cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sympathetic neural control of vascular muscle in reduced renal mass hypertension.

Vascular smooth muscle (VSM) transmembrane potentials (Em) were measured in situ in small branch arteries (150-300-microns o.d.), small branch veins (300-400-microns o.d.), arterioles (90-150-microns o.d.), and venules (80-250-microns o.d.) in the mesenteric and gracilis muscle and the arterioles and venules of cremaster muscle vascular beds in anesthetized rats with reduced renal mass hypertension (HT-RRM) and normotensive sham-operated RRM control rats. All rats were given a 4% NaCl diet for 2 weeks with water ad libitum. Relative to sham, HT-RRM mesenteric and gracilis arterial and venous vessels, but not the microvessels of the cremaster muscle bed, were less polarized during superfusion with normal physiological salt solution. Also relative to sham, hyperpolarization responses to local sympathetic neural (SNS) denervation with 6-hydroxydopamine were greater in mesenteric and gracilis small arteries, arterioles, veins, and venules but not in cremaster microvessels. The immediate (less than 5-minute) electrogenic depolarization response to local blockade of VSM Na(+)-K+ pump activity with 10(-3) M ouabain was similar between each respective HT-RRM and sham vessel pair in each vascular bed.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Experimental and theoretical study of the electron spectra in 66.7-350-keV/u C++He collisions.

Measurements of the differential and total cross sections for production of free electrons are reported for collisions of 66.7--350-keV/u ${\mathrm{C}}^{+}$ ions with He. The experimental data are compared with theoretical calculations that include electron emission from both target and projectile using the classical-trajectory Monte Carlo method and the independent-electron approximation. Good agreement is observed between theory and experiment, and structures appearing in the electron spectra can be explained in terms of either, or both, target and projectile ionization.
COMPREHENSION INSTRUCTION IN A READING CLINIC: COMPARISON OF CLINIC AND CLASSROOM PRACTICES

An investigation of reading instruction in a university clinic was principally undertaken to address two questions: 1) What proportion of clinicians’ time is directed toward teaching their clients how to acquire meaning from text?; 2) Does the instructional emphasis on comprehension in the university's graduate reading program transfer into emphasis on comprehension in clinical practices? Data relevant to these questions were acquired through the application of the terminology and modified methods of the Durkin (1978) study on classroom reading instruction. Data‐gathering centered on six instructional groups in the clinic composed primarily of middle‐ and upper‐elementary grade remedial readers. What the data show is a greater concern for comprehension‐related activities in the clinic than for any other instructional area including phonics, study‐skills, word meaning and identification. Further, the data demonstrate that ten percent of all clinicians’ activities were directed toward teaching their clients...
Paving the Way: The Journey towards Culturally Responsive Teaching for Teacher Educators and Teachers

American public schools are becoming increasingly diverse. There are ongoing demographic changes across the nation and globalization efforts necessitate the development of a more profound cognizance of culture as a concept and as a means for creating equitable opportunities and environments for learning in our schools. School administrators and in-service teachers become more adept at recognizing and addressing the variances in culture within our classrooms, but pre-service teachers must also have opportunities to explore and observe the concept of Culturally Responsive Teaching. The aim of this article is to explain how a Department of Elementary Education approached the issue of Culturally Responsive Teaching through professional development opportunities for faculty, pre-service teachers and in-service teachers. The article describes a model used for professional development that can be adapted to help teacher educators increase their level of understanding regarding culturally responsive teaching. The CASKS assessment taken by participants prior to the presentation showed negligible levels of understanding or skills regarding Culturally Responsive Teaching by pre-service teachers, in-service educators (including administrators) and university faculty members alike. The professional development activities provided educators with research, modeling and instructional design practice regarding Culturally Responsive Teaching. Participants completed the CASKS assessment again after completing all professional development activities. The results showed an increase in understanding and skills, while the comments showed a positive attitudinal response regarding the need for more training on Culturally Responsive Teaching.
Automatic extraction of dynamic record sections from search engine result pages

A search engine returned result page may contain search results that are organized into multiple dynamically generated sections in response to a user query. Furthermore, such a result page often also contains information irrelevant to the query, such as information related to the hosting site of the search engine. In this paper, we present a method to automatically generate wrappers for extracting search result records from all dynamic sections on result pages returned by search engines. This method has the following novel features: (1) it aims to explicitly identify all dynamic sections, including those that are not seen on sample result pages used to generate the wrapper, and (2) it addresses the issue of correctly differentiating sections and records. Experimental results indicate that this method is very promising. Automatic search result record extraction is critical for applications that need to interact with search engines such as automatic construction and maintenance of metasearch engines and deep Web crawling.
Dream Chocolate Company: Choosing a Costing System

