cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ovarian tumors in childhood.

Data on 14 cases of ovarian tumors occurring in children have been discussed in this presentation. Ovarian neoplasm is uncommon during childhood. It should be considered however in the differential diagnosis of several conditions observed not infrequently by the clinician in girls from infancy through adolescence. These conditions are: lower abdominal pain of acute, subacute or chronic nature; abdominal or pelvic masses; precocious puberty and vaginal bleeding. The treatment is surgical. The prognosis in the malignant varieties is usually serious, but there are exceptions to this generalization. The prognosis in the benign types is good.
Translational control of exported proteins that results from OmpC porin overexpression.

The regulation of synthesis and export of outer membrane proteins of Escherichia coli was examined by overexpressing ompC in multicopy either from its own promoter or from an inducible promoter in an expression vector. Overexpression of OmpC protein resulted in a nearly complete inhibition of synthesis of the OmpA and LamB outer membrane proteins but had no effect on synthesis of the periplasmic maltose-binding protein. Immunoprecipitation of labeled proteins showed no evidence of accumulation of uncleaved precursor forms of OmpA or maltose-binding protein following induction of OmpC overexpression. The inhibition of OmpA and LamB was tightly coupled to OmpC overexpression and occurred very rapidly, reaching a high level within 2 min after induction. OmpC overexpression did not cause a significant decrease in expression of a LamB-LacZ hybrid protein produced from a lamB-lacZ fusion in which the fusion joint was at the second amino acid of the LamB signal sequence. There was no significant decrease in rate of synthesis of ompA mRNA as measured by filter hybridization of pulse-labeled RNA. These results indicate that the inhibition is at the level of translation. We propose that cells are able to monitor expression of exported proteins by sensing occupancy of some limiting component in the export machinery and use this to regulate translation of these proteins. Images
A 2.5 Gb/s 32:1/1:32 SONET mux/demux chip set

A synchronous optical network (SONET) OC-48 32:1 and 1:32b multiplexer (mux) and demultiplexer (demux) chip set includes a four-phase clocking architecture, a programmable read/write, a datahold signal, a current buildup output buffer, and matched output data and clock paths.
Spatial and temporal characteristics of rainfall in Africa: Summary statistics for temporal downscaling

An understanding of rainfall characteristics at multiple spatiotemporal scales is of great importance for hydrological, biogeochemical, and land surface modeling studies. In the present study, patterns of rainfall are analyzed over the African continent based on 3 hourly 0.25° Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) estimates between 1998 and 2012 to produce monthly statistical summaries. The selected rain event properties are multiyear means of precipitation total amount (mm), event frequency (number), rate (mm/h), and duration (h) calculated independently for each calendar month. Analysis of 3 hourly and daily events in the 1998–2012 period suggests that rainfall amount can be summarized using gamma probability density functions. Assuming stationarity, gamma probability density functions of the total depth of 3 hourly and daily events are estimated and then used for temporal downscaling of monthly rainfall estimates (past or future). As a result, we generate 3 hourly and daily rainfall estimates that are pixelwise statistically indistinguishable from the observations while preserving monthly totals. Example scripts are provided that can be used to access monthly statistics and implement downscaling using archival (or projected) monthly rainfall estimates. These statistics could also be utilized for the assessment of rainfall from atmospheric models.
Future tenseWill

Expect virtual immortality through enduring, realistic avatars based on published work and archived memory.
Carry Trades and Speculative Dynamics

When a currency trader borrows Japanese yen at 1 percent to fund the purchase of US dollar assets that yield 5 percent, the trader makes a profit even if the dollar/yen exchange rate remains unchanged. This paper examines the implications of such carry trades for speculative dynamics. In the absence of carry costs, we establish the benchmark result that speculation can be ruled out. However, carry costs can drastically change the nature of the price dynamics. Our results suggest that markets that combine significant costs of carry and low "resiliency" (such as the foreign exchange market) have the pre-conditions for large and persistent deviations of price from fundamentals, followed by abrupt reversals. Not only does uncovered interest parity fail, but a currency with a high interest rate will exhibit the classic price pattern of going up by the stairs, and coming down in the elevator.
Event-level analysis of antecedents for youth violence: Comparison of dating violence with non-dating violence

