cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Scanning electron microscopy of mouse intrahepatic structures

Abstract Livers of normal mice were prepared for scanning electron microscopic (SEM) study by fracturing or slicing lobes fixed in situ by perfusion with paraformaldehyde. Fracturing fixed liver exposes surfaces of hepatocytes and sinusoidal endothelial cells, whereas slicing the tissue reveals the internal structures of portal tracts. Earlier studies have delineated the major surface characteristics of hepatocytes and sinusoidal endothelial cells of rats. Surfaces of hepatocytes in the mouse differ from those in the rat by having larger and more numerous peg and hole complexes on the flat intercellular surface and less dense populations of perisinusoidal microvilli. Sinusoidal endothelial cells in the mouse have fewer large fenestrations than do similar cells in the rat; clusters of small fenestrations appear similarly distributed in both species. The surfaces of capsular mesothelial cells, Kupffer cells, bile duct epithelial cells, and endothelial cells of major vessels are similar in rat and mouse. The methods described for preparing liver for SEM examination are simple, rapid, and reproducible. The SEM is a useful tool with which to study intrahepatic surface structures, and its use may allow further correlations to be made between hepatic structure and function in both health and disease.
SU‐E‐T‐244: Should Treatment Time Be Included in Assessing the Quality of a Gamma Plan?

Propose: To establish a method of estimating nominal treatment time for a given treatment volume in order to facilitate the assessment of Gamma Knife treatment plan quality. Methods and Materials: The clinical plans of 90 patients with brain metastases and/or surgical cavitiestreated on our Leksell Gamma Knife PERFEXION unit between Nov. 2010 and Jan. 2011 were evaluated. Patients with other diagnosis, e.g. acoustic neuroma or meningioma, were not included. Each plan was prescribed by one of the six radiationoncologists using GammaPlan 8.3.1. After excluding the lesions whose dose grid was overlapped with other lesions', we analyzed 198 tumors from these 90 plans. The planned treatment (TX) time were normalized to the time needed if prescription (Rx) dose and dose rate were 20 Gy and 2.5 Gy/min, respectively. The relationship between the normalized TX time and TX volume was analyzed, and a curve was established where about half of the lesions have lower normalized TX time than the nominal time predicted by the curve. Results: A formula, which is 4.5 times the cubic root of the TX volume, is proposed to estimate the nominal TX time, which, after scaling back by the Rx dose and treatmentdose rate, can be used to compare with the planned TX time. After satisfying other quality metrics, a lower planned TX time indicates that the plan is likely to have reached an optimum, while a much higher planned TX time, as determined by the upper threshold, also established by this study, may signify the need for a better plan. Conclusions: A good plan has high Coverage, high conformity, low Gradient Index, and low treatment time. Knowing the bounds of these metrics helps one determine if an optimum has been reached.
Utility of voice therapy in the management of vocal fold polyps and cysts

Objective To evaluate the efficacy of voice therapy in the management of vocal fold polyps and cysts. Study Design and Setting Retrospective review of vocal fold cysts and polyps undergoing voice therapy in a tertiary care center. Symptom resolution or persistence resulting in surgical intervention was the main outcome measure. Results Fifty-seven patients were identified, of which 49.1% achieved symptom resolution with voice therapy alone. Patients with complete glottal closure and muscle tension dysphonia did not have a better response than those with incomplete glottal closure and without muscle tension dysphonia ( P = 0.1, χ 2 , respectively). Patients with translucent polyps more commonly responded to voice therapy than fibrotic, hyaline, or hemorrhagic polyps, 81.8% versus 15.4% and 25.0% response rate, respectively ( P = 0.002, χ 2 ). Conclusions Voice therapy is an effective treatment modality for vocal fold polyps and cysts. Significance A multidisciplinary approach including a trial of voice therapy is warranted.
Dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging evaluation of osteosarcoma response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy

Assessment of osteosarcoma response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy has prognostic implications, but conventional imaging techniques have been unable to provide an accurate quantitative measure of tumor response. We developed an analysis of dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging (DEMRI) to render an image of dynamic vector magnitudes (DVM) and to summarize the result in a quantitative parameter, mean DVM for the lesion (mu DVM). We compared the mu DVM from the examination before surgery with histologic results from an en bloc resection of the tumor in 19 cases. The final mu DVM value provided an accurate (89.5%) measure of tumor necrosis in osteosarcoma. Further, we analyzed the findings in 17 patients with osteosarcoma who completed three DEMRI examinations during the course of therapy. Tumors with higher mu DVM values at presentation had greater decreases in the parameter over the course of therapy. These results are consistent with the distribution of DVM values in these lesions serving as an indicator of tumor perfusion and a possible surrogate variable for drug delivery.
Simple and effective analysis of statically-typed object-oriented programs