ABSTRACT: This case is about a small, but real, company, Dream Chocolate (D.C.), which makes custom-labeled, high-quality candy bars for special events and advertising purposes. Like many small companies, D.C. has an inadequate costing system and needs a much better one as it starts to get bigger orders. In Part A of this case, students learn how to analyze a company's situation, identify relevant information in a case that is presented in a less-structured format, evaluate the pros and cons of different costing approaches, recommend an approach, and suggest ways to implement it. In Part B, they develop and calculate costs based on their recommended approach. The case also helps increase students' understanding of the applicability of various costing methods typically covered in cost and managerial accounting courses.
New neurons in an aged brain

Adult hippocampal neurogenesis is one of the most robust forms of synaptic plasticity in the nervous system and occurs throughout life. However, the rate of neurogenesis declines dramatically with age. Older animals have significantly less neural progenitor cell proliferation, neuronal differentiation, and newborn neuron survival compared to younger animals. Intrinsic properties of neural progenitor cells, such as gene transcription and telomerase activity, change with age, which may contribute to the observed decline in neurogenesis. In addition, age-related changes in the local cells of the neurogenic niche may no longer provide neural progenitor cells with the cell-cell contact and soluble cues necessary for hippocampal neurogenesis. Astrocytes, microglia, and endothelial cells undergo changes in morphology and signaling properties with age, altering the foundation of the neurogenic niche. While most studies indicate a correlation between decreased hippocampal neurogenesis and impaired performance in hippocampus-dependent cognitive tasks in aged mice, a few have demonstrated that young and aged mice are equivalent in their cognitive ability. Here, we summarize the different behavioral paradigms to test hippocampus-dependent cognition and the need to develop neurogenesis-dependent tasks.
A Bayesian perspective on biases in risk perception

Psychological risk perception studies have shown that individuals overassess low frequency events and underassess high frequency events. This letter develops a new test that reconciles these findings with the Bayesian learning approach frequently used in economic analysis.
Property‐morphology relationships of polymethylmethacrylate/polyvinylidenefluoride blends

An investigation was conducted to establish property-morphology relationships in polymethylmethacrylate/polyvinylidenefluoride (PMMA/PVDF) blends. All blends were compounded in a twin-screw extruder and then processed by injection molding Mechanical properties of blends of various compositions were studied by dynamic mechanical and impact strength measurements. The presence of crystalline regions in blends was determined by Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC). Morphology of fracture surfaces of blends was studied by Spinning Electron Microscopy (SEM). PMMA/PVDF blends were found to form compatible mixtures over a wide range of blend composition. Changes in dynamic mechanical properties upon annealing were found to be a direct function of blond morphology. Electron microscopic evidence showed no signs of phase separation. DSC measurements detected crystalline regions in all blends containing 40 percent or more (by weight) PVDF.
On the role of ions in the formation of cubic boron nitride films by ion-assisted deposition

We have investigated how ion irradiation can selectively promote the formation of dense sp3-bonded cubic boron nitride (cBN) over the graphite-like sp2-bonded phases. We have conducted a series of experiments using ion-assisted pulsed laser deposition in which either the ion mass (mion) or ion energy (E) was varied in conjunction with the ratio of ion flux to depositing atom flux (J/a). For a fixed ion energy and mass, there is a critical J/a above which cBN formation is initiated, a window of J/a values in which large cBN percentages are obtained, and a point at which J/a is so large that the resputter and deposition rates balance and there is no net film deposition, in agreement with Kester and Messier. As do Kester and Messier, we find that cBN formation is controlled by a combination of experimental parameters that scale with the momentum of the ions. However, unlike Kester and Messier, we do not find that cBN formation scales with the maximum momentum that can be transferred in a single binary collision, as either incorrectly formulated by Targove and Macleod and used by Kester and Messier, or as correctly formulated. Instead we observe that cBN formation best scales with the total momentum of the incident ions, (mionE)1/2. We also consider the mechanistic origins of this (mionE)1/2 dependence. Computer simulations of the interaction of ions with BN show that cBN formation cannot be simply scaled to parameters such as the number of atomic displacements or the number of vacancies produced by the ion irradiation. A critical examination of the literature shows that none of the proposed models satisfactorily accounts for the observed (mionE)1/2 dependence. We present a quantitative model that describes the generation of stress during ion-assisted film growth. The model invokes a kinetic approach to defect production and loss. We apply a simplified version of the model to cBN synthesis, and find that it predicts an approximate (mionE)1/2 dependence for cBN formation.
Impact of Deceased Organ Donor Demographics and Critical Care End Points on Liver Transplantation and Graft Survival Rates

