cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Neuroprotective peptides influence cytokine and chemokine alterations in a model of fetal alcohol syndrome.

Objective Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is associated with intellectual disability and neurodevelopmental abnormalities. Neuroprotective peptides NAPVSIPQ (NAP) and SALLRSIPA (SAL) can prevent some of the alcohol-induced teratogenesis including fetal death, growth abnormalities, and learning impairment in part by preventing alcohol-induced alterations in N -methyl-D-aspartate receptor gene expression in a mouse model for FAS. We evaluated a panel of cytokines and chemokines to determine whether NAP plus SAL work through a cytokine/chemokine-mediated pathway in preventing these alterations. Study Design Using a well-characterized FAS model, timed, pregnant C57BL6/J mice were treated on gestational day (E) 8 with alcohol (0.03 mL/g), placebo, or alcohol plus peptides. Embryos were evaluated at 2 time points: after 6 hours and 10 days later at E18. A panel of cytokines/chemokines was measured using a microsphere-based multiplex immunoassay (Luminex xMAP; Millipore, Billerica, MA). Statistical analysis included Kruskal-Wallis, with P Results Six hours after treatment, interleukin (IL)-6 and keratinocyte chemoattractant cytokine (KC) were not detectable in the control embryos. Alcohol treatment resulted in detectable levels and significant increases in IL-6 (median, 15.7; range, 10.1–45.9 pg/mL) and KC (median, 45.9; range, 32.5–99.1 pg/mL). Embryos exposed to alcohol plus NAP plus SAL had undetectable IL-6 and KC (both P P Conclusion Prenatal alcohol exposure acutely results in a significant elevation of IL-6, G-CSF and the KC, which are known to affect N -methyl-D-aspartate receptors. NAP plus SAL treatment prevented alcohol-induced increases. This provides additional insight into the mechanism of alcohol damage in FAS and NAP plus SAL prevention of neurodevelopmental anomalies.
NXG06-6: On the Efficient Implementation of Pipelined Heaps for Network Processing

Priority queues are often used in many network processing applications. Applications include sophisticated per-flow scheduling for providing advanced quality-of-service (QoS) guarantees, fast packet buffer memory management, and exact maintenance of statistics counters for real-time network measurements. In all these applications, the priority queues used must operate at very high-speeds, e.g. at 40 Gbps rates and beyond. One widely used data structure for implementing priority queues is the heap data structure. However, the logarithmic time complexity of heap operations is often too slow for increasingly fast line rates. To achieve constant time complexity, the pipelined heap structure has been proposed. In this paper, we describe new architecture techniques for the efficient implementation of pipelined heaps. In particular, we focus on aggressive memory management and pipelining techniques.
Quest for controls in molecular genetics.

The rapid growth in scope and volume of molecular testing for inherited single-gene disorders, accelerated by the success of the Human Genome Project, has engendered both great excitement and significant trepidation. With the explosion of gene sequence data and the ready adaptability of modern molecular diagnostic techniques, it is now possible to develop and market a test within weeks or even days of the published identification of a new genetic disease gene. And with the potential targets for testing, particularly in autosomal recessive diseases, being vast numbers of healthy people in high-risk ethnic groups or even the whole population—numbers far exceeding those for diagnostic testing in symptomatic patients—a strong financial incentive has added further impetus to the rapid translation of research results to clinical testing. While this growth is gratifying for a segment of molecular diagnostics that had formerly represented a small niche or esoteric market, it has raised concerns in some quarters that the transition from gene discovery to diagnostic reagent may be moving ahead too quickly, without sufficient attention to issues of clinical utility, test validation, and quality assurance. Indeed, at least three major federally funded task forces have been appointed over the last several years to examine this very question (the Institute of Medicine Committee on Assessing Genetic Risks, the NIH-DOE Task Force on Genetic Testing, and the HHS Secretary’s Advisory Committee on Genetic Testing), and the conclusion of all has been to push for increased regulatory oversight of quality assurance in molecular genetic testing. 1
Imagerie au service du dépistage: l'exemple du dépistage organisé du cancer du sein

We described here the national breast cancer-screening program that is used, in France, today. First we depict official rules and regulations along with the organization needed to screen a whole population. Then, a technical assessment is made on the efficacy and limits on mammography analyses leading to tumor classification. Finally, an evaluation of the program is discussed.
Work in Progress &#8211; Engineering Courage: From &#8220;Not My Business&#8221; to Positive Responsibility

How does a course on engineering ethics affect an undergraduate student's feelings of responsibility and decisions about moral problems? Can an ethics course promote moral courage? In this study, we interviewed six students who had taken a course on engineering ethics and six who had not. We asked what they would do as participants in two short cases that posed moral problems. For each case, we successively increased the level of seriousness and asked how each change altered the students' decisions. For both cases, even when they were not directly involved, students who had taken the ethics course were more likely to feel responsible and take corrective action. Students who were less successful in the ethics course gave answers similar to students who had not taken the course. This latter group of students seemed to have weaker feelings of responsibility: they would say that a problem was "not my business"
Scientific and Technological Uncertainty in Quantitative Assessment and Policy Analysis

