cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Arterial spin labeling MR imaging for characterisation of renal masses in patients with impaired renal function: initial experience

To retrospectively evaluate the feasibility of arterial spin labeling (ASL) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for the assessment of vascularity of renal masses in patients with impaired renal function. Between May 2007 and November 2008, 11/67 consecutive patients referred for MRI evaluation of a renal mass underwent unenhanced ASL-MRI due to moderate-to-severe chronic or acute renal failure. Mean blood flow in vascularised and non-vascularised lesions and the relation between blood flow and final diagnosis of malignancy were correlated with a 2-sided homogeneous variance t-test and the Fisher Exact Test, respectively. A p value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Seventeen renal lesions were evaluated in 11 patients (8 male; mean age = 70 years) (range 57–86). The median eGFR was 24 mL/min/1.73 m2 (range 7–39). The average blood flow of 11 renal masses interpreted as ASL-positive (134 +/− 85.7 mL/100 g/min) was higher than that of 6 renal masses interpreted as ASL-negative (20.5 +/− 8.1 mL/100 g/min)(p = 0.015). ASL-positivity correlated with malignancy (n = 3) or epithelial atypia (n = 1) at histopathology or progression at follow up (n = 7). ASL detection of vascularity in renal masses in patients with impaired renal function is feasible and seems to indicate neoplasia although the technique requires further evaluation.
Linear Partial Differential Equations with Analytic Coefficients.

In the theory of partial differential equations solutions are commonly determined, which satisfy additional conditions, e.g. assume given Cauchy data or boundary values on a certain surface. Of paramount importance from the point of view of both theory and applications is the question to what extent the solution is determined by the data, and how far the data can be described arbitrarily. It is well known that for different types of equations different sets of data appear to be appropriate. In this paper the question of unique determination of a solution by Cauchy data and the arbitrariness of the data will be treated for the most general linear equation with analytic coefficients. The theorems derived will be valid for any type or order of the equation and for any number of independent variables. Simple conditions on the equation and initial surface will be given, which are necessary if a solution of the Cauchy problem for arbitrary data is to exist. The impossibility to solve the Cauchy problem for certain types of equations will be recognized as tied up with the functional character of the solutions, which belong to a class of functions with the property of “unique continuation” similar to the analytic functions. Before describing the results of this paper we shall review some of the known properties of solutions and introduce the descriptive terminology that will be used here.
Learning low-rank and discriminative dictionary for image classification ☆

Abstract Dictionary learning plays a crucial role in sparse representation based image classification. In this paper, we propose a novel approach to learn a discriminative dictionary with low-rank regularization on the dictionary. Specifically, we apply Fisher discriminant function to the coding coefficients to make the dictionary more discerning, that is, a small ratio of the within-class scatter to between-class scatter. In practice, noisy information in the training samples will undermine the discriminative ability of the dictionary. Inspired by the recent advances in low-rank matrix recovery theory, we apply low-rank regularization on the dictionary to tackle this problem. The iterative projection method (IPM) and inexact augmented Lagrange multiplier (ALM) algorithm are adopted to solve our objective function. The proposed discriminative dictionary learning with low-rank regularization (D2L2R2) approach is evaluated on four face and digit image datasets in comparison with existing representative dictionary learning and classification algorithms. The experimental results demonstrate the superiority of our approach.
Isolation of berkelium by solvent extraction of the tetravalent species

Abstract Data for the extraction of Cm(III), Bk(III), and Bk(IV) into a n -heptane solution of di(2-ethyl hexyl) orthophosphoric acid from various aqueous nitric acid phases are presented. The K value for Bk(IV) is greater than that for Bk(III) or Cm(III) by a factor approaching 10 6 . Under the oxidizing conditions used, Am remains in the trivalent state. A flow sheet utilizing this solvent extraction system and involving both the trivalent and tetravalent states of Bk has been devised. Using a raw berkelium fraction, isolated in the preliminary processing of an exhaustively neutron-irradiated plutonium sample, as feed, a Bk 249 product was isolated in approximately 97% yield with established alpha decontamination factor and beta decontamination factor of approximately 6 × 10 3 and 9 × 10 5 respectively. The total processing time, exclusive of evaporation, was less than 30 min. In an experiment involving the same flow sheet and a synthetic feed, it was demonstrated that Bk may be separated rapidly and satisfactorily from all of the following: La, Pm, Eu, Y, U, Np, Pu, Am, and Cm. Elements of Z greater than 97 were not available for testing, but it appears certain that Bk would be satisfactorily separated from any of these present in the trivalent state. It is suggested that this solvent-extraction procedure should be useful not only for the isolation of Bk from source materials, but also in milking experiments in which a Bk isotope is either the mother or daughter, especially in studies in which one or more of the nuclides involved is short-lived.
Heuristic comparison of sertraline with nortriptyline for the treatment of depression in frail elderly patients