Abstract Background Dating violence (DV) has emerged as a major concern among youth with links to substance use, injuries, and death. The emergency department (ED) provides an opportunity for violence screening and prevention interventions. Additional data are needed regarding antecedents of DV versus non-dating violence (NDV; e.g., acquaintance, stranger) to develop ED-based violence interventions for youth. Methods Participants were 575 patients screening positive for past 6-month drug use in an urban ED who completed timeline follow-back aggression modules at baseline and 6- and 12-months, indicating event-specific antecedents of violence. Multi-level logistic regressions using event-level data, nested by individual and time (i.e. baseline, 6- and 12-month assessment intervals), were used to examine antecedents of DV vs. NDV. Post-hoc analyses examined substance use × reasons and gender interactions. Results Prescription sedative/opioid misuse was more likely to be reported prior to DV whereas alcohol only, and co-ingested alcohol and marijuana only, were more likely to be reported prior to NDV. Reasons for DV included: “personal belongings”, “angry/bad mood,” “jealousy,” “drunk/high on drugs” and “arguing about sex”. Reasons for NDV included: “rumors,” “retaliation,” “personal space” and “aid (someone) due to physical attack”. Substance use before/during conflicts and reasons for conflicts were both uniquely associated with DV versus NDV. Two gender interactions were found. Conclusions ED based interventions for urban youth need to be tailored by gender, substance use (alcohol, cocaine, sedatives), reasons for violence, and type of violence (DV vs. NDV).
Potential work-related exposures to bloodborne pathogens by industry and occupation in the United States Part II: A telephone interview study.

Background The companion surveillance portion of this study [Chen and Jenkins, 2007] reported the frequency and rate of potential work-related exposures to bloodborne pathogens (BBP) treated in emergency departments (EDs) by industry and occupation, but it lacks details on the circumstances of the exposure and other relevant issues such as BBP safety training, use of personal protective equipment (PPE) or safety needles, or reasons for seeking treatment in a hospital ED. Methods Telephone interviews were conducted with workers who had been treated in EDs for potential work-related exposures to BBP in 2000–2002. Respondents were drawn from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System. Results Of the 593 interviews, 382 were from hospitals, 51 were from emergency medical service/firefighting (EMS/FF), 86 were from non-hospital healthcare settings (e.g., nursing homes, doctors' offices, home healthcare providers, etc.), 22 were from law enforcement (including police and correctional facilities), and 52 were from other non-healthcare settings (i.e., schools, hotels, and restaurants). Needlestick/sharps injuries were the primary source of exposure in hospitals and non-hospital healthcare settings. Skin and mucous membrane was the primary route of exposure in EMS/FF. Human bites accounted for a significant portion of the exposures in law enforcement and other non-healthcare settings. In general, workers from non-hospital settings were less likely to use PPE, to have BBP safety training, to be aware of the BBP standards and exposure treatment procedures, and to report or seek treatment for a work-related exposure compared to hospital workers. Conclusions This study suggests that each industry group has unique needs that should be addressed. Am. J. Ind. Med. 2007. Published 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Synthesis of decision rules

Decision tables can be used as an effective tool during an interview to record the logic of processes to be automated. The result of such an interview is not a structure of complete decision tables but rather sets of decision rules. The purpose of this paper is to provide a procedure for synthesizing the decision rules and thus provide an aid in developing a structure of complete decision tables.
Exterior orientation by direct depth reconstruction

Classical nonlinear methods for finding the relative orientation between a camera and an object suffer from considerable computation time and requirement for a good initial estimate, while linear methods, which do not need an initial estimate, are sensitive to noise and outliers. In this paper, we study the performances of different solution methods in the presence of noise and outliers. We also present a new iterative algorithm which is efficient, globally convergent, and relatively robust to noise and outliers.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
On Levy's identification, its generalization and applications

Levy's complex curve fitting is re-visited and re-solved using a vector-matrix approach. The problem is formulated in a general minimum-norm setting, and a unified geometric optimization method is used to result in a more comprehensive solution procedure and more programmable algorithms. The basic problem solved in the real-domain is then extended to allow complex-domain operation, and to allow the use of only the gain-frequency or the phase-frequency response. Extension is made to the identification of two-dimensional systems. Using this approach, sequential computation is made possible, and flexibility of accepting general weighting functions is provided. Potential applications beyond identification, including filter design and stable model-reduction, are discussed.
Double Visions: Educational Technology in Standards and Assessments for Science and Mathematics

For educational technology integration in content disciplines to succeed, teachers and teacher educators need clear standards delineating why, how, where, and how much educational technology they should include in their teaching. This paper examines the visions offered by current science, mathematics, and educational technology standards for educational technology integration in K-12 schools. Since national assessments exert a profound influence on what teachers and students choose to teach and learn, the vision of educational technology use supported by national assessments is also examined. The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Standards (NCTM, 2000. Principles and Standards for School Mathematics. Retrieved April 6, 2002 from http://standards.nctm.org), the National Science Education Standards (National Research Council (NRC) 1996. National Science Education Standards. Available at http://books.nap.edu/catalog/4962.html), and the National Educational Technology Standards (International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) 2000. National Educational Technology Standards for Students: Connecting Curriculum and Technology, ISTE, Eugene, Oregon) provide different visions of educational technology use in the classroom. In addition, the current technology use policies for national assessments in science and mathematics, in particular the college admission tests (ACT, SAT I and SAT II subject area tests), Advanced Placement (AP) course assessments, and the Praxis Series assessments indicate that while mathematics assessments often recommend or require the use of educational technology, few science assessments permit the use of educational technology by students. Recommendations are offered for science educators regarding teacher preparation for the technology-rich classrooms of the future.
Preliminary Astrometric Masses for Proposed Extrasolar Planetary Companions

