cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Suppression of epileptiform activity by increased intracranial pressure in cat

Abstract This study investigated the relationships between changes in intracranial pressure and the activity of cortical epileptogenic foci in cats. Epileptiform spiking was produced by focal freezing and/or topical application of penicillin. Increases in intracranial pressure were produced by infusion of mock cerebrospinal fluid into the cisterna magna. We found that increases in intracranial pressure always produced decreases in epileptiform spike discharge rate. Some preparations also showed an enhancement or “rebound” of spike discharge rate soon after the intracranial pressure was returned to normal. We concluded that it is unlikely that compression or distortion of cerebral tissue play any role in these results. Decreases in cerebral blood flow may be a factor but only for the higher values of intracranial pressure in the less sensitive preparations. We suggest that the most important mechanism responsible for these findings is the desynchronizing effect of afferent input related to increased intracranial pressure. The source of this sensory activity may be from receptors in the cerebrospinal meninges and blood vessels.
Myoglobin for early risk stratification of emergency department patients with possible myocardial ischemia.

. Objectives: To determine and compare the prognostic abilities of early, single-sample myoglobin measurement with that of creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB), with cardiac troponin T (cTnT), and with physician judgment in the absence of marker results among emergency department (ED) patients with possible myocardial ischemia. Methods: Prospective collection of clinical and serologic data using an identity-unlinked technique from patients with possible myocardial ischemia at two urban EDs. Outcome data concerning the occurrence of adverse events (AEs) during the 14 days after enrollment were used to calculate and compare the relative risks (RRs) and predictive values (with 95% confidence intervals) of the various markers for predicting AEs. Results: Among 396 analyzed patients, 65 (16.4%) accrued 104 AEs, including 13 deaths (3.3%) and 31 (7.8%) myocardial infarctions. Myoglobin predicted AEs (RR = 3.36 [95% CI = 2.19 to 5.15]) with significantly higher sensitivity (50.8% [95% CI = 38.6 to 62.9]) than either CK-MB (15.4% [95% CI = 6.6 to 24.2]) or cTnT (24.6% [95% CI = 14.1 to 35.1]), but with lower specificity (81.9% [95% CI = 77.7 to 86.0]; CK-MB = 99.7% [95% CI = 99.1 to 100]; cTnT = 93.1% [95% CI = 90.3 to 95.8]). Myoglobin had prognostic ability among patients with chest pain (3.86 [95% CI = 2.39 to 6.22]) and atypical (non-chest pain) presentations (2.71 [95% CI = 1.09 to 6.71]), including those with a non-diagnostic electrocardiogram (3.11 [95% CI = 1.44 to 6.69]). The combination of myoglobin and physician decision making identified 63 of the 65 patients (96.9% [95% CI = 92.7 to 100]) with subsequent AEs. Conclusions: The early prognostic sensitivity of myoglobin may allow identification of some high-risk patients missed by physician judgment, CK-MB, and cTnT. Myoglobin should be considered for use in the ED based on both its diagnostic and prognostic abilities.
Explaining Bias against Black Leaders: Integrating Theory on Information Processing and Goal-Based Stereotyping

Approaches related to inference-based processing (e.g., romance-of-leadership theory) would suggest that black leaders are evaluated positively after success. In contrast, approaches related to rec...
The effect of an age-related hearing loss gene (Ahl) on noise-induced hearing loss and cochlear damage from low-frequency noise.

Abstract Inbred C57BL/6J mice carry two copies of an age-related hearing loss gene (Ahl). It has been shown that these mice begin losing high-frequency hearing at two months. Several functional studies have reported that the Ahl gene renders mice more susceptible to noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) than strains which do not carry this gene [e.g., Hear. Res. 93 (1996) 181; Hear. Res. 155 (2001) 82; J. Assoc. Res. Otolaryngol. 2 (2001) 233]. Johnson et al. [Hear. Res. 114 (1997) 83] developed a congenic B6.CAST-+Ahl mouse which carries the wild-type allele from Mus musculus castaneus at the Ahl locus. Five each of young C57BL/6J males and females, and B6.CAST-+Ahl males were exposed to a 4-kHz octave band of noise at 108 dB SPL for 4 h. Non-noise-exposed mice of the same strains and age served as controls. The noise-exposed mice were functionally tested for ABR thresholds and DPOAE levels pre-exposure and three times post-exposure: 0 days to determine the magnitude of temporary threshold shift (TTS); 6 days to determine rate of recovery; and 20 days to determine the magnitude of permanent threshold shift (PTS). At 20 days post-exposure, the animals underwent cardiac perfusion to fix their cochleae. The isolated cochleae were embedded in plastic and dissected into flat preparations. By phase-contrast microscopy, each cochlea was evaluated from apex to base to quantify the losses of hair cells, nerve fibers and stria vascularis and to localize stereocilia damage. Functional data from each mouse were aligned with the cytocochleogram using the frequency–place map of Ou et al. [Hear. Res. 145 (2000) 111; Hear. Res. 145 (2000) 123]. Sizable variation in the magnitude of TTS, PTS and hair-cell loss was found among mice of the same genetic strain. The congenic B6.CAST-+Ahl male mice had significantly less TTS immediately post-exposure than C57BL/6J males or females but not less PTS or hair-cell losses at 20 days post-exposure. These results indicate that, at one month of age, mice carrying two copies of the Ahl gene have an increased susceptibility to TTS from a low-frequency noise before they have any indication of age-related hearing or hair-cell loss. However, this appeared not to be the case for PTS. The Ahl gene appears to play a role in susceptibility to NIHL but, other genes as well as systemic and local factors must also be involved.
Factors underlying the social readjustment rating scale