Background The criteria for organ acceptance remain inconsistent, which limits the ability to standardize critical care practices. We sought to examine predictors of liver graft use and survival to better guide the selection and management of potential organ donors. Study Design A prospective observational study of all donors managed by the 8 organ procurement organizations in United Network for Organ Sharing Region 5 was conducted from July 2008 to March 2011. Critical care end points that reflect the normal hemodynamic, acid−base, respiratory, endocrine, and renal status of the donor were collected at 3 time points. Critical care and demographic data associated with liver transplantation and graft survival rates were first determined using univariate analyses, and then logistic regression was used to identify independent predictors of these two outcomes. Results From 961 donors, 730 (76%) livers were transplanted and 694 (95%) were functioning after 74 ± 73 days of follow-up. After regression analysis, donor BMI (odds ratio [OR] = 0.94), male sex (OR = 1.89), glucose 50% (OR = 1.77) remained as independent predictors of liver use. Graft survival was associated with lower donor BMI (OR = 0.91) and sodium levels (OR = 0.95). Conclusions After controlling for donor age, sex, and BMI, both hemodynamic and endocrine critical care end points were associated with increased liver graft use. Both donor BMI and lower sodium levels during the course of donor management were independently predictive of improved graft survival. These results may help guide the management and selection of potential organ donors after neurologic determination of death.
Safety and efficacy of drug-eluting bead chemoembolization for hepatocellular carcinoma: comparison of small-versus medium-size particles.

Abstract Purpose To compare safety and imaging response with 100–300 μm and 300–500 μm doxorubicin drug-eluting bead (DEBs) to determine optimal particle size for chemoembolization of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Materials and Methods DEB chemoembolization using 100–300 μm (n = 39) or 300–500 μm (n = 22) LC beads loaded with 50 mg of doxorubicin was performed in 61 patients with HCC. Patient age, sex, etiology of liver disease, degree of underlying liver disease, tumor burden, and performance status were similar between the groups. All treatments were performed in a single session and represented the patient's first treatment. Toxicities and imaging response in a single index tumor were analyzed using World Health Organization (WHO) and European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) criteria. Results There was a significantly lower incidence of postembolization syndrome and fatigue after treatment in the 100–300 μm group (8% and 36%) versus the 300–500 μm group (40% and 70%) (100–300 μm group, P = .011; 300–500 μm group, P = .025). Mean change in tumor size was similar between the two groups based on WHO and EASL criteria and similar rates of objective response, but there was a trend toward a higher incidence of EASL complete response with 100–300 μm beads versus 300–500 μm beads (59% vs 36%; P = .114). Conclusions In DEB chemoembolization for treatment of HCC, 100–300 μm doxorubicin DEBs are favored over 300–500 μm doxorubicin DEBs because of lower rates of toxicity after treatment and a trend toward more complete imaging response at initial follow-up.
Developmental Plasticity in Protea as an Evolutionary Response to Environmental Clines in the Cape Floristic Region

Local adaptation along steep environmental gradients likely contributes to plant diversity in the Cape Region of South Africa, yet existing analyses of trait divergence are limited to static measurements of functional traits rather than trajectories of individual development. We explore whether five taxa of evergreen shrubs (Protea section Exsertae) differ in their developmental trajectories and capacity for plasticity using two environmentally-distinct common gardens in South Africa. We measured seedlings in the summer-dry season and winter-wet season of each of two consecutive years to characterize ontogeny and plasticity within years, as same-age leaf cohorts mature, and between years, i.e., from leaf one cohort to the next. We compared patterns of development between gardens to assess whether trait trajectories are programmed versus plastic and examined whether developmental differences covaried with characteristics of a seedling’s home environment. We detected plasticity in developmental trajectories for leaf area, stomatal size, stomatal pore index, and to a limited extent specific leaf area, but not for stomatal density. We showed that the species growing in the harshest environments exhibits both the smallest increase in leaf area between years and the least change in SLA and photosynthetic rates as leaves age within years. These results show that within this clade, species have diverged in developmental trajectories and plasticity as well as in mean trait values. Some of these differences may be associated with adaptation to cold and drought stress within an environmentally-complex region.
Characteristics of transformer parameters during internal winding faults based on experimental measurements

This paper describes in detail, field experiments performed on a single-phase, distribution transformer to study the behavior of transformer terminal parameters during internal winding faults. A custom-built transformer provided with external taps was used for these tests. The taps were used to stage various internal winding faults in the transformer. Terminal values of voltages and currents were monitored and the results presented. A comparison of these results with simulation results is also presented.
Alterations in Knee Kinematics and Dynamic Stability Associated With Chronic Ankle Instability

Abstract Context: Chronic ankle instability (CAI) has been previously and separately associated with deficits in dynamic stability and proximal joint neuromuscular alterations, but how the 2 factor...
Perceptions Regarding Elk in Northern Arizona

Since 1970 controversy has surrounded the status and management of Rocky Mountain elk (Cervus elaphus) in northern Arizona. Concerns focused on effects of elk on private and public land, size of the elk population, interactions between elk and cattle, and interactions between elk and humans. Currently, there is no primary literature regarding human perceptions of elk-related damage on ranches in Arizona. In 2001 we surveyed to document perceptions of stakeholders regarding elk management in northern Arizona. A majority of non-rancher stakeholders did not experience conflicts with elk. The public knew little about elk management in Arizona but wanted more information. Ranchers incurred monetary losses due to elk damage and 30% viewed Rocky Mountain elk as an exotic species. We documented a few similarities between ranchers and agency biologists as to reported effects of elk on ranchers' property. This may provide a platform for resource agency managers to facilitate discussion and communication strategies to optimize elk management among ranchers and the general public.
High-intensity focused ultrasound for prostate cancer: tempering our enthusiasm.

