cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Urinary phthalate metabolite concentrations are negatively associated with follicular fluid anti-müllerian hormone concentrations in women undergoing fertility treatment.

Exposure to phthalates, endocrine-disrupting chemicals commonly used as plasticizers and in consumer products, has been associated with infertility and premature ovarian failure. Our objective was to investigate whether urinary phthalate metabolite concentrations were associated with pre-ovulatory follicular fluid (FF) anti-mullerian hormone (AMH) concentrations in women undergoing fertility treatment. This cross-sectional analysis included 138 women with urinary phthalate data available in the Environment and Reproductive Health (EARTH) Study (2010-2016) in whom FF AMH concentrations were quantified using a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). We also quantified 8 phthalate metabolite concentrations using tandem mass spectrometry in 1-2 urine samples per cycle (total 331 urines) and calculated the cycle-specific geometric mean for each metabolite. We applied cluster-weighted generalized estimating equation models (CWGEE) to evaluate the associations of tertiles of urinary phthalate metabolite concentrations with log-transformed FF AMH concentrations adjusting for potential confounders. Study participants had median age of 34.0 years (IQR 32.0, 37.0), 83% were white, and median BMI of 23.1 kg/m2 (IQR 21.2, 26.1). The following stimulation protocols were used: luteal phase agonist (70%), antagonist (14%), or flare (16%). Urinary concentrations of select phthalate metabolites were negatively associated with FF AMH. For example, women whose urinary mEOHP was in the lowest tertile (range 0.30-4.04 ng/ml) had an adjusted mean FF AMH of 0.72 ng/mL (95% CI = 0.36, 1.44), compared to women in the highest tertile (range 9.90-235), who had an adjusted mean of 0.24 ng/mL (95% CI = 0.12-0.48, p < 0.05). The negative association between urinary concentrations of certain phthalate metabolites with FF AMH concentrations may have implications for antral follicle recruitment and fertility treatment outcomes.
Clinical Implications of the Different Histologic Subtypes of Testicular Tumors

The clinical management of distinctive subtypes of testicular germ cell tumors is differentiated mainly on the basis of the presence or absence of nonseminomatous elements and, for disseminated disease, the level of serum tumor markers and the site of metastatic lesions. Seminomas have metastatic potential, but are generally less aggressive than nonseminomatous germ cell tumors. Many experts prefer surveillance for clinical stage I seminoma, while others favor a risk-adapted approach so that only high-risk patients are treated either with carboplatin chemotherapy or with radiation therapy. Among nonseminomatous tumors, embryonal carcinomas and choriocarcinomas are associated with a greater tendency to metastasize. The main prognostic feature for early stage disease remains lymphovascular invasion. The predominance of embryonal carcinoma is not generally taken into account when making treatment decisions, but does have some prognostic implications with regard to risk of relapse and nodal metastases among men with clinical stage I testicular cancer. Orchiectomy alone is the appropriate treatment for spermatocytic seminomas.
0.28 TW laser system at 1 kHz, Scaleable to 2 TW at 1 kHz

We demonstrate the full characterization of a high average power 1 kHz laser system, producing 4.5 mJ in 16 fs (0.28 TW). It uses cryogenic cooling of the power amplifier crystal to eliminate thermal distortions. The laser system is scalable to peak powers of > 1 TW, and we are currently constructing a 2 TW version, which uses diode pumped pump lasers, in a very compact design. This new laser system, will produce 15 fs pulses with an energy of 28 mJ at a 1 kHz repetition rate.
Business Process Regression Testing

Business Process Execution Language(BPEL) has been recognized as a standard for the service orchestration in Service Oriented Architecture(SOA). Due to the pivotal role played by BPEL in service composition, the reliability of a business process becomes critical for a SOA system, especially during its evolution. Regression testing is well known as an effective technology to ensure the quality of modified programs. To reduce the cost of regression testing, a subset of test cases is selected to (re)run, known as regression test selection. Previous work addressing this problem will fail in the presence of concurrent control flow, which is an important and widely used feature of BPEL in describing service orchestration. In this paper, a regression testing approach for BPEL business processes is presented. In this approach, an impact analysis rule is proposed to identify the test paths affected by the change of BPEL concurrent control structures. Based on the impact analysis result and process changes identification, the impacted test paths are classified into reusable, modified, obsolete and new-structural paths. Experiments show that our approach is feasible.
Estimating the optimal adaptation gain for the LMS algorithm

This paper evaluates two methods to see whether they are capable of estimating the optimal adaptation gain for the LMS algorithm in a stationary time-varying environment. The results show that the method of Kwong and Johnston (1992) runs counter to the goal of optimal trade-off between noise-rejection and tracking, while the method of Harris et al. (1986) (the VS method) comes closer to estimating the optimal adaptation gain, but there is much room for improvement-a preliminary improvement is suggested in the paper. >
Exploring the type inference approach to deforestation

