cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A scanning electron microscopic study of peripheral nerve degeneration and regeneration

Abstract The left sciatic nerves of male Holtzman rats were exposed and crushed with a hemostat for 3 s at a point midway between the inferior gluteal nerve and the bifurcation into the tibial and common peroneal nerves. Normal myelinated axons appear in the scanning electron microscope as relatively smooth cylindrical structures with interweaving strands of collagen fibers coursing over their length. Nodes of Ranvier are seen as constrictions along the myelinated fibers. After crushing, the nerve fibers swell, and interruptions appear in the nodal and internodal regions causing a beaded morphology. The myelin sheaths fragment into numerous spherical bodies as the degenerative process progresses. Some remnants of myelin debris are found within the nerves 60 days following the lesion A few regenerating myelinated axons are observed within the connective tissue fibers and myelin debris distal to the crushed regions approx 15 days after placement of the lesion. By day 30 the nerves are relatively normal in appearance. The scanning electron micrographs provide a three-dimensional picture of the dynamic processes which occur during nerve degeneration and regeneration. These findings are correlated with previous studies and can serve as a basis for future scanning electron microscopic studies in this area of research.
The grammar of autonomy in Irish

This paper examines so-called autonomous forms of the verb in Irish in the context of ongoing work on the syntax and semantics of arbitrary pronominal subjects (on on French; man in German and so on). It argues for the syntactic presence of a phonologically null subject in such constructions and attempts to understand various characteristics of such impersonal constructions (with respect to binding and control especially) in the light of that hypothesis.
Measurements Of Small Dimensions Of Products And By-Products

Direct-imaging and plane-projection instruments are mainstays for definitive calibration-quality measurements of small dimensions for industrial and clinical applications. Light-and electron-optical techniques span six orders of sizes, from millimeters through micrometers down to nanometers. A common assumption is that, above the resolution limit of a device, accurate measurements can be made based on the geometric optic relation of image size xi to object size xo: xi = Mx0, where M is the scalar magnification of the device. However, in measurements of lengths, widths or diameters, the relation fails long before the resolution limit of the device is approached. As a result, substantial systematic errors in dimensional measurements occur in industrial applications from particle sizing to photomask metrology. The causes of such difficulties and the techniques to overcome them are discussed in the context of work at the National Bureau of Standards (NBS) on the development of SEM and optical techniques for accurate measurements in the range 0.1 to 100 μm.© (1980) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Uppermantle shear structure beneath Asia from multi-bounce S waves☆

Abstract The waveforms and travel-times of multi-bounce S waves have been used to investigate the mantle shear structure beneath Asia. Teleseismic SS-S residuals were measured for midpoints in the Canadian shield and central Asia. The SS-S times for the platform areas of Asia are very close to those measured in the Canadian shield. The fold belts, in central Asia, have SS-S residuals about 6 s slower than those measured in the platform regions. Uppermantle SS and SSS waveforms are also modeled to try to better constrain the lateral structure in Asia. The Russian platform is found to be almost identical in structure to the Canadian shield. Using a new synthetic seismogram code to compute seismograms in laterally varying media, SS and SSS uppermantle data which propagated through both the fold belts and platforms, were modeled to determine the structure in the fold belts. About 5% lower velocities, in the upper 200 km, are found in the fold belts relative to the shield model.
Interferon-alpha inhibits glucocorticoid receptor-mediated gene transcription via STAT5 activation in mouse HT22 cells

Interferon (IFN)-alpha is an innate immune cytokine that induces significant depressive symptoms in clinical populations. A number of mechanisms have been considered regarding the relationship between IFN-alpha and depression, including the effects of IFN-alpha on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Here, we examined the impact of mouse interferon (mIFN)-alpha and its signaling pathways on the functioning of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR), which plays a key role in HPA axis regulation. mIFN-alpha treatment (100-1000 IU/ml) of HT22 mouse hippocampal cells for 24h was found to significantly inhibit dexamethasone (DEX)-induced GR-mediated MMTV-luciferase activity and significantly decrease DEX-induced GR-binding to its DNA response element. Of note, mIFN-alpha treatment for 24h had no effect on DEX-induced GR translocation or GR protein expression. Inhibition of DEX-induced GR function by mIFN-alpha was significantly reversed by pharmacological inhibition of janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription (Jak-STAT) signaling pathways, but not by inhibition of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase. Moreover, pretreatment of cells with siRNA targeted to STAT5, but not STAT1 or STAT2, significantly attenuated IFN-alpha inhibition of DEX-induced MMTV-luciferase activity. Immunoprecipitation experiments revealed nuclear co-immunoprecipitation of activated STAT5 and GR following IFN-alpha plus DEX treatment. Taken together, these results indicate that negative regulation of GR function by IFN-alpha in hippocampal HT22 cells is mediated by activation of Jak/STAT signaling pathways leading to nuclear STAT5-GR protein-protein interactions. Given the role of GR in depressive disorders, IFN-alpha effects on GR function in cells of hippocampal origin may contribute to HPA axis alterations and depressive symptoms in IFN-alpha-treated patients.
Vaginal Mucosal Immunization for Recurrent Urinary Tract Infection: Phase II Clinical Trial

