cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of cholecystokinin, secretin, and pancreatic polypeptide on secretion of gastric inhibitory polypeptide, insulin, and glucagon

Abstract Although the capacity of food components to cause more insulin secretion when given orally than when given intravenously is related significantly to increased plasma concentration of gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP), stimulated only by the oral route, questions arise as to what extent other gastrointestinal hormones modify insulin secretion either directly or by influencing the secretion of GIP. The triacontatriapeptide form of cholecystokinin (CCK 33 ), infused in dose gradients intravenously in dogs increases insulin secretion, and comparably to equimolar doses of the carboxy-terminal octapeptide of cholecystokin (CCK 8 ); neither compound changes fasting plasma levels of GIP or glucose. Glucagon was increased only by the largest dose of CCK 8 (0.27 ug/kg). Unlike the situation with GIP, it is not necessary to increase the plasma glucose above fasting level to obtain the insulin-releasing action of CCK. When glucose is infused intravenously (2 g in 0.5 min) at the beginning of a 15-minute infusion of CCK 8 (10 ng/kg/min), the amount of insulin release is greater than is produced by CCK 8 or glucose alone. In the same type of experiment, the infusion of GIP, in equimolar amounts as CCK 8 , plus glucose causes no more insulin secretion than is stimulated by glucose alone. Secretin has only a small stimulating action on insulin release, and pancreatic polypeptide (PP) has no effect. Neither secretin nor PP affects GIP secretion, whether either is given alone, or together, or with CCK 8 . Either secretin or CCK 8 inhibits oral glucose-stimulated increase in plasma GIP. These inhibitory effects are probably very much related to the hormone-induced decrease in gastric emptying, but changes in somatostatin secretion and other hormones possibly exert contributory actions. In conclusion, GIP in certain dose ranges has been reported to cause major increase in insulin secretion, but we showed that the insulin-releasing action of a small dose of glucose (2 g) infused intravenously was not augmented by GIP (44.5 ng/kg/min), although it was significantly increased by an equimolar dose of CCK 8 . When plasma glucose was maintained at a fasting level, gradient equimolar dosages of CCK 8 and CCK 33 had comparable insulin-releasing action; GIP had no effect.
Grooves to Tubes: Evolution of the Venom Delivery System in a Late Triassic “reptile”

Venom delivery systems occur in a wide range of extant and fossil vertebrates and are primarily based on oral adaptations. Teeth range from unmodified (Komodo dragons) to highly specialized fangs similar to hypodermic needles (protero- and solenoglyphous snakes). Developmental biologists have documented evidence for an infolding pathway of fang evolution, where the groove folds over to create the more derived condition. However, the oldest known members of venomous clades retain the same condition as their extant relatives, resulting in no fossil evidence for the transition. Based on a comparison of previously known specimens with newly discovered teeth from North Carolina, we describe a new species of the Late Triassic archosauriform Uatchitodon and provide detailed analyses that provide evidence for both venom conduction and document a complete structural series from shallow grooves to fully enclosed tubular canals. While known only from teeth, Uatchitodon is highly diagnostic in possessing compound serrations and for having two venom canals on each tooth in the dentition. Further, although not a snake, Uatchitodon sheds light on the evolutionary trajectory of venom delivery systems in amniotes and provide solid evidence for venom conduction in archosaur-line diapsids.
GABAergic projection from nucleus accumbers to ventral pallidum mediates dopamine-induced sensorimotor gating deficits of acoustic startle in rats

Previous studies have demonstrated that increased mesolimbic dopamine (DA) activity disrupts sensorimotor gating as measured by prepulse inhibition (PPI) of the acoustic startle response (ASR) in rats. Other behavioral changes following mesolimbic DA activation are mediated through GABAergic efferent projections from the nucleus accumbens (NAC) to the ventral pallidum (VP). In this experiment, we examined whether PPI deficits in rats following mesolimbic DA activation are mediated through these same GABAergic substrates. PPI was significantly disrupted in rats following infusion of DA (40 micrograms) into the NAC, and this effect was reversed by infusion of a low dose (10 ng) of the GABA agonist muscimol into the VP. In a second experiment, we tested the hypothesis and the loss of PPI following intra-NAC DA infusion results from a disruption of GABAergic activity within the VP. Consistent with this hypothesis, infusion of the GABA antagonist picrotoxin (0-0.2 micrograms) into the VP caused a significant loss of PPI. These findings strongly suggest that the accumbens-ventral pallidal GABAergic circuitry is a substrate for the decrease in sensorimotor gating induced by mesolimbic DA overactivity.
Convolution type estimators for nonparametric regression

