cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Incoherent scatter radar measurements of electron density and ion velocity during an isolated substorm

Abstract A study of the average pattern of F-region plasma densities and velocities measured by the Chatanika incoherent scatter radar has previously suggested that the main ionospheric F-region trough is formed in the evening sector by the westward transport of plasma under the influence of convective electric fields. This paper examines the role of convective electric fields on the electron density profile and the formation of the F-region density trough for a particular night. Incoherent scatter radar data from Chatanika are presented. On 25 May 1972 an isolated substorm occurred near 0900 UT after a long period of magnetic quiet. The substorm was manifested at Chatanika, in the evening sector, by a small positive bay and a concurrent onset of westward motion of plasma associated with a rapid decrease in the F-layer electron density in the region of the moving plasma. Analysis of plasma densities and velocities during this event indicates that 1. (1) temporal changes of plasma motion are associated with changes in the convective electric field pattern in response to substorm activity 2. (2) the electric field pattern created a north-south gradient in the F-layer electron density which is interpreted as the formation of the ionospheric trough near its equatorward edge, and 3. (3) large scale electron density fluctuations were observed in the evening sector resulting from westward travelling density variations originating in the midnight sector. The study emphasizes the complexity, and difficulty in interpretation, of single station auroral zone measurements of the F-region ionosphere.
Structural shape optimization for the torsion problem using direct integration and B-splines

Abstract A method to optimize the cross-sectional shape of a prismatic bar under Saint-Venant's torsion using direct integration of the integral equations is developed. The problems of torsional rigidity maximization and mass minimization are handled. The shape of the cross-section is described by B -spline curves. The optimization is carried out by a dual method of mathematical programming. Direct differentiation of the equations is used for the sensitivity analysis. Numerical examples demonstrate the application of the algorithm.
New methods to determine the CNS effects of antigeriatric compounds: EEG topography and glucose use

Buchsbaum, M.S., J. Cappelletti, R. Coppola, F. Regal, A. C. King, and D. P. van Kammen: New methods to determine the CNS effects of antigeriatric compounds: EEG topography and glucose use. Drug Dev. Res. 2:489–496, 1982. It has previously been possible to measure regional glucose use in the cerebral cortex in animals only with autoradiographic techniques. With the advent of position emission tomography (PET) using (18F-2DG) 18F-2-deoxyglucose, it is now possible to assess local glucose uptake in μmol/100 g tissue/min in normal volunteers or patients. The PET technique is complex and costly and cannot be repeated frequently because of the radiation dosage. However, local glucose use is closely tied to cerebral blood flow, and studies have related blood flow to EEG frequency measures. In this study, we have simultaneously investigated local glucose metabolism using 18F-2DG with PET and EEG frequency with 16-lead topographic mapping in six normal controls. Subjects sat in an acoustically treated darkened room with eyes closed for 10 min prior to, and 30 min following injection of 3–5 mCi 18F-2DG. Following uptake, seven to eight horizontal scans parallel to the canthomeatal line were made. EEG recordings are made beginning 1 min after injection of the isotope and continuing for 30 min with 12 standard 10/20 system points on the left hemisphere and midline, and 4 additional points between existing posterior leads. Ten-second EEG epochs are edited for artifacts and then analyzed by fast Fourier transform techniques. Using a cross-sectional whole-head atlas, a standardized, approximately equal-area two-dimensional representation of a lateral view of the brain was developed and 10/20 system scalp coordinates were projected onto it. EEG power estimates are interpolated for all points on this brain map. Using digital techniques, a 1-cm-thick cortical strip is peeled off each PET, slice and conformed to the lateral brain view, and values between strips are interpolated. The result is two simultaneously obtained electrophysiologic and metabolic lateral views of brain function displayed in gray-scale values represented by dot density. In some subjects with eyes closed, alpha power is high in low glucose-use regions, such as the occiput. Temporal regions appear low both in glucose use and in most power bands. Parallels between alpha distribution and glucose use are illustrated.
Probiotics: Application of “healthy” bacteria to liver transplant recipients

Bacterial infections frequently occur early after liver transplantation. We recently reported significant progress with a synbiotic composition, consisting of one lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and one fiber, which reduced the infection rate from 48% (with selective bowel decontamination) to 13%. Now, our aim is to study if a combination of different LAB and fibers would further improve outcome. A prospective randomized double-blind trial was undertaken in 66 liver transplant recipients. All patients received enteral nutrition immediately post-operatively. Comparison was made between one group (A) receiving a composition of four LAB and four fibers and another group (B) receiving the fibers only. The treatment started the day before surgery and continued for 14 days. Thirty-day infection rate, length of hospital stay, duration of antibiotic therapy, non-infectious complications and side effects of enteral nutrition were recorded. The incidence of post-operative bacterial infections was significantly reduced; being 48% with only fibers and 3% with LAB and fibers. In addition, the duration of antibiotic therapy was significantly shorter in the latter group. In both groups, mainly mild or moderate infections occurred. Fibers and LAB were well tolerated. Early enteral nutrition supplemented with a mixture of LAB and fibers reduces bacterial infection rates following liver transplantation. Treatment with only fibers led to a low incidence of severe infections.
Moving finite element analysis for two-dimensional frictionless contact problems