Scientific and technological uncertainty is common to most quantitative assessment and policy analysis that involves problems in technology and public policy. In my three lectures at the NATO Advanced Studies Institute and in this summary paper, my primary concern is with the questions of how, and to what extent, one should characterize and deal with such uncertainty. Of course, these questions are normative in nature and their resolution requires some elaboration of the objectives that are to be served by quantitative policy analysis. In other writings, I have detailed a variety of substance-focused, process-focused, and analyst-focused motivations that can, in varying situations, underlie the commissioning, execution, and use of quantitative assessment and policy analysis (1.2). The interesting feature of these motivations is that despite their diversity it is possible to extract from them a single set of desiderata to characterize “good” risk assessment and other quantitative policy analysis. These are shown in Exhibit 1. Of course, people operating with different motivations are likely to have somewhat different views about the relative importance that should be attached to these different desiderata (2).
Optimal guidance of the Isotropic Rocket in a partially uncertain flow field

In this paper, we address the problem of characterizing the optimal strategy for guiding the so-called Isotropic Rocket to a fixed target in the presence of a partially known flowfield. We reformulate the guidance problem into an equivalent two-player pursuit evasion game, where the evader has a modified vectogram. First, we characterize the optimal strategies for both players, assuming that the evader is capturable. Then, we derive the necessary condition for capture, and visualize the capturability envelope using numerical simulations in which we compute the level sets of the optimal value function (isochrones). In addition, we consider a more general case of the game, where the pursuer is affected by friction (or drag). In that case, we identify the capture zones from geometric properties of the isochrones.
Evaluation of the C.Diff Quik Chek Complete Assay, a New Glutamate Dehydrogenase and A/B Toxin Combination Lateral Flow Assay for Use in Rapid, Simple Diagnosis of Clostridium difficile Disease

The diagnosis of Clostridium difficile infection continues to be a challenge for many clinical microbiology laboratories. A new lateral flow assay, the C.Diff Quik Chek Complete assay, which tests for the presence of both glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) and C. difficile toxins A and B, was evaluated for its ability to diagnose C. difficile disease. The results of this assay were compared to those of both PCR and toxigenic culture. The results showed that this assay allows 88% of specimens to be accurately screened as either positive (both tests positive) or negative (both tests negative) for the presence of toxigenic C. difficile in less than 30 min and with minimal hands-on time. Use of a random-access PCR for the analysis of specimens with discrepant results (one test positive and the other negative) allows the easy, rapid, and highly sensitive (100%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 89.6 to 100%) and specific (99.6%; 95% CI, 97.3 to 99.9%) diagnosis of C. difficile disease. The use of this algorithm would save institutional costs, curtail unnecessary isolation days, reduce the nosocomial transmission of disease, and increase the quality of care for patients.
Development of the early immune system: impact on allergic diseases

The advent of molecular tools, transgenic models, and genomic approaches has resulted in an explosive increase in the understanding of the immune system. This article considers how advances in the understanding of innate and adaptive immunity have crafted the knowledge of the fetal immune system, this system's interaction with the maternal environment, and the impact on the development of allergic diseases. Future examination of these pathways, their intersection with environmental exposure, and the interactions between the innate and adaptive immune systems may provide attractive therapeutic approaches for the treatment and prevention of allergic diseases.
Termites as Targets and Models for Biotechnology

Termites have many unique evolutionary adaptations associated with their eusocial lifestyles. Recent omics research has created a wealth of new information in numerous areas of termite biology (e.g., caste polyphenism, lignocellulose digestion, and microbial symbiosis) with wide-ranging applications in diverse biotechnological niches. Termite biotechnology falls into two categories: (a) termite-targeted biotechnology for pest management purposes, and (b) termite-modeled biotechnology for use in various industrial applications. The first category includes several candidate termiticidal modes of action such as RNA interference, digestive inhibition, pathogen enhancement, antimicrobials, endocrine disruption, and primer pheromone mimicry. In the second category, termite digestomes are deep resources for host and symbiont lignocellulases and other enzymes with applications in a variety of biomass, industrial, and processing applications. Moving forward, one of the most important approaches for accelerating advances in both termite-targeted and termite-modeled biotechnology will be to consider host and symbiont together as a single functional unit.
A Practical Technique for Disinfecting Electrical Stimulation Apparatuses Used in Wound Treatment