Studies have demonstrated that the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor antidepressants have similar efficacy to other agents, such as tricyclic antidepressants. However, data are limited for direct comparisons with other antidepressants. The authors conducted a contemporaneous comparison of nursing home residents treated with open-label sertraline in doses up to 100 mg/day with nursing home residents treated in a double-blind randomized study of low vs. regular doses of nortriptyline. There were 97 patients enrolled in the study (28 treated with sertraline), with an average treatment duration of 55 days. There were no differences in the tolerability of sertraline vs. nortriptyline. However, in this group of frail older adults, sertraline was not as effective as nortriptyline for the treatment of depression.
Spin Bose-metal phase in a spin-1/2 model with ring exchange on a two-leg triangular strip

Recent experiments on triangular lattice organic Mott insulators have found evidence for a two-dimensional (2D) spin liquid in close proximity to the metal-insulator transition. A Gutzwiller wave function study of the triangular lattice Heisenberg model with a four-spin ring exchange term appropriate in this regime has found that the projected spinon Fermi sea state has a low variational energy. This wave function, together with a slave particle-gauge theory analysis, suggests that this putative spin liquid possesses spin correlations that are singular along surfaces in momentum space, i.e., “Bose surfaces.” Signatures of this state, which we will refer to as a “spin Bose metal” (SBM), are expected to manifest in quasi-one-dimensional (quasi-1D) ladder systems: the discrete transverse momenta cut through the 2D Bose surface leading to a distinct pattern of 1D gapless modes. Here, we search for a quasi-1D descendant of the triangular lattice SBM state by exploring the Heisenberg plus ring model on a two-leg triangular strip (zigzag chain). Using density matrix renormalization group (DMRG) supplemented by variational wave functions and a bosonization analysis, we map out the full phase diagram. In the absence of ring exchange the model is equivalent to the J_1-J_2 Heisenberg chain, and we find the expected Bethe-chain and dimerized phases. Remarkably, moderate ring exchange reveals a new gapless phase over a large swath of the phase diagram. Spin and dimer correlations possess singular wave vectors at particular “Bose points” (remnants of the 2D Bose surface) and allow us to identify this phase as the hoped for quasi-1D descendant of the triangular lattice SBM state. We use bosonization to derive a low-energy effective theory for the zigzag spin Bose metal and find three gapless modes and one Luttinger parameter controlling all power law correlations. Potential instabilities out of the zigzag SBM give rise to other interesting phases such as a period-3 valence bond solid or a period-4 chirality order, which we discover in the DMRG. Another interesting instability is into a spin Bose-metal phase with partial ferromagnetism (spin polarization of one spinon band), which we also find numerically using the DMRG.
Degree of Herbage Selection by Grazing Cattle

Summary An investigation was made of the degree of selective grazing exercised by growing steers. A series of 66 individual trials was conducted with six herbages, each at three to five different stages of growth. The degree of discriminate grazing was marked with almost all herbages examined. The diet selected by grazing steers was higher in crude protein, ether extract, and mineral matter and lower in crude fiber than the whole herbage available for consumption. All proximate constituents of grazed herbage were more digestible than those of clipped herbage from the same source fed to stall-confined steers. The extent to which animals selected was not related to the intake of dry matter. Digestibility of dry matter and the amounts of crude protein and ether extract decreased, and the amount of crude fiber increased, as first-growth herbage became more mature. Although aftermath herbage contained a high level of crude protein and a low level of crude fiber, it was somewhat less digestible than first-growth forage of comparable composition. The restriction of grazing to small areas containing small quantities of herbage tended to reduce the extent of selection, whereas providing large quantities of herbage increased the degree of selection. Certain characteristics of herbage, such as the kinds of plants present, stage of growth, proportions of leaves and stems, and accessibility of plant parts, may have influenced to some extent the results obtained. Preference of animals for herbage possessing certain physical qualities, or qualities affecting palatability, may have resulted in the consumption of a diet differing chemically from the whole herbage. The consistency with which animals grazed discriminately under a variety of herbage conditions suggests that certain qualities inherent in the animal may influence the degree of selection practiced. The results of this investigation demonstrate that the chemical composition of clipped herbage is an unreliable index of the chemical composition of herbage selected by grazing animals. Also, the digestibility of clipped herbage is of uncertain value and may be quite misleading in regard to estimating the value of pasture under grazing conditions.
Cantor spectrum for an almost periodic Schrödinger equation and a dynamical map

Abstract The spectrum of an incommensurate electron system is studied through a dynamical map. The imbedded horseshoe structure in the map leads to the infinite hierarchical structure of the energy spectrum. A partial renormalization group analysis of the map develops the scaling for the spectrum numerically found previously.
Vehicle interference effects in warehousing systems with autonomous vehicles

Autonomous vehicle based storage and retrieval (AVS/R) systems offer greater flexibility to improve cycle time and throughout capacity in the transfer of unit loads in high density storage areas. AVS/R systems rely on autonomous vehicles to provide horizontal the movement within a tier and use lifts to provide vertical movement between tiers. In these systems, vehicle interference in the aisles and cross aisles could significantly decrease system throughput and increase cycle times. In this research, protocols are developed to address vehicle interference and a queuing model is proposed to analyze system performance. A decomposition-based method is used to solve the model and quantify the effect of interference. The interference effects are studied for systems with varying tier configuration parameters such as depth/width ratio and number of vehicles. These insights are validated against detailed simulations.
Steam Reforming of Bio-oil Fractions: Effect of Composition and Stability

