cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Solution of metals in their molten salts some manganese, chromium, uranium and antimony systems☆

Abstract Preparations of high purity MnCl2, CrCl2, CrI2, UBr4, UI3 and Sb2S3 are described; the melting points obtained for CrI2 (868°) and Sb2S3 (559·5°) are significantly higher than previously reported. The small solubilities of manganese and chromium in the respective halides studied were characterized primarily by the depression of the freezing points of the salts by excess metal. For MnCl2 + Mn (in Ta), ΔT is 1·5 ± 1°, for CrCl2 + Cr, 6°, and for CrI2 + Cr, 3°. the UBr3-U and UI3-U systems were studied by equilibration in tantatalum containers followed by analysis of the saturated salt phase. Uranium dissolves in liquid UBr3 to 4 ± 1 mole per cent over the range of 800–912°, and in UI3(l), from 5·7 per cent at 784 to ∼9 per cent at 1020°. The liquidus curve for Sb2S3 + Sb was investigated by thermal analysis; the salt-rich eutectic is at 524-5° and 18·0 ± 0·5 per cent Sb. At 780° the equilibrium salt phase contains 42·0 ± 0.5 per cent Sb. The UBr3 and Sb2S3 compositions are somewhat lower in metal content than previously reported.
Multimodality imaging of hepato-biliary disorders in pregnancy: a pictorial essay

Hepato-biliary disorders are rare complications of pregnancy, but they may be severe, with high fetal and maternal morbidity and mortality. Imaging is, therefore, essential in the rapid diagnosis of some of these conditions so that appropriate, life-saving treatment can be administered. This pictorial essay illustrates the multimodality imaging features of pregnancy-induced hepato-biliary disorders, such as acute fatty liver of pregnancy, preeclamsia and eclampsia, and HELLP syndrome, as well as those conditions which occur in pregnancy but are not unique to it, such as viral hepatitis, Budd-Chiari syndrome, focal hepatic lesions, biliary sludge, cholecystolithiasis, and choledocholithiasis.
A Highly Selective and Sensitive Inorganic/Organic Hybrid Polymer Fluorescence “Turn-on” Chemosensory System for Iron Cations

A polymer-based fluorescence “turn-on” chemosensor is demonstrated with high sensitivity and selectivity toward Fe2+ cations. This system is an inorganic/organic hybrid system in which Cu2+ is coordinated at the receptor site of a conjugated polymer sensor. The unique quenching behavior of the Cu2+ toward this conjugated polymer was used to lower the initial fluorescence intensity of the sensory system. This results in a highly sensitive and also selective sensory system toward Fe2+ as compared to other related divalent transition-metal cations in solution.
Effects of heavy metal ions on selected oxidative metabolic processes in rat alveolar macrophages

The effects of four heavy metal cations, Cd2+, Hg2+, Ni2+, and Pb2+, on oxygen consumption, glucose metabolism, and the release of active oxygen species (as measured by chemiluminescence) were studied in rat alveolar macrophages at rest (no phagocytosis) and during phagocytosis. All four heavy metals depress the oxygen consumption and glucose metabolism which occurs in alveolar macrophages at rest by about 60–95%. During phagocytosis there is release of reactive forms of oxygen from the cells, a two- to threefold increase in oxygen consumption, but no change in glucose metabolism from that which occurs in resting cells. The metals inhibit the release of active oxygen from the cells and the oxygen consumption which occurs during phagocytosis by 75–85%. The ED50 values, i.e., the concentrations of metals which produce one-half of the maximal effects, indicate that the mechanism for release of active oxygen is affected by much lower concentrations of metals than is oxygen consumption. Also, experiments with trypan blue provide evidence that the metals can affect oxidative metabolism without causing gross membrane damage. The results of these experiments indicate that heavy metals inhibit oxidative metabolic processes in alveolar macrophages and, thus, may diminish the antibacterial activity of these cells.
Hypothesis for Vaccine Development: Protective Immunity to Enteric Diseases Caused by Nontyphoidal Salmonellae and Shigellae May Be Conferred by Serum IgG Antibodies to the O-Specific Polysaccharide of Their Lipopolysaccharides

Immunoprophylaxis for bacterial enteric diseases is hindered because the protective immune mechanism(s) against nontyphoidal salmonellae or shigellae in humans are not established. On the basis of the similarities between the clinical signs, epidemiology, pathogenesis, and pathology of as well as protective immunity to salmonellae and shigellae, we propose that serum IgG antibodies to the O-specific polysaccharide (O-SP) of their lipopolysaccharides (LPSs) will confer protective immunity to these two pathogens. Critical to this notion is that (1) the virulence of these two pathogens requires full expression of their LPS; (2) active or passive immunization with serum IgG O-SP antibodies confers protection of mice against Salmonella typhimurium (there are no comparable data for humans); and (3) in humans, convalescence from shigellosis confers type (O-SP) -specific protective immunity, and indirect evidence shows a correlation between the level of serum LPS antibodies and resistance to shigellosis. We designed conjugate vaccines to elicit high levels of long-lived serum IgG O-SP antibodies to nontyphoidal salmonellae and shigellae to test this hypothesis.
Republic of Signs: Liberal Theory and American Popular Culture

