cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Age and Gender Differences in Psychological Distress among African Americans and Whites: Findings from the 2016 National Health Interview Survey

Previous studies report a race and mental health paradox: Whites score higher on measures of major depression compared to African Americans, but the opposite is true for psychological distress (i.e., African Americans score higher on distress measures compared to Whites). Independently, race, age, and gender outcomes for psychological distress are well documented in the literature. However, there is relatively little research on how psychological distress interferes with the lives of African Americans and Whites at the intersection of their various race, age, and gender identities. This study uses data from the 2016 National Health Interview Survey to examine age and gender differences in psychological distress and how much psychological distress interferes with the lives of African Americans and Whites. Our study findings are contrary to the paradox such that young White women (M = 3.36, SD = 1.14) and middle-aged White men (M = 2.55, SD = 3.97) experienced higher psychological distress than all other race, age, and gender groups. Psychological distress interference was relatively high among the high distress groups, except for older African American men (M = 1.73, SD = 1.05) and young African American women (M = 1.93, SD = 0.95). Implications for studies that consider cultural experiences of psychological distress, and how it impacts different demographic groups are discussed.
Abstract #163: Induce apoptosis of differentiated endothelial progenitor cell by vascular endothelial growth inhibitor

A growing body of evidence suggests that bone marrow-derived endothelial progenitor cells (EPC) play a critical role to the formation of new blood vessels in post-natal vasculogenesis. In our previous study we showed that vascular endothelial growth inhibitor (VEGI; TNFSF15), a member of the tumor necrosis factor superfamily, inhibited differentiation of endothelial progenitor cells (EPC) from mouse bone marrow isolated Sca-1+ stem cells. Here we further report that VEGI is able to induce apoptosis of differentiated EPC but not early stage EPC. The expression of death receptor 3 (DR3), a known receptor of VEGI, is readily detectable in differentiated EPC at protein level only after one week in culture, but not in early stage EPC. When treated with VEGI, an increase of phospho-Erk and a decrease of phospho-Akt are detected in early stage EPC, while activation of NF-\#954;B and JNK are seen in differentiated EPC. Moreover, neutralizing antibodies against DR3 or recombinant extracellular domain of DR3 substantially inhibits VEGI-induced NF-\#954;B and JNK activation. Results from TUNEL assays show that VEGI treatment specifically eliminates differentiated EPC by inducing apoptosis. Furthremore, VEGI induces caspase-3 activation in differentiated EPC, and treatment with DR3 neutralizing antibodies prior to the addition of VEGI effectively inhibits VEGI-induced caspase-3 activation. These findings indicate that VEGI not only negatively modulate the differentiation of EPC toward endothelial cells but also be able to induce apoptosis of differentiated EPC, which is, at least partly, mediated by death receptor-3 (DR3). Citation Information: In: Proc Am Assoc Cancer Res; 2009 Apr 18-22; Denver, CO. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; 2009. Abstract nr 163.
Tenascin-XB (TNXB) amino acid substitution E2004G is associated with mature weight and milk score in American Rambouillet, Targhee, Polypay, and Suffolk sheep

Abstract Sheep are economically important worldwide, and growth-associated genetic variants, such as a TNXB charged amino acid substitution E2004G and a silent DGAT1 single nucleotide polymorphism (rs409119650), could improve sheep profitability. However, both were identified in single reports using small groups of sheep from outside the U.S. We evaluated 896 U.S. sheep from one location to investigate an association of TNXB E2004G and DGAT1 rs409119650 with growth and lifetime production. For TNXB E2004G, glutamic acid homozygotes had greater body weights in spring and fall at ages 3 and 4 (all P ≤ 0.05) and greater milk scores at ages 3 and 4 (P
Ghrelin Regulation of Sleep, Circadian Clock, and Body Temperature

The regulation of sleep, body temperature, and metabolism is intertwined on functional, structural, and behavioral levels. The hypothalamus emerges as a key brain region that coordinates these functions by integrating central and peripheral signals. Increasing evidence suggests that products of the preproghrelin gene provide important contribution to this integrative function. In this review, we present evidence from human and animal studies supporting the role of ghrelin in the regulation of (1) sleep–wake activity, (2) circadian rhythms, and (3) metabolism and body temperature. Central ghrelinergic mechanisms—as part of the hypothalamic ghrelin–orexin–neuropeptide Y circuit—play a role in promoting wakefulness and feeding. Ghrelin modulates the activity of the suprachiasmatic nucleus but it is not a crucial component of or a key input signal to the food-entrainable oscillator. Products of the preproghrelin gene, particularly obestatin, are involved in maintaining normal body temperature and metabolism under conditions when increased metabolic heat production is required. Our understanding of the physiological role of the preproghrelin gene products expanded remarkably in the last decade, yet, full comprehension of their role in the regulation of vigilance, circadian clocks, and body temperature remains incomplete.
Results of Biopsy After Early Stage Prostatic Cancer Treatment by Implantation of 125I Seeds