The efficacy of steam reforming of the aqueous species in bio-oils produced from the fast pyrolysis of biomass is examined. A fractionating condenser system was used to collect a set of fractions of fast pyrolysis liquids with different chemical characteristics. The water-soluble components from the different fractions were steam-reformed using a nickel-based commercial catalyst in a fixed-bed reactor system. When reforming at 500 °C, an overall positive effect in hydrogen yields was observed for the fractions with higher concentrations of lower molecular-weight oxygenates, such as acetic acid and acetol, while the heavier compounds, such as the carbohydrates, showed an opposite effect. In general, higher selectivity toward hydrogen correlated to a lower tendency toward carbon deposits. Overall, the bio-oil fraction corresponding to the light end performed the best with the highest activity toward hydrogen. A range of steam/carbon ratios was examined. Carbon accumulation in the reactor was clearly a main ...
Polymerase Chain Reaction-Based Microsatellite Analysis of Fine-Needle Aspirations from Hürthle Cell Neoplasms

Fine-needle aspiration (FNA) of the thyroid is the sine qua non in the preoperative evaluation of thyroid nodules. Despite this, cytological examination of FNA cannot differentiate malignant from b...
Imputing missing genotypic data of single-nucleotide polymorphisms using neural networks

With advances in high-throughput single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping, the amount of genotype data available for genetic studies is steadily increasing, and with it comes new abilities to study multigene interactions as well as to develop higher dimensional genetic models that more closely represent the polygenic nature of common disease risk. The combined impact of even small amounts of missing data on a multi-SNP analysis may be considerable. In this study, we present a neural network method for imputing missing SNP genotype data. We compared its imputation accuracy with fastPHASE and an expectation–maximization algorithm implemented in HelixTree. In a simulation data set of 1000 SNPs and 1000 subjects, 1, 5 and 10% of genotypes were randomly masked. Four levels of linkage disequilibrium (LD), LD R2 86%). The neural network method accurately predicted 92.0–95.9% of the missing genotypes. In a real data set comparison with 419 subjects and 126 SNPs from chromosome 2, the neural network method achieves the highest imputation accuracies >83.1% with missing rate from 1 to 5%. Using 90 HapMap subjects with 1962 SNPs, fastPHASE had the highest accuracy (~97%) while the other two methods had >95% accuracy. These results indicate that the neural network model is an accurate and convenient tool, requiring minimal parameter tuning for SNP data recovery, and provides a valuable alternative to usual complete-case analysis.
Spatial approximation between two residues in the mid-region of secretin and the amino terminus of its receptor. Incorporation of seven sets of such constraints into a three-dimensional model of the agonist-bound secretin receptor.

Abstract Photoaffinity labeling of receptors by bound agonists can provide important spatial constraints for molecular modeling of activated receptor complexes. Secretin is a 27-residue peptide hormone with a diffuse pharmacophoric domain that binds to the secretin receptor, a prototypic member of the Class B family of G protein-coupled receptors. In this work, we have developed, characterized, and applied two new photolabile probes for this receptor, with sites for covalent attachment in peptide positions 12 and 14, surrounding the previously most informative site of affinity labeling of this receptor. The [Tyr10,(BzBz)Lys12]rat secretin-27 probe covalently labeled receptor residue Val6, whereas the [Tyr10,(BzBz)Lys14]rat secretin-27 probe labeled receptor residue Pro38. When combined with previous photoaffinity labeling data, there are now seven independent sets of constraints distributed throughout the peptide and receptor amino-terminal domain that can be used together to generate a new molecular model of the ligand-occupied secretin receptor. The aminoterminal domain of this receptor presented a stable platform for peptide ligand interaction, with the amino terminus of the peptide hormone extended toward the transmembrane helix domain of the receptor. This provides clear insights into the molecular basis of natural ligand binding and supplies testable hypotheses regarding the molecular basis of activation of this receptor.
FEEDBACK CONTROL VIA EIGENVALUE ASSIGNMENT FOR TIME DELAYED SYSTEMS USING THE LAMBERT W FUNCTION

In this paper, we consider the problem of feedback controller design via eigenvalue assignment for systems of linear delay differential equations (DDEs). Unlike ordinary differential equations (ODEs), DDEs have an infinite eigenspectrum and it is not feasible to assign all closed-loop eigenvalues. However, we can assign a critical subset of them using a solution to linear DDEs in terms of the matrix Lambert W function. The solution has an analytical form expressed in terms of the parameters of the DDE, and is similar to the state transition matrix in linear ODEs. Hence, one can extend controller design methods developed based upon the solution form of ODEs to systems of DDEs, including the design of feedback controllers via eigenvalue assignment. We present such an approach here, illustrate using some examples, and compare with other existing methods.
Switching of Dipole Coupled Multiferroic Nanomagnets in the Presence of Thermal Noise: Reliability of Nanomagnetic Logic