To use modern hardware effectively, compilers need extensive control-flow information. Unfortunately, the frequent method invocations in object-oriented languages obscure control flow. In this paper, we describe and evaluate a range of analysis techniques to convert method invocations into direct calls for statically-typed object-oriented languages and thus improve control-flow information in object-oriented languages. We present simple algorithms for type hierarchy analysis, aggregate analysis, and interprocedural and intraprocedural type propagation. These algorithms are also fast, O(|procedures| * ∑pprocedurenp * vp) worst case time (linear in practice) for our slowest analysis, where np is the size of procedure p and vp is the number of variables in procedure p, and are thus practical for use in a compiler. When they fail, we introduce cause analysis to reveal the source of imprecision and suggest where more powerful algorithms may be warranted. We show that our simple analyses perform almost as well as an oracle that resolves all method invocations that invoke only a single procedure.
Noise and range considerations for close-range radar sensing of life signs underwater

Close-range underwater sensing of motion-based life signs can be performed with low power Doppler radar and ultrasound techniques. Corresponding noise and range performance trade-offs are examined here, with regard to choice of frequency and technology. The frequency range examined includes part of the UHF and microwave spectrum. Underwater detection of motion by radar in freshwater and saltwater are demonstrated. Radar measurements exhibited reduced susceptibility to noise as compared to ultrasound. While higher frequency radar exhibited better signal to noise ratio, propagation was superior for lower frequencies. Radar detection of motion through saltwater was also demonstrated at restricted ranges (1–2 cm) with low power transmission (10 dBm). The results facilitate the establishment of guidelines for optimal choice in technology for the underwater measurement motion-based life signs, with respect to trade offs involving range and noise.
The critical period: some thoughts on Grimshaw et al (1998)

Grimshaw et al. (1998), based on their study of an adolescent first language acquirer, support the notion of a critical period. This article discusses the findings of Grimshaw et al. in the context of second language acquisition research. The study by Grimshaw et al. is argued to be of potentially significant value in gaining an understanding of age-related differences in language acquisition. Some issues for Grimshaw et al. to address are raised.
Wnt Regulates TERT—Putting the Horse Before the Cart

Maintaining the length of telomeres—the ends of chromosomes—is essential for all cells that divide many times. The enzyme telomerase lengthens these ends, counterbalancing their shortening that occurs each time chromosomes are copied. Telomerase is essential for cell viability, and loss of its function from the loss of only one of two copies of the encoding gene can lead to the failure of stem cell renewal that is seen in premature aging conditions such as dyskeratosis congenita, aplastic anemia, and pulmonary fibrosis ( 1 ). Conversely, telomerase activity is increased in many cancers and may be required for cancer cells to maintain their telomere length ( 2 ). On page 1549 in this issue, Hoffmeyer et al. ( 3 ) show that a cell signaling pathway known to play a prominent role in development, stem cell renewal, and cancer ( 4 )—the canonical Wnt pathway—also regulates the expression of telomerase.
Relative x-ray transition probabilities to the K-shell for Z=81, 92, 94, and 96

Accurate intensity measurements of the majorK x-ray groups have been performed with high resolution Ge(Li) detectors in singles and coincidence arrangements and with a high-purity Ge detector of the intrinsic type. Previously reportedK x-ray intensities forZ=96 are in error due to the presence of a 121.5 keV γ-ray in the decay of249Cf. The present results are as follows: forZ=81,Kα2/Kα1=0.589±0.008,\(K_{\beta _1^\prime } /K_{\alpha ^1 } = 0.344 \pm 0.008, K_{\beta _2^\prime } /K_{\alpha _1 } = 0.102 \pm 0.004\), andKβ/Kα=0.281±0.006; forZ=92\(K_{\alpha _2 } /K_{\alpha _1 } = 0.611 \pm 0.008,K_{\beta _1^\prime } /K_{\alpha _1 } = 0.365 \pm 0.008, K_{\beta _2^\prime } /K_{\alpha _1 } = 0.125 \pm 0.004\), andKβ/Kα=0.300±0.006; forZ=94,\(K_{\alpha _2 } /K_{\alpha _1 } = 0.610 \pm 0.008, K_{\beta _1^\prime } /K_{\alpha _1 } = 0.369 \pm 0.010, K_{\beta _2^\prime } /K_{\alpha _1 } = 0.127 \pm 0.004\), andKβ/Kα=0.308±0.008; and forZ=96,\(K_{\alpha _2 } /K_{\alpha _1 } = 0.627 \pm 0.008, K_{\beta _1^\prime } /K_{\alpha _1 } = 0.372 \pm 0.009, K_{\beta _2^\prime } /K_{\alpha _1 } = 0.133 \pm 0.005\), andKβ/Kα=0.310±0.008. The error limits are the 2σ statistical errors to which a systematic error in the detector efficiencies has been added linearly. The present results are compared with recent theoretical calculations.
CATALYTIC PROPERTIES OF LIPOAMIDE DEHYDROGENASE FROM MYCOBACTERIUM SMEGMATIS

