cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Leukocyte adhesion and hepatic microvascular responses to intestinal ischemia/reperfusion in rats

Abstract BACKGROUND & AIMS: Although it has been reported that gut ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) elicits neutrophil-dependent liver dysfunction, little is known about the kinetics of leukocyte accumulation in the hepatic microcirculation after gut I/R. The aim of this study was to determine the temporal relationship between leukocyte sequestration and oxidative stress in rat liver after occlusion (30 minutes) and reperfusion (60 minutes) of the superior mesenteric artery and assess the effects of neutrophil depletion or immunoneutralization of either intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) or the leukocyte adhesion glycoprotein CD11/CD18 on the hepatic microvascular responses to gut I/R. METHODS: Leukocyte accumulation, number of nonperfused sinusoids, and autofluorescence of reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) were monitored using intravital videomicroscopy both before and after gut I/R. RESULTS: The number of adherent leukocytes in both midzonal and pericentral regions after gut I/R was elevated. Autofluorescence of NADH increased after reperfusion (indicating hypoxia), particularly in the pericentral region. Neutrophil depletion or antibodies to either ICAM-1 or CD11/CD18 blunted the gut I/R-induced increases in NADH autofluorescence in the pericentral region, leukocyte adherence, and nonperfused sinusoids. CONCLUSIONS: Leukocytes accumulate in the liver after gut I/R via interaction of CD11/CD18 and ICAM-1. The leukocytes appear to mediate an oxidative stress, occurring in proximity to nonperfused sinusoids, that may contribute to liver injury. (Gastroenterology 1996 Sep;111(3):666-73)
Combined arterial reconstruction and transluminal dilatation: therapeutic teamwork to combat vascular insufficiency.

Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) is a nonoperative method for dilatation of arterial stenoses. A burgeoning interest in PTA, fueled by its speed, ease, relative noninvasiveness, and diminished expense, has been marred by its rapid adoption without sufficient understanding of the biophysics of plaque dilatation, healing of the arterial injury thus incurred, or long-term consequences of the technique. Further, it has too frequently been considered to be a competitor with surgical reconstruction in the management of limb or organ ischemia. Five illustrative cases demonstrate that PTA and arterial reconstruction may occupy complementary roles. Arterial dilatation has permitted limb-saving arterial reconstructive surgery to be done in some severely ill patients, and has diminished the scope of such surgery in others. Arterial reconstructive surgery and PTA can be used effectively in synchronous or staged fashion to the benefit of well-selected patients with arterial insufficiency.
Mechanics of Tool-Workpiece Engagement and Incipient Deformation in Machining of 70/30 Brass

In this paper, studies of incipient chip formation when cutting annealed 70/30 brass under orthogonal conditions are presented. Cutting forces were recorded and changes in deformation occurring in the workpiece were investigated for slow velocity transient cuts involving different rake angles. The deformation was observed by means of micro-hardness plots and recrystallization photomicrographs. Stresses on the apparent tool-work contact area were calculated.
The effect of N-methylation on fenfluramine's neurotoxic and pharmacologic actions

N-Methylation separates methamphetamine's neurotoxic and pharmacologic effects. In particular, N-methylation eliminates methamphetamine's neurotoxic activity while preserving its behavioral pharmacologic activity. The purpose of the present studies was to determine whether N-methylation could also be used to separate fenfluramine's neurotoxic and pharmacologic effects. Fenfluramine-induced serotonin neurotoxicity was assessed by measuring serotonin axonal markers 2 weeks after fenfluramine administration. Pharmacologic effects of fenfluramine were assessed by measuring fenfluramine-induced anorexia and fenfluramine discrimination. Both fenfluramine and its N-methylated analog, N-methylfenfluramine, produced dose-related effects in food intake, drug-discrimination and neurotoxicity studies. Although N-methylation reduced the neurotoxic potency of fenfluramine, it also reduced its pharmacologic activity. Neurotoxic potency was reduced 4- to 8-fold (depending on brain region), while pharmacologic potency was reduced 4- to 10-fold (depending on paradigm). Notably, N-methylation did not change the efficacy of fenfluramine as a serotonin neurotoxin, anorectic agent or discrimination stimulus. These results indicate that fenfluramine's behavioral and neurotoxic effects, unlike those of methamphetamine, are not dissociated by N-methylation. Further, the present results suggest that the effectiveness of side-chain nitrogen substitution in separating the behavioral and neurotoxic effects of amphetamine derivatives is strongly influenced by ring substitutions.
Pediatricians' views on financial barriers and values for pneumococcal vaccine for children.