AbstractWe have treated 77 patients for clinically early stage carcinoma of the prostate, 9 stage A2, 63 stage B and 5 stage C, with direct implantation of 125I seeds into the prostate and pelvic lymphadenectomy. It is estimated that a minimum dose of 15,000 rad but a maximum dose of 35,000 rad is delivered to the prostate over several months. Of the 77 patients 14 (18 per cent) had metastatic disease in the pelvic lymph nodes.In 22 cases perineal needle biopsy was done 12 to 18 months after treatment and in 3 cases a second biopsy was performed after 2 to 3 years. Persistent tumor was present in 11 biopsies. Cytological changes were observed in 8 of these, primarily cytoplasmic vacuolation and nuclear pyknosis. There seemed to be no relationship between grade and stage of disease and histological evidence of persistence of tumor after radiation.One patient with persistent tumor in the postoperative biopsy has shown progression of disease after 2 years and another with a negative biopsy has a bony metasta...
Future Directions for Purpose Research

Psychologists have only relatively recently recognized the importance of purpose in optimal human functioning. Accordingly, research on the construct is still relatively new, and significant gaps remain. For example, more longitudinal work is needed to begin to build causal models and to gain a fuller understanding of the way purpose functions over time. Additionally, new measures, especially survey measures of purpose, are needed to more quickly and easily assess all dimensions of the complex construct. Studies aimed at learning more about the prevalence and forms of immoral or ignoble purposes are also warranted, and given that purpose has turned out to be a significant predictor of psychological well-being, it is important to empirically examine effective ways of fostering the construct. Lastly, the vast majority of the research on purpose has taken place in Western cultures. Cultural and cross-cultural studies of purpose are needed to gain a fuller understanding of cultural variations in the development and prevalence of the construct. This chapter outlines these and other areas where additional research on purpose is needed.
Feasibility of deriving a novel imaging biomarker based on patient-specific lung elasticity for characterizing the degree of COPD in lung SBRT patients

Objective:Lung tissue elasticity is an effective spatial representation for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease phenotypes and pathophysiology. We investigated a novel imaging biomarker based on ...
Epilogue: Generic Variety in Marie Corelli’s Wormwood and Beyond

Tracing the legacy of Romantic addiction writing through the decadent literature of the later nineteenth century, this chapter examines the profusion of artistic invention within the aesthetic category of addiction. Colman particularly considers Marie Corelli’s Wormwood, an 1890 novel detailing absinthe addiction, and describes its engagement with different genres. Corelli’s novel contains elements of a thriller, a realist novel, and a decadent novel, and Colman argues that addiction presents the hinge by which such different narrative modes join in Corelli’s novel, due to addiction’s association with illness, crime, and repetitively scientific, materialist pursuit. The chapter concludes with a discussion of a related range of literary and artistic developments since the nineteenth century that engage the addiction aesthetic’s emphasis on intensified, repetitive orientation toward possibility.
Missing Non-Strategic Targets: Are Managers Penalized for Emphasizing Important Measures?

Kaplan and Norton (1992, 1996) espouse that performance measures in a balanced scorecard (BSC) should be linked to strategy. However, many firms are currently using BSC measures which are not linked to strategy. Banker et al (2004) found that using devices such as strategy maps helps evaluators focus on strategically-linked (SL) measures, such that they are weighted more than non-strategically-linked (NSL) measures, helping to overcome biases such as the common-measures bias. We conduct an experiment using strategy maps and BSCs with both SL and NSL measures to assess how missing performance targets influences performance evaluations. Statistical results indicate the when both managers outperform all targets, a manager that dominates on SL measures is rated more highly than a manager who dominates on NSL measures. We extrapolate the finding of Banker et al (2004) to set up conflicting hypotheses for the reaction in the presence of negative performance information. We find that a manager that misses some targets is evaluated more negatively than a manager with linearly-equivalent total performance who slightly outperforms on all targets regardless of the importance of the below-target measures. While Banker et al (2004) found that evaluators could use a strategy map to focus on SL measures, this study demonstrates that the effectiveness of strategy maps is limited in the presence of negative performance.
Bridging global and local topology in whole-brain networks using the network statistic jackknife.

Whole-brain network analysis is commonly used to investigate the topology of the brain using a variety of neuroimaging modalities. This approach is notable for its applicability to a large number o...
Analysis and Implementation of Constructor in Class Hierarchy

Programs organization and advancement that endeavor to kill a portion of the pitfalls of traditional programming strategies by data organized in a hierarchy of classes with several powerful new concepts. This paper displays another strategy for examining and reengineering Constructor in class hierarchies. In object oriented Software (OOS), the accentuation is on data instead of procedure. Class is a way that ties the data and procedure together. Constructor is a special member procedure (SMP) class and destructor restores the memory delivers back to the program. The advancement comprises of exercises, for example, analyze, design, code, test, implement and maintenance. This paper gives the information about measuring the estimations of Object Oriented programming (OOP) advancement and proposed a Metric Measurement Model to guarantee that measurements of value properties are imperative in Object Oriented programming improvement.
Entrance effects and high shear rate rheology of shear banding wormlike micelle fluids in a microcapillary flow.