In this month’s European Urology, Crouzet and colleagues report a single-institution series of patients undergoing whole-gland high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) for the treatment of localized prostate cancer (PCa). The primary outcome variables were progression-free, PCaspecific, and overall survival [1]. These investigators are to be commended for collecting data on a relatively large patient cohort over a 12-yr period and adhering to meticulous follow-up protocols. This study provides valuable longer term prospective safety data on an emerging technology for the treatment of localized PCa. Several limitations of this study highlight gaps in the current understanding of HIFU’s effectiveness, risks, and potential benefits. First, the absence of a comparator group of matched patients who underwent other types of PCa therapy limitsmore definitive interpretations of its efficacy. Two-arm comparative cohort studies are amore robust form of evidence than single-arm studies (http://www.cebm.net). Direct comparisons of HIFU with observation, surgery, and radiation would have produced more clinically meaningful results. Second, the lack of direct comparative data notwithstanding, indirect comparisons of these results with published outcomes for other PCa treatments suggest lower rates of progression-free survival for whole-gland HIFU compared with surgery or radiation for patients with higher risk disease, implying that HIFU is not as effective as these modalities for definitively treating aggressive phenotypes [2–4]. Conversely, D’Amico low-risk patients, who constituted more than one-third of this cohort, evinced extremely low rates of PCa-specific mortality following treatment,
The strategy of model-based science

My title refers to Richard Levins’ famous paper on models in population biology (1966). Here Levins presented his three-way distinction between kinds of modelbuilding, and also introduced a set of more fundamental ideas about trade-offs that constrain and guide scientific work. For Levins, these trade-offs derive from the relationships between three different theoretical goals: realism, precision, and generality. The talk of ‘‘strategies’’ within Levins’ paper concerns alternative strategies within the enterprise of model-building. My topic here is broader; I will treat models and model-building as characteristic of one particular approach to theorizing, a strategy of model-based science. The ideas presented here are indebted to Michael Weisberg’s work (forthcoming, 2003), and to discussions with him at Stanford. They are also indebted to a scattered tradition of other philosophical and scientific work, especially by Levins, Giere, and Wimsatt. The aim of the paper is to give a general sketch of model-based science as I see it, but a sketch focusing particularly on divergences between myself and those on whose work I draw. The term ‘‘model’’ is surely one of the most contested in all of philosophy of science. What sense of the term do I have in mind? My starting point is the account given by Giere (1988). For Giere, models are idealized structures that we use to
Posterior fascicular block versus posteroinferior myocardial infarction in left posterior excitation disturbances

To delineate electrocardiographic similarities and differences in ventricular depolarization between left posterior fascicular block and posteroinferior myocardial infarction, these lesions were produced in two and three stage experiments in dogs and baboons. The observed QRS changes of left posterior fascicular block were found to be immediate, little influenced by healing of the acute lesion, and partially correctable by pacing viable myocardium distal to the block. In contrast, the QRS changes of posteroinferior myocardial infarction occurred later with cicatrization and were essentially unaffected by pacing. The intrinsic deflection in direct posterior epicardial leads was more delayed by left posterior fascicular block than by posteroinferior myocardial infarction. Both lesions accounted for Q waves in leads II, III and aVF. However, R amplitude in these same leads was increased after left posterior fascicular block but decreased after posteroinferior myocardial infarction. The mean QRS axis in the frontal plane was shifted toward the vertical in left posterior fascicular block but little changed or shifted slightly away from the vertical in posteroinferior myocardial infarction. When left posterior fascicular block and posteroinferior myocardial infarction coexist, there may be masking, imitation or enhancement of the effects of one lesion by the presence of the other. To assist in recognition, distinguishing features are described.
Voting the General Will: Rousseau on Decision Rules

Scholars exploring the logic of Rousseau's voting rules have typically turned to the connection between Rousseau and the Marquis de Condorcet. Though Condorcet could not have had a direct influence...
A 320–360 GHz Subharmonically Pumped Image Rejection Mixer Using Planar Schottky Diodes

This letter presents the design, fabrication and test of an integrated 320-360 GHz subharmonic image rejection mixer using planar Schottky diodes. The integrated circuit uses two separate anti-parallel pairs of diodes mounted onto a single quartz-based circuit. Measurement results give best single sideband (SSB) receiver noise temperatures of approximately 3400 K at 340 GHz, with an image rejection from 7.2 to 24.1 dB over the 320-360 GHz frequency band. This work represents the first demonstration of a Schottky based SSB mixer at submillimeter wavelengths.
Differential effects of anesthetics on in vivo skeletal muscle contractile function in the mouse