Objectives.—To 1) describe barriers to pneumococcal conjugate vaccine adoption and 2) estimate the value of the vaccine based on pediatricians' responses to willingness-to-pay questions. Methods.—In June 2000, we mailed a random sample of pediatricians in Massachusetts a questionnaire about barriers to adoption of the vaccine and willingness to pay for the vaccine and associated outcomes. Respondents were assigned at random to 1 of 2 survey versions: the Personal Perspective version, for which they imagined spending their own money for their own child, or the Public Perspective version, for which they imagined spending the government's money for the average child. Results.—Of the 546 pediatricians who responded (estimated completion rate, 80%), only 9% were using the vaccine routinely at the time of the survey. Most said that if the state did not provide the vaccine, financial barriers including inadequate insurance reimbursement would limit their use of the vaccine either a great deal (61%) or a moderate amount (25%). Pediatricians who were asked how much they would pay for the vaccine for their own child (personal perspective) gave a mean of $56 per dose, whereas those who were asked how much the government should pay on behalf of an average child (public perspective) gave a mean of $36 per dose. Alternatively, when we used a decision analysis model and incorporated pediatricians' values for preventing pneumococcal infections to estimate the vaccine's value, the value per dose was $38 from the personal perspective and $34 from the public perspective. Conclusions.—Pediatricians in Massachusetts identified significant financial barriers to the adoption of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine related to insurance arrangements. Based on willingness-to-pay questions, the value of the vaccine is lower than the current list price. The methods used to estimate the value of a vaccine, including the perspective used to frame questions, may substantially influence the results.
Thermal Shift and Broadening of Spectral Lines in Neodymium Doped Garnets

Thermal shift and broadening of sharp luminescence lines in three Nd-doped laser garnet crystals, GGG, GSGG, and CYMGG, are investigated in a temperature range of 78 to 600K. These lines are due to the 4F3/2 → 4I9/2 (~0.94µ) and 4F3/2 → 4II1/2 (~1µ) transitions. Line widths and positions at different temperatures are reported for the lines of R1→Y1, R1→Y2, R2→Y3, R1→Z5 in GGG:Nd, R1→Y1, R1→Y2, R2→Y1, R2→Y3, R1→Y6, R2→Y6, R1→Z5 in GSGG:Nd,Cr, and R2→Y1, R1→Z5 in CYMGG:Nd,Cr. We observed that all the lines shift to longer wavelengths (red shift) with increasing temperature except for the R1,2→Z5 lines that shift to shorter wavelength (blue shift) in all the three garnet crystals. For the widths, all the lines become broader with increasing temperature. It was also observed that the line width in the germanium garnet CYMGG is much broader than in GGG and GSGG.
Interactions of a two-level atom with one mode of correlated two-mode field states

We study the interaction of two-level atoms with correlated two-mode states of the quantized electromagnetic field. We assume that only one of the modes is near resonance with the atomic transition so that the second mode does not interact directly with the atom. However, we find that the presence of the second field does produce a kind of nonlocal effect in that if the atom is initially in the excited or the ground state no atomic dipole moment develops. We consider two kinds of correlated field state, namely, the correlated SU(1, 1) coherent states, which are generalizations of the two-mode squeezed vacuum states, and the so-called pair coherent states. We study the atomic inversions and the evolutions of the field statistics and of the squeezing properties of the initial field.
Crustal scale geometry of the Zagros fold–thrust belt, Iran

Balanced cross-sections across the Zagros fold–thrust belt in Iran are used to analyze the geometry of deformation within the sedimentary cover rocks, and to test the hypothesis of basement involved thrusting throughout the fold–thrust belt. Although the Zagros deformation front is a relatively rectilinear feature, the sinuous map-view morphology of the mountain front is a result of a 6 km structural step in the regional elevation of the Asmari Limestone that produces a pronounced step in topography termed the ‘mountain front flexure’. Although the height of the mountain front flexure is sufficient to permit basement fault–bend folds at the front of the Lorestan and Fars regions, the taper of the orogen, low percentage of shortening, and consistent structural elevation from the mountain front flexure to the hinterland suggest that Lorestan and Fars segments of the fold and thrust belt are completely detached on lower Cambrian salt and that basement-involved thrusting occurs only in the hinterland of the orogen. Mass balance constraints necessitate that detachment folds throughout the fold–thrust belt are cored by faults that branch from the basal detachment. The steep dips of these faults and their depth within the lower Paleozoic sedimentary rocks can account for recorded earthquakes. This suggests that the ~11±4-km-deep earthquakes throughout the fold–thrust belt may be nucleating within sedimentary rocks rather than in the basement as previously proposed. Total shortening in the Zagros fold–thrust belt is 70±20 km, which corresponds to ~20% shortening of the Arabian block.
Segmentation through variable-order surface fitting

The solution of the segmentation problem requires a mechanism for partitioning the image array into low-level entities based on a model of the underlying image structure. A piecewise-smooth surface model for image data that possesses surface coherence properties is used to develop an algorithm that simultaneously segments a large class of images into regions of arbitrary shape and approximates image data with bivariate functions so that it is possible to compute a complete, noiseless image reconstruction based on the extracted functions and regions. Surface curvature sign labeling provides an initial coarse image segmentation, which is refined by an iterative region-growing method based on variable-order surface fitting. Experimental results show the algorithm's performance on six range images and three intensity images. >
Dietary Supplement Use in the United States, 2003–2006

