cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evidence against increased glomerular pressure initiating diabetic nephropathy.

Evidence against increased glomerular pressure initiating diabetic nephropathy. Studies were carried out to determine whether exaggerated glomerular hydraulic pressure (P G ) initiates the development of glomerular pathology and proteinuria in insulin–dependent diabetic rats. Normotensive (WKY) and hypertensive rats (SHR) were made diabetic by streptozotocin injection. One group of SHR diabetic rats was treated with antihypertensive drugs to reduce blood pressure. One week after onset of diabetes, micropuncture determinations of PG, measured by stopped–flow technique, revealed that PG was higher in WKY diabetics than in non-diabetic WKY controls, and that PG was even higher in SHR diabetics (P G measured in two rats from each group after four months of diabetes was similar to values found after one week of diabetes. Semiquantitative histologic scoring of glomerular mesangial expansion after six months of diabetes failed to demonstrate any significant difference between the normotensive WKY diabetics and the hypertensive SHR diabetics. These observations suggest that elevated P G does not in itself initiate glomerular pathology or proteinuria in diabetes. Since the SHR diabetics did not have higher glomerular filtration rates than the WKY diabetics, the data do not exclude the possibility that glomerular pathology and proteinuria are causally related to high plasma flow or filtration rates. Lowering of blood pressure to hypotensive levels in SHR diabetics afforded protection against the development of early diabetic glomerulopathy.
Mechanism-based inactivation of cytochromes P450 2B1 and P450 2B6 by n-propylxanthate.

n-Propylxanthate (nPX) inactivated the 7-ethoxy-4-(trifluoromethyl)coumarin (7-EFC) O-deethylation activity of purified, reconstituted rat hepatic P450 2B1 or human P450 2B6 in a mechanism-based ma...
Community Policing and Community Building: A Case Study of Officer Perceptions

This research uses the responses from more than 500 officers serving a Midwestern city to understand their perceptions of themselves, fellow officers, the police department, neighborhood organizations, and the larger community in relation to community policing. Based on this data, the authors explore how community policing might be used to create a greater convergence of purpose among citizens, neighborhoods, organizations, and the broader well-being of the community. Findings indicate that officers doubt the ability of citizens to rise above their own self-interest, but they think that they and their fellow officers can do so. Furthermore, findings suggest the need for an overarching community agenda to prevent neighborhoods from becoming "civic cocoons" and to promote convergence of purpose between neighborhoods and the broader community. Finally, this research suggests that police departments that engage in transparent decision making that carefully balances departmental and community interests are better able to encourage this collaboration.
Dissociable effects of the noncompetitive NMDA receptor antagonists ketamine and MK-801 on intracranial self-stimulation in rats.

Rationale The noncompetitive NMDA antagonist ketamine produces rapid antidepressant effects in treatment-resistant patients suffering from major depressive and bipolar disorders. However, abuse liability is a concern.
Aquatic Ecosystem Response to Timber Harvesting for the Purpose of Restoring Aspen

The removal of conifers through commercial timber harvesting has been successful in restoring aspen, however many aspen stands are located near streams, and there are concerns about potential aquatic ecosystem impairment. We examined the effects of management-scale conifer removal from aspen stands located adjacent to streams on water quality, solar radiation, canopy cover, temperature, aquatic macroinvertebrates, and soil moisture. This 8-year study (2003–2010) involved two projects located in Lassen National Forest. The Pine-Bogard Project consisted of three treatments adjacent to Pine and Bogard Creeks: (i) Phase 1 in January 2004, (ii) Phase 2 in August 2005, and (iii) Phase 3 in January 2008. The Bailey Project consisted of one treatment adjacent to Bailey Creek in September 2006. Treatments involved whole tree removal using track-laying harvesters and rubber tire skidders. More than 80% of all samples analyzed for NO3-N, NH4-N, and PO4-P at Pine, Bogard, and Bailey Creeks were below the detection limit, with the exception of naturally elevated PO4-P in Bogard Creek. All nutrient concentrations (NO3-N, NH4-N, PO4-P, K, and SO4-S) showed little variation within streams and across years. Turbidity and TSS exhibited annual variation, but there was no significant increase in the difference between upstream and downstream turbidity and TSS levels. There was a significant decrease in stream canopy cover and increase in the potential fraction of solar radiation reaching the streams in response to the Pine-Bogard Phase 3 and Bailey treatments; however, there was no corresponding increase in stream temperatures. Macroinvertebrate metrics indicated healthy aquatic ecosystem conditions throughout the course of the study. Lastly, the removal of vegetation significantly increased soil moisture in treated stands relative to untreated stands. These results indicate that, with careful planning and implementation of site-specific best management practices, conifer removal to restore aspen stands can be conducted without degrading aquatic ecosystems.
Quickest seizure onset detection in drug-resistant epilepsy