The viscosity of a shear-banding wormlike micelle solution at high shear rates is investigated by capillary rheology and particle streak velocimetry. Measurements of the flow profile and pressure gradient show an extended entrance region, which exceeds a length to diameter ratio of 100, to reach a fully developed flow. We characterized this entrance region for capillaries with different cross sections and used the results to select a downstream portion of the capillary, where viscosity measurements can be made on fully developed flow. Measurements from this portion of the channel show a shear-thinning power-law behavior for all channel geometries from shear rates of 1000– 120 000 s − 1. Varying the surfactant concentration shows two distinct power-law behaviors that depend on both the shear rate and the concentration and are an indication of change in the micelle length.
Chapter 26 – Cerebrospinal Fluid

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the anatomy, functions, and biochemistry of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). CSF has four major functions: physical support of neural structures, excretion and “sink” action, intracerebral transport, and control of the chemical environment of the central nervous system. CSF provides a “water jacket” of physical support and buoyancy. The CSF is protective because its volume changes reciprocally with changes in the volume of intracranial contents, particularly blood. Thus, the CSF protects the brain from changes in arterial and central venous pressure associated with posture, respiration, and exertion. Acute or chronic pathological changes in intracranial contents can be accommodated, to a point, by changes in the CSF volume. The direct transfer of brain metabolites into the CSF provides excretory function. This capacity is important because the brain lacks a lymphatic system. The lymphatic function of the CSF is also manifested in the removal of large proteins and cells, such as bacteria or blood cells, by bulk CSF absorption. The “sink” action of the CSF arises from the restricted access of water-soluble substances to the CSF and the low concentration of these solutes in the CSF.
Concomitant Adenomyosis among Patients with Asherman Syndrome.

Abstract Study Objective : To characterize obstetrical outcomes for concomitant Asherman syndrome and adenomyosis. Design : A retrospective cohort study. Setting : A community teaching hospital affiliated with a large academic medical center. Patients : 227 Asherman syndrome patients with available hysteroscopy and pelvic ultrasound reports. Interventions : Telephone survey to assess and compare the obstetrical outcomes of Asherman syndrome patients with concomitant adenomyosis (Group A) versus Asherman syndrome patients without concomitant adenomyosis (Group B). Measurements and Main Results : A telephone survey and confirmatory chart review were conducted to obtain information on patients’ demographics, gynecologic and obstetric history, past medical and surgical history, and Asherman syndrome management. Adenomyosis was a common sonographic finding, detected in 39 Asherman patients (17.2%). In this cohort, 77 patients attempted pregnancy and produced 87 pregnancies. Age (OR 0.67, 95% CI 0.52-0.86) was negatively associated with a pregnancy outcome. Age (OR 0.83, 95% CI 0.73-0.95) and severe Asherman disease (OR 0.06, 95% CI Conclusion : Adenomyosis is relatively common in Asherman syndrome patients. Adenomyosis does not appear to add any distinct detriment to fertility among Asherman syndrome patients.
Numerical exploration of first-order relativistic hydrodynamics

We present the first numerical solutions of the causal, stable relativistic Navier-Stokes equations as formulated by Bemfica, Disconzi, Noronha, and Kovtun (BDNK). For this initial investigation we restrict to plane-symmetric configurations of a conformal fluid in Minkowski spacetime. We consider evolution of three classes of initial data: a smooth (initially) stationary concentration of energy, a standard shock tube setup, and a smooth shockwave setup. We compare these solutions to those obtained with a code based on the M\"uller-Israel-Stewart (MIS) formalism, variants of which are the common tools used today to model relativistic, viscous fluids. We find that for the two smooth initial data cases, simple finite difference methods are adequate to obtain stable, convergent solutions to the BDNK equations. For low viscosity, the MIS and BDNK evolutions show good agreement. At high viscosity the solutions begin to differ in regions with large gradients, and there the BDNK solutions can (as expected) exhibit violation of the weak energy condition. This behavior is transient, and the solutions evolve toward a hydrodynamic regime in a way reminiscent of an approach to a universal attractor. For the shockwave problem, we give evidence that if a hydrodynamic frame is chosen so that the maximum characteristic speed of the BDNK system is the speed of light (or larger), arbitrarily strong shockwaves are smoothly resolved. Regarding the shock tube problem, it is unclear whether discontinuous initial data is mathematically well-posed for the BDNK system, even in a weak sense. Nevertheless we attempt numerical solution, and then need to treat the perfect fluid terms using high-resolution shock-capturing (HRSC) methods. When such methods can successfully evolve the solution beyond the initial time, subsequent evolution agrees with corresponding MIS solutions, as well as the perfect fluid solution in the limit of zero viscosity.
Agitation Following Severe Traumatic Brain Injury Is a Clinical Sign of Recovery of Consciousness