Dietary supplement use has steadily increased over time since the 1970s; however, no current data exist for the U.S. population. Therefore, the purpose of this analysis was to estimate dietary supplement use using the NHANES 2003-2006, a nationally representative, cross-sectional survey. Dietary supplement use was analyzed for the U.S. population (≥1 y of age) by the DRI age groupings. Supplement use was measured through a questionnaire and was reported by 49% of the U.S. population (44% of males, 53% of females). Multivitamin-multimineral use was the most frequently reported dietary supplement (33%). The majority of people reported taking only 1 dietary supplement and did so on a daily basis. Dietary supplement use was lowest in obese adults and highest among non-Hispanic whites, older adults, and those with more than a high-school education. Between 28 and 30% reported using dietary supplements containing vitamins B-6, B-12, C, A, and E; 18-19% reported using iron, selenium, and chromium; and 26-27% reported using zinc- and magnesium-containing supplements. Botanical supplement use was more common in older than in younger age groups and was lowest in those aged 1-13 y but was reported by ~20% of adults. About one-half of the U.S. population and 70% of adults ≥ 71 y use dietary supplements; one-third use multivitamin-multimineral dietary supplements. Given the widespread use of supplements, data should be included with nutrient intakes from foods to correctly determine total nutrient exposure.
Transformation Range Behavior of Lithium Galliosilicate Glasses

The transformation range viscosity and thermal expansion behavior of lithium galliosilicate glasses were studied. The glass transformation and dilatometric softening temperatures exhibit maxima at gallium to lithium ratios of somewhat greater than one. Similar behavior was observed for the transformation range viscosity. The effect of phase separation on the dilatometric softening temperature is discussed in detail. These results are compared with those obtained for lithium alumino-silicate glasses in other studies. The results are discussed in terms of the structural role of aluminum and gallium in the glass network.
The migrated liver transplantation candidate: Insight into geographic disparities in liver distribution

Background A minority of liver transplantation (LT) candidates pursue listing at multiple centers to achieve transplantation. The purpose of this study was to assess the characteristics and outcomes of the migrated LT candidates, that is, those who travel to secondary centers seeking LT. Study Design Single-center retrospective study from January 1, 2005 to January 1, 2013 at a tertiary care center within United Network for Organ Sharing Region 1. Adult recipients who were listed at the primary center of interest, but subsequently achieved transplantation at a secondary center (Massachusetts General Hospital [MGH]-migrated; n = 44) were compared with recipients who achieved LT at the primary center (MGH-transplanted; n = 279). Results The MGH-migrated recipients most frequently traveled to United Network for Organ Sharing Region 3 (70.5%), with a mean (±SD) distance traveled of 1,134 (±392) miles. The MGH-migrated patients, when compared with MGH-transplanted recipients, spent more time on the waitlist (907.6 ± 930.1 days vs 354.9 ± 533.2 days; p Conclusions A small and distinctive cohort of LT recipients pursue migration to achieve transplantation. Travel patterns of migrated LT recipients appear to reflect the ongoing geographic disparities in liver distribution and underscore the need for alterations in policy to allow for equitable distribution.
Imaging assessment of the postoperative arthritic wrist.

The three main surgical treatments for wrist arthritis are discussed in terms of indications, alternatives, normal postoperative imaging findings, and associated complications, along with the latest surgical techniques and hardware used around the wrist joint.
The PDF of nearest neighbor measurement and a probabilistic nearest neighbor filter for tracking in clutter

The measurement that is "closest" to the predicted target position measurement is known as the "nearest neighbor" measurement in target tracking. The probability density function (PDF) of the nearest neighbor measurement is derived in this paper. This PDF is important in the performance analysis and the design of the filters as well as the development of new tracking filters. However, it was calculated incorrectly in all publications known to the author. Based on the PDF obtained, a new probabilistic nearest neighbor filter for tracking in clutter which accounts for the probability that the nearest neighbor is not originated from the target of interest is presented. >
Policy-based Web service composition

With the proliferation of Web technologies, the need to deliver services via the Web has increased tremendously. More and more, customers now demand one-stop service that calls for multiple services crossing organizational boundaries, which are required to be carefully and dynamically composed in a customized manner. Such a composition should not only select the most appropriate available service, but should also adhere to the policies and regulations governing the organizational services. In this paper, we demonstrate how such a composition can be accomplished to form a coherent service flow by using rules and services expressed as a knowledge base and topic ontology. The description of rules with topic concepts allows the system to easily identify the relevant rules in a certain domain and to identify and select appropriate Web services for composition. We consider different types of compositional rules including syntactic, semantic and pragmatic (contextual), which play a major role in the discovery and selection of Web services. We model the knowledge of rules and of the topic ontology using OWL, DAML-S, RuleML and RDF standards.
The phenomena of electrorheological fluid behavior between two barriers underalternative voltage

Electrorheological (ER) fluids placed between two barriers have the ability to change some of their physical properties like the apparent viscosity and modulus of elasticity when an external electrical field is applied. Early investigations of the sound transmission loss (STL) under DC voltage showed that a normal stress that develops in ER fluid in response to an electrical field has a significant influence on the magnitude of STL. The tangentional (shear) stress had only a negligible effect on the STL. The aim of this study was to investigate the STL using a two-barrier system with ER fluid placed between them, and subjected to alternative voltage. The STL was investigated for various kinds of ER fluids in the presence of the variable alternative electric field density. The results showed that the STL had decreased with the increasing electric field density.
Measuring perceived stigma in persons with progressive neurological disease Alzheimer's dementia and Parkinson's disease

