I, II and III institutions that are members of the NCAA. Out of the 740 institutions, 292 (39.5%) schools returned the questionnaire. The study indicates that 89.4% of the institutions use computers in the administration of their programs. 97.9% of these institutions indicated that the use of computers is valuable, very valuable, or extremely valuable. 88.0% of these institutions indicated that hours spent using the computer in the basketball office were hours spent efficiently and effectively. The study indicated that Division I institutions had more resources, more personnel, and more computers available to them than Division II or III. There was no relationship between the effectiveness of the computer and the success of the team in terms of team winning percentage. The study found that 86.2% of the computer application categories, 89.2% of the custom computer applications, and 92.7% of the basketball web sites were very valuable and effective in the administration of the basketball program. The schools that responded to this questionnaire have demonstrated that using computers in the administration of the men's basketball program is a valuable and an effective means of maintaining an effective program.
Detection of small moving objects in image sequences using multistage hypothesis testing

The detection of small, low-contrast, moving objects in a time sequence of digital images is addressed. Since object positions and velocities are unknown, a large number of candidate trajectories, organized into a tree-structure, are hypothesized at each pixel. At each 'root' image pixel, trajectory extensions are mapped to tree nodes. Pixels along a trajectory are tested sequentially for a shift in mean intensity using multistage hypothesis testing (MHT). The MHT is designed according to prespecified error probabilities. Exact, closed-form expressions for MHT test performance are derived and then applied to predicting the algorithm's computation and memory requirements. Under a Gaussian white noise background assumption it is shown theoretically that over 4000 candidate trajectories per pixel are tested using an average of only 30 additions and threshold comparisons. >
Validity of Panoramic Radiographs for Measuring Mandibular Asymmetry

The objective of this study is to evaluate the accuracy of panoramic radiographs for diagnosing vertical asymmetry of the posterior mandible. The first part of the study used a model to evaluate the reproducibility of this particular panoramic machine. The tube traverse did not significantly affect the linear measurements, but the side of the machine where the structure was located produced an average of 2.1% variation in the total height of the mandible. In the second part of the study, the left-right (%) differences were measured on the panoramics and the laminographs of five skulls with lead markers. These differences were compared with the percent difference measured directly on the skull and with each other and suggested that the laminograph could be used as the "gold standard" for measuring posterior vertical mandibular asymmetry. The third part of the study evaluated a patient sample (N = 42). The correlation coefficient between the two types of films was determined to be 0.92 for total height and 0.39 for condyle height. Using the 6% cutoff reported in the literature, the sensitivity of the panoramics to diagnose asymmetry for the total height was determined to be 0.62 and the specificity 1.0. This study suggests that the panoramic radiograph can be used to evaluate vertical posterior mandibular asymmetry, but there will be some underdiagnosis.
2015 Professor's Update to Antitrust Analysis: Problems, Text, and Cases

This update applies to the Seventh Edition (2013) of Areeda, Kaplow & Edlin, Antitrust Analysis: Problems, Text, and Cases.
Effect of gentamicin on heparin activity

The importance of the effect of gentamicin on heparin activity was investigated. Heparin activity was assessed using the activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), thrombin clotting time (TCT), and Factor X heparin assay. Drug concentrations used were 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, and 0.4 units/ml heparin with 40, 80, and 400 microgram/ml gentamicin, in vitro in human plasma. The drugs were precipitated at concentrations of 10, 20, 30, and 40 units/ml heparin with 4 and 40 mg/ml gentamicin. After centrifuging, the supernate was diluted to 0.1-0.4 units/ml heparin for assay. There was no change in heparin activity in the presence of gentamicin (in the unprecipitated solutions) as measured by the TCT, Factor X assay, and the APTT; however, APTT was prolonged by gentamicin. In the precipitated samples, heparin activity was lost in the precipitate. No significant clinical interaction that would affect the therapeutic efficacy of heparin was demonstrated except for a pharmaceutical incompatibility between gentamicin and heparin. The APTT, performed with ellagic acid as an activator, is prolonged by gentamicin.
Effect of the chlorinated hydrocarbons heptachlor, chlordane, and toxaphene on retinoblastoma tumor suppressor in human lymphocytes