As a first step in the implementation of an astrometric survey, we have reduced the Hipparcos intermediate astrometric data (IAD) for 30 stars that currently exhibit small-amplitude periodic radial velocity variations. We consider only systems with periods longer than 10 days, where the motion is attributed to the presence of an "extrasolar planetary companion" to the star. While our results are to be used as guidance in the selection of targets for confirmation with the Multichannel Astrometric Photometer and future space-based astrometric missions (e.g., Full-Sky Astrometric Mapping Explorer and Space Interferometry Mission), they have implications for our understanding of these companions. Our initial results from this data set indicate that true, as contrasted with minimum, companion masses range from stellar to astrometric limits that indicate substellar mass; however, only one is near the minimum mass obtained by radial velocity observations. Although our studies should be considered preliminary until additional astrometric data is available, they are suggestive of a characteristic that appears to be common to a significant fraction of these systems: small sin i. This, in turn, suggests that the sample of stars that have been examined for possible planetary mass companions may be biased. Moreover, if correct, these results provide a natural explanation for the fact that the orbital properties of these "extrasolar planets" are statistically indistinguishable from those of binary stars.
Using raw MPEG motion vectors to determine global camera motion

This paper presents a simple and effective method to determine global camera motion using raw MPEG-1 motion vectors information obtained straight form real MPEG-1 streams such as those of the new HITACHI MP-EG1A digital camcorder. The simple approach we have experimented with robustly fits a global affine optic flow model to the motion vectors. Other more robust methods are also proposed. In order to cope with the group-of-frames (GOF) discontinuity of the MPEG stream, B frames are used backward to determine the 'missing link' to a previous GOF thereby ensuring continuity of the motion estimation across a reasonable number of frames. As a tested, we have applied the method to the image mosaicing problem, for which interesting results have been obtained. Although several other methods exists to perform camera motion estimation, the approach presented here is particularly interesting because exploits 'free' information present in MPEG streams and bypass the highly expensive correlation process.© (1998) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Multiple cis-elements mediate shear stress-induced gene expression

Fluid shear stress activates the expression of immediate early (IE) genes in vascular endothelial cells. The transcriptional regulation can be mediated through the shear stress-sensitive cis-acting elements at the 5′ promoter regions of various IE genes such as the monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) gene. We linked wild-type and mutated MCP-1 promoters to the reporter gene luciferase and used such constructs to investigate the role of the phorbol ester TPA responsive element (TRE) in the shear-induced MCP-1 gene expression in vascular endothelial cells. Functional analysis showed that TGACTCC (a divergent TRE) located at nt −54 to −60 is necessary for shear-inducibility in bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAEC). The induction of the wild-type MCP-1 promoter construct by shear stress was attenuated by pretreating the cells with 1 μM dexamethasone or 1 μM retinoic acid 12 h before the shear stress experiments. The induction by shear stress reduced from 13-fold in the untreated cells to 7- and 3-folds in the dexamethasone- and retinoic acid-treated cells, respectively. These results demonstrate that the glucocorticoid receptor and retinoic acid receptor may interfere with the shear stress-activated AP-1TRE. The reporter activity of HIV(LTR), which is a plasmid construct of the long terminal repeats of the human immunodeficiency virus and contains a κB enhancer element, was also activated by shear stress. The results of our investigations indicate that the shear stress-induced IE gene expression can be mediated through multiple cis-elements.
Phase selection during directional solidification of peritectic alloys

Directional solidification studies have been conducted using Pb-Bi peritectic alloys over a wide range of compositions, temperature gradients, and growth velocities to characterize the primary α- to primary β-phase transitions, which have been observed at both very low and very high velocities. The critical conditions for these transitions correspond to the simultaneous growth of the α and β phases at or close to a single isotherm. The low velocity transition occurs under very specific conditions of composition, temperature gradient, and growth velocity. Since the transition conditions are composition dependent, they change continuously under terrestrial conditions where rejected solute is convectively mixed into the liquid. Detailed experimental studies have been carried out to examine the phase selection in the immediate vicinity of the critical velocity for the α to β transition, and the effect of convection on this transition is examined experimentally in the Pb-Bi system. The dynamic condition, at which both phases are present at the same isotherm, was shown to depend not only on velocities, temperature gradients, and bulk (nominal) alloy compositions, but also on the volume fractions of solid. A quantitative expression for the α- to β-phase transition condition was obtained by using the boundary layer model of fluid flow, which showed good agreement with the experimental results. It is shown that the transition occurs at the volume fraction where the bulk composition reaches the critical composition value predicted by the diffusive model. The modification in the microstructure map for the trailing planar or nonplanar β phase is discussed.
Spinal cord complications after thoracic aortic surgery: long-term survival and functional status varies with deficit severity.