AbstractPurpose: Decreased local immunity to uropathogenic bacteria may be a factor predisposing women to recurrent urinary tract infections. Our phase I study demonstrated the safety of a multi-strain vaccine administered as a vaginal suppository. A phase II study was conducted to determine vaccine efficacy.Materials and Methods: A total of 91 women susceptible to recurrent urinary infections was entered into the study and the courses were analyzed in a randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled trial of vaginal mucosal immunization. Subjects received 3 vaginal suppositories at weekly intervals. Depending on the treatment group each suppository contained 1 of 2 vaccine doses or suppository material only. Each patient was followed for 5 months to record infection episodes, and obtain urine, vaginal irrigates and serum to measure immunological responses.Results: Immunogen treated women who were off antibiotic prophylaxis throughout the study had a significant delay in interval to reinfection during the f...
Ciprofloxacin activity in cyst fluid from polycystic kidneys.

Abstract Renal cyst infection in patients with polycystic kidney disease (PKD) is often unresponsive to standard antimicrobial therapy, in part because of the failure of most antibiotics to adequately penetrate cyst fluid. Ciprofloxacin, a new quinolone antibiotic, possesses in vitro activity against most pathogens likely to be encountered in renal cyst infection. To study the potential usefulness of ciprofloxacin for the treatment of cyst infection, fluid from 70 cysts was obtained from seven patients with polycystic kidney disease who were receiving the drug. Cysts were categorized as nongradient or gradient by the sodium concentration in the fluid. The ciprofloxacin concentration within cysts was measured, and the cyst fluid bactericidal activity against likely cyst fluid pathogens was determined. The mean (+/- standard error) ciprofloxacin concentration was 12.7 +/- 2.9 micrograms/ml. Preferential accumulation of ciprofloxacin occurred in gradient cysts; these levels exceeded levels in serum by more than fourfold. Cyst fluid bactericidal activity titers were uniformly high against Escherichia coli and Proteus mirabilis, while less activity was observed against Streptococcus faecalis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and Staphylococcus epidermidis.
Interfacial and capillary pressure effects on the thermal performance of wax/foam composites

A numerical investigation study was performed to study the phase change behavior of wax/foam composite encapsulated in an aluminum casing. Two types of foam materials, namely, aluminum and carbon, were infiltrated with paraffin wax. The progress of melt interface and temperature distribution within the encapsulated composite was analyzed using computational fluid dynamics software (CFD). A two-energy equation model was implemented in the CFD software through the use of user defined function (UDF). Interfacial effects influencing the heat transfer process at the casing-composite junction and between the wax-foam surfaces within the composite were addressed through the use of separate UDF. In addition, the effect of capillary pressure developed within the foam matrix was incorporated using an area ratio parameter. The contact resistance at the foam-casing interface and the capillary pressure had a major influence on the thermal behavior of the system. These two factors lowered down the heat transfer rate co...
Phase-only encoding method for complex wavefronts

A numerical encoding method for digital holography is described. The method directly encodes both the amplitude and phase of a complex number using pure phase transmission. Fabrication techniques are discussed and experimental results are presented that demonstrate the feasibility of this encoding method.
Improved imaging system for fecal detection