Norton examines the enactment of liberal ideas in popular culture; in the possessions of ordinary people and the habits of everyday life. She sees liberalism as the common sense of the American people: a set of conventions unconsciously adhered to, a set of principles silently taken for granted. The author ranges over a wide expanse of popular activities (e.g. wrestling, roller derby, lotteries, shopping sprees, and dining out), as well as conventional political topics (e.g., the Constitution, presidency, news media, and centrality of law). Yet the argument is pointed and probling, never shallow or superficial. Fred and Wilma Flintstone are as vital to the republic as Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt. "In discussions that range from the Constitution and the presidency to money and shopping, voting, lotteries, and survey research, Norton discerns and imaginatively invents possibilities that exceed recognized actualities and already approved opportunities."-Richard E. Flathman, "American Political Science Review" "[S]timulating and stylish exploration of political theory, language, culture, and shopping at the mall . . . popular culture at its best, informed by history and theory, serious in purpose, yet witty and modest in tone."-Bernard Mergen, "American Studies International"
Differential Control of Synaptic and Ectopic Vesicular Release of Glutamate

Exocytosis of synaptic vesicles occurs not only at synaptic active zones but also at ectopic sites. Ectopic exocytosis provides a direct and rapid mechanism for neurons to communicate with glia that does not rely on transmitter spillover from the synaptic cleft. In the cerebellar cortex the processes of Bergmann glia cells encase synapses between presynaptic climbing fiber varicosities and postsynaptic Purkinje cell spines and express both AMPA receptors and electrogenic glutamate transporters. AMPA receptors expressed by Purkinje cells and Bergmann glia cells are activated predominantly by synaptic and ectopic release, respectively, and therefore can be used to compare the properties of the two release mechanisms. We report that vesicular release differs at synaptic and ectopic sites in the magnitude of short-term plasticity and the proportions of Ca2+ channel subtypes that trigger glutamate release. High-affinity glutamate transporter-mediated currents in Bergmann glia cells follow the rules of synaptic release more closely than the rules of ectopic release, indicating that the majority of glutamate is released from conventional synapses. On the other hand, ectopic release produces high-concentration glutamate transients at Bergmann glia cell membranes that are necessary to activate low-affinity AMPA receptors rapidly. Ectopic release may provide a geographical cue to guide Bergmann glia cell membranes to surround active synapses and ensure efficient uptake of glutamate that diffuses out of the synaptic cleft.
Myopia and intelligence: a pleiotropic relationship?

The well-established association between myopia and superior intelligence in the general population was investigated in a group of intellectually gifted children and their less gifted full siblings to determine whether the relationship of myopia to psychometric intelligence is consistent with the hypothesis of pleiotropy, i.e., both characteristics are affected by the same gene or set of genes. Failure to find a difference in degree of myopia, assessed as a metric variable, between intellectually gifted and nongifted siblings would contradict pleiotropy. A variety of possible causal pathways, both genetic and environmental, have been hypothesized in the literature to explain the relationship between intelligence and myopia, and these still cannot be ruled out. It is theoretically noteworthy, however, in view of the independent evidence for the considerable heritability of both intelligence and myopia, that the highly significant gifted-nongifted sibling difference in myopia found in the present study is consistent with the hypothesis that intelligence and myopia are related pleiotropically.
Domestic Violence or Elder Abuse? Why It Matters for Older Women

Law enforcement and legal services are 2 systems that respond to reports of abuse against women through programs such as adult protective services (APS) and domestic violence (DV). APS and DV systems operate independently and define the cause of the abuse differently. The designation of a woman as having suffered domestic violence or having been abused often depends on which system she enters. This designation can lead to different options for women to obtain services. Aging may further complicate access and usability of these systems to respond to the needs of abused elderly. Using vignettes, this article explores the definitions of abuse and highlights specific concerns of aging that impact usefulness of services.
Toxicogenomic effects common to triazole antifungals and conserved between rats and humans.