Abstract The Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS) was administered to 185 subjects whose age ranged from 21 to 61 yr. The responses were factor analyzed for a principal axis solution followed by isopromax oblique rotation. All the items were loaded and clustered under five factors labeled as follows: (1) personal growth, maturation, and renewal; (2) tension and uncertainty; transitions in personal or occupational situations; (3) changes in one's usual routine and relationship; (4) significant changes in family or mirriage; and (5) personal catastrophies. Males scored significantly higher than females on factors 4 and 5. There were no age differences in the obtained scores. The finding of the factorial structure was thought to add credence to the scale especially in view of past criticism. Implications for future research were also discussed.
The Effects of an Extract of Ginkgo biloba, EGb 761, on Cognitive Behavior and Longevity in the Rat

Extracts of the leaves of the Ginkgo biloba tree are widely used throughout the world for their purportedly beneficial effects on brain function. In the present investigation, a standardized extract, EGb 761, was self-administered orally by male Fischer 344 rats that were then tested in an eight-arm radial maze. The tasks employed were a) continuous learning and b) delayed nonmatching to position. Chronic postsession administration of EGb 761 at a dose of 50 mg/kg had no effect on continuous learning but the same dose given presession resulted in a trend toward fewer sessions to reach criterion performance as well as fewer errors. In addition, it was observed that rats chronically treated with EGb 761 lived significantly longer than vehicle-treated subjects. In a delayed nonmatching to position task using a 30-min delay in 20-month-old rats. EGb 761 administered presession produced a dose-related decrease in total, retroactive, and proactive errors; a repeated-measures design was used, with subjects serving as their own controls. Following the dose-response determination, the group, now 26 months of age, was divided in two with half receiving EGb 761 at a dose of 200 mg/kg presession and the other half vehicle (sweetened condensed milk). A statistically significant positive effect of treatment with EGb-761 was observed. The present data are consistent with the beneficial effects on cognitive performance which have been widely reported in human subjects. In addition, the data suggest that the methods employed, i.e., continuous learning and delayed nonmatching to position tasks in aged rats, are capable of detecting drugs of possible value in the treatment of human cognitive impairment. Finally, the present results encourage a search for the pharmacologically active principles of EGb 761 and for their mechanisms of action.
Alternative auxiliary fields for chiral multiplets

We study 3-form auxiliary field formulation for chiral multiplets in the Wess-Zumino model. The conventional auxiliary fields F and G are replaced by their Hodge duals K{sub {mu}}{sub {nu}}{sub {rho}}{sub {sigma}} and H{sub {mu}}{sub {nu}}{sub {rho}}{sub {sigma}} which are the field strengths of the 3-form potential auxiliary fields G{sub {mu}}{sub {nu}}{sub {rho}} and F{sub {mu}}{sub {nu}}{sub {rho}}. Even though duality transformations connect these two formulations, there exist certain differences from the conventional formulation. When boundary conditions are taken into account, the field equations in the 3-form formulation are equivalent to the conventional ones, while our Lagrangian is not. We also show that the new field strengths acquire generalized Chern-Simons terms. The O'Raifeartaigh mechanism works for spontaneous supersymmetry breaking also in the 3-form auxiliary field formulation via the boundary conditions on the 3-form auxiliary fields.
On the compatibility of binary qualitative taxonomic characters.

In this note we prove that an entire collection of binary qualitative taxonomic characters is compatible if each character in the collection is compatible with every other character. An apparently more general definition of compatibility is presented and shown to be equivalent to the old one.
The Effects of Reaction Conditions on Liquid‐Phase Hydroxyl Radical Production in Gas‐Liquid Pulsed‐Electrical‐Discharge Reactors

High-voltage gas-, liquid- and gas-liquid-phase pulsed electrical discharges are an emerging technique in environmental pollutant degradation, which that are char terized by the production of hydroxyl radicals as the primary degradation species. The initiation and propagation of the electrical discharges depends on several physical, chemical and electrical parameters. These parameters also influence the physical asd chemical characteristics of the discharges, including the production of reactive species such as OH*, and H 2 O 2 . This paper focuses on quantification of hydroxyl radicals using chemical probes (DMSO and NaTA) in three different reactor configurations: reference (purely liquid-phase discharge), hybrid-series (combined gas-liquid discharge), and hybrid-parallel (combined gas-liquid discharge) for a wide range of operating conditions. The operating conditions that are evaluated are: input power, initial condufttwty of solution, temperature of solution, presence of radical scawagers and additives in sehttica.
Flat or float? a study of vendor discount rates applied to firm orders in a college library

