cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Intermittent Use of a Short-Course Glucagon-like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonist Therapy Limits Adverse Cardiac Remodeling via Parkin-dependent Mitochondrial Turnover

Given that adverse remodeling is the leading cause of heart failure and death in the USA, there is an urgent unmet need to develop new methods in dealing with this devastating disease. Here we evaluated the efficacy of a short-course glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist therapy—specifically 2-quinoxalinamine, 6,7-dichloro-N-(1,1-dimethylethyl)-3-(methylsulfonyl)-,6,7-dichloro-2-methylsulfonyl-3-N-tert-butylaminoquinoxaline (DMB; aka Compound 2) – in attenuating adverse LV remodeling. We also examined the role, if any, of mitochondrial turnover in this process. Wild-type, Parkin knockout and MitoTimer-expressing mice were subjected to permanent coronary artery ligation, then treated briefly with DMB. LV remodeling and cardiac function were assessed by histology and echocardiography. Autophagy and mitophagy markers were examined by western blot and mitochondrial biogenesis was inferred from MitoTimer protein fluorescence and qPCR. We found that DMB given post-infarction significantly reduced adverse LV remodeling and the decline of cardiac function. This paralleled an increase in autophagy, mitophagy and mitochondrial biogenesis. The salutary effects of the drug were lost in Parkin knockout mice, implicating Parkin-mediated mitophagy as part of its mechanism of action. Our findings suggest that enhancing Parkin-associated mitophagy and mitochondrial biogenesis after infarction is a viable target for therapeutic mitigation of adverse remodeling.
A Curious Case of Hypervitaminosis D.

The growing awareness of the beneficial health effects of vitamin D supplementation, the commonality of vitamin D deficiency, and the over-the-counter availability of vitamin D supplements has resulted in a renewed interest in vitamin D supplementation among patients as well as health care providers. We present a case of vitamin D toxicity (VDT) in a patient following self-medication with mega doses that far exceeded the prescribed dosage. He presented to us with acute kidney injury (AKI) and elevated serum 25(OH)-vitamin D levels. He was treated with intravenous hydration, loop diuretics, and prednisone and had a clinical and biochemical improvement as reflected in his labs. We suggest that physicians and health care providers be made aware of this commonly overlooked side-effect of vitamin D supplementation and the importance of regular blood levels to titrate the dose accordingly. At the same time, it is important that the public is made aware of the ill-effects of self-medicating on large doses of vitamins.
On system-wide safety staffing of large-scale parallel server networks

We introduce a "system-wide safety staffing" (SWSS) parameter for multiclass multi-pool networks of any tree topology, Markovian or non-Markovian, in the Halfin-Whitt regime. This parameter can be regarded as the optimal reallocation of the capacity fluctuations (positive or negative) of order $\sqrt{n}$ when each server pool employs a square-root staffing rule. We provide an explicit form of the SWSS as a function of the system parameters, which is derived using a graph theoretic approach based on Gaussian elimination. For Markovian networks, we give an equivalent characterization of the SWSS parameter via the drift parameters of the limiting diffusion. We show that if the SWSS parameter is negative, the limiting diffusion and the diffusion-scaled queueing processes are transient under any Markov control, and cannot have a stationary distribution when this parameter is zero. If it is positive, we show that the diffusion-scaled queueing processes are uniformly stabilizable, that is, there exists a scheduling policy under which the stationary distributions of the controlled processes are tight over the size of the network. In addition, there exists a control under which the limiting controlled diffusion is exponentially ergodic. Thus we have identified a necessary and sufficient condition for the uniform stabilizability of such networks in the Halfin-Whitt regime. We use a constant control resulting from the leaf elimination algorithm to stabilize the limiting controlled diffusion, while a family of Markov scheduling policies which are easy to compute are used to stabilize the diffusion-scaled processes. Finally, we show that under these controls the processes are exponentially ergodic and the stationary distributions have exponential tails.
Contested power: Energy democracy and the repoliticization of electricity in the western U.S

Abstract Throughout the second half of the twentieth century, the electricity sector in the United States enjoyed decades of relatively uncontested politics. So long as customers received reliable current at reasonable rates, they were content to allow the industry to persist in a regulatory system largely partitioned off from public input. This paradigm is changing. As concerns about climate change and grid resiliency emerge, and as market alternatives and technological developments threaten the hegemony of large-scale production and distribution, publics are increasingly confronting electricity providers and distributors. Demands that the electricity sector respond to the priorities of the communities they serve are leading to the emergence of what many have theorized as a new form of energy democracy. This study grounds these emerging theories by showing how energy democracy, both as a process and as a desired outcome, is playing out in practice. Through in-depth examination of three recent campaigns for local control over electricity in the western United States, it is argued that these grassroots efforts are creating both political and technical change that is repoliticizing electricity and opening the sector to community contestation and a socially just, low-carbon transition.
A season long investigation of social emotional learning associated with high school basketball participation