Abstract A moving finite element analysis is presented to tackle two-dimensional elastic contact problems with absence of slipping and friction between the contact bodies. In addition to the governing equation, the interface equation is also extracted by application of the principle of minimum potential energy. The interface equation may be used to determine the unknown location of the marginal node separating the non-contact and contact regions. After the described transformation is introduced, nodal points in the finite element mesh are fixed in the transformed plane, although they are in fact traveling within the undeformed geometry in the physical plane. The incremental and uncoupled moving finite element scheme is also presented. Several examples are used to demonstrate the accuracy of the numerical scheme.
Health and safety implications of alternative energy technologies. I. Geothermal and biomass

An evaluation of potential occupational and public health aspects of geopressure, hydrothermal, hot dry rock, silviculture, crop and animal residues, fermentable plant products, municipal waste, and plantation energy technologies has been performed. Future development of these energy options in the United States will contain hazards that could easily be eliminated by safer equipment design and common-sense attention to operation and maintenance. Occupational exposure to hydrogen sulfide gas occurs near all geothermal sites and wherever organic matter decomposes anaerobically. Respiratory damage has occurred to laborers in geothermal fields, while farm workers have been fatally overcome when employed near agitating liquid manure systems. However, the most frequent and severe of reported injuries to geothermal workers is dermal exposure to caustic sludges produced by H2S abatement systems. Principal health and safety considerations of biomass pathways are directly related to the diffuse nature of solar energy fixation by photosynthesis and subsequent transfer to animal food chains. Since the potential fuel is in an unconcentrated form, cultivation, harvest, and transport are necessarily laborintensive. Thus, a significant potential for occupational injuries and fatalities exists. Of all biomass systems evaluated, direct burning of solid fuels presents the greatest public health risk. Data are presented to characterize the population at risk and the frequency and severity of injuries.
Operator trigonometry of multivariate finance

We inquire into an operator-trigonometric analysis of certain multi-asset financial pricing models. Our goal is to provide a new geometric point of view for the understanding and analysis of such financial instruments. Among those instruments which we examine are quantos for currency hedging, spread options for multi-asset pricing, portfolio rebalancing under stochastic interest rates, Black-Scholes volatility models, and risk measures.
Psychological Health From the Teens to the 80s: Multiple Developmental Trajectories

Data from the long-term Intergenerational Studies are used to explore men’s and women’s psychological health trajectories from early adolescence to late adulthood, as elucidated by Nagin’s (Group-based modeling of development. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA, 2005) finite mixture modeling method. Two separate measures of psychological health, one from the California Q-sort (CQS; Block in The Q-sort method in personality assessment and psychiatric research. Thomas, Springfield, IL, 1961) and one from the California Psychological Inventory (CPI; Gough and Bradley in CPI manual, 3rd edn. Consulting Psychologists Press, Palo Alto, CA, 1996) are used, with a maximum of six pooled points of data collection. Distinct subtypes of developmental trajectory are uncovered, including patterns of nearly life-long trajectories of stability, as well as trajectories of increasing psychological health. For both measures of psychological health, the most common path (53% for CQS data, and 46% for CPI data) is that of relatively high initial psychological health with a subsequent modest linear increase. Results from the two measures neither perfectly replicate nor completely contradict one another. Both indicate the existence of discrete subgroups of change, including stability of psychological health for some and significant increase for others.
Protein phosphorylation associated with stimulation of rabbit gastric glands.

Changes in protein phosphorylation associated with stimulation of acid secretion were investigated using isolated rabbit gastric glands labeled with 32P. The glands were stimulated by 100 microM histamine plus either 10 microM forskolin or 50 microM isobutylmethylxanthine, homogenized, and fractionated into a series of pellets: 40 X g, 5 min; 4000 X g, 10 min; 14,500 X g, 10 min; 48,200 X g, 90 min (microsomes); and supernatant. Stimulation induced a redistribution of H+/K+-transporting ATPase among the membrane fractions, i.e., a reduction in activity of the microsomal fraction, and a compensatory increase in the 4000 X g fraction. Further subfractionation of the 4000 X g pellet by Ficoll density gradient produced an 18% Ficoll layer, greatly enriched in the H+/K+-ATPase, and which is thought to be rich in apical membranes of parietal cells. SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed that the amount of 94 kDa peptide (the molecular size of the H+/K+-ATPase) was increased in the 18% Ficoll layer and decreased in the microsomal fraction by stimulation. Analysis of autoradiograms of the gels revealed that apparent changes in level of phosphorylation occurred in the 120, 94 and 80 kDa regions of the 18% Ficoll layer, and in the 94 kDa region of the microsomal fraction. The phosphorylation changes in the 94 kDa region may not reflect changes in specific activity of a single peptide but may be due to the heterogeneity of proteins in this region, which was demonstrated by selective heat treatment of the samples as well as two-dimensional electrophoresis. Phosphorylation of 120 kDa protein in the 18% Ficoll layer was clearly increased by stimulation, and this appeared to be associated with protein distribution changes as well as phosphorylation. The 80 kDa protein in the 18% Ficoll layer showed marked increased phosphorylation by stimulation, with little change in protein distribution. This 80 kDa protein was focused on two-dimensional gels as several sequential spots, with the most radioactive peptide focused toward the acidic side; thus, we propose isomeric forms of an 80 kDa protein with sequential phosphorylation sites. The phosphorylation changes observed in this study are considered to be important to the process of gastric acid secretion because they occurred in the putative apical membrane fractions in which biochemical and functional changes with stimulation have been demonstrated.
Gridding Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter data with GMT: effects of pixel size and interpolation methods on DEM integrity