Designing programs around the natural decomposition of a problem into reusable components makes it easier for programmers to write and maintain programs. This principle is known as modularity. Despite the benefits of modularity, it introduces inefficiency into programs, in part due to the creation of intermediate data structures such as lists and trees. Deforestation is a program transformation that eliminates some of these structures, allowing programmers to write modular programs with reckless abandon and still enjoy the efficiency benefits of monolithic programming.
Society, Mind and Body in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: An Anthropological View

An anthropological view of chronic fatigue syndrome places the study of illness in social context. Data from an interview study of 50 chronically fatigued patients demonstrate the relation of local social worlds--families, workplaces, communities--to the meaning and experience of illness. Negative life events and difficulties, multiple commitments, and a hectic pace are among prominent themes in the subjects' local worlds. These themes are reflected in: (1) attributions of illness onset to social sources, (2) the symbolism of the core complaint of fatigue, and (3) an illness-induced, positively valued lifestyle transformation suggesting the rejection of culturally prescribed 'busyness'. Dichotomous definitions of the relation of mind and body are shown to be part of culture, not Nature, in the paper's second section. The 'mind-body dichotomy' and the differing values attached to physical and psychological disorders by a naturalistic scientific paradigm explain the delegitimizing experiences of sufferers, who find their illness dismissed as psychosomatic and therefore 'not real'. A conceptualization of chronic fatigue syndrome which links local social worlds to psychological distress, felt bodily sensation and biological changes is proposed. Collaborative teams of social scientists and medical researchers might fruitfully pursue aspects of social context in relation to psychiatric, immunological and viral dimensions of the illness.
Chapter 17 – Applications of Thermal Analysis to the Study of Dental Materials

A wide variety of dental materials is used in the oral environment for restorative, prosthetic, and implantation applications. This chapter performs an extensive research on several metallic and polymeric dental materials, principally utilizing conventional differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and temperature-modulated DSC (TMDSC). Orthodontics is concerned with tooth movement to optimal positions by using metallic archwires ligated to brackets bonded to enamel or dental restorations by adhesive resins and by using suitable other metallic appliances to provide appropriate forces and bending movements in vivo . The force generated by a bent orthodontic wire is proportional to its elastic modulus and relatively light and continuous forces are considered to be optimum. There is considerable interest in nickel–titanium orthodontic wires, which have the lowest elastic modulus of the major wire alloys. Maxillofacial materials are used in dentistry for prosthodontic reconstruction—for example, with patients who have experienced accidents or cancer surgery that involved the orofacial complex. Currently, silicone and polyurethane elastomers are employed for these applications.
Private Games are too Dangerous

Given the difficulty of observing interpersonal relations as they develop within an organization, I use iterated prisoner‘s dilemma games to simulate their development. The goal is to understand how trust could develop as a function of private games, that is, as a function of interaction sequences between two people independent of their relationships with other people. My baseline is Axelrod‘s results with TIT for TAT showing that cooperation can emerge as the dominant form of interaction even in a society of selfish individuals without central authority. I replicate Axelrod‘s results, then show that the results only occur in a rare social context—maximum density networks. Where people form less dense networks by withdrawing from unproductive relationships, as is typical in organizations, the competitive advantage shifts from TIT for TAT to abusive strategies. A devious PUSHY strategy wins in moderate to high density networks. A blatantly HOSTILE strategy wins in less dense networks. Abusive players do well in sparse networks because their abuse is lucrative in the initial exchanges of a relationship—before the other person knows to withdraw. Wise players avoiding the abusive players leaves the abusive players free to concentrate on naive players (con men thrive in big cities). The implication is that what keeps abusive players at bay are friends and acquaintances warning managers away from people known to exploit their colleagues. I reinforce the point with illustrative survey data to conclude that private games are not only too dangerous, but also too rare and too slow to be the foundation for trust within organizations. The results are an evidential call for the sociological intuition that trust and distrust cannot be understood independent of the network context in which they are produced.
Large Volume Sampling Without Preconcentration for Continuous Gas Chromatography

A milligram quantity of adsorbent material was placed at the head of a gas chromatographic column. The initial part of the column itself served as this adsorbent in some experiments. A continuously flowing gaseous sample was passed through a length of narrow bore metal tubing, the precolumn adsorbent, and the gas chromatographic column. A computer generated signal heated the metal tubing which heated the sample gas stream and the precolumn adsorbent. The changing adsorbent temperature generated a changing concentration of adsorbable substances in the gas stream. Thus, the computer generated a chemical concentration signal usable for chromatographic analysis. This technique is related to chromatographic analysis using preconcentration but has several important advantages.
A system for large vocabulary sign search