Epilepsy affects 50 million people worldwide, and 30% remain drug-resistant. This has increased interest in responsive neurostimulation, which is assumed to be most effective when administered right at the seizure onset. We propose a novel framework for seizure onset detection that involves (i) constructing statistics from intracranial multichannel EEG signals (iEEG) to distinguish non-ictal vs. ictal states; (ii) modeling the dynamics of these statistics in each state and the state transitions; (iii) developing an optimal control-based “quickest detection” (QD) strategy to estimate the transition time from non-ictal to ictal states from sequential iEEG measurements. The QD strategy minimizes a cost function of detection delay and false positive probability. The solution is a threshold that non-monotonically decreases over time and avoids responding to rare events that normally trigger false positives. We applied QD to a preliminary dataset of two drug-resistant epileptic patients (87h continuous recordings, 34 and 28 electrodes, respectively, 5 seizures), and achieved 100% sensitivity with low false positive rates (0.16 false positive/h).
Dynamics of periodic and near-periodic structures

A brief review of linear waves and dynamic behavior of both periodic and near-periodic structures is presented in this paper. Emphasis is placed on a summary of more recent studies of engineering structures subject to wave motion and the effects of near-periodicity on their dynamic behavior. Conclusions drawn regarding linear waves and dynamics serve as a foundation for further investigation into the area of nonlinear waves and dynamics of these structures.
A Comparison of the Dynamical Relaxations in a Model for Glass Transition in Polymer Nanocomposites and Polymer Thin Films

We present the results of a facilitated kinetic Ising model based investigation of the confinement and filler-induced changes in the glass transition, fragility, and aging dynamics of a model system. This work is motivated by the issue of relationships, if any, in the glass transition phenomena of polymer nanocomposites and polymer thin films. Our results suggest that addition of plasticizing fillers lower the Tg and increase the fragility of the system, while antiplasticizing fillers have an opposite effect. Confinement arising in freely suspended films of both filled and unfilled systems were seen to reduce the overall Tg of the system. Confinement and filler-induced shifts in the Tg were not found to be quantitatively equivalent when compared at the appropriate film thicknesses and interparticle spacings. However, the fragilities exhibited a trend that suggests a closer quantitative equivalence between the PNCs and thin films. In all the cases we examined, the aging dynamics and nonequilibrium relaxati...
Effects of Two Planting Dates and Three Tillage Systems on the Abundance of Lesser Cornstalk Borer (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), Other Selected Insects, and Yield in Peanut Fields

The effect of planting date and tillage system on the abundance of several insects in ‘Florunner’ peanuts (Arachis hypogaea L.) was examined in a 2-yr replicated field experiment. Two planting dates (late May and mid-June) and three tillage systems (conventional, reduced, and burned stubble) were evaluated. The abundance of the lesser cornstalk borer, Elasmopalpus lignosellus (Zeller), elaterids, carabids, and labidurids was monitored weekly with pitfall traps. Counts of lesser cornstalk borer, labidurid, carabid, and elaterid varied with year. Counts of lesser cornstalk borers and carabids were significantly greater in 1986 than in 1987, whereas counts of elaterids and labidurids were greater in 1987. Approximately 1.9 times more lesser cornstalk borers were captured in traps from lateplanted peanuts in both years. Labidurid abundance was unaffected by planting date. Carabids were more abundant in late-planted peanuts in 1987, but planting date did not affect abundance in 1986 or when data from both years were combined. Tillage system did not affect the abundance of any of the insects monitored in either year. These experiments indicate that planting early should effectively decrease lesser cornstalk borer abundance in conventionally tilled and reduced-tillage peanuts.
Karl Marx and the Environment

(1972). Karl Marx and the Environment. The Journal of Environmental Education: Vol. 3, New Concepts and Clientele, pp. 39-42.
Electron Tomography in Plant Cell Biology

This review focuses on the contribution of electron tomography-based techniques to our understanding of cellular processes in plant cells. Electron microscopy techniques have evolved to provide better three-dimensional resolution and improved preservation of the subcellular components. In particular, the combination of cryofixation/freeze substitution and electron tomography have allowed plant cell biologists to image organelles and macromolecular complexes in their native cellular context with unprecedented three-dimensional resolution (4–7 nm). Until now, electron tomography has been applied in plant cell biology for the study of cytokinesis, Golgi structure and trafficking, formation of plant endosome/prevacuolar compartments, and organization of photosynthetic membranes. We discuss in this review the new insights that these tomographic studies have brought to the plant biology field.
Seasonal development and survival of equine cyathostome larvae on pasture in south Louisiana.