The perceived stigma inherent in progressive neurological diseases, such as Alzheimer's dementia (AD) and Parkinson's Disease (PD), has been under-recognized. The purposes of this pilot study were to examine: (1) the psychometric properties of the Stigma Impact (SIS) and Stigma Experience Scales (SES) when used with persons with AD or PD; and (2) differences in perceived stigma by disease diagnosis. The sample included 26 persons with AD and 14 persons with PD. Findings support the reliability of the total SIS scale for both persons with AD or PD. The four SIS subscales had acceptable reliability when used with persons with PD, while two of the four subscales had adequate reliability when used with persons with AD. Internal consistency reliability of the SES was acceptable in PD sample only. Validity of the total SIS scale and the four subscales was supported through significant correlations with mental status (AD sample only), self-esteem, depression, and personal control. Persons with AD scored higher o...
Comparison of detection accuracy of perfusion defects in SPECT for different reconstruction strategies using polar-map quantitation

The objective of this study was to determine the impact on detection accuracy of coronary artery disease (CAD) from different combinations of compensation for attenuation, scatter, and resolution using unified normal databases with polar-map quantitation for detection. We studied 102 individuals who either underwent X-ray angiography (57) or were determined to be less than 5% likely to have CAD (45). The low-likelihood group was identified using standard criteria. Both groups underwent stress testing (physical or pharmacological) before imaging commenced. A Philips Medical Systems Prism 3000 (Philips Medical Systems, Cleveland, OH) SPECT camera was used for all acquisitions. The standard filtered backprojection reconstruction (FBP) reconstruction with no attenuation or scatter compensation was performed on the emission data using the 180/spl deg/ data from RAO to LPO. A Butterworth pre-filter of order 5 with a cutoff of 0.25 cycles per pixel was used. Emission data were also reconstructed through 360/spl deg/ using an ordered-subset expectation-maximization (OSEM) algorithm. We used 15 subsets of four angles each with one iteration employed for attenuation compensation (AC) alone, and for AC in combination with scatter compensation (SC). Resolution compensation (RC) was included with the previous compensation methods using 5 iteration of OSEM. Three-dimensional post-reconstruction Gaussian filtering was performed using a standard deviation (sigma) of 0.75 pixels. For the detection of CAD, a progressive improvement in the detection accuracy was observed from FBP without added compensation to OSEM with AC, SC, and RC included. This trend was not consistently observed when comparing detection accuracy for the individual territories, but OSEM with all three compensations had generally the best detection accuracy. Our patient population presented a significant problem with subdiaphragmatic activity due to the large percentage of pharmaceutical stress patients (/spl sim/65%). Therefore, the inferior wall (right coronary artery) territory showed evidence of deterioration in detection accuracy for solely AC as opposed to FBP due to the presence of significant contamination from subdiaphragmatic activity in this patient population.
Laboratory diagnosis of cytomegalovirus infection and disease in immunocompromised patients.

Purpose of reviewTo review new developments in PCR technology as they apply to detecting cytomegalovirus viremia and pneumonia, recent advances in detecting CMV resistance to antivirals and assays of specific CMV lymphocyte function.Recent findingsThis review summarizes the attempts to use real time
Structural model of ρ1 GABAC receptor based on evolutionary analysis: Testing of predicted protein–protein interactions involved in receptor assembly and function†

The homopentameric ρ1 GABAC receptor is a ligand-gated ion channel with a binding pocket for γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) at the interfaces of N-terminal extracellular domains. We combined evolutionary analysis, structural modeling, and experimental testing to study determinants of GABAC receptor assembly and channel gating. We estimated the posterior probability of selection pressure at amino acid residue sites measured as ω-values and built a comparative structural model, which identified several polar residues under strong selection pressure at the subunit interfaces that may form intersubunit hydrogen bonds or salt bridges. At three selected sites (R111, T151, and E55), mutations disrupting intersubunit interactions had strong effects on receptor folding, assembly, and function. We next examined the role of a predicted intersubunit salt bridge for residue pair R158–D204. The mutant R158D, where the positively charged residue is replaced by a negatively charged aspartate, yielded a partially degraded receptor and lacked membrane surface expression. The membrane surface expression was rescued by the double mutant R158D–D204R, where positive and negative charges are switched, although the mutant receptor was inactive. The single mutants R158A, D204R, and D204A exhibited diminished activities and altered kinetic profiles with fast recovery kinetics, suggesting that R158–D204 salt bridge perhaps stabilizes the open state of the GABAC receptor. Our results emphasize the functional importance of highly conserved polar residues at the protein–protein interfaces in GABAC ρ1 receptors and demonstrate how the integration of computational and experimental approaches can aid discovery of functionally important interactions.
Role of SP transcription factors in hormone-dependent modulation of genes in MCF-7 breast cancer cells: microarray and RNA interference studies