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of four anesthetic regimens on in vivo contractile function of mouse ankle dorsiflexor muscles. The torque-frequency and torque-velocity relationships were determined for the following anesthetics: fentanyl-droperidol and diazepam (F-d/d); ketamine and xylazine (K/x); pentobarbital sodium (Ps); and methoxyflurane (Mf). Mf, Ps, and F-d/d regimens resulted in comparable contractile responses at low doses, whereas K/x produced a relative depression in isometric contractile function as shown by a decrease in the torque-time integral at the 300-Hz stimulation frequency (-13.9%; P < 0.05). Moreover, K/x caused a shift to the left in the torque-frequency curve as indicated by increases in torque-time integrals at 25 and 50 Hz. Both Ps and F-d/d regimens exhibited dose-dependent effects during the isovelocity contractions. Ps significantly reduced work (-28.7%) and average power (-28.9%) at 800 degrees/s at the high dose. In contrast, F-d/d anesthesia resulted in increases in peak torque (16-20%) and work (15-18%) output at all eccentric contraction velocities at the high dose, whereas average power was increased only at -800 (17%) and -1,000 degrees/s (17%). In conclusion, commonly used anesthetic regimens can affect the contractile response in vivo; K/x and Ps yield smaller torque outputs, whereas Mf and F-d/d consistently produce larger contractile responses. Mf and F-d/d are recommended for use in studying skeletal muscle function in mice in vivo.
Operating experience of the Ge-Nan HVDC link

This paper describes the operational experience of the Ge-Nan +or-500 kV HVDC link in 1992. It includes the statistical results of energy availability and energy utilisation of this HVDC link and other system performance, such as the features of faults and actions of DC protection, which occurred during this period on the HVDC link, the analyses of forced outages, and the proposals for improving this HVDC system performance. >
Community-level cohesion without cooperation

Recent work draws attention to community-community encounters ('coalescence') as likely an important factor shaping natural ecosystems. This work builds on MacArthur's classic model of competitive coexistence to investigate such community-level competition in a minimal theoretical setting. It is shown that the ability of a species to survive a coalescence event is best predicted by a community-level 'fitness' of its native community rather than the intrinsic performance of the species itself. The model presented here allows formalizing a macroscopic perspective whereby a community harboring organisms at varying abundances becomes equivalent to a single organism expressing genes at different levels. While most natural communities do not satisfy the strict criteria of multicellularity developed by multi-level selection theory, the effective cohesion described here is a generic consequence of resource partitioning, requires no cooperative interactions, and can be expected to be widespread in microbial ecosystems.
Building on Basics: A Report on the Global Education Crisis and U.S. Foreign Aid to Basic Education

Poor countries cannot develop without improving their citizens' basic education and literacy, which is critical for promoting economic growth, reducing infant mortality, improving family health, and dampening population growth. Yet the average literacy rate among the 30 poorest countries is only 33%.
An All-Digital Approach to Supply Noise Cancellation in Digital Phase-Locked Loop

With increased levels of integration in modern system-on-chips, the coupling of supply noise in a phase-locked loop (PLL) has become the dominant source of performance degradation in many systems. In this paper, an all-digital approach to canceling the effects of supply noise is presented. By sensing the supply noise using an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), an observer–controller loop filter jointly processes the ADC and phase detector outputs to determine the oscillator control signals that minimize the output jitter. The proposed digital PLL is shown to be significantly more robust to supply noise compared with a conventional PLL.
Probabilistic seismic demand model and fragility estimates for rocking symmetric blocks

Abstract This paper presents a probability model to predict the maximum rotation of rocking bodies exposed to seismic excitations given particular earthquake intensity measures. After obtaining the nonlinear equations of motion and a clarification of the boundaries applied to a rocking body needed to avoid sliding, a complete discussion is provided for the estimation of the approximate period and equivalent damping ratio for the rocking motion. After that, instead of using an iterative solution, which has been proven defective, a new approximate technique is developed by finding the best representative ground motion intensities. Suitable transformations and normalizations are applied to these intensities, and the Bayesian updating approach is employed to construct a probability model. The proposed probability model is capable of accurately predicting the maximum rotation of a symmetric rocking block given the displacement design spectra, peak ground acceleration, peak ground velocity, and arias intensity of an earthquake. This probabilistic model along with the approximate capacity of rocking blocks are used to estimate the fragility curves for rocking blocks with specific geometrical parameters. In the end, a comprehensive and practical form of fragility curves are provided for design purposes along with numerical examples.
Mice that produce ApoB100 lipoproteins in the RPE do not develop drusen yet are still a valuable experimental system.