Abstract The triazole antifungals myclobutanil, propiconazole and triadimefon cause varying degrees of hepatic toxicity and disrupt steroid hormone homeostasis in rodent in vivo models. To identify biological pathways consistently modulated across multiple timepoints and various study designs, gene expression profiling was conducted on rat livers from three separate studies with triazole treatment groups ranging from 6 h after a single oral gavage exposure, to prenatal to adult exposures via feed. To explore conservation of responses across species, gene expression from the rat liver studies were compared to in vitro data from rat and human primary hepatocytes exposed to the triazoles. Toxicogenomic data on triazoles from 33 different treatment groups and 135 samples (microarrays) identified thousands of probe sets and dozens of pathways differentially expressed across time, dose, and species — many of these were common to all three triazoles, or conserved between rodents and humans. Common and conserved pathways included androgen and estrogen metabolism, xenobiotic metabolism signaling through CAR and PXR, and CYP mediated metabolism. Differentially expressed genes included the Phase I xenobiotic, fatty acid, sterol and steroid metabolism genes Cyp2b2 and CYP2B6 , Cyp3a1 and CYP3A4 , and Cyp4a22 and CYP4A11 ; Phase II conjugation enzyme genes Ugt1a1 and UGT1A1 ; and Phase III ABC transporter genes Abcb1 and ABCB1 . Gene expression changes caused by all three triazoles in liver and hepatocytes were concentrated in biological pathways regulating lipid, sterol and steroid homeostasis, identifying a potential common mode of action conserved between rodents and humans. Modulation of hepatic sterol and steroid metabolism is a plausible mode of action for changes in serum testosterone and adverse reproductive outcomes observed in rat studies, and may be relevant to human risk assessment.
Adhesion and friction properties of hydrogenated amorphous carbon films measured by atomic force microscopy

Atomic force microscopy has been used to measure adhesion and friction forces at the interface between an oxidized metal probe tip and amorphous carbon films of varying hydrogen contents (12.3–39.0 atomic percent hydrogen). The interface of an oxide surface and a hard carbon coating models the unlubricated head-disk interface of current hard disk products. Adhesion forces normalized by the radius of curvature of the contacting tip range from 1.09 to 8.53 N/m. Coefficients of friction values, measured as the slope of the friction versus load plot, range from 0.33 to 0.87. A trend of increasing adhesion forces and coefficients of friction is observed for increasing hydrogen content in the films. We attribute the increase in adhesion and friction to increases in the surface free energy of the carbon films with the incorporation of hydrogen.
Explaining the Applicability of Mathematics in Science

Philosophical discussion of applied mathematics has tended to focus on a cluster of related ‘problems of applicability’ that are often conflated. In this paper, I argue that several of these problems raise no significant philosophical issues. I then identify two particular aspects of the involvement of mathematics in science: that mathematics is indispensable for science, and that mathematics sometimes plays an explanatory role in science. I argue that there are genuine questions surrounding these two features of applied mathematics, and in particular that the issue of the role of mathematics in scientific explanation has ramifications for the debate between realist and anti-realist views in the philosophy of mathematics.
The roles of nitrogen and phosphorus in regulating the dominance of floating and submerged aquatic plants in a field mesocosm experiment

Abstract Free-floating plant outbreaks have attracted the interest of scientists and managers alike due to their strong effects on ecosystem structure and function in shallow lakes and ponds. I evaluated the roles of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and N:P ratios in driving the dominance of duckweeds (Lemnoideae and Wolffioideae) in survey data from 38 ponds in Michigan, USA. I also conducted a mesocosm experiment manipulating the variables in enclosures in two experimental ponds with floating and submerged plants. Floating plants exhibited nonlinear responses to total N, total P, and N:P in the survey data. Experimentally, N drove the initial growth of floating plants. Later in the experiment, floating taxa composition often shifted from Lemna minor L. to filamentous green algae and Wolffia sp., and the shift was associated with increased pH and submerged plant composition. These results support N controlling floating plants, but complex interactions between nutrients, pH, and primary producer community composition need further study.
A procedure for extraction of microarthropods from bulk soil samples with emphasis on inactive stages

Abstract Two mechanical methods, soil washing and heptane flotation, are sequentially utilized to extract microarthropods from large samples of loosely structured soil. A 5-gal volume of soil is subdivided into five equal portions; 3 gal of water is added to each portion in a 5-gal. pail. The water is stirred until all soil particles are suspended. Material that floats to the surface is skimmed into a collection container and preserved with 95% ethyl alcohol. Arthropods are then extracted by heptane flotation as discussed herein. The procedure is useful for sampling nutrient-poor soils as well as deep soil faunas in many soil types. A large number of individuals may be recovered, including quiescent phases and inactive stages of microarthropods.
Atomic beam deflection in a quantum field

Abstract We study atomic beam deflection in a quantum standing wave field and show that the deflection is a sensitive function of the field photon statistics.
Characterization of Ruthenium-Exchanged Zeolites (Beta, Y, and ZSM-5) by EPR Spectroscopy

Abstract Ruthenium-exchanged zeolites, Ru–Beta, Ru–Y, and Ru–ZSM-5, are active catalysts for the decomposition of nitrous oxide, N 2 O. [Ru(NH 3 ) 6 ] 3+ was exchanged into zeolites Y, Beta, and ZSM-5. The resulting ruthenium-exchanged zeolites were characterized by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy and were tested for N 2 O decomposition activity. The decomposition of the [Ru(NH 3 ) 6 ] 3+ complex in the zeolites during pretreatment in helium at elevated temperatures was monitored using EPR spectroscopy. Ru–Beta and Ru–Y exhibited similar EPR spectra that were interpreted in terms of loss of amine ligands, formation of aquo and hydroxyl ruthenium complexes, and eventual loss of all ligands with binding to zeolitic oxygen. The EPR spectra of Ru–ZSM-5 exhibited some similar spectral features with the exception of the initial [Ru(NH 3 ) 6 ] 3+ complex. The presence of a specific ruthenium species observed by EPR was correlated with the catalytic activity of Ru–Y.
The Federal Ground‐Water Protection Program — Today's Hopea