Background and Purpose. Electrical stimulation (ES) is used in wound management. Concerns, however, have been raised about the possible role ES might play in promoting or exacerbating wound infections, especially bacterial infections. The purpose of this study was to address these concerns by evaluating the efficacy of a method for disinfecting ES electrodes used in wound treatment. Methods. Samples were taken from each wound treated in this study prior to and after ES and from sponges used with the ES electrodes prior to treatment, after treatment, and after 20 minutes of chemical disinfection. The presence and types of bacteria recovered were determined through standard microbiological techniques. Results. In this study of 25 patient samples, large numbers (ie, thousands) of bacteria were recovered from the pretreatment and posttreatment wound samples and from the posttreatment sponges. Following disinfection, however, bacteria were absent from the sponges in 23 of the 25 patient samples. In the remaining 2 samples, no more than two bacterial colonies were recovered after disinfection. Conclusion and Discussion. Immersion of the electrodes and sponges for 20 minutes in the disinfectant resulted in reduction of bacteria to safe, noninfective levels. Disinfection either completely eliminated all bacteria from the sponges (in 92% of the samples) or eliminated nearly all bacteria (in the remaining 8% of the samples), compared with predisinfection samples, which contained very large numbers of bacteria. These results demonstrate that the disinfection method used in this study is efficacious, and it appears to be cost-effective, practical, and safe for clinical use.
Overview of fully depleted silicon-on-insulator (SOI) technology

This paper examines the advantages and disadvantages of thin-film, fully depleted (FD) silicon-on-insulator (SOI) technology devices compared to bulk devices, describing their desirability and suitability for low-voltage and low-power very large-scale integrated (VLSI) circuits.
Effects of combined exercise and progesterone treatments on cocaine seeking in male and female rats

Individually, both treatment with progesterone and concurrent access to an exercise wheel reduce cocaine self-administration under long-access conditions and suppress cocaine-primed reinstatement in female rats. In the present study, wheel running and progesterone (alone and combined) were assessed for their effects on reinstatement of cocaine-seeking primed by yohimbine, cocaine, and cocaine-paired cues. Male and female rats were implanted with an intravenous catheter and allowed to self-administer cocaine (0.4 mg/kg/inf, iv) during 6-h sessions for 10 days. Subsequently, the groups of male and female rats were each divided into two groups that were given concurrent access to either a locked or unlocked running wheel under extinction conditions for 14 days. Next, all four groups were tested in a within-subjects design for reinstatement of cocaine-seeking precipitated by separate administration of cocaine-paired stimuli, yohimbine, or cocaine or the combination of yohimbine + cocaine-paired stimuli or cocaine + cocaine-paired stimuli. These priming conditions were tested in the presence of concurrent wheel access (W), pretreatment with progesterone (P), or both (W + P). In agreement with previous results, females responded more for cocaine than males during maintenance. Additionally, concurrent wheel running attenuated extinction responses and cocaine-primed reinstatement in females but not in males. Across all priming conditions, W + P reduced reinstatement compared to control conditions, and for cocaine-primed reinstatement in male rats, the combined W + P treatment was more effective than W or P alone. Under certain conditions, combined behavioral (exercise) and pharmacological (progesterone) interventions were more successful at reducing cocaine-seeking behavior than either intervention alone.
Microhabitat Selection by Eastern Box Turtles (Terrapene c. carolina) in a North Carolina Mountain Wetland

We investigated microhabitat selection by Terrapene carolina carolina in a North Carolina mountain wetland. We monitored a total of 21 radio-tagged turtles in 1997 and 1998. Turtles were located at least weekly from mid-May until they entered their overwintering sites. Microhabitat characteristics were quantified at each turtle location and at a corresponding random location < 25 m away. Weather varied during the study: 1998 was much hotter and drier than 1997. Microhabitat did not differ between males and females, except that females selected form locations with greater amounts of exposed soil. Overall, turtles constructed forms in areas that were more humid than the surrounding environment. Box turtles also used habitats with lower surface temperatures and higher humidity levels than the surrounding environment, particularly during hot and dry periods. This likely helped them regulate body temperature and prevent desiccation. During the summer of 1997 and all monitoring seasons in 1998, turtles were located at sites with moderate canopy cover and less understory plant cover than expected. Sites with less understory cover may have greater air circulation than those with more cover, thus allowing turtles to dissipate heat more rapidly. Amounts of woody debris, leaf litter, and canopy cover at turtle locations were similar to those available in the surrounding environment. Our results indicate that the attributes most important for defining the microhabitat of T. carolina (surface temperature, relative humidity, and understory plant cover) are related to thermoregulation and minimizing water loss.
Study of gaseous substrate fermentations: Carbon monoxide conversion to acetate. 2. Continuous culture

The fermentation of gaseous substrates such as CO, H2, and CO2 may be performed in a continuous stirred tank reactor, as well as the traditional batch reactor. In this article, the conversion of carbon monoxide by Peptostreptococcus productus is demonstrated in a stirred tank reactor under both mass transfer-controlled and nonmass transfer-controlled conditions. Utilizing a non-steady-state procedure, intrinsic rates are evaluated under non-mass transfer-controlled conditions in a time period of only 5–6 hours. A steady-state procedure was used to evaluate CSTR performance under mass transfer-controlled conditions. The mass transfer coefficient was calculated, followed by the development of a model to predict CSTR behavior for this gas phase substrate.
Vector Correlation: Review, Exposition, and Geographic Application