Abstract Convolution type kernel estimators such as the Priestley-Chao estimator have been discussed by several authors in the fixed design regression model Yi = g(ti)+ ei, where ei are uncorrelated random errors, ti are fixed design points where measurements are made, and g is the function to be estimated from the noisy measurements Yi. Using properties of order statistics and concomitants, we derive the asymptotic mean squared error of these estimators in the random design case where given i.i.d. bivariate observations (Xi, Yi), i = 1,..., n, the aim is to estimate the regression function m(x) = E(Y/X =x). The comparison with the well-known quotient type Nadaraya-Watson kernel estimators shows that convolution type estimators have a bias behavior which corresponds to that in the fixed design case. This makes possible the straightforward extension to the estimation of derivatives.
QUEST—Quick Environmental Scanning Technique

Abstract This paper describes a new technique designed to scan the environment quickly and inexpensively to focus management's attention upon critical issues for strategy formulation. The technique has been applied successfully in several different corporate settings including a major savings and loan association, three divisions of a large food manufacturing firm and a medium-sized moving and storage company.
Human Respiratory and Ocular Irritation Studies Utilizing o-Chlorobenzylidene Malononitrile Aerosol Effect of Particle Size

Abstract Studies have been made with humans to determine the influence of one and sixty micron aerosols of o-chlorobenzylidene malononitrile on respiratory and ocular irritating effects. Small particles rapidly produce respiratory and ocular irritation. Only 3 of 17 individuals could tolerate small particles for as long as 60 seconds. Large particles predominately produce ocular irritation. Of 18 subjects exposed, 15 were able to tolerate the cloud for at least 60 seconds. Large particles increase recovery time from ocular irritation.
Degradation products from human serum high density lipoproteins following dehydration by rotary evaporation and solubilization.

Abstract 1. 1. Dehydration by rotary evaporation and solubilization at pH 8.6 of human serum high density lipoproteins resulted in the formation of a lipid-poor protein fraction (d > 1.21 g/ml) and a redistribution of the remaining lipid and protein components into three new ultracentrifugal fractions of varying composition and density. 2. 2. The redistribution of lipid components was specific and resulted in a partitioning of the apolar cholesteryl esters and triglycerides predominantly into the d 3. 3. The redistribution of the apoproteins of the treated high density lipoproteins was unique and suggested differences in their affinity for the lipids of the parent lipoprotein fraction. The minor apoprotein constituents of the high density lipoproteins, which are major constituents of normal very low density lipoproteins, predominated in the degradation products rich in apolar lipids. The predominant apoprotein (apoLP-Gln I) of the parent fraction recombined with only a minimal amount of lipid and was confined almost exclusively to the lipid-poor d > 1.21 g/ml product fraction. The other major apoprotein constituent (apoLP-GIn II) was found in products rich in phospholipids. 4. 4. Electron microscopy of the different products showed the formation of discoidal particles in the phospholipid-rich d 1.063–1.21 g/ml product fraction; the particles in the d 1.006–1.063 g/ml product fraction were spherical and resembled normal human low density lipoproteins, but were slightly smaller in size; the particles in the d 5. 5. An immunoelectrophoretically slow-moving product was observed following dehydration and solubilization of high density lipoproteins and had immunochemical properties identical to the slow-moving lipid-poor component (aLPa) obtained following exposure of high density lipoproteins to other mild degradative procedures; both corresponded to the lipid-poor d > 1.21 g/ml product fraction consisting predominantly of apoLP-GIn I protein.
On monodromy of complex projective structures

We prove that for any nonelementary representation ρ : π1(S → SL (2, ℂ)) of the fundamental group of a closed orientable hyperbolic surfaceS there exists a complex projective structure onS with the monodromy ϱ.
A new family of outwardly rectifying potassium channel proteins with two pore domains in tandem

Potassium channels catalyse the permeation of K+ ions across cellular membranes and are identified by a common structural motif, a highly conserved signature sequence of eight amino acids in the P domain of each channel's pore-forming alpha-subunit. Here we describe a novel K+ channel (TOK1) from Saccharomyces cerevisiae that contains two P domains within one continuous polypeptide. Xenopus laevis oocytes expressing the channel exhibit a unique, outwardly rectifying, K(+)-selective current. The channel is permeable to outward flow of ions at membrane potentials above the K+ equilibrium potential; its conduction-voltage relationship is thus sensitive to extracellular K+ ion concentration. In excised membrane patches, external divalent cations block the channel in a voltage-dependent manner, and their removal in this configuration allows inward channel current. These attributes are similar to those described for inwardly rectifying K+ channels, but in the opposite direction, a previously unrecognized channel behaviour. Our results identify a new class of K+ channel which is distinctive in both its primary structure and functional properties. Structural homologues of the channel are present in the genome of Caenorhabditis elegans.
Distribution of cells projecting to thalamus vs. those projecting to cerebellum in subdivisions of the dorsal column nuclei in raccoons.

