cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Velocity and vorticity in weakly compressible isotropic turbulence under longitudinal expansive straining

The response of homogeneous and isotropic turbulence to streamwise straining action provided by planar expansion waves has been studied experimentally in the CCNY shock tube research facility at several Reynolds numbers. The reflection of a propagating shock wave at the open endwall of the shock tube generated an expansion fan travelling upstream and interacting with the induced flow behind the incident shock wave which has gone through a turbulence generating grid. A custom-made hot-wire vorticity probe was designed and developed capable of measuring the time-dependent highly fluctuating three-dimensional velocity and vorticity vectors, and associated total temperature, in non-isothermal and inhomogeneous flows with reasonable spatial and temporal resolution. These measurements allowed the computations of the vorticity stretching/tilting terms, vorticity generation through dilatation terms, full dissipation rate of kinetic energy term and full rate-of-strain tensor. The longitudinal size of the straining zone was substantial so that measurements within it were possible. The flow accelerated from a Mach number of 0.23 to about 0.56, a value which is more than twice the initial one. Although the average value of the applied straining was only between S 11 = 130 s −1 and S 11 = 240 s −1 and the gradient Mach number was no more than 0.226, the amplitude of fluctuations of the strain rate S 11 were of the order of 4000 s −1 before the application of straining and were reduced by about 2.5 times downstream of the interaction. This characteristic of high-amplitude bursts and the intermittent behaviour of the flow play a significant role in the dynamics of turbulence. One of the most remarkable features of the suppression of turbulence is that this process peaks shortly after the application of the straining where the pressure gradient is substantial. It was also found that the total enthalpy variation follows very closely the temporal gradient of pressure within the straining region and peaks at the same location as the pressure gradient. Attenuation of longitudinal velocity fluctuations has been observed in all experiments. It appears that this attenuation depends strongly on the characteristics of the incoming turbulence for a given straining strength and flow Mach number. The present results clearly show that in most of the cases, attenuation occurs at large times or distances from the turbulence generating grids where length scales of the incoming flow are high and turbulence intensities are low. Thus, large eddies with low-velocity fluctuations are affected the most by the interaction with the expansion waves. Spectral analysis has indicated that attenuation of fluctuations is not the same across all wavenumbers of the spectrum. The magnitude of attenuation appears to be higher in cases of finer mesh grids.
Normal co-ordinate analysis and force constants for the thionyl halides

Abstract Using W ilson's F - and G -matrix method and data in the literature, force constants have been calculated for the three thionyl halides F 2 SO, Cl 2 SO and Br 2 SO. A valence force field with six independent constants was used. The stretching constants for the SO bonds follow closely the “SO stretching frequencies” and both vary as would be expected qualitatively assuming that increased electronegativity of the halogen atoms favors greater p π- d π SO bonding.
The distribution of nucleic acids in the giant axon of the squid (Loligo pealii).

— RNA and DNA were determined in the axoplasm and sheath of squid giant axons. If the RNA was related to axonal length, equivalent amounts of RNA were found in the axoplasm and sheath. However, when it was expressed as a function of dry wt. or residue protein, the concentration of RNA in the sheath was four times greater than in the axoplasm. A ratio of 1·1 was found for sheath RNA/sheath DNA. Less DNA was present in the axoplasm than the amount which could be accurately determined with the methods employed.
Status Dynamic Treatment of a Case of Bulimia

According to Marshall (1993), bulimic individuals often emerge from families where the methods of parental governance are characterized by excessive coerciveness, disregard for who the child actually is, and insistence on conformity to an a priori template of how the child should be. Later, these methods are adopted by the child in her attempts to control her own behavior. Bulimic binge eating represents a rebellious reaction against these coercive and self-disregarding methods of familial and self governance. Bulimic purging represents a reinstatement of the coercive regime and sets the stage for further rebellion in the future. A critical practical implication of this formulation is that therapeutic emphasis should be placed on changing the self-governance strategies of bulimic individuals. A clinical case is presented in which such a focus resulted in a highly favorable outcome.
Eccentric modernity? An Islamic perspective on the civilizing process and the public sphere

This article engages with Johann Arnason’s approach to the entanglements of culture and power in comparative civilizational analysis by simultaneously reframing the themes of the civilizing process and the public sphere. It comments and expands upon some key insights of Arnason concerning the work of Norbert Elias and Jurgen Habermas by adopting an ‘Islamic perspective’ on the processes of singularization of power from its cultural bases and of reconstruction of a modern collective identity merging the steering capacities and the participative ambitions of an emerging urban intelligentsia. The Islamic perspective provides insights into the interplay between civilizing processes and the modes through which cultural traditions innervate a modern public sphere. By revisiting key remarks of Arnason on Elias and Habermas, the Islamic perspective gains original contours, reflecting the search for a type of modernity that is eccentric to the mono-civilizational axis of the Western-led, global civilizing process....
A self-consistent analytical model for non-collisional heating