Abstract Lipoamide dehydrogenase from Mycobacterium smegmatis was purified to homogeneity over 60-fold. Of 20 amino acid residues identified at the amino terminus of the enzyme, 18 and 17 were identical to the sequences of Mycobacterium leprae and Pseudomonas fluorescens lipoamide dehydrogenases, respectively. The visible spectrum of the isolated enzyme was characteristic of a flavin in apolar environment. Reduction of the enzyme with dithionite results in the appearance of an absorbance shoulder at 530–550 nm, suggesting that reducing equivalents of the two-electron reduced enzyme reside predominantly on the redox-active disulfide–dithiol. The kinetic mechanism of the forward (NAD + reducing) and reverse (NADH oxidizing) reactions proved difficult to study due to severe substrate inhibition by NAD + and NADH. The rate of lipoamide reduction was found to depend upon the NAD + /NADH ratio, with the reaction being activated at low ratios and inhibited at high ratios. The use of 3-acetylpyridine adenine dinucleotide allowed initial velocity kinetics to be performed and revealed that the kinetic mechanism is ping pong. In addition to catalyzing the reversible oxidation of dihydrolipoamide, the enzyme displayed high oxidase activity (30% of the lipoamide reduction rate), hydrogen and t -butyl peroxide reductase activity (10% of the lipoamide reduction rate), and both naphthoquinone and benzoquinone reduction (∼200% of the lipoamide reduction rate). The enzyme failed to catalyze the redox cycling of nitrocompounds, but could anaerobically reduce nitrofurazone. The lipoamide-reducing reaction was reversibly inactivated by sodium arsenite, but no decrease in diaphorase activity was observed under these conditions.
Susceptibility of classes of wheat grown in the United States to stored-grain insects.

Comparative studies were done on the reproductive rates of Sitophilus oryzae (L.) and Rhyzopertha dominica (F.) in relation to physical properties of the predominant U.S. varieties of hard red winter, soft red winter, hard red spring, white, and durum wheats. Reproductive rates of both species differed significantly among the classes, and quantitative data were obtained that may be useful in modeling population growth on the different classes. White wheats were most susceptible to both species, but the ranking of the other classes differed between the two species. Within the classes of wheat, virtually no significant differences between varieties in reproductive rates of either species were apparent. Variation between production sites exceeded that between varieties. Kernel size and density were not suitable criteria for distinguishing between the classes and did not correlate well with reproduction by either species. Kernel hardness differed among the classes and correlated well with S. oryzae reproduction but not with R. dominica. S. oryzae appeared to be sensitive to kernel hardness only when differences were quite large, such as between classes. Small differences in hardness between or within varieties within a class had little effect on S. oryzae reproduction.
Variation in health conditions among groups of adults with disabilities in primary care.

The literature on the health of adults with disabilities focuses on one disability compared to a comparison group. This study allows cross disability comparisons with the hypothesis. Adults with disabilities had higher odds of having common health conditions, compared to adults without disability in the same practice. A retrospective record review of 1449 patients with disability and 2084 patients without disability included individuals with sensory impairments (n=117), developmental disabilities (n=692), trauma-related impairments (n=155) and psychiatric impairments (n=485). The only two health conditions with statistically significantly increased odds for all groups with disabilities were dementia and epilepsy. Patients with developmental disabilities were less likely to have coronary artery disease, cancer, and obesity. Those with sensory impairments had increased odds for congestive heart failure, diabetes, transient ischemic attacks and death. Patients with trauma disabilities had increased odds for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and depression. Finally, psychiatric patients had increased odds for most of the investigated condition. In conclusion, there were many similarities in the risk for common health conditions such as asthma, cancer, coronary artery disease, depression, hypertension, and obesity, among patients with and without disability. Some of the conditions with increased odds ratios, including depression, seizures, and dementia are secondary to the primary disability.
Phrenology, astrology, risk, and product quality

Engineering is the act of making intelligent tradeoffs and compromises among conflicting and sometimes mutually exclusive goals. To improve product performance, the die size might need to increase, which diminishes the chip's economic attractiveness. Assessing risk and product quality is not an exact science. Nevertheless, the computing industry's future rests as much on our success in achieving product quality as it does in continuing to innovate in circuits and microarchitectures.
Catalytic Properties of Botulinum Neurotoxin Subtypes A3 and A4

Botulinum toxins (BoNT) are zinc proteases (serotypes A−G) which cause flaccid paralysis through the cleavage of SNARE proteins within motor neurons. BoNT/A was originally organized into two subtypes, BoNT/A1 and BoNT/A2, which are ∼95% homologous and possess similar catalytic activities. Subsequently, two additional subtypes were identified, BoNT/A3 (Loch Maree) and BoNT/A4 (657Ba), which are 81 and 88% homologous with BoNT/A1, respectively. Alignment studies predicted that BoNT/A3 and BoNT/A4 were sufficiently different from BoNT/A1 to affect SNAP25 binding and cleavage. Recombinant light chain (LC) of BoNT/A3 (LC/A3) and BoNT/A4 (LC/A4) were subjected to biochemical analysis. LC/A3 cleaved SNAP25 at 50% of the rate of LC/A1 but cleaved SNAPtide at a faster rate than LC/A1, while LC/A4 cleaved SNAP25 and SNAPtide at slower rates than LC/A1. LC/A3 and LC/A4 had similar Km values for SNAP25 relative to LC/A1, while the kcat for LC/A4 was 10-fold slower than that for LC/A1, suggesting a defect in substrate...
Immunoreactive neurotensin levels in pancreas: Elevation in diabetic rats and mice