Objective Paraplegia after thoracoabdominal aneurysm (TAA) repair has been associated with poor survival. Little information exists concerning the spectrum of severity that characterizes spinal cord ischemic (SCI) complications. This study stratified SCI by deficit severity to determine its impact on late survival and functional outcomes. Methods A review of our prospectively maintained thoracic aortic database was performed from May 1987 through December 2005 to identify patients who experienced SCI of any extent after TAA repair. During this period, 576 patients underwent descending thoracic aortic repair (93 open, 105 endovascular [TEVAR]) or open TAA repair (279 extent I to III; 99 extent IV). To stratify severity of SCI, we created a spinal cord ischemia deficit (SCID) scale, which is defined as: I, flaccid paralysis; II, average neurologic muscle grade indicating 50% function. Long-term outcomes were evaluated in relation to these groups by actuarial methods. Results During the study period, 64 (11.1%) patients developed SCI of any severity (7 of 105 [6.6%] TEVAR, 57 of 471 [12%] open). These were stratified by SCID level: I, 24 (37.5%); II, 31 (48.4%); and III, 9 (14.1%). SCI was immediate in 33 (54.1%) and delayed in 28 (45.9%). Most SCI (6 of 7) associated with TEVAR was delayed. The 30-day mortality was significantly higher in the SCI group than the overall patient cohort (15 of 64 [23.4%] vs 41 of 512 [8%], P Conclusion Survival and functional outcomes correlate with SCI severity. Patients with SCID I have a poor long-term outlook. Survival of SCID II/III patients is similar to non-SCI patients; most recover the ability to ambulate.
P-59: Microcavity Plasma Discharge Arrays For Display Applications

Microdischarge devices and arrays having inverted pyramidal Si cathodes 30–50 μm square have been fabricated into arrays as large as 30×30. Single devices operate at voltages as low as 90V in the rare gases. Microdischarges in flexible arrays fabricated in metal/polymer thin film structures have been demonstrated and characterized.
Body fat distribution and perception of desirable female body shape by young black men and women

The relation between body fat distribution as measured by waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) and perception of desirable female body shape was investigated in college-age black men and women. Subjects judged attractiveness, various personal qualities, and desirability for long-term relationships of 12 line drawings of female figures that represented three body weight categories (normal, underweight, and overweight) and four levels of WHRs (0.7, 0.8, 0.9, and 1.0). Judgments of attractiveness and desirability for long-term relationships were affected by body weight and the size of the WHR. Both male and female subjects ranked normal weight figures with 0.7 and 0.8 WHR as more attractive and desirable for long-term relationships; neither underweight nor overweight figures, irrespective of WHR size, were assigned high ranking for these variables. These findings do not support the notion that black young men and women find overweight female figures as desirable and attractive.
Antimicrobial agents derived from fatty acids

The author reviews his research, since 1966, for the ideal germicide. The relationship between structure of fatty acids, their corresponding esters, and antimicrobial activity is presented. Saturated fatty acids have their highest activity when the chain length is twelve carbons (C12) long; monounsaturated fatty acids reach their peak with palmitoleic acid (C16∶1); the most active polyunsaturated fatty acid is linoleic.Trans isomers are not active against microorganisms. The esterification of fatty acids to monohydric alcohols leads to inactive derivatives, whereas esterification to polyhydric alcohols increases biological activity. Examples of glycerol and sucrose esters are reviewed. In general, the lauroyl derivatives are the most active. A few examples of esters as active pharmacological agents against organisms causing bovine mastitis are presented as well as the use of monolaurin (Lauricidin®) as cosmetic and food preservatives. The safety and efficacy of fatty acid esters as potential germicides offer new and expanded roles for oleochemicals.
Characterization of the properties of cocaine in blood: blood clearance, blood to plasma ratio, and plasma protein binding.

As part of a study to examine cocaine disposition and interaction with ethanol, it was necessary to characterize various properties of cocaine in the blood of the experimental animal. All studies were conducted using blood from healthy adult male Sprague-Dawley rats. Cocaine was incubated in whole blood at 37 °C at concentrations of 500–4000 ng/mL. The apparent first-order rate constant for cocaine loss was independent of concentration. Blood clearance, calculated assuming blood volume to be 64 mL/kg, was estimated to be 0.056 ± 0.003 mL/ (min·kg); a value considerably smaller than estimates of systemic clearance. The addition of NaF increased the rate of loss to form benzoylecgonine, as a result of increased chemical degradation and as a consequence of increased pH (to pH 8.0 over 30 h). This NaF-enhanced degradation was abolished when NaF was added to blood buffered to pH 7.4. Ethanol had no influence on cocaine degradation, and there was no evidence of cocaethylene (ethylcocaine) formation. Blood to plasma ratios determined in spiked and authentic samples were constant (0.94–1.05 and 0.99–1.03, respectively) and independent of concentration (100–1500 ng/mL) and pH (7.2–7.6). This ratio was not influenced by NaF or ethanol. The unbound fraction (fu) of cocaine determined in spiked plasma varied from 0.62 to 0.63 over the concentration range (75–2025 ng/mL). Ethanol had no effect on binding. The values for fu determined from authentic blood samples taken from rats dosed intravenously with cocaine (10 mg/kg) ranged from 0.67 to 0.69 (over the concentration range 300–1500 ng/mL). Cocaine plasma protein binding was independent of concentration but depended upon plasma pH (fu, 0.765 and 0.486, at pHs 7.0 and 7.8, respectively).
Decay schemes of 70 min 129gTe and 33 d 129mTe