Non-collisional heating is an important phenomenon in low-pressure inductively coupled plasmas. In this paper, a self-consistent analytical model for non-collisional heating is developed which shows that non-collisional heating is a warm-electron effect that relies on a resonant interaction of electrons with the electromagnetic wave. Electrons with velocities comparable to the effective wave phase speed resonantly interact with the wave and gain net energy from it. Collisions randomize this directed energy thereby leading to electron heating. Non-collisional heating becomes more efficient if a larger proportion of electrons participate in the resonant interaction process. This can occur due to an increase in the electron temperature or decrease in the effective wave phase speed. Collisions destroy the essential phase correlation between the electrons and the wave, making the non-collisional heating process less efficient.
The Role of Gender in Linguistic References to Emotive States.

Various aspects of linguistic references to emotive states were compared for male and female speakers. These included the amount, valence, time frame, experiences and source of reference to emotions. Generally, males and females talked equally about emotions, though in opposite‐sex dyads males used more affect words and males also used more affect words to talk about their own emotions than did females. The results contradicted previous findings. Methodological and research implications of this contradiction are discussed. The effect of audience sex was also examined. Males talked more about emotions when the audience was female, while females did not vary their emotional expressiveness on the basis of audience sex.
Using climatic information and weather forecast for decisions in economizing irrigation water

Abstract Pertinent climatological data and precipitation probability forecasts were adapted to quantitative use in irrigation scheduling of corn in central Missouri, U.S.A. A simulation model was programmed in the computer to execute the water budgeting of corn for a silt loam soil. The magnitude and frequency of the need for supplemental irrigation was determined on the basis of the growing seasons of 1938–1967. The adapted forms of the weather information were used in different treatments involving management decisions. The resulted savings of irrigation water were computed and analyzed for various periods of the growing season.
Crystallization behavior in two-phase PrFeB mechanically milled powder

In this research, PrFeB-based mechanically milled powders are studied with emphasis on the microstructure peculiarities, phase transformations and their relation with the magnetic properties. X-ray diffraction data of Pr/sub 9/Fe/sub 85/B/sub 6/ and Pr/sub 9/DyFe/sub 76/Co/sub 8/SiB/sub 5/ powders milled for 4 h reveal a structure free of long range crystallographic ordering. Annealing at 400/spl deg/C (27 h), 500/spl deg/C (30 min), and 680/spl deg/C (150 min) is done for the mechanically milled powders. Results show that a well-defined nanophase structure is developed by annealing above 500/spl deg/C. HRTEM micrographs in as-milled powder reveal the presence of bcc (Fe, Co) phase with an average grain size of about 10-15 nm, and an amorphous phase. Annealing the powder at temperatures as high as 400/spl deg/C still does not release the internal stress caused by the energetic collision of the powder particles during milling. The microstructure becomes free of internal stresses and completely crystallizes at 650/spl deg/C.
The effects of proanthocyanidins from Calliandra calothyrsus and the alkaloid sparteine on in vitro fiber digestion

Abstract Tropical legumes accumulate anti-nutritive compounds whose impact on the nutritive value of livestock feeds is difficult to evaluate. Many studies have focused on the effects of a single compound while animals simultaneously cope with several. In vitro measurements of gas production were used to study the roles of proanthocyanidins (PA) and alkaloids (AL) on nutrient use by ruminants. Napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum (Schum) cv Bana: NG) and its isolated NDF (iNDF) were incubated with four levels (0, 0.14, 0.28 and 0.42 mg ml−1) of PA from Calliandra calothyrsus (Meissner), a tropical leguminous shrub, and four levels (0, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75 mg ml−1) of sparteine, a quinolizidine alkaloid. Coefficient of neutral detergent fiber digestibility of intact NG was lower (P 0.05) final gas volume or its rate of production. Proanthocyanidins at 0.42 mg ml−1 decreased final gas volume from 13.4 ml of gas per 100 mg of substrate (control) to 11.4 ml and the rate of gas production from 0.053 to 0.037 h−1. However, there was an interaction (P 0.05). Microbial protein synthesis estimated from purine yield was suppressed (P
In search of ant ancestors

Ants are arguably the greatest success story in the history of terrestrial metazoa. On average, ants monopolize 15–20% of the terrestrial animal biomass, and in tropical regions where ants are especially abundant, they monopolize 25% or more. But ants did not always run the world. They do not appear in the fossil record until the mid-Cretaceous, and for more than the first half of their history—a period spanning 60 to 80 million years—ants occupied a relatively modest position in the terrestrial biosphere. To understand the factors, both ecological and historical, that contributed to the rise of the ants, we require a clearer picture of the stepwise evolution of the major ant lineages. Now, Grimaldi and Agosti (1) report in a recent issue of PNAS the remarkable discovery of a worker ant, preserved in amber for over 90 million years, that is clearly assignable to a modern ant subfamily that contains many familiar extant species, including carpenter ants. Combined with other paleontological and phylogenetic information, this unexpected fossil strongly indicates that the diversification of many ant subfamilies occurred earlier and more rapidly than previously suspected.
Multiclass classifiers based on dimension reduction with generalized LDA