Neurotensin levels in pancreas, but not other tissues, were increased in diabetic animals. The concentration of pancreatic immunoreactiveneurotensin was 138% higher in streptozotocin-diabetic rats, and 68% higher in genetically diabetic (dbdb) mice as compared to their respective control animals. Daily administration of insulin (10–15 IU/kg) to diabetic rats completely reversed this effect, and pancreatic neurotensin levels in these animals returned to control values. These findings suggest that elevated levels of pancreatic neurotensin may contribute to some of the metabolic and hormonal disturbances occurring in diabetes.
Stroke: Measuring disease-free life after thrombolysis.

Analysis of two recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rtPA) trials by means of the disability-adjusted life year metric has provided readily understandable data on the benefits of rtPA therapy in acute ischemic stroke. Approximately one-third of patients treated with rtPA could gain more than 4 years of healthy life, which is twice that previously estimated.
Meanings of discomfort and fussy-irritable in infant pain assessment

Abstract The purpose of this study was to describe the clinical meaning and customary use of the terms discomfort and fussy-irritable by pediatric nurses. This descriptive study used a purposive sample of 60 pediatric nurse participants who had a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree and different lengths of pediatric nursing experience. Participants were interviewed as they assessed pain levels of videotaped infants. Interviews were analyzed with both qualitative and quantitative descriptive methods. Qualitative findings suggest that for participants, “discomfort” meant noxious sensations for which narcotic analgesics would not be appropriate management, and “pain” implied noxious sensations for which narcotic analgesics were warranted. “Fussy-irritable” meant mild infant arousal that did not demand urgent attention. Quantitative findings showed that: (a) assessments of fussy-irritable were consistent with qualitative findings, but assessments of discomfort were not, and (b) pediatric nurses are socialized concerning the clinical meanings of these terms between their first and fifth year of pediatric practice. This study identifies clinical meanings implicit in the assessment terms of “discomfort,” “pain,” and “fussyirritable” and shows that individual participants did not always use terms in the same way. Inconsistent meanings and use of such terms can confound communication among nurses and hamper the learning of infant pain assessment by novices.
Effect of Feeding Isoacids with Urea on Growth and Nutrient Utilization by Lactating Cows

Abstract In the growth study 10g each of isobutyrate, isovalerate, 2-methylbutyrate, n-valerate, and phenylacetate were mixed with 80g of urea, 50g of molasses, and 270g of ground hay and fed to nine dairy heifers for 90 days. The control group was fed the same diet minus isoacids and phenylacetate. All animals were fed ad libitum timothy hay as the sole roughage. In the digestion trial, two mixtures of isoacids and a control ration were fed to nine lactating cows in a 3×3 Latin square design with 28-day feeding periods. Corn silage was the sole roughage, and concentrate was fed in proportion to milk production. Collection of feces and urine was for the last 5 days of each period. Mixture 1 of isoacids contained on a molar basis 28, 24, 24, and 24% of isobutyrate, isovalerate, 2-methylbutyrate, and n-valerate, respectively. Corresponding for mixture 2 were 36, 17, 17, and 30%. Addition of isoacids increased growth rate of younger animals but not older ones. The isoacid mixtures improved utilization of nitrogen by lactating cows. Urinary nitrogen decreased, and retention of absorbed nitrogen increased. Digestibility of dry matter and nitrogen were not affected by isoacid additions.
Cytogenetic analysis of diploidy in cloned bovine embryos using an improved air-dry karyotyping method.

Of the few published studies on the cytogenetic analyses of bovine nuclear transferred (NT) embryos, results differ between air-dry and fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) procedures. A modified air-dry procedure is reported in this study that provides more metaphase plates for analysis. Day 5 and Day 7 bovine NT embryos were cultured in colcemid-containing CR1aa for 10‐12 or 16‐ 18 h, then treated in hypotonic sodium citrate for 3‐5 min. The standard procedure of 5 h in colcemid and 15‐20 min in hypotonic solution was the control. A much higher (P < 0.01) percent of mitotic nuclei was observed in the experimental groups. The 33 and 41% mitotic nuclei were obtained from 10 to 12 h and 16 to 18 h-colcemid-treated Day 5 embryos, respectively, which was higher (P < 0.001) than the control (15%). The mitotic nuclei in Day 7 NT embryos were 24% in 10‐ 12 h- and 28% in 16‐18 h-colcemid-treated groups, which also was higher (P < 0.05) than the control (10%). The majority of analyzable embryos were diploid. Analyses of mixoploid embryos showed on average that 70% of the cells were diploid. Day 5 mixoploid embryos contained numerically higher polyploid cells than Day 7 embryos, although statistically there were no differences. We concluded that the modified air-dry method provided a larger source of mitotic nuclei for chromosome analyses of cloned bovine embryos.
Mortgage Borrowing as a Frontier Developed: A Study of Mortgages in Champaign County, Illinois, 1836–1895