Abstract Gamma rays emitted in the decay of 70 min 129g Te and 33 d 129m Te have been investigated with Ge(Li) and NaI(Tl) detectors. Results of Ge(Li)-NaI(Tl) coincidence studies, coupled with relative intensity measurements for both isomers, suggest a decay scheme considerably different from those recently proposed by other workers. Excited levels are placed in 129 I at 27.7, 278.4, 487.4, 559.8, 696.0, 729.8, 829.8, 844.7, 1050, 1111.4, 1260, 1291, and 1402 keV. Beta decay of 129g Te feeds all of these except the ones at 696.0, 729.8, 768.9, 844.7, 1050 and 1402 keV. Beta transitions form 129m Te populate all of the latter set of levels and the ground state. The I.T. branching fraction of 129m Te is about 72%. With some exceptions the levels of 129 I agree rather well with those predicted by Kisslinger and Sorensen. Considerable evidence for the previously suggested hindrance of β-decay caused by phonon mixing of the wave functions has been observed.
DFT/TD-DFT investigation of optical absorption spectra, electron affinities, and ionization potentials of mono-nitrated benzanthrones

Abstract Density functional theory (DFT) method B3LYP with basis sets 6-311+G(d,p), 6-31G(d) and 6-311G(d,p) have been used to compute molecular structures, UV–vis absorption spectra, electron affinities (EAs), and ionization potentials (IPs) of benzanthrone and 1-, 2-, 3-, 9-, 10-, and 11-nitrobenzanthrones. With the use of the time-dependent TD-B3LYP/6-311G(d,p) approach, the UV/vis absorption spectral bands, vertical excitation energies and oscillator strengths was studied. The calculated vertical excitation energies lie within 383 nm, which is correlated to their relative reactivity. Detailed clarification of the singlet-singlet excited states (and energies) are made. The calculated electron affinities are ∼0.5 eV greater than in benzanthrone (BA); being in the order 3-NBA > 10-NBA > 1-NBA > 2-NBA > 9-NBA > 11-NBA > BA. Similarly, ionization potentials follow a very close order in nitro-BAs. The calculated EAs and IPs implicate both reductive and oxidative pathways on transformation to mutagenic metabolites. The implications of the results are discussed in the context of their differential mutagenic potencies.
Synthesis of Adrenal Catecholamines in Rats During and After Immobilization Stress

Repeated intervals of immobilization previously have been found to cause elevation of levels of tyrosine hydroxylase in the adrenals of rats. In the present study it was found that the increased levels of enzymes result in enhanced synthesis of epinephrine-14C from tyrosine-14C but not from dopa-3H. During immobilization, conversion of tyrosine-14C to catecholamines is further increased and may exceed the capacity of even the elevated levels of dopa- mine-β-hydroxylase to convert dopamine to nor-epinephrine. Thus, while tyrosine hydroxylase is normally rate limiting, dopamine-β-hydroxylation may become rate limiting when dopamine formation is markedly accelerated. (Endocrinology 89: 46, 1971)
Conserved Cysteines in the Type 1 Deiodinase Selenoprotein Are Not Essential for Catalytic Activity

Abstract The iodothyronine deiodinases are a family of oxidoreductases that catalyze the removal of iodide from thyroid hormones. Each of the three isoforms contain selenocysteine at its active site and several cysteine residues that may be important for catalytic activity. Of particular interest in the type I deiodinase (D1) is Cys124, which is vicinal to the selenocysteine at position 126, and Cys194, which has been conserved in all deiodinases identified to date. In the present studies, we have characterized the functional properties of C124A, C194A, and C124A/C194A D1 mutants, which were prepared by site-directed mutagenesis and expressed in COS-7 cells. In broken cell preparations, the sensitivity of the mutants to the selective D1 inhibitors propylthiouracil and aurothioglucose were unaltered. Mutagenesis at the Cys124 position was associated with a 7–11-fold increase in the K m of dithiothreitol, whereasV max values remained largely unchanged. However, both mutations resulted in marked decreases inV max values when glutathione or a reconstituted thioredoxin cofactor system were used in the assay. In contrast to the results of these in vitro studies, no impairment in deiodinating capability was noted in intact cells expressing equivalent levels of the mutant constructs. These studies demonstrate that Cys124 and Cys194 influence the reactivity of the D1 with thiol cofactors in in vitro assay systems but are not determinants of the sensitivity of the enzyme to propylthiouracil and aurothioglucose. Furthermore, the observation that the cysteine mutants are fully active in intact cells demonstrates that the results of commonly used broken cell assays do not accurately predict the activity of the D1 in intact cells and suggests that glutathione and thioredoxin are not the major thiols utilized in vivo to support D1 activity.
Peripheral and central interactions between the renin-angiotensin system and the renal sympathetic nerves in control of renal function.