Abstract Cyathostome development and survival on pasture in subtropical climates of the US have yet to be completely defined and available data on seasonal transmission are minimal. In an attempt to study this phenomenon, a group of pony mares and their foals was maintained on a naturally contaminated pasture in southern Louisiana. Fecal egg counts (FEC) and numbers of infective third stage larvae (L 3 ) kg −1 dry herbage were recorded biweekly during two time periods, from January 1986 through December 1988, and September 1996 through October 1997. A FEC rise occurred during the late summer-early autumn which preceded the peak of L 3 on pasture during the winter season. The numbers of cyathostome L 3 were reduced during the hottest months of the year due mainly to daily minimum temperatures above 18°C, and in winter during short freezing spells when daily minimum temperatures dropped below 0°C. Tilling of the pasture reduced the number of cyathostome L 3 during the early winter months but this is an efficacious measure only if horses are given an effective anthelmintic treatment prior to being returned to pasture. The data collected suggest that parasite reduction in southern Louisiana is possible using a treatment program with treatment beginning at the end of September and continuing through the end of March.
Associational plant refuges: convergent patterns in marine and terrestrial communities result from differing mechanisms

An associational plant refuge occurs when a plant that is susceptible to herbivory gains protection from herbivory when it is associated with another plant. In coastal North Carolina, the abundance of the palatable red alga Gracilaria tikvahiae is positively correlated with the abundance of the unpalatable brown alga Sargassum filipendula during times of increased herbivore activity. To see if grazing by the sea urchin Arbacia punctulata could generate this pattern, controlled experiments were conducted in out-door microcosms and in the laboratory. Gracilaria beneath a canopy of Sargassum was eaten significantly less than Gracilaria alone. When Arbacia were excluded, Gracilaria alone grew significantly more than Gracilaria beneath Sargassum, demonstrating that Sargassum is a competitor of Gracilaria. Experiments investigating Sargassum's deterrent role indicated that Sargassum decreased the foraging range of Arbacia and the rate at which it fed on Gracilaria. Additional experiments with plastic Sargassum mimics indicated that the decreased grazing on Gracilaria was not a result of Sargassum morphology, but was probably attributable to some chemical characteristic of Sargassum. The pattern of increased grazing in monocultures (only Gracilaria present) versus polycultures (both Gracilaria and Sargassum present) demonstrated in this study also has been demonstrated for plant-insect interactions in terrestrial communities. In these communities, insect density is higher in monocultures than in polycultures because insects find and immigrate to monocultures more rapidly, and once in a monoculture, they emigrate from them less often than from polycultures. In this study, urchins did not find and immigrate to monocultures more rapidly, nor did they tend to stay in them once they were found; in fact, they emigrated from monocultures of Gracilaria more rapidly than from Gracilaria and Sargassum polycultures. Increased grazing in Gracilaria monocultures resulted from increased rates of movement and feeding of individual herbivores, not from increased herbivore density as has been reported for terrestrial systems.
Approximation of linear constant systems

In this paper two problems are considered, the problem of modeling a given constant linear system by a constant linear system of fixed lower order, and the problem of finding a filter of fixed order to estimate a time-invariant random process from a related time-invariant random process. A quadratic criterion is used to select the optimum system in both cases. It is shown that the filtering problem reduces to the problem of modeling the corresponding Wiener filter. Necessary conditions for a solution are developed and stated in terms of standard Wiener filter theory notation. Numerical solution of the equations embodying the necessary conditions is considered and several examples are presented.
Diseases of Pulmonary Surfactant Homeostasis

Pulmonary surfactant is required for adaptation to air breathing after birth, reducing surface tension at the air-liquid interface in the alveolus to maintain lung volumes during the respiratory cycle. Disorders of pulmonary surfactant homeostasis are associated with acute and chronic respiratory disease in infants and adults. Mutations in the surfactant protein genes encoding SP-B and SP-C cause severe respiratory failure in infancy and chronic interstitial lung disease in older individuals.
Testing the maximum entropy principle for information retrieval

A probabilistic information retrieval method using the Maximum Entropy Principle (MEP) was proposed by Cooper and Huizinga (1982). Several refinements of the MEP for information retrieval have been proposed by Kantor and Lee (1986, 1991), but the MEP has not been evaluated in any large database. This article examines the MEP retrieval method using the TREC5 database. The MEP is evaluated by several tests and compared with a naive ordering method and lexicographic ordering method. The MEP does not provide any startling improvement, and it works reasonably well only in the case of a small number of keys and a relatively small collection.
Epoxide-opening and group-transfer reactions mediated by monomeric zirconium imido complexes.