This study of mortgage borrowing in the American West covers mortgage activity in Champaign County, Illinois, from 1836 through 1895, but emphasizes the years 1854 through 1895. This time span covers the county from the time it was a part of the American frontier until it became a developed geographic unit within the national economy. Primary concern is with the level and trend of interest rates and with sources and uses of mortgage funds.
Analysis of introduction history of invasive plants in Brazil reveals patterns of association between biogeographical origin and reason for introduction

Knowledge of historical factors associated with biological invasions in a region can help identify source regions, vectors and pathways more likely to originate potential invaders as well as prioritize resource allocation for selective prevention and early detection strategies. In Brazil, little is known about the introduction history of many invasive plant species, and analyses of historical factors associated with invasions are lacking.To fill this gap, I used a dataset of 117 invasive alien plants across 13 habitats in Brazil to identify potential patterns of continent of origin, reason for introduction, and to test the hypotheses that (i) more Eurasian species are invasive in Brazil than species native from other continents, that (ii) more horticultural species are invasive in Brazil than species introduced for other reasons, and that (iii) continent of origin and reason for introduction are associated. I found that significantly more invasive plant species in Brazil are native to Africa and Asia, were introduced for horticulture and forage, and are part of the families Poaceae, Fabaceae, and Pinaceae. I also found a significant association between continent of origin and reason for introduction, with more invasive species than average being African forage grasses and Asian agroforestry or ornamental plants. In conclusion, the results suggest that the current invasive alien flora of Brazil results from the combination of patterns of recent human migration waves and deliberate species introduc- tions for technological and commercial reasons. These results can help prioritize invasive species and vectors in prevention, early detection, and control strategies.
Instantons from Supersymmetric Conformal Chiral Scalar Superfield Theories

It is shown that generalized supersymmetric field equations depending on a chiral scalar supermultiplet admit instanton solutions when transition is made to Euclidean space-time. Implications and possible applications are discussed.
Clinical trial awareness: Changes over time and sociodemographic disparities:

Background or aims:Lack of clinical trial awareness is a known obstacle to clinical trial enrollment. We sought to define the prevalence of clinical trial awareness in the US population, determine characteristics associated with increased trial awareness, and explore potential disparities in trial awareness.Methods:We utilized data from the Health Information National Trends Survey from 2008 and 2012. Logistic regression was utilized to assess predictors of clinical trial awareness, particularly sociodemographic variables and information-seeking preferences. Trial awareness and information-seeking preferences were compared in patient subgroups and between the two time periods.Results:Clinical trial awareness increased from 68% to 74% between 2008 and 2012. In the 2012 dataset, higher education level (odds ratio: 3.52, 95% confidence interval: 2.16–5.74), higher yearly income category (odds ratio: 1.84, 95% confidence interval: 1.17–2.89), and Internet use (odds ratio: 2.13, 95% confidence interval: 1.52–3...
To Multireference or not to Multireference: That is the Question?

I present a personal viewpoint on multi-reference coupled-cluster theory, its pros and cons. I also suggest some criteria that should be satisfied by multi-reference CC, not the least of which is to develop a tool that will be (almost!) as easy to apply as today’s powerful array of single reference coupled-cluster methods. Some approaches like the equation of motion CC method offers a multi-reference description of some target states, while being entirely single reference in execution. Perhaps it offers a model for further generalization to a wider array of multi-reference problems.
Component Sharing in the Management of Product Variety: a Study of Automotive Braking Systems

Product variety in many industri es has increased steadily throughout this century. Component sharing-using the same version of a component across multiple products-is increasingly viewed by companies as a way to offer high variety in the marketplace while retaining low variety in their operations. Yet, despite the popularity of component sharing in industry, little is known about how to design an effective component-sharing strategy or about the factors that influence the success of such a strategy. In this paper we critically examine component sharing using automotive front brakes as an example. We consider three basic questions: (1) What are the key drivers and trade-offs of component-sharing decisions? (2) How much variation exists in actual component-sharing practice? and (3) How can this variation be explained? To answer these questions, we develop an analytic model of component sharing and show through empirical testing that this model explains much of the variation in sharing practice for automotive braking systems. We find that the optimal number of brake rotors is a function of the range of vehicle weights, sales volume, fixed component design and tooling costs, variable costs, and the variation in production volume across the models of the product line. We conclude with a discussion of the general managerial implications of our findings.
Imaging Brain Oxygenation with MRI Using Blood Oxygenation Approaches: Methods, Validation, and Clinical Applications

SUMMARY: In many pathophysiologic situations, including brain neoplasms, neurodegenerative disease, and chronic and acute ischemia, an imbalance exists between oxygen tissue consumption and delivery. Furthermore, oxygenation changes following a stress challenge, such as with carbogen gas or acetazolamide, can yield information about cerebrovascular reactivity. The unique sensitivity of the BOLD effect to the presence of deoxyhemoglobin has led to its widespread use in the field of cognitive neurosciences. However, the high spatial and temporal resolution afforded by BOLD imaging does not need to be limited to the study of healthy brains. While the complex relationship between the MR imaging signal and tissue oxygenation hinders a direct approach, many different methods have been developed during the past decade to obtain specific oxygenation measurements. These include qBOLD, phase- and susceptibility-based imaging, and intravascular T2-based approaches. The aim of this review is to give an overview of the theoretic basis of these methods as well as their application to measure oxygenation in both healthy subjects and those with disease.
Does host complement kill Borrelia burgdorferi within ticks