Abstract Correlation provides one of the most useful and widely employed techniques of data analysis in geography and in the larger scientific community. Most correlation coefficients describe relations among scalar data. Vector-valued data have received less attention despite their obvious geographic importance: vectors can describe motions across the landscape and relations between locations. After a brief review of the meaning and past applications of vector correlation, we present a vector correlation measure for comparing two-dimensional vectors. This vector correlation describes the goodness-of-fit of a relationship between two sets of vectors that includes translation, scaling, and either rotational or reflectional dependency. Linear regression parameters additionally emerge from the computation. We illustrate the properties of the vector correlation using wind velocity data.
Expression of the liver form of arginase in erythrocytes

Arginase I (AI) has a critical function in mammalian liver as the final enzyme in the urea cycle responsible for the disposal of ammonia from protein catabolism. AI is also expressed in various extrahepatic tissues and may play a role in regulating arginine levels and in providing ornithine for biosynthetic reactions that generate various critical intermediary metabolites such as glutamate, glutamine, GABA, agmatine, polyamines, creatine, proline, and nitric oxide. AI is expressed in red blood cells (RBCs) only in humans and certain higher primates. Macaca fascicularis has been identified as an evolutionary transition species in which RBC-AI expression is co-dominantly regulated. The M. fascicularis AI gene was analyzed to understand AI expression in erythrocytes. Erythroid progenitor cells [nucleated red blood cells (nRBCs)] isolated from cord blood were utilized to demonstrate AI expression by immunocytochemical staining using anti-AI antibody. Introduction of EGFP reporter vectors into nRBC showed that the proximal 1.2 kbp upstream of the AI gene is sufficient for AI expression. Expression of a second arginase isoform, AII, in nRBCs was discovered by cDNA profiling. This contrasts with mature fetal or adult RBCs which contain only the AI protein. In addition, an alternatively spliced AI (AI(')) variant was observed from erythroid mRNA analysis with an alternative splice acceptor site located within intron 2, causing the insertion of eight additional amino acids yet retaining significant enzymatic activity.
Arsenic speciation in synthetic jarosite

Abstract Iron sulfate minerals may incorporate arsenic released from oxidizing arsenian pyrite and other sulfide minerals. For example, in the southern Mother Lode gold district of California, As is concentrated in jarosite, ideally KFe3(SO4)2(OH)6, that formed by the oxidation of sulfides in mineralized outcrops and mine tailings containing ∼100 to ∼2000 ppm As. These weathering crusts, which are vulnerable to storm erosion, are of concern as a source for the transport of As into watersheds. Both arsenatian jarosite and scorodite [FeAsO4·2H2O] provide only temporary storage mechanisms for As in the environment because of the limited pH and redox conditions over which they are stable. To evaluate the extent of incorporation of As into jarosite, a series of jarosites in the system K2O–Fe2O3–As2O5–H2SO4–H2O was synthesized at 95 °C and 1 bar. Potassium arsenate was included at relative molar proportions of 1–50% AsT,aq (defined as 100*As/(As+S)) in the starting solutions. Arsenic was incorporated into all samples at higher proportions relative to S than in the starting solutions. Synchrotron X-ray diffraction results indicated that jarosite was formed from starting solutions that contained up to 20% AsT,aq. An X-ray amorphous phase also formed in samples containing As and, at 25% AsT,aq in the starting fluid, only an amorphous phase was obtained. Starting fluids with 33% and 50% AsT,aq produced poorly crystalline scorodite. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images show textural differences among the jarosite samples, from relatively uniform anhedral to subhedral particles 0.5–1 μm across in low-As jarosite samples, to smaller grains (
Hydrodynamic simulation of RF noise in deep-submicron MOSFETs

A noise model for MOSFETs based on analytical microscopic noise sources has been developed and noise simulations based on the hydrodynamic model have been performed. The drain and gate excess noise parameters and correlation coefficient are extracted and the reasons for noise parameter dependence on the channel length are explained.
The Impact of Economic Contractions on the Effectiveness of R&D and Advertising: Evidence from U.S. Companies Spanning Three Decades