To learn the distribution of cells projecting to the thalamus, as opposed to the cerebellum, in the mechanosensory nuclei of the dorsal medulla of raccoons, we analyzed the retrograde transport of horseradish peroxidase from the ventrobasal complex of the thalamus and from the cerebellum. We found six nuclear regions projecting heavily to the thalamus with very small projections to the cerebellum: Bischoff's, central cuneate, central gracile, rostral cuneate, rostral gracile nuclei, and cell group z. Two regions showed heavy projections to the cerebellum with no projections to the thalamus: the lateral portion of the external cuneate nucleus and the compact portion of cell group x. Four regions showed more equivalent projections to both target regions: basal cuneate, medial portion of the external cuneate nucleus, medial tongue extension of the external cuneate nucleus, and reticular portion of cell group x. Three more ventral regions were labeled: lateral cervical nucleus from thalamic injections but not from cerebellar injections; central cervical nucleus from cerebellar injections, which crossed the mid-line, but not from thalamic injections; and lateral reticular nucleus from both target regions. In most medullary regions, most cells project to one target and very few project to the other; we suggest that the cells projecting to the minor target convey samples of the information going to the major target.
Game content creation and it proficiency: An exploratory study

Abstract Computer and video gaming are often considered to be potential routes to the development of aptitude and interest in using other forms of information technology (IT). The purpose of this exploratory study was to determine the extent to which young people who play games engage in related IT practices, such as creating and sharing content or creating fan sites. Additional goals were to identify differences in such practices according to grade level, gender, and access to IT-related resources in the home, as well as to explore relationships between engagement in game-related practices and perceived proficiency in general computer-related skills.
A Women's Heterosocial Skill Observational Rating System: Behavior-Analytic Development and Validation

A recurrent deficit in the heterosocial competence literature has been the lack of a behavioral assessment instrument that evaluates a broad range of important component behaviors or skills during an extended interaction. To remedy this deficit, two studies conducted with college women are reported. The first study describes the application of the behavior-analytic model in the identification of women's heterosocial skills using male and female peers as judges. Behaviorally referenced, three-point nominal and ordinal scales were then developed, and each skill was rated using an interval recording procedure. The second study describes the validation of a behavioral assessment instrument (the Heterosocial Skill Observational Rating System or HESORS) designed to evaluate these skills. The reliability, internal structure, discriminant validity, and criterion validity of the HESORS were found to be psychometrically acceptable. The implications of this research in terms of empirical and methodological considera...
RECOVERY OF ESCHERICHIA COLI O157:H7 FROM FIBER OPTIC WAVEGUIDES USED FOR RAPID BIOSENSOR DETECTION

Consumption of ground beef has been implicated in the majority of outbreaks of disease from Escherichia coli O157:H7. There is a great need for rapid, sensitive, and specific microbial detection and isolation methods for the detection and recovery of pathogens such as E. coli O157:H7. Evanescent wave, fiber optic biosensors are an innovative, cutting-edge technology with the potential to meet such a need. Food pathogens such as E. coli O157:H7 can be detected in minutes using the biosensor assay rather than days using conventional methods. The biosensor assay is sensitive and presently has the ability to directly detect 102 CFU of E. coli O157:H7 in E. coli O157:H7-seeded PBS or ground beef. In this study, it was determined that once the pathogen had been positively identified, it could then be recovered by culturing the cells captured on the waveguide used in the biosensor assay. E. coli O157:H7-seeded PBS or ground beef samples were assayed using an evanescent wave, fiber optic biosensor. After a positive identification on the biosensor, the waveguide was added to modified LB medium supplemented with 10 μg/mL acriflavin (mLB) and incubated at 42C for a minimum of 4 h followed by selection on Rainbow O157 agar incubated 16 to 18 h at 37C. E. coli O157:H7 was confirmed using agglutination with E. coli O157:H7 antiserum. It was possible to recover E. coli O157:H7 colonies in E. coli O157:H7-seeded PBS or ground beef when 1 mL samples containing at least 2.0 × 103 CFU of E. coli O157:H7 had been injected into the biosensor. It took only 24 h to detect the target pathogen, recover the pathogen from the sample, and grow isolated colonies. This total time included sample preparation, detection, enrichment culture, and growth of cells to produce isolated colonies on a selective and differential medium. The identification of isolated colonies was then quickly confirmed using slide agglutination with the appropriate antiserum. This method significantly improved the speed of the confirmation of the presence of the pathogen and of the isolation of the pathogen, from 4 days using conventional methods to one day using the biosensor assay.
Quantifying costs of forecast errors: A case study of the warehouse environment☆

Abstract Our study evaluates the impact of forecast errors on organizational cost by simulating a labor-intensive warehouse environment using realistic cost data from a case study. Unlike past studies that measure forecast error in terms of forecast standard deviation , our study also considers the impact of forecast bias , and the complex interaction between these variables. Two cases of organizational cost curves are considered, with differing and asymmetric structures. Results find forecast bias to have a considerably greater impact on organizational cost than forecast standard deviation. Particularly damaging is a high bias in the presence of high forecast standard deviation. Although biasing the forecast in the least costly direction is shown to yield lower costs, sensitivity analysis shows that increasing bias beyond the optimum point rapidly increases costs. ‘Overshooting’ the optimal amount of bias appears to be more damaging than not biasing the forecast at all. Given that managers often deliberately bias their forecasts, this finding underscores the importance of having a good understanding of organizational cost structures before arbitrarily introducing bias. This finding also suggests that managers should exercise caution when introducing bias, particularly for forecasts that inherently have large errors. These findings have important implications for organizational decision making beyond the simulated warehouse, as high forecast errors are endemic to many labor-intensive organizations.
Leukocyte activation with platelet adhesion after coronary angioplasty : A mechanism for recurrent disease ?