Objective: Severe traumatic brain injury (sTBI) often results in disorders of consciousness. Patients emerging from coma frequently exhibit aberrant behaviors such as agitation. These non-purposeful combative behaviors can interfere with medical care. Interestingly, agitation is associated with arousal and is often among the first signs of neurological recovery. A better understanding of these behaviors may shed light on the mechanisms driving the return of consciousness in sTBI patients. This study aims to investigate the association between posttraumatic agitation and the recovery of consciousness. Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted in 530 adult patients (29.1% female) admitted to Stony Brook University Hospital between January 2011 and December 2019 with a diagnosis of sTBI and Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) ≤8. Agitation was defined as a Richmond Agitation Sedation Scale (RASS) > +1, or any documentation of equivalently combative and violent behaviors in daily clinical notes. The ability to follow verbal commands was used to define the recovery of consciousness and was assessed daily. Results: Of 530 total sTBI patients, 308 (58.1%) survived. Agitation was present in 169 of all patients and 162 (52.6%) of surviving patients. A total of 273 patients followed commands, and 159 of them developed agitation. Forty patients developed agitation on hospital arrival whereas 119 developed agitation later during their hospital course. Presence of in-hospital agitation positively correlated with command-following (r = 0.315, p < 0.001). The time to develop agitation and time to follow commands showed positive correlation (r = 0.485, p < 0.001). These two events occurred within 3 days in 54 (44.6%) patients, within 7 days in 81 (67.8%) patients, and within 14 days in 96 (80.2%) patients. In 71 (59.7%) patients, agitation developed before command-following; in 36 (30.2%) patients, agitation developed after command-following; in 12 (10.1%) patients, agitation developed on the same day as command-following. Conclusion: Posttraumatic agitation in comatose patients following sTBI is temporally associated with the recovery of consciousness. This behavior indicates the potential for recovery of higher neurological functioning. Further studies are required to identify neural correlates of posttraumatic agitation and recovery of consciousness after sTBI.
Relapse recovery in multiple sclerosis: Effect of treatment and contribution to long-term disability.

BackgroundAlthough recovery from relapses in MS appears to contribute to disability, it has largely been ignored as a treatment endpoint and disability predictor.ObjectiveTo identify demographic an...
Impact of a Nurse-Driven Heparin Monitoring Protocol for Ventricular Assist Devices.

Background Ventricular assist devices require anticoagulation to reduce thrombosis risk. Nurse-driven unfractionated heparin monitoring protocols have been validated for various indications, although data in patients with ventricular assist devices are lacking. Objective To evaluate a nurse-driven protocol for managing unfractionated heparin therapy in stable patients with ventricular assist devices. Methods This was a retrospective analysis of adult patients with ventricular assist devices requiring unfractionated heparin therapy, divided into 2 groups: before and after protocol implementation. The primary outcome was time to first therapeutic activated partial thromboplastin time. Results Each group included 29 patients. There was no difference between the preintervention and postintervention groups in time to therapeutic activated partial thromboplastin time (25 vs 23 hours, P = .95) or proportion of patients with therapeutic activated partial thromboplastin time within the first 24 hours (45% vs 34%, P = .42). Suspected pump thrombosis and bleeding events were similar in the 2 groups. Conclusion A nurse-driven heparin monitoring protocol was similar in time to therapeutic activated partial thromboplastin time compared with provider-driven monitoring and adjustments in patients with ventricular assist devices.
Exactness in SDP relaxations of QCQPs: Theory and applications

Quadratically constrained quadratic programs (QCQPs) are a fundamental class of optimization problems. In a QCQP, we are asked to minimize a (possibly nonconvex) quadratic function subject to a number of (possibly nonconvex) quadratic constraints. Such problems arise naturally in many areas of operations research, computer science, and engineering. Although QCQPs are NP-hard to solve in general, they admit a natural convex relaxation via the standard (Shor) semidefinite program (SDP) relaxation. In this tutorial, we will study the SDP relaxation for general QCQPs, present various exactness concepts related to this relaxation and discuss conditions guaranteeing such SDP exactness. In particular, we will define and examine three notions of SDP exactness: (i) objective value exactness -- the condition that the optimal value of the QCQP and the optimal value of its SDP relaxation coincide, (ii) convex hull exactness -- the condition that the convex hull of the QCQP epigraph coincides with the (projected) SDP epigraph, and (iii) the rank-one generated (ROG) property -- the condition that a particular conic subset of the positive semidefinite matrices related to a given QCQP is generated by its rank-one matrices. Our analysis for objective value exactness and convex hull exactness stems from a geometric treatment of the projected SDP relaxation and crucially considers how the objective function interacts with the constraints. The ROG property complements these results by offering a sufficient condition for both objective value exactness and convex hull exactness which is oblivious to the objective function. We will give a variety of sufficient conditions for these exactness conditions and discuss settings where these sufficient conditions are additionally necessary. Throughout, we will highlight implications of our results for a number of example applications.
Progress on inorganic scintillators for future HEP experiments

Future HEP experiments at the energy and intensity frontiers present stringent challenges to inorganic scintillators in radiation tolerance, ultrafast time response and cost. This paper reports recent progress in radiation hard, ultrafast, and cost-effective inorganic scintillators for future HEP experiments. Examples are LYSO crystals for a precision time of flight detector, LuAG ceramics for a longitudinally segmented shashlik sampling calorimeter, BaF2:Y crystals for an ultrafast calorimeter, and cost-effective scintillators for a homogeneous hadron calorimeter. Applications for Gigahertz hard X-ray imaging will also be discussed.
Fatigue and Impact Behaviour of Carbon Fibre Composite Bicycle Forks