The necessary administrative mechanisms for protection of our underground drinking water sources, and coordination of natural resource and energy development and environmental quality programs, should be provided by a federal ground-water control program, else today's underground contaminant disposal activities will be tomorrow's undoing. Federal regulations, however, must provide flexibility to States and industry to find the least costly means of meeting national environmental goals. A growing body of literature clearly documents cases of underground drinking water source contamination, sometimes severe, from a large variety of conditions and practices. Existing studies also indicate that this problem is pervasive: aquifers have been adversely affected in every region of the country. A federal ground-water protection program which (1) reflects consideration of total long-range natural resource protection and environmental quality benefits, (2) regulates in a manner so that the benefits to the environment generally exceed the regulatory costs and (3) encourages more efficient ways of meeting environmental goals in the least costly manner can and must be developed by the Environmental Protection Agency. Without an effective Federal ground-water protection program, the underground contamination problem will likely worsen.
Line Spread as a Visual Clinical Tool for Thickened Liquids

Purpose Preparing modified liquids to a target level of consistency is critical to patients' nutritional care. This study examined the relationship of line spread (i.e., the distance a liquid flows...
On Operations Research and Statistics Techniques: Keys to Quantitative Data Mining

SYNOPTIC ABSTRACTWith the current information explosion, both Knowledge Discovery in Data Bases (KDD) and Data Mining (DM), one of its most important phases, are becoming ubiquitous. Hence, there is an increasing need for training professionals to work as KDD/DM analysts. On the other hand, statisticians and operations researchers (O.R) combine three skills widely used in KDD/DM: computer programming, systems optimization and data analysis techniques. This document critically overviews the main applications of statistics and O.R. to the quantitative aspects of KDD/DM and presents an illustrative, real life example. Its purposes are, first to alert statisticians and O.R. professionals about the challenges and opportunities that, with little extra training await them in the field of KDD/DM, giving further references about where to learn in-depth about them. Secondly, to provide other KDD professionals, of backgrounds different from statistics and O.R., a clearer picture about the capabilities statisticians ...
Contamination-induced degradation of optics exposed to the Hubble Space Telescope interior

After the first Hubble Space Telescope (HST) servicing mission, the WFPC-1 and HSP instruments were returned to earth. Three optical surfaces from these instruments were analyzed in detail. They were the WFPC-1 pickoff mirror, the WFPC-1 aperture window, and the HSP filter assembly, all of which faced the central hub area of the HST. Hub-facing optics were of particular interest because any degradation in their performance might indicate a changed environment within the telescope itself. The pickoff mirror reflectance and aperture window transmittance were both found to be severely degraded in the far UV. The cause of the reflectance loss was contamination; the pickoff mirror was covered with a contaminant film about 450 angstrom thick, and the aperture window and HSP filters each had about 150 angstrom. The contamination contained multiple chemical species, some of which had been photopolymerized by exposure to earth-albedo UV. A UV-stimulated deposition and polymerization mechanism was posited. This contamination process is not expected to happen, however, for current and future instruments in HST. The HST components outgassed for 3.5 years before the first servicing mission, so the contaminants are no longer present in any appreciable quantity. Steps are being taken to ensure that any new equipment installed in the HST will not outgas. Over 2.5 years of operation, neither the WFPC-2 instrument nor the corrective optics module (COSTAR) has shown performance degradation in the UV There is also no evidence that the primary or the secondary mirror of the HST has changed.
Maintained generalization gradients in the monkey

A method was developed for obtaining generalization gradients in animals that has considerable advantages over previous methods since it (a) does not involve any prior discrimination training, (b) does not require testing in extinction, and (c) yields repeated daily generalization gradients.
Beyond Independence: The Korean Anarchist Press in China and Japan in the 1920s and 1930s

In this article, I will examine the Korean anarchist journals and newspapers published in China and Japan in the 1920s and 1930s, in order to demonstrate their transnational dimensions and characte...
New Ion Beam Materials Laboratory for Materials Modification and Irradiation Effects Research

Abstract A new multifunctional ion beam materials laboratory (IBML) has been established at the University of Tennessee, in partnership with Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The IBML is currently equipped with two ion sources, a 3 MV tandem accelerator, three beamlines and three endstations. The IBML is primarily dedicated to fundamental research on ion–solid interaction, ion beam analysis, ion beam modification, and other basic and applied research on irradiation effects in a wide range of materials. An overview of the IBML facility is provided, and experimental results are reported to demonstrate the specific capabilities.
Measurements of electron attachment lineshapes and cross sections at ultralow electron energies for CH2Br2, 1,1,1-C2Cl3H3, 2,3-butanedione and 2,3-pentanedione