The Agricultural Research Service (ARS) has developed a hyperspectral imaging system to detect fecal contaminants on poultry carcasses. The system operates from about 400 to 1000 nm, but only a few wavelengths are used in a real-time multispectral system. ARS has reported that the ratio of reflectance images at 565 nm and 517 nm was able to identify fecal contaminants. However, this ratio alone also misclassified numerous non-fecal carcass features (false positives). Recent modifications to the system, including improved lighting, new camera, new spectrograph, and a new algorithm with an additional wavelength, have increased fecal detection accuracy while reducing the number of false positives. The new system was used to collect hyperspectral data on 56 stationary poultry carcasses. Carcasses were contaminated with both large and small spots of feces from the duodenum, ceca, and colon, and ingesta from the crop. A total of 1030 contaminants were applied to the carcasses. The new algorithm correctly identified over 99% of the contaminants with only 25 false positives. About a quarter of the carcasses had at least one false positive.
Empiric Outpatient Therapy with Trimethoprim- Sulfamethoxazole, Cephalexin, or Clindamycin for Cellulitis

Abstract Background Limited data exist on optimal empiric oral antibiotic treatment for outpatients with cellulitis in areas with a high prevalence of community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections. Methods We conducted a 3-year retrospective cohort study of outpatients with cellulitis empirically treated at a teaching clinic of a tertiary-care medical center in Hawaii. Patients who received more than 1 oral antibiotic, were hospitalized, or had no follow-up information were excluded. Treatment success rates for empiric therapy were compared among commonly prescribed antibiotics in our clinic: cephalexin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, and clindamycin. Risk factors for treatment failure were evaluated using multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results Of 544 patients with cellulitis, 405 met the inclusion criteria. The overall treatment success rate of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole was significantly higher than the rate of cephalexin (91% vs 74%; P P =.01), had moderately severe cellulitis ( P =.03), and were obese ( P =.04). Methicillin-resistant S. aureus was recovered in 72 of 117 positive culture specimens (62%). Compliance and adverse drug reaction rates were not significantly different among patients who received these 3 antibiotics. Factors associated with treatment failure included therapy with an antibiotic that was not active against community-associated MRSA (adjusted odds ratio 4.22; 95% confidence interval, 2.25-7.92; P P Conclusion Antibiotics with activity against community-associated MRSA, such as trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and clindamycin, are preferred empiric therapy for outpatients with cellulitis in the community-associated MRSA-prevalent setting.
L- and M-shell x-ray production cross sections of Nd, Gd, Ho, Yb, Au, and Pb by 25-MeV carbon and 32-MeV oxygen ions

Article discussing research on L- and M-shell x-ray production cross sections of Nd, Gd, Ho, Yb, Au, and Pb by 25-MeV carbon and 32-MeV oxygen ions.
Characteristics of Job Rotation in the Midwest U.S. Manufacturing Sector

yIndustrial and Manufacturing Engineering Department, Wichita State University,Wichita, KS, USAzDepartment of Environmental Health, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USAxCollege of Allied Health Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USAJob rotation has been advocated as a suitable intervention to control work-related musculoskeletal disorders. However, little is known regarding theprevalence of job rotation, methods used to identify jobs for rotation or thebeneﬁts or limitations of job rotation. A web-based questionnaire was deve-loped to survey job rotation practices from Midwest US manufacturingcompanies. Results indicated that 42.7% of the companies contacted used jobrotation, where the median time for which they had used job rotation was 5years. Job rotation was used mainly to reduce exposure to risk factors forwork-related injuries and to reduce work related injuries, whereas supervisordecisions and ergonomic analyses were used to select jobs for the rotationscheme. Major limitations to successful implementation of job rotationincluded rotation of individuals with medical restrictions, decreased productquality and lack of jobs to rotate to. These ﬁndings suggest that further studyis needed to determine if exposure to risk factors is reduced through currenteﬀorts.Keywords: Job rotation; Intervention; Musculoskeletal disorders; Riskfactors; Administrative controls1. IntroductionWith tremendous proﬁt demands for companies in the current economy, there is a need todevelop alternatives to potentially costly equipment and re-designs of the work area whenattempting to prevent work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs). One interven-tion strategy may be job rotation due to the potential relatively low implementation costs.The premise of job rotation is that workers rotate from job to job in a given time period,with the objective of minimizing the accumulated biomechanical loading on a particularbody part for all workers. The eﬀectiveness of the job rotation depends in part upon how*Corresponding author. E-mail: michael.jorgensen@wichita.edu
Determination of natural and wound-induced potato tuber suberin phenolics by thioglycolic acid derivatization and cupric oxide oxidation