The critical role of research and development (R&D) and advertising in the marketing strategy of the firm is well established. This paper conceptually and empirically examines why and how much the effectiveness of these two marketing instruments differs between times of economic expansions versus periods of economic contractions---and whether these results depend on the cyclicality of the industry in question. We consider a key marketing metric (market share) and a key financial metric (firm profit). Our empirical setting is 1,175 U.S. firms across a time period spanning over three decades. We find that R&D and advertising contribute to firm performance but that their effectiveness is not constant across the business cycle. Increasing advertising share in contractions has a stronger effect on profit and market share than increasing advertising share in expansions. Likewise, investments in R&D in contractions lead to higher gains in market share and profit than R&D investments in expansions, albeit only in subsequent years. If in contractions the firm faces tight budget constraints and has to choose between either maintaining R&D or advertising, our simulation results show that maintaining R&D is associated with better company performance. We find that advertising effectiveness, in general, and in contractions, in particular, is systematically moderated by the degree of cyclicality of the industry in which the firm operates. In relatively stable industries, advertising effects are small or even nonsignificant, and they do not go beyond the year the firm advertises. However, in highly cyclical industries, advertising effects are long-lasting, its total effect being 50% larger (market share) and 200% larger (profits) than in industries of average cyclicality. The effect of industry cyclicality on advertising effectiveness is especially pronounced in contractions. Collectively, these findings provide valuable and actionable insights into how firms should respond to contractions in order to grow profits and market share.
Colonoscopy in rural communities: a systematic review of the frequency and quality

Introduction In this systematic review, the authors review studies of rural colonoscopy to determine specialty types providing rural colonoscopy and the quality of these procedures. Methods A systematic MEDLINE search was conducted for articles pertaining to rural colonoscopy. Inclusion criteria were rural location, report of quality outcomes, or report of endoscopy workforce in rural areas. Two investigators independently reviewed and abstracted included articles. The following information was obtained from each study: author identification, citation, study design, source of funding, study duration and follow-up, study population, sample size, study setting, population characteristics, outcomes and results. Standard abstraction forms were used to summarize and assess the quality of evidence. Results From 121 articles in the MEDLINE search, 11 met inclusion criteria. One additional article found from a reference list was included. Eleven articles from three countries reported on 8703 colonoscopies performed by 25 rural generalists. Reach-the-cecum rates (RCR) ranged from 36% to 96.5% with more recent studies showing higher RCRs. Adenoma detection rates ranged from 16.6% to 46%. The rate of complications was low in all studies. One study of the rural endoscopist workforce reported that general surgeons performed most rural colonoscopies in Canada. Conclusions Rural generalist physicians can safely and effectively perform colonoscopies. More research is needed on the rural endoscopist workforce.
Blockage of methylcitrate cycle inhibits polyketide production in Aspergillus nidulans.

*Summary Aspergillus nidulans produces the polyketide toxin sterigmatocystin (ST) of which the biosynthetic and pathway specific regulatory genes compose a stc gene cluster. A previous mutagenesis screen identified 23 mutants defective in production of ST. Five mutants constitute a single locus. Genetic complementation and sequencing analysis revealed the mutant locus to be mcsA encoding methylcitrate synthase that converts propionyl-CoA to methylcitrate. Feeding downstream products of methylcitrate synthase, methylcitrate and pyruvate, did not restore ST production in mcsA mutants, indicating that loss of methylcitrate cycle products is not the cause of the ST defect. However, propionate, a precursor for propionyl-CoA, inhibited ST production and induced transcription of mcsA in the wild type. Furthermore, propionate impaired formation of two polyketide spore pigments whereas overexpression of mcsA relieved inhibition of ST production by propionate. Transcription analyses revealed that disruption of mcsA did not affect expression of the specialized fatty acid synthase genes ( stcJ and stcK ) or polyketide synthase gene ( stcA ) required for formation of norsolorinic acid (NOR), the first stable intermediate in the ST biosynthetic pathway. Feeding studies showed that NOR but not hexanoic acid (the fatty acid produced by StcJ/StcK and primer unit of StcA) or malonate (source of the extender unit of StcA) restored ST production in the mcsA mutant. We hypothesize that excess buildup of propionyl-CoA in mcsA mutants interferes with polyketide synthase activity.
Token Economy Approaches for Psychiatric Patients: Progress and Pitfalls Over 25 Years

Although the token economy is among the most well-validated and effective behavioral treatments for schizophrenia and other serious psychiatric disorders, its use in clinical and research settings has declined from a peak in the early 1970s. Reasons for this decrease in use include staff resistance, reduced length of inpatient admissions, greater emphasis on community based treatments, economic constraints, and legal and ethical challenges. Nevertheless, a small but enthusiastic group of proponents still conducts token economy research and treatment. Important topics pertaining to the token economy remain to be addressed, including specifying its remediative components, developing strategies to promote generalization and maintenance of treatment gains, and creating better methods to identify patients who would most benefit from participating in these programs.
A Nondestructive Local FMR Probe for On-Disk Media Characterization

High-frequency characterization of perpendicular media is demonstrated on disk with a novel nondestructive local probe. The probe is micron-scale and has high bandwidth. We measure the permeability of the soft underlayer (SUL) and observe its ferromagnetic resonance (FMR). We extract physical parameters that cannot typically be measured on disk, such as FMR frequency, anisotropy field, HK, saturation magnetization, MS, and damping alpha in good agreement with independent measurements. Media of arbitrary form factor can be characterized and any location can be probed with spatial resolution that scales with the size of the probe "tip."
LG-Graph Based Detection of NRF Spectrum Signatures: Initial Results and Comparison