Abstract Organochlorine use over the past 50 years has resulted in the contamination of soil, water, plant and animal species. This contamination has created a long-lasting environmental problem, as the members of the organochlorine class of pesticides are resistant to degradation and have been labeled as persistent bioaccumulators. Studies have shown certain organochlorines to be tumor promoters, liver toxicants and to induce immune cell dysfunction in rats and mice. Our laboratory has shown that the organochlorines heptachlor and chlordane affect leukocytic gene expression and differentiation. In this study, experiments with CEM×174 cells, a hybrid of human T and B cells, were performed to investigate the effects of the tumor promoter heptachlor and its congeners chlordane and toxaphene on retinoblastoma (Rb) gene expression. The results indicated that heptachlor, chlordane or toxaphene, in the range of 10–50 μM, were able to reduce Rb protein levels in a concentration-dependent manner. In the case of heptachlor, the reduction could be seen as early as 12 h and was time-dependent. Analysis of Rb mRNA levels revealed no detectable difference over the same concentration range. These results suggest that members of the organochlorine class are able to downregulate Rb expression at the post-transcriptional level, an effect similar to that on p53 tumor suppressor previously reported by our laboratory.
A numerical method for systems of hyperbolic conservation laws with single stencil reconstructions

Abstract A numerical method for systems of hyperbolic conservation laws is presented. It uses a single stencil for all components of a system of hyperbolic conservation law for reconstructions. The solution to a generalized Riemann problem is approximated by a solution to a Riemann problem plus Lagrangian interpolations. The method requires only one evaluation of a Riemann problem per grid point, per time step which is comparable to the first-order Godunov method, while produces solutions with significantly better resolution than results of the Godunov method. Numerical tests are calculated for the system of equations for gas dynamics.
Fully digital image sensor employing delta-sigma indirect feedback ADC with high-sensitivity to low-light illuminations for astronomical imaging applications

We describe a CMOS image sensor with column-parallel delta-sigma (ΔΣ) analog-to-digital converter (ADC). The design employs three transistor pixels (3T 1 ) where the unique configuration of the ΔΣ ADC reduces the noise contribution of the readout transistor. A 128 x 128 pixel image sensor prototype is fabricated in 0.35μm TSMC technology. The reset noise and the offset fixed pattern noise (FPN) are removed in the digital domain. The measured readout noise is 37.8μV for an exposure time of 33ms. The low readout noise allows an improved low light response in comparison to other state-of-art designs. The design is suitable for applications demanding excellent low-light response such as astronomical imaging. The sensor has a measured intra-scene dynamic range (DR) of 91 dB, and a peak signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of 54 dB.
Knowledge-based adaptive neural control of drum level in a boiler system

A boiler system is an integral component of a thermal power plant, and control of the water level in the drum of the boiler system is a critical operational consideration. For the drum level control, a 3-element proportional-integral-derivative (PID) control is a popular conventional approach. This scheme works satisfactorily in the absence of any process disturbances. However, when there are significant process disturbances, the 3-element PID control scheme does not perform well because of lack of knowledge of proper controller gains to cope with such disturbances. Inevitably over time and use, PID controllers get detuned. Hence, there is good motivation to investigate alternatives to this control scheme. Multivariable control of drum boiler systems has been studied by many researchers. However, these approaches assume some process model equations (to a more or less extent) to design a controller. This paper presents a model-free approach in the sense that no plant equations are assumed. Only data is used to gain knowledge about the process, and the performance of the existing PID control scheme is observed. Based on this process knowledge, an intelligent control technique is developed, (artificial) neural network control (NNC). The technique proposed in this paper was tested on a process simulator. This paper shows that an intelligent control scheme such as NNC gives better performance in rejecting process disturbances when compared to 3-element PID control scheme.© (1995) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Behavior of the wall-jet clay-modified electrode

Abstract A WJ configuration for the CME was investigated. The steady state behavior of a clay film is consistent with its behavior in quiescent solutions and suggests that the equilibrium state of the film following swelling in different electrolyte + solvent solutions can be monitored at a single CME without external transfer of the electrode. The film retains a memory of its swollen state and resists removal of water even in the presence of high concentrations of NaCl. These results have important implications for the use of CME in permeation experiments, in that the film retains a memory of its swelling history. The kinetics of swelling of the clay can be followed, but the data are convoluted with the time required to displace the stagnant layer from the surface of the electrode.
Cultural Interpretations of Child Discipline: Voices of African American Scholars