N-tert-Butylimidozirconocene (Cp2ZrNt-Bu) and its analogue (ebthi)ZrNAr (ebthi = ethylenebis(tetrahydroindenyl), Ar = 2,6-dimethylphenyl) undergo overall cycloaddition reactions at ambient temperature with epoxides that lack accessible β-hydrogens. The process results in addition of the ZrN bond to an epoxide CO bond, leading to azazirconacyclopentanes. The regio- and stereochemistry of the products implicate a stepwise mechanism, with the intermediacy of zwitterions having substantial carbocation character at the substituted carbon of the ring-opened epoxide-derived fragment. The azametallacycles undergo facile cleavage to β-amino alcohols upon addition of mild acid.
Performance analysis of three-dimensional ridge acquisition from live finger and palm surface scans

Fingerprints are one of the most commonly used and relied-upon biometric technology. But often the captured fingerprint image is far from ideal due to imperfect acquisition techniques that can be slow and cumbersome to use without providing complete fingerprint information. Most of the diffculties arise due to the contact of the fingerprint surface with the sensor platen. To overcome these diffculties we have been developing a noncontact scanning system for acquiring a 3-D scan of a finger with suffciently high resolution which is then converted into a 2-D rolled equivalent image. In this paper, we describe certain quantitative measures evaluating scanner performance. Specifically, we use some image software components developed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, to derive our performance metrics. Out of the eleven identified metrics, three were found to be most suitable for evaluating scanner performance. A comparison is also made between 2D fingerprint images obtained by the traditional means and the 2D images obtained after unrolling the 3D scans and the quality of the acquired scans is quantified using the metrics.
The isolated choroid plexus cyst.

Abstract Objective: To describe the karyotypes of a population of fetuses with choroid plexus cysts and compare affected fetuses with and without additional ultrasonographic findings. Methods: The study population included all patients undergoing second-trimester ultrasound examination in a prenatal diagnostic program between January 1993 and October 1995. The records of all cases in which a choroid plexus cyst was found were reviewed, and information was abstracted regarding the fetal karyotype and the presence of other sonographic abnormalities. Results: Two hundred ten cases of choroid plexus cysts were identified among 7617 patients (2.8%) who underwent second-trimester ultrasound examination. The majority of the cases (181, or 86%) involved isolated choroid plexus cysts and the remaining 29 (14%) were associated with additional ultrasonographic findings. Autosomal aneuploidy was found in one patient with an isolated choroid plexus cyst (trisomy 21) and in another with additional findings (trisomy 18); the mothers of both of these patients were at least 35 years old. For those fetuses with known outcome, the risk of aneuploidy with isolated choroid plexus cyst (one in 180) was not statistically significantly different from that associated with choroid plexus cyst accompanied by other sonographic findings (one in 26). More than 1000 fetuses with choroid plexus cysts would have to be studied to determine whether such a difference was real. Conclusion: Because of the rarity of aneuploidy, the reported risk for a fetus with an isolated choroid plexus cyst must be interpreted cautiously and should include the baseline risk.
Identification of folding preferences of cleavage junctions of HIV-1 precursor proteins for regulation of cleavability

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 protease (HIV-1 PR) cleaves two viral precursor proteins, Gag and Gag-Pol, at multiple sites. Although the processing proceeds in the rank order to assure effective viral replication, the molecular mechanisms by which the order is regulated are not fully understood. In this study, we used bioinformatics approaches to examine whether the folding preferences of the cleavage junctions influence their cleavabilities by HIV-1 PR. The folding of the eight-amino-acid peptides corresponding to the seven cleavage junctions of the HIV-1HXB2 Gag and Gag-Pol precursors were simulated in the PR-free and PR-bound states with molecular dynamics and homology modeling methods, and the relationships between the folding parameters and the reported kinetic parameters of the HIV-1HXB2 peptides were analyzed. We found that a folding preference for forming a dihedral angle of Cβ (P1)-Cα (P1)- Cα (P1’)-Cβ (P1’) in the range of 150 to 180 degrees in the PR-free state was positively correlated with the 1/Km (R = 0.95, P = 0.0008) and that the dihedral angle of the O (P2)-C (P2)- C (P1)- O (P1) of the main chains in the PR-bound state was negatively correlated with kcat (R = 0.94, P = 0.001). We further found that these two folding properties influenced the overall cleavability of the precursor protein when the sizes of the side chains at the P1 site were similar. These data suggest that the dihedral angles at the specific positions around the cleavage junctions before and after binding to PR are both critical for regulating the cleavability of precursor proteins by HIV-1 PR.
Flexural behavior of a rotating sandwich tapered beam

Governing equations for the dynamic and flexural behavior of a rotating sandwich tapered beam with two nonsymmetrical facings are formulated by using the variational principle. Because of the asymmetric geometry and the centrifugal effects, the neutral axis does not necessarily coincide with the centroidal axis. The analysis takes this behavior into consideration and, therefore, differs from existing formulations substantially. Both the core and facings are consistently modeled as either Timoshenko beams or Euler-Bernoulli beams. The flexural behavior of tapered sandwich rotating beams with uniformly or linearly distributed loads is investigated by solving the governing equation using the finite-difference technique.
Diffusion of water into permeation barrier layers

Organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) are attractive candidates for flexible display and lighting panels due to their high contrast ratio. However, the materials in an OLED are oxidized by very small quantities of moisture. Therefore, flexible OLEDs require flexible, thin-film, encapsulation. The authors introduce a set of three techniques for measuring the solubility and diffusion coefficient of water in a permeation barrier layer that is a SiO2-silicone hybrid made by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition. The techniques are secondary ion mass spectrometry, and measurements of electrical capacitance and of film stress. The measurements were carried out on samples exposed to water or steam at temperatures between 65 and 200 °C. From the resulting values of water solubility, diffusion coefficient, and their thermal activation energies, the authors calculate the time one monolayer of water will take to permeate through the bulk of the film. For a 3 μm thick film held at 38 °C and 90% relative humidity, the time is 13 years.
The georgia marriage Q-Sort: An observational measure of marital functioning

Abstract The development of a new observational measure of marital interaction using a Q-sort methodology is described. The Q-sort is one way of obtaining observer measures of marriage which complements both microcoding and global ratings of marital processes. High interrater agreement was obtained in coding the marital interaction of couples participating in a 2-year study of families with a preschool child. Evidence of construct validity is presented in terms of how the Q-sort relates to CISS ratings, the Dyadic Adjustment Scale, and the Relationship Inventory.
Colon-specific 9-aminocamptothecin-HPMA copolymer conjugates containing a 1,6-elimination spacer

Abstract N-(2-Hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide (HPMA) copolymer–9-aminocamptothecin (9-AC) conjugate for oral colon-specific drug delivery was designed, synthesized, and characterized. The drug, 9-AC, was attached to the polymer carrier via a spacer containing a combination of an aromatic azo bond and a 4-aminobenzylcarbamate group. The design of the spacer ensured a fast and highly efficient release of unmodified 9-AC from the polymer in the colon by azo bond cleavage followed by a 1,6-elimination mechanism. An in vitro degradation study indicated that this conjugate was stable in simulated upper GI tract conditions, including small intestine (SI) contents, SI mucosa suspension, and in PBS (pH 1.5 and 7.4). A fast release of the unmodified drug (85 ± 10% of 9-AC in 12 h) was detected in rat cecal contents. This drug delivery system has potential in the treatment of colon cancer.
Efficacy of FDA guidelines for prescribing radiographs to detect dental and intraosseous conditions.

Abstract Objectives This study compared the FDA guidelines for ordering dental radiographs to a conventional full-mouth examination for the detection of intraosseous disease and conditions affecting teeth other than caries. Study design We examined 490 patients and selected posterior bite-wing and periapical views as indicated by the patient's signs or symptoms. We compared the radiographic findings with the use of this selected set of radiographs to those from a full-mouth set of radiographs to determine the rates of missed disease when the FDA guidelines were used. Results The most commonly missed intraosseous findings were osteosclerosis, unerupted teeth, periapical radiolucencies, and primary root tips. Periapical radiolucencies that were most probably periapical cemental dysplasia were missed in six patients. The most commonly missed dental findings were resorbed roots and pulp stones. Three instances of dens in dente were missed. Conclusions When we used the FDA guidelines, the number of missed intraosseous and dental conditions was small and most likely inconsequential given the range of variability in dental diagnosis and treatment.
Climatological Perspectives on the Rainfall Characteristics Associated with Landslides in Western North Carolina

Landslides are a significant hazard in the mountains of North Carolina. While previous studies have estimated the critical instantaneous rainfall rates that may trigger a landslide, very little is known about the climatology of rainfall events associated with landslides. The rainfall climatology of a sample of landslide events in western North Carolina from 1950 to 2004 is presented in two parts. First, the two-day concurrent and cumulative antecedent (from 4 to 90 days prior to slope movement) rainfall totals are assessed climatologically by ranking them relative to all heavy precipitation events observed in western North Carolina over a 55-year period. Second, the storm types responsible for the rainfall associated with each landslide event are determined using a manual weather map classification scheme. Forty-seven percent (47%) of the landslide events are connected with concurrent rainfall totals that exceed a one-year return period. In almost half of these cases, the heavy rainfall is associated with...
Literacy on the Margins of the American Past

Book reviewed in this article: Literacy, Education, and Society in New Mexico, 1693–1821. By Bernardo P. Gallegos. 1992. “When I Can Read My Title Clear”: Literacy, Slavery, and Religion in the Antebellum South. By Janet Duitsman Cornelius. 1991. Intimate Practices: Literacy and Cultural Work in U.S. Women's Clubs, 1880–1920. By Anne Ruggles Gere. 1997.
Factors for success in rural tourism development.

Since the 1970s, economic restructuring and the farm crisis have reduced rural communities’ economic opportunities. These changes have limited rural communities’ economic development options, making older development strategies less viable and forcing many to look for nontraditional ways to sustain themselves. One of the most popular nontraditional rural development strategies has been tourism and its associated entrepreneurship opportunities because of tourism’s ability to bring in dollars and to generate jobs and support retail growth. The purpose of this study was to identify and examine those factors that have helped rural communities successfully develop tourism and its entrepreneurship opportunities. Several focus groups were conducted with local businesspersons and leaders in six rural Illinois communities. The results clearly demonstrate the importance of the community approach to tourism development and that rural tourism development and entrepreneurship cannot work without the participation and ...
Cytoplasmic whorls in the golden hamster oocyte.