17beta-estradiol (E(2)) binds estrogen receptor alpha (ESR1) in MCF-7 cells and increases cell proliferation and survival through induction or repression of multiple genes. ESR1 interactions with DNA-bound specificity protein (SP) transcription factors is a nonclassical genomic estrogenic pathway and the role of SP transcription factors in mediating hormone-dependent activation or repression of genes in MCF-7 cells was investigated by microarrays and RNA interference. MCF-7 cells were transfected with a nonspecific oligonucleotide or a cocktail of small inhibitory RNAs (iSP), which knockdown SP1, SP3, and SP4 proteins, and treated with dimethylsulfoxide or 10 nM E(2) for 6 h. E(2) induced 62 and repressed 134 genes and the induction or repression was reversed in approximately 62% of the genes in cells transfected with iSP (ESR1/SP dependent), whereas hormonal activation or repression of the remaining genes was unaffected by iSP (SP independent). Analysis of the ESR1/SP-dependent and SP-independent genes showed minimal overlap with respect to the GO terms (functional processes) in genes induced or repressed, suggesting that the different genomic pathways may contribute independently to the hormone-induced phenotype in MCF-7 cells.
FoxO proteins restrain osteoclastogenesis and bone resorption by attenuating H 2 O 2 accumulation

Besides their cell-damaging effects in the setting of oxidative stress, reactive oxygen species (ROS) play an important role in physiological intracellular signalling by triggering proliferation and survival. FoxO transcription factors counteract ROS generation by upregulating antioxidant enzymes. Here we show that intracellular H2O2 accumulation is a critical and purposeful adaptation for the differentiation and survival of osteoclasts, the bone cells responsible for the resorption of mineralized bone matrix. Using mice with conditional loss or gain of FoxO transcription factor function, or mitochondria-targeted catalase in osteoclasts, we demonstrate this is achieved, at least in part, by downregulating the H2O2-inactivating enzyme catalase. Catalase downregulation results from the repression of the transcriptional activity of FoxO1, 3 and 4 by RANKL, the indispensable signal for the generation of osteoclasts, via an Akt-mediated mechanism. Notably, mitochondria-targeted catalase prevented the loss of bone caused by loss of oestrogens, suggesting that decreasing H2O2 production in mitochondria may represent a rational pharmacotherapeutic approach to diseases with increased bone resorption.
Discontinuous Innovation: Strained Silicon Technology

Strained silicon technology has had a dramatic impact on extending the limits of semiconductor technology. Due to the difficulties of both bipolar and CMOS scaling, strained layer technology offers a manufacturability approach to change the material properties of silicon and significantly enhance performance
Nucleophilic Addition to Arene–Metal Complexes

This chapter covers reactions in which coordination of a transition metal to the π-system of an arene ring activates the ring toward addition of nucleophiles, to give η5-cyclohexadienyl-metal complexes (1; Scheme 1). If an electronegative atom is present in the ipso position, elimination of that atom (X in 1) leads to nucleophilic aromatic substitution (path a). Reaction of the intermediate with an electrophile (E+) can give disubstituted 1,3-cyclohexadiene derivatives (path b). If a hydrogen occupies the ipso position, oxidation of the intermediate gives formal nucleophilic substitution for hydrogen (path c). These processes have been uncovered and developed relatively recently and have significant potential in synthesis methodology. General reviews have appeared1–3 as well as others with an emphasis on [(η6−-arene)Cr(CO)3] complexes,4–6 on [(η6-arene)FeCp]+ (Cp = η5-cyclopentadienyl) complexes7,8 and on [(η6-arene)Mn(CO)3]+ complexes,9 but none with emphasis on synthesis scope and limitations. The purpose of this chapter is to illustrate the established methodology and to point to future possibilities; mechanistic questions are included when helpful in understanding the scope and limitations. The coverage is representative and not comprehensive.
Notes: On the Use of a Rubber Yardstick in Evaluating a Difference

(1959). Notes: On the Use of a Rubber Yardstick in Evaluating a Difference. Research Quarterly. American Association for Health, Physical Education and Recreation: Vol. 30, No. 2, pp. 241-241.
New Agrilus Curtis (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) from México and Costa Rica mimicking parasitic wasps

Three species of the genus Agrilus are described: A. bellamyi New Species from Mexico, and A. braconoides New Species and A. lucindae New Species from Costa Rica. The male of Agrilus braconicoloratus Hespenheide from Mexico is also described for the first time. These four species are hypothesized to be mimics of wasps in the family Braconidae, some of which are parasitic on wood-boring beetles. The mimicry complex is briefly described and discussed for Costa Rica and Panama and probably involves both Mullerian and Batesian relationships with other beetles (Cerambycidae, Cleridae, and baridine Curculionidae) and Hymenoptera (Ichneumonidae and Mutillidae), predatory Heteroptera (Reduviidae), Diptera (Tipulidae), and other taxa. Examples are also given for South America and the Old World.
Audiovisual perceptual learning with multiple speakers.