A method is presented to help users look up the meaning of an unknown sign from American Sign Language (ASL). The user submits a video of the unknown sign as a query, and the system retrieves the most similar signs from a database of sign videos. The user then reviews the retrieved videos to identify the video displaying the sign of interest. Hands are detected in a semi-automatic way: the system performs some hand detection and tracking, and the user has the option to verify and correct the detected hand locations. Features are extracted based on hand motion and hand appearance. Similarity between signs is measured by combining dynamic time warping (DTW) scores, which are based on hand motion, with a simple similarity measure based on hand appearance. In user-independent experiments, with a system vocabulary of 1,113 signs, the correct sign was included in the top 10 matches for 78% of the test queries.
Electrohydraulic Servomechanism - A Laboratory Project for Undergraduate/Graduate Control Courses

This paper describes a laboratory project for teaching the fundamental concepts of electrohydraulic servomechanism to undergraduate/graduate control engineering students. Although electrohydraulic servomechanisms have dominated the industrial control scene for quite some time, typical control courses do not have these as an integral part of the overall laboratory experience. Thus, the main objective of the proposed experiments is to alleviate this deficiency to a certain extent. The paper includes detailed descriptions of the experimental setup and the laboratory projects.
Energy-Aware Job Management Approaches for Workflow in Cloud

The energy consumption of cloud servers has dramatically increased. In order to meet the growing demands of users and reduce the skyrocketing cost of electricity, it is critical to have performance guaranteed and cost-effective job schedulers for clouds. In recent years, there has been a growing body of research which focus on improving resource utilization to improve energy efficiency, system throughput and at the same time meet the Quality of Service (QoS) requirements specified in the Service Level Agreements (SLA). This paper propose a multiple procedure scheduling algorithm which aims to maximize the resource utilization for cloud resources for reduced energy consumption as well as guarantee the execution deadline for cloud jobs modeled as scientific workflows. Our simulation results demonstrate better performance compared with other similar algorithms.
Depth extraction using a single moving camera: an integration of depth from motion and depth from stereo

An integrated approach to extract depth, efficiently and accurately, from a sequence of images is presented in this paper. The method combines the ability of the stereo processing to acquire highly accurate depth measurements and the efficiency of spatial and temporal gradient analysis. As a result of this integration, depth measurements of high quality are obtained at a speed approximately ten times greater than that of stereo processing. Without any a priori information of the locations of the points in the scene, the correspondence problem in stereo processing is computationally expensive. In our approach, we use spatial and temporal gradient (STG) analysis, which has been shown to provide depth with great efficiency, but limited accuracy, to guide the matching process of stereo. The camera motion used in the approach can be either lateral or axial. Extensive experiments on real scenes have shown the ability of the integrated approach to acquire depth with a mean error of less than 3%.
Joint image reconstruction and nonrigid motion estimation with a simple penalty that encourages local invertibility

Motion artifacts are a significant issue in medical image reconstruction. There are many methods for incorporating motion informationintoimagereconstruction. However,therearefewerstudies thatfocusondeformationregularizationinmotioncompensated image reconstruction. The usual choice for deformation regularization has been penalty functions based on the assumption that tissues are elastic. In the image registration field, there have been some methods proposed that impose deformation invertibility using constraints or regularization, assuming that organ motions are invertible transformations. However, most of these methods require very high memory or computation complexity, making them poorly suited for dealing with multiple images simultaneously in motion-compensated image reconstruction. Recently we proposed an image registration method that uses a simple penalty function based on a sufficient condition for the local invertibility of deformations. 1 That approach encourages local invertibility in a fast and memory-efficient way. This paper investigates the use of that regularization method for the more challenging problem of joint image reconstruction and nonrigid motion estimation. A 2D PET simulation (based on realistic motion from real patient CT data) demonstrates the benefits of such motion regularization for joint image reconstruction/registration.
Regulation of SULT1E1 expression in Ishikawa adenocarcinoma cells by tibolone.

Abstract Tibolone is used therapeutically as a hormone replacement agent and has beneficial effects on osteoporosis and hot flushes as well as libido in post-menopausal women without stimulatory effects in the breast and endometrium. The lack of effect in the endometrium is due in part to the tissue specific sulfation of tibolone and its active metabolites in endometrial tissues. Tibolone is metabolized into 3α-OH and 3β-OH tibolone as well as the Δ4-isomer. Tibolone and the Δ4-isomer bind and activate progesterone and androgen receptors whereas 3α-OH and 3β-OH tibolone activate the estrogen receptors. Human endometrium and Ishikawa endometrial adenocarcinoma cells express SULT1E1 that efficiently sulfates both 3-OH tibolone metabolites and has trace activity with tibolone but no activity with the Δ4-isomer. Treatment of Ishikawa cells with all four tibolone compounds resulted in the induction of SULT1E1 activity similar to the induction by progesterone. The induction of SULT1E1 was inhibited by RU486 indicating a role for the progesterone receptor. Sulfation of the tibolone compounds by Ishikawa cells and Ishikawa cells expressing physiological levels of SULT1E1 activity resulted in the sulfation of tibolone and the 3-OH metabolites but not Δ4-tibolone. These results indicate that the lack of endometrial stimulation involves induction of SULT1E1 and the selective sulfation and inactivation of the estrogenic 3-OH tibolones and interconversion of the tibolone metabolites to generate the progestagenic non-sulfated Δ4-isomer.
Fluctuating response of a cystic vestibular schwannoma to radiosurgery: case report.