Objectives. The purpose of this pilot study was to determine whether leukocyte activation occurs, whether leukocyte-platelet complexes develop and whether there is any association between these findings and clinical outcome after coronary angioplasty. Background. Increased expression of CD11b on monocytes and neutrophils promotes their adhesion to endothelial cells, extracellular matrix and smooth muscle cells. Thrombin-activated platelets adhere to monocytes and neutrophils through P-selectin. These cell complexes may affect the inflammatory process and, thus, the outcome of coronary angioplasty. Methods. During elective single-vessel coronary angioplasty in 11 men, samples were obtained for flow cytometric detection of CD11b, as well as the percent of leukocytes with adherent platelets and the intensity of bound platelet fluorescence (number of platelets/leukocyte). Results. After angioplasty, there was an increase in CD11b (monocytes: p = 0.001, neutrophils: p = 0.02) and leukocytes with adherent platelets (p = 0.02). During follow-up, five patients remained in stable condition and six had subsequent clinical events: restenosis and progression of disease requiring coronary artery bypass grafting (n = 3), myocardial infarction involving the dilated artery (n = 1) and unstable angina (n = 2). Values for leukocyte CD11b expression, the percent of leukocytes with adherent platelets and the intensity of bound platelet fluorescence were higher both before and after angioplasty in the six patients experiencing clinical events. Conclusions. Despite standard aspirin and heparin therapy, leukocyte activation with platelet adherence occurs after coronary angioplasty. The magnitude of leukocyte activation and platelet adherence appears to be higher in patients experiencing late clinical events.
Integrated routing and MAC scheduling for single-channel wireless mesh networks

This paper presents an integrated routing and MAC scheduling protocol (IRMA) for multihop wireless mesh networks. The IRMA approach is motivated by the fact that the overall performance achieved by conventional layered approaches (802.11 MAC combined with independent ad hoc routing protocols) is significantly lower than the underlying network capacity. We propose to integrate the routing and MAC into a single protocol layer and use joint optimization techniques to establish end-to-end path and TDMA schedules for flows across the network. This approach achieves non-conflicting allocation of channel resources based on global or local traffic flow specifications and the network graph. The proposed method not only establishes interference-free MAC link schedules, but also helps to find optimal routes which can route around congested areas of the network. Two specific IRMA algorithms are proposed and evaluated in this paper. The first method solves min-hop routing, then optimizes link scheduling based on routing results and real-time flow demands. The second approach attempts to optimize routing and scheduling decisions simultaneously, using available MAC bandwidth information to route around congested areas. Both centralized and distributed algorithms based on these methods are proposed and evaluated with detailed simulations. Results show significant 2-3x improvements in network throughput when compared with baseline 802.11-based mesh networks using independent routing protocols.
Why the ultimate argument for scientific realism ultimately fails

In this paper, I argue that the ultimate argument for Scientific Realism, also known as the No-Miracles Argument (NMA), ultimately fails as an abductive defence of Epistemic Scientific Realism (ESR), where (ESR) is the thesis that successful theories of mature sciences are approximately true. The NMA is supposed to be an Inference to the Best Explanation (IBE) that purports to explain the success of science. However, the explanation offered as the best explanation for success, namely (ESR), fails to yield independently testable predictions that alternative explanations for success do not yield. If this is correct, then there seems to be no good reason to prefer (ESR) over alternative explanations for success.
A Damage Integral Approach to Solder Joint Fatigue

The application of a damage integral approach which provides numerical accounting of the accumulated fatigue damage in solder joint is reviewed. The instantaneous fatigue damage rate is determined by the solder stress state, temperature and environment using a phenomenological crack growth law. The stress is calculated using state variable constitutive relations for inelastic deformation. The material parameters for the crack growth law are determined from isothermal fatigue data. Representative damage integral calculations are used to illustrate the application of the approach. Finally, the significance of failure criteria on the apparent fatigue life is discussed in terms of the damage integral approach.
Not-For-Profit Organizations And For-Profit Businesses: Perceptions And Reality

Not-for-profit organizations represent an important portion of the gross domestic product of the United States; yet there are many misconceptions in the business world regarding not-for-profits. This paper analyzes two surveys -- one of business persons and the other of seniors in an undergraduate business program – to determine the extent of the suspected misconceptions. Then the paper presents factual support to correct typical misconceptions regarding how not-for-profit organizations operate.
Local, Controlled Delivery of Local Anesthetics In Vivo from Polymer - Xerogel Composites.