Abstract High-resolution digital elevation models (DEMs) based on Mars orbiter laser altimeter (MOLA) data provide geospatial characterizations of Martian topography. MOLA range data are essentially two-dimensional topographic profiles. Transforming these profile data into three-dimensional DEMs requires the interpolation of a continuous surface between MOLA observations. To this end, we outline a method of generating MOLA-based DEMs using the generic mapping tools (GMT) software suite. The percentage of interpolated data within these DEMs is a function of the spatial density of the MOLA observations and is shown to vary inversely with the pixel size of the DEM. We test the relative accuracy of our DEMs by comparing interpolated elevation values against coincident MOLA observations. Tests are conducted on MOLA-based DEMs containing ∼98% interpolated data at a resolution of 200 pixel/°. Our results yield average elevation differences and standard deviations for the interpolated surfaces that are comparable to the uncertainty of the original MOLA data. Based on these findings, we conclude that the GMT interpolation routines produce meaningful high-resolution MOLA-based DEMs.
Structural and physical properties of transparent conducting, amorphous Zn-doped SnO2 films

number (CN) smaller by 2%‐3% than that in c-SnO2, indicating the presence of oxygen vacancies, which are the likely source of charge carriers. At lower pO2, the a-ZTO films show a brownish tint and contain some 4-fold coordinated Sn 2þ ions. Under no circumstances is the CN around the Zn 2þ ion larger than 4, and the Zn-O bond is shorter than the Sn-O bond by 0.07A ˚ . The addition of Zn has no impact on the electroneutrality but improves significantly the thermal stability of the films. Structural changes due to pO2, composition, and thermal annealing account well for the changes in the physical properties of a-ZTO films. V C 2014 AIP Publishing LLC.
Generalized Einstein relations for ions in molecular gases

Abstract Generalized Einstein relations (GER) connecting ion diffusion coefficients with the mobility are extended to include internal degrees of freedom and inelastic collisions. The Boltzmann equation is solved by means of a four-temperature theory that includes as parameters the gas temperature, two translational ion temperatures, and one internal ion temperature. The results reduce in the limit of elastic collisions to those obtained by Waldman and Mason from a three-temperature theory. In addition, an analytic procedure is developed for the calculation of the unobservable ion temperatures and correction terms that appear in the GER. The analytic procedure is checked by comparison with numerical results and experimental data for the elastic-collision limit. The general results are tested numerically with an inelastic two-state model and with a semiempirical analysis of experimental results on K+ in H2 and N2. More details on ion-molecule inelastic collisions are needed for further progress.
Selection of healthy and nuclear polyhedrosis virus infectedAnticarsia gemmatalis [Lep.: Noctuidae] as prey by nymphalNabis roseipennis [Hemiptera: Nabidae] in laboratory and on soybean

Nabis roseipennis Reuter nymphs demonstrated a preference for nuclear polyhedrosis virus (NPV) — infected over healthyAnticarsia gemmatalis Hubner larvae when offered a choice of larval prey in Petri dishes and on soybean. In Petri dishes, small (second-third instar) and large (fifth-sixth instar) nymphs attacked a significantly greater number of diseased than healthy larvae at all larval instars tested (first-fifth instars) and exposure periods (2, 5 and 24 h), except that at 2 h the number of 1st and 3rd instar larvae attacked by large nymphs did not differ significantly (P≤0.05).
ADVANCES IN NEUROIMAGING ALLOW PROSPECTIVE STUDY OF HUMAN BRAIN DEVELOPMENT