The disciplinary practices of African American parents have been the subject of much debate and commentary in the social science literature. However writings of African American scholars are overlo...
Structural origin of relaxor perovskites

Abstract Relaxor behavior of a diffuse phase transition and large frequency dispersion requires a small and broadly distributed activation barrier for interstate transitions. This can best be realized in a relatively random environment that apparently is provided by many complex perovskites, including those containing Pb. On the other hand, while the presence of Pb with its lone-pair electron and large polarizability certainly enhances ferroelectric interactions and increases the bias for the requisite interstate transition in the relatively random environment, there is also the possibility of a strong coupling between Pb and ferroelectrically active B cations through oxygen bonding that can raise the activation barrier. To resolve this issue, EXAFS data are presented to provide evidence that Pb is actually attracted to the larger B′ cations which are usually ferroelectrically inactive, leaving the smaller B″ cations which are ferroelectrically active relatively free of PbOB″ coupling. This observation explains why many Pb-containing complex perovskites are relaxors. In addition, the recognition of the dominant role of Pb and the size preference in PbOB bonding naturally leads to several important predictions regarding the type of ordering, the hierarchy of symmetry, and the effects of cation alloying. These predictions are compared with the experimental data of a large number of Pb- and Bi-containing complex perovskites and are found in broad confirmation.
A comparison of natural and human determinants of phytoplankton communities in the Kentucky River basin, USA

Physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of the Kentucky River and its tributaries were assessed for one year to compare effects of seasonal, spatial, and human environmental factors on phytoplankton. Phytoplankton cell densities were highest in the fall and summer and lowest in the winter. Cell densities averaged 1162 (± 289 SE) cells m1−1. Cell densities were positively correlated to water temperature and negatively correlated to dissolved oxygen concentration and to factors associated with high-flow conditions (such as, suspended sediment concentrations). Chrysophytes, diatoms, and blue-green algae dominated winter, spring, and summer assemblages, respectively. Ordination analyses (DCCA) indicated that variation in taxonomic composition of assemblages was associated with stream size as well as season.
Youth perceptions of a caring climate, emotional regulation, and psychological well-being.

The purpose of this study was to examine the mediational effect of perceived affective self-regulatory efficacy on the relationship between youth sport participants' perceived caring climate and their mental well-being. Three hundred and 95 participants (mean age = 11.80 ± 1.54 years) from a Nationa
Fuzzy concepts in production management research: a review

SUMMARY The use of fuzzy methodologies is an efficient way of accounting for vagueness in human judgment. This paper illustrates potential applications of fuzzy methodologies to various areas of production management including new product development, facilities planning, human production management, production scheduling and inventory control, quality and industrial process control, and cost/benefit analysis. In addition, important areas for new research are discussed.
Cheating, Breakup, and Divorce: Is Facebook Use to Blame?

Abstract The purpose of the present study was to investigate the relationship between using the social networking site known as Facebook and negative interpersonal relationship outcomes. A survey of 205 Facebook users aged 18–82 was conducted using a 16-question online survey to examine whether high levels of Facebook use predicted negative relationship outcomes (breakup/divorce, emotional cheating, and physical cheating). It was hypothesized that those with higher levels of Facebook use would demonstrate more negative relationship outcomes than those with lower use. The study then examined whether these relationships were mediated by Facebook-related conflict. Furthermore, the researchers examined length of relationship as a moderator variable in the aforementioned model. The results indicate that a high level of Facebook usage is associated with negative relationship outcomes, and that these relationships are indeed mediated by Facebook-related conflict. This series of relationships only holds for those...
A chemical instability mechanism for asymmetric cell differentiation.