Linear discriminant analysis (LDA) has been widely used for dimension reduction of data sets with multiple classes. The LDA has been recently extended to various generalized LDA methods that are applicable regardless of the relative sizes between the data dimension and the number of data items. In this paper, we propose several multiclass classifiers based on generalized LDA (GLDA) algorithms, taking advantage of the dimension reducing transformation matrix without requiring additional training or parameter optimization. A marginal linear discriminant classifier (MLDC), a Bayesian linear discriminant classifier (BLDC), and a one-dimensional BLDC are introduced for multiclass classification. Our experimental results illustrate that these classifiers produce higher ten-fold cross validation accuracy than kNN and centroid-based classifiers in the reduced dimensional space obtained from GLDA.
Effects of dietary curcumin or N-acetylcysteine on NF-κB activity and contractile performance in ambulatory and unloaded murine soleus

Unloading of skeletal muscle causes atrophy and loss of contractile function. In part, this response is believed to be mediated by the transcription factor nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB). Both curcumin, a component of the spice turmeric, and N-acetylcysteine (NAC), an antioxidant, inhibit activation of NF-κB by inflammatory stimuli, albeit by different mechanisms. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that dietary curcumin or NAC supplementation would inhibit unloading-induced NF-κB activity in skeletal muscle and thereby protect muscles against loss of mass and function caused by prolonged unloading. We used hindlimb suspension to unload the hindlimb muscles of adult mice. Animals had free access to drinking water or drinking water supplemented with 1% NAC and to standard laboratory diet or diet supplemented with 1% curcumin. For 11 days, half the animals in each dietary group were suspended by the tail (unloaded) and half were allowed to ambulate freely. Unloading caused a 51–53% loss of soleus muscle weight and cross-sectional area relative to freely-ambulating controls. Unloading also decreased total force and force per cross-sectional area developed by soleus. Curcumin supplementation decreased NF-κB activity measured in peripheral tissues of ambulatory mice by gel shift analysis. In unloaded animals, curcumin supplementation did not inhibit NF-κB activity or blunt the loss of muscle mass in soleus. In contrast, NAC prevented the increase in NF-κB activity induced by unloading but did not prevent losses of muscle mass or function. In conclusion, neither dietary curcumin nor dietary NAC prevents unloading-induced skeletal muscle dysfunction and atrophy, although dietary NAC does prevent unloading induced NF-κB activation.
Global climate change: an opportunity for coastal dunes??

The predictions for coastal change under the scenario of global sea-level rise offer impending disaster for the variety of coastal morphologies, their associated habitats, and the accompanying infrastructure. However, the predictions tend to ignore the role of sediment budget in the maintenance of coastal morphology and the dynamics of sediment transfers in the beach-dune sand-sharing system. Accepting that shoreline displacement may be an outcome of sea-level rise and a negative sediment budget, conditions are presented that could lead to a positive or equilibrium sediment budget in the coastal foredune and the retention of the foredune system even as it is being displaced. Accommodation space is a key requirement for the continued functioning of the foredune morphologies during periods of sea-level rise.
Rubisco expression in rice leaves is related to genotypic variation of photosynthesis under elevated growth CO2 and temperature

Genetic modifications of agronomic crops will likely be necessary to cope with global climate change. This study tested the hypotheses that genotypic differences in rice ( Oryza sativa L.) leaf photosynthesis at elevated [CO 2 ] and temperature are related to protein and gene expression of Rubisco, and that high growth temperatures under elevated [CO 2 ] negatively affect photosystem II (PSII) photochemical efficiency. Two rice cultivars representing an indica (cv. IR72) and japonica type (cv. M103) were grown in 350 (ambient) and 700 (elevated) m mol CO 2 mol - 1 at 28/18, 34/ 24 and 40/30 ∞ C sinusoidal maximum/minimum, day/night temperatures in outdoor, sunlit, environment-controlled chambers. Leaf photosynthesis of IR72 favoured higher growth temperatures more than M103. Rubisco total activity and protein content were negatively affected in both genotypes by high temperatures and elevated CO 2 . However, at moderate to high growth temperatures, IR72 leaves averaged 71 and 39% more rbcS transcripts than M103 under ambient and elevated CO 2 , respectively, and likewise had greater Rubisco activity and protein content. Expression of psbA (D1 protein of PSII) in IR72 leaves increased with temperature, whereas it remained constant for M103, except for a 20% decline at 40/30 ∞ C under elevated CO 2 . Even at the highest growth temperatures, PSII photochemical efficiency was not impaired in either genotype grown under either ambient or elevated CO 2 . Genotypic differences exist in rice for carboxylation responses to elevated CO 2 and high temperatures, which may be useful in developing genotypes suited to cope with global climate changes.
Population Growth and Movements of Canada Geese in New Haven County, Connecticut, during a 25-Year Period