SUMMARY Paired and multiple cytoplasmic sheets composed of 250-A particles, not bound to membranes, and of lower electron density than ribosomes, were observed in some 14-day-old hamster oocytes. The possible significance of these structures is discussed.
The evaluation of two management strategies for the Gulf of Alaska walleye pollock fishery under climate change

Management strategy evaluation (MSE) is the process of using simulation testing with feedback to examine the robustness of candidate management strategies to error and uncertainty. The structure of the management strategy can be selected to attempt to satisfy desired (but conflicting) management objectives. MSE was used to assess the performance of the current management strategy and an alternative management strategy (the “dynamic B0” strategy) for the fishery for walleye pollock (Theragra chalcogramma) in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA), when age-1 recruitment was driven by climate. The relationships between age-1 abundance and climate indices (and the uncertainties associated with these relationships) were characterized within an age-structured operating model that was fitted to the data for GOA walleye pollock. Projections into the future were based on the fitted relationships and predictions of those indices from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) models, using the current or the alternative management strategy to determine catch limits. Management performance (the ability to leave the stock close to the management reference level and achieve high and stable catches) deteriorated when age-1 recruitment was forced by climate, although stocks were kept near the reference level on average. In addition, the ability to estimate management-related quantities, such as spawning biomass, deteriorated markedly when recruitment was forced by climate. Performance was sensitive to the choice of IPCC dataset and, in particular, estimation and management performance was poorest (outcomes most variable) for the IPCC datasets that led to the greatest variation in recruitment to the fishery. Although basing management on a “dynamic B0” management strategy led to improved management and estimation performance, the magnitude of the improvement was slight.
Mbe Growth of High Quality (111)B GaAs, GaInAs, and AlInAs

Growth of (111)B oriented GaAs, GaInAs, and AlInAs by MBE was investigated through a study of surface morphology, RHEED patterns, and photoluminescence. Considering growth on both nominally oriented and 2 ° mis-oriented (111)B GaAs substrates, we have found that MBE growth in the (111)B direction proceeds quite differently than (100) growth. Except in the case of high substrate temperature growth on nominally oriented (111)B substrates, the growth of (111)B GaAs and GaInAs results in films which are characterized by macroscopically rough or faceted surfaces and by weak photoluminescence. We demonstrate that the surface morphology of these macroscopically rough films may be dramatically improved by growing with modulated Ga and In fluxes. Also, we find that AlAs and Al-containing alloys grow much more smoothly than GaAs on the (111)B surface. We report an AlAs/Al.5In.sAs strained MQW structure which exhibits both good surface morphology and good photoluminescence spectra. Growth mechanisms which may explain the observed differences between (111)B and (100) MBE growth are proposed.
Effect of Chronic Blood Transfusion on Biomarkers of Coagulation Activation and Thrombin Generation in Sickle Cell Patients at Risk for Stroke

Hypercoagulability in sickle cell disease (SCD) is associated with multiple SCD phenotypes, association with stroke risk has not been well described. We hypothesized that serum levels of biomarkers of coagulation activation correlate with high transcranial Doppler ultrasound velocity and decreases with blood transfusion therapy in SCD patients. Stored serum samples from subjects in the Stroke Prevention in Sickle Cell Anemia (STOP) trial were analyzed using ELISA and protein multiplexing techniques. 40 subjects from each treatment arm (Standard Care [SC] and Transfusion [Tx]) at three time points—baseline, study exit and one year post-trial and 10 each of age matched children with SCD but normal TCD (SNTCD) and with normal hemoglobin (HbAA) were analyzed. At baseline, median vWF, TAT and D-dimer levels were significantly higher among STOP subjects than either HbAA or SNTCD. At study exit, median hemoglobin level was significantly higher while median TCD velocity was significantly lower in Tx compared to SC subjects. Median vWF (409.6 vs. 542.9 μg/ml), TAT (24.8 vs. 40.0 ng/ml) and D-dimer (9.2 vs. 19.1 μg/ml) levels were also significantly lower in the Tx compared to the SC group at study exit. Blood levels of biomarkers coagulation activation/thrombin generation correlated positively with TCD velocity and negatively with number of blood transfusions. Biomarkers of coagulation activation/thrombin generation were significantly elevated in children with SCD, at high risk for stroke. Reduction in levels of these biomarkers correlated with reduction in stroke risk (lower TCD velocity), indicating a possible role for hypercoagulation in SCD associated stroke.
Heparin affects signaling pathways stimulated by fibroblast growth factor-1 and -2 in type II cells