Polymer-xerogel composite materials have been introduced to better optimize local anesthetics release kinetics for the pain management. In a previous study, it was shown that by adjusting various compositional and nano-structural properties of both inorganic xerogels and polymers, zero-order release kinetics over 7 days can be achieved in vitro. In this study, in vitro release properties are confirmed in vivo using a model that tests for actual functionality of the released local anesthetics. Composite materials made with tyrosine-polyethylene glycol(PEG)-derived poly(ether carbonate) copolymers and silica-based sol–gel (xerogel) were synthesized. The in vivo release from the composite controlled release materials was demonstrated by local anesthetics delivery in a rat incisional pain model. The tactile allodynia resulting from incision was significantly attenuated in rats receiving drug-containing composites compared with the control and sham groups for the duration during which natural healing had not yet taken place. The concentration of drug (bupivacaine) in blood is dose dependent and maintained stable up to 120 h post-surgery, the longest time point measured. These in vivo studies show that polymer-xerogel composite materials with controlled release properties represent a promising class of controlled release materials for pain management.
The phylogenetic position of the Pterosauria within the Archosauromorpha

In recent years the hypothesis that pterosaurs were the major sister-group of dinosaurs and a closely-linked hypothesis that pterosaurs evolved flight from the ground up have gained general acceptance. A cladistic analysis of the Archosauromorpha using characters presented by previous workers results in a single most parsimonious tree with the Pterosauria as the major sister-group of the Dinosauria. However, that sister-group relationship is supported only by a suite of hindlimb characters that are correlated with bipedal digitigrade locomotion in dinosaurs. In pterosaurs the characters have been interpreted as correlates of bipedal cursorial locomotion, arboreal leaping, or involvement of the hindlimb in the wing. The homology of those characters in dinosaurs and pterosaurs cannot be supported. Reanalysis of the data after exclusion of those hindlimb characters results in most parsimonious trees with the Pterosauria as the sister-group of the Erythrosuchidae + Proterochampsidae +Euparkeria+ Archosauria, in that order. This sister-group relationship is supported by a diverse assemblage of functionally independent skeletal characters from all regions of the skeleton. The results of the analysis cast doubt on the hypothesis that pterosaurs evolved flight from the ground up.
ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN SHOREBIRD ABUNDANCE AND PARASITES IN THE SAND CRAB, EMERITA ANALOGA, ALONG THE CALIFORNIA COAST

I investigated spatial variation in the prevalence and abundance of 4 species of parasites in the sand crab, Emerita analoga, on 8 sandy beaches along 800 km of the California coast, to assess the importance of bird abundance for the distribution of parasites among sand crab populations. I collected sand crabs and counted shorebirds and gulls at each beach during June and November 1994. Sand crabs served as intermediate hosts for 4 species of parasites, including a trematode, Spelotrema nicolli (Cable and Hunnienen, 1938); an acanthocephalan, Polymorphus kenti (Van Cleave, 1947); a nematode, Proleptus sp., and an unidentified trypanorhynch tapeworm. Among sand crab populations, there was substantial spatial variation in the prevalence and abundance of each parasite species. No latitudinal pattern was apparent for any of the 4 species observed. Temporally, parasite prevalence and abundance was significantly different between dates for all 4 parasites. Specifically, sand crab populations experienced higher trematode, nematode, and trypanorhynch prevalence and abundance in November than in June. In contrast, prevalence and abundance of acanthocephalans were higher in June than in November. There were strong positive associations between bird abundance and prevalence of parasitic infection for trematodes and acanthocephalans for some dates but not for nematodes or trypanorhynchs, which use elasmobranchs as definitive hosts. The spatial variation in prevalence and abundance of trematodes and acanthocephalans observed among sand crab populations may be attributed to the distribution and abundance of shorebirds and gulls that serve as definitive hosts.
Psychogenic Purpura in Adolescent Patients

The occurrence of psychogenic purpura has been documented in adults. The authors present their experience with nine adolescent and young adult patients observed since 1981. The age of eight of these patients ranged from 13 to 18 years. One patient with cystic fibrosis was 23-years- old. All patients presented with painful inflammatory lesions followed by bruising. There was no evidence of an infectious process or a hematologic, immunologic, or renal abnormality. Integral to the diagnosis was the existence of an underlying emotional disorder. In all patients, bruising decreased after diagnosis was explained to the patient and family. Four patients required psycho therapy. Results of 2-year follow-up suggest that early intervention may produce a favorable outcome in this age group.
THE PROFESSIONAL EX

Research on persons exiting deviance has centered on identifying the processes where-by they abandon the behaviors, ideologies, and identities associated with their specific career by replacing the...
Look-Align: an interactive web-based multiple sequence alignment viewer with polymorphism analysis support