The stress-induced switching behavior of a multiferroic nanomagnet, dipole coupled to a hard nanomagnet, is numerically studied by solving the stochastic Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert equation for a single-domain macrospin state. Different factors were found to affect the switching probability in the presence of thermal noise at room temperature: 1) dipole coupling strength, 2) stress levels, and 3) stress withdrawal rates (ramp rates). We report that the thermal broadening of the magnetization distribution causes large switching error rates. This could render nanomagnetic logic schemes that rely on dipole coupling to perform Boolean logic operations impractical whether they are clocked by stress or field or other means.
Efficacy of imipenem/cilastatin in endocarditis

Imipenem, a potent new beta-lactam antibiotic, which is bactericidal against most pathogenic bacteria, and cilastatin, a dehydropeptidase inhibitor combined with imipenem to prevent the metabolism of imipenem in the kidney, were evaluated in the treatment of bacterial endocarditis. Seventeen patients, including 14 who used intravenous drugs, were treated with imipenem/cilastatin in a dose of 500 mg each infused over 30 minutes every six hours. The mean duration of treatment was 29 days with a range of 21 to 56 days. Causative bacteria were Staphylococcus aureus in 10 patients, S. aureus plus group B Streptococcus in one, viridans group Streptococcus in two, Neisseria subflava, Eikenella corrodens, and group G Streptococcus in one patient, and Staphylococcus epidermidis, Hemophilus aphrophilus, and Enterobacter aerogenes in one patient each. The minimal bactericidal concentration of imipenem against 16 of 18 isolates tested was 0.04 micrograms/ml, 1 microgram/ml against H. aphrophilus, and 0.4 micrograms/ml against E. aerogenes. The site of infection was the right side of the heart in 11 patients, the left side in five, and both sides in one. The mean number of days to defervescence was 9.7. All patients were cured, and none required cardiac surgery. Adverse effects were few and interrupted treatment occurred in only one patient who had acute dyspnea during an infusion on Day 26 of therapy. Imipenem/cilastatin appears to be a relatively safe and highly effective treatment of staphylococcal endocarditis in intravenous drug users; too few patients with endocarditis caused by other bacteria were treated to allow a firm statement about efficacy in non-staphylococcal endocarditis.
Veterans' Transitions to Community College: A Case Study.

Veterans on college campuses are not new; however, the recent influx of veterans returning home from war-time service present challenges to the colleges they attend. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine the transition process experienced by veterans leaving military service and attending community college for the first time. This study sought to understand the process veterans experience as they leave overseas deployment in support of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and negotiate the various changes such a transition entails. Using Schlossberg's (1984) Theory of Adult Transitions as the guiding framework, three themes emerged regarding how veterans manage this transition: academic experiences, personal relationships and connections, and benefit bureaucracy. These findings could be used to help community colleges better serve this special population.
Compositional and metabolic heterogeneity of α2- and β-very-low-density lipoproteins in subjects with broad beta disease and endogenous hypertriglyceridemia

Abstract The catabolism of α2- and β-very-low-density lipoproteins (VLDL) was studied in normolipidemic and hyperlipidemic subjects to determine whether differences in the catabolism of these subfractions are due to their composition. α2-VLDL (cholesterol/triglyceride ratio, 00.18 ± 0.06; and apoprotein E C ratio, 0.27 ± 0.22, n = 4) and β-VLDL (cholesterol/triglyceride ratio, 0.67 ± 0.13; and apoprotein E C ratio, 1.05 ± 0.52, n = 4) were isolated from subjects with broad beta disease, iodinated, and injected in five normolipidemic subjects, six with broad beta disease, and five with endogenous hypertriglyceridemia. VLDL, intermediate (IDL) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) apoprotein (apo)-B radioactivity (tetramethylurea insoluble) following injection of 126I-labeled α2- and β-VLDL decayed biphasically in all subjects, and this decay in normolipidemic subjects was more rapid than in subjects with broad beta disease (P = 0.004) or endogenous hypertriglyceridemia (P = 0.004 for α2- and P = 0.010 for β-VLDL). The residence times, however, for the delipidation chain in α2-VLDL were similar in all the subjects and varied from three to six hours. The decay of radioactivity in β-VLDL in subjects with broad beta disease was much slower (residence time, 36.9 ± 24.4 hr, n = 7) than in normolipidemic subjects (residence time, 7.56 ± 4.6 hr, n = 5) or in subjects with endogenous hypertriglyceridemia (residence time, 10.6 ± 4.65, n = 4). The residence time for α2-VLDL was longer than for β-VLDL in all subjects, suggesting that α2-VLDL is a precursor to β-VLDL. To test this directly, iodinated α2-VLDL was injected into a subject with broad beta disease and the radioactivity in the subfractions was followed. The radioactivity from α2-VLDL was transferred into β-VLDL supporting, the notion that α2-VLDL generated some β-VLDL. Nicotinic acid treatment of a subject with broad beta disease accelerated the catabolism of α2- and β-VLDL without changing the VLDL composition.
Is Release of Martian Atmosphere from Polar Clathrate the Cause of the Nakhlite and ALH84001 Ar/Kr/Xe Ratios?