The onset of schizophrenia symptoms in late adolescence implies a neurodevelopmental trajectory for the disease. Indeed, the GABAergic inhibitory system shows protracted development and GABAergic deficits are widely replicated in post-mortem schizophrenia studies. We examined expression of several interneuron markers across postnatal human development and in schizophrenia to determine whether protracted development of certain interneuron subpopulations may make them particularly vulnerable in schizophrenia. Method: RNA was extracted from the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex of individuals (n=68) at developmental ages from 6 weeks to 49 years, and from a cohort consisting of controls and schizophrenia subjects (n=37 pairs). Expression levels of parvalbumin, cholecystokinin, somatostatin, neuropeptide Y, calretinin, calbindin, and vasoactive intestinal peptide were measured by quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. Western blots were used to examine changes in parvalbumin and calretinin protein levels. Results: Interneuron marker genes followed one of three general expressionprofiles, either increasing (parvalbumin, cholecystokinin) or decreasing (somatostatin, calretinin, neuropeptide Y) in expression over postnatal life with themost dramatic changes seenwithin the first decade of life before reaching a plateau; or a dynamic pattern increasing topeakexpressionat toddler age, thendecreasing (calbindin, vasoactive intestinal peptide). Expressionof all interneuronmarker genes,with the exception of calbindin (which increased), showed a significant reduction (between 8 31%) in schizophrenia. Somatostatin showed the most dramatic reduction (31%) in schizophrenia. Conclusions: Developmental changes in interneuron marker mRNAs extends well into school age suggesting that the inhibitory system takes years to mature in humans. It appears that a developmentally heterogeneous population of interneurons is affected in schizophrenia. Further studies will be required to determine if specific interneuron subpopulations are altered in schizophrenia or if common or distinct upstream pathways are responsible for the interneuron deficits in schizophrenia.
The reductive alkylation of Illinois No. 6 coal. Factors governing the reductive alkylation reaction in ethereal solvents

Abstract The reductive alkylation of Illinois No. 6 coal has been investigated to determine the experimental conditions that are most suitable for the conversion of the coal to an alkylated product that is soluble in tetrahydrofuran. Thermodynamic and kinetic factors influence the reactivity of the reducing agent; potassium is the most effective alkali metal. The reduction potentials of the aromatic hydrocarbons used as electron transfer agents dictate the effectiveness of these reagents; biphenyl and naphthalene are more suitable reagents than anthracene. The alkylation reaction is a kinetically controlled S N 2 process and reactive reagents such as primary alkyl iodides and sulphonates are necessary for complete alkylation reactions. Under the most suitable conditions, potassium, naphthalene, and straight-chain butyl iodide allow the conversion of almost 90 wt% of Illinois No. 6 coal to products that are soluble in tetrahydrofuran.
Age of sexual debut among US adolescents

Abstract Background This study examined gender and racial/ethnic differences in sexual debut. Study Design We analyzed 1999–2007 data from the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS), a cross-sectional, nationally representative survey of students in Grades 9–12 established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Kaplan–Meier method was used to compute the probability of survival (not having become sexually active) at each year (age 12 through 17), and separate estimates were produced for each level of gender and racial/ethnic group. Results African-American males experienced sexual debut earlier than all other groups (all tests of significance at p Conclusions These results demonstrate a need for sexual education programs and policy to be sensitive to the roles of race and ethnicity in sexual debut.
P‐73: Objective Evaluations of Manipulating Algorithms on FPD by a 2D‐Colorimeter

Comparisons of CIE-Lab histograms of tested images on FPDs were performed by measurements with a 2D-colorimeter. The images were generated by manipulating original images according to FPD characteristics, correlated color temperature, lightness, and saturation. Experiments show that this method provides quantitative and intuitional data for assessments of the manipulating algorithms.
Haemophilus parainfluenzae prosthetic valve endocarditis complicated by septic emboli to brain

A 51-year-old man with a history of injection drug use presented to the emergency roomwith fevers, chills and headaches. Five months earlier, he had undergone bioprosthetic aortic valve replacement for infective endocarditis owing to Corynebacterium auricumosum involving a bicuspid aortic valve. Blood cultures obtained during current hospitalisation grew Haemophilus parainfluenzae and patient underwent a transesophageal echocardiogram that revealed a large mitral valve vegetation. Owing to persistent headache and right lower extremity weakness, MRI of the brain was performed which demonstrated multifocal, acute infarctions secondary to septic embolisation. He was initiated on parenteral antibiotics and experienced no further neurological setbacks. After 2 weeks of antibiotic therapy, he underwent bioprosthetic aortic and mitral valve replacement, aortic root debridement and replacement, and reconstruction of the intravalvular fibrosa without complication. He was discharged to a skilled nursing facility to complete six more weeks of intravenous ceftriaxone.
Caring for the Bariatric Obstetric Patient

Childbearing Poster Presentation Purpose for the Program Every year, more than 25,000 families nationwide experience the stillbirth of an infant with more than 50% of those deaths occurring during the third trimester. In Delaware, 70% of the women who participated in maternal interviews through the fetal infant mortality review, reported that they had not been educated on fetal movement, nor was there documentation of education on fetal movement in their medical records.
Constant Ventricular Drainage: Pitfalls and Variables Technical Note

After observing the erratic performance of a commercially available ventricular drainage system, we examined the hydrostatic pressure exerted by the system as a function of the volume of fluid within the drainage bag (at a constant height). Initially, 3 to 4 cm more than the expected 27 cm of height was required to achieve a drainage pressure of 20 mm Hg. As the volume of fluid increased, there was an initial precipitous fall from the 20 mm Hg preset pressure to 14 to 16 mm Hg; this pressure differential increased as the volume of drained fluid increased. Removal of air from the drainage bag resulted in an additional decrement in the observed hydrostatic pressure. These decrements in pressure were not apparent with another commercially available bag used commonly for ventricular drainage. We therefore recommend that, if ventricular drainage is to be accomplished against a constant hydrostatic pressure head, the system should be configured so that the actual hydrostatic pressure against which drainage occurs can be measured quickly and easily. The system should be checked at frequent intervals as the ventricular drainage bag fills. We note additional pitfalls in use of constant ventricular drainage and suggest solutions.
Influences of weather on Ixodes scapularis nymphal densities at long-term study sites in Connecticut