Library book vendors generally provide two types of discount rates to institutions for firm orders: flat—fixed rate for all books, and float—book-by-book discount. A perplexing question for acquisitions departments is which discount scale is better. This article summarizes a study conducted in a medium-sized, public, college library for the purpose of ascertaining if there is a difference in savings between the two schedules. The results indicate that, at Kean College, float rate (0%–33.3%) gains slightly more savings (0.7% of $35,795.84) than flat rate (12%) based on 870 book orders distributed between university presses (38.4%) and nonuniversity presses (61.6%). However, if the flat rate is 13% or higher, for the same distribution, the flat discount is considered monetarily more advantageous. These findings suggest options and flexibility for acquisitions personnel in obtaining the most cost-effective arrangement for the institution.
Differential suppression of glial nitric oxide synthase induction by structurally related tyrosine kinase inhibitors

Abstract Incubation of C6 astrocytoma cells with bacterial endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide; LPS) plus interferon-γ (IFN-γ), or with a combination of cytokines (TNF-α, IL1-β, and IFN-γ) leads to high levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression. Previous results demonstrated a requirement for tyrosine kinase (TK) activities for iNOS induction. In the present study, a set of structurally related TK inhibitors, the tyrphostins (TYRs), were used to characterize possible differences between LPS and cytokine iNOS induction. All TYRs tested suppressed both types of induction. However, dose-response curves revealed significant differences in the IC 50 values obtained for some TYRs (T25 and T56), and significant differences in the IC 50 potency rank order when comparing inhibition of LPS versus cytokine-dependent iNOS induction. These results are consistent with differential TK utilization by the LPS versus cytokine pathways of iNOS induction, and establish a basis for developing further selective inhibitors of iNOS expression.
The transient properties of balancing selection in large finite populations

The transient properties of balancing selection in large, but finite, populations are described by means of an asymptotic analysis. Heterotic selection is shown to retard the rate of loss of genetic variation while random environment selection is shown to retard the rate of loss of variation when the initial variant is a rare mutant. Otherwise random environment selection can speed up the loss of variation for certain parametric cases. The asymptotic analysis leads to a particularly simple conceptualization of the selection process which allows the computation of asymptotic forms of the dominant eigenvalue of the process.
Antigenic and cultural properties of cells doubly transformed by polyoma virus and SV40.

Abstract Cells of the established mouse line 3T3 were transformed in vitro by polyoma virus. Two of the resulting polyoma transformed lines were then transformed by SV40. Several doubly transformed clones were isolated and their properties were studied. Although most of them did not release either virus, all produced both virus-specific complement-fixing (CF) cellular antigens. The titers of each of these CF antigens in the double transformants were as high as those of the single antigens in cells transformed by only one of the viruses. Polyoma transformants and SV40 transformants of 3T3 may be distinguished by their colonial morphology. Colonies of the doubly transformed cells had, in general, characteristics of each of the single transformants. However, certain doubly transformed lines showed a preponderance of either the polyoma or SV40 character. The phenotypes of the doubly transformed lines demonstrate that each of the viruses is capable of acting independently of the other and each may have its distinctive effect on the same host cell.
Inhibition of hepatitis viral replication by siRNA

Small interfering RNA (siRNA)-mediated sequence-specific gene silencing is a powerful tool to inhibit endogenous and exogenous gene expression, and it holds great potential to prevent and eradicate viral infection, for which existing therapy is inadequate, such as HIV, hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV). A number of studies have documented the effectiveness of siRNA against HBV or HCV at various regions of the viral genome in infected human hepatoma cell lines. Selected siRNA may reduce the production of viral replicons, as well as structural or non-structural proteins by > 90%. Only a few in vivo studies that demonstrated the efficacy of siRNA in the suppression of HBV replication in mice are available. Thus, reliable models of HBV and HCV infection in small animals or non-human primates are needed to evaluate the delivery and efficacy of siRNA as a therapeutic modality for viral hepatitis.
The National Congress of American Indians: The Founding Years

Founded in 1944, the National Congress of American Indians (ncai) is one of the most important intertribal political organizations of the modern era. It has played a crucial role in stimulating Native political awareness and activism, providing a forum for debates on vital issues affecting reservations and tribes, overseeing litigation efforts, and organizing lobbying activities in Washington. Prior to the emergence of other intertribal political groups in the 1960s, the ncai was the primary political instrument for Native lobbying and resistance. It fought against government efforts to terminate the reservation system, worked to create the Indian Claims Commission, protected the rights of Alaska Natives, and secured voting and Social Security rights for Native peoples. The ncai continues today, as in the past, to steer a moderate political course, bringing together and representing a wide range of Native peoples.The National Congress of American Indians is the first full-length history of the ncai. Drawing upon newly available ncai records and oral interviews with founding members, Thomas W.Cowger tells the story of the founding and critical first two decades of this important organization. He presents the many accomplishments of and great challenges to the ncai, examines its role in the development of Native political activism, and explores its relationships to contemporaneous events such as the Cold War, McCarthyism, and the civil rights movement. Thomas W. Cowger is an associate professor of history at East Central University in Ada, Oklahoma.
Powder EPR study of the Jahn-Teller effect and phase transition in Cu2+:ZnTiF