This qualitative, longitudinal investigation had three purposes: (1) to investigate social emotional learning (SEL) outcomes athletes reported from participating in high school basketball; (2) to i...
Use of Oral Hypomethylating Agents for the Treatment of Myelodysplastic Syndromes

Introduction Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are genomically complex clonal hematopoietic stem cell neoplasms leading to myelodysplasia and ineffective hematopoiesis.1,2 MDS is a disease of older age, clinically manifesting as symptomatic cytopenias with an added propensity for transformation to acute myeloid leukemia (AML).3 The treatment of MDS is based on a risk-adapted approach per the International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS)4 or the modified IPSS-R.5 Allogeneic stem cell transplantation (ASCT) is the only curative strategy, but most patients are not eligible due to their age or other comorbidities.6 In these patients, hypomethylating agents (HMA, either decitabine or azacitidine) are the mainstay of therapy to either alleviate cytopenias or impede disease progression. 7 Decitabine (DEC) and azacitidine (AZA) are approved to treat patients with MDS, including previously treated and untreated, de novo, and secondary MDS of all French-American-British subtypes (refractory anemia, refractory anemia with ringed sideroblasts, refractory anemia with excess blasts, refractory anemia with excess blasts in transformation, and chronic myelomonocytic leukemia) and intermediate-1, intermediate-2, and high-risk IPSS groups.7
A Word of Caution

Despite the perception of some that so-called natural pharmaceutical approaches to cancer disease management are completely safe, rather extensive data in the peer-reviewed medical literature has revealed the potential toxicities associated with a number of such strategies. It will be important for the oncology research community to thoroughly evaluate all claims of safety for any medication used in the cancer patient population. Concerns include both the side effects of the drugs/herbs themselves and the potential for interactions with established anti-cancer agents.
SU-E-T-607: Performance Quantification of the Nine Detectors Used for Dosimetry Measurements in Advanced Radiation Therapy Treatments

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to quantify performance of the nine detectors used for dosimetry measurements in advanced radiation therapy treatments. Methods: The 6 MV beam was utilized for measurements of the field sizes with the lack of lateral charge particle equilibrium. For dose fidelity aspect, energy dependence was studied by measuring PDD and profiles at different depths. The volume effect and its influence on the measured dose profiles have been observed by measuring detector’s response function. Output factor measurements with respect to change in energy spectrum have been performed and collected data has been analyzed. The linearity of the measurements with the dose delivered has been evaluated and relevant comparisons were done. Results: The measured values of the output factors with respect to change in energy spectrum indicated presence of the energy dependence. The detectors with active volume size ≤ 0.3 mm3 maximum deviation from the mean is 5.6% for the field size 0.5 x 0.5 cm2 while detectors with active volume size > 0.3 mm3 have maximum deviation from the mean 7.1%. Linearity with dose at highest dose rate examined for diode detectors showed maximum deviation of 4% while ion chambers showed maximum deviation of 2.2%. Dose profiles showed energy dependence at shallow depths (surface to dmax) influenced by low energy particles with 12 % maximum deviation from the mean for 5 mm2 field size. In relation to Monte Carlo calculation, the detector’s response function σ values were between (0.42±0.25) mm and (1.2±0.25) mm. Conclusion: All the detectors are appropriate for the dosimetry measurements in advanced radiation therapy treatments. The choice of the detectors has to be determined by the application and the scope of the measurements in respect to energy dependence and ability to accurately resolve dose profiles as well as to it’s intrinsic characteristics.
Medical Issues with Child Victims of Family Violence

Trauma, either accidental or nonaccidental injury, is the single most common cause of death in children between 1 and 15 years of age (see Briggs, 1989). Each year, about 20 million injuries occur in children. The consequences of the permanent disability, both physical and emotional, are incalculable. Injuries caused by child abuse, either from intentional or unintentional violence against children, unfortunately constitute an increasing percentage of the trauma statistics. One’s concept of child abuse must include not only the well-described “battered child syndrome” but the many children who are the innocent victims of family violence arising from domestic quarrels, drugs, or alcohol intoxication. Each day, newspapers report cases of children shot to death accidentally in drug wars, the ultimate form of child abuse.
Structure of the Bighorn Mountain region, Wyoming, from teleseismic receiver function analysis: Implications for the kinematics of Laramide shortening