The Lyme disease spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi, inhabits the gut lumen of the tick vector. At this location the spirochete is exposed to host blood when a tick feeds. We report here on studies that were done with normal and complement-deficient (C3-knockout) mice to determine if the host complement system killed spirochetes within the vector. We found that spirochete numbers within feeding nymphs were not influenced by complement, most likely because host complement was inactivated within the vector. The Lyme disease outer surface protein A (OspA) vaccine is a transmission-blocking vaccine that targets spirochetes in the vector. In experiments with mice hyperimmunized with OspA, complement was not required to kill spirochetes within nymphs and to block transmission from nymphs to the vaccinated host. However, host complement did enhance the ability of OspA antibody to block larvae from acquiring spirochetes. Thus, the effects of OspA antibody on nymphal transmission and larval acquisition appear to be based on different mechanisms.
Filterbank-based blind code synchronization for DS-CDMA systems in multipath fading channels

We present a filterbank approach to blind code synchronization for asynchronous direct-sequence (DS) code-division multiple-access (CDMA) systems. The key idea of the proposed scheme is to first pass the received signal through a bank of filters, which are designed to enhance signals of interest and suppress interference/noise, and then to derive the code timing from the filtered data. The only required knowledge by the proposed filterbank scheme is the spreading code of the desired user. It can be used in various environments, including frequency-nonselective and frequency-selective, time-invariant, and time-varying fading channels. It can deal with colored channel noise and unmodeled interference, such as inter-cell interference (ICI) and narrowband interference. It has relatively low complexity and can be readily implemented using standard adaptive algorithms. We show that under mild conditions, the proposed scheme yields statistically consistent [in signal-to-noise ratio (SNR)] code timing estimates, irrespective of the strength of the interference and with only a finite number of data samples. We also derive an unconditional Cramer-Rao bound (UCRB), which serves as a lower bound for all unbiased blind code synchronization schemes. Numerical results indicate that the proposed scheme compares favorably with a popular subspace-based method in terms of user capacity, near-far resistance, and robustness to time-varying fading and unmodeled interference.
Gendered Strife and Confusion: The Political Culture of Reconstruction

Exploring the gendered dimension of political conflicts, Laura Edwards links transformations in private and public life in the era following the Civil War. Ideas about men's and women's roles within households shaped the ways groups of southerners-elite and poor, whites and blacks, Democrats and Republicans-envisioned the public arena and their own places in it. By using those on the margins to define the center, Edwards demonstrates that Reconstruction was a complicated process of conflict and negotiation that lasted long beyond 1877 and involved all southerners and every aspect of life.
The electrophysiological basis for the antiarrhythmic actions of polyunsaturated fatty acids

and, if so, to determine the basis(es) for such an eect. Methods and results First, tests were made of the ability of administering n-3 PUFAs to a reliable dog model to prevent ischaemia-induced sudden cardiac death. Infusion of an emulsion of fish oil free fatty acids just prior to coronary artery obstruction prevented ventricular fibrillation (VF) (P<0·005) in exercising, unanaesthetized dogs. Similar results were obtained with pure n-3 free docosahexaenoic, eicosapentaenoic or alpha-linolenic acids. PUFAs prevented induced fibrillation of cultured neonatal rat cardiomyocytes for all cardiotoxins tested. After fibrillation was induced, the arrhythmias were terminated by the PUFAs. The electrophysiological eects of low micromolar concentrations of PUFAs are to increase the depolarizing current required to elicit an action potential by about 50% and prolong the refractory period by about threefold. These eects
Diachronic change of object markers in Mandarin Chinese

This article is a quantitative diachronic study of the object markers ba˘ and jiāng in Chinese. Traditionally, it has been claimed (Chao, 1968; Li & Thompson, 1981; Lu, 1955; Wang, 1943–44; among others) that ba˘ and Ji¯ng have undergone the same process of grammaticalization and have acquired the same function over time, so that they have become interchangeable. The present article challenges this view and provides evidence showing that, in the texts where both are used, each has its own distinctive functions. In the early stage of their grammaticalization, the major difference between them is the direction of motion relative to the agent: ba˘ tends to express motion toward the agent, whereas Jiāng tends to express motion away from the agent. Later, when both ba˘ and Jiāng become object markers, ba˘ is more likely to be used in informal texts, whereas Jiāng is more likely to be used in formal texts. I argue that it is this difference that led to the disappearance of Jiāng in written texts of modern times.
Interrogating local population structure for fine mapping in genome-wide association studies