A powder electron-paramagnetic-resonance study of ${\mathrm{Cu}}^{2+}$ in ${\mathrm{ZnTiF}}_{6}$\ensuremath{\cdot}${6\mathrm{H}}_{2}$O has been made at 35 GHz in the range 4.2--300 K. The low-temperature structure has been related to four single-crystal Jahn-Teller transitions. The single-line spectrum at high temperature was replaced gradually by a multiline spectrum at temperatures below 165 K, i.e., about 6 K below the single-crystal transition temperature for 0.043 at. % ${\mathrm{Cu}}^{2+}$ concentration. The exponential line broadening with temperature in the high-temperature region (above phase transition) was fitted to an Orbach process, with an excited state at 1350 ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}1}$. A Jahn-Teller stabilization energy ${E}_{\mathrm{JT}=1000}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}1}$ may be obtained from this fit. The relaxation rate 1/${T}_{1}$ is deduced and compared with that for ${\mathrm{Cu}}^{2+}$:${\mathrm{La}}_{3}$${\mathrm{Mg}}_{2}$(${\mathrm{NO}}_{3}$) $_{12}\mathrm{O}$.
A Flavo-Diiron Protein from Desulfovibrio vulgaris with Oxidase and Nitric Oxide Reductase Activities. Evidence for an in Vivo Nitric Oxide Scavenging Function †

A few members of a widespread class of bacterial and archaeal flavo-diiron proteins, dubbed FprAs, have been shown to function as either oxidases (dioxygen reductases) or scavenging nitric oxide reductases, but the questions of which of these functions dominates in vivo for a given FprA and whether all FprAs function as oxidases or nitric oxide reductases remain to be clarified. To address these questions, an FprA has been characterized from the anaerobic sulfate-reducing bacterium Desulfovibrio vulgaris. The gene encoding this D. vulgaris FprA lies downstream of an operon encoding superoxide reductase and rubredoxin, consistent with an O2-scavenging oxidase function for this FprA. The recombinant D. vulgaris FprA can indeed serve as the terminal component of an NADH oxidase. However, this oxidase turnover results in irreversible inactivation of the enzyme. On the other hand, the recombinant D. vulgaris FprA shows robust anaerobic nitric oxide reductase activity in vitro and also protects a nitric oxide-s...
Titanium dioxide/conducting polymers composite pigments for corrosion protection of cold rolled steel

Titanium dioxide (TiO2)/conducting polymers composite pigments were synthesized by chemical oxidative polymerization technique in a simple and eco-friendly manner. These composite pigments were characterized for morphology by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy, for conductivity by four point probe and conductive-atomic force microscopy, for elemental composition by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and for chemical composition by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Three different types of composite pigments were synthesized, namely TiO2/polypyrrole composite pigment, TiO2/polypyrrole composite pigment doped with tungstate anion, and TiO2/polyaniline composite pigment. Core and shell morphology was obtained for TiO2/polypyrrole composite pigment and TiO2/polypyrrole composite pigment doped with tungstate anion. Coatings based on these pigments were formulated and applied on a cold rolled steel substrate. Constant immersion in 5% sodium chloride was employed for studying the corrosion resistance offered by composite pigments-based coatings. The corrosion resistance of the coatings was monitored by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and potentiodynamic polarization technique. EIS results demonstrated increased corrosion protection for the core and shell TiO2/polypyrrole composite, TiO2/polypyrrole (tungstate doped) composite, and TiO2/polyaniline composite. Additionally, potentiodynamic scan results demonstrated passivation achieved by synthesized composite pigments-based coatings, suggesting improved corrosion protection.
Use of High-Gradient Magnetic Fields for the Separation of Macromolecules

Abstract High gradient magnetic field separation (HGMS) has been used to separate several types of > 1 μm sized ferro- or paramagnetic particles from bulk streams. The majority of the studies have been carried out using a single ferromagnetic wire or wire mesh to produce the field gradients necessary for particle capture. The purpose of this paper is to examine the possibility of using HGMS on < 1 μm entities for the purpose of macromolecular separations. Preliminary experimental results demonstrate that HGMS techniques can be used to capture 0.1 μm diam latex beads from a paramagnetic salt solution passing through a columnar bed of ferro-magnetic spheres.
Collective behavior in a simulated panic situation

Abstract Three experimental studies of interdependent escape, based on a laboratory simulation of one type of panic situation, have been reported. Each collection of subjects was given a limited amount of time to escape from an imminent danger, but they were able to escape only one at a time. The major findings from the experiments are: 1. (1) As threatened penalty for failure to escape increases, the percentage of persons who succeed in doing so declines. 2. (2) As size of the collection increases, the percentage escaping declines. This may also be stated as an increase in the time required per escape with increasing size. There remains considerable ambiguity about the shape of this function. 3. (3) If members of the collection are oriented toward taking their behavioral cues from each other, as compared with an orientation toward making their behavioral decisions independently of one another, the effect upon escape may be either a deleterious one (When at the outset there is generally little optimism about escape) or a salutary one (when the general level of initial optimism is high.) 4. (4) The availability of a distinctive response for the public expression of confidence greatly increases the percentage of persons who succeed in escaping. The results are taken as indicating the fruitfulness of analyzing the interdependent escape situation in terms of present-day concepts and principles of social influence.
Synoptic Observations and Theory of Orographically Disturbed Wind and Pressure.