The use of carbon fibre-based polymeric composites in bicycle components has dramatically increased in the last few decades. This paper presents the results of fatigue and impact testing on bicycle forks that are known to have quality-related manufacturing defects. In the investigation performed, acoustic emission testing is used to monitor crack growth during fatigue loading and impact. The results show three distinct stages in composite fatigue failure related to initiation, propagation and final growth. Implications of the results on design and testing of composite bicycle components are addressed pointing to a greater need in understanding current design procedures.
Packing of Unequal Spheres and Automated Radiosurgical Treatment Planning

We study an optimization problem of packing unequal spheres into a three-dimensional (3D) bounded region in connection with radiosurgical treatment planning. Given an input (R, V, S, L), where R is a 3D bounded region, V a positive integer, S a multiset of spheres, and L a location constraint on spheres, we want to find a packing of R using the minimum number of spheres in S such that the covered volume is at least V; the location constraint L is satisfied; and the number of points on the boundary of R that are touched by spheres is maximized. Such a packing arrangement corresponds to an optimal radiosurgical treatment planning. Finding an optimal solution to the problem, however, is computationally intractable. In particular, we show that this optimization problem and several related problems are NP-hard. Hence, some form of approximations is needed. One approach is to consider a simplified problem under the assumption that spheres of arbitrary (integral) diameters are available with unlimited supply, and there are no location constraints. This approach has met with certain success in medical applications using a dynamic programming algorithm (Bourland and Wu, 1996; Wu, 1996). We propose in this paper an improvement to the algorithm that can greatly reduce its computation cost.
Muscarinic-stimulated norepinephrine release and phosphoinositide hydrolysis in PC12 cells are independent events.

This laboratory has reported recently that muscarinic receptor-stimulated release of norepinephrine from pheochromocytoma (PC 12) cells is dependent upon an influx of Ca2+ through a Ca2+ channel that is regulated by a pertussis toxin-sensitive GTP-binding protein (G-protein) (lnoue, K., and Kenimer J. G. (1988) J. Biol. Chem. 263, 8157–8161). In the present study, we have examined the role of phosphoinositide hydrolysis in this mechanism. The muscarinic agonist methacholine was shown to stimulate phosphoinositide hydrolysis by a mechanism that was sensitive to pertussis toxin inhibition. When assayed in the absence of Ca2+, muscarinic-stimulated norepinephrine release but not phosphoinositide hydrolysis was blocked. Conversely, muscarinic-stimulated phosphoinositide hydrolysis but not norepinephrine release was blocked in cells preincubated with phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate. In contrast to several previous hypotheses that suggested that muscarinic-stimulated neurotransmitter release is dependent upon phosphoinositide hydrolysis, our results suggest that these two muscarinic-stimulated processes are independent events in PC 12 cells. Inhibition studies with muscarinic receptor subtype-specific antagonists suggest that norepinephrine release is regulated by an M2 subtype muscarinic receptor and that phosphoinositide hydrolysis is regulated by an M3 subtype muscarinic receptor.
Bacteriophage P2 DNA replication. Characterization of the requirement of the gene B protein in vivo.

Replicative intermediates isolated from Escherichia coli cells infected with P2 gene B mutants were circular DNA molecules with single-stranded DNA tails, as opposed to the double-stranded DNA tails of wild-type replicative intermediates. The results show that the mutant replicative intermediates arose from aberrant DNA replication, aberrant due to a lack of lagging strand DNA synthesis, but with normal leading strand synthesis, so that only one circular duplex daughter DNA molecule was made from each duplex parent molecule. The single-stranded tails were shown to correspond to the nicked (and therefore displaced) parental DNA “ l ” strands. By partial denaturation mapping, the ends of the single-stranded tails tended to map close to the replication origin, but not all at a unique position, probably due to partial degradation or breakage in vivo , or during cell lysis or DNA isolation. By hybridization to separated strands of P2 DNA on nitrocellulose filters, DNA synthesis was shown to be asymmetric, and consistent with more leading strand than lagging strand synthesis having occurred. We concluded that the gene B protein is required for lagging strand DNA synthesis, but not for initiation, elongation or termination of the leading strand.
Elements of Martingale Theory

Let (Ω, ℱ, P;ℱ(t), t∈I} be a filtered probability space, and let {x(•), ℱ(•)} be a process on this space, with state space (\( \bar{\mathbb{R}} \), ℬ(\( \bar{\mathbb{R}} \))). The process is called a supermartingale if the process random variables are integrable and if the supermartingale inequality $$ x(s) \geqslant E\left\{ {x\left. {(t)} \right|} \right.F(s)\} \quad a.s.\;if\;s < t $$ (1.1) is satisfied.
Ultrasonic flaw detection using split-spectrum processing combined with adaptive-network-based fuzzy inference system