In this paper we present an enhanced version of our NRF spectra classifier based on Local-Global Graphs (LG-Graphs) and provide a comparison with other possible alternative detection schemes. Experimental results verify our claims that the proposed Nuclear Resonance Fluorescence (NRF) signature detection methodology is favorable over other widely employed conventional feature extraction and signal representation methods. The LG-Graph methodology is based on the representation of the signal’s peaks as triangle-like shapes and then on extracting significant geometrical features from these triangles to derive a concise representation of the peaks that correspond to specific NRF signatures of interest. These features are used to enable the matching of the materials of interest in a new unknown NRF spectrum.
On the possible role of auditory short-term adaptation in perception of the prevocalic [m]-[n] contrast.

Acoustic information about the place of articulation of a prevocalic nasal consonant is distributed over two distinct signal portions, the nasal murmur and the onset of the following vowel. The spectral properties of these signal portions are perceptually important, as is their relationship (the pattern of spectral change). A series of experiments was conducted to investigate to what extent relational place of articulation information derives from a peripheral auditory interaction, viz., short‐term adaptation caused by the murmur. Experimental manipulations intended to disrupt the effects of such adaptation included separation of the murmur and the vowel by intervals of silence, presentation to different ears, and reversal of order. Other tests of the possible role of adaptation included manipulation of murmur duration, murmur–vowel cross splicing, and high‐pass filtering of the excised vowel onset. While the results of several experiments were compatible with the peripheral adaptation hypothesis, others did not support it. An alternative hypothesis, that the manner cues provided by the murmur are crucial for accurate place judgments, was also discredited. It was concluded that, at least under good listening conditions, the perception of spectral relationships does not depend on peripheral auditory enhancement and probably rests on a central comparison process.
Population Graphs and Landscape Genetics

At the heart of the analyses of landscape genetics are isolation models seeking to explain either interindividual or interpopulation connectivity. These models use spatial, ecological, and topographic predictor variables measured between sites in an attempt to explain observed genetic variation. During the past decade, these models have adopted an increasingly sophisticated set of techniques to quantify intervening physical and ecological spaces, although they are restrained by rather mundane approaches to characterizing the genetic components of connectivity. Population Graphs are one approach to improving the quantification of genetic covariance used in models of landscape genetics. I explain the construction of the Population Graph framework, explain its strengths and weaknesses, and provide examples of how it has been used during the past decade within the contexts of landscape and population genetics.
The triumph of the null hypothesis: epidemiology in an age of change

Summary The recent confusion concerning the relation between hormone replacement therapy and cardiovascular disease has stirred a new wave of debate about the value and future of epidemiology. Opponents of epidemiology suggest an ever-diminishing role in an age of small risks and complex diseases, yet proponents are not in consensus about how to adapt their discipline to the challenges associated with ageing societies and changing disease patterns. While epidemiology is likely to be increasingly called upon to make sense of the risks involved with these changes, wading into this era with a mindset and tools that were derived from epidemiology's ‘golden era’ of tackling major risk factors, has created more confusion than understanding. Increasingly, we need to downsize epidemiology to what is testable, measurable, and relevant, based on robust methodology and public health rationale. Applying an evolutionary perspective, that views health problems of modernity as a manifestation of the mismatch between our ancient genes and hi-tech lifestyles, can provide guidance for a 21st century research agenda.
Analyses of Oxide Layer Cracking Patterns of MA956 and MA956/Sapphire Composite Systems

Results of linear elastic, finite-element continuum and micro-mechanics analyses are presented. These analyses were performed on coupons of monolithic alloy MA956 and a composite MA956/ Sapphire systems. The objective of the analyses was to predict the oxide cracking patterns observed in experiments. The finite element analyses successfully predicted random orientation of surface cracks for the monolithic MA956 system whereas for the composite MA956/Sapphire system the analyses predicted non-intersecting cracks that were aligned parallel to the orientation of the sapphire fibers. The results of the finite element analyses were found to be in good agreement with the experiments and qualitatively supported the experimental results.
STATISTICAL REASONING WITH THE SAMPLING DISTRIBUTION

Statistical reasoning surrounding the sampling distribution is necessary for formal statistical inference. Our study of introductory statistics students aged 16-18 suggests that knowledge of the characteristics of a sampling distribution and experiences with generating sampling distributions do not provide a sufficient basis for this reasoning. Following instruction on the sampling distribution and its characteristics, the students in this study were given the opportunity to draw a sample before making an informal inference based on a sampling distribution. The majority of the students took several samples and/or considered generating a second sampling distribution for comparison. These are not incorrect statistical notions; but instead indicate that their statistical reasoning with the sampling distribution was still developing. The results are discussed in relation to students’ prior informal inferential reasoning and their subsequent formal inferential reasoning.
How common are ALS plateaus and reversals