Abstract A survey of existing synoptic data from the vicinity of major mountain ranges indicates two common aspects of orographic influence on the atmosphere—a hydrostatically generated pressure difference across the mountains and a leftward (in the Northern Hemisphere) deflection of the air as it approaches the mountain. To explain these features, the linear theory of Queney is extended to include isolated mountains, and the force balances implied by the model are clarified by using an expansion in inverse powers of the Rossby number. The validity of this expansion in the far field and the generation of inertial waves are discussed. The results of the theory show that for typical values of the Rossby number, the pressure field and vertical motion field are unaffected by the Coriolis force while the horizontal trajectories of air parcels are altered, in agreement with observation. The ability of an isolated range to block and deform a passing cold front is shown to depend on having a narrow enough range s...
VIRTUAL TANGLES AND A THEOREM OF KREBES

Let t be a virtual tangle embedded in a virtual knot or link k. If a prime p divides the determinants of both the numerator and the denominator closure of t, then p divides the determinant of k.
Gas phase study of a 2-chloro-p-xylene discharge

Parylene C is a widely used polymer when a high-quality protective layer is needed. It has excellent bulk properties that make it a popular choice for a wide array of areas that includes dielectric applications, biomedicine and micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS). Nonetheless, under traditional deposition its poor adhesion to a broad range of substrates remains a main concern. In comparison, plasma polymerization offers improved adhesion with retention of monomer functionality1,2. Unfortunately, most studies on plasma polymerization of parylene C focus only in the films characteristics.
Corporate taxes and investment: The cash flow channel

Existing literature focuses on how corporate taxation affects firms’ investment decisions by altering after-tax returns. This paper instead examines how corporate taxation affects investment by reducing the cash flow a firm has available to invest in the current period. I use a sharp nonlinearity in the mapping from pre-tax profitability to taxes created by the tax loss carryforward feature of the tax code to identify the cash flow effect of taxes. The results indicate that firms reduce investment when they pay more taxes, especially when unfavorable capital market conditions create a greater dependence of investment on internal sources of cash.
Cystectomy With Urinary Diversion for Benign Disease: Indications and Outcomes

Objective To analyze what factors contribute to a worse outcome after cystectomy and urinary diversion for benign disease as measured by the frequency of severe complications. Methods A retrospective review was performed of consecutive patients who underwent a cystectomy for benign disease. The primary outcome was the type and severity of complications, according to Clavien-Dindo scale. Results A total of 139 patients underwent cystectomy with diversion for benign diseases over the study period. The most common indications for surgery were spinal cord injury (32%) and radiation damage to the bladder (18%). The average preoperative age-adjusted Charlson comorbidity index was 4.6. Seventy-four patients (53%) underwent supratrigonal cystectomy. Mean surgery duration was 344 ± 103 minutes, and the mean estimated blood loss was 476 ± 379 mL. The most common complications were perioperative blood transfusion, prolonged ileus, and pyelonephritis. Seventy-nine patients (57%) had a complication grade ≥II on the Clavien-Dindo scale. This did not differ based on indication for surgery, age, gender, body mass index, age-adjusted Charlson comorbidity index, estimated blood loss, or type of cystectomy. After adjustment, only duration of surgery in 10-minute increments (odds ratio, 1.07; 95% confidence interval, 1.02-1.12; P = .007) was associated with an increased incidence of serious complication. Conclusion Most of the patients experience some complication after cystectomy and urinary diversion for benign indications. Duration of surgery is an important variable that can affect outcome.
Comparison of a subgingivally placed cannula oral irrigator tip with a supragingivally placed standard irrigator tip.

Abstract This study compared the depth of irrigation of periodontal pockets achieved by a cannula subgingival irrigator tip and a standard oral irrigator tip. They were tested on periodontally involved teeth recommended for extraction from 17 patients. Before extraction, reference grooves were made circumferentially in each study tooth at the level of the gingival margin. In one group of 5 patients (29 teeth), a cannula was inserted halfway into the pocket at the facial, mesiofacial, distofacial, lingual, mesiolingual and distolingual surfaces and the surface irrigated for 5 s at 5 psi with a solution of plaque-staining dye from an oral irrigator. A 2nd group of 7 patients (29 teeth) was tested similarly with a standard irrigating tip at 80 psi. A 3rd (control) group of 5 patients (26 teeth) rinsed with the dye solution. Teeth were then extracted. The distance on each tooth from the reference notch to the apical extent of the stained plaque, and also to the coronal limit of the connective tissue attachment, was measured at 4 sites (mesial, distal, buccal, lingual) under a dissecting microscope to determine the extent of dye penetration. Mean linear penetration for the control group was only 0.1 mm. Irrigation with the cannula tip penetrated farther into both the medium (3.5–6 mm) and the deep (>6 mm) periodontal pockets (p<0.01) than did irrigation with the standard tip. Mean depth of penetration with the cannula tip was 70.4% in medium pockets and 74.5% in deep pockets, as compared with 29% and 54.3%, respectively, for the standard tip. No differences were found for either method between single- or multi-rooted teeth or between the surfaces irrigated.
Mechanical transients of single toad stomach smooth muscle cells. Effects of lowering temperature and extracellular calcium.