Summary: We have developed Look-Align, an interactive web-based viewer to display pre-computed multiple sequence alignments. Although initially developed to support the visualization needs of the maize diversity website Panzea (http://www.panzea.org), the viewer is a generic stand-alone tool that can be easily integrated into other websites. Availability: Look-Align is written in Perl using open-source components and is available under an open-source license. Live installation and download information can be found at the Panzea website (http://www.panzea.org/software/alignment_viewer.html). Contact: [email protected] Supplementary information: The Supplementary information includes sample lists of multiple sequence alignment software and sample screenshots of the viewer.
Flexible metal film with micro- and nanopatterns transferred by electrochemical deposition

A new method for patterning microstructure on metal film by electrochemical deposition is provided. The metal film with micropattern can be peeled off after the deposition by inter-medium layer of resistant molecules such as triglyceride. We can use the technology of electrochemical deposition to make the metal film possess different functions such as soft and bendable properties. We also give an example to get the protein pattern transferred on the metal film. So, this method can also provide a way for the fabrication of protein pattern on the chip.
Recent advances in the treatment of bladder cancer

Bladder cancer continues to provide urologists and researchers with a clinical and scientific challenge. Several urinary markers used in the detection and screening of patients with bladder cancer are currently under investigation. Improvements in intravesical therapy are proving to help decrease both tumor recurrence and progression in patients with high-risk disease. In patients with organ-confined, node-negative bladder cancer, radical cystectomy provides excellent local control and long-term disease-free survival. The use of an extended lymphadenectomy at the time of cystectomy may yield improved prognostic information as well as a potential survival benefit. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy and less toxic combination chemotherapy regimens are offering potential improvements in patients with extravesical or nodal extension. The current methods of detection, as well as available therapeutic treatment options are reviewed.
Involuntary medication and the case of Joyce Brown

In October 1987, Joyce Brown became the first homeless person removed from New York City's streets and hospitalized under a city initiative that authorized evaluation of "gravely disabled" homeless persons for admission to inpatient psychiatric treatment. Miss Brown's highly publicized and ultimately successful court battle to prevent a course of forced medication is described. Her refusal of medication was upheld based on her capacity to understand the proposed treatment and to express a partially rational opinion about it. The author, who served as independent psychiatric consultant to the court on the decision about Miss Brown's involuntary medication, uses the case to illustrate some of the problems of involuntary psychiatric intervention, including the commitment of competent patients and the lack of a coherent approach to persistent treatment refusal.
Fault trees and imperfect coverage: a combinatorial approach

A novel technique for combining a coverage model with a fault tree is presented. For a class of systems, this technique is simpler and faster than those currently used. Given a fault tree model of the system structure, the minimum cutsets are generated using standard techniques. This set of cutsets represents the effects of covered faults and can be used to determine whether the system contains sufficient redundancy to achieve the desired reliability. This set of minimum cutsets is augmented by a set of cutsets that represent uncovered faults. This set of additional cutsets is disjoint from the original cutsets, but they are not independent since covered and uncovered faults are mutually exclusive. The resulting set of cutsets is solved by combination of standard multistate and sum-of-disjoint products solution techniques. >
The Role of Oligohaline Marshes in Estuarine Nutrient Cycling

Oligohaline marshes, poised at the land-sea margin, often occur where the estuary is most enriched in inorganic particles and nutrients. Although light can limit the production of planktonic communities, high nutrient concentrations and regular tidal inundation results in highly productive macrophyte and algal communities. Despite potentially important water quality values, relatively few detailed studies of N and P cycling in oligohaline marshes are evident in the literature. Because of the temporal variability in marsh flux studies, the net annual retention of N and P is best assessed by measurement of N and P burial in the sediment. In the Chesapeake Bay and other estuaries and subestuaries, high rates of tidal marsh N and P burial indicate an important water quality function. A recent study shows the marshes of a Chesapeake Bay tributary retain a large portion of nitrogen and phosphorus entering the river from above the fall line. The marshes trap 35% of the nitrogen and 81% of the phosphorus which would otherwise be recycled, exported, or buried in the subtidal sediments of the estuary. Although there are few studies, high nitrate supply rates, potentially high nitrification rates, and high rates of sediment metabolism can result in high rates of denitrification. More complete studies of tidal marsh nutrient cycling, particularly nitrogen cycling, are needed for a better understanding of the importance of these tidal freshwater marshes to estuarine nutrient balances. Alternative methodologies for denitrification measurement are needed for more accurate measurements, and more attention needs to be paid to scaling individual measurements to whole marsh ecosystems. A new method for the measurement of net N2(g) exchange was applied to a Chesapeake Bay tributary to develop an annual estimate of net denitrification in the marsh sediments. Denitrification rates were ∼ 60 μmol m−2 h−1 with high seasonal variability. Annual calculations were made based on a loose correlation to annual ambient nitrate concentrations. This preliminary calculation suggests that an additional 10% of the fall line nitrogen may be removed by such marsh systems. More measurements of net N2(g) exchange and computer simulation models are required to determine the net removal of fall line nitrogen by the upper estuarine marshes.
Soil fungal effects on floral signals, rewards, and aboveground interactions in an alpine pollination web