Abstract One challenge for speech perception is between-speaker variability in the acoustic parameters of speech. For example, the same phoneme (e.g. the vowel in “cat”) may have substantially different acoustic properties when produced by two different speakers and yet the listener must be able to interpret these disparate stimuli as equivalent. Perceptual tuning, the use of contextual information to adjust phonemic representations, may be one mechanism that helps listeners overcome obstacles they face due to this variability during speech perception. Here we test whether visual contextual cues to speaker identity may facilitate the formation and maintenance of distributional representations for individual speakers, allowing listeners to adjust phoneme boundaries in a speaker-specific manner. We familiarized participants to an audiovisual continuum between /aba/ and /ada/. During familiarization, the “b-face” mouthed /aba/ when an ambiguous token was played, while the “D-face" mouthed /ada/. At test, the same ambiguous token was more likely to be identified as /aba/ when paired with a stilled image of the “b-face” than with an image of the “D-face.” This was not the case in the control condition when the two faces were paired equally with the ambiguous token. Together, these results suggest that listeners may form speaker-specific phonemic representations using facial identity cues.
The structure of quasiasymptotics of Schwartz distributions

In this article complete characterizations of quasiasymptotic behaviors of Schwartz distributions are presented by means of structural theorems. The cases at infinity and the origin are both analyzed. Special attention is paid to the quasiasymptotic of degree -1 and it is shown how the structural theorem can be used to study Ces\`{a}ro and Abel summability of trigonometric series and integrals. Further properties of quasiasymptotics at infinity are discussed, the author presents a condition over test functions which allows one to evaluate them at the quasiasymptotic, these test functions are in bigger spaces than $\mathcal{S}$. An extension of the structural theorems for quasiasymptotics is given, the author studies a structural characterization of the behavior $f(\lambda x)=O(\rho(\lambda))$ in $\mathcal{D'}$, where $\rho$ is a regularly varying function.
Biology and Host Specificity of Trirhabda bacharidis (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) on Baccharis (Asteraceae: Astereae)

The leaf beetle Trirhabda bacharidis (Weber) is the dominant herbivore of the woody shrub Baccharis neglecta (Britt.) in central Texas. Eggs were deposited in clusters on the base of the main stem of the plant from April to June and remained dormant for 7–10 mo. In 1984 and 1985, mean populations of 91 and 572 neonate larvae per plant, respectively, were found in late winter from eggs deposited on the base of main stems. Larvae often defoliated the plant. Mature larvae dropped or crawled to the ground in March and April and pupated in the soil. Mean adult populations of 154 and 239 beetles per plant emerged in April 1984 and 1985, respectively; they also defoliated some plants. Laboratory reared females deposited a mean of 517 eggs each. Host specificity tests were conducted with larvae of T. bacharidis on 12 species of Asteraceae. Mean larval consumption was 1,915, 1,162, 692, and.678 mm2 of leaf tissue per larva on Baccharis halimifolia L., B. neglecta , B. sarothroides Gray, and B. pilularis DC., respectively. Larval development required 26–29 d. Adults were tested on seven species of Baccharis ; they preferred the same four plants as did the larvae. Larval and adult consumption, pupal weight, and adult longevity were greatest on B. halimifolia .
Using the Courts to Shape Medicaid Policy: Olmstead V. L.c. by Zimring and Its Community Integration Legacy

In Olmstead v. L.C. by Zimring, the United States Supreme Court addressed the relationship between the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a landmark in US civil rights law, and the Medicaid program. Olmstead holds that qualified individuals with disabilities who are protected by the ADA have the right to receive publicly funded services in community-integrated treatment settings and that medically unnecessary institutionalization violates the ADA. But the Court had to wrestle with the extent to which the ADA requires state Medicaid programs to make deep and structural reforms in how long-term care services are organized, financed, and delivered. From a strictly legal perspective, Olmstead's impact has been limited by the fact that the ADA does not require fundamental alterations in public programs. Despite this fact, Olmstead remains a watershed decision in US disability law that has helped spur transformational changes in how Medicaid addresses community-based long-term care.
Commissioning Test of Pole II and Bipolar System for Baode HVDC Project

An analysis and summary is made in this paper of the commissioning test of the Baoji to Deyang(abbr.Baode) HVDC project pole II and bipolar system.During the commissioning test,the primary and secondary equipment were tested and performed very well.The primary equipment and the DC control and protection devices worked normally during the start/stop,protection trip,steady operation,dynamic characteristics,DC power modulation,rated power load and overload operation test of HVDC system,and the testing results are presented according to the design specifications.The main technical problems occurring during the commissioning test of the pole II and bipolar system of the Baode HVDC transmission project are analyzed in detail in this paper.The solution of those problems guaranteed the smooth execution of system commissioning test and in time operation of this project.
International English Tourism Academic Journals:Development,Methods of Assessment,Ranking and Rating

The number of international English tourism academic journals has been remarkably increasing in the past two decades.Meanwhile,as publishing theses in high quality journals is increasingly required to assess the research abilities of teachers and research personnel by many foreign universities and research institutes and is even regarded as prime norm for their promotion of professional titles,the assessment and ranking of journals has aroused more and more concern.The paper firstly makes a brief retrospect of the development history and regional distribution of tourism journals,then outlines and compares the pros and cons of the methods of ranking of different tourism journals and introduces the study results of the ranking of more influential foreign tourism journals and analyzes their quality.Finally,based on the study results of predecessors,parts of tourism journals are further rated in the hope of providing reference for researchers in the tourism circle.
Amata’s Wrath: Dante’s Reading of the Battle for Latium