Basement-cored uplifts are observed globally and remain an enigmatic feature of plate tectonics due to the fact that, in many cases, they occur distant from a plate boundary. The Laramide Bighorn Arch in Wyoming is an archetypal basement-involved foreland arch and provides an excellent setting for the investigation of such structures. Previous studies proposed diverse arch formation models; each of which predicts a unique crustal geometry. We use high-resolution crustal imaging from teleseismic P wave receiver functions to test these models. We obtained our data from 239 three-component seismometers deployed as part of the Bighorns Arch Seismic Experiment as well as coeval regional Transportable Array stations. A sequential, two-layer thickness VP/VS (H-κ) stacking algorithm constrains sediment and crustal structure. Receiver function Common Conversion Point stacking results in 2-D transect images across the arch. Our results define an upwarp of the crust beneath the central and northern arch that extends into the Powder River Basin, north-northeast of the arch. The lack of Moho-cutting faults or a Moho geometry mirroring the arch rules out most shortening models except a crustal detachment model where shortening was accomplished by fault-propagation folding on a thrust splay ramping off a midcrustal detachment fault. The mismatch between gentle, symmetric Moho and asymmetric Laramide arch geometries and their trends suggests a pre-Laramide origin for at least a part of the Moho high. This high, perhaps in combination with a lesser degree of Laramide lithospheric buckling, may have caused emergent Laramide thrusting and thus nucleated the Bighorn Arch. Our results suggest that midcrustal detachment can form basement-involved foreland arches and suggest the hypothesis that preexisting undulations in the Moho may have nucleated individual arches.
Philosophy of Education: Texts and Traditions

Before turning to what makes these volumes so different from one another, a word about what they have in common. Both are ambitious, wide-ranging representations of the field of philosophy of education. Both are intended to edify, to leave the reader more informed about that field. At the general level, these volumes are comparable because they treat the same subject matter and share a similar purpose. In addition, each was written or edited by a respected leader in our field, and each book should only enhance the reputation of its author or editor. I should say, incidentally, that I have read no reviews of either volume, so I am coming at this task innocent of how each has been received in the field more generally.
Platelet-Activating Factor Receptor Stimulation Disrupts Neuronal Migration In Vitro

LIS-1 is a gene whose hemi-deletion causes the human neuronal migration disorder Miller–Dieker lissencephaly. It encodes a subunit of a brain platelet-activating factor (PAF) acetylhydrolase, an enzyme that inactivates PAF by hydrolyzing the acetyl moiety in the sn2 position of this phospholipid. Because PAF receptor activation has been shown to affect the developing neuronal cytoskeleton, we have hypothesized that a role for PAF in neurodevelopment is that of a modulator of neuroblast movement (a cytoskeletal function) and that an aberrant regulation of PAF could lead to an early arrest in migration. This report examines the effects of the nonhydrolyzable PAF receptor agonist methyl carbamyl PAF (mc-PAF) on the unidirectional in vitro migration of granule cells from cerebellar cell reaggregates on a laminin substrate. Bath treatment with mc-PAF yields a dose-dependent decrease in granule cell migration compared with controls. This effect can be blocked by the simultaneous bath application of BN 52021 and trans -BTD, PAF receptor-specific antagonists. Although mc-PAF minimally inhibited neurite growth, its primary effect was on somal movement along preextended neurites. These experiments suggest that the stimulation of neuronal PAF receptors could be one crucial step for the regulation of neuroblast migration and that disturbed PAF catabolism during neurodevelopment could contribute to the neuronal migration defects observed in Miller–Dieker lissencephaly.
Mobile Wireless Communications: Characteristics of the mobile radio environment–propagation phenomena

In Chapter 1, in which we provided an overview of the topics to be discussed in this book, we noted that radio propagation conditions play a critical role in the operation of mobile wireless systems. They determine the performance of these systems, whether used to transmit real-time voice messages, data, or other types of communication traffic. It thus behooves us to describe the impact of the wireless medium in some detail, before moving on to other aspects of the wireless communication process. This we do in this chapter. Recall also, from Chapter 1, that the radio or wireless path normally described in wireless systems corresponds to the radio link between a mobile user station and the base station with which it communicates. It is the base station that is, in turn, connected to the wired network over which communication signals will travel. Modern wireless systems are usually divided into geographically distinct areas called cells , each controlled by a base station. We shall have more to say about cells and cellular structures in later chapters. (An exception is made in Chapter 12, the last chapter of this book, in which we discuss small-sized wireless networks for which the concepts of base stations and cells generally play no role.) The focus here is on one cell and the propagation conditions encountered by signals traversing the wireless link between base station and mobile terminal.
Rethinking Recidivist Enhancements: The Role of Prior Drug Convictions in Federal Sentencing