Tick species worldwide are implicated in transmission of pathogens that cause mild to severe diseases in humans and livestock. Although tick population densities are often highly correlated with tick-borne disease rates, we currently know little about which factors underlie annual changes in those tick population densities. We used a 25-year dataset of Ixodes scapularis drag-sampling surveys at two locations in CT, USA, to investigate the relationship between average nymphal density from mid-May to mid-August and monthly, lagged regional weather variables. The dataset was randomly split into two data subsets, one for hypothesis development and one for hypothesis testing. Nymphal density showed the strongest association with the Standardized Precipitation Index for January of the same year that density data were collected in the analysis based on the hypothesis development data subset. This association was positive; nymphal tick density increased with regional winter precipitation. Nymphal density was positively associated with this same weather variable in the hypothesis testing data subset. Weather conditions during the coldest months of the year may serve as a bottleneck to tick populations, thereby functioning as an important correlate of not only annual blacklegged tick nymphal densities the following summer, but also entomological risk associated with tick-borne pathogens transmitted by this species.
The Detection of Respiratory Syncytial Virus Antigen in Low Birth Weight Neonates 1454

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) can be a very devastating nosocomial infection within the confines of the neonatal intensive care unit. Precautions to protect other low birth weight infants must be taken when this infection is present. The diagnosis of this infection however, its based upon antigen detection using enzyme immunoassay (EIA) or culture. We postulated that the EIA test does not work well in this population. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the sensitivity of RSV antigen detection to culture using EIA in low birth weight infants. Records of all RSV EIA tests ordered from the neonatal intensive care unit from the winters of 1990-1991 thru 1996-1997 were obtained. Patients were eligible for inclusion if they weighed less than 2000 grams at the time of evaluation. Patient demographic data and the source of the specimen (TA vs NP) were gathered. RSV EIA and RSV culture results were obtained and the sensitivity of this laboratory examination was calculated. Eighty-seven patients were identified while 29 were > 2000 grams and 6 patient records could not be found. Fifty-two patients were eligible for the study.These 52 patients underwent 68 evaluations for RSV. This cohort of patients had a mean birth weight and gestational age of 978 grams(range:590-1972) and 27 weeks (range:23-36). All patients were evaluated because of the development of respiratory symptoms at a mean age of 36 days(range:2-148). The mean weight at the time of evaluation was 1253 grams(range:650-1964). Fifty had negative EIA and culture (25-NP), 7 had positive EIA (5-NP), and 11(5-NP) had negative EIA and positive cultures. The sensitivity of the EIA was 39%. The sensitivity of the EIA for all specimens submitted to our laboratory from the winters of 1992-1993 thru 1996-1997 was 75% (p < 0.01). The sensitivity of the RSV EIA was significantly lower in low birth weight neonates as compared to older children. Care should be taken in interpreting negative RSV EIA results in low birth weight patients.
Considering religion and mediatisation through a case study of J+K's big day (The J K wedding entrance dance): A response to Stig Hjarvard

This article reviews the strengths and weaknesses of Hjarvard's theory of the mediatisation of religion. By suggesting actor-network theory as a methodological approach to the study of the mediatisation of religion, this article proposes a case study of the viral wedding video, J K wedding entrance dance, to highlight problems with the assertion that the media are replacing or displacing religion's authoritative role in society. Drawing upon recent theories of how digital and mobile media are reshaping society by enabling participation, remediation and bricolage, I suggest instead that the media do not bring about secularisation, but rather that the media are contributing to a personalisation of what it means to be religious (or not). This article thus introduces an alternative definition to the concept of mediatisation: that mediatisation may be understood as the process by which collective uses of communication media extend the development of independent media industries and their circulation of narrati...
Dynamics of inter‐organizational knowledge creation and information technology use across object worlds: the case of an innovative construction project

Organizational research argues that under relational forms of governance a high degree of both information pooling and physical interaction are necessary for inter‐organizational knowledge creation. Yet, recent studies of information and communication technologies (ICTs) suggest that both practices at the same time are sometimes unnecessary. We address this discrepancy by developing a framework whereby the intensity and proportion of these inter‐organizational practices are affected by the object world congruence between designers within and across partnering firms, and the level to which a common information technology platform is embedded in their activity. Through a multi‐level case study of a Frank Gehry construction project we illustrate how designers with highly congruent object worlds, due to a strongly embedded common information technology platform, could jointly create knowledge despite decreased physical interaction. Conversely, designers from firms with incongruent object worlds or with congru...
Pathophysiology of acute pancreatitis: Evaluation of the effects and mode of action of indomethacin in experimental pancreatitis in dogs