Abstract. In the last few decades, Canada Geese (Branta canadensis) have become established in metropolitan areas throughout North America. From 1984 through 2009, Canada Geese in New Haven County, Connecticut, were banded as goslings (HY geese) and adults (AHY), and their movements and recruitment into the local breeding population were documented. During this period, the number of Canada Geese increased several fold in Connecticut. Geese were non-migratory; most recoveries (85%) of banded Canada Geese came from Connecticut, and 76% came from New Haven County. Dispersal rates outside of Connecticut peaked during 1990–1994 when 23% of all reported geese were shot outside of the state; more recently (2005–2009) only 3% of reported geese were shot outside 0f Connecticut. The proportion of dispersing geese that moved northward in the Atlantic Flyway has increased in recent years. Similar proportions 0f AHY females (23%) and AHY males (22%) were recruited into the local breeding population. Among HY geese, mo...
Cholesterol, endocrine and metabolic disturbances in sporadic anovulatory women with regular menstruation

results: Mean total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides levels across the menstrual cycles were higher during anovulatory cycles (mean difference: 4.6 (P ¼ 0.01), 3.0 (P ¼ 0.06) and 6.4 (P ¼ 0.0002) mg/dl, respectively, adjusted for age and BMI). When multiple total cholesterol (TC) measures prior to expected ovulation were considered, we observed a slight increased risk of anovulation associated with increased levels of TC (odds ratio per 5 mg/dl increase, 1.07; 95% confidence interval, 0.99, 1.16). Sporadic anovulation was associated with an increased LH:FSH ratio (P ¼ 0.002), current acne (P ¼ 0.02) and decreased sex hormone-binding globulin levels (P ¼ 0.005).
Bridging high-level slqvihesis to RTL technology libraries

Author(s): Dutt, Nikil D.; Kipps, James R. | Abstract: The output of high-level synthesis typically consists of a netlist of generic RTL components and a state sequencing table. While module generators and logic synthesis tools can be used to map RTL components into standard cells or layout geometries, they cannot provide technology mapping into the data book libraries of functional RTL cells used commonly throughout the industrial design community. In this paper, we introduce an approach to implementing generic RTL components with technology-specific RTL library cells. This approach addresses the criticism of designers who feel that high-level synthesis tools should be used in conjunction with existing RTL data books. We describe how GENUS, a library of generic RTL components, is organized for use in high-level synthesis and how DTAS, a functional synthesis system, is used to map GENUS components into RTL library cells.
BindSDb: A binding-information spatial database

We have developed a database that stores experimental binding data and predicted transcription factor binding sites. All true and putative binding sites are stored in conjunction with the latest assembly of the human genome in a spatial database that answers user-input queries about topological relationships between the genes, binding sites and transcription factors.
Fuel crossover and internal current in proton exchange membrane fuel cell modeling

Abstract This note discusses an inexact use of fuel crossover and internal current in the derivation of the output voltage of proton exchange membrane fuel cells in the literature.
Solar Astronavigation in High Latitudes

Navigator–surveyors with traversing expeditions in the Arctic or Antarctic have two basic methods of astronavigation available to them: zenith angle observations or azimuth angle observations. A major constraint applicable to either method is the fact that the sum may be the only consistently detectable target during the 24-hr long polar day. An analytical analysis is used to compare the two methods for similar observing configurations and comparable viewing errors, and the conclusion is made that, analytically, the zenith method is superior for polar astronavigation. To aid the polar navigator when he must determine positions to a given precision, a means of ascertaining an observing configuration which will yield the desired geometric results is suggested. Also included is a method for determining the observation error which reflects, for a given individual, actual conditions encountered in polar observations.
Second Generation Raytheon Stirling/Pulse Tube Hybrid Cold Head Design and Performance

Raytheon is in initial test of a second generation two-stage Stirling/pulse tube hybrid cold head for use in long life space cryocoolers. The Stirling/pulse tube configuration provides excellent thermodynamic performance by optimally combining the strengths of both technologies. The cold head is designed for optimal performance at a second stage temperature of 40 K and a first stage temperature of 110 K with nominal capacity of 1 W at the lower stage and simultaneous 7 W at the upper stage. The inherent load shifting capability of this configuration permits efficient operation of the cooler over a wide range of temperatures and heat loads. Load shifting is accomplished through varying the phase angle of the Stirling displacer piston relative to the pressure wave. Load shift data on the new cold head is provided. Lessons learned from the testing of the initial brass-board regarding component sizing have been incorporated into this second generation design. The quantitative improvement provided by those design changes is presented. The second generation cold head design is currently being incorporated into a flight design warm-end expander motor assembly with Oxford-class flexure and clearance technology typical of Raytheon flight-qualified production cryocoolers for space. The expander is driven by an Oxford-class compressor of similar design legacy to other Raytheon designs.
Clinical Predictors of Fatigue in Men With Non-Metastatic Prostate Cancer Receiving External Beam Radiation Therapy.