 Premise of the study: Plants interact with above- and belowground organisms; the combined effects of these interactions determine plant fi tness and trait evolution. To better understand the ecological and evolutionary implications of multispecies interactions, we explored linkages between soil fungi, pollinators, and fl oral larcenists in Polemonium viscosum (Polemoniaceae).  Methods: Using a fungicide, we experimentally reduced fungal colonization of krummholz and tundra P. viscosum in 2008 – 2009. We monitored fl oral signals and rewards, interactions with pollinators and larcenists, and seed set for fungicide-treated and control plants.  Key results: Fungicide effects varied among traits, between interactions, and with environmental context. Treatment effects were negligible in 2008, but stronger in 2009, especially in the less-fertile krummholz habitat. There, fungicide increased nectar sugar content and damage by larcenist ants, but did not affect pollination. Surprisingly, fungicide also enhanced seed set, suggesting that direct resource costs of soil fungi exceed indirect benefi ts from reduced larceny. In the tundra, fungicide effects were negligible in both years. However, pooled across treatments, colonization by mycorrhizal fungi in 2009 correlated negatively with the intensity and diversity of fl volatile organic compounds, suggesting integrated above- and belowground signaling pathways.  Conclusions: Fungicide effects on flrewards in P. viscosum link soil fungi to ecological costs of pollinator attraction. Traitspecifi c linkages to soil fungi should decouple expression of sensitive and buffered fl oral phenotypes in P. viscosum . Overall, this study demonstrates how multitrophic linkages may lead to shifting selection pressures on interaction traits, restricting the evolution of specialization.
Age-correlated changes in expression of micronuclear damage and repair in Paramecium tetraurelia.

ABSTRACT In Paramecium, age is defined as the number of mitotic divisions which have elapsed since the previous cross-fertilization (conjugation) or self-fertilization (autogamy). As the mitotic interval between fertilizations increases, the percentage of nonviable progeny clones increases. In the current study, resolution of conflicting previous reports on the pattern of increase of death and reduced viability in progeny from aging parent cells is found. Some exautogamous clones exhibit a high mortality at young clonal ages, others show no mortality throughout their life span, but most (73%) show an abrupt increase in the percent death and reduced viability in progeny from cells 50-80 fissions old. Ultraviolet-irradiation-induced micronuclear mutations, repairable by photoreactivation, increased with increased clonal age when monitored by percent death and reduced viability of exautogamous progeny of irradiated cells. Loss of dark repair is considered a contributor to the increased expression of micronuclear mutations with increased clonal age.
Fuzzy and possibilistic shell clustering algorithms and their application to boundary detection and surface approximation. II

Shell clustering algorithms are ideally suited for computer vision tasks such as boundary detection and surface approximation, particularly when the boundaries have jagged or scattered edges and when the range data is sparse. This is because shell clustering is insensitive to local aberrations, it can be performed directly in image space, and unlike traditional approaches it does assume dense data and does not use additional features such as curvatures and surface normals. The shell clustering algorithms introduced in Part I of this paper assume that the number of clusters is known, however, which is not the case in many boundary detection and surface approximation applications. This problem can be overcome by considering cluster validity. We introduce a validity measure called surface density which is explicitly meant for the type of applications considered in this paper, we show through theoretical derivations that surface density is relatively invariant to size and partiality (incompleteness) of the clusters. We describe unsupervised clustering algorithms that use the surface density measure and other measures to determine the optimum number of shell clusters automatically, and illustrate the application of the proposed algorithms to boundary detection in the case of intensity images and to surface approximation in the case of range images. >
Strangeness Based Feature Selection for Part Based Recognition

Motivated by recent approaches to object recognition, where objects are represented in terms of parts, we propose a new algorithm for selecting discriminative features based on strangeness measure. We will show that k-nearest neighbour strangeness can be used to measure the uncertainty of individual features with respect to the class labels and forms piecewise constant decision boundary. We study its properties and generalization capability by comparing it with optimal decision boundary and boundary obtained by k-nearest-neighbor methods. The proposed feature selection algorithm is tested both in simulation and real experiments, demonstrating that meaningful discriminative local features are selected despite the presence of large numbers of distractors. In the second stage we demonstrate how to integrate the local evidence provided by the selected features in the boosting framework in order to obtain the final strong classifier. The performance of the feature selection algorithm and the classifier is evaluated on the Caltech five object category database, achieving superior results in comparison with existing approaches at lower computational cost.
Chapter 3 Three-membered ring systems

Publisher Summary This chapter presents the smallest class of heterocycles, three-membered ring systems continue to grow in synthetic utility. These versatile moieties are employed as reactive intermediates and building blocks for the rapid regio- and stereospecific construction of complex organic substrates. In an example presented in the chapter, the catalyst could be recovered by distilling off the products, suspending the residue in methanol, and isolating the resulting solid by vacuum filtration. As they are essentially homogeneous catalysts, salen complexes are not always so easily recovered. Therefore, novel systems have been developed with ease of catalyst isolation in mind—for example, Jacobsen's catalyst has been prepared in polymeric form.
Mosaic: making biological sense of complex networks