Objective: To determine the frequency of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) plateaus and reversals in the Pooled Resource Open-Access ALS Clinical Trials (PRO-ACT) database. Methods: We analyzed Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Functional Rating Scale (ALSFRS) and ALSFRS–revised (ALSFRS-R) data from PRO-ACT participants. The frequencies of participants experiencing plateaus (periods where scores did not change) were calculated over 6-, 12-, and 18-month epochs. The percentage of participants ever experiencing reversals (periods where scores improved) of different lengths were also calculated and plotted. Results: Over 6 months, 25% of 3,132 participants did not decline. Over 12 months, 16% of 2,105 participants did not decline. Over 18 months, 7% of 1,218 participants did not decline. Small ALS reversals were also common, especially over shorter follow-up intervals; 14% of 1,343 participants had a 180-day interval where their ALSFRS-R slope was greater than zero. Fewer than 1% of participants ever experienced improvements of 4 or more ALSFRS-R points lasting at least 12 months. Conclusion: ALS plateaus and small reversals are common, especially over brief intervals. In light of these data, stable disease, especially for a short period of time, should not be interpreted as an ALS treatment effect. Large sustained ALS reversals, on the other hand, are rare, potentially important, and warrant further study.
A Deep Neural Network Modeling Framework to Reduce Bias in Satellite Precipitation Products

AbstractDespite the advantage of global coverage at high spatiotemporal resolutions, satellite remotely sensed precipitation estimates still suffer from insufficient accuracy that needs to be improved for weather, climate, and hydrologic applications. This paper presents a framework of a deep neural network (DNN) that improves the accuracy of satellite precipitation products, focusing on reducing the bias and false alarms. The state-of-the-art deep learning techniques developed in the area of machine learning specialize in extracting structural information from a massive amount of image data, which fits nicely into the task of retrieving precipitation data from satellite cloud images. Stacked denoising autoencoder (SDAE), a widely used DNN, is applied to perform bias correction of satellite precipitation products. A case study is conducted on the Precipitation Estimation from Remotely Sensed Information Using Artificial Neural Networks Cloud Classification System (PERSIANN-CCS) with spatial resolution of ...
Abstract 040: Cells of the Renin Lineage in the Peritoneal Cavity

Renin cells have been traditionally associated with the control of blood pressure and fluid/electrolyte homeostasis. We recently described the presence of renin-expressing cells in the bone marrow, spleen and blood of mice. These cells are B-lymphocyte progenitors and show remarkable developmental, biochemical/transcriptional and functional similarities with the seemingly more distant kidney renin cell. While the function of these Brenin cells within hematopoietic tissues remains unknown, we found that these progenitors are a vulnerable population for leukemic transformation: deletion of the Notch effector RBP-J within renin-expressing cells in mice leads to development of B-cell leukemia. Given their medical relevance, we sought to fully characterize the identity of renin cell descendants within the hematopoietic system. We generated Ren1dcre/ +; mT/mG mice which after Cre -mediated recombination express GFP in renin precursors and their descendants and then performed lineage tracing and transplantation studies. We found that cells from the renin lineage are enriched in the peritoneal fluid (12.3 +/- 1.7% at 4 months) when compared to bone marrow (1.2 +/- 0.02%), blood (2.6 +/- 0.72%) and spleen (5.3 +/- 0.4%). Further, while renin-expressing cells in the bone marrow are pro-B cells, cells from the renin lineage within the peritoneal fluid exhibit increased expression of CD11b and CD5, and overall have an immunophenotype consistent with B-1 lymphocytes. Whereas the proportion of cells from the renin lineage in bone marrow, blood, and spleen decreases with age, renin lineage B-1 cells within the peritoneal fluid persist into adulthood. Finally, we found that renin lineage cells from the bone marrow of donor mice can repopulate the B-1 cell peritoneal compartment in irradiated host mice. This preliminary work suggests an association between renin, the key regulatory enzyme of the renin angiotensin cascade and the innate immune system, two major systems in the control of homeostasis.
Protein phosphatase 1 regulatory subunit 12A and catalytic subunit δ, new members in the phosphatidylinositide 3 kinase insulin-signaling pathway