Electron attachment cross sections are reported in the electron energy range 0-160 meV, and at energy resolutions of 6.5-7.0 meV (FWHM) for the molecules CH2Br2 (dibromomethane), 1,1,1-C2Cl3H3 (1,1,1-trichloroethane), 2,3-butanedione and 2,3-pentanedione. Use is made of the Kr photoionisation method. Attachment lineshapes, deconvoluted from the spectral slit (electron energy) function, are converted to cross sections by normalisation through thermal attachment rate constants at 300 K. Rate constants as a function of mean electron energy in are calculated from the cross sections using a Maxwellian electron energy distribution function, and a simple expression given for the energy of the peak attachment rate constant.
Case report: Hepatitis and hematemesis complicating nicotinic acid use

Nicotinic acid has a proven efficacy in the treatment of hypercholesterolemia. Therapeutic use of this water-soluble B vitamin has resulted in a survival benefit among patients enrolled in the Coronary Drug Project. Conversely, nicotinic acid has been associated with a high side-effect profile when used at therapeutic doses. Nevertheless, there are no previously reported cases of hematemesis temporally associated with nicotinic acid use. The authors report the case of a previously healthy 20-year-old man who developed hematemesis and hepatitis 1 week after self-initiating the daily consumption of 6 g of nicotinic acid. Supportive therapy and discontinuing nicotinic acid resulted in rapid clinical improvement in this patient. The clinical circumstances suggest a possible causal relationship between nicotinic acid consumption and his presenting problems. The use of large doses of nicotinic acid may be rapidly complicated by hematemesis and hepatitis.
Virtual geotechnical laboratory experiments using a simulator

The details of a test simulator that provides a realistic environment for performing virtual laboratory experimentals in soil mechanics is presented. A computer program ‘Geo-Sim’ that can be used to perform virtual experiments, and allow for real-time observations of material response is presented. The results of experiments, for a given set of input parameters, are obtained with the test simulator using well-trained artificial neural-network-based soil models for different soil types and stress paths. Multimedia capabilities are integrated in Geo-Sim, using software that links and controls a laser disc player with a real-time parallel processing ability. During the simulation of a virtual experiment, relevant portions of the video image of a previously recorded test on an actual soil specimen are dispalyed along with the graphical presentation of response from the feedforward ANN model predictions. The pilot simulator developed to date includes all aspects related to performing a triaxial test on cohesionless soil under undrained and drained conditions. The benefits of the test simulator are also presented. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Association of CD45dimVLA-4+ cells with the NKT cell lineage and their selective expression of IL-13, IP-15, and CCR3 transcripts

Estrogen (E2) was shown to prevent experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) and to produce a novel population of regulatory CD45dimVLA-4+ cells. Although their appearance was dependent upon an elevated hormonal level, E2 was not required for their production, as they also were induced by immunization with Mycobacterium tuberculosis as a component of complete Freund’s adjuvant. Molecular techniques, including ribonuclease protection assays and quantitative RT-PCR, were used to provide further characterization of CD45dimVLA-4+ cells. Moreover, we determined the developmental requirements of the CD45dimVLA-4+ cells using genetically modified mice and extensive flow cytometry analysis. Characterization of CD45dimVLA-4+ mRNA profile revealed highly elevated levels of CD16, CD44, CCR3, IP-15, and IL-13 transcripts compared with their CD45highVLA-4+ counterparts. Furthermore, we found up-regulation of anti-apoptotic bcl-w and bcl-xl genes and transcripts encoding the TCRα and CD8α homodimer. The production of CD45dimVLA-4+ cells was evident in nude mice and in MHC class II- and β2-microglobulin, but not in CD1-deficient mice, suggesting a crucial role for CD1 in their induction. These findings suggest that CD45dimVLA-4+ cells might resemble natural killer T cells and imply possible roles for IL-13 and IP-15 in the protective function of CD45dimVLA-4+ cells. A better understanding of how these cells, also occurring naturally during pregnancy, suppress the harmful immune response of EAE may lead to novel therapeutic approaches to combat multiple sclerosis and other autoimmune diseases.
Pediatric interventional catheterization: reasonable expectations and outcomes

Interventional cardiology, that is the practice of using catheters to treat heart disease, began 4 decades ago with William Rashkind’s development of the balloon septostomy to alleviate cyanosis in transposition of the great arteries [1]. The field expanded explosively in the final 2 decades of the twentieth century, and now there are few defects in which this treatment plays no role. Although most past discussions of the subject have been organized by the type of intervention performed (balloon dilation, device placement, and others), this article considers the role transcatheter therapy plays in the treatment of each major type of congenital heart lesion. The focus is on the clinical ramifications of the interventions rather than their technical aspects. Congenital heart defects (CHD) can be classified by physiology, complexity, or severity. Complexity and severity often—although not always—go hand in hand: complex defects are most likely to require intervention within the first year of life. The impact of interventional cardiology is most evident in simple defects. Technologic advances have been impressive, allowing pediatric cardiologists to enlarge vascular narrowings, close holes, and occlude vascular connections by using catheters, but it will be some from time before it will be possible to create complex anastomoses and vascular reconstructions by endovascular therapy. Thus, transcatheter treatments have replaced surgery only for simple shunt defects. In complex disease, catheter interventions have a supporting rather than a
Amino acid neurotransmitters in the retina: a functional overview