Recidivist sentencing enhancements, which increase criminal sentences for defendants with prior convictions, are a prominent feature of the federal criminal justice system. This Article considers the policy rationales supporting recidivist enhancements and reexamines them in light of two recent Supreme Court cases, United States v. Booker and Shepard v. United States. Recidivist enhancements are traditionally justified based on rationales of retribution, deterrence, and incapacitation; proponents justify recidivist enhancements on the theory that people who reoffend are more culpable and more likely to recidivate. There is considerable doubt, however, regarding whether these rationales support the expansive federal enhancements currently tied to prior drug convictions. The Supreme Court’s decisions in Booker and Shepard, which provide judges with additional sentencing discretion, allow judges to reexamine these rationales in the cases before them. Booker rendered the sentencing guidelines advisory, and judges may now decline to apply guidelines enhancements on policy grounds. Shepard limits the types of evidence that a judge may consider in determining whether a prior state conviction triggers a federal sentencing enhancement and allows judges to avoid applying statutory and guideline enhancements in many cases. Innovative Shepard litigation in the District of Connecticut has recently led to a marked reduction in the number of enhancements based on drug convictions applied by judges in the District. Judges nationwide can apply this Shepard analysis. Although rigorous application of Shepard increases sentencing discretion and may lead to more just and effective sentences in individual cases, Shepard can also create sentencing disparities for similarly situated defendants. Under Shepard, the application of an enhancement may depend solely on factors such as the availability of court transcripts or whether the defendant’s state conviction precisely matches the language of a federal enhancement. Given the potential for unwarranted disparities – and the serious doubts as to whether the enhancements further any of the purposes of sentencing – Congress and the U.S. Sentencing Commission should reduce the magnitude of enhancements based on prior drug convictions or even eliminate them altogether.
Substitution of the insulin receptor transmembrane domain with the c-neu/erbB2 transmembrane domain constitutively activates the insulin receptor kinase in vitro.

Abstract To examine the role of the transmembrane domain (TM) of the insulin receptor in insulin-induced receptor kinase activation, we prepared four mutated insulin receptors: 1) a Val938----Asp substitution (IR/TMv----D), 2) insertion of a 3-amino acid repeat (Val938-Phe939-Leu940) (IR/TM+3), or the entire TM was replaced by the corresponding domain of either the 3) platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) receptor (IR/TMPDGFR) or 4) c-neu/erbB2 proto-oncogene product (IR/TMc-neu). Each mutant receptor was stably expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells, assessed by fluorescence-activated cell sorting, insulin binding, and biosynthetic labeling. All mutant receptors exhibited normal affinity for insulin. Pulse-chase experiments showed that each proreceptor was processed into alpha- and beta-subunits, although the rate of IR/TMV----D conversion was reduced approximately 3-fold. With IR/TMPDGFR, IR/TMV----D, and IR/TM+3 basal and insulin-stimulated levels of autophosphorylation and tyrosine kinase activation were normal, both in wheat germ agglutinin (WGA)-purified receptor preparations and intact cells. By contrast, following WGA purification or isolation of crude membranes, IR/TMc-neu was a constitutively active autokinase and substrate kinase in vitro. However, in intact cells insulin-stimulated autophosphorylation and kinase activity appeared normal. We conclude that although there is considerable latitude in acceptable structure, residues within the insulin receptor transmembrane domain can play a functional role in regulation of insulin receptor tyrosine kinase activity.
Polska Pipe Works: Managing an IJV in the Transitional Economy of Poland

This is a case which explores the cultural differences between Polish and American workers. William Zukowski, an American expatriate of Polish ancestry was given the opportunity by his company, Stewer Technologies, to head a small joint venture in Poland. Zukowski experiences a number of difficulties in attempting to institute American management practices such as pay-for-performance, quality management, participative management, and lean manufacturing. The case also addresses a number of cross-cultural management issues.
Prepregnancy body mass index and congenital heart defects among offspring: a population-based study.

Objective The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between fetal development of congenital heart defects (CHD) and maternal prepregnancy body mass index (BMI, kg/m2) in the largest population-based case-control study to date. Background Mounting evidence implicates maternal obesity as a risk factor for birth defects. However, the association between maternal obesity and CHD in offspring has been less completely described. Methods We conducted a study of CHD using linked birth-hospital discharge records for Washington State between 1992–2007. All infants with CHD (n = 14 142) were identified based on ICD9-CM discharge diagnosis codes. 141 420 controls, frequency matched on year of delivery, were selected at random from among infants without CHD. Maternal BMI was calculated from maternal prepregnancy data. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the association of CHD relative to maternal BMI were calculated, adjusted for gestational diabetes. Results Infants with CHD were more likely to have an obese mother (OR 1.22, 95% CI 1.15–1.30). The strength of association increased with increasing BMI (BMI 30–34.9: OR 1.16, 95% CI 1.07–1.25; BMI 35–39.9: OR 1.25, 95% CI 1.13–1.39; BMI > = 40: OR 1.49, 95% CI 1.32–1.69). The association was greatest for left and right ventricular outflow tract defects (OR 1.27, 95% CI 1.02–1.59 and OR 1.43, 95% CI 1.20–1.69, respectively). Hypoplastic left heart syndrome was markedly associated (OR 1.86, 95% CI 1.13–3.05). There was no association with conotruncal defects (OR 1.04, 95% CI: 0.82–1.33). Conclusions We confirmed the association between CHD and maternal obesity and observed increasing risk with increasing obesity. Outflow tract defects appear uniquely associated. A greater risk of CHD among offspring is an important outcome of maternal obesity, and suggests a need for targeted medical management strategies.
INTERFERENCE WITH THE RECONSOLIDATION OF TRAUMA-RELATED MEMORIES IN ADULTS