Abstract Prostaglandins are known to affect vascular flow and the inflammatory response. Since acute pancreatitis involves both of these phenomena, we undertook studies using anesthetized mongrel dogs to investigate changes in blood pressure, cardiac output and pancreatic arterial flow for 6 hr in both normal animals (10 dogs) and following induction of acute pancreatitis (15 dogs). Indomethacin (5 mg/kg), which inhibits synthesis of prostaglandins, was then injected intravenously, and the animals were subsequently monitored for 2 hr. Results showed: (1) A significant fall in pancreatic arterial flow, relative to cardiac output, over the first 6 hr of the disease in the acute pancreatitis animals ( P P P
Transformation and activation of benzidine by oxidants of the inflammatory response.

Aromatic amines, such as benzidine (BZ), initiate bladder cancer in humans. Inflammation/infection play an important role in this cancer. This study was designed to assess the influence of inflammatory oxidants, including reactive nitrogen oxygen species (RNOS), on BZ transformation and activation. RNOS were generated under various conditions and reacted with BZ, and the products were examined by HPLC. Conditions that generate nitrogen dioxide radical, NO(2)(-) + myeloperoxidase + H(2)O(2) and ONOO(-), produced primarily a single new product, which was identified by MS as azobenzidine (AZO-BZ). The myeloperoxidase-catalyzed reaction was inhibited by 1 mM cyanide and did not require NO(2)(-). Chloride (100 mM) reduced the myeloperoxidase reaction by 30% with taurine having little effect. In contrast, conditions that generate N(2)O(3), i.e., NO donor diethylamine (DEA) NONOate, produced two products, which were identified by MS as 4'-OH-4-aminobiphenyl (4'-OH-ABP) and 4-aminobiphenyl (ABP). 2-(4-Carboxyphenyl)-4,4,5,5-tetramethylimidazoline-1-oxyl-3-oxide, an oxidant of NO thought to produce NO(2)(*), had a biphasic effect on product formation. At a concentration equal to DEA NONOate, a 5-fold increase in BZ nitrosation was observed, while at higher concentrations nitrosation was greatly diminished and formation of AZO-BZ occurred. Glutathione prevented RNOS transformation of BZ. With MPO and ONOO(-), a new product was formed that cochromatographed with 3-(glutathione-S-yl)BZ. Glutathione also prevented nitrosation of BZ but did not form additional BZ products. HOCl-mediated activation of BZ, 4'-OH-ABP, and ABP to bind DNA was assessed. A higher level of binding was observed at pH 5.5 than pH 7.4. BZ elicited the most binding. More binding was observed at both pH values with 4'-OH-ABP than ABP. Thus, components of the inflammatory response are capable of BZ transformation and activation.
Volume regulation and valve movements by marine mussels

Abstract 1. 1. Patterns of valve movements and volume regulating responses of intertidal and subtidal mussels of the genus Modiolus exposed changing environmental salinity were examined. The generality of the data was tested by using populations of mussels from Florida and Massachusetts. 2. 2. The activity of both intertidal and subtidal species of Modiolus , as measured by valve movements, was reduced when the animals were exposed to either a high or a low salinity. 3. 3. The valve movements appear to return to normal after a period of time dependent on the magnitude of the salinity change. 4. 4. The volume of water in the tissues varies, over the salinity range of each species, but only by a very small amount, compared to the magnitude of change of the external salinity. 5. 5. These species of Modiolus regulate their cellular volume, in dilute sea water, by solute extrusion, but in concentrated salinities, they show no volume control; simply losing water to the medium.
Granular thermal diffusion in flows of binary-sized mixtures

The revised Enskog theory was employed to analyze granular flows of binary-sized mixtures. The governing equations and constitutive relations were used to investigate granular thermal diffusion —a diffusion process resulting from the granular temperature gradient. The granular thermal diffusion causes the smaller or the lighter particles to concentrate in the region of the flow with higher granular temperature, and causes the larger or the heavier particles to concentrate in a region of lower granular temperature. A granular flow of binary mixtures in an oscillatory no-flow system and in a sheared system was examined, and indicated a complete segregation when the granular thermal diffusion was sufficiently large.
Stability of a-Si:H deposited at high temperatures and hydrogen dilution in a remote hydrogen plasma reactor

The electronic stability of a-Si:H deposited in a remote hydrogen plasma reactor at high temperatures (e.g., T D =400 o C) and hydrogen dilution (e.g., H 2 to SiH 4 ratio of 20:1) is significantly different from that of optimized electronic-grade films from rf glow discharge deposition. This is a previously unexplored «parameter space» that should be accessible to other deposition techniques
Fusion of focus of attention alternatives for FLIR imagery