Purpose Mice typically produce apolipoprotein B (apoB)-48 and not apoB100. Apolipoprotein B100 accumulates in Bruch's membrane prior to basal deposit and drusen formation during the onset of AMD, raising the possibility that they are a trigger for these Bruch's membrane alterations. The purpose herein, was to determine whether mice that predominantly produce apoB100 develop features of AMD. Methods The eyes of mice that produce apoB100 were examined for apoB100 synthesis, cholesteryl esterase/filipin labeling for cholesteryl esters, and transmission electron microscopy for lipid particles and phenotype. Results Apolipoprotein B100 was abundant in the RPE-choroid of apoB100, but not wild-type mice by Western blot analysis. The apolipoprotein B100,(35)S-radiolabeled and immunoprecipitated from RPE explants, confirmed that apoB100 was synthesized by RPE. Apolipoprotein B100, but not control mice, had cholesteryl esters and lipid particles in Bruch's membrane. Immunoreactivity of ApoB100 was present in the RPE and Bruch's membrane, but not choroidal endothelium of apoB100 mice. Ultrastructural changes were consistent with aging, but not AMD when aged up to 18 months. The induction of advanced glycation end products to alter Bruch's membrane, did not promote basal linear deposit or drusen formation. Conclusions Mice that produce apoB100 in the RPE and liver secrete lipoproteins into Bruch's membrane, but not to the extent that distinct features of AMD develop, which suggests that either additional lipoprotein accumulation or additional factors are necessary to initiate their formation.
Observations of Zygorhizidium sp. parasitic on Pediastrum duplex

The occurrence of an epibiotic parasite identified as Zygorhizidium sp. (Chytridiomycetes) was observed on the freshwater alga Pediastrum duplex. Although similar to both Z. affluens and Z. plankto...
Hypophyseal Nucleic Acids Castration and Thiouracil

SummaryIncreased hypophyseal mass which follows castration in immature male rats, was due to cellular hypertrophy at 50 days of age and hyperplasia at 65 days of age. Thiouracil (0.1%) had no significant effect on hypophyseal protein, RNA, or DNA in the immature rat fed the drug for 40 days. However thiouracil enhanced some of the effects of castration on the pituitary.
Noninvasive ventilation for neuromuscular respiratory failure: when to use and when to avoid

Purpose of review Neuromuscular respiratory failure can occur from a variety of diseases, both acute and chronic with acute exacerbation. There is often a misunderstanding about how the nature of the neuromuscular disease should affect the decision on how to ventilate the patient. This review provides an update on the value and relative contraindications for the use of noninvasive ventilation in patients with various causes of primary neuromuscular respiratory failure. Recent findings Myasthenic crisis represents the paradigmatic example of the neuromuscular condition that can be best treated with noninvasive ventilation. Timely use of noninvasive ventilation can substantially reduce the duration of ventilatory assistance in these patients. Noninvasive ventilation can also be very helpful after extubation in patients recovering from an acute cause of neuromuscular respiratory failure who have persistent weakness. Noninvasive ventilation can improve quality of survival in patients with advanced motor neuron disorder (such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) and muscular dystrophies, and can avoid intubation when these patients present to the hospital with acute respiratory failure. Attempting noninvasive ventilation is not only typically unsuccessful in patients with Guillain-Barre syndrome, but can also be dangerous in these cases. Summary Noninvasive ventilation can be very effective to treat acute respiratory failure caused by myasthenia gravis and to prevent reintubation in other neuromuscular patients, but should be used cautiously for other indications, particularly Guillain-Barre syndrome.
Use of a Cumulative Risk Scale to Predict Poor Intellectual and Academic Outcomes in Childhood Epilepsy

Discrete risk factors for poor outcomes in childhood epilepsy have been identified, but it is unclear whether the combined effect of several risk factors better predicts outcome. The Epilepsy Cumulative Risk Scale was developed to quantify cumulative risk for poor outcomes in childhood epilepsy. Participants included 156 clinic-referred children with epilepsy. The Epilepsy Cumulative Risk Scale was developed using variables previously associated with functional outcomes. Scale utility was examined through its association with intellectual and academic functioning. All Epilepsy Cumulative Risk Scale variables were significantly associated with functioning. The Total Score (ie, cumulative effect) was most strongly correlated with cognition and academic skills. A Total Score ≥ 5 had the best sensitivity and specificity for differentiating those at high risk for poor outcomes. The Epilepsy Cumulative Risk Scale shows promise as a practical, data-driven tool for quantification of cumulative risk for poor outcomes in childhood epilepsy and may be helpful in detecting those needing referral for additional services.
Control effect of occupational hazards in the construction project of a pesticide factory

Objective To analyze the control effect of occupational hazards in the new construction project of pesticide manufacturer,provide reasonable suggestion on the posts which cause acute or chronic occupational poisoning and sudden incidence to protect workers' health.Methods The methods of field investigation,checklist and detection were applied to evaluate the occupational hazards and protective measures from January to April 2013.Results The occupational hazards of the project included:dichloride ethane,dichloromethane,acetone,cyclohexanone,dimethylfomamide,methanol,sodium hydroxide,hydrochloric acid,ethylene glycol,benzene,toluene,xylene and noise etc.The concentrations of methanol,hydrochloric acid and toluene were 12.53 mg /m3( STEL),2.38 mg/m3( MAC) and 11.01-53.61 mg/m3( STEL)respectively.Other results did not exceed the national occupational exposure limits.Conclusion This project is a serious occupational hazards item.Occupational health management and occupational hazards protection should be strengthened,and the self-protection awareness of the workers also should be improved.
Nurturing scientific minds: Menninger at mid-20th century

The beginnings of the Menninger School in 1946 witnessed a felicitous combination of inspiring and brilliant faculty, eager and intelligent students, a nurturing reciprocity between clinical excellence and research commitment, an open acceptance of incisive questioning of dogma and received knowledge, and an implicit tenure system, which made it possible to develop behavioral scientists who learned to pursue research activities and to administer clinical care. At that time, the relative absence of barriers between disciplines taught students how to forge multidisciplinary collaborations that strengthened their scientific efforts. The author ponders whether such training of clinical researchers can be re-created.
Epidermoid cyst of the testis: a surgical approach for testicular preservation.