Smooth muscle's slow, economical contractions may relate to the kinetics of the crossbridge cycle. We characterized the crossbridge cycle in smooth muscle by studying tension recovery in response to a small, rapid length change (i.e., tension transients) in single smooth muscle cells from the toad stomach (Bufo marinus). To confirm that these tension transients reflect crossbridge kinetics, we examined the effect of lowering cell temperature on the tension transient time course. Once this was confirmed, cells were exposed to low extracellular calcium [( Ca2+]o) to determine whether modulation of the cell's shortening velocity by changes in [Ca2+]o reflected the calcium sensitivity of one or more steps in the crossbridge cycle. Single smooth muscle cells were tied between an ultrasensitive force transducer and length displacement device after equilibration in temperature-controlled physiological saline having either a low (0.18 mM) or normal (1.8 mM) calcium concentration. At the peak of isometric force, after electrical stimulation, small, rapid (less than or equal to 1.8% cell length in 3.6 ms) step stretches and releases were imposed. At room temperature (20 degrees C) in normal [Ca2+]o, tension recovery after the length step was described by the sum of two exponentials with rates of 40-90 s-1 for the fast phase and 2-4 s-1 for the slow phase. In normal [Ca2+]o but at low temperature (10 degrees C), the fast tension recovery phase slowed (apparent Q10 = 1.9) for both stretches and releases whereas the slow tension recovery phase for a release was only moderately affected (apparent Q10 = 1.4) while unaffected for a stretch. Dynamic stiffness was determined throughout the time course of the tension transient to help correlate the tension transient phases with specific step(s) in the crossbridge cycle. The dissociation of tension and stiffness, during the fast tension recovery phase after a release, was interpreted as evidence that this recovery phase resulted from both the transition of crossbridges from a low- to high-force producing state as well as a transient detachment of crossbridges. From the temperature studies and dynamic stiffness measurements, the slow tension recovery phase most likely reflects the overall rate of crossbridge cycling. From the tension transient studies, it appears that crossbridges cycle slower and have a longer duty cycle in smooth muscle. In low [Ca2+]o at 20 degrees C, little effect was observed on the form or time course of the tension transients.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Changes in light levels and stream temperatures with loss of eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) at a southern Appalachian stream: Implications for brook trout

Abstract The exotic invasive insect, hemlock woolly adelgid (Adelges tsugae Annand), is causing mortality in eastern hemlocks (Tsuga canadensis [L.] Carr.) throughout the eastern U.S. Because hemlocks produce dense shade, and are being replaced by hardwood species that produce less shade, their loss may increase understory light levels. In the southern Appalachians, increases in light could increase stream temperatures, threatening species such as brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis). We studied changes in light and stream temperature with eastern hemlock decline at a headwater southern Appalachian brook trout stream. Our results indicate that stream light levels have increased significantly with adelgid infestation. Leaf-on light levels are currently significantly higher (P 0.05). In addition, by comparing light levels between plots containing hemlock and those containing only hardwoods, we found that if hemlocks are replaced by hardwoods, light levels under an all-hardwood canopy (mean GSF(SE) = 0.240(0.005)) are unlikely to be higher than they are under the current forest (mean GSF(SE) = 0.254(0.007)). These results suggest that loss of hemlock along southern Appalachian headwater streams could have short-term impacts on light levels, but that long-term changes in light levels, increases in water temperature, and adverse effects on brook trout may be unlikely.
Cellular Werner Phenotypes in Mice Expressing a Putative Dominant-Negative Human WRN Gene

Mutations at the Werner helicase locus (WRN) are responsible for the Werner syndrome (WS). WS patients prematurely develop an aged appearance and various age-related disorders. We have generated transgenic mice expressing human WRN with a putative dominant-negative mutation (K577M-WRN). Primary tail fibroblast cultures from K577M-WRN mice showed three characteristics of WS cells: hypersensitivity to 4-nitroquinoline-1-oxide (4NQO), reduced replicative potential, and reduced expression of the endogenous WRN protein. These data suggest that K577M-WRN mice may provide a novel mouse model for the WS.
First bite syndrome: Our experience with intraparotid injections with botulinum toxin type A