Abstract We propose a mechanism of asymmetric mitosis applicable for cells even without inherent architectural asymmetry and in the presence of symmetric conditions such as a homogeneous environment. The theory is based on the instability of the symmetric development in time of the prospective daughters of a cell in mitosis. The macroscopic equations of chemical reaction, diffusion, and permeation of the various chemical species in the cell are given formal expression, and are then linearized about the symmetric development in order to test the stability to asymmetric perturbations. Instability to such perturbations indicates the deterministic onset of asymmetric division (differentiation). Only small external gradients of concentration, temperature, light, etc. are necessary to polarize the asymmetry for the purpose of a particular morphology. The theory is compared qualitatively with experiments on melanocytogenesis, is used to suggest new experiments, and is proposed as a possible alternative to other mechanisms. Possible application of the theory to the experiments on the first division in the egg of Fucus is considered. Finally, a simple model of a product-enhanced reaction mechanism is developed in detail which shows that the history of the initial preparation of the cell prior to mitosis may play a role in determining the possibility of asymmetric division.
Selenium: Epidemiology and Basic Science

ABSTRACTPurpose: The trace element selenium, a constituent of antioxidant enzymes, has been proposed as a chemopreventive agent for prostate and other cancers.Materials and Methods: Published epidemiological and scientific studies relating to the potential clinical and molecular role of selenium in preventing cancer are reviewed and summarized. A unifying hypothesis underlying observations on the effect of selenium on early events in carcinogenesis is presented.Results: A large body of epidemiological evidence, including observational, case-control, cohort and randomized controlled clinical trials, support the proposition that selenium may prevent prostate cancer in humans. The available data suggest a beneficial effect for men with low baseline serum or toenail selenium levels, without preexisting tumors, with serum prostate specific antigen less than 4 ng/ml and in current or former smokers. Molecular data demonstrate that selenium prevents clonal expansion of nascent tumors by causing cell cycle arrest...
Evidence for synchronous activation of neurons located in different layers of primary somatosensory cortex.

Although many studies have examined the columnar organization of primary somatosensory (SI) cortex, the functional relationship among neurons in different layers remains unclear. To understand how activity is coordinated among different cortical layers, the present investigation tested the hypothesis that the initial part of a peripheral stimulus produces a serial pattern of laminar activation in SI cortex. Extracellular discharges of 334 histologically recovered neurons were recorded from the medial bank of the coronal sulcus in nine anesthetized cats during electrical or cutaneous stimulation of the distal forelimb. Mean responses during the initial 50-msec period following stimulus onset were largest in layers IIIb or IV for both types of stimulation, but laminar differences in the magnitude of onset responses were not statistically significant. Among 175 neurons with responses exceeding 0.5 spikes per stimulus, electrical Stimulation consistently produced shorter response latencies than mechanical ind...
Microfluidic Thrombosis under Multiple Shear Rates and Antiplatelet Therapy Doses

The mainstay of treatment for thrombosis, the formation of occlusive platelet aggregates that often lead to heart attack and stroke, is antiplatelet therapy. Antiplatelet therapy dosing and resistance are poorly understood, leading to potential incorrect and ineffective dosing. Shear rate is also suspected to play a major role in thrombosis, but instrumentation to measure its influence has been limited by flow conditions, agonist use, and non-systematic and/or non-quantitative studies. In this work we measured occlusion times and thrombus detachment for a range of initial shear rates (500, 1500, 4000, and 10000 s−1) and therapy concentrations (0–2.4 µM for eptifibatide, 0–2 mM for acetyl-salicylic acid (ASA), 3.5–40 Units/L for heparin) using a microfluidic device. We also measured complete blood counts (CBC) and platelet activity using whole blood impedance aggregometry. Effects of shear rate and dose were analyzed using general linear models, logistic regressions, and Cox proportional hazards models. Shear rates have significant effects on thrombosis/dose-response curves for all tested therapies. ASA has little effect on high shear occlusion times, even at very high doses (up to 20 times the recommended dose). Under ASA therapy, thrombi formed at high shear rates were 4 times more prone to detachment compared to those formed under control conditions. Eptifibatide reduced occlusion when controlling for shear rate and its efficacy increased with dose concentration. In contrast, the hazard of occlusion from ASA was several orders of magnitude higher than that of eptifibatide. Our results show similar dose efficacy to our low shear measurements using whole blood aggregometry. This quantitative and statistically validated study of the effects of a wide range of shear rate and antiplatelet therapy doses on occlusive thrombosis contributes to more accurate understanding of thrombosis and to models for optimizing patient treatment.
A Procedure for Assessing Biological Effects of Power Plants on Fish