In ultrasonic nondestructive evaluation, in order to successfully detect flaw echoes corrupted by scattered random echoes, a robust and efficient method is required. In this paper, a method utilizing split-spectrum processing (SSP) combined with an adaptive-network-based fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) has been developed and applied to ultrasonic signals to perform the signal classification task. SSP can display signal diversity and is therefore able to provide the signal feature vectors for signal classification. ANFIS maps signal feature vectors to outputs according to an adaptive learning process and fuzzy If-Then rules. The combination of SSP and ANFIS can perform both ultrasonic flaw detection and signal classification. The SSP-ANFIS method has been tested using both simulated and experimental ultrasonic signals, and the results show that SSP-ANFIS has good sensitivity in detecting ultrasonic flaw echoes in the presence of strong clutter when the signal-to-noise ratio is about zero dB.
Carotid baroreflex control of leg vasculature in exercising and non-exercising skeletal muscle in humans.

Carotid baroreflex (CBR) function was examined in five men and three women (25 ± 1 years) using the variable-pressure neck collar technique at rest and during dynamic, one-legged knee extension exercise at 7 W and 25 W. The CBR exhibited control of leg vascular conductance (LVC) at rest and during exercise in both an exercising leg (EL) and a non-exercising leg (NEL) across a wide range of pressures from +40 Torr neck pressure (NP) to −80 Torr neck suction (NS). Specifically, increases in LVC (% change) in response to NS were no different across −20 to −80 Torr in either EL or NEL compared to rest, P > 0.05. However, CBR-mediated decreases in percentage LVC in response to NP were attenuated in EL at both 7 W (16 ± 1%) and 25 W (12 ± 1%) compared to rest (40 ± 3%; P < 0.05) as well as compared to responses in the NEL (36 ± 6% at 7 W and 36 ± 7% at 25 W; P < 0.05). This decrease in vascular responsiveness in EL was associated with a reduction in the gain of the percentage muscle sympathetic nerve activity (%MSNA)–%LVC relationship compared to rest (P < 0.05). Collectively, these data indicate that, despite a clear attenuation of the vascular response to MSNA in the exercising leg, CBR-mediated changes in mean arterial pressure were no different between rest and exercise.
The use of cotton-tipped swabs as a simple method of transporting cultures of beta hemolytic streptococci.

Almost 100% of beta hemolytic streptococci isolated from cases of streptococcal disease will remain viable on untreated cotton swabs for 1 week and over 90% for periods up to a month when dried and sealed in ordinary pill envelopes. Knowing this fact, the practicing physician can transport cultures for this organism without haste by mail or in his bag reliably, cheaply, and simply.
Epidermal Inclusion Cyst in the Foot of a Vietnam Veteran

Epidermal inclusion cysts are soft-tissue lesions that result from traumatic implantation of epidermal cells into the dermis. A case report is presented involving a large recurrent plantar inclusion cyst secondary to trauma sustained in the Vietnam War. The patient reported that the initiating trauma was the result of stepping on a punji stake in Vietnam. Punji stakes, sharpened spikes typically made of bamboo and dipped in poison or excrement, were used by the Vietnamese soldiers to wound enemy soldiers. Careful excision of the lesion is imperative to prevent recurrence. (J Am Podiatr Med Assoc 96(5): 445–447, 2006)
Detection of expressed chloramphenicol acetyltransferase in the saliva of Culex pipiens mosquitoes

Abstract Mosquito salivary glands play an important role in the transmission of arthropod-borne pathogens. The ability to express genes in mosquitoes would be a powerful approach to characterize salivary gland genes, and to reveal important vector determinants of pathogen transmission. Here we report the use of a double subgenomic Sindbis (dsSIN) virus, designated TE/3′2J/CAT, and a packaged Sindbis replicon virus, designated rep5/CAT/26S, to express chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) protein in the salivary glands and saliva of transduced female Culex pipiens pipiens. Indirect immunofluorescence analysis revealed that salivary glands of these mosquitoes infected with either TE/3′2J/CAT or rep5/CAT/26S virus (4 or 6 days post-infection (p.i.)) were positive for both SIN E1 antigen and CAT protein. Saliva collected from mosquitoes transduced with TE/3′2J/CAT virus contained a unique 25 kDa protein that corresponded to the size of CAT protein. Additionally, CAT activity assays revealed that saliva collected from mosquitoes transduced with either TE/3′2J/CAT or rep5/CAT/26S virus could contain greater than 5.0 × 10−5 units of CAT enzyme (3.0 × 106 CAT trimers).
As câmaras setoriais e o meso-corporativismo

Com base no caso das "câmaras setoriais" na industria automobilistica examina-se a introducao de uma experiencia de organizacao "meso-corporativa" no contexto brasileiro.
A new model for permeable micropores

A model is proposed for the computer simulation of a fluid in pores of various geometries having walls of controllable permeability. The walls are produced by tethering atoms to the cyclically replicated faces of the basic cube. A particular example with variable anisotropic diffusion is discussed in detail.
Introduction to discrete differential geometry: the geometry of plane curves