AbstractWe report on 6 patients with epidermoid cysts of the testis. Simple excision and testicular salvage are advocated when frozen section reveals the presence of an unequivocally benign lesion.
Tetragonal versus Hexagonal: Structure-Dependent Catalytic Activity of Co/Zn Bimetallic Metal–Organic Frameworks

Tetragonal and hexagonal phases of monometallic Zn and bimetallic Co/Zn metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), with secondary building units (SBUs) containing a M3O (M = metal) cluster, were synthesized from identical constituents using a benzenetricarboxylate (BTC3–) linker that forms decorated 3,6- and 3,5-connected networks, respectively. There exist subtle differences between the SBUs; one of the metal atoms in the M3O cluster in the tetragonal phase has one dissociable DMF solvent molecule while that in the hexagonal phase has three. Connectivities between the SBUs form one-dimensional channels in both MOFs. These MOFs catalyze the chemoselective addition of amines to epoxides, giving exclusively β-hydroxyamine under heterogeneous conditions. A ring-opening reaction of a symmetrical epoxide showed that the hexagonal phase diastereoselectively yields trans-alcohol, exhibiting an exquisite model for structure-dependent activity.
First demonstration of InGaAs/SiGe CMOS inverters and dense SRAM arrays on Si using selective epitaxy and standard FEOL processes

We report the first demonstration of InGaAs/SiGe CMOS inverters and dense SRAM arrays on Si, fabricated with InGaAs selective epitaxy and standard front end of line (FEOL) processes. This novel and scalable CMOS integration scheme enables InGaAs nFET fabrication in close proximity to SiGe pFETs (down to 25 nm spacing), resulting in 6T-SRAM arrays having a minimum cell size below 0.45 µm2. This scheme can be combined with any bulk Si or SOI-based planar or fin technology, and is compatible with standard large-area Si substrate. Individual InGaAs nFETs and SiGe pFETs are fabricated with a standard self-aligned CMOS-compatible process flow and feature L G scaled down to 35 nm. Moreover, the InGaAs nFET process flow includes selective epitaxy, raised source/drain (RSD) and high-k/metal gate (HKMG) modules. Finally, we report electrical characterization of isolated FETs and inverters as well as dense SRAM cells with planar and fin- FETs.
Rules of telling: Exploring narrative adaptation

This study sought to gain a better understanding of the process narrators embark upon when deciding what version of a story to tell to a particular audience; a process, hereafter, referred to as na...
Multistep regulation of autophagy by WNK1

The with-no-lysine (K) (WNK) kinases are an atypical family of protein kinases that regulate ion transport across cell membranes. Mutations that result in their overexpression cause hypertension-related disorders in humans. Of the four mammalian WNKs, only WNK1 is expressed throughout the body. We report that WNK1 inhibits autophagy, an intracellular degradation pathway implicated in several human diseases. Using small-interfering RNA-mediated WNK1 knockdown, we show autophagosome formation and autophagic flux are accelerated. In cells with reduced WNK1, basal and starvation-induced autophagy is increased. We also show that depletion of WNK1 stimulates focal class III phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase complex (PI3KC3) activity, which is required to induce autophagy. Depletion of WNK1 increases the expression of the PI3KC3 upstream regulator unc-51–like kinase 1 (ULK1), its phosphorylation, and activation of the kinase upstream of ULK1, the AMP-activated protein kinase. In addition, we show that the N-terminal region of WNK1 binds to the UV radiation resistance-associated gene (UVRAG) in vitro and WNK1 partially colocalizes with UVRAG, a component of a PI3KC3 complex. This colocalization decreases upon starvation of cells. Depletion of the SPS/STE20-related proline-alanine–rich kinase, a WNK1-activated enzyme, also induces autophagy in nutrient-replete or -starved conditions, but depletion of the related kinase and WNK1 substrate, oxidative stress responsive 1, does not. These results indicate that WNK1 inhibits autophagy by multiple mechanisms.
Notes on the faumstic complexity of cicadas (Homoptera; Cicadidae) in northern Costa Rica