Application of two lignin chemistry techniques, CuO oxidation and thioglycolic acid derivatization, has confirmed that natural and wound-induced suberin does have a lignin-like component. The time course of suberin phenolic deposition could be monitored by using the thioglycolic acid technique. The thioglycolic acid procedure is easily performed, can be adapted readily to multiple samples, and thus could be an effective tool for studying rates of wound-induced suberization.
Nanoscale optical field localization by resonantly focused plasmons

A plasmonic resonant nano-focusing-antenna has been experimentally integrated with a Si waveguide to effectively convert an incoming waveguide mode to a localized plasmon mode and focus light in an ultrasmall volume in all 3 dimensions.
Tenderizing spent fowl meat with calcium chloride. 2. The role of delayed application and ionic strength

Solutions of 0.6 M NaCl and 0.3 M CaCl2 having similar conductivities were used to evaluate the ionic strength effects on spent fowl meat tenderness. Breast fillets were deboned immediately after bleeding (hot-boned) and NaCl or CaCl2 was injected into them at two different times (< 30 min post-mortem and after 24 h storage) followed by tumbling and solution replenishment to evaluate the effects of delayed application. Hot-boned and cold-boned (24 h) were used as controls. All tumbling was conducted at -635 mm Hg, 20 C, 20 rpm for 1 h. All fillets were baked and then sheared with an Allo-Kramer cell. The results indicated that CaCl2 and NaCl reduced the shear values similarly, suggesting that elevated ionic strength at a similar conductivity to NaCl may play a major role in spent fowl meat tenderization with CaCl2. Replenishing muscle at 24 h post-mortem with 0.3 M calcium solution to 10% (wt/wt) after tumbling did not exert further tenderization, indicating that injecting a 10% level of 0.3 M calcium solution into spent hen fillets was sufficient to cause maximum tenderization. The delayed application of both CaCl2 and NaCl solutions resulted in a tenderizing effect, perhaps by eliminating the toughening effect of the prerigor physical stimulation effect of the earlier injection process. The additional tenderizing effects of calcium or sodium solutions injected at 24 h post-mortem may allow poultry processors to tenderize their spent fowl meat without the time constraints present in the prerigor state.
ASSESSMENT OF MOTION AS INFLUENCED BY STRUCTURE OF BACKGROUND

Gottsdanker, R. Assessment of motion as influenced by structure of background. Scand. J. Psychol., 1962, 3, 122–128.—Detection of target acceleration was improved by having a near landmark in addition to the surrounding frame. Adding landmarks, even within the course of motion, brought no further gain. Evidently, rate is not assessed by estimating time taken to cover known distances. Best performance was found when fine background marks were near enough together to form a texture, but not if it was perfectly uniform. It is suggested that the advantage provided both by the near point and the texture is the indirect one of stabilizing space. This effect is conceived of as graded, reaching its ultimate value in a textured surface.
Five-Year Survival Is Similar in Thyroid Cancer Patients with Distant Metastases Prepared for Radioactive Iodine Therapy with either Thyroid Hormone Withdrawal or Recombinant Human TSH

Context: Elevated levels of TSH markedly enhance the effectiveness of radioiodine (RAI) therapy in metastatic thyroid cancer. Objective: The objective of the study was to compare short-term overall survival in thyroid cancer patients with RAI-avid distant metastases prepared for RAI therapy with either traditional thyroid hormone withdrawal (THW) or recombinant human TSH (rhTSH) stimulation. Design: This was a retrospective chart review. Setting: The study was conducted at a tertiary care comprehensive cancer center. Patients: Patients included 175 patients with RAI avid metastatic disease to lung and/or bone. Interventions: In 58 patients, all RAI treatments (remnant ablation and therapy of metastatic disease) were done with rhTSH stimulation. In 35 patients, all RAI treatments were done after THW. In 82 patients, THW was used for initial RAI treatment(s) with subsequent administered activities given after rhTSH stimulation. Main Outcome Measure: Overall survival was measured. Results: After a median fol...
Treatment of Raw Water with Ultrafiltration Membrane/PAC

Raw water of Yellow River was treated by ultrafiltration process (UF) combined with powdered activated carbon (PAC) in this study. Experimental results showed that UF is a perfect physical sieving barrier to remove turbidity and algae from water, which is far superior to conventional filter bed. UF is inefficient to dissolved organic matter removal because of its large molecular weight cut-off. Combination of PAC with ultrafiltration membrane can effectively increase the removal rate of CODMn, TOC and UV254.
Lessons for tumor biomarker trials: vicious cycles, scientific method & developing guidelines.