Objective A vestibular schwannoma (VS) is a benign tumor of the VIIIth cranial nerve that can often be treated by microsurgery or radiosurgery and demonstrates high tumor control rates. Radiosurgery is typically performed as gamma knife surgery (GKS), although other modalities are being applied with increasing frequency. A differentiating feature in responsiveness to microsurgery or GKS is whether the VS is cystic or solid. A cystic VS is less responsive to GKS than a solid VS, representing a challenging clinical problem. GKS treatment of a cystic VS usually results in sustained expansion, sustained regression, or transient expansion followed by sustained regression. In this article, we report an atypical fluctuating course of a cystic VS after GKS, ultimately requiring surgical intervention. Clinical presentation A 66-year-old woman presented with asymmetric hearing loss and tinnitus. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a 2.0-cm unilateral cystic VS within the cerebellopontine angle. Intervention After GKS with a 12-Gy dose to the 50% isodose line, the tumor expanded transiently to 3.2 cm and then regressed to 1.0 cm over the next 2 years. She presented several months later with new-onset dizziness, ataxia, and facial numbness. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a 3.2-cm multicystic VS that compressed the brainstem. After microsurgical tumor excision, the patient's symptoms abated. Conclusion Our case report is a novel demonstration that a cystic VS that has regressed after GKS is still at risk for expansion. The mechanisms responsible for radiation-induced cystic tumor expansion have not been thoroughly elucidated. The risk of unpredictable tumor enlargement should be discussed with patients when considering GKS for cystic tumors.
Angiotensin II receptor subtypes in the rat brain.

Abstract The non-peptide angiotensin II (AII) receptor subtype selective antagonist, DuP 753, was used to characterize AII receptor binding sites in the rat brain. DuP 753 competed for specific 125 I-[Sar 1 , Ile 8 ]AII ( 125 I-SIAII) binding in many brain nuclei (IC 50 = 20−30 nM), but was a weak competitor at remaining sites (IC 50 > 10 −4 M). DuP 753 sensitive binding sites (designated AII α subtype) correspond with areas where binding is inhibited by sulfhydryl reducing agents, whereas DuP 753 insensitive sites (AII β ) correspond with areas where binding is not inhibited by sulfhydryl reducing agents.
The United States and the Great Powers: World Politics in the Twenty-First Century and American Foreign Policy in a New Era

The United States and the Great Powers: World Politics in the Twenty-First Century. By Barry Buzan. Cambridge, UK: Polity Press, 2004. 222p. $69.95.American Foreign Policy in a New Era. By Robert Jervis. New York: Routledge, 2005. 184p. $22.95.While Barry Buzan and Robert Jervis share similar starting points but take us down different paths in their respective analyses, they reach a largely similar conclusion. The common point of departure is the present standing of the United States as the sole remaining superpower and the absence of Great Power challengers. Both authors note that this condition is significant because war among the Great Powers has been the driving force in world politics. Their common end point is the expectation that this condition may well endure and general agreement on the appropriate response strategies that should be followed by the Great Powers.
THE ERYTHROPOIETIC ACTION OF GERMANIUM DIOXIDE : II. THE SOURCE OF THE ERYTHROCYTHEMIA PRODUCED BY GERMANIUM DIOXIDE IN THE ALBINO RAT.

A histological comparison of the liver, spleen, bone marrow, circulating young erythrocytes, and differential count in mature male and female albino rats receiving germanium dioxide with their litter controls not receiving this compound was made. It was found that the livers of the test animals in most cases showed a condition of capillary dilatation and that more erythrocytes were in these capillaries than were in those of the controls. There was no evidence of any red cell formation by the liver. The spleens of the test rats gave the impression of being slightly more congested and of having a slightly more dense concentration of cells in the Malpighian corpuscles than those of the controls. There was no evidence of an increased red cell destruction nor was there any evidence of splenic erythropoiesis. In the bone marrow of the rats which had received the germanium dioxide injections there was evidence of a marked stimulation in formation of nucleated erythrocytes, in that many more of these cells were found here than in the marrow sections of the controls. The circulating blood of the test rats contained more young red cells as demonstrated by the increased number of erythrocytes taking the polychromatic stain than did the blood of the controls. No noteworthy differences in the values for the various types of white cells in the circulation determined by the differential count could be found between the two groups. Using, then, as an acceptable criterion of erythropoiesis an increase in the number of erythrocytes in the circulation which is accompanied by an increase in the number of young red cells, and an increased number of nucleated erythrocytes in the bone marrow, we consider ourselves justified in concluding that germanium dioxide is a potent erythropoietic agent and the source of the erythrocythemia produced by this compound is the increased production of red cell precursors by the bone marrow stimulated to increased activity by the compound used.
Functional characterization and molecular expression of large neutral amino acid transporter (LAT1) in human prostate cancer cells.