Abstract Variations in the Ar/Kr/Xe ratios of martian atmosphere trapped in martian meteorites correlate with the time of ejection of these meteorites from Mars. We suggest that these variations reflect actual differences in the Ar/Kr/Xe ratios of the martian atmosphere at the time of ejection of the meteorites. We propose that the variation of the Ar/Kr/Xe ratios of the martian atmosphere is caused by time varying uptake and release of these gases by CO 2 -H 2 O clathrate-hydrate in the polar caps. Nakhlites, martian meteorites representing cumulate magmatic rocks, contain evidence of atmosphere from the time of their ejection from Mars. We postulate that the martian atmosphere at that time had lower Ar/Xe and Kr/Xe ratios compared with the modern atmosphere because of the release of these and other gases from polar clathrate, possibly during a period of high (∼60°) obliquity.
The role of macropores in the cultivation of bell pepper in salinized soil

The hypothesis tested in this paper is that, because the freshest water occurs in the largest soil pores (macropores), plants of low to moderate transpiration rate can survive in salinized soil because they preferentially extract water from macropores. The hypothesis predicts that a plant growing in a macroporous soil should have greater growth under a given salinity treatment than a similar plant growing in a soil with the same mineralogy but without macropores. This hypothesis was tested by growing bell pepper (Capsicum annuum) in the greenhouse in pots filled with either a commercial fritted clay (a highly macroporous soil) or the same clay ground to a finer texture and sieved to remove macropores and produce a microporous soil. The pots sat in pans filled with salt water. Half of the pots were irrigated once a day with fresh water and the other half received no fresh water. Plants growing in the macroporous soil had greater growth for a given salinity treatment than the plants growing in the microporous soil under both the irrigated and non-irrigated conditions. Under the irrigated condition for the highest salinity treatment, the non-reproductive fresh weight per plant, total dry weight per plant and fruit fresh weight per plant was 114 g, 12 g and 50 g, respectively, for the macroporous soil and 47 g, 4.5 g and 5 g, respectively, for the microporous soil. The results of this study provide evidence to suggest that a better understanding of what constitutes a ‘good’ structure in a saline soil may aid us in our efforts to improve the management of saline soils. We suggest that it may be possible to increase the agricultural production on salinized land by no-tillage agriculture which preserves macroporosity. Possible obstacles could be the tendency of field saline-sodic soils to swell and the unavailability of relatively fresh irrigation water in areas with saline soils.
DIAGNOSTIC AND FOLLOW-UP IMAGING FOR FIBROMUSCULAR DYSPLASIA: A REPORT FROM THE UNITED STATES FIBROMUSCULAR DYSPLASIA PATIENT REGISTRY

Results: Among pts with renal artery involvement alone, ultrasound (US) was the most common initial diagnostic modality (77%), followed by catheter-based angiography (66.7%), CT angiography (39.7%), MR angiography (21.4%), and intravascular US (5.6%). Among pts with extracranial carotid or vertebral alone, US remained the most commonly used imaging modality (79.2%); with fewer pts undergoing catheter-based angiography (37.5%). Pts with both renal and extracranial carotid/vertebral involvement underwent more imaging overall, with US (83.8%) and catheter-based angiography (64.1%) the most common. At follow-up, US remained the most common in pts with renal involvement alone (72.3%), extracranial carotid/vertebral alone (86.2%), or both (77.1%). Catheter-based angiography was common for renal alone (38.3%), extracranial carotid/vertebral alone (20.7%), or both (40%). 74.5% of pts with renal FMD underwent carotid/vertebral artery imaging; 83.7% of pts with carotid/vertebral FMD had renal artery imaging. Of pts diagnosed with extracranial carotid FMD, 63.7% also had imaging of the intracranial vasculature.
Barriers Experienced by Kinship and Non-Relative Caregivers During the Foster and Adoptive Parent Licensure and Home Study Process

The shortage of foster/adoptive parents being licensed to care for children in the public welfare system prompted an evaluation of the Licensure and Home Study Process (LHSP). Ecological systems theory framed the barriers-to-resources interplay among kinship and non-relative caregivers who withdrew or completed the LHSP. This mixed-methods study examined differences in applicant characteristics and types of barriers experienced. Results indicated that applicants responsible for other children in the home paired with welfare system barriers served as a tipping point for withdrawal. Relatives encountered the most barriers and all grandparents withdrew from the LHSP prior to licensure.
A continuous space-time finite element method for the wave equation

We consider a finite element method for the nonhomogeneous second-order wave equation, which is formulated in terms of continuous approximation functions in both space and time, thereby giving a unified treatment of the spatial and temporal discretizations. Our analysis uses primarily energy arguments, which are quite common for spatial discretizations but not for time. We present a priori nodal (in time) superconvergence error estimates without any special time step restrictions. Our method is based on tensor-product spaces for the full discretization.
Sacral nerve neuromodulation in patients with cardiac pacemakers.