Skeletal muscle insulin resistance is an early abnormality in individuals with metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes (T2D). Insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS1) plays a key role in insulin signaling, the function of which is regulated by both phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of tyrosine and serine/threonine residues. Numerous studies have focused on kinases in IRS1 phosphorylation and insulin resistance; however, the mechanism for serine/threonine phosphatase action in insulin signaling is largely unknown. Recently, we identified protein phosphatase 1 (PP1) regulatory subunit 12A (PPP1R12A) as a novel endogenous insulin-stimulated interaction partner of IRS1 in L6 myotubes. The current study was undertaken to better understand PPP1R12A’s role in insulin signaling. Insulin stimulation promoted an interaction between the IRS1/p85 complex and PPP1R12A; however, p85 and PPP1R12A did not interact independent of IRS1. Moreover, kinase inhibition experiments indicated that insulin-induced interaction between IRS1 and PPP1R12A was reduced by treatment with inhibitors of phosphatidylinositide 3 kinase, PDK1, Akt, and mTOR/raptor but not MAPK. Furthermore, a novel insulin-stimulated IRS1 interaction partner, PP1 catalytic subunit (PP1cδ), was identified, and its interaction with IRS1 was also disrupted by inhibitors of Akt and mTOR/raptor. These results indicate that PPP1R12A and PP1cδ are new members of the insulin-stimulated IRS1 signaling complex, and the interaction of PPP1R12A and PP1cδ with IRS1 is dependent on Akt and mTOR/raptor activation. These findings provide evidence for the involvement of a particular PP1 complex, PPP1R12A/PP1cδ, in insulin signaling and may lead to a better understanding of dysregulated IRS1 phosphorylation in insulin resistance and T2D.
Appraising Psychotherapeutic Change in Voice-Deviant Children with the Rorschach Index of Repressive Style

Surnmry.-This study assessed quantitative changes in repression (and thus the availability and facilitative conversion of internal responses into language) in 4 emotionally disturbed boys. Ss were latency aged boys with diagnosed voice pathology. In psychotherapy, differential goals contingent on the direction of repression were established. Supportive play therapy facilitated normal voice quality and adequate personality integration. Qualitative measures rather than the Rorschach index of repressive style were more sensitive to improvement. Levine and Spivack assumed "the properties of language reflect the properties of thought" and accordingly formulated a quantitative measure of repressive style from Rorschach association ( 1964, p. 9). High scores on this index are associated with greater availability and conversion of internal responses into language, better discrimination, greater self-control; low scores imply psychopathology, greater impulsivity, and psychosomatic symptoms. Psychotherapies attempt to reinforce greater affective, behavioral and ideational freedom. A repressed child successfully treated should be less constricted; an impulsive child successfully treated should show a reinforcement of repression and controls. This study assessed quantitative shifts in repression (and thus language expression, mediation and behavior) following therapy in emotionally disturbed children who had voice devianq in either hoarseness, stridenq, breathiness, tenseness or pitch. Three of the four Ss had vocal nodules, i.e., benign growths on the vocal cords. Ss were boys, 6 to 9 yr., white, with average to superior intelligence. All were achieving below grade level due to emotional problems at the time of therapy.
Exciton coupling model for the emergence of second harmonic generation from assemblies of centrosymmetric molecules.

A simple model is presented for interpreting the presence of substantial second harmonic generation (SHG) activity from assemblies of centrosymmetric molecular building blocks. Using butadiene as a computationally tractable centrosymmetric model system, time-dependent Hartree–Fock calculations of the nonlinear polarizability of butadiene dimer were well-described through exciton coupling arguments based on the electronic structure of the monomer and the relative orientation between the monomers within the dimer. Experimental studies of the centrosymmetric molecule 2,6-di-tert-butylanthraquinone suggest the formation of a combination of SHG-active and SHG-inactive crystal forms. The structure for the centrosymmetric form is known, serving as a negative control for the model, while the presence of an additional SHG-active metastable form is consistent with predictions of the model for alternative molecular packing configurations.
Suprarenal haematoma versus neuroblastoma complicated by haemorrhage. A diagnostic dilemma in the newborn.

Concomitant neonatal suprarenal haemorrhage and neuroblastoma is rare. The clinical and radiologic manifestations recorded in 11 patients with this entity are compared with the findings in 32 cases with simple adrenal haemorrhage. Because of the many similarities in presentation the combined lesion must always be considered when a neonate is found to have a retroperitoneal, extra-renal mass. Our present approach to the investigation includes conventional chest and abdominal radiography aimed to demonstrate possible paravertebral widening. Serial ultrasonographies are easy to carry out and indispensable. The low specificity of urography makes us refrain from this modality as a routine. Scintigraphy, in infants and children considered useful in demonstrating extent and spread of neuroblastoma, has hardly been employed in neonates. The true value of the modality in this particular age group remains to be settled. CT scanning does not seem to provide essential information additional to that of sonography and ...
Combustion Synthesis of Nanoscale Oxide Powders: Mechanism, Characterization and Properties

Based on the analysis of extensive experimental data, we have formulated basic criteria necessary for the synthesis of a variety of oxides in the combustion mode, and defined optimum conditions for the production of high-surface area, well-crystalline nano-powders of desired phase composition and purity. Also, for the first time, detailed chemical mechanisms of interaction for various systems are identified, outlining specific roles of different fuels, oxidizers and thermal conditions