Abstract The primary objective of this study is to functionally characterize and provide molecular evidence of large neutral amino acid transporter (LAT1) in human derived prostate cancer cells (PC-3). We carried out the uptake of [3H]-tyrosine to assess the functional activity of LAT1. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis is carried out to confirm the molecular expression of LAT1. [3H]-tyrosine uptake is found to be time dependent and linear up to 60 min. The uptake process does not exhibit any dependence on sodium ions, pH and energy. However, it is temperature dependent and found maximal at physiological temperature. The uptake of [3H]-tyrosine demonstrates saturable kinetics with Km and Vmax values of 34 ± 3 μM and 0.70 ± 0.02 nanomoles/min/mg protein, respectively. It is strongly inhibited by large neutral (phenylalanine, tryptophan, leucine, isoleucine) and small neutral (alanine, serine, cysteine) but not by basic (lysine and arginine) and acidic (aspartic and glutamic acid) amino acids. Isoleucine–quinidine (Ile-quinidine) prodrug generates a significant inhibitory effect on [3H]-tyrosine uptake suggesting that it is recognized by LAT1. RT-PCR analysis provided a product band at 658 and 840 bp, specific to LAT1 and LAT2, respectively. For the first time, this study demonstrates that LAT1, primarily responsible for the uptake of large neutral amino acids, is functionally active in PC-3 cells. Significant increase in the uptake generated by Ile-quinidine relative to quinidine suggests that LAT1 can be utilized for enhancing the cellular permeation of poor cell permeable anticancer drugs. Furthermore, this cell line can be utilized as an excellent in vitro model for studying the interaction of large neutral amino acid conjugated drugs with LAT1 transporter.
Thermodynamic coupling of the loop and stem in unusually stable DNA hairpins closed by CG base pairs.

For certain DNA hairpin loops, a CG closing base pair has enhanced stability over other closing base pairs, which cannot be explained by the current nearest-neighbor model. We report the use of three-carbon (C3) spacers to investigate the expandability of DNA hairpin loops and the coupling between the loop and closing base pair. Inserting the C3-spacers at most positions in these model loops produced only a modest stabilization or destabilization except for insertion between the 5‘ end of the loop and the CG closing base pair, which gave a large destabilization. Further investigation on tetraloops and triloops with other closing base pairs established that this destabilization is specific to the unusually stable CG closing base pair. Studies with the nucleotide analogues 2-aminopurine and 2,6-diaminopurine indicated that this stabilization may be due to coupling between functional groups on the first base of the loop and the CG closing base pair. The C3-spacers provide a simple way to interrupt potential ...
Banded Corals: Changes in Oceanic Carbon-14 During the Little Ice Age

Radiocarbon analyses and stable isotope measurements are presented foro recent cores of banded corals from the Florida Straits. These values provide a record of variations in the ratio of carbon-14 to carbon-12 in the dissolved inorganic carbon in the surface waters of the Gulf Stream from A.D. 1642 to 1800. An increase in the carbon-14/carbon-12 ratio of 7 per mil for coral growth during the early 1700's was most likely induced by an increase in the carbon-14/carbon-12 ratio of 20 per mil in the atmospheric carbon dioxide that occurred at about 1700. The ratios of oxygen 18 to oxygen-16 in these coral bands show a small decrease of a water temperature ( approximately 1 degrees C) during the latter part of the Little Ice Age (1700 to 1725). These results support the hypothesis that the increase in atmospheric carbon-14 at about 1700, and possibly the temperature change as well, was caused by a decrease in solar activity (Maunder sunspot minimum).
Surface extended x-ray absorption fine structure in the soft-x-ray region: Study of an oxidized Al surface

The extended x-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) above the oxygen K edge (h..nu.. approx. = 535 eV) has been investigated for an oxidized Al surface. The spectra were obtained using monochromatized synchrotron radiation in the 500--800-eV range and detecting the secondary electron yield from the sample. Pronounced EXAFS was observed extending at least 300 eV beyond the edge. Experiments of the present kind appear to have great applicability for the study of the oxidation and catalytic activity of surfaces.
Magnetic resonance imaging and histological classification of intracranial meningiomas in 112 dogs.