Background Reactivated memories go through a process of reconsolidation, during which they are malleable and susceptible to modification. Strategies targeting the interruption of memory reconsolidation hold the promise of weakening fear memories that underlie traumatic stress disorders. Although many studies have examined the efficacy of reconsolidation interference strategies with fear memories developed in a laboratory, very few have examined this with trauma-related episodic memories. This study aims to examine whether new learning can interfere with the reconsolidation of trauma-related episodic memories, when the affective content of the new learning and memory match. Methods Boston-area young adults (n = 94) wrote about negative autobiographical memories; specifically, their personal memories of the Boston Marathon bombings. Following reactivation, participants were randomized to receive interference with a negative, positive, neutral, or no story. One week later, participants were tested for memory recall. Results Comparisons between conditions with relevant covariates revealed a significant interfering effect for a negative story, relative to no story, on recall (P < .05, 95% CI [−3.90, −0.04]), d = 0.62). In contrast, the neutral and positive story, relative to no story, resulted in smaller and nonsignificant effects. Conclusions These findings indicate that reconsolidation interference effects can be achieved for trauma-related episodic memories and the emotional valence of interference material may be an important contextual factor in achieving these effects. This study provides support for further research translating memory reconsolidation findings into treatments for traumatic stress disorders.
Genetic modification of the diarrhoeal pathogen Cryptosporidium parvum

Recent studies into the global causes of severe diarrhoea in young children have identified the protozoan parasite Cryptosporidium as the second most important diarrhoeal pathogen after rotavirus. Diarrhoeal disease is estimated to be responsible for 10.5% of overall child mortality. Cryptosporidium is also an opportunistic pathogen in the contexts of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-caused AIDS and organ transplantation. There is no vaccine and only a single approved drug that provides no benefit for those in gravest danger: malnourished children and immunocompromised patients. Cryptosporidiosis drug and vaccine development is limited by the poor tractability of the parasite, which includes a lack of systems for continuous culture, facile animal models, and molecular genetic tools. Here we describe an experimental framework to genetically modify this important human pathogen. We established and optimized transfection of C. parvum sporozoites in tissue culture. To isolate stable transgenics we developed a mouse model that delivers sporozoites directly into the intestine, a Cryptosporidium clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)/Cas9 system, and in vivo selection for aminoglycoside resistance. We derived reporter parasites suitable for in vitro and in vivo drug screening, and we evaluated the basis of drug susceptibility by gene knockout. We anticipate that the ability to genetically engineer this parasite will be transformative for Cryptosporidium research. Genetic reporters will provide quantitative correlates for disease, cure and protection, and the role of parasite genes in these processes is now open to rigorous investigation.
Influence of Frame Stiffness and Rider Position on Bike Dynamics: Analytical Study

Dynamic characteristics of a bicycle such as handling and stability can be studied during the design phase to comprehend specific aspects associated with the overall layout as well as the frame architecture. Bicycles demonstrate unique properties such as static instability that is overcome by getting them into motion with a minimum velocity threshold. The structural stiffness of a frame plays a critical role in the handling behavior of a bike. However, the influence of structural stiffness has received limited attention in the existing literature. This paper attempts to fill the gap by presenting analytical results from a study that includes the influence of rider positions on three bicycle layouts. The analytical model consists of four rigid bodies: rear frame, front frame (front fork and handle bar assembly), front wheel and rear wheel. The overall model exhibits three degrees-of-freedom: the roll angle of the frame, the steering of the front frame, and the rotation of the rear wheel with respect to the frame. The rear frame is divided into two parts, the rider and the bicycle frame, that are assumed to be rigidly connected. This is done in order to allow the model to account for varying rider positions. The influence of frame flexibility is studied by coupling the structural stiffness of the frame to the governing equations of motion. Layouts from a benchmark bicycle, a commercially manufactured bicycle, and a cargo bicycle are used for this study in conjunction with rider positions ranging from a relaxed position to an extreme prone position. All the results are analyzed and compared with some proven analytical and experimental results in the existing literature. Results indicate that some of the rider positions can play a significant role in influencing the dynamic characteristics of the bike. Structural stiffness is seen to significantly affect the weave mode, only when the stiffness is reduced substantially.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Ethics of implementing Electronic Health Records in developing countries: points to consider.