Physiological and pharmacological mechanisms of glutamatergic, GABAergic and glycinergic synapses in the tiger salamander retina were studied. We used immunocytochemical and autoradiographic methods to study localizations of these neurotransmitters and their uptake transporters; and electrophysiological methods (intracellular, extracellular and whole cell patch electrode recordings) to study the light responses, miniature postsynaptic currents and neurotransmitter-induced postsynaptic currents in various retinal neurons. Our results are consistent with the following scheme: Glutamate is used by the photoreceptor and bipolar cell output synapses and the release of glutamate is largely mediated by calcium-dependent vesicular processes. The postsynaptic glutamate receptors in DBCs are L-AP4 receptors, in HBCs, HCs and ganglion cells are the kainate/AMPA and NMDA receptors. Subpopulations of HCs make GABAergic synapses on cones and gate chloride condunctance through GABAA receptors. GABAergic HCs do not make feedforward synapses on bipolar cell dendrites and the neurotransmitter identity of the HCs making feedforward synapses is unknown. Subpopulations of amacrine cells make GABAergic synapses on bipolar cell synaptic terminals, other amacrine cells and ganglion cells and GABA gates chloride conductances in theses cells. Glycinergic amacrine cells make synapses on bipolar cell synaptic terminals, other amacrine cells and ganglion cells and glycine opens postsynaptic chloride channels. Glycinergic interplexiform cells make synapses on bipolar cells in the outer retina and glycine released from these cells open chloride channels in bipolar cell dendrites.
Control strategies for utility-scale cascaded photovoltaic system

This paper focuses on the development of feasible control strategies for three-phase two-stage grid-connected cascaded photovoltaic (PV) system. Two types of control strategies, i.e. distributed control and centralized control, are presented and analyzed in terms of design complexity, application and realization, and power control performance. Comprehensive active and reactive power distribution controls are implemented in the proposed control strategies. Their operation performances are compared and validated with simulation and experimental results.
Growth Hormone Replacement Therapy in Children with Leukemia in Remission

We describe a patient with leukemia in remission for 7 years who developed growth hormone (GH) deficiency and was treated with recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH). We compare her growth with that of patients from the National Cooperative Growth Study (NCGS) database, 145 with leukemia in remission and 725 with idiopathic growth hormone deficiency (IGHD) on treatment with rhGH. We also review the literature on the risk of relapse of leukemia in similar patients. The patients with leukemia in remission from the NCGS database had a significantly lower change of mean height standard deviation score than that of IGHD patients in the first, second, and third year of rhGH treatment. The relapse rate of leukemia in patients treated with rhGH is between 0.8% and 2%. Starting rhGH therapy in patients with leukemia in remission and with GH deficiency at an adequate dosage and without undue delay would improve their growth response. Such therapy does not appear to increase the risk of leukemia.
Constrained dynamic control of focal trajectory and intensity of phased array ultrasound thermal therapies

Long treatment times and normal tissue damage have been identified as major problems of ultrasound (US) surgery when large tumor volumes are treated, or when a tumor is located in close proximity to critical normal tissues. In this paper, a treatment control system that automatically selects location and intensity of the US focal zone to deliver the prescribed thermal dose to the target in minimum time without violating explicitly-imposed normal tissue safety constraints is developed. The controller is characterized by its time-optimal performance and direct incorporation of normal tissue constraints. To minimize the treatment time, which can be substantial with the explicit safety constraints, the control system applies the maximum US power for as long as possible without violating constraints by automatically changing focal zone locations to continue therapy at the maximum possible power. When there are no untreated locations where the maximum power can be applied without violating safety objectives, the control system selects focal locations and intensities such that the treatment is completed with at least one of the safety constraints active. The developed approach is evaluated in a computer-simulated treatment of a patient-specific three-dimensional breast tumor heated by an US phased array system.
Age-Related Hearing Loss: Quality of Care for Quality of Life

Age-related hearing loss (ARHL), known as presbycusis, is characterized by progressive deterioration of auditory sensitivity, loss of the auditory sensory cells, and central processing functions associated with the aging process. ARHL is the third most prevalent chronic condition in older Americans, after hypertension and arthritis, and is a leading cause of adult hearing handicaps in the United States. The prevalence of ARHL is expected to rise for the next several decades with the increasing aging Baby Boomer population. Nevertheless, ARHL remains an often undetected, underestimated and neglected condition in the geriatric population due to a slow development process of the disease. If left untreated, the impact of ARHL on patients, significant others, and the society as a whole would be significant. The purpose of this review is to raise the awareness of ARHL, to update our current understanding of ARHL with a focus on age-related deficits in auditory and cognitive processing of speech, and to explore strategies of prevention, identification, amplification, and aural rehabilitation. The ultimate goal is to improve the quality of hearing health care and the overall quality of life of the Baby Boomer generation.
Expanding the Application of Group Interventions: Emergence of Groups in Health Care Settings