Background: Intracranial meningiomas are the most common primary brain tumors in dogs. Classification of meningiomas by tumor grade and subtype has not been reported, and the value of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) characteristics for predicting tumor subtype and grade has not been investigated. Hypothesis: Canine intracranial meningiomas are a heterogenous group of tumors with differing histological subtypes and grades. Prediction of histopathological classification is possible based on MRI characteristics. Animals: One hundred and twelve dogs with a histological diagnosis of intracranial meningioma. Methods: Retrospective observational study. Results: Meningiomas were overrepresented in the Golden Retriever and Boxer breeds with no sex predilection. The incidence of specific tumor grades was 56% benign (Grade I), 43% atypical (Grade II), and 1% malignant (Grade III). Grade I histological subtypes included meningothelial (43%), transitional (40%), microcystic (8%), psammomatous (6%), and angiomatous (3%). No statistically significant (P < .05) associations were found among tumor subtype or grade and any of the MRI features studied. Conclusions and Clinical Importance: Meningiomas in dogs differ from their counterparts in humans mainly in their higher incidence of atypical (Grade II) tumors observed. MRI characteristics do not allow for prediction of meningioma subtype or grade, emphasizing the necessity of histopathology for antemortem diagnosis. The higher incidence of atypical tumors in dogs may contribute to the poorer therapeutic response in dogs with meningiomas as compared with the response in humans with meningiomas.
Deficiency of a plasma factor stimulating vascular prostacyclin generation in patients with lupus nephritis and glomerular thrombi and its correction by ancrod: In-vivo and in-vitro observations

Abstract Glomerular thrombi occur frequently in active lupus nephritis. Their presence has been correlated with low platelet counts and with subsequent development of glomerular sclerosis. We have examined the plasma PGI2 generating capacity of 8 patients with active lupus nephritis with thrombi that were to undergo defibrination therapy with ancrod. PGI2 generation by these plasma samples was significantly decreased as compared both to normals and to 6 individuals with lupus nephritis and no glomerular thrombi. Significant improvement in the capacity to generate PGI2 was seen in the post-ancrod treatment plasma samples. The pathogenesis of this defect is discussed.
An example of blow-up, for the complex KdV equation and existence beyond the blow-up

The KdV equation with smooth complex initial data that blows up in a finite amount of time is studied. First, examples are given using the elliptic solutions of Airault, McKean and Moser. Second, the KdV flow of spectral coordinates is described showing that blow-up occurs when eigenvalues run to infinity in finite time, but eigenvalue collisions are harmless and do not cause a singularity. Eigenvalue collisions and blow-up are studied numerically. Finally, the solutions are continued through the singularity by continuing the coordinate flows on the appropriate Riemann surface.
The future according to Jesus: A Galilean model of foresight

Abstract Should futures studies situate the historical Jesus within the pre-history of their discipline? This paper proposes a first-century Galilean model, which argues that Jesus envisioned a middle-range future as a dynamic interaction of conventional, counter, and creative paths. This historical model then is compared and contrasted with 20th century frameworks of the kingdom of God, ranging from imminent, existential, inaugurated, and contextual. Suggestions are offered on how futurists might use this model to enhance their understanding of social and strategic foresight.
Intonational phrasing is constrained by meaning, not balance

This paper evaluates two classes of hypotheses about how people prosodically segment utterances: (1) meaning-based proposals, with a focus on Watson and Gibson's (2004) proposal, according to which speakers tend to produce boundaries before and after long constituents; and (2) balancing proposals, according to which speakers tend to produce boundaries at evenly spaced intervals. In order to evaluate these proposals, we elicited naive speakers’ productions of sentences systematically varying in the length of three postverbal constituents: a direct object, an indirect object (a prepositional phrase), and a verb phrase modifier, as in the sentence, The teacher assigned the chapter (on local history) to the students (of social science) yesterday/before the first midterm exam. Mixed-effects modelling was used to analyse the pattern of prosodic boundaries in these sentences, where boundaries were defined either in terms of acoustic measures (word duration and silence) or following the ToBI (Tones and Break Indi...
Front-side illuminated CMOS spectral pixel response and modulation transfer function characterization: impact of pixel layout details and pixel depletion volume

We have measured the pixel response and derived the spectral modulation transfer function (MTF) of a front-side illuminated complementary-metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) focal plane array at wavelengths of 440, 544, 633, and 905 nanometers using a spot scanning technique. The spot scanning apparatus utilized a confocal microscope configuration with a spot diameter about 1.4 μm (wavelength dependent) to scan the CMOS imager 9-μm pixel pitch in 0.5-μm steps. The confocal microscope had a magnification of 200X, which enabled precise spot position verification as well as good characterization of the optical spot size. Two independent experimental techniques-a tilted knife-edge method and spot-scanning method-were used to derive the wavelength-dependent MTF data for the CMOS imager. The resultant MTFs from each technique were generally equivalent within the experimental errors of the two methods. Specific impacts of pixel circuitry layout and diffusion appear in the spectrally dependent MTFs derived from data acquired using each measurement technique.
Influence of resonant and foreign gas collisions on line shapes