This essay holds that Dante’s particular interpretation of Virgil’s Amata in Purgatorio XVII as an example of wrath is consistent with his treatment of this Virgilian character in his Epistle VII. Despite the pathetic quality of Lavinia’s words in the Purgatorio episode, a close analysis of Dante’s verses in relation to Virgil’s text, particularly the second half of the Aeneid, reveals that he condemns Amata’s actions as harshly in the Purgatorio passage as in his epistle to Henry VII, where he compares Florence’s brazen effrontery with regard to the emperor to Amata’s open hostility to authority and divine signs. Dante’s reading of Amata is highly determined by his conviction regarding the importance of human agency, and he dismisses any suggestion in Virgil’s text about Amata’s victimization regarding her actions by stressing the evidence in the Aeneid of her active and willful resistance to authority.
Kant: Critique of Practical Reason

The Critique of Practical Reason is the second of Kant's three Critiques, one of his three major treatises on moral theory, and a seminal text in the history of moral philosophy. Originally published three years after his Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals, the Critique provides further elaboration of the basic themes of Kant's moral theory, gives the most complete statement of his highly original theory of freedom of the will, and develops his practical metaphysics. This revised edition of Kant's Critique of Practical Reason - which contains Mary Gregor's acclaimed translation - is now the authoritative translation of this work. A substantial and lucid introduction by Andrews Reath places the mains themes of the Critique in the context of Kant's moral theory and his critical system. For this edition, the introduction has been revised and the guide to the secondary reading completely updated.
Neurological Complications of Renal Disease

Neurological manifestations related to electrolyte disorders, drug toxicity, and uremia are common in chronic kidney disease (CKD). Seizures and coma are frequent complications of acute renal insufficiency (uremia), whereas peripheral neuropathy and encephalopathy, observed in progressive uremia, are terminal events. Failure to excrete metabolic products causes their accumulation and can lead to severe intoxication. Clinically, the signs and symptoms of uremia can vary widely, depending on the biological characteristics of the patient, the specific type of renal disease, and the time of the uremic intoxication. CKD is an increasing problem worldwide and is now being recognized as a global health burden particularly for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular ischemic events. Despite improvements in the medical management of advanced CKD, including dialysis and transplantation, patients manifest a number of symptoms that neurologists are often confronted with. Appropriate drug dosing, awareness of potential side effects of medications, prompt diagnosis, and treatment are essential in preventing neurological long-term morbidity and mortality.
FTY720 is neuroprotective and improves functional outcomes after intracerebral hemorrhage in mice

Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) accounts for 20% of all strokes and is the most devastating form across all stroke types. Lymphocytes have been shown to potentiate cerebral inflammation and brain injury after stroke. FTY720 (Fingolimod) is an immune-modulating drug that prevents the egress of peripheral lymphocytes from peripheral stores. We hypothesized that FTY720 would reduce peripheral circulating lymphocytes, resulting in reduced brain injury and improved functional outcomes. CD-1 mice were anesthetized and then injected with collagenase into the right basal ganglia. Animals were divided into three groups: sham, ICH + Vehicle, and ICH + FTY720, by the intra-peritoneal route at 1 h after ICH induction. Brain water content was measured at 24 and 72 h. Neurobehavioral tests included corner test, forelimb use asymmetry, paw placement, wire-hang test, beam balance test, and a Neuroscore. FTY720 significantly reduced brain edema and improved neurological function at all time points tested. Lymphocyte modulation with FTY720 is an effective neuroprotective strategy to reduce brain injury and promote functional recovery after ICH.
Nucleotide Sugar Transporter Genes and Their Functional Analysis

Carbohydrate structures on glycoproteins and glycolipids play important roles in various biological processes, such as morphogenesis/organ development, viral and bacterial infections/immune response, and cancer invasion. Nucleotide sugar transporters (NSTs) are crucial components in the synthesis of glycoconjugates (Fig. 1) (Caffaro and Hirschberg 2006). Glycosylation can be performed by various types of glycosyltransferase in the lumens of the endoplasmic reticulum and the Golgi apparatus. All glycosyltransferases require donor sugars activated by the addition of a nucleoside mono- or diphosphate (UDP, GDP, or CMP), that is, nucleotide sugars. Nucleotide sugars are synthesized in the cytosol (or in the nucleus in the case of CMP-sialic acid). The translocation of nucleotide sugars from the cytosol into the lumen compartment is mediated by specific NSTs. NSTs are multiple-membrane-spanning proteins that transport nucleotide sugars in coupling with the antiport of nucleoside monophosphate (NMP), which is produced as the result of a glycosyltransferase reaction and a subsequent luminal nucleoside diphosphatase (NDPase) reaction. Recently, NSTs have been suggested to be possible crucial players in the synthesis of glycoconjugates (Suda et al. 2004; Caffaro and Hirschberg 2006).
Primary surgical management with radial forearm free flap reconstruction in T4 oropharyngeal cancer: Complications and functional outcomes