Abstract We have devised a procedure to assess the biological effects of power plants on fish populations. It entails the derivation of a probable model not necessarily a mathematical model coded for a computer which is modified during the course of field monitoring studies initiated in the preconstruction (preoperational) period. A negotiating committee is advocated to assure good quality and appropriate studies. The advantages of our plan are sixfold: 1. Field monitoring will be terminated after an agreed time unless inadequate studies are conducted. 2. Imaginative scientists, currently supervising routine monitoring, can design and conduct studies that investigate key questions in population ecology. 3. Both statisticians and modelers have the opportunity to suggest or institute new field work. 4. The use of litigation to establish and assess the adequacy of current monitoring programs, where the burden of proof is on the utility, is by-passed, and instead the aim is to obtain a “reasonable resolution”...
Scrutinizing the Heat: On Ethnic Myths and The Importance of Shoe Leather1

poor, disproportionately African American, and isolated; government did not react soon enough, and the media missed the boat. All that neglect is indicative of a callous society that does not care about poor, old, isolates. We even blame the victims. Daley and other political leaders denied the heat was killing so many people, because it made the city look bad. The result was that people did not organize soon enough to save those most at risk. In short, American cities are nasty places for poor people to live. The Chicago disaster is a sign of the general social breakdown evident in our cities.
Food searching behaviour in the ant Formica schaufussi (Hymenoptera, Formicidae): response of naive foragers to protein and carbohydrate food

Abstract Abstract. Foragers of the ant Formica schaufussi tend to return to previously rewarding sites to search for food. The search tactic employed depends on the type of food contacted during the previous foraging trip: a carbohydrate-stimulated local search is of greater duration and is more spatially concentrated in the vicinity of the site of the prior find than a protein-stimulated local search. Individual foraging experience appears to play a minor role in the modulation of search behaviour. Workers having no foraging experience showed a higher frequency of return to the site of a prior find, moved more rapidly and searched with greater persistence, thoroughness, and spatial accuracy after collecting single loads of carbohydrate food. Search tactics were not related to a worker's age. The results suggest that search behaviour in F. schaufussi is strongly influenced by a resource-related predisposition that allows a forager to adjust its search effort according to the spatial and temporal distribution characteristics of protein and carbohydrate food.
Bovine chondrocyte link protein cDNA sequence: interspecies conservation of primary structure and mRNA untranslated regions.

Abstract The sequence for bovine link protein cDNA, including 108 bases of the 5′ untranslated region (UTR) and 768 nucleotides of the 3′ UTR, was determined from polymerase chain reaction products and bovine articular chondrocyte cDNA clones. The deduced primary structure for bovine link protein predicts a protein 354 amino acid residues in length. Comparative analysis with link protein sequence from several other species revealed overall high conservation of protein coding sequence. High nucleotide sequence conservation was observed within the extensive 5′ and 3′ UTRs of bovine, human, pig, chick and rat link protein mRNA. As evidence that the UTRs might play a role in regulation of link protein mRNA turnover, multiple occurrences of the adenosine-uridine binding factor motif A(U n )A were found to be conserved between species within 3' UTRs. A polyadenylation signal was conserved between the bovine and chicken sequence, use of which would result in the smallest of multiple bovine link protein mRNA species observed by Northern blot analysis.
Use of 3-d stereolithographic models in oral and maxillofacial surgery.