Electronic Health Record systems (EHRs) are increasingly being used in many developing countries, several of which have moved beyond isolated pilot projects to active large-scale implementation as part of their national health strategies. Despite growing enthusiasm for adopting EHRs in resource poor settings, almost no attention has been paid to the ethical issues that might arise. In this article we argue that these ethical issues should be addressed now if EHRs are to be appropriately implemented in these settings. We take a systematic approach guided by a widely accepted ethical framework currently in use for developing countries to first describe the ethical issues, and then propose a set of ‘Points to Consider’ to guide further thinking and decision-making.
An Investigation of the Transition from Multicell to Supercell Storms

Abstract Nearly 2½ hours of dual-Doppler radar data with high temporal and spatial resolution are used to examine the evolution and morphology of a thunderstorm that evolved from a complex of small cells into a supercell storm. Individual storm cells and updrafts moved east-northeastward, nearly with the mean wind, while the storm complex, which encompassed the individual cells, propagated toward the south–southeast. Cells were first detected at middle levels (5–10 km) on the storm's right flank and dissipated on the left flank. Generally, the storm contained three cells—a forming cell, a mature cell, and a dissipating cell; life stages were apparently dictated by the source of updraft air. During the growth stage, cell inflow had a southerly component. As the cell moved through the storm complex, it started ingesting stable air from the north and soon dissipated. A storm-environment feedback mechanism of updraft–downdraft interactions, in conjunction with increasing environmental vertical wind shear and ...
Vapor pressure of water from −2.5 to 20°C

The vapor pressure of water has been measured in the range −2.5 to 20°C. The results are in good agreement with other experimental values, particularly those by Scheel and Heuse, but are higher than those in the International Steam Tables. A direct measurement of the triple-point pressure of water, (612.1 ± 0.4) N m t-2 or (4.591 ± 0.003) Torr, was obtained.
Diffusion-trapping model of receptor trafficking in dendrites

We present a model for the diffusive trafficking of protein receptors along the surface of a neuron's dendrite. Distributed along the dendrite are spatially localized trapping regions that represent submicrometer mushroomlike protrusions known as dendritic spines. Within these trapping regions receptors can be internalized via endocytosis and either reinserted into the surface via exocytosis or degraded. We calculate the steady-state distribution of receptors along the dendrite assuming a constant flux of receptors inserted at one end, adjacent to the soma where receptors are synthesized, and use this to investigate the effectiveness of membrane diffusion as a transport mechanism. We also calculate the mean first passage time of a receptor to travel a certain distance along the cable and use this to derive an effective surface diffusivity.
Biosynthesis of ent-kaurene in cell-free extracts of Pisum sativum shoot tips☆

Abstract Soluble enzyme preparations from pea shoot tips incorporated mevalonic acid-2- 14 C into ent -kaurene- 14 C, squalene- 14 C and other products. The assay for either ent -kaurene or squalene is quite direct; both products can be obtained apparently free of radioactive contaminants by TLC on silica gel G in hexane. The enzyme system is dependent upon added ATP and Mn 2+ or Mg 2+ , with Mn 2+ being a more effective activator than Mg 2+ under the experimental conditions. Reduced pyridine nucleotide had no effect on ent -kaurene production but stimulated squalene synthesis. The accumulation of both ent -kaurene and squalene was stimulated by dithiothreitol and carbon monoxide and was reduced by the addition of particulate cell components. AMO-1618 inhibited ent -kaurene production and had no effect on the synthesis of squalene. Enzyme extracts from shoot tips are much less active in ent -kaurene synthesis than extracts from the cotyledons of immature seeds on either a fresh weight or protein basis.
High inflation, heterodox stabilization, and fiscal policy

Abstract In 1985–86, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, and Israel introduced stabilization programs aimed at drastic and immediate reductions in inflation. Besides traditional fiscal and monetary policies, the stabilization packages included a number of “heterodox” elements such as wage and price freezes, exchange rate pegging, and deindexation measures. This paper delineates the analytical relationship between the traditional and heterodox policies, discusses the role and impact of the heterodox policies in the programs, and examines in detail the role of traditional fiscal policy when coupled with heterodox policies and applied with the aim of moving quickly from very high to very low inflation.
On the use of the Verlet neighbor list in molecular dynamics

Abstract This paper addresses the automatic update of the Verlet neighbor list for use in molecular dynamics simulations. We investigate the effects of density, temperature, time step, system size and molecular geometry upon the optimum neighbor list radius, update frequency, and timing of an explicitly vectorized algorithm. We find agreement between theoretical predictions (according to which the optimum neighbor list radius increases with sample size, temperature and time step, and decreases with density, elongation and number of sites, whereas the speed-up due to the use of neighbor lists increases linearly with sample size and decreases with density) and simulation results.
Symposium on Keynesian Economics Today