Background Fatigue is one of the most distressing symptoms experienced by people with cancer receiving radiation therapy. Objectives The goal of this study is to evaluate clinical predictors of worsening fatigue during external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) in men with non-metastatic prostate cancer. Methods Thirty-five men with non-metastatic prostate cancer scheduled for EBRT were followed at baseline, midpoint, and completion of EBRT. The Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Fatigue scale was administered. Demographic and clinical data were obtained by chart review. Paired t-tests, correlations, general linear models, and logistic regressions were used to determine associations between fatigue scores and clinical data. Findings Red blood cells, hemoglobin, and hematocrit levels were highly intercorrelated and, therefore, were grouped as one composite variable termed heme. Heme levels at baseline and androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) were significantly correlated with worsening of fatigue symptoms from baseline to midpoint and endpoint. ADT alone did not have a significant correlation with fatigue, but it indirectly affected fatigue levels by influencing heme markers as treatment progressed. These findings provide evidence that hematologic markers and the use of ADT assist in predicting radiation therapy-related fatigue and guide symptom management.
HIV/AIDS related knowledge and perceived risk associated with condom use among adolescents in Uganda : original research article

While considerable attention has been paid to sexual behaviors among HIV high-risk populations in Africa, few studies have looked at the adolescent population. Using data from the 2004 National Survey of Adolescents in Uganda, logistic regression models were fitted to examine the odds that HIV/AIDS related knowledge and perceived risk of HIV infection are associated with condom use among adolescents. After including demographic measures, findings indicated that correct knowledge of condom use, as well as positive attitudes towards the use of condoms are associated with the likelihood that adolescents used condoms. Self assessment of the risk of HIV infection was not predictive of condom use, nor was knowing someone with AIDS. These findings further emphasize the need to encourage condom use and help protect adolescents at risk of HIV infection. Connaissance liees au VIH/SIDA et le risque aperA§u qui est lie a l'emploi des preservatifs chez les adolescents en Ouganda Alors qu'on a consacre beaucoup d'attention au comportement sexuel chez les populations a grand risque du VIH en Afrique, peu d'etudes ont consacrees a la population adolescente. A l'aide des donnees tirees de l'Enquete Nationale de 2004 sur les adolescents en Ouganda, nous avons monte des modeles de la regression logistique afin d'examiner le fait que la connaissance liee au VIH/SIDA et le risque percu de l'infection du VIH sont liees a l'usage des preservatifs chez les adolescents. Apres avoir applique les mesures demographiques, les resultats ont montre que la bonne connaissance de l'emploi des preservatifs, aussi bien que les attitudes positives envers l'emploi des preservatifs sont liees a la possibilite de l'emploi des preservatifs chez les adolescents. L'autoevaluation du risque de la seropositivite n'a pas predit l'emploi des preservatifs ni le fait de connaitre quelqu'un atteint du SIDA. Ces resultats mettent davantage l'accent sur la necessite d'encourager l'emploi des preservatifs et d'aider a proteger les adolescents a risque d'etre atteints de la seropositivite.
Outer membrane lipoprotein biogenesis: Lol is not the end

Bacterial lipoproteins are lipid-anchored proteins that contain acyl groups covalently attached to the N-terminal cysteine residue of the mature protein. Lipoproteins are synthesized in precursor form with an N-terminal signal sequence (SS) that targets translocation across the cytoplasmic or inner membrane (IM). Lipid modification and SS processing take place at the periplasmic face of the IM. Outer membrane (OM) lipoproteins take the localization of lipoproteins (Lol) export pathway, which ends with the insertion of the N-terminal lipid moiety into the inner leaflet of the OM. For many lipoproteins, the biogenesis pathway ends here. We provide examples of lipoproteins that adopt complex topologies in the OM that include transmembrane and surface-exposed domains. Biogenesis of such lipoproteins requires additional steps beyond the Lol pathway. In at least one case, lipoprotein sequences reach the cell surface by being threaded through the lumen of a beta-barrel protein in an assembly reaction that requires the heteropentomeric Bam complex. The inability to predict surface exposure reinforces the importance of experimental verification of lipoprotein topology and we will discuss some of the methods used to study OM protein topology.
The coming explosion in genetic testing--is there a duty to recontact?

The question of whether a duty exists to recontact patients about new genetic information has been debated for decades without consensus, but new technologies compel us to reconsider this complex matter, weighing ethical, legal, and practical considerations.
Strong One Lasting One: An Elementary School Principal's Ability to Establish a Positive School Culture by Building Trust.