A model-based vision (MBV) approach to automatic target cuing/recognition (ATC/R) using real infrared (IR) image data will be presented. The MBV-ATC/R is comprised of three parts: Focus of attention (FOA), indexing, and match/search. The FOA module analyzes the IR image and extracts (segments) regions of interest that may contain targets. The focus of this article will be on the FOA portion of the MBV-ATC/R approach. In particular, three methods of FOA will be optimized, compared, and fused. The first FOA module is a Least Asymmetrical Daubechies wavelet decomposition method. The second FOA module is a physiologically based Difference of Gaussians. The third FOA module is a Morphological hit- and-miss transform. The three FOA algorithms are individually optimized using a genetic algorithm. Then an adaptive pulse coupled neural network is used to fuse the results.
Closed-form solutions for feedback control with terminal constraints

The problem of closed-loop control of maneuvers between two states for linear dynamical systems, subject to an arbitrarily specified terminal state, is considered. The feedback controller design is based on finite-time quadratic regulator theory. Closed-form expressions for the optimal control law are developed. Solutions are presented for both conventional and smoothed control profiles with fixed and/or free end condition problems. In the maneuvers using control-rate penalties, smooth profiles are generated throughout the maneuvers in the sense that the initial condition jump discontinuities have been eliminated. Several examples involving large-angle maneuvers of a spacecraft are demonstrated. Results include control maneuvers from one state to another, such as rest to rest and spin to rest, which effectively justify the solutions developed in this paper.
Anion transport through polymer inclusion membranes facilitated by transition metal containing carriers

Abstract New polymer inclusion membrane (PIM) carriers to facilitate membrane transport of anions have been prepared consisting of bis(pyridylmethyl)amine compounds coordinated to transition metal ions (Fe3+, Cu2+, Zn2+). One of the carriers is based on a resorcinarene bonded to four bis(pyridylmethyl)amines. These carriers have been included in cellulose triacetate (CTA) based PIMs to study competitive transport among halides (F−, Cl−, Br−, I−) and oxoanions (SO42−, SeO42−, NO3− and ReO4−). Several compounds, tris(2-butoxyethyl) phosphate, dibutyl phthalate and ethylbenzoate, ethyl phthalyl ethyl glycolate and benzoic acid 2-ethoxyethyl ester, were used as plasticizers in the membranes to provide solubility of the metal carrier complexes. Separations were performed with and without antiport anions. Permeabilities of oxoanions increased with the use of 0.05 M KCl as an antiport solution. In some cases, Cl− was selectively transported over F−, Br− and I− in contradiction to the usual Hoffmeister-based selectivities. Excellent ReO4− transport over NO3−, SO42− and SeO42− was observed for certain systems. Permselectivity for ReO4−/NO3− was 312 for a PIM using ethyl phthalyl ethyl glycolate as plasticizer, zinc complex as carrier and an antiport solution of 0.05 M KCl.
Competitiveness across the life span: the feisty fifties.

Existing theories on life span changes in confidence or motivation suggest that individuals’ preferences to enter competitive situations should gradually decline with age. We examined competitive preferences in a field experiment using real financial stakes in 25- to 75-year-olds (N!543). The critical dependent variable was whether participants chose to perform a simple mental arithmetic task either under a piece-rate payment schedule (i.e., $.25 per solved item) or a competitive payment schedule ($.50 per solved item if the overall score is better than that of a randomly selected opponent, $0 otherwise). Results revealed that competitive preferencesincreasedacross the life span until they peaked around age 50, and dropped thereafter. We also found that throughout, men had a substantially larger preference for competing than women—extending previous findings on college-aged participants. The age/gender differences in preferences were neither accounted for by actual differences in performance nor individuals’ subjective confidence. This first systematic attempt to characterize age differences in competitive behavior suggests that a simple decline conception of competitiveness needs to be reconsidered.
Photoreceptor damage following exposure to excess riboflavin

Flavins generate oxidants during metabolism and when exposed to light. Here we report that the photoreceptor layer of retinas from black-eyed rats is reduced in size by a dietary regime containing excess riboflavin. The effect of excess riboflavin was dose-dependent and was manifested by a decrease in photoreceptor length. This decrease was due in part to a reduction in the thickness of the outer nuclear layer, a structure formed from stacked photoreceptor nuclei. These changes were accompanied by an increase in photoreceptor outer segment autofluorescence following illumination at 328 nm, a wavelength that corresponds to the excitation maxima of oxidized lipopigments of the retinal pigment epithelium.
Evaluation of Dry-Solids-Blend Material Source Variation on the Compressive Strength of a Cement-Based Waste form

A preliminary evaluation of the impact on waste-form performance characteristics due to variations in dry-solids-blend material source has been performed. The statistical treatment technique utilized for data evaluation, described herein, provides a technically sound method of comparing the effects of material source and can be used to assess the statistical significance of effects of other variables on waste-form characteristics.
EFFECTS OF PROBLEM REPRESENTATION AND FEEDBACK ON RATIONAL BEHAVIOR IN ALLAIS AND MORLAT‐TYPE PROBLEMS