Summary: We present a Cytoscape plugin called Mosaic to support interactive network annotation, partitioning, layout and coloring based on gene ontology or other relevant annotations. Availability: Mosaic is distributed for free under the Apache v2.0 open source license and can be downloaded via the Cytoscape plugin manager. A detailed user manual is available on the Mosaic web site (http://nrnb.org/tools/mosaic). Contact: ude.fscu.enotsdalg@ocipa
A 62-Year-Old Woman With Dyspnea, Leukocytosis, and Diffuse Ground-Glass Opacities

62-year-old female presented to the ambulatory clinic with progressive shortness of breath over the course of approximately 1 year. She denied cough, fever, chills, chest pain, hemoptysis, or orthopnea. Approximately 1 year before presentation, she was admitted to the hospital for abdominal pain, distention, and early satiety. At that time she was diagnosed with chronic idiopathic myelofi brosis after bone marrow biopsy. She responded well on hydroxyurea and eventually discharged home. She also denied any occupational or environmental exposures prior to presentation.
Hydrodynamic Forces Caused by a Ship in Confined Waters

The use of slender-body theory to predict the hydrodynamic disturbance caused by a ship maneuvering in confined waters is reviewed. Various configurations are described including: (1)Shallow water; (2)canals; (3)dredged channels; and (4)ship-to-ship interactions. Particular attention is paid to the determination of the sinkage, trim, lateral force and yaw moment. Examples are also given to the pressure distribution over the bottom and on the canal walls. Several general conclusions are drawn. The important speed parameter is the Froude number based on depth. Near the critical value of F\dh=1.0, the simple linear analysis used is no longer valid. Secondly, as the waterway becomes more restrictive (i.e., as the water depth or width, or both, decreases), the forces acting on the vessel increase dramatically. This results in an increase in the squat and greater difficulty in controlling the ship.
Membrane and microtransducer catheters: their effectiveness for profilometry of the lower urinary tract.

SUMMARY The multichannel membrane catheter and the microtransducer catheter are at present the best tools for pressure profile measurements. These catheters permit simultaneous recording of intravesical and urethral pressures. Thus, the closure pressure (the difference between the intravesical pressure and the urethral pressure — and the essential component of sphincteric function) may be easily determined. The functional length of the urethra, in distinction to its anatomicallength, is also established by the use of these catheters. The basic features of a normal urethral pressure profile are outlined. In abnormal cases, detailed studies of the urethral pressure profile are invaluable for the identification of sphincter weakness or hyperactivity. The information obtained can be critical in defining a multitude of pathologic entities and in charting the proper course for their management.
Going to the Chapel and We're Gonna . . . Graduate?: Do Public Schools Run Afoul of the Constitution by Holding Graduation Ceremonies in Church Buildings?

Each spring millions of American students graduate from high school. Some students will receive their high school diplomas in their school’s gymnasium or auditorium. Others, however, will process across stages in religiously-affiliated buildings. The use of religiously-affiliated buildings to host public high school graduation ceremonies has been controversial. Proponents of the practice often assert that the buildings are used for legitimate, secular purposes and that the selection of the venue has nothing to do with the religious nature of the building. Opponents challenge that the practice amounts to an unconstitutional violation of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment when graduates and their families are required to enter a house of worship to attend a secular ceremony. In recent months, two Federal District Courts have been called upon to address the constitutionality of this practice in Does v. Enfield and Does v. Elmbrook. The fact patterns in these two recent cases are amazingly similar, but the outcomes are completely different. This paper will review both of these cases in an attempt to address the question: Do public high schools run afoul of the Establishment Clause by holding graduation ceremonies in religiously-affiliated buildings?
Non-Linear Dynamic Response of Thorax to Impulsive Loading of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)

The purpose of this paper is, to provide the non-linear biodynamic response of thorax through the analytical and numerical simulation methods. Adult thorax data considering sagittal and coronal stiffness in addition to soft and hard tissue material properties will undergo CPR impulsive loading. The numerical simulation is conducted using finite element analysis (FEA) software for modeling biomechanical correct Thorax model to CPR transient loading. AMTI force plate was utilized to record the CPR forces, it accounts for realistic load evaluation during CPR procedure. A dynamic model for numerical simulation includes resonance frequency, damping coefficient, stiffness constant and extinction time for a different kind of physique. The model deflections and forces were analyzed. The maximum deflection obtained from mathematical modelling and ANSYS is found closely related. The result strongly depends on the modeling of the thorax which is used in the numerical simulation. This indicates the necessity of the correlation of the results with the experimental data if available.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
American tourists in Cuba: Is the communist country a forbidden or a tainted fruit?:

Americans are the majority of tourists in the Caribbean, but the US embargo against Cuba prevents almost all American tourists from visiting Cuba. This study uses mixed methods to examine a group o...