Trust is a key element in improving learning and teaching. Reviewing research on the topic of establishing trust by school leaders illuminates actions needed to make a positive difference in the culture of a school. Using the concept of mindfulness, the instructional leader was able to regain the trust of the community, parents, faculty, and staff. The purpose of this article is to describe how an elementary principal utilized three strategies to rebuild trust with stakeholders that resulted in improved learning outcomes for students and the development of a positive school community.
Antidepressant and antipsychotic plasma levels

Monitoring the plasma levels of certain antidepressant and antipsychotic drugs can be clinically helpful for certain patients. The authors discuss the particular drugs, patients, and technical conditions for effective plasma level monitoring.
Regulation of corticotropin-releasing factor secretion in vitro by glucose

The neurosecretory responses of the isolated rat hypothalamus were assessed in vitro. Rat hypothalamic blocks were incubated for 30 min in a N-2-hydroxyethylpiperazine-N'-2-ethanesulfonic acid-buffered salt solution with 5.5 mM glucose (base-line collection period). The blocks were transferred to fresh buffer with a new concentration of glucose with or without various additions (test period); corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) and other hormones in the media were determined by radioimmunoassay. CRF secretion was maximally increased to approximately 200% of base line at glucose concentrations less than 4 mM and decreased to 65% of base line at higher glucose concentrations. The increase in CRF secretion at low glucose (0.55 or 1.38 mM) was Ca2+ dependent and completely reversible. Hexamethonium, cyproheptadine, and atropine partially blocked the CRF response to 0.55 mM glucose. Glucose concentrations from 0 to 11 mM had no effect on the CRF response to 47.5 mM KCl. The inhibitory effects of high glucose were completely reversed by the addition of 2-deoxy-D-glucose (3-49 mM). Glucose levels did not alter secretion of either gonadotropin-releasing hormone or arginine vasopressin from hypothalamic blocks. The results suggest that the isolated rat hypothalamus is extremely sensitive to the level of glucose and that CRF is rapidly and reversibly secreted in response to slight reductions in glucose concentrations. These concentrations are consistent with those observed during moderate to severe hypoglycemia in vivo. The rise in glucocorticoids observed in vivo during hypoglycemia may result at least in part from the ability of the hypothalamus to directly sense glucose levels and promote secretion of CRF.
Bioactivity of gonadotropins.

The pituitary gonadotropins LH and FSH, like other glycoproteins, are not unique proteins but consist of related isoforms that can be separated on the basis of size, charge, biologic to immunologic potency relationships, and plasma clearance. In this article we briefly review the known biochemical structure, synthetic pathways, and gonadal target cell receptor function for both gonadotropins. The currently available data regarding gonadotropin bioactivity during development and puberty as well as evidence for differential regulation of LH and FSH are reviewed. At each stage of puberty the bioactive gonadotropin potencies and known isoform distribution are related to physiologic events and known changes in gonadal development.
Emotion Ideology Mediates Effects of Risk Factors on Alexithymia Development

Despite its connection to mental and behavioral health complications, elevated alexithymia tends to be associated with low responsiveness and high resistance to psychological intervention. To further understanding of potential treatment targets for clients with alexithymic traits, the present study explored the (a) independent contributions of various risk factors to statistical predictions of alexithymic trait severity, (b) generalizability of risk factor contributions across two culturally distinct samples, and (c) potential for emotion ideology (i.e., beliefs about emotion and emotional experience) to mediate such contributions. Preliminary results suggest emotion socialization and child abuse may be salient contributors to alexithymia severity, whereas effects of trauma exposure may be limited to samples with high overall exposure to alexithymia risk-factors. Moreover, emotion ideology mediates the relation between risk-factor exposure and alexithymia severity. Thus, psychotherapeutic interventions targeting emotion ideology may be beneficial when working with clients with elevated alexithymia.
Preparing the United States for Zika Virus: Pre-emptive Vector Control and Personal Protection

Discovered in 1947 in a monkey in the Zika forest of Uganda, Zika virus was dismissed as a cause of a mild illness that was confined to Africa and Southeast Asia and transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes. In 2007, Zika virus appeared outside of its endemic borders in an outbreak on the South Pacific Island of Yap. In 2013, Zika virus was associated with a major neurological complication, Guillain-Barre syndrome, in a larger outbreak in the French Polynesian Islands. From the South Pacific, Zika invaded Brazil in 2015 and caused another severe neurological complication, fetal microcephaly. The mosquito-borne transmission of Zika virus can be propagated by sexual transmission and, possibly, by blood transfusions, close personal contacts, and organ transplants, like other flaviviruses. Since these combined mechanisms of infectious disease transmission could result in catastrophic incidences of severe neurological diseases in adults and children, the public should know what to expect from Zika virus, how to prevent infection, and what the most likely failures in preventive measures will be. With federal research funding stalled, a Zika vaccine is far away. The only national strategies to prepare the United States for Zika virus invasion now are effective vector control measures and personal protection from mosquito bites. In addition to a basic knowledge of Aedes mosquito vectors and their biting behaviors, an understanding of simple household vector control measures, and the selection of the best chemical and physical mosquito repellents will be required to repel the Zika threat.
Carbon-13 Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectrometry

Nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry (NMR) has progressed at a vigorous pace since the introduction of the first commercial spectrometers in the early 1960s, in part due to the introduction of superconducting magnets which can maintain stable higher fields than electromagnets. In parallel, microprocessor development for signal acquisition and data manipulation, coupled with a deeper and evolving understanding of magnetic resonance phenomena by NMR investigators, have led to invaluable methods which spurred structural determinations on numerous natural products and polymers (Snyder et al. 1989). The Fourier transform method applied to 13C NMR, in combination with other spectrometric measurements, has increased our knowledge of the structure of organic molecules in general, and lignins in particular.
Importance of patient-reported individualized goals when assessing outcomes for adult spinal deformity (ASD): initial experience with a Patient Generated Index (PGI).

Abstract Background Context Current metrics to assess patients' health-related quality of life (HRQOL) may not reflect a true change in the patients' specific perception of what is most important to them. Purpose This study aimed to describe the initial experience of a Patient Generated Index (PGI) in which patients create their own outcome domains. Study Design This is a single-center prospective study. Patient Sample Patients with adult spinal deformity (ASD) comprise the study sample. Outcome Measures Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), Short Form-36 (SF-36 Physical Component Score [PCS] and Mental Component Score [MCS]), Scoliosis Research Society-22r (SRS-22r), and PGI. Methods Oswestry Disability Index, SF-36, SRS-22r, and PGI were administered preoperatively and postoperatively at 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, and 1 and 2 years. PGI correlations with ODI, SF-36, SRS total score, free-text frequency analysis of PGI exact response with text in ODI and SRS-22r questionnaires, and the responsiveness (effect size [ES]) of the HRQOL metrics were analyzed. No funding was used for this study and there are no conflicts of interest. Results A total of 59 patients with 209 clinical encounters produced 370 PGI written response topics that included affect or emotions, relationships, activities of daily life, personal care, work, and hobbies. Mean preoperative PGI score was 18.6±13.5 (0–71.7 out of 100 [best]), and mean scores significantly improved at every postoperative time point (p 0.8). Effect sizes for ODI, SRS-22r total, SF-36 PCS, and SF-36 MCS were 2.16, −2.06, −2.05, and −0.80, respectively. Conclusions The PGI is easy to administer and offers additional information about the patients' perspective not captured in standard HRQOL metrics. Patient Generated Index scores correlated with all of the standard HRQOL scores and were more responsive than ODI, SF-36, and SRS-22r, suggesting that the PGI may be a step closer to one HRQOL measure that better encompasses concerns and goals of the individual patients.
Modular low-light microscope for imaging cellular bioluminescence and radioluminescence

Bioluminescence and radioluminescence are both dim phenomena that require a highly sensitive microscope for imaging at the cellular level. This protocol describes how to construct a modular low-light microscope for imaging these events.
Visualizing the strategic landscape of arbitrary games

We present Gamalyzer, a game-independent and efficient visualization of sets of play traces. Unlike previous work on game-independent visualization, we focus on sequences of game actions as opposed...
Teaching Middle School Students With Learning Disabilities to Comprehend Text Using Self-Questioning:

Middle school students with learning disabilities often struggle to gain meaning from text. Engaging in self-questioning is an effective strategy for comprehending text, however, middle school stud...
Importance of immune monitoring approaches and the use of immune checkpoints for the treatment of diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma: From bench to clinic and vice versa (Review)

On the basis of immunological results, it is not in doubt that the immune system is able to recognize and eliminate transformed cells. A plethora of studies have investigated the immune system of patients with cancer and how it is prone to immunosuppression, due in part to the decrease in lymphocyte proliferation and cytotoxic activity. The series of experiments published following the demonstration by Dr Allison's group of the potential effect of anti-cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen-4 (CTLA-4) paved the way for a new perception in cancer immunotherapy: Immune checkpoints. Several T cell‑co-stimulatory molecules including cluster of differentiation (CD)28, inducible T cell co-stimulatory, 4-1BB, OX40, glucocorticoid-induced tumor necrosis factor receptor-related gene and CD27, and inhibitory molecules including T cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain-containing-3, programmed cell death-1 (PD-1), programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1), V-domain immunoglobulin suppressor of T cells activation, T cell immunoglobulin and immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibitory motif domain, and B and T lymphocyte attenuator have been described in regulating T cell functions, and have been demonstrated to be essential targets in immunotherapy. In preclinical studies, glioblastoma multiforme, a high-grade glioma, the monotherapy targeting PD-1/PD-L1 and CTLA-4 resulted in increased survival times. An improved understanding of the pharmacodynamics and immune monitoring on glioma cancers, particularly in diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG), an orphan type of cancer, is expected to have a major contribution to the development of novel therapeutic approaches. On the basis of the recent preclinical and clinical studies of glioma, but not of DIPG, the present review makes a claim for the importance of investigating the tumor microenvironment, the immune response and the use of immune checkpoints (agonists or antagonists) in preclinical/clinical DIPG samples by immune monitoring approaches and high-dimensional analysis. Evaluating the potential predictive and correlative biomarkers in preclinical and clinical studies may assist in answering certain crucial questions that may be useful to improve the clinical response in patients with DIPG.
Caves Discovered by Mining Activities and Mined Caves