In the limit of a dipole-dipole interaction between neutral atoms and the binary-collision approximation, we present a theory of pressure broadening in which the multiplet structure of the atomic levels is considered. The appropriate Schr\"odinger equations for the collision problem are numerically integrated to obtain solutions for both resonant and foreign gas broadening. The presence of radiation fields is neglected in the first half of the paper, where the collisional time rate of change of the density matrix is found. The pertinent collisional decay parameters are extracted from these equations. The ratios of the parameters of the average magnetic dipole to electric quadrupole moment obtained were 1.21\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.02 for the relaxation of the entire ensemble in resonant broadening, 0.966\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.012 for the relaxation of the initially excited atoms in resonant broadening, and 1.12\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.02 for the relaxation of the initially excited atoms in foreign gas broadening. In the second half of the paper, the collisional broadening results are incorporated in a systematic evaluation of (i) spectral profiels (effects arising from the velocity and recoil of the emitting atom are neglected), (ii) Hanle-effect line shapes, and (iii) laser phenomena. For the case of resonant broadening, the radiation trapping process is reviewed and its influence on line shapes discussed. Finally, a detailed comparison of the theory with experimental findings as well as with previous theoretical results is made. We conclude that the dipole-dipole interaction is sufficient to explain most cases of resonant and some cases of foreign gas broadening.
A Rapid and Reproducible Method for the Determination of Dry-Soil Resistance:

A rapid and reproducible method is described for measurement of adsorption of particulate solids on fabrics or films and evaluation of dry-soil resistance. An Accelerotor drives the soil and sample...
An Electronic, Adjustable-Waveform Current Generator for Use with a Quarter-Wave Resonant Spark Source

A newly designed current generator for use with a quarter-wave spark source for a fundamental spectroscopic study of spark discharge chemistry is described. The generator outputs a trapezoidal discharge current waveform whose duration and amplitude are adjustable independently of the source repetition rate up to 5 μsec and 30 A, respectively. A multi-π section LC ladder network and a fast SCR are combined for the new generator to produce the adjustable discharge current waveform, in place of a single RC filter for a conventional current generator. The LC network functions as a current width stretcher and the SCR shapes the pulse into the desired duration by shunt clipping the tail. To evaluate the performance of the new current generator, transient emission waveforms of Cu lines are compared for a trapezoidal current waveform and a simple relaxation discharge waveform with that generated from the conventional generator.
Römerstadt: the modern garden city

The settlement of Romerstadt was a primary achievement of the ‘New Frankfurt’ initiative, the urban expansion and housing programme headed by the architect Ernst May in Frankfurt am Main during the later years of the Weimar Republic. In all of Europe, only Berlin built more social housing than Frankfurt. In six years, between l926 and l932, May and his design team re‐housed over 10% of Frankfurt’s population, some 60,000 people in 15,000 units of housing and 14 new settlements. The programme was perhaps even more significant as a crucible for social‐reform initiatives that generated myriad experiments in new building types, landscapes and industrial design products. Among all its projects, the settlement of Romerstadt is recognized as the crowning achievement, the most complete realization of the programme’s ideal. Romerstadt incorporated the best in technical advances: the rationalized household, electricity, central heating and cable radio, as well as the exemplification of ‘New Life’ reforms: a model s...
Riboprint analysis of Listeria monocytogenes isolates obtained by FDA from 1999 to 2003

Listeria monocytogenes is a widespread human and animal pathogen. Despite the potential value of ribotyping for tracking patterns of strain distribution in Listeria monocytogenes, the application of this technology for this species has been limited to sets of isolates that are linked either by epidemiology, geography, or food type. To broadly characterize the population structure of L. monocytogenes, automated ribotyping was carried out on a large set of unrelated isolates obtained by the US FDA from late 1999 to early 2003. The results showed the widespread occurrence of a few strains, and no indication of geographic or food-related stratification.
Parabolic numerical method for investigating free surface flows

Although one-dimensional analysis is a classical, accepted method used extensively in the literature and has been commonly used for the comparison with approximation methods for the solution of free surface flows, the requirement to specify the skin friction coefficient value has always been a constraint with which previous investigators have had trouble. The alternative method of solving the full Navier-Stokes equations requires substantial computer time because of the iteration necessary to resolve the location of the free surface boundary. A relatively simple parabolic numerical method for the thin-layer equations in two dimensions to solve the free surface flows without the need of assuming the skin friction coefficient and the need of iterating the free surface boundary is the purpose of this investigation. An order-of-magnitude analysis is used to reduce the elliptic governing Navier-Stokes equations to a parabolized set for high Reynolds numbers. The resulting equations are discretized and solved numerically for different sub and supercritical flows, various Pr, Fr, and Re numbers and for many different thermal boundary conditions using an implicit marching method employing the tridiagonal algorithm.
Model-based segmentation and space-variant restoration of blurred images by decision-directed filtering

Abstract A new decision-directed filtering algorithm has been developed for model-based segmentation and space-variant restoration of blurred images. We assume that the space-variant blur can be represented by a collection of L distinct point spread functions, where L is a predetermined integer, such that at each pixel one of the L point spread functions will be more-or-less matched to the observed data. A multiple-model Kalman filtering procedure with on-line blur-model detection based on maximum a posteriori probability (MAP) decision was used to restore the image. The result of the decision process constitutes a model-based segmentation of the degraded image into regions of distinct blurs. There are several applications of the proposed algorithm. Among these, automatic blur detection, i.e., segmentation of a partially blurred image into regions of blur and no-blur is demonstrated as an example.
Changes in Pulmonary Function and Controlled Ventilation-High Resolution CT of Chest After Antibiotic Therapy in Infants and Young Children with Cystic Fibrosis