Objective To assess the feasibility of the use of 3-dimensional (3-D) stereolithographic (SLA) technology in complex maxillofacial reconstructive surgery.
Nuclear protein transitions in rat testis spermatids

Abstract Dramatic transitions occur in the nuclear proteins during spermiogenesis in rats. In order to determine more precisely when these transitions occur, we have employed centrifugal elutriation, velocity sedimentation at unit gravity, centrifugation in metrizamide gradients, and sonication to obtain relatively homogeneous populations of testis cells and nuclei. The results indicate that histones are present in step 1–8 spermatid nuclei but are not detectable after step 12. Nuclear proteins designated TP and TP2 are not detectable in step 1–8 spermatids but are present and actively synthesized in step 13–15 spermatids. These two proteins are turned over within 5 days after synthesis. A spermatidal basic nuclear protein, designated TP3, and the sperm basic nuclear protein, S1, are present in step 16–19 spermatids. Biochemical characterization of TP2 and TP3 are presented.
Brain gangliosides: Increased incorporation of (1-3H)glucosamine during training

The incorporation of (1-3H)glucosamine into biochemical fractions of brain was studied in mice trained in a conditioned avoidance jump-up task, in mice yoked to the trained animals, and in undisturbed mice in their home cages. The (3H)glucosamine was injected subcutaneously 15 min before 15 min of training, and the mice killed after a total pulse time of one hour. There was a consistent and significant increase of about 21 percent of the incorporation of the 3H into the brain ganglioside fraction when trained mice were compared with quiet mice. This increase was not observed in any of the other chemical fractions studied, including the total chloroform-methanol-soluble compounds, the non-ganglioside lipids, and the chloroform-methanol-insoluble compounds (radioactivity principally in glycoprotein). Yoked mice showed an intermediate level of incorporation, exhibiting only a 12 percent increase in the ganglioside fraction. When the individual ganglioside species were analyzed by thin-layer chromatography the changed incorporation was not specific for any ganglioside species.
Paper gestational age wheels are generally inaccurate

Objective To compare the estimated date of confinement of paper gestational wheels to the estimated date of confinement of APPs wheels using a standard last menstrual period. Methods Obstetric providers were asked for their gestational wheels. The last menstrual period was set at Jan. 1, 2013, and the estimated date of confinement obtained was compared with the estimated date of confinement of Oct. 8th if the pregnancy completed 280 days. The process was performed on 20 electronic APPs downloadable to cell phones. The process was repeated for both for the leap year of 2012. Results Thirty-one paper wheels from a variety of sources were collected. Ten wheels (35%) were consistent with the standard pregnancy duration of 280 days. Among the wheels surveyed, the largest discrepancy was 4 days short of 280 days. Two wheels gave an estimated date of confinement that differed from each other by 7 days. Wheels from the same source did not agree with each other. Twenty electronic gestational age calculators were examined. All 20 gave an estimated date of confinement of Oct. 8 consistent with 280 days. None of the paper gestational wheels but all of the APPs corrected for a leap year. Conclusion In contrast to APPs gestational age calculators, the estimated date of confinement of the majority of paper wheels deviated from the standard pregnancy duration of 280 days. Precision in gestational age assessment is critical in a variety of clinical settings and heightened by the focus by payers and reporting agencies on elective deliveries before 39 weeks. The use of paper gestational age wheels should be abandoned.
Some notes on the cytotaxonomy of two Ruppia species in South Australia

Abstract Chromosome counts were made from root tip cells of Ruppia megacarpa Mason (2n = 20 chromosomes) and of Ruppia tuberosa Davis and Tomlinson (2n = 20 and 3n = 30 chromosomes). The plants were collected in South Australia from coastal lakes, lagoons and the sea. The salinity in these waters varied from 6.9 to 67.9% total dissolved solids (TDS). We report the occurrence of Ruppia tuberosa in the tidal zone of the sea, and the occurrence of a triploid population of this species in a lagoon.
PGE2 synthesis and response pathways in cultured corneal endothelial cells: the effects of in vitro aging.

PURPOSE. The purpose of these studies is to develop an in vitro model of corneal endothelial aging and to investigate age-related changes in morphology, mitosis, prostaglandin synthesis and prostaglandin response pathways. METHODS. First-passage rabbit corneal endothelial cells were grown in vitro for up to 30 days after subculture. PGE 2 synthesis was measured by radioimmunoassay. EP 2 receptors were evaluated by determination of PGE 2 stimulated cyclic AMP synthesis. Cell-cycle parameters were evaluated by flow cytometry and by bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation in subconfluent, confluent and injured cultures. RESULTS. Rabbit corneal endothelial cells become less dense and more irregular in shape as they age in culture, thus resembling their in vivo counterparts. PGE 2 synthesis and response decrease with culture age. Injury results in enhanced PGE 2 synthesis in both younger and older cultures. In younger cultures, injury also results in mitosis of cells at the wound margin, and this response is gr...
Trooping fairies, trolls, and talking tigers: the influence of traditional wilderness archetypes on current land use patterns