Objectives/Hypothesis First bite syndrome is the sudden onset of acute and severe pain in the parotid region at the initiation of mastication. Although it generally lasts less than a minute, it is disabling for these individuals and leads to a fear of oral intake. It is typically seen after parapharyngeal or deep parotid space surgery. Intraparotid injection of botulinum toxin A (BTA) has been suggested as a treatment for this condition, but there is little supporting literature to this effect. The purpose of this study is to document our experience using this treatment method for first bite syndrome. Study Design Retrospective case review. Methods Five patients with first bite syndrome, developed after parapharyngeal space surgery, were treated by multisite injection of BTA into the parotid gland. Between 17.5 and 50 total U of BTA were injected into four or more sites in the parotid region. The patients were then followed up every 4 months. Results Three of five patients reported a significant improvement in symptoms at the 4-month follow-up visit, although complete resolution was not reported. One patient reported only moderate improvement, and despite two series of injections there was no improvement in one patient, leading us to question our initial diagnosis. Conclusions Unilateral BTA injection into the affected parotid gland produces a decrease in the severity of symptoms. It is a safe and viable noninvasive treatment for this difficult to treat condition and may lead to permanent resolution of symptoms in some patients. Level of Evidence 4 Laryngoscope, 126:104–107, 2016
The action of halothane on stimulus-secretion coupling in clonal (GH3) pituitary cells.

The effect of halothane on the physiological response to excitatory stimuli was assessed in clonal (GH,) pituitary cells. Halothane, at concentrations used to produce general anesthesia in animals (0.25-0.76 mM), inhibited thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH)-induced prolactin (PRL) secretion. The sustained (extracellular calcium-dependent) phase of PRL secretion was 70 f 7% inhibited by the highest concentration of halothane tested (0.76 mM); 50% inhibition was produced by x0.4 mr.! halothane. The early (largely inositol trisphosphate-mediated) phase of secretion was less sensitive to halothane; 0.76 mM halothane produced 16 + 2% inhibition of the early phase of secretion. Consistent with these observations, halothane inhibited (IC,, = 0.45 mM) the sustained phase of the TRH-induced rise in intracellular calcium ([Ca*+]J to a greater extent than the initial [Ca*+p by 66 f 6%. These data indicate that halothane inhibits secretagogue-stimulated PRL secretion by reducing the elevation of [Ca2+li produced by calcium (Caz+) influx. The effects of halothane on average resting membrane potential and on the average KCI- and TRH-induced membrane depolarization were measured to determine if alterations in membrane potential might be responsible for the effect of halothane on the secretagogue-induced elevations of [Ca2+li. In nimodipine-treated cells, it was found that halothane neither altered resting membrane potential nor affected TRH- or KCI-induced depolarization. These findings support the view that halothane can act to inhibit the phys
The UX book: Process and guidelines for ensuring a quality user experience by Rex Hartson and Pardha A. Pyla, San Diego: Morgan Kaufmann. 2012.

Immediately, the Preface and introduction of Rex Hartson and Pardha A. Pyla's (2012) co-authored The UX Book: Process and Guidelines for Ensuring a Quality User Experience, grounds the reader in a specific overview of the practical and pedagogical components of the UX design process. The practical aspect of the text centers on what the authors call the UX lifecycle, a highly structured framework that orchestrates the many different design and evaluative stages of system or product completion. The pedagogical approach of the text is an awareness of audience that translates into a customizable book. Both authors encourage their readers to decide what parts of the text are of interest and to focus on those sections only. Central to the text's overall approach is the refrain "user experience is more than usability" (pg. xi). Within this approach, for instance, Hartson and Pyla address some of the ineffective metaphors that cloud or muddle the UX lifecycle process. Previous models often rely on testing, or lab-based metaphors that fail to generate a quality user experience. With the rise of design-oriented techniques today, the development process has been wrested from previously-held beliefs that a system or product can be generated independent of the user's environment.
Clustering for improved system-level functional partitioning

Abstract: Partitioning of system functionality for implementation among multiple system components, such as among hardware and software components, is becoming an increasingly important topic. Various heuristics can accomplish such partitioning. We demonstrate that clustering can be used to merge pieces of functionality before applying other heuristics, resulting in reduced runtimes with little or no loss in quality, and often with improvements in quality. In addition, we show that clustering, when used for N-way partitioning, fills the gap between fast heuristics and highly-optimizing heuristics.
Inhibition of Staphylococcal Wound Infection and Potentiation of Antibiotic Prophylaxis by a Recombinant Fragment of the Fibronectin-Binding Protein of Staphylococcus aureus

Adherence of Staphylococcus aureus to host tissues is a critical step for colonization and initiation of infection. The fibronectin-binding proteins (FnBPs) of S. aureus have been implicated in adherence and internalization in nonprofessional phagocytes. A recombinant fragment of the fibronectin-binding domains (rFnBF) that potently inhibits S. aureus entry into host cells was generated. To test the hypothesis that rFnBF may attenuate the establishment of infection, the ability of intermuscularly administered rFnBF to prevent abscess formation was determined in a guinea pig model of wound infection. rFnBF exhibited dose-dependent inhibition of abscess formation and, at a 100-microg dose, raised the median infective dose approximately 170-fold, compared with the control. In addition, rFnBF potentiated the benefit of prophylaxis with cefazolin. Thus, exogenous administration of the fibronectin-binding domain of FnBP reduces the risk of staphylococcal abscess formation and should be investigated further as a novel agent for prevention of wound infection.
Breaking an improved password authenticated key exchange protocol for imbalanced wireless networks