Increases in renal sympathetic nerve activity (RSNA) regulate the functions of the nephron, the vasculature, and the renin-containing juxtaglomerular granular cells. As increased activity of the renin-angiotensin system can also influence nephron and vascular function, it is important to understand the interactions between RSNA and the renin-angiotensin system in the control of renal function. These interactions can be intrarenal, that is, the direct (via specific innervation) and indirect (via angiotensin II) contributions of increased RSNA to the regulation of renal function. The effects of increased RSNA on renal function are attenuated when the activity of the renin-angiotensin system is suppressed or antagonized with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin II-type AT1 receptor antagonists. The effects of intrarenal administration of angiotensin II are attenuated following renal denervation. These interactions can also be extrarenal, that is, in the central nervous system, wherein RSNA and its arterial baroreflex control are modulated by changes in activity of the renin-angiotensin system. In addition to the circumventricular organs, the permeable blood-brain barrier of which permits interactions with circulating angiotensin II, there are interactions at sites behind the blood-brain barrier that depend on the influence of local angiotensin II. The responses to central administration of angiotensin II type AT1 receptor antagonists, into the ventricular system or microinjected into the rostral ventrolateral medulla, are modulated by changes in activity of the renin-angiotensin system produced by physiological changes in dietary sodium intake. Similar modulation is observed in pathophysiological models wherein activity of both the renin-angiotensin and sympathetic nervous systems is increased (e.g., congestive heart failure). Thus, both renal and extrarenal sites of interaction between the renin-angiotensin system and RSNA are involved in influencing the neural control of renal function.
Functional Properties of Extruded Rice Flours

The functional properties of a long-grain and a short-grain rice flour extracted at 70 to 120 °C and 22% moisture are reported. The bulk dinsities essentially stayed unchanged. Both water absorption and water solubility indices increased with an increase in extrution temperature. The fat absorption indices decreased only at 55 °C. The cold-paste viscosities progressively increased, whereas the peak,breakdown,setback and final viscosities decreased with an increase in extrution temperature. A substutition of 25% of unextured or 70 °C extruded long-grain rice floor into a wheat flour-based fried snack decreased its fat absorption by 35% to 50% without affecting the overall texture.
Types of office-based anesthetics.

Over the past several decades, there have been evolutionary changes in both surgery and anesthesia. Newer anesthetics have excellent safety profiles and are associated with fewer hemodynamic side effects and rapid elimination from the body. Innovative surgical techniques are less invasive and cause less perioperative patient pain. These developments have fueled the growth of office-based surgery and anesthesia. All types of anesthesia, including local, monitored anesthesia care, general, and regional anesthesia, have been used safely within the private practitioner's office. Because of the remote nature of the private surgeon's office, the proper selection of both patient and procedure to be performed is of utmost importance. It is likewise imperative that the practitioner assures that the patient does not experience excessive postoperative pain and/or nausea and vomiting. It is of the utmost importance that the practicing anesthesiologist assure that every location in which procedures and surgeries are performed is a safe anesthetizing location. Mt Sinai J Med 79:107–115, 2012.© 2012 Mount Sinai School of Medicine
Differential effects of speech prostheses in glossectomized patients

Five patients representing different categories of glossal resection were fitted with prostheses specifically designed to improve speech. Speech recordings made for subjects with and without their prostheses were subjected to a variety of analyses. Prosthetic influence on listeners' judgments of severity level/intelligibility, number of consonants in error, and on the acoustic measure F2 range of vowels was evaluated. Findings indicated that all subjects demonstrated improvement on the speech measures. However, the extent of improvement on each measure varied across speakers and resection categories. Implications of the findings for prosthetic speech rehabilitation in this population are discussed.
Numerical Simulation of Equatorial Ocean Circulation. Part I: A Basic Case in Turbulent Equilibrium

Abstract An equatorial ocean experiment has been carried out, using the primitive equation model of Semtner and Mintz (1977) with a highly conservative differencing scheme, with high horizontal resolution (Δx = 0.50°, Δy=0.25°) and with 14 levels in the vertical. A turbulent equilibrium state has been reached for a 3300 km × 2200 km equatorial ocean, driven by constant 0.5 dyn cm−2 wind stress, heated at the surface and cooled at the northern and southern walls. The predicted surface temperature field shows an upwelling-induced cold region along the equator. The temperatures at the equator near the eastern wall are as much as 6°C colder than in the subequatorial regions. Westward moving waves occur in the temperature field a few degrees north and south of the equator. These waves have periods of 33 days, wavelengths of 800 km, and are symmetric about the equator. Their structure is similar to that of equatorially trapped Rossby waves with n=1 in the vertical and m=1 in the horizontal. Shorter wavelength d...
Exploring nonlinear feature space dimension reduction and data representation in breast CADx with Laplacian eigenmaps and t -SNE