Objective The objective of the study was to describe our experience using sacral nerve neuromodulation for urinary urgency, frequency, and urge incontinence in patients with cardiac pacemakers. Study Design The study was a case series of 3 patients with cardiac pacemakers who underwent sacral nerve stimulation for refractory urgency, frequency, and urge incontinence. Results Each patient underwent placement of an InterStim lead wire in the S3 foramen. Intraoperative cardiac monitoring revealed no evidence of cross-interference, even at maximum stimulation. Postoperative telemetry for 24 hours did not reveal any interference from the sacral nerve stimulator. All patients had a greater than 50% reduction in incontinence episodes during their test trial and underwent placement of the InterStim implantable pulse generator (IPG). Intraoperative and postoperative IPG programming was done with cardiac monitoring; no interaction was detectable. Conclusion Sacral nerve stimulation appears to be safe in the presence of a cardiac pacemaker.
Derepression of tyrosinase synthesis in Neurospora by amino acid analogs.

Abstract The effects of three tyrosinase inducers— d -tyrosine, dl - p -fluorophenylalanine, and l -ethionine—on protein synthesis in Neurospora crassa were examined. d -Tyrosine inhibits protein synthesis directly without itself being metabolized. In vitro experiments show that it interferes with the attachment of l -tyrosine to transfer RNA. Fluorophenylalanine is incoporated into proteins, including tyrosinase. Ethionine inhibits protein synthesis and is incorporated into proteins. These results support a model in which an unstable or rapidly turning over repressor protein controls tyrosinase synthesis.
RADIOGRAPHIC AND HISTOLOGICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF Tc/tw: MICE: AN ANIMAL MODEL OF LUMBOSACRAL AGENESIS/MYELOMENINGOCELE

Twenty-five Tc/tw5 and 12 control mice were killed at different ages and radiographically and histologically examined. In addition, histochemical analysis was performed on muscles from four mutant and one control mouse. All Tc/tw5 mice were tailless and had a fluid-filled lumbar myelomeningocele. Radiographically, most animals had six instead of 10 lumbosacral vertebrae. Vertebral anomalies were common. The spinal cord was grossly abnormal: at the level of the plaque, it was replaced by patches of neural tissue intermingled with connective tissue and muscle. Affected skeletal muscles had small myofibers with centrally placed nuclei consistent with arrest of development at the myotubular stage secondary to denervation in early embryonic life. Abnormal nerves were smaller and had fewer axons. Tc/tw5 mice show features of neural tube and notochord dysplasia. These mutant mice may be useful as animal models of lumbosacral agenesis and myelomeningocele.
Spin-polarized electron emission spectroscopy (SPEES) at Ni(110) and PtMnSb surfaces☆

Abstract We have shown that using grazing-angle scattering of H+ and He+ ions at atomically flat surfaces of well characterized Ni(110) picture-frame single crystals and polycrystalline PtMnSb samples exhibit spin- and energy-dependent electron spectra which show a dramatic difference compared to that of traditional secondary electron spectra. We studied the energy- and spin-resolved intensity distribution of electrons, emitted along the surface normal. The distinct peak structure of the energy spectrum, which lacks a strong secondary electron background, allows us to compare our data with available theoretical data on the electronic structure of Ni(110) and PtMnSb. We further obtain important information on particle-surface interaction mechanisms.
1-Methyladenine in urine of an adenosine deaminase-deficient adult without immunodeficiency

Procedures are described for the isolation and identification of 1-methyladenine from the urine of an adult female with adenosine deaminase deficiency but no immunodeficiency. Evidence is provided indicating that much of the usual urinary excretion product, 1-methyladenosine, is converted to 1-methyladenine in this subject prior to excretion. Since the nucleoside phosphorylases present in normal individuals do not act on 1-methyladenosine, this suggests that a phosphorylase with unusual properties is present in this adenosine deaminase-deficient subject. A possible role for this phosphorylase in removal of deoxyadenosine in this subject is discussed.
Correlating friction velocity in turbulent boundary layers subjected to freestream turbulence

A turbulent boundary layer was subjected to grid-generated freestream turbulence to study the effects of turbulent length scale and intensity on skin friction. The study emphasized the importance of the turbulent-to-viscous length scale ratio and focused on correlating skin friction without the use of conventional boundary-layer Reynolds numbers. The experimental data were characterized by small-scale freestream turbulence above boundary layers with momentum-thickness Reynolds numbers ranging from 225 to 2700. Freestream turbulence intensities varied from 0.1 to 8.0%. The turbulent-to-viscous length scale ratios spanned from 100 to 1000, and ratios of freestream turbulent length scale to boundary-layer momentum thickness ranged from 4 to 32. A new boundary-layer model was used to establish a skin-friction correlation that does not require knowledge of the momentum-thickness Reynolds number
Different Signal Responses to Lamprey GnRH-III in Human Cancer Cells