Infants with cystic fibrosis (CF) develop early progressive lung disease which may be asymptomatic. Infant pulmonary function tests (IPFT) and controlled ventilation-high resolution computed tomography (CV-HRCT) of chest can detect early asymptomatic lung disease. It is not well established that these objective measures can detect changes in lung disease after clinical interventions. The purpose of this study was to evaluate usefulness of IPFT and CV-HRCT to detect changes in lung disease after intravenous (IV) antibiotic therapy in infants with early CF-related lung disease. IPFTs and CV-HRCT done before and after 2 weeks of IV antibiotics in infants at our institution over the last 12 years were compared. CV-HRCTs were compared using the modified Brody scoring system. The sample included 21 infants, mean age 85.2 ± 47.6 weeks. Mean change in weight was 0.4 ± 0.38 kg (p = 0.001). Significant changes in IPFT included mean % predicted FEV0.5 (+13.5 %, p = 0.043), mean %FEF25–75 (+30.2 %, p = 0.008), mean %RV/TLC (−11.2 %, p = 0.008), and mean %FRC/TLC (−4.5 %, p = 0.001). Total Brody scores improved from a median of 10 to 5 (p < 0.001) as did mean scores for airway wall thickening (p = 0.050), air trapping (p < 0.001), and parenchymal opacities (p = 0.003). IPFT and CV-HRCT can be used as objective measures of improvement in lung disease for infants with CF treated with antibiotics.
Need for Related Multipronged Approaches to Understand Olfactory Bulb Signal Processing

Recent work from our laboratory in awake behaving animals shows that olfactory bulb processing changes depending profoundly on behavioral context. Thus, we find that when recording from the olfactory bulb in a mouse during a go-no go association learning task, it is not unusual to find a mitral cell that initially does not respond to the rewarded or unrewarded odors but develops a differential response to the stimuli during the learning session. This places a challenge on how to approach understanding of olfactory bulb processing, because neural interactions differ depending on the status of the animal. Here we address the question of how the different approaches to study olfactory bulb neuron responses, including studies in anesthetized and unanesthetized animals in vivo and recordings in slices, complement each other. We conclude that more critical understanding of the relationship between the measurements in the different preparations is necessary for future advances in the understanding of olfactory bulb processing of odor information.
Students as subjects in food advertising studies. An appraisal of appropriateness

Considerable knowledge on food advertising has been generated by research on consumers' psychological reactions to food advertising messaging using either students or nonstudents as subjects. Building on past research, this article investigates the methodological question of whether students are appropriate surrogates for nonstudents in food advertising studies. Following exposure to print advertisements featuring healthy and unhealthy foods with two different nutrient attribute-based message appeals, student and nonstudent subjects were asked to complete five standard evaluative response measures to the food ads: claim believability, attitude-toward-the ad, attitude-toward-the-product, attitude-toward-the-brand, and purchase intention. Among the findings, students were found to react differently and more negatively to identical food advertisements than nonstudents. Overall, the message sent to health communication researchers, policy officials, and practicing professionals is – unless certain criteria are satisfied – students should be considered inadequate subjects to represent all age groups of the general population in food advertising research. Thus, conclusions drawn from student-based research about advertising processing and effects should be questioned and broad generalizations avoided.
Effect of chronic antiepileptic drug therapy on california achievement test scores

Abstract We retrospectively studied the effect of antiepileptic drug (AED) therapy on academic achievement of children with epilepsy from child neurology clinics at two medical centers. Fifty-four school-age children in regular classroom placements who had been on treatment for at least 6 months and had California Achievement Test (CAT) scores available on and off or before and after therapy were studied. Neither AED therapy in general nor barbiturate use in particular had a significant effect on CAT performance after up to 6 years of treatment. The average total percentile score for the cohort was at the national mean (51.8). Children who are in a regular classroom placement, have well controlled seizures, and are free from overt medication toxicity can be expected to have normal academic achievement, as measured by the CAT, which should not decline during AED treatment.
Covalent structure and affinity of channel catfish anti-dinitrophenyl antibodies.

Serum antibody (Ab) of channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, is predominantly a tetrameric, ~700,000-dalton protein. This tetrameric Ab dissociates into 8 distinctive subpopulations, each composed of equimolar heavy and light chains, when in the presence of denaturing solvents. The present studies utilizing purified anti-DNP Abs obtained from catfish monitored for either short (1–2 months) or long (1–2 years) periods post-primary immunization with dinitrophenylated horse serum albumin showed no demonstrable differences in the ratio of the covalent Ab subpopulations. Although significant humoral Ab levels were sustained during the 1–2 year monitoring period, there were no significant changes in the binding affinities or heterogeneity of the induced Ab.