The nascent field of discrete differential geometry deals with discrete geometric objects (such as polygons) which act as analogues to continuous geometric objects (such as curves). The discrete objects can be measured (length, area) and can interact with other discrete objects (collision/response). From a computational standpoint, the discrete objects are attractive, because they have been designed from the ground up with data-structures and algorithms in mind. From a mathematical standpoint, they present a great challenge: the discrete objects should have properties which are analogues of the properties of continuous objects. One important property of curves and surfaces is their curvature, which plays a significant role in many application areas (see, e.g., Chapters 4 and 5). In the continuous domain there are remarkable theorems dealing with curvature; a key requirement for a discrete curve with discrete curvature is that it satisfies analogous theorems. In this chapter we examine the curvature of continuous and discrete curves on the plane.
Place and privilege as predictors of how the environment is described in discourse

This analysis examines the often assumed, yet little explored, association between residential proximity, socioeconomic status, and depictions of the environment in localized controversies. Focusing on a grassroots organization, we examine the extent to which activists' usual place of Residence, as indicative of wealth, mediates the manner in which they describe current and probable future conditions. Based on quantitative and qualitative analyses, we argue that where a person lives for most of the year exerts a strong influence on perceptions of and communication about an environment at risk.
Lateralization of zinc in rat brain and its relationship to a spatial behavior

Essential metals are differentially accumulated within the brain and have been related to normal neurotransmitter metabolism. Hippocampal glutaminergic pathways have the highest zinc levels in the brain, and lesions to these pathways disrupt behaviors with a spatial component. Zinc distribution may thus reflect glutaminergic activity or innervation and may have functional consequences for spatial behavior. The present data support this hypothesis, indicating that the lateral distribution of zinc between the right and left hippocampus is strongly correlated with the spatial preference of the animal (r = + 0.72). Other parameters tested but shown not to be significantly correlated with spatial preference were zinc in corpus striatum and cortex, and copper in hippocampus corpus striatum and cortex.
On the numerical corrections of time‐of‐flight neutron powder diffraction data

Time-of-flight neutron powder diffraction data for NIST Standard Reference Materials have been used to study the adequacy of the peak profile model obtained from a convolution of back-to-back exponentials with a pseudo-Voigt function that is widely used in Rietveld refinement. It is shown that, while the empirical models for d-spacing (wavelength) dependence of Gaussian and Lorentzian components of the pseudo-Voigt function and rise exponent are satisfactory, the behavior of the decay exponent and peak positions demonstrate significant deviations, which can be corrected by numerical methods. The practical side of this process as implemented in GSAS and FULLPROF and the effect of the corrections on the Rietveld analysis results are discussed.
COMPARISON OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF A PROGRAMED TEXT WITH THREE OTHER METHODS OF PRESENTATION

Two of the basic arguments used in support of programed instructional materials are that the student learns more efficiently by being actively involved in the learning process and also through receiving reinforcement for his correct responses via immediate feedback. Further, claims are made that learning through programed instruction improves retention and reduces individual differences. The purpose of this srudy was to test the validity of these arguments. More specifically, the study is aimed at producing evidence bearing on the following questions: (a) Does the reinforcement provided in programed-text material contribute to increased learning?, (b) Does the active involvement required in programed-text material contribute to increased learning?, (c) Does learning through programed-text material improve retention?, (D) Does learning through programed-text material reduce individual differences? Several sources are available which present excellent systematic reviews of research in the area of programed instruction (e.g., Morrill, 1961; Silberman, 1962; Stolurow, 1961 ). Specifically related to the questions under consideration, Holland (1960) compared three conditions. One group used a standard program; a second group dso used the standard program but received no feedback following their responses; and a third group simply read complete statements. The third group made about twice as many errors on a criterion test as did the first two groups; very little difference was found between scores of the first two groups. This finding supports the active involvement contention, but apparently in a program with a low error rate the reinforcement provided through immediate feedback is ineffective in promoting learning. Unfortunately, Holland provides little information on the size of the treatment groups. Also, no statistical analysis is reported. Della-Piana (1962) adso reported that variations in learner response mode have little relevance when there is a high probability of correct responding. However, the criterion tests used were generally too easy and lacked sufficient reliability to be adequately sensitive to possrble differences. Krumboltz and Weisman ( 1962) found that Ss who made written responses to programed materials were aided in the retention of new learning when measured after a 2-wk. interval. An immediate test of learning failed to show any differences between the group making a written response to programed 'This research was supported by a grant from the Social Science Research Center, Cornell Unrversiry.
Stability of circular plates subjected to moving loads

Abstract The Green's function for a centrally clamped, peripherally free plate is formulated as a Fourier eigenfunction series. The plate response is determined for two circumnavigating, peripheral-moving load excitations: (1) a harmonic load at constant angular velocity and (2) a load whose speed is the sum of a constant and a harmonic component. Circular plates containing radially symmetric membrane stresses and thickness are shown to possess exact stability criteria of a form identical to those of the classical plate even though the Green's function in these plates is unknown. Experiments were performed that support the theoretical developments.
SU‐FF‐I‐15: Effects, Detection and Removal of Zingers From Scattered X‐Rays in CCD Based Cone Beam CT