Yeh et al. (2003) proposed a password-authenticated key exchange protocol which is claimed to be an improvement of Zhu et al.'s (2002) password-authenticated key exchange protocol to defend against the so-called undetectable on-line password guessing attack. In this paper, we show that the improved protocol of Yeh et al. is insecure. In fact, an adversary can recover the password, off-line, by executing a single run of the improved protocol. We also point out the misconception of the so-called undetectable on-line password guessing attack.
Leadership for IT in Schools

Technology leadership is a significant predictor of effective IT use in classrooms. The desired outcome should be an effective learning environment for teachers in which they can develop their technology-enhanced instructional practices. Such an environment involves IT leaders working together to determine a vision for IT use and to provide the necessary learning opportunities and organizational support to make it happen. IT leadership should be thought of as a school-level characteristic that is carried out by teams.
Technologies for Lifelong Kindergarten

In kindergartens and early-elementary classrooms, manipulative materials (such as Cuisenaire Rods and Pattern Blocks) play an important role in childrens learning, enabling children to explore mathematical and scientific concepts (such as number, shape, and size) through direct manipulation of physical objects. But as children grow older, and learn more advanced concepts, the educational focus shifts away from direct manipulation to more abstract formal methods. This paper discusses a new generation of computationally enhanced manipulative materials, called digital manipulatives, designed to radically change this traditional progression. These new manipulatives (such as programmable building bricks and communicating beads) aim to enable children to continue to learn with a kindergarten approach even as they grow olderand also to enable young children to learn concepts (in particular, systems concepts such as feedback and emergence) that were previously considered too advanced for them.
Levoatriocardinal Vein and Mimics: Spectrum of Imaging Findings

OBJECTIVE. This article focuses on the embryology, hemodynamics, and CT and MRI features of levoatriocardinal vein. Levoatriocardinal vein, a form of pulmonary systemic connection, is most commonly seen in left heart obstructive lesions, providing an alternative egress for pulmonary venous blood. CONCLUSION. Levoatriocardinal vein can be differentiated from other more common anomalies, such as anomalous pulmonary venous return, persistent left superior vena cava, and dilated left superior intercostal vein, by its distinctive imaging features.
A visual approach to investigating shared and global memory behavior of CUDA kernels

We present an approach to investigate the memory behavior of a parallel kernel executing on thousands of threads simultaneously within the CUDA architecture. Our top-down approach allows for quickly identifying any significant differences between the execution of the many blocks and warps. As interesting warps are identified, we allow further investigation of memory behavior by visualizing the shared memory bank conflicts and global memory coalescence, first with an overview of a single warp with many operations and, subsequently, with a detailed view of a single warp and a single operation. We demonstrate the strength of our approach in the context of a parallel matrix transpose kernel and a parallel 1D Haar Wavelet transform kernel.
On a monotone empirical Bayes test in a positive exponential family

This paper studies a monotone empirical Bayes test δn* for testing H0:θ≤θ0 against H1:θ>θ0 for the positive exponential family f(x|θ)=c(θ)u(x)exp (−x/θ), x>0, using a weighted quadratic error loss. We investigate the convergence rate of the empirical Bayes test δn*. It is shown that the regret of δn* converges to zero at a rate O(n−1), where n is the number of past data available when the present testing problem is considered. Errors regarding the rate of convergence claimed in Gupta and Li (J. Stat. Plan. Inference, 129: 3–18, 2005) are addressed.
Post‐fire bryophyte establishment in a continental bog

Abstract Questions: What is the mechanism of bog ground layer colonization post-fire? Is species colonization stochastic or does facilitation occur? Location: Boreal bog peatland near Crow Lake, Alberta, Canada. Methods: Diaspore-addition treatments were applied in 2003 to autoclaved peat samples from high and low microtopographic positions within a recently burned bog. Colonization was assessed within the plots in 2005 and compared to control plots to determine treatment success and patterns of colonization. Results: A significant degree of ground layer colonization was found two years after fire, with Polytrichum strictum dominating the site. Colonization was greater in low (wet) plots, although only P. strictum and Sphagnum angustifolium had significant colonization. No effect of diaspore addition was observed and Sphagnum was only found in conjunction with P. strictum. Conclusions: Environmental conditions and species life history strategy are more important than diaspore availability for post-fire co...
THE PSYCHOLOGICAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF USING A THERAPY DOG IN MINDFULNESS TRAINING

ABSTRACTThe present study was a randomized controlled trial examining the psychological and physiological effects of adding animal-assisted therapy (AAT) to a modified Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction program (MBSR) for clients experiencing psychological distress. It was hypothesized that AAT would complement mindfulness-based interventions because the therapy dog will provide a focus for attention to the current experience and exemplify acceptance and “being,” enabling the understanding and practice of the main aspects of mindfulness. Participants (n=21) were randomly assigned to an MBSR or MBSR+AAT group and then completed an intervention consisting of six 50-minute individual therapy sessions. Each session included didactic and experiential components modified for delivery with or without a certified therapy dog. State and trait mindfulness, psychological distress measures, blood pressure, and heart rate were assessed at each session. Results indicate that all participants experienced fewer anxiety a...