Evidences show humans must have entered caves in Romania prior to 65,000 years ago. Their interest in mining activities came, however, much later, with the first documented signs predating the arrival of Romans in Dacia (present-day Romania), in the second century BC. Although writings about minerals in Romanian caves date back to the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the first scientific texts on minerals found in caves discovered during mining and quarrying activities only appeared after 1850s. From a mineralogical point of view, two distinct categories are recognizable: (1) caves displaying speleothems of ordinary carbonate mineralogy and (2) caves with unusual mineral paragenesis. The latter group could further be subdivided into: (i) cavities located near or within nonmetalliferous or polymetallic ore fields, (ii) skarn-hosted caves, and (iii) caves in which H2S-rich thermo-mineral waters discharge. The study of these caves resulted in the discovery of minerals, either new for science (ardealite) or to the cave environment (anhydrite, burbankite, foggite, ikaite, konyaite, etc.). However, the scientific relevance of those caves discovered in mines and quarries, along with the mined caves, is not restricted to mineralogy but also encompasses anthropology, archeology, Quaternary geology, biospeleology, karst science (speleothems, speleogenesis, etc.), and tourism.
Secularization—a Boon to Mankind?

With the progress of science and technology, man has stopped believing in magic powers, in spirits, and demons; he has lost his sense of prophecy and, above all, his sense of the sacred. Reality has become dreary, flat and utilitarian, leaving a great void in the souls of men which they seek to fill by furious activity and through various devices and substitutes…. Mysticism becomes mystification, community becomes communitarianism, and life is reduced to a series of unrelated experiences. Academicians and intellectuals are begged for a message, although by the very nature of things they are entrenched each in his own specialty. —Julien Freund, The Sociology of Max Weber
Highlights of the 2008 Scientific Sessions of the Heart Failure Society of America. Toronto, Ontario, Canada, September 20-23, 2008.

The Heart Failure Society of America (HFSA) is the leading professional society that provides a multidisciplinary forum for a diverse group of health care professionals involved in basic, clinical, and translational research, patient care, and public policy about heart failure. The HFSA actively
RDX- and HMX-Related Anionic Species Explored by Photoelectron Spectroscopy and Density Functional Theory

Anion photoelectron spectroscopy, supported by density functional theory (DFT) calculations, is employed to study energetic materials RDX (3,5-trinitroperhydro-1,3,5-triazine) and HMX (octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocine). Their isolated anions and decomposition products are generated by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI). Their anionic parent species are not observed, but instead accessible fragmentation ions are detected. The vertical detachment energies (VDEs) of these anionic, dissociation-generated species are experimentally determined, and the corresponding structures are identified by comparing DFT-calculated VDEs to the experimental ones. RDX– and HMX– can fragmentate through the loss of HNO2, NO2, and NCH2 groups. RDX– loses up to two NO2 groups and one NCH2 moiety, and HMX– can fragment by up to three NO2 groups and two NCH2 moieties. The mass units of (RDX – H – NO2)−, (RDX – H – (NO2)2)−, and (RDX – NCH2 – (NO2)2)− are the same as those of (HMX – H – (NO2)2 – NCH2...
A large air gap magnetic levitator for precise positioning of a clinical microcatheter: nonlinear modelling and control

This paper details the application of nonlinear modelling and control strategies to a large air gap magnetic levitator. Specifically, this levitator uses four electromagnets in a heteropolar active magnetic bearing (AMB) configuration to control the tip position of a flexible microcatheter for applications in interventional medicine. The internal AMB diameter is 10 mm, which is considerably larger than the 1.5 mm outer diameter of the microcatheter and the 2 mm outer diameter of the ferromagnetic collar mounted to its tip. Because the air gap between the collar and the electromagnet bearing is large, the system exhibits strongly nonlinear behaviour associated with excessive magnetic leakage flux around the collar and mutual flux through the collar. A sliding mode controller (SMC) is designed using a finite element analysis (FEA) model of the magnetic field as a function of catheter position. Simulated and experimental results are compared to PID control. The SMC is able to track a time-varying trajectory with a mean error of 0.0747 mm as compared to PID control, which achieved a mean tracking error of 0.2168 mm. When given a 1.5 mm horizontal step reference, the SMC settles to a steady-state error of − 0.018 mm in 2.46 s. PID is unable to stabilize the system given the same stepped reference. These results demonstrate the effectiveness for FEA-based nonlinear modelling and control strategies to control large air gap magnetic levitators of this type.