Purpose: Zingers are tiny spurious white dots that appear randomly in CCDimages. In order to improve the quality of CCD based cone beam CT technique, a new technique for the detection and removal of zingers is described and evaluated. Method and Materials: A bench top CCD based cone beam CT system was used to measure and investigate the presence of zingers. The cause and effects of zingers were studied. A new technique was developed to detect and correct the zingers. With this technique, the statistical behavior of pixel values in a projection image was first analyzed to identify candidates for zingers. Pixel values at the detected zinger locations were then compared in two consecutive projection views to eliminate false detections. To investigate and evaluate this technique, zingers were simulated by increasing the pixel values at randomly selected locations in projection data computed for a modified Shepp‐Logan phantom. The simulated data were then detected and corrected for zingers and used for reconstruction. The resulting reconstructed image was compared with the imagereconstructed from zinger free data and with imagesreconstructed from data corrected using three other zinger removal techniques. Results: Our measurement indicated that zingers may have resulted from scattered x‐rays. They were found to generate visible artifacts and degrade the quality of reconstructed images. It was shown that zingers detection by comparing two identically acquired projections could be highly effective but impractical in CTimaging. Detection by comparing two consecutive projection views was equally effective but may be subject image blurring. Detection by analyzingsignal fluctuations could result in a large number of faulty detections. The proposed new detection technique was found to be practical and effective without resulting in image blurring or faulty detections. This work was supported in part by a research grant CA104759 from NIHNCI.
Biphasic somatic A-type K channel downregulation mediates intrinsic plasticity in hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons.

Since its original description, the induction of synaptic long-term potentiation (LTP) has been known to be accompanied by a lasting increase in the intrinsic excitability (intrinsic plasticity) of hippocampal neurons. Recent evidence shows that dendritic excitability can be enhanced by an activity-dependent decrease in the activity of A-type K+ channels. In the present manuscript, we examined the role of A-type K+ channels in regulating intrinsic excitability of CA1 pyramidal neurons of the hippocampus after synapse-specific LTP induction. In electrophysiological recordings we found that LTP induced a potentiation of excitability which was accompanied by a two-phased change in A-type K+ channel activity recorded in nucleated patches from organotypic slices of rat hippocampus. Induction of LTP resulted in an immediate but short lasting hyperpolarization of the voltage-dependence of steady-state A-type K+ channel inactivation along with a progressive, long-lasting decrease in peak A-current density. Blocking clathrin-mediated endocytosis prevented the A-current decrease and most measures of intrinsic plasticity. These results suggest that two temporally distinct but overlapping mechanisms of A-channel downregulation together contribute to the plasticity of intrinsic excitability. Finally we show that intrinsic plasticity resulted in a global enhancement of EPSP-spike coupling.
IMMUNE RESPONSE TO DIETARY ANTIGENS AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF HYPOALLERGENIC FORMULAS

Abstract In high risk infants who are breast-fed, special formulas which do not cause sensitization are a useful alternative. New formulas are likely to be deveoped based on biochemical and immunologic modifications of their proteins. Both in vitro and in vivo tests for evaluation of such formulas are discussed.
Gestational programming of offspring obesity/hypertension

The intrauterine milieu impacts fetal growth directly during gestation. It is now clear, however, that postnatal phenotype is also influenced by prenatal conditions. A variety of disorders in the adult have been linked to fetal size at birth; these include glucose intolerance, cardiovascular disease, and the subjects of this review, obesity and hypertension. We will review recent data regarding these associations and the pathophysiologic mechanisms underlying them in humans as well as in animal models.
An emerging role of dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP4) beyond glucose control: Potential implications in cardiovascular disease

The introduction of dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP4) inhibitors for the treatment of Type 2 diabetes acknowledges the fundamental importance of incretin hormones in the regulation of glycemia. Small molecule inhibitors of DPP4 exert their effects via inhibition of enzymatic degradation of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptide (GIP). The widespread expression of DPP4 in tissues such as the vasculature and immune cells suggests that this protein may play a role in cardiovascular function. DPP4 is known to exert its effects via both enzymatic and non-enzymatic mechanisms. A soluble form of DPP4 lacking the cytoplasmic and transmembrane domain has also been recently recognized. Besides enzymatic inactivation of incretins, DPP4 also mediates degradation of many chemokines and neuropeptides. The non-enzymatic function of DPP4 plays a critical role in providing co-stimulatory signals to T cells via adenosine deaminase (ADA). DPP4 may also regulate inflammatory responses in innate immune cells such as monocytes and dendritic cells. The multiplicity of functions and targets suggests that DPP4 may play a distinct role aside from its effects on the incretin axis. Indeed recent studies in experimental models of atherosclerosis provide evidence for a robust effect for these drugs in attenuating inflammation and plaque development. Several prospective randomized controlled clinical trials in humans with established atherosclerosis are testing the effects of DPP4 inhibition on hard cardiovascular events.