Analogs of GnRH used for the treatment of sex steroid-independent tumors are not optimal because of endocrine side-effects. Lamprey gonadotropin-releasing hormone III (lGnRH-III), however, directly inhibits the growth of several tumor cell lines derived from reproductive organs. In this study, the signaling and antiproliferative effects of lGnRH-III on two breast, a colonic and a pancreatic cancer cell lines were investigated. Binding affinity of the peptide was determined by competitive receptor binding assays. Cell proliferation was measured following treatment for 3 days with lGnRH-III. Intracellular cAMP levels in response to lGnRH-III binding were quantified and effects of pertussis toxin (PTX), an inhibitor of Gi activation, on suppression of growth by lGnRH-III were examined. lGnRH-III had comparable affinities for receptors on all four cell lines and inhibited their growth at micromolar concentrations in a dose-dependent manner. PTX-sensitive decrease in cAMP levels in response to lGnRH-III in colonic and pancreatic cells was observed, while lGnRH-III increased intracellular [Ca2+] in both breast cancer cell lines. This study further indicates that the same receptors utilize different signal transduction pathways in different cancer cells.
Increased sensitivity of mice to tremorogenic agents following MPP

The behavioral effects following intrastriatal MPP+, the neurotoxic metabolite of MPTP, were evaluated in mice. Bilateral injections of 10 ίcro;g MPP+ to mice previously trained in the shuttle box paradigm produced a 66% decrease in striatal dopamine and significant deficits in all measures of conditioned avoidance responding. In addition, although these mice showed no deficits in baseline rotorod performance, challenge with the cholinergic agonist oxotremorine revealed that MPP+-treated mice exhibited an increased sensitivity to the disruptive effects of the drug at each dose and time point. Finally, MPP+-treated mice also exhibited an increase in tremor induced by 0.1 and 0.15 mg/kg oxotremorine. These observations are discussed in reference to idiopathic parkinsonism.
On the Physical Interpretation of Malyshkin's (2008) Model of Resistive Hall-MHD Reconnection

A simple Sweet--Parker-like model for the electron current layer in resistive Hall magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) reconnection is presented, with the focus on the collisionless limit. The derivation readily recovers the main results obtained recently by Malyshkin [PRL, 101, 225001 (2008)] and others, but is much quicker and more physically transparent. In particular, it highlights the role of resistive drag in determining the electron outflow velocity. The principal limitations of any such approach are discussed.
Sense-making from Distributed and Mobile Sensing Data: A Middleware Perspective

This paper presents a scalable and collaborative mobile crowdsensing framework for efficient collective understanding of users, contexts, and their environments. Collaborative mobile crowdsensing enables information to be gathered and shared by users who are directly involved (participatory sensing) or integrated seamlessly as needed (opportunistic sensing) through user mobile platforms. To address the scalability needs of the mobile ecosystem, we additionally employ compressive sensing techniques for approximate gathering and processing of sensor data - this requires new mechanisms for sensor data collection, tunable approximate processing, and mobile networking architecture, to create a compressive collaborative mobile crowdsensing platform called SenseDroid. The proposed framework is build using a multi-tired hierarchical architecture to sense spatial variations of a parameter of interest, perceive spatio-temporal fields, and enable energy efficient local mobile sensing with a small number of measurements. This approximate, yet tunable approach combines different sensing approaches opportunistically while trading scalability (and coverage) for data accuracy (and energy efficiency). In this paper we propose and discuss the framework and the challenges associated with compressive and collaborative mobile sensing for multi-tired hierarchical mobile network architecture for emerging mobile collaborative applications.
The history, epidemiology, and classification of headaches in childhood

The history of headaches in children, their epidemiology, and their classifications are reviewed. Symptoms, prevalence, school absences, risk factors, and treatments are discussed. More data is needed regarding the epidemiology of tension headaches, headaches observed in the emergency room, and headaches observed in the setting of the primary care practitioner.
IN VITRO EVALUATION OF PLURONIC F127 BASED CONTROLLED RELEASE OCULAR DELIVERY SYSTEMS FOR PILOCARPINE

Abstract □ The overall objective of this study was to develop pluronic F127 (PF127)-containing formulations of pilocarpine hydrochloride (PHCL) suitable for controlled-release ocular delivery of PHCL. Various aqueous formulations were evaluated containing 1% w/v PHCL and 25% w/v PF127 alone or with one of the following additives present: poly(ethylene glycol) 4600 (PEG), poly(vinylpyrrolidone) 10 000 (PVP), poly(vinyl alcohol) 10 000 (PVA), methylcellulose 15 cP (MC), and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose 80–120 cP (HPMC). The in vitro dissolution of the PF127 formulations and the pilocarpine release profiles from them were obtained simultaneously at 34 °C and room temperature using a membraneless in vitro model. It was observed that the PEG- and PVP-containing PF127 formulations of PHCL dissolved the quickest and released the drug at a significantly faster rate than the control PF127 formulation, which had no additive present. The PF127 formulations of PHCL containing MC or HPMC exhibited the slowest dissolution rates and released the drug the slowest. The same rank order was observed at each temperature for the dissolution and PHCL release profiles of each formulation. On the basis of the in vitro results, the PF127 formulations of PHCL containing MC or HPMC as an additive showed potential for use as controlled-release ocular delivery systems for PHCL.
Behavioral sensitization to cocaine after a brief social stress is accompanied by changes in fos expression in the murine brainstem.