Changes in the health care arena and within the specialty of group work are contributing to the increased utilization of groups in health care settings. Psychoeducational, theme, and interpersonal therapy groups are highlighted for their contributions to treating challenging health conditions. An understanding of the evolution of these group modalities, distinguishing their core features, and applying the fundamentals of group development assist in the development of group interventions to treat a wide range of conditions. Theme groups appear to be emerging as a more prominent group modality across a variety of health care settings to address challenging health conditions.
What is next in real-time computer vision? An overview of tightly-coupled non-homogeneous multiprocessor architectures

The problem of limitations of computer-vision systems caused by the power of computational platforms is addressed by using nonhomogeneous multiprocessors in a tightly-coupled organization. The general form of the architecture is defined as the computational resource graph being homomorphic to the computational task graph. Pragmatic issues such as the skewing of time have to be explicitly addressed and modeled in actual system design. An example of a three-chip set for real-time line buffering, convolution, and image normalization, is presented; this set encompasses modularity of the control structure in addition to modularity in the processing structure. Due to distributed control, a variety of operations can be performed without the need of glue logic for the interface of the chips. >
Pore-pressure rise, frictional strength, and fault slip: one-dimensional interaction models

SUMMARY Analytical solutions are derived for three modes of 1-D strike-slip frictional heating in a strip within a vertical fault zone that is embedded in an otherwise homogeneous medium. These include instantaneous and step-heating modes, as well as a preferred decay-heating mode in which the heating declines with time to a sudden end. Modelling results indicate that the evolution of temperature and pore-pressure rises varies with heating mode, but, at a time three times greater than the slip duration, the evolutionary paths for the different modes are practically indistinguishable. Generally the pressure front advances ahead of the temperature front by a distance of 1/D times the temperature-front distance, where D is the square root of the ratio of thermal to hydraulic diffusivity. A model based on the values of one plausible set of physical parameters suggests that temperature can increase by 100–320 K and pore pressure can rise by 5–16 MPa after 1 m slip under a mean resistive stress of 10 MPa. These estimates can be easily raised or lowered by 50 per cent, because some model-parameter values have uncertainties of one to two orders of magnitude. The estimated pore-pressure rise, being of the same order as the seismic stress drop, requires a large fault slip as a prerequisite. A lower pre-earthquake pore-pressure rise may bear a significant consequence on triggering earthquakes. Once a small aseismic slip begins, regardless of its initiating mechanism, the rise in pore pressure will weaken the frictional strength and lead to more slip. Pressure rise, fault weakening, and slip may reinforce one another through feedback processes that eventually escalate to earthquakes. Massive development of fractures during fault slip enlarges the pore volume; accordingly, the pore pressure is reduced and the frictional strength is raised. When the pore pressure drops below its pre-slip level, the slip stops abruptly. Thereafter, healing, sealing, compaction, and non-frictional heating re-initiate pore-pressure rise within the fault zone, setting the stage for another earthquake episode. Pre- and post-slip pore-pressure rises weaken the fault such that frictional heating is too low to yield an observable heat flow anomaly.
An artificial thyroid hormone receptor mutant without DNA binding can have dominant negative effect

The syndrome of resistance to thyroid hormone (RTH) encompasses a heterogeneous group of conditions which are caused by mutations of thyroid hormone receptor beta 1 (TR beta 1). Mutations usually cluster in two regions of the ligand-binding domain. The mutant receptors can inhibit normal receptor activity in a dominant negative manner, consistent with the dominant mode of inheritance of RTH. Recent evidence suggested that this dominant negative effect (DNE) of the RTH mutants involves competition for DNA binding and emphasized the essential role of intact DNA binding activity for mutants in order to exert DNE. However, we found that a Cys73Ser substitution in the DNA-binding domain (DBD) of wild-type produces a TR which can inhibit the transcriptional activation by TR alpha 1, either in the presence or absence of T3, on three different TRE-containing reporter genes, in transient co-transfection studies. Co-expression of TRv alpha 2, a TR alpha splicing variant, can enhance this DNE. However, DNE was not observed on the negatively-regulated TSH alpha Luc reporter gene when wild-type and DBD mutant were co-transfected at equimolar ratios. The DNE of DBD mutant is not reversed by co-transfection with excess retinoid X receptor alpha. DBD mutant alone can also inhibit the transactivation from a TK-luciferase reporter gene either linked with rat malic enzyme thyroid response element, or not. These observations parallel those we previously observed using TRv alpha 2. Our results indicate that a DBD mutant can have DNE, possibly through a mechanism similar to that of TRv alpha 2, which may involve interference with basal transcription factors. The clinical significance of these DBD mutants is currently unclear, but it is logical to expect such mutants do occur in nature.
Assessment of Noncatalytic Biodiesel Synthesis Using Supercritical Reaction Conditions