Undersulfation of the basement membrane matrix of alveolar type II (AT2) cells compared with that of neighboring type I cells is believed to account for some of the known morphological and function...
Sensitivity analysis of simulations for magnetic particle inspection using the finite-element method

Magnetic particle inspection (MPI) is widely used for nondestructive evaluation in aerospace applications in which interpretation of inspection results is currently limited to empirical knowledge and experience-based approaches. Advances in computational magnetics, particularly the use of finite-element calculations, have enabled realistic numerical simulations of magnetic particle inspection to be undertaken with complicated geometries. In this paper, we report a sensitivity analysis using finite-element-method simulations of magnetic particle inspection for defects with various sizes and geometries. As a result, improved quantitative understanding of the MPI technique and factors that affects its sensitivity and reliability has been achieved. These results can be used to optimize conditions for conducting these inspections and should lead to improvement in analysis and interpretation of experimental results.
MEMS Chemical Gas Sensors for Gas Turbine Engine Applications

Aircraft engine emissions measurements are expensive because of the cost of the gas sample extraction hardware, sample transport system, gas analyzers, test cell time, and fuel for many hours of testing. In an effort to address this issue, improved instrumentation and methods have been developed. Low-cost micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) chemical gas sensors are being developed for application in the harsh environment of aircraft engine development testing. With no moving parts, a typical MEMS chemical gas sensor resembles an electrical resistor, essentially a thin film of material between two metal contacts. Also, a micro-discharge emission spectroscopy for the measurement of many major and trace species in the exhaust of aircraft engines has been developed and operated in environments well over 1000°C. A test and evaluation approach has been applied to new MEMS chemical gas sensor instrumentation. Five locations in a typical gas-sampling system were used to evaluate the MEMS sensor performance in increasingly more severe conditions. In the most severe location, packaged within an engine exit plane gas-sampling probe rake, the gas-sampling system infrastructure is minimized. The end use for this application is detailed afterburner diagnostic measurements. When packaged for use at the exit of a case-mounted gas-sampling probe, MEMS chemical gas sensors could be the “lick-and-stick,” “lab-on-a-chip” sensor for active engine control and health monitoring.
Maintenance rituximab in follicular non-Hodgkin lymphoma: facts and controversies

The advent of rituximab, a chimeric monoclonal antibody against CD20, has arguably improved and changed the natural history of non-Hodgkin lymphoma and has become an essential component of front-line and relapsed disease treatment strategies. Given its tolerability and long half-life, rituximab has been investigated in the maintenance setting in follicular lymphoma. Several landmark studies have demonstrated improvement in progression-free survival in patients receiving maintenance rituximab compared to those observed. These favorable results were witnessed in front-line and in the relapsed setting using a variety of induction programs such as rituximab monotherapy or chemoimmunotherapy. Importantly, toxicities were predictable and manageable. Despite these encouraging results, many vital and practical questions remain unanswered. In this review, we critically analyze the data that led to the widespread use of maintenance rituximab in follicular lymphoma and attempt to answer the most important questions facing practicing oncologists when deciding on using this approach in their patients.
What is new in the diagnosis and prevention of spine surgical site infections.

Abstract Background context Surgical site infection (SSI) after spinal surgery can result in several serious secondary complications, such as pseudoarthrosis, neurological injury, paralysis, sepsis, and death. There is an increasing body of literature on risk factors, diagnosis, and specific intraoperative interventions, including attention to sterility of instrumentation, application of minimally invasive fusion techniques, intraoperative irrigation, and application of topical antibiotics, that hold the most promise for reduction of SSI. Purpose The purpose of this review is to identify and summarize the recent literature on the incidence, risk factors, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of SSIs after adult spine surgery. Study design The study design included systematic review and literature synthesis. Methods For the systematic reviews, a search was performed in Medline and Scopus using keywords derived from a preliminary review of the literature and Medline MeSH terms. These studies were then manually filtered to meet the study criteria outlined in each section. Studies were excluded via predetermined criteria, and the majority of articles reviewed were excluded. Results There are a number of patient- and procedure-specific risk factors for SSI. Surgical site infection appears to have significant implications from the patients' perspective on outcome of care. Diagnosis of SSI appears to rely primarily on clinical factors, while laboratory values such as C-reactive protein are not universally sensitive. Similarly, novel methods of perioperative infection prophylaxis such as local antibiotic administration appear to be modestly effective. Conclusions Surgical site infections are a common multifactorial problem after spine surgery. There is compelling evidence that improved risk stratification, detection, and prevention will reduce SSIs.
The oz of wizard: simulating the human for interaction research