Motivation: Adjustment for population structure is necessary to avoid bias in genetic association studies of susceptibility variants for complex diseases. Population structure may differ from one genomic region to another due to the variability of individual ancestry associated with migration, random genetic drift or natural selection. Current association methods for correcting population stratification usually involve adjustment of global ancestry between study subjects. Results: We suggest interrogating local population structure for fine mapping to more accurately locate true casual genes by better adjusting the confounding effect due to local ancestry. By extensive simulations on genome-wide datasets, we show that adjusting global ancestry may lead to false positives when local population structure is an important confounding factor. In contrast, adjusting local ancestry can effectively prevent false positives due to local population structure and thus can improve fine mapping for disease gene localization. We applied the local and global adjustments to the analysis of datasets from three genome-wide association studies, including European Americans, African Americans and Nigerians. Both European Americans and African Americans demonstrate greater variability in local ancestry than Nigerians. Adjusting local ancestry successfully eliminated the known spurious association between SNPs in the LCT gene and height due to the population structure existed in European Americans. Contact: xiaofeng.zhu@case.edu Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Protein timing and its effects on muscular hypertrophy and strength in individuals engaged in weight-training

The purpose of this review was to determine whether past research provides conclusive evidence about the effects of type and timing of ingestion of specific sources of protein by those engaged in resistance weight training. Two essential, nutrition-related, tenets need to be followed by weightlifters to maximize muscle hypertrophy: the consumption of 1.2-2.0 g protein.kg -1 of body weight, and ≥44-50 kcal.kg-1 of body weight. Researchers have tested the effects of timing of protein supplement ingestion on various physical changes in weightlifters. In general, protein supplementation pre- and post-workout increases physical performance, training session recovery, lean body mass, muscle hypertrophy, and strength. Specific gains, differ however based on protein type and amounts. Studies on timing of consumption of milk have indicated that fat-free milk post-workout was effective in promoting increases in lean body mass, strength, muscle hypertrophy and decreases in body fat. The leucine content of a protein source has an impact on protein synthesis, and affects muscle hypertrophy. Consumption of 3–4 g of leucine is needed to promote maximum protein synthesis. An ideal supplement following resistance exercise should contain whey protein that provides at least 3 g of leucine per serving. A combination of a fast-acting carbohydrate source such as maltodextrin or glucose should be consumed with the protein source, as leucine cannot modulate protein synthesis as effectively without the presence of insulin. Such a supplement post-workout would be most effective in increasing muscle protein synthesis, resulting in greater muscle hypertrophy and strength. In contrast, the consumption of essential amino acids and dextrose appears to be most effective at evoking protein synthesis prior to rather than following resistance exercise. To further enhance muscle hypertrophy and strength, a resistance weight- training program of at least 10–12 weeks with compound movements for both upper and lower body exercises should be followed.
Family and Relationship Benefits of Travel Experiences A Literature Review

The purpose of this review was to examine existent research on the benefits of travel applicable to working adults, couples, families, and extended family members. While travel is often perceived as an outlet for relaxation, education, and a chance to escape the mundane, recent research suggests that travel has several deeper benefits for families, relationships, and the individual. Findings from an extensive review of literature revealed that tourism provides positive benefits for adults, children, and couples. Several studies cited time allotted for family bonding is decreasing, likely attributed to increased career demands and changing family structures. These studies further showed travel as a means to utilize limited family time to help improve communications within a relationship, reduce the possibility of divorce, strengthen lifelong family bonds, and increase a sense of well-being in adults and children. Gaps in the existent research were noted, and potential suggestions for future research are ad...
Class specific gene expression estimation and classification in microarray data

In this work, we characterize genes using an oligonucleotide affymetrix gene expression dataset and propose a novel gene selection method based on samples from the posterior distributions of class-specific gene expression measures. We construct a hierarchical Bayesian framework for a random effect ANOVA model that allows us to obtain the posterior distributions of the class-specific gene expressions. We also formalize a novel class prediction scheme based on the samples from new posterior distributions of group specific gene expressions. Our experimental results show the class-discriminating power of the selected genes. Furthermore, we demonstrate that our prediction scheme classifies tissue samples into appropriate treatment groups with high accuracy. The computations are implemented by using Gibbs sampling. We compare the efficacy of our proposed gene selection and prediction methods with that of Pomeroy et. al (Nature, 2002) on the same CNS tumor sample dataset.
MR angiography of an aberrant internal carotid artery.

A 12-year-old girl had right-sided pulsatile tinnitus and a vascular­ appearing retrotympanic mass. MR was performed with a 1.5-T Signa scanner (GE Medical Systems, Milwaukee, WI) and a quadrature drive head coil. Standard sagittal and axial spin-echo T1-weighted, (600/27 /2 [TRfTE/number of excitations]) and dual-echo T2-weighted (2200/30, 90/1) pulse sequences were obtained by using a 20-cm field of view, slices 5 mm thick, and a 1-mm interslice gap. The standard pulse sequences were followed by an axial volume-spoiled gradient-recalled echo (SPGR) pulse sequence with TR = 45 msec, flip angle = 15°, and flow compensation. Sixty 1.5-mm partitions were obtained. The images were acquired in a 256 x 192 matrix and projected onto a 512 x 512 matrix by using a maximum image
Antitrust Merger Investigations And The Quality Of Reported Earnings