No book in economics has been more praised, more vilified, or more discussed than The General Theory of Employment, Interest and Money by John Maynard Keynes. Keynes wrote the book in the midst of a depression so great that it was clear to all observers that the economy was not working well. In the United States, the unemployment rate reached a peak of 25 percent in 1933, and it remained above 14 percent for the rest of the decade. Indeed, the severity and persistence of the Depression threatened the very existence of free-market economies. In The General Theory, Keynes offered a diagnosis and treatment of this malady. The book sparked a revolution in economics. What is left of the Keynesian revolution today? The 1970s were a hard time for Keynesians. As the Phillips curve seemed to disappear, so did the burgeoning consensus in macroeconomics. Keynes had emphasized how shifts in aggregate demand cause economic fluctuations, but in the 1970s, shifts in aggregate supply seemed at least as important. Critics questioned whether Keynesian macroeconomics could be built on solid microeconomic foundations, and new classical macroeconomics took a turn on center stage. But intellectual ideas ebb and flow. Most economists were not willing to embrace theories of the business cycle based on continuous market-clearing. It is therefore not surprising that Keynesian ideas surged again to prominence in the 1980s. The first two papers in this symposium discuss two strands of new Keynesian economics. Like Keynes, new Keynesians begin with the premise that persistent unemployment and economic fluctuations are central and continuing problems: recessions and depressions represent market-failure on a grand scale. Coming in the wake of the new classical revolution, new
Deterministic finite automata characterization and optimization for scalable pattern matching

Memory-based Deterministic Finite Automata (DFA) are ideal for pattern matching in network intrusion detection systems due to their deterministic performance and ease of update of new patterns, however severe DFA memory requirements make it impractical to implement thousands of patterns. This article aims to understand the basic relationship between DFA characteristics and memory requirements, and to design a practical memory-based pattern matching engine. We present a methodology that consists of theoretical DFA characterization, encoding optimization, and implementation architecture. Results show the validity of the characterization metrics, effectiveness of the encoding techniques, and efficiency of the memory-based pattern engines.
A risk assessment for methylmercury in tuna

An analysis of the risk of a developmental delay or neurological impairment in children as a result of exposure to MeHg from tuna consumption was conducted. Data used as a basis for the analyses were obtained from surveys of tuna intake, MeHg concentrations in tuna, MeHg levels in the blood of pregnant women, individual relationships between dietary intake and blood levels, individual relationships between blood levels and hair levels, and individual relationships between hair levels and indices of behavioral and neurological performance. Causal or associational relationships, population variability, and uncertainty were modeled for the six data sets. Two predictive models were constructed using the model components. The first was designed to predict the risk of a delay in the onset of talking in a child of a mother who frequently consumes tuna (90 g-day-1). This model uses a one-dimensional Monte-Carlo simulation to assimilate the uncertainties. An average delay of 3-4 days was est imated. The second model was designed to compare the impact of several regulatory options on the risk among the population of tuna-eaters using a scale of central nervous system dysfunction expressly constructed for the assessment. A two-dimensional Monte-Carlo simulation was used to assimilate the distributional components describing population variability and uncertainty.
Toward reconstructing fingerprints from minutiae points

We show that minutiae information can reveal substantial details such as the orientation eld and the class of the associated ngerprin t that can potentially be used to reconstruct the original ngerprin t image. The proposed technique utilizes minutiae triplet information to estimate the orientation map of the parent ngerprin t. The estimated orientation map is observed to be remarkably consistent with the underlying ridge o w. We next discuss a classication technique that utilizes minutiae information alone to infer the class of the ngerprin t. Preliminary results indicate that the seemingly random minutiae distribution of a ngerprin t can reveal important class information. Furthermore, contrary to what has been claimed by several minutiae-based ngerprin t system vendors, we demonstrate that the minutiae template of a user may be used to reconstruct ngerprin t images.
Evaluation of modulus of elasticity of composite metal foams by experimental and numerical techniques

Abstract The elastic behavior of Al–steel composite metal foams developed by casting technique was characterized by evaluating the modulus of elasticity through compression experiments, constitutive scaling equations and 2D finite element modeling. Experiments showed an elastic modulus of 10–12 GPa for Al–steel composite foams while the scaling laws predicted 3.5 GPa and 30 GPa as the lower and upper bounds of modulus of elasticity respectively. Two-dimensional finite element models of composite foams developed and analyzed assuming perfectly elastic materials, resulted in an elastic modulus of 10 GPa which is in good agreement with the experimental results.
A new route to pentafluorophenylmolybdenum(0) carbonyl complexes. Synthesis and X-ray crystal structure of PPN[Mo(C6F5)(CO)5]

Abstract In order to facilitate studies of the synthesis and reactivity of pentafluorophenylmolybdenum(0) carbonyl complexes, an efficient synthetic route to the pentacarbonyl complex, [Mo(C6F5)(CO)5]−, has been sought. It has now been shown that the known organometallic compounds AgC6F5 and PPN[MoCl(CO)5] [PPN=bis(triphenylphosphoranylidene)ammonium] react to give PPN[Mo(C6F5)(CO)5] in high purity and good yield. This compound has been characterized by IR, NMR, elemental analysis, and X-ray crystallography.
The acute toxicity of cyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl in the rat.