The Wizard of Oz experiment method has a long tradition of acceptance and use within the field of human-robot interaction. The community has traditionally downplayed the importance of interaction evaluations run with the inverse model: the human simulated to evaluate robot behavior, or Oz of Wizard. We argue that such studies play an important role in the field of human-robot interaction. We differentiate between methodologically rigorous human modeling and placeholder simulations using simplified human models. Guidelines are proposed for when Oz of Wizard results should be considered acceptable. This paper also describes a framework for describing the various permutations of Wizard and Oz states.
Interatomic Distances in the Bifluoride Ion

Further refinement has been carried out on the neutron diffraction data for potassium bifluoride. Best agreement was obtained for a physically impossible model which must be rejected on other grounds. Following Ibers, the hydrogen atom is assumed to be centrally located. Combination of spectroscopic and diffraction data from sodium, potassium, and ammonium bifluorides allows a detailed analysis of the thermal motions to be made. The average F ···F distance, after correction, is found to be 2.292 ± 0.004 A.
Interleukin-12 Preserves the Cutaneous Physical and Immunological Barrier after Radiation Exposure

The United States continues to be a prime target for attack by terrorist organizations in which nuclear detonation and dispersal of radiological material are legitimate threats. Such attacks could have devastating consequences to large populations, in the form of radiation injury to various human organ systems. One of these at risk organs is the cutaneous system, which forms both a physical and immunological barrier to the surrounding environment and is particularly sensitive to ionizing radiation. Therefore, increased efforts to develop medical countermeasures for treatment of the deleterious effects of cutaneous radiation exposure are essential. Interleukin-12 (IL-12) was shown to elicit protective effects against radiation injury on radiosensitive systems such as the bone marrow and gastrointestinal tract. In this article, we examined if IL-12 could protect the cutaneous system from a combined radiation injury in the form of sublethal total body irradiation and beta-radiation burn (β-burn) directly to the skin. Combined radiation injury resulted in a breakdown in skin integrity as measured by transepidermal water loss, size of β-burn lesion and an exacerbated loss of surveillant cutaneous dendritic cells. Interestingly, intradermal administration of IL-12 48 h postirradiation reduced transepidermal water loss and burn size, as well as retention of cutaneous dendritic cells. Our data identify IL-12 as a potential mitigator of radiation-induced skin injury and argue for the further development of this cytokine as a radiation countermeasure.
A Simple Method for Estimating Interactions Between a Treatment and a Large Number of Covariates

We consider a setting in which we have a treatment and a potentially large number of covariates for a set of observations, and wish to model their relationship with an outcome of interest. We propose a simple method for modeling interactions between the treatment and covariates. The idea is to modify the covariate in a simple way, and then fit a standard model using the modified covariates and no main effects. We show that coupled with an efficiency augmentation procedure, this method produces clinically meaningful estimators in a variety of settings. It can be useful for practicing personalized medicine: determining from a large set of biomarkers, the subset of patients that can potentially benefit from a treatment. We apply the method to both simulated datasets and real trial data. The modified covariates idea can be used for other purposes, for example, large scale hypothesis testing for determining which of a set of covariates interact with a treatment variable. Supplementary materials for this articl...
Operations Experience at the Bevalac Radiotherapy Facility

During the first years of Bevalac operation the biomedical effort concentrated on radiobiology work, laying the foundation for patient radiotherapy. A dedicated radiotherapy area was created in 1978, and in 1979 full-scale patient treatment was begun. As of now over 500 treatments with carbon, neon and argon beams have been delivered to about 50 patients, some as boosts from other modalities and some as complete heavy ion treatments. Up to 12 patients per day have been treated in this facility. Continuing efforts in refining techniques and operating procedures are increasing efficiency and accuracy of treatments, and are contributing to the alleviation of scheduling difficulties caused by the unique requirements of radiotherapy with human patients.
Among Disparate Views, Scales Tipped by the Ethics of System Integrity

Drs. Kolodny and Gudin & Lee have certainly presented passionate and coherent arguments in support of their positions on the issue of the potential upscheduling of hydrocodone. Drs. Gudin and Lee note that since New York State upscheduled hydrocodone in February of this year, sales of the opioid are rumored to have decreased. This statement begs two questions. First, do supporting data exist? Second, if indeed a consequence is that hydrocodone sales have actually decreased, is this consequence necessarily negative? As of the writing of this article, a thorough search yielded no evidence that sales of hydrocodone in NY State have been impacted as a result of the state's legislation. When relevant data become available, the positive and negative impact on sales and availability may be assessed. Currently, opinions remain speculative. In a recent article, …
Design of a 6 TeV Muon Collider

A design of a muon collider ring with the center of mass energy of 6 TeV is presented. The ring circumference is about 6.3 km, and the  functions at collision point are 1 cm in both planes. The ring linear optics, the non-linear chromaticity correction scheme in the Interaction Region (IR), and the additional non-linear field orthogonal knobs are described. The IR magnet specifications are based on the maximum pole tip field of 20 T in dipoles and 15 T in quadrupoles. The results of the beam dynamics optimization for maximum dynamic aperture are presented.