Antitrust merger policy under Section 7 of the Clayton Act prohibits acquisitions that substantially lessen competition or tend to create a monopoly. Previous studies, however, indicate that government regulators have not been effective in identifying anticompetitive behavior. This paper examines whether accounting information used in assessing the competitive impact of mergers is subject to manipulation by investigated firms. We examine both total accruals and current accruals for manipulation and consider the implications of such earnings management for the quality of reported earnings. The results indicate that firms investigated for Section 7 violations during the 1974-1992 period do indeed manage reported earnings to influence regulatory efforts in discerning excess profits and anticompetitive behavior.
Gulf Stream Kinematics Inferred from a Satellite-Tracked Drifter

Abstract A drifter was deployed in the Gulf Stream and tracked for 5 months by the Nimbus 6 satellite. From this experiment we have assessed the technical capability of the satellite fixing system for measuring ocean currents, the drifter trajectory as it relates to the Gulf Stream position as determined by other independent means, and the kinematics and accelerations following the Stream axis. It is shown that the trajectory agrees quite well with the other data on the location of the Gulf Stream. The velocities, accelerations and kinetic energies derived from the trajectory are compared with previous studies. A comparison is made of the kinetic energy of the Gulf Stream as inferred from the drifter with some recent calculations made from ship drift.
Management of Recurrent Delayed Neurologic Deficit After Thoracoabdominal Aortic Operation

Delayed neurologic deficit (DND) is a devastating adverse event after thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm repair. Multiple adjuncts have been devised to counteract the development of DND, most notably cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) drainage. We report a case of a 63-year-old woman in whom DND developed four times during the first 10 days after her thoracoabdominal aortic operation. This necessitated lumbar drain "weaning" to allow for a slowly rising CSF pressure and preservation of lower extremity motor function.
Trophy lands: why elites acquire land and why it matters

AbstractThis article explores the motivations, and some of the consequences, of concentrated land holdings among elites. Within the characterisation of land deals as rent-seeking behaviour, three inducements (power, prestige and option value) are found to motivate elites in both the Global North and South. Among the many social and environmental costs of land concentration, two are highlighted here: the privatisation of social property and the profligate use of labour. The article concludes with a call to reframe land reform in terms of land sovereignty, as a means of countering land concentration and the rent-seeking behaviours that animate it.
Quantitative and qualitative evaluation of kernel anthocyanins from southwestern United States blue corn

BACKGROUND Anthocyanin-rich blue corn is an emerging specialty crop in the USA. The antioxidant properties of blue corn offer health benefits in the human diet. The objectives of this study were to identify, characterize and quantify the anthocyanins from blue corn. Hypotheses tested were that total anthocyanin content was similar among southwestern US accessions and that it would vary across locations. It was also examined whether different anthocyanin components were unique to certain genotypes. RESULTS Across all locations and accessions, an average of 0.43 g kg−1 total anthocyanin content (TAC) was observed. Accessions Santa Clara Blue and Ohio Blue displayed the highest TAC. The TAC of accession Flor del Rio was lower by nearly a factor of six. A total of five anthocyanin components were identified. Cyanidin 3-glucoside was the most abundant, followed by pelargonidin and peonidin 3-glucoside. Succinyl and disuccinyl glycosidic forms of cyanidin were also identified. Cyanidin 3-disuccinylglucoside was newly identified as a novel form of anthocyanin. CONCLUSION Quantitative and qualitative anthocyanin expression was determined to be relatively stable across multiple southwestern environments. Increased expression of red and purple pigmentation in accession Flor del Rio appeared to be associated more with reduced TAC and cyanidin 3-glucoside than with elevated pelargonidin per se. A previously unreported anthocyanin component in blue corn, cyanidin 3-disuccinylglucoside, is present in southwestern landraces. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry
THE IMPACT OF SCHOOL RACIAL COMPOSITIONS ON NEIGHBORHOOD RACIAL COMPOSITIONS: EVIDENCE FROM SCHOOL REDISTRICTING

I use data surrounding public school redistricting to study how school racial compositions affect neighborhood racial compositions. This redistricting followed from the end of court-ordered busing for racial desegregation, significantly changing the racial composition of the assigned school for many neighborhoods. Over a 5-year period, the impact of an increase in the percent black of the assigned elementary school on the percent black of the neighborhood was positive. The effects increased over time, consistent with a simple model of short-run neighborhood racial dynamics. These results have implications for potential effects of school racial desegregation policy changes on neighborhood racial compositions. (JEL H75, I28, R23)
Post-neoliberal developmental regimes in Latin America: Argentina under Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner

ABSTRACTThis article seeks to analyse the concept of post-neoliberalism through state theory, grounded in an understanding of the state as a historical institution influenced by both domestic and international forces. This theoretical exercise is complemented with a discussion of contemporary Argentina under the Presidency of Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, showing that focus on a ‘developmental regime tripod’ reveals underlying tensions in the post-neoliberal model as a result of a desire to ‘deepen that model’ combined with shifts in the nature of international political economy in the wake of the global financial crisis.