The geographical, habitat, and seasonal distributions of neotropical cicadas were studied at twelve localities on a northeast-southwest transect across northern Costa Rica Geographical regions sampled are: lowland tropical rain forest, montane wet forest, and seasonal forest (highland and lowland). Habitat associations (primary, secondary, and forest remnants; cultivated lands) are where cicada nymphal casts are found. There are about 23 species with highest faunal complexity (genera and species) in lowland tropical rain forest. Faunas of the Caribbean and Pacific slopes of the Cordillera Central are very distinct. The present-day fauna of the Meseta Central is similar to that of wet regions, with infiltration of a few seasonal forest species. In lowland dry forest, the fauna is greatly impoverished, probably due to past destruction of the original vegetation cover. Small pockets of persisting forest here support cicadas not found in disturbed habitats (pastures). The original fauna of the Meseta Central very likely contained more of the species found today in wet regions, but these became extinct when the vegetation was cleared. Faunal complexity here remains high owing to several species thriving in small forest refugia along streams, coupled with some living in cultivated habitats. High impoverishment occurs in a montane region of secondary forest. Faunal complexity of inontane primary wet forest is only slightly lower than that of lowland rain forest, presumably as a result of increased climatic instability and other factors. Throughout Costa Rica, many species emerge during the dry season, and timing of emergences during both seasons correlates well with seasonality of rainfall. The geographical complexity of Costa Rica, regional climatic and vegetation variations over short distances, and the existence of many secondary forests and cultivated lands, are the major determinants of the faunal diversity of cicadas. As more lowland tropical rain forest is cleared for cultivation and lumbering, many species of cicadas will likely become extinct, especially if no forest refugia are left behind.
Order Trichoptera Kirby, 1813 (Insecta), Caddisflies *

The taxonomy, diversity, and distribution of the aquatic insect order Trichoptera, caddisflies, are reviewed. The order is among the most important and diverse of all aquatic taxa. Larvae are vital participants in aquatic food webs and their presence and relative abundance are used in the biological assessment and monitoring of water quality. The species described by Linnaeus are listed. The morphology of all life history stages (adults, larvae, and pupae) is diagnosed and major features of the anatomy are illustrated. Major components of life history and biology are summarized. A discussion of phylogenetic studies within the order is presented, including higher classification of the suborders and superfamilies, based on recent literature. Synopses of each of 45 families are presented, including the taxonomic history of the family, a list of all known genera in each family, their general distribution and relative species diversity, and a short overview of family-level biological features. The order contains 600 genera, and approximately 13,000 species.
Re-engineering artificial muscle with microhydraulics.

We introduce a new type of actuator, the microhydraulic stepping actuator (MSA), which borrows design and operational concepts from biological muscle and stepper motors. MSAs offer a unique combination of power, efficiency, and scalability not easily achievable on the microscale. The actuator works by integrating surface tension forces produced by electrowetting acting on scaled droplets along the length of a thin ribbon. Like muscle, MSAs have liquid and solid functional components and can displace a large fraction of their length. The 100 μm pitch MSA presented here already has an output power density of over 200 W kg−1, rivaling the most powerful biological muscles, due to the scaling of surface tension forces, MSA’s power density grows quadratically as its dimensions are reduced. A bioinspired actuator holds promise for combining power, efficiency and versatility not previously possible at the microscale. A team headed by Jakub Kedzierski at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lincoln Laboratory, United States, has produced a new type of actuator − the microhydraulic stepping actuator (MSA) − based on the operational concepts of biological muscle and stepper motors. The MSA works by integrating surface-tension forces (the result of electrowetting action on scaled droplets) along a thin ribbon, similar to the interaction of actin and myosin filaments in muscle. Although non-optimized and relatively unscaled, the team’s MSA could match the power density of muscle and surpassed the performance of many microactuators. Scaling greatly improved the power density of the new actuator, and 3D arrangements of the scaled MSA cells could lead to powerful, efficient micro- and macroactuators.
Supported Employment for Veterans With Traumatic Brain Injury: Provider Perspectives.

Abstract Objectives To quantify the need for, and interest in, supported employment (SE) among recent military veterans with traumatic brain injury (TBI); and to examine characteristics associated with veterans' interest in SE. Design Stratified random sample of Iraq and Afghanistan War veterans confirmed to have TBI through the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) screening and evaluation system. Setting Community-based via mailed survey. Participants We recruited 1800 veterans with clinician-confirmed TBI (mild TBI: n=1080; moderate/severe TBI: n=720) through multiple mailings. Among 1451 surveys that were not returned undeliverable, N=616 (42%) responded. Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures Veterans rated their interest in SE after reading a script describing the program. Additional measures assessed mental health and pain-related comorbidities, employment, financial/housing difficulties, demographics, and military service characteristics. Estimates were weighted to represent the population of veterans with VHA clinician-confirmed TBI. Results Unemployment was reported by 45% (95% confidence interval [CI], 43–47) of veterans with TBI. Although 42% (95% CI, 40–44) reported they would be interested in using SE if it were offered to them, only 12% had heard of SE (95% CI, 11–14) and Conclusions Our research highlights an important gap between veterans' vocational needs and interests and their use of SE. Systematically identifying and referring those with employment and financial/housing difficulties may help close this gap.