Abstract Purpose Functional outcomes and complication rates after open surgery for advanced-stage oropharyngeal cancers are rarely reported. These measures are critical for choice of treatment modality and patient counseling. We describe the long term functional outcomes and associated complications of primary surgical management of T4 oropharyngeal cancers reconstructed with radial forearm free flaps. Materials and methods A retrospective review was performed of 40 patients with T4 oropharyngeal cancers treated between 2005 and 2015 at a tertiary care center. Results Forty patients with T4 oropharyngeal cancers underwent open surgical resection and radial forearm free flap reconstruction at the time of surgery. Mandibulotomy was required in 33 (82.5%) cases. Thirty-five (87.5%) patients received adjuvant radiation or combined chemotherapy and radiation. Tracheostomy was performed in all patients, but every patient was eventually decannulated. Twenty (57.1%) patients required gastrostomy tube placement at some point during treatment; however, 91.4% were on a completely oral diet with a mean FOSS score of 1.6 by 1 year after completion of treatment. The addition of adjuvant treatment was the only factor significantly associated with poorer FOSS scores. The overall rates of short and long-term complications were 60.0% and 57.1% respectively. The most common short and long-term complications were infection (30.0%) and velopharyngeal insufficiency (25.7%) respectively. Conclusions Traditional open surgical approaches to large tumors of the oropharynx carry higher complication rates than more recent advanced transoral approaches. However, they can still be utilized with excellent long-term functional results in certain cases of advance oropharyngeal cancers not amenable to transoral approaches. With careful reconstruction of oropharyngeal defects, over 90% of patients can achieve a completely oral diet.
BARIATRIC SURGERY IN ADVANCED HEART FAILURE PATIENTS PROVIDES BRIDGE TO DEFINITIVE THERAPY

Obesity poses significant challenges in advanced heart failure patients who otherwise meet criteria for left ventricular assist devices (LVAD) or heart transplant (HT). There is paucity of data on use of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) as a candidacy/bridge to LVAD or cardiac transplantation
Plastic Properties and Testing

Abstract Plastic material offers numerous properties such as lightweight, resilience, resistance to corrosion, color, transparency, and ease of processing, which makes them superior over other materials in many applications. Additionally, versatility, low cost, and abundance of plastic materials have encouraged application in products requiring multipurpose performance criteria on a daily basis. A single product can necessitate a combination of properties to satisfy all of its requirements. In an example of a running shoe comprising of three parts as upper body, midsole, and outsole. The upper body holds the foot in place and is required to be breathable, the midsole is for cushioning and comfort, and outsole for traction and protection. All three parts of the shoe have different performance criteria requiring diverse material properties. Overall the shoe is designed to be comfortable, lightweight, and durable. Plastic materials are produced with different polymeric composition and physical nature offering assortment of properties at macro-, micro-, nano-, and molecular levels. Many properties and testing methods are common to these materials. The chapter discusses various properties of plastic materials and references to standard testing methods that are globally accepted.
Stress Radiographs in the Diagnosis of Patellofemoral Instability

Importance: Stress radiographs provide the only available objective measurement of PF joint instability. The diagnosis of joint instability is only confirmed by demonstrating the pathological separation of joint surfaces. This is normally accomplished by applying stress to the joint and demonstrating an abnormal displacement of the two surfaces. Measuring this displacement is needed to document the test result. Nonspecific criteria such as pain or apprehension are frequently used as circumstantial evidence for making the diagnosis of joint instability. Pain and apprehension may be the result of conditions not related to joint instability such as arthrosis. A demonstration of excess displacement is evidence of instability but the amount of displacement should be documented by a valid measurement tool.
Nucleosome Orientation Map Finds Two New Chromatin Folding Motifs.

A method for mapping nucleosome contacts and relative nucleosome orientations reveals new detail about the folding of the S. cerevisiae genome. Two new chromatin folding patterns emerge, with one enriched and the other depleted at transcription start and end sites.
Criminal justice in the middlebrow imagination: The punitive dimensions of Making a Murderer:

Popular documentary representations of crime and punishment have traditionally tended to fall into two camps: programs that are critical of law enforcement agencies and those that are sympathetic t...
The Self-interacting Scalar Field Propagating in FLRW Model of the Contracting Universe

We present a condition on the self-interaction term that guaranties the existence of the global-in-time solution of the Cauchy problem for the semilinear Klein–Gordon equation in the FLRW model of the contracting universe. For the equation with the Higgs potential, we give an estimate for the lifespan of solution.
Reactivity of Enzyme Modification Reagents with Aldose Reductase and Aldehyde Reductase

Aldose reductase (EC 1.1.1.21) and aldehyde reductase (EC 1.1.1.2) are members of a broad family of NADPH-dependent reductases (Feldstead and Bachur, 1980). While the physiological role of either enzyme remains unknown, it is generally assumed that aldose reductase reduces aldose sugars to their respective sugar alcohols while aldehyde reductase reduces a broad range of aromatic and aliphatic aldehydes. Aldehyde reductase is also known as hexonate dehydrogenase EC 1.1.1.19) because of its ability to oxidize L-gulonic acid to glucuronic acid..