Purpose: In this preliminary study, recently developed unsupervised nonlinear dimension reduction (DR) and data representation techniques were applied to computer-extracted breast lesion feature spaces across three separate imaging modalities: Ultrasound (U.S.) with 1126 cases, dynamic contrast enhanced magnetic resonance imaging with 356 cases, and full-field digital mammography with 245 cases. Two methods for nonlinear DR were explored: Laplacian eigenmaps [M. Belkin and P. Niyogi, “Laplacian eigenmaps for dimensionality reduction and data representation,” Neural Comput. 15, 1373–1396 (2003)] and t-distributed stochastic neighbor embedding (t-SNE) [L. van der Maaten and G. Hinton, “Visualizing data using t-SNE,” J. Mach. Learn. Res. 9, 2579–2605 (2008)]. Methods: These methods attempt to map originally high dimensional feature spaces to more human interpretable lower dimensional spaces while preserving both local and global information. The properties of these methods as applied to breast computer-aided diagnosis (CADx) were evaluated in the context of malignancy classification performance as well as in the visual inspection of the sparseness within the two-dimensional and three-dimensional mappings. Classification performance was estimated by using the reduced dimension mapped feature output as input into both linear and nonlinear classifiers: Markov chain Monte Carlo based Bayesian artificial neural network (MCMC-BANN) and linear discriminant analysis. The new techniques were compared to previously developed breast CADx methodologies, including automatic relevance determination and linear stepwise (LSW) feature selection, as well as a linear DR method based on principal component analysis. Using ROC analysis and 0.632+bootstrap validation, 95% empirical confidence intervals were computed for the each classifier’s AUC performance. Results: In the large U.S. data set, sample high performance results include, AUC0.632+=0.88 with 95% empirical bootstrap interval [0.787;0.895] for 13 ARD selected features and AUC0.632+=0.87 with interval [0.817;0.906] for four LSW selected features compared to 4D t-SNE mapping (from the original 81D feature space) giving AUC0.632+=0.90 with interval [0.847;0.919], all using the MCMC-BANN. Conclusions: Preliminary results appear to indicate capability for the new methods to match or exceed classification performance of current advanced breast lesion CADx algorithms. While not appropriate as a complete replacement of feature selection in CADx problems, DR techniques offer a complementary approach, which can aid elucidation of additional properties associated with the data. Specifically, the new techniques were shown to possess the added benefit of delivering sparse lower dimensional representations for visual interpretation, revealing intricate data structure of the feature space.
Estimating suspended sediment and trace element fluxes in large river basins: Methodological considerations as applied to the NASQAN programme

In 1994, the NASQAN (National Stream Quality Accounting Network) programme was redesigned as a flux-based water-quality monitoring network for the Mississippi, Columbia, Colorado, and Rio Grande Basins. As the new programme represented a departure from the original, new sampling, processing, analytical, and data handling procedures had to be selected/developed to provide data on discharge, suspended sediment concentration, and the concentrations of suspended sediment and dissolved trace elements. Annual suspended sediment fluxes were estimated by summing daily instantaneous fluxes based on predicted suspended sediment concentrations derived from discharge-based log–log regression (rating-curve) models. The models were developed using both historical and current site-specific discharge and suspended sediment concentrations. Errors using this approach typically are less than ±10% for the 3-year reporting period; however, the magnitude of the errors increases substantially for temporal spans shorter than 1 year. Total, rather than total-recoverable, suspended sediment-associated trace element concentrations were determined by direct analysis of material dewatered from large-volume whole-water samples. Site-specific intra- and inter-annual suspended sediment-associated chemical variations were less (typically by no more than a factor of two) than those for either discharge or suspended sediment concentrations (usually more than 10-fold). The concentrations, hence the annual fluxes, for suspended sediment-associated phosphorus and organic carbon, determined by direct analyses, were higher than those determined using a more traditional paired, whole-water/filtered-water approach (by factors ranging from 1·5- to 10-fold). This may be important for such issues as eutrophication and coastal productivity. Filtered water-associated (dissolved) trace element concentrations were markedly lower than those determined during the historical NASQAN programme; many were below their respective detection limits. This resulted from the use of clean sampling, processing, and analytical protocols. Hence, the fluxes for filtered water-associated (dissolved) Ag, Pb, Co, V, Be, Sb, and Se, as well as the total (filtered water plus suspended sediment-associated) fluxes for these constituents, could not be estimated. Published in 2001 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Integration and Disintegration in North China's Grain Markets, 1738-1911