The objective of the present study was to determine how c-fos gene expression in brainstem structures after a brief episode of social defeat stress is related to behavioral sensitization to cocaine challenge. Social stress was defined as defeat in a brief confrontation with an aggressive resident mouse and subsequent 20-min exposure to the resident's threats behind a protective screen. Mice were treated with cocaine (40 mg/kg, i.p.) immediately or 1 week after social defeat stress. Fos-like immunoreactive (Fos-LI) cell nuclei were analyzed in the ventral tegmental area (VTA), dorsal raphe nucleus (DR), periaqueductal grey area (PAG) and locus coeruleus (LC). One episode of social stress induced behavioral sensitization to cocaine as indicated by an augmented locomotor response to a challenge injection 7 days after a single defeat. In naive mice, social stress markedly increased the number of Fos-LI nuclei in the DR, PAG and LC, but not in the VTA. Similarly, cocaine administration resulted in a significantly increased number of Fos-LI nuclei in the same areas. Administration of cocaine immediately following social defeat significantly reduced the number of Fos-LI nuclei in the DR, PAG and LC. Cocaine-induced Fos expression returned in the PAG and DR, but not in the LC, 1 week after social stress. In conclusion, the present results suggest that the presence of brainstem Fos be related to the ability to express stress-induced behavioral sensitization to cocaine.
Plasma Diffusion across a Magnetic Field Due to Thermal Vortices

A convergent cross-field diffusion coefficient due to flute-type thermal fluctuations (vortices) is derived, taking into account the nonlinear, orbit-diffusion effect on the dynamic screening of the interaction and the fluctuation spectrum. Because of the finite-gyroradius reduction of the correlation, there is a region where the diffusion coefficient depends on $B$ only logarithmically.
NGO Performance – What Breeds Success? New Evidence from South Asia

Abstract What is the best way for nongovernment organisations (NGOs) to make a lasting impact on poverty? This paper summarizes the findings of recent research into the impact, sustainability and cost-effectiveness of two NGOs in India and two projects implemented by Save the Children Fund-UK in Bangladesh. The factors determining performance are explored through the interaction of organizational decisions with the external context. Although these interactions are complex and dynamic, some clear conclusions emerge. Making a difference to livelihoods and capacities among poor people depends on NGO successes in fostering autonomous grassroots institutions and linking them with markets and political structures at higher levels. These conclusions question the current predilection among donor agencies to fund large-scale NGO service delivery.
Optimal Asset Size for U.S. Small-Cap Equity Mutual Funds

This paper provides empirical estimates for the optimal asset size for small-cap Growth and Value mutual funds. Using Morningstar mutual fund data for the period 1997 through 2003, we obtain a sample of 1,950 fund-years for small-cap growth and 971 fund-years for small-cap value funds. We find that the optimal asset size for growth and value small-cap funds are $1,008 million and $1,245 million, respectively. Moreover, we document a significant relationship between a fund9s performance in one period and its asset growth in the next period. These results have practical implications for investors and fund managers.
Development, Characterization, and Linkage Mapping of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms in the Grain Amaranths (Amaranthus sp.)

The grain amaranths (Amaranthus sp.) are important pseudocereals native to the New World. During the last decade they have garnered increased international attention for their nutritional quality, tolerance to abiotic stress, and importance as a symbol of indigenous cultures. We describe the development of the fi rst single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) assays for amaranth. In addition, we report the characterization of the fi rst complete genetic linkage map in the genus. The SNP assays are based on KASPar genotyping chemistry and were detected using the Fluidigm dynamic array platform. A diversity screen of 41 accessions of the cultivated amaranth species and their putative ancestor species (Amaranth hybridus L.) showed that the minor allele frequency (MAF) of these markers ranged from 0.05 to 0.5 with an average MAF of 0.27 per SNP locus. One hundred and forty-one of the SNP loci were considered highly polymorphic (MAF ≥ 0.3). Linkage mapping placed all 411 markers into 16 linkage groups, presumably corresponding to each of the 16 amaranth haploid chromosomes. The map spans 1288 cM with an average marker density of 3.1 cM per marker. The work reported here represents the initial fi rst steps toward the genetic dissection of agronomically important characteristics in amaranth.
Cavitation erosion of ion-implanted 1018 steel

Abstract The mechanical damage produced by ultrasonic cavitation erosion in 75 keV nitrogen-implanted 1018 steel (0.18%C) was studied using weight loss measurements and scanning electron microscopy observations. Total weight loss curves were obtained for three different conditions as a function of exposure time. The results indicate that there is an incubation period prior to damage which is prolonged by a factor of about 1.5 through ion implantation alone and by a factor of 3 through ion implantation followed by thermal aging. A roughened surface topography was observed to evolve for continued cavitation exposure. The increase in incubation time and the changes in the topographical features are discussed in terms of the formation of nitride when the steel is nitrogen implanted and aged.