This paper reports the results of an experiment which investigated the effects of various ways of structuring decision problems under uncertainty (viz, matrix, tree, versus word representations) and various forms of feedback (discussion versus non-discussion of prepared answers conforming to and deviating from the irrelevance of identical outcomes postulate) on consistent choice behavior (i.e., in accordance with this postulate) in the context of Allais and Morlat-type (A & M) problems. The special structure of A & M problems is especially useful for studying such behavior in that it presumably leads to a set of choices that violates this fundamental norm of decision theory. The experiment involved 134 industrial management undergraduates who gambled to improve their grades in a statistics course. The results showed that: (1) structuring such problems as “decision trees” or “decision matrices” had either a detrimental or no beneficial effect respectively on the number of consistent responses; while (2) discussion led to some improvement in consistency over no discussion. The implications of the findings for training in rational decision making are discussed.
Unsteady Transonic Flow Calculations for Two-Dimensional Canard-Wing Configurations

Unsteady transonic flow calculations for aerodv namically interfering airfoil configurations are performed as a first step toward solving the three-dimensional canard-wing interaction problem. These calculations are performed by extending the XTRAN2L two-dimensional unsteady transonic small-disturbance code to include an additional airfoil. Unsteady transonic forces due to plunge and pitch motions of a two-dimensional canard and wing are presented. Results for a variety of canard-wing separation distances reveal the effects of aerodynamic interference on unsteady transonic airloads. Aeroelastic analyses employing these unsteady airloads demonstrate the effects of aerodynamic interference on aeroelastic stability and flutter. For the configurations studied, increases in wing flutter speed result with the inclusion of the aerodynamically interfering canard. p C* D h k m M q qF
Structural Analysis of Red Blood Cell Aggregates Under Shear Flow

A set of measures of red blood cell (RBC) aggregates are developed and applied to examine the aggregate structure under plane shear and channel flows. Some of these measures are based on averages over the set of red blood cells which are in contact with each other at a given time. Other measures are developed by first fitting an ellipse to the planar projection of the aggregate, and then examining the area and aspect ratio of the fit ellipse as well as the orientations of constituent RBCs with respect to the fit ellipse axes. The aggregate structural measures are illustrated using a new mesoscale computational model for blood cell transport, collision and adhesion. The sensitivity of this model to change in adhesive surface energy density and shear rate on the aggregate structure is examined. It is found that the mesoscale model predictions exhibit reasonable agreement with experimental and theoretical data for blood flow in plane shear and channel flows. The new structural measures are used to examine the differences between predictions of two- and three-dimensional computations of the aggregate formation, showing that two-dimensional computations retain some of the important aspects of three-dimensional computations.
In Vivo Flow Cytometry: A New Method for Enumerating Circulating Cancer Cells

The fate of circulating tumor cells is an important determinant of their ability to form distant metastasis. Here, we demonstrate the use of in vivo flow cytometry as a powerful new method for detecting quantitatively circulating cancer cells. We specifically examine the circulation kinetics of two prostate cancer cell lines with different metastatic potential in mice and rats. We find that the cell line and the host environment affect the circulation kinetics of prostate cancer cells, with the intrinsic cell line properties determining the initial rate of cell depletion from the circulation and the host affecting cell circulation at later time points.
Proposed Testing Of Spectral Nonuniformity In PtSi Area Arrays

Recent work at the Rome Air Development Center (RADC)1 and elsewhere' has indicated that the performance of sensors based on staring focal plane arrays ultimately may be limited by their nonuniformity of response. It has been shown that simple addition and multiplication operations alone are not sufficient to remove all detector-to-detector response variations. Post-correction error remains, arising from the fact that the individual detector sensitivities do not necessarily differ by a simple constant, but rather can differ in a spectrally dependent fashion across the entire waveband of interest. Using the RADC linear model for a general focal plane array, the theoretical MWIR response of a 256x256 PtSi device is calculated, and the effects of uncompensated imaging are demonstrated. Initial lab testing of this device will employ a single-point (additive) compensation method. Mathematical analysis is presented that predicts the contrast signal-to-noise ratio (CSNR) one might expect with such a scheme. It is demonstrated that even modest amounts of spectral nonuniformity can seriously degrade the ability to resolve small temperature differences in a thermal scene. It is anticipated that actual device testing will begin soon, with the hope of being able to quantify the individual magnitudes of the additive, multiplicative, and spectral nonuniformities of the device.
Reflections on a critique

Critiques of scholarly research contain their own flaws; sometimes even more so than the work they are critiquing. Such is the case of the critique of our research authored by John Donohue and Jason Wolfers. Published in the Stanford Law Review their paper avoided the blind peer review process and consequently contains elements that undoubtedly would not have survived peer review. That possibility aside, we show that their alternative measures of criminal activity have no theoretical basis nor any empirical precedent within the modified portfolio approach employed in our research. Putting even that aside, we show that their empirical results are not inconsistent with ours. Thus, upon reflection, we see no justification to amend, modify or otherwise alter our methods or results.
Design and performance evaluation of wavelength-constrained optical time-slotted networks

We propose to design a wavelength-constrained Time-Wavelength-Interleaved Network (TWIN) that uses a non-reconfigurable core, and compare its performance to that of a Time-Wavelength-Switched Network (TWSN) which utilizes a fast reconfigurable switch.