An analysis of grain prices from Zhili (Hebei) province in North China for the period from 1738 to 1911 demonstrates that while the province's local grain markets gradually fragmented, the provincial market as a whole simultaneously grew more closely integrated with external markets, first with Fengtian (Manchuria) and later with the Lower Yangzi region. The Qing state's food policies, the deterioration of transport routes, and the condition of rural markets provide a context for understanding these seemingly paradoxical trends. U Tntil recently, scholarship on China's economic history has focused overwhelmingly on finding explanations for the poverty, the agricultural stagnation, and the indifference to foreign trade and economic modernization that underlay the tragic history of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The nationalistic historiography has emphasized the deleterious effects of foreign imperialism and the treaty ports after the Opium War. The Marxist version has agreed that foreign imperialism was the dominant factor, but adds that class struggle over limited resources exacerbated the poverty of China's peasants and workers. A Malthusian perspective, held by foreigners as well as some Chinese, has emphasized the deterioration of the natural
Ethylbenzene Oxidative Dehydrogenation on MnOx/SiO2 Catalysts

Supported MnOx on high surface area SiO2 (300 m2/g) catalysts were successfully used in ethylbenzene oxidative dehydrogenation. X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were employed to characterize the structure of fresh and used MnOx/SiO2 catalysts. The MnOx catalysts were prepared using the pore volume impregnation method, with MnO2 loading varying from 0.7 wt % (Mn/Si = 0.005, atomic ratio) to 30 wt % (Mn/Si = 0.14). The changes in the crystalline structure and dispersion of supported MnOx were related to the precursor/support interaction and the conditions used during catalyst preparation. A possible mechanism for ethylbenzene conversion to styrene on MnOx/SiO2 catalysts is proposed, where lattice oxygen from crystalline MnO2 can be used in the oxidation or oxidative dehydrogenation processes. The high selectivity in styrene (at 723 K, 24% conversion with 76% selectivity in styrene) was related to the high concentration in the MnO2 phase from the MnOx/SiO2 catalysts. The formation of th...
Concerning the Isokinetic Relationship

THE recent communication of the same title by Dr. O. Exner1 introduced a novel and potentially useful mapping technique for obtaining isokinetic temperatures. The purpose of this communication is to point out the limitations of the method and to analyse the results that may be expected.
KABAKA MUTESA AND VENEREAL DISEASE: AN ESSAY ON MEDICAL HISTORY AND SOURCES IN PRECOLONIAL BUGANDA

In an article in History in Africa about the Ganda monarch Mutesa, Richard Reid argued that Mutesa likely suffered from syphilis. In a chapter on Mutesa in a just published volume, John Rowe concluded that the disease from which Mutesa suffered was gonorrhea. While on the surface similar—both sexually transmitted, neither particularly desirable—the diseases are actually quite different. Popular biographies often offer gossip about individuals' medical histories, but there can be legitimate reasons to investigate the medical history of past leaders, two of which are pertinent here. First, the medical conditions from which they suffered may well have affected their lives and their decisions as leaders. Reid addresses this point, speculating that Mutesa's syphilis may have progressed to an extent that it affected him mentally. Reid suggests that this might help explain Mutesa's erratic behavior toward the latter years of his reign, as he shifted his favor from one court group and foreign delegation to another. Rowe raises a similar point about Mutesa's health and competing groups, although in a different way. Rowe shows how Mutesa's illness became a point of competition between foreign missionaries and indigenous religious specialists as each sought to win his favor by curing his lllness. Reid and Rowe also both mention the effect Mutesa's illness had on the perception of him as Kabaka. The Baganda equated the health and well-being of the Kabaka with the health of the kingdom, and Mutesa's extended illness and bedridden state would not have been a positive attribute.
Compact, variable sources on the sun at 2 centimeter wavelength

VLA observations of compact transient sources on the sun at 2 cm wavelength are presented. These sources have angular sizes of theta of about 5-25 arcsec, brightness temperatures of about 1-3 x 10 to the 5th K, and lifetimes ranging between a few minutes to several hours. The emission originates in regions of diffuse plage and quiet sun, where the photospheric magnetic fields are relatively weak (H of not greater than 100 G). In some cases the 2 cm radiation may be explained as the thermal bremsstrahlung of a dense plasma in the transition region. For other sources, the relatively high circular polarization suggests a nonthermal emission mechanism, such as the gyrosynchrotron radiation of mildly relativistic electron with a power-law spectrum.
Parents' assistance to children having immunizations.

The purpose of this descriptive study was to determine parents' naturally occurring assistive actions when their child received immunizations. Additional purposes included describing the preparation the parent provided to the child prior to the immunization and parents' plans for assistance following the immunization. The convenience sample included 41 parents (or grandparents) of 40 children between the ages of 18 months and 6 years who were receiving routine immunizations at two urban and five rural clinics in the Midwest. Parents were interviewed regarding plans to assist their child before and after immunization; actual parent-child interactions during immunizations were audiotaped. Data were analyzed descriptively; researchers worked in pairs to achieve 100% inter-rater agreement when coding observations into themes. The parents reported using nine psychological preparation strategies (i.e., procedural information, sensory information, relaxation training, telling the child why the procedure was necessary, and role play) to assist their children in the preparatory phase. Three strategies were used both during (procedural information, distraction, and physical contact) and after (physical contact, praise, and rewards) the immunization. Ten children received no preparation for the immunization; nine of these were younger than 3 years of age. The single most reported source of information to parents about helping their child with immunizations was their physician.