The acute toxicity of cyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl (CMT) was studied in Sprague-Dawley rats. CMT was found to produce convulsions and pulmonary edema. The ED50s for convulsion were 32 mg/kg (95% C.I. 24-42 mg/kg) p.o. and 20 mg/kg (95% C.I. 15-26 mg/kg) i.p. The LD50s for p.o. and i.p. administration were 22 mg/kg (95% C.I. 19-26 mg/kg) and 14 mg/kg (95% C.I. 10-20 mg/kg), respectively. Approximately 13-16% of the administered dose was recovered in the urine from 0 to 48 h post-dosing. The majority of this material was present as an organometallic form of manganese other than CMT. Phenobarbital pretreatment prevented the convulsions and pulmonary damage produced by a 50 mg/kg i.p. dose of CMT. Rats pretreated with CMT (5 mg/kg, i.p.) for 3 days exhibited convulsions but no deaths after treatment with a 34 mg/kg p.o. dose of CMT. These results suggest that CMT does not require metabolic activation to produce toxic effects, and that prior exposure to CMT produces tolerance.
Identifying a Minimal Rheological Configuration: A Tool for Effective and Efficient Constitutive Modeling of Soft Tissues

We describe a modeling methodology intended as a preliminary step in the identification of appropriate constitutive frameworks for the time-dependent response of biological tissues. The modeling approach comprises a customizable rheological network of viscous and elastic elements governed by user-defined 1D constitutive relationships. The model parameters are identified by iterative nonlinear optimization, minimizing the error between experimental and model-predicted structural (load-displacement) tissue response under a specific mode of deformation. We demonstrate the use of this methodology by determining the minimal rheological arrangement, constitutive relationships, and model parameters for the structural response of various soft tissues, including ex vivo perfused porcine liver in indentation, ex vivo porcine brain cortical tissue in indentation, and ex vivo human cervical tissue in unconfined compression. Our results indicate that the identified rheological configurations provide good agreement with experimental data, including multiple constant strain rate load/unload tests and stress relaxation tests. Our experience suggests that the described modeling framework is an efficient tool for exploring a wide array of constitutive relationships and rheological arrangements, which can subsequently serve as a basis for 3D constitutive model development and finite-element implementations. The proposed approach can also be employed as a self-contained tool to obtain simplified 1D phenomenological models of the structural response of biological tissue to single-axis manipulations for applications in haptic technologies.
Noninvasive method for the assessment of dermal uptake of pesticides using attenuated total reflectance infrared spectroscopy.

Dermal absorption of pesticides is a primary exposure route for agricultural workers, but is not well characterized. Current measurement techniques are either invasive, such as tape-stripping, or require extensive sample preparation or analysis time, such as urinary metabolite monitoring or wipe sampling followed by gas chromatography analysis. We present the application of a noninvasive, spectroscopic approach for the measurement of pesticide absorption into skin. Attenuated total reflectance infrared spectroscopy (ATR-IR) was used to monitor directly the absorption of two pesticides—captan and azinphos-methyl—in ten volunteers over 20 min under occlusive conditions. We found substantial variability in absorption across subjects. Our results were comparable to those measured by the more traditional method of wipe-sampling followed by extraction and gas chromatography analysis. Multivariate data analysis, in the form of multivariate curve resolution (MCR), is a novel addition to this type of experiment, yielding time-resolved information unachievable by standard methods. These data are potentially more informative than the monitoring of blood or urinary metabolites because they can be acquired in essentially real-time, allowing observations of pesticide absorption on a rapid timescale rather than over hours or days.
A Lagrangian approach to dual pion amplitudes

A simple Lagrangian is constructed, which in the tree approximation produces a ππ scattering amplitude possessing (i) the correct iso-spin structure with no exotic resonances (ii) Regge asymptotic behavior Sαϱ(t) and (iii) duality and satisfies (iv) the Adler condition. The last condition is satisfied without any restriction on the Regge-trajectory intercept. However, if we set αϱ (mπ2) = 12, the present model produces all the terms in the one of Lovelace-Veneziano plus a satellite term of 0(p2mϱ2) where p is the momentum of the off-shell pion. The ratio of I = 0 to I = 2 S-wave scattering lenghts is a00a02 ≈ −2 and thus lies between the Schwinger value of −32 and the Weinberg value of −72.
An unusual mechanism of sudden death in congenital heart disease.

Abstract Two cases of cyanotic congenital heart disease are reported in which an unusual mechanism seems to have operated to cause sudden death. In one patient the major lesions were pulmonary atresia and tricuspid stenosis. In the second patient the chief anomalies were aortic and mitral stenosis. In both instances thrombi developed just above the anomalous semilunar valves and ultimately grew large enough to obstruct vital circulatory pathways and produce a sudden fatal termination. As surgical procedures are developed for the alleviation of congenital anomalies, it is possible that care will have to be taken to avoid the creation of cul-de-sacs in which thrombi may form and lead to serious consequences at a later date.