Broadly defined, “wilderness” encompasses all areas outside the cultural sphere, i.e., not under direct, intensive, and purposeful human control and maintenance. Because of the perceived dangers of wilderness, people are unlikely to settle deeply in wild areas, especially in their archetypical wilderness. Topographically-defined wilderness archetypes (e.g., mountains) are likely more resistant to development than the more easily obliterated land cover-defined wilderness archetypes (e.g., forests), which should lead to divergent landscape patterns. Fairytales and the names of protected areas from Ireland, Germany, and Korea were examined for evidence of wilderness archetypes. Germany and Korea (but not Ireland) exhibited archetypes (forest and mountain, respectively). The land use patterns with respect to ruggedness and relative elevation in Germany and Korea were compared with predictions based on archetype. Korea had a significantly more conservative and stricter decision rule with regards to development in rugged areas and more predictable elevational transitions from civilization to wilderness, consistent with a reluctance to develop a mountain wilderness archetype. Korean cities had similar patterns to all of Korea, while non-East Asian cities hemmed in by mountains (Germany has none) were variable but similar to Germany, implying that the observed differences are cultural not agricultural. These results indicate the important, but largely unrecognized, influence cultural details have on land use patterns and by extension conservation challenges, opportunities, and priorities. Specifically, wilderness archetypes are likely overrepresented in protected and undeveloped areas. Furthermore, wilderness archetype communities (particularly those topographically defined) likely experience less fragmentation, more restricted development, and less drastic anthropogenic disturbance.
Tetrahydro-β-carboline may produce its stimulus effects via 5HT1B receptors

To further clarify the role of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5HT) in the behavioral effects of tetrahydro-beta-carboline, male rats were trained to discriminate either 20 mg/kg THBC from its vehicle (n = 10) or 2.0 mg/kg fenfluramine from saline (n = 5). THBC was observed to produce fenfluramine-like effects in the fenfluramine-trained rats while fenfluramine produced THBC-like effects in the THBC-discriminating rats. To investigate which of the serotonergic receptors may mediate the THBC-induced discriminative stimulus, various putatively specific 5HT agonists were administered to THBC-trained rats. Results indicate that the 5HT1B receptor agonists TFMPP and m-CPP substitute for THBC in a dose-response manner whereas 5HT1A agonists do not generalize to the THBC-induced discriminative stimulus. These observations support a role for the 5HT1B receptor site in the discriminative stimulus properties of THBC.
An in vivo analysis of the effect and duration of treatment with botulinum toxin type A using digital image speckle correlation.

Background: Use of Botulinum toxin type A (BTX-A) for facial wrinkles is well-documented, but current methods of subjective evaluation by clinicians and patients fail to objectively quantify the magnitude and duration of facial muscle paralysis. Objective: (a) Determine the locus of facial muscular tension; (b) Quantify and monitor muscular paralysis and subsequent return; (c) Continuously correlate the appearance of wrinkles and muscular tension using non-invasive digital image speckle correlation (DISC) to measure treatment efficacy; (d) Corroborate objective data with existing rating scales (subject global assessment and facial lines outcome-11). Methods: Two sequential images of slight facial motion (frowning, raising eyebrows) are taken with a camera for n = 6 patients pre- and post-treatment at different time points up to 24 weeks. DISC processes the images to produce a vector map of muscular displacement to obtain spatially resolved information regarding facial tension. Results: We observed maximum paralysis (70%) at 2 weeks, and the rate of recovery varied widely ranging from 2 to 5 months, with two patients continuing to exhibit reduced contraction at 24 weeks. Vector analysis of pre-treatment contraction correctly predicted injection site and illustrated lines of maximum tension. Conclusions: Digital image speckle correlation can precisely track the degree of contraction of different muscle groups following BTX-A injection. It can help predict injection site, quantify muscle paralysis, and monitor the recovery following BTX-A injection. Results were found to be reproducible across six patients.
Effects of an early-season folivorous moth on the success of a later-season species, mediated by a change in the quality of the shared host, Lupinus arboreus Sims