This article reviews the relatively new field of supercritical fluid phase synthesis of biodiesel fuel. We assess the current state of the art and then suggest several directions for new or additional research that would lead to important advances in this field. Biodiesel synthesis at supercritical conditions is technologically feasible and perhaps economically competitive with conventional synthesis routes for low-cost feedstocks such as waste cooking oil. A better understanding of the reaction kinetics (both metal-catalyzed and uncatalyzed) and phase behavior (e.g., location of liquid−liquid−vapor and liquid−vapor regions and critical temperature and pressure as they change during the course of the reaction) is needed. Additionally, there is a need for more detailed analysis of the economics, energy requirements, and environmental impacts of the supercritical process relative to conventional technology.
Discrete event simulation for batch processing

This paper presents the modeling of batch processes using discrete event simulation. Discrete event simulation is often used for transactional-based processes; however, this paper describes an example of representing each batch as a single transaction in order to model process cycle time and utility usage. An example is provided to demonstrate the use of this method for simulating water-for-injection usage in a biopharmaceutical process.
Studies support probable long-term safety of MRI

F. S. Prato et al. 's Letter (“MRI safety not scientifically proven,” 30 April, p. [568][1]), and the News story to which it referred ([ 1 ][2]), questioned the safety of exposure to strong magnetic fields associated with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. However, neither the Letter nor
Blood-based gene expression profiling in castrate-resistant prostate cancer

Castrate-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC), the most life-threatening form of prostate cancer, has recently been the focus of many successful new treatments. Contemporary trials highlight the heterogeneous prognosis of CRPC as overall survival times vary greatly across different patient sub-groups. As presented in BMC Medicine, Wang et al. identify a blood-based prognostic signature in CRPC. Their approach is notable for discovery and validation of a four-gene model based on a whole-blood expression signature sampled from three distinct clinical cohorts. Further, the marker selection process incorporates an understanding of biological pathways expressed in myeloid or lymphoid cells which may provide some insight into host-tumor interactions as reflected in the peripheral blood. While the study includes a multivariate analysis accounting for many important clinical variables, larger datasets with more complete clinical information and sufficient follow-up are needed to confirm the independent significance of the four-gene expression model in a way which may better inform the care of CRPC patients.
Molecular and genetic aspects of plant responses to osmotic stress

Drought, high salinity and freezing impose osmotic stress on plants. Plants respond to the stress in part by modulating gene expression, which eventually leads to the restoration of cellular homeostasis, detoxification of toxins and recovery of growth. The signal transduction pathways mediating these adaptations can be dissected by combining forward and reverse genetic approaches with molecular, biochemical and physiological studies. Arabidopsis is a useful genetic model system for this purpose and its relatives including the halophyte Thellungiella halophila, can serve as valuable complementary genetic model systems.
Mechanisms of intermittent hypoxia induced hypertension

Exposing rodents to brief episodes of hypoxia mimics the hypoxemia and the cardiovascular and metabolic effects observed in patients with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), a condition that affects between 5% and 20% of the population. Apart from daytime sleepiness, OSA is associated with a high incidence of systemic and pulmonary hypertension, peripheral vascular disease, stroke and sudden cardiac death. The development of animal models to study sleep apnoea has provided convincing evidence that recurrent exposure to intermittent hypoxia (IH) has significant vascular and haemodynamic impact that explain much of the cardiovascular morbidity and mortality observed in patients with sleep apnoea. However, the molecular and cellular mechanisms of how IH causes these changes is unclear and under investigation. This review focuses on the most recent findings addressing these mechanisms. It includes a discussion of the contribution of the nervous system, circulating and vascular factors, inflammatory mediators and transcription factors to IH-induced cardiovascular disease. It also highlights the importance of reactive oxygen species as a primary mediator of the systemic and pulmonary hypertension that develops in response to exposure to IH.
Formal grammars for intermolecular structure

Formal grammars can be used to model general forms of intramolecular structure, such as secondary structure of nucleic acids. A new formalism, called cut grammar, is shown to model intermolecular assemblages such as hybridization products, as well. Formal grammars themselves can be modelled by sets of oligonucleotides, and derivations from any context-free grammar can in theory be simulated by hybridization experiments. >
Decomposition Based Interior Point Methods for Two-Stage Stochastic Convex Quadratic Programs with Recourse

Zhao showed that the log barrier associated with the recourse function of two-stage stochastic linear programs behaves as a strongly self-concordant barrier and forms a self-concordant family on the first-stage solutions. In this paper, we show that the recourse function is also strongly self-concordant and forms a self-concordant family for the two-stage stochastic convex quadratic programs with recourse. This allows us to develop Bender's decomposition based linearly convergent interior point algorithms. An analysis of such an algorithm is given in this paper.