Larvae of Platyprepia virginalis (Lep.: Arctiidae) and Orgyia vetusta (Lep.: Lymantriidae) feed on the foliage of bush lupine (Lupinus arboreus Sims) at Bodega Bay, California, USA, in February–April and May–July, respectively. Female O. vetusta attained lower pupal weights and produced fewer eggs on branches of L. arboreus which had experimentally received P. virginalis damage earlier in the same year, compared to those reared on control branches.
Dinosaurs digging deeper

Will the abilities of dinosaurs ever cease to amaze us? Living dinosaurs (the birds) hunt, feed, fight and even mate on the wing, and their courtship rituals can seem substantially more complex than those found on a typical weekend at a twenty-first century urban watering hole. Extinct dinosaurs (
Regioselectivity preference of testosterone hydroxylation by cytochrome P450 3A4

Theoretical studies are presented into the experimentally observed regioselectivity difference of testosterone hydroxylation by cytochrome P450 3A4 at the 1β, 2β, 6β, and 15β positions. Such regioselectivity is investigated by density functional theory calculations on a model system. The barrier heights of hydrogen abstraction, which are corrected by zero-point vibrational energies, are computed to be about 10.1, 13.6, 14.4, and 16.2 kcal/mol for the 6β-, 2β-, 15β-, and 1β-positions, respectively. The calculated barriers suggest the regioselectivity preference of 6β ≫ 2β > 15β > 1β, which is in good agreement with experimental findings.
Force/flow measurements on a low-speed, vectored-thruster propelled UUV

Force/torque and particle image velocimetry measurements are conducted on a vectored-thruster UUV model in a water flume to: 1) determine the hydrodynamic drag, lift and moment coefficients acting on the vehicle hull for zero rudder angle and yaw angles up to thirty degrees, and 2) measure the magnitude and direction of the thrust produced with the vehicle at a yaw angle of zero degrees and rudder deflection angles of up to thirty degrees. While the measured drag coefficient is higher than predicted by theory, the hydrodynamic coefficients data are expected to be useful in predicting the response of vehicles in the field. Additionally, the magnitude of the thrust vector varies nonlinearly with rudder angle and for nonzero rudder angles the thrust vector does not point in the same direction as the thruster. PIV images reveal that at rudder deflection angles of twenty five and thirty degrees the flow upstream of the propeller inlet has separated from the tail section and impinges at a large angle to the tail, thereby reducing both the thrust deflection angle as well as the total yaw moment acting on the vehicle.
Optimal Digital Rights Management with Uncertain Piracy

Many firms that sell digital copies of copyrighted materials online face a common dilemma: the use of Digital Rights Management to impede pirates often also has negative implications for legitimate customers. We introduce a two-period model in which the use of DRM in the first period affects the probability of consumers encountering pirated copies in the second period, the threat of legal action affects the probability of consumers obtaining pirated copies, and firms choose whether to sell, and at what prices, either strongly or weakly DRM protected copies, or both. We are able to explain a range of observable firm behaviors with this model, including the use of price discrimination to offer both strongly and weakly protected files simultaneously, with weaker protection commanding a higher price, and the eventual abandonment of DRM protections, both of which have been observed at various times, for example, with Apple's iTunes service.
Frequency modulated microrheology

Coupling analog frequency modulation (FM) to the driving stimulus in active microrheology measurements conducted with optical tweezers effectively parallelizes numerous single-frequency experiments. Consequently, frequency modulated microrheology (FMMR) can efficiently characterize the dynamic stress response of complex fluids over several frequency decades in a single experiment. The time required to complete an FMMR measurement scales with the lowest frequency probed, improving throughput over the serial frequency sweep approach. The ease of implementation, straight-forward data analysis and rapidity of FMMR offer particular utility toward applications such as characterization of non-equilibrium materials, automated microrheology instrumentation, high-throughput screening of biomaterials and (bio) pharmaceutical formulations, and in situ monitoring of chemical and biochemical reaction processes.