Interview with Daniel Hayes, by Claire Raison (Commissioning Editor)Daniel F Hayes, M.D. is the Stuart A Padnos Professor of Breast Cancer Research and co-Director of the Breast Oncology Program at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center (Ann Arbor, MI, USA). Dr Hayes has extensive experience in clinical and translational breast cancer biomarker research, and in drug development and clinical trials. Around 30 years ago, he led the discovery of the circulating breast tumor biomarker, CA15-3, which started his career into further tumor biomarker work. The main thrust of his work since then has been in clinical trials, tumor biomarkers and trying to integrate the two. Dr Hayes is Chair of the Correlative Sciences Committee of the North American Breast Cancer Group (now called the Breast Cancer Steering Committee), and co-chairs the Expert Panel for Tumor Biomarker Practice Guidelines for the American Society of Clinical Oncology.
Abstract 1393: Transplantation of Bone marrow-derived adherent stem cells mitigates radiation-induced gastrointestinal syndrome

Radiation-induced gastrointestinal syndrome (RIGS) results from a combination of direct cytocidal effects on intestinal crypt and endothelial cells and subsequent loss of the mucosal barrier, resulting in diarrhea, microbial infection and septic shock. While growth factors, such as, R-spondin1 and KGF can protect mice from RIGS, mitigation is rare, following exposure to lethal doses of irradiation (IR). We hypothesized that IR-induced depletion and injury of intestinal stem cells (ISC) and stromal cells of the ISC niche induces RIGS. Since stromal cells provide critical growth factor/signals for ISC regeneration, we examined whether transplantation of bone marrow (BM)-derived adherent stem cells (BMASC) containing mesenchymal stem cells (MSC), endothelial progenitor cells (EPC) and macrophages would mitigate RIGS. Harvested BM cells, from C57Bl/6 mice, were cultured in MSCBM (Cambrex-Lonza) for 4 days, followed by collection of adherent cells from culture plates as BMASC. C57Bl/6 mice received a single fraction of either whole body irradiation (WBI; 8-12 Gy) or total abdominal irradiation (AIR; 16-20 Gy), followed by transplantation of BMASC (1×10 6 cells/mice) 24 and 72 hours after exposure to IR via tail vein injection. Irradiated controls received MSC culture medium. To evaluate the mitigating effect of myeloid cells, BMASC were fractionated with anti-CD11b-magnetic beads (MACS), followed by transplantation of CD11b+ and CD11b- BMASC cells in irradiated mice as above, respectively. Animals were observed for survival (Kaplan-Meier) and histopathological evaluation (Hematoxylin-eosin, TUNEL and BrdU immunohistochemistry). Xylose absorption test was performed to assess the functional integrity of intestinal mucosal barrier. Flow cytometry demonstrated 48% + 2.1 MSC (CD105+CD45-), 8.1% + 0.53 EPC (CD133+ CD45-) and 17.3% + 1.8 myeloid/macrophages in BMASC donor cells. In contrast to irradiated controls, 100% of the mice that received BMASC transplantation survived a lethal dose of WBI (10.4 Gy) and AIR (18Gy) (p Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1393.
UNFROZEN WATER IN APPLE SHOOTS AS RELATED TO THEIR WINTER HARDINESS.

In breeding apples for a region where winter hardiness is an important consideration, the desirability of having some rapid and reliable means of separating the winter hardy seedlings from more tender specimens is obvious. Any elimination that can be made in the first year or two of seedling growth is economical from the standpoint of both time and cost. A number of different methods and procedures have been employed in an attempt to separate cold resistant plants from those less resistant to freezing temperatures. A survey of the literature related to this problem suggests that the capacity of a plant to retain its moisture against the extracting forces of freezing is associated with its ability to survive cold. With this generalization in mind the present investigation was undertaken to ascertain whether or not winter hardiness in apple shoots could be related to the quantity of water remaining unfrozen at low temperatures. The meaning of the term '" bound water " used in the literature is controversial and will, therefore, be avoided in this discussion. "Water-retaining capacity ' ' as used subsequently refers to the capacity of a tissue to retain water in the unfrozen state when subjected to certain freezing temperatures.
Research and Solutions: Effects of Climate and Institution Size on Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Colleges and Universities in the United States

Emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) associated with buildings may constitute as much as 40 percent of total emissions by the United States. Data on GHG emissions for 238 institutions, including doctorate-granting universities, master's institutions, and baccalaureate colleges, were acquired from the American College & University Presidents' Climate Commitment (ACUPCC). A regression model that included gross building area, July mean temperature, and January mean low temperature was used to predict GHG emissions (R2 = 0.911). A similar model was developed for emissions as a function of full-time equivalent (FTE) students, but the fit was poorer (R2 = 0.693). The percentage of coal in the energy source for electric power generation was also a factor, with higher percentages resulting in higher emissions. Institutions with high percentages of coal as their electricity source also experienced low January temperatures, making it difficult to distinguish the effects of energy source from winter climate. For doct...
Gas Flow Analysis of Bi-Polar Plate Designs for Fuel Cells

A tri-layer fuel cell includes separate flow channels for hydrogen and oxygen. One potential alternative flow channel design is the use of a Bi-polar plate that connects cathode of a tri-layer fuel cell to anode of the next tri-layer fuel cell in order to provide an efficient flow of current through the cells with reduced voltage loss. The design of the bipolar plates provides considerable engineering challenges. It requires being thin with good contact surfaces for the purpose reduced electrical resistances as well as efficient transport processes for the reactant gasses in micro-channels with reduced pressure drops. Fluid flow and heat and mass transport in gas flow channels plays an important role in the effective performance of the fuel cell. A bi-polar plate design with straight parallel channels is considered and flow field in gas flow channels are analyzed using computational fluid dynamic model. Results for pressure drop coefficient and heat transfer coefficients with varying flow Reynolds number are presented.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
The metabolism of histone fractions. IV. Synthesis of histones during the G1-phase of the mammalian life cycle

Abstract The synthesis of histone fractions in the absence of DNA synthesis was measured using a new “isoleucine-limiting” method for synchronizing Chinese hamster cells in early G 1 -phase. It was found that such G 1 -arrested cells synthesize histones at a detectable but very low rate, about 2% of that of an S-phase cell. G 1 -cells traversing their life cycle (following synchronization by mitotic selection) were found to synthesize histones at 3.5 – 5.0% of an S-phase cell. Synthesis of histone in arrested G 1 -cells was accompanied by a turnover of histones on the chromatin. Histone f2a2 had the slowest turnover rate (187-hr half-life). Histone f1 had the fastest G 1 -phase turnover rate (97-hr half-life), which is only slightly less than the rate previously measured for f1 in exponential cultures. It is concluded that the naturally occurring turnover of histone f1 in these cells is not coupled to DNA synthesis. The high rate of histone synthesis in synchronized thymidine-blocked cells, compared to the very low rate of histone synthesis in G 1 -cells, indicates that synchronized thymidine-blocked cells are not biochemically G 1 -cells but are, rather, S-phase cells whose progression through S is arrested.
Pre- and Postnatal Exposure to 3,3′,4,4′-Tetrachlorobiphenyl: II. Effects on the Reproductive Capacity and Fertilizing Ability of Eggs in Female Mice

This study investigated the effects of 3,3′,4,4′-tetrachlorobiphenyl (TCB) on the reproductive capacity of female mice. Female C57BL/6J mice (F-0) were fed diets containing 0, 3, or 30 ppm TCB for 2 weeks before pairing with nontreated C57BL/6J males for a 10-day breeding period. Females were continued on their treatment diet throughout mating, gestation, and lactation. Female offspring (F-1) were fed the same diet as their dams throughout the study. The reproductive capacity of F-1 females was examined by mating with non-treated B6D2-F1 males. In addition, the fertilizing ability of eggs from F-1 females was examined in vitro by insemination with sperm from nontreated B6D2-F1 males. Fecundity in F-0 females after mating was 80%, 71%, and 47% in the 0, 3, and 30 ppm treatment groups, respectively. Four-day and 21-day survival indices were lower for offspring of 30 ppm TCB-treated F-0 females than for offspring of the control females. Fecundity in F-1 females was the same among all treatment groups, however, all offspring born to 3- and 30-ppm TCB-treated F-1 females died before 4 days of age. Although the litter size at birth was not affected, the in vitro fertilizing ability of eggs in the 3- and 30-ppm treatment groups was lower than in the control group. This decrease in fertilizing ability was associated with an increase in degenerated eggs. F-0 females treated with 30 ppm TCB had enlarged livers during pregnancy and lactation. At 5 and 6 weeks, liver enlargement and thymus atrophy were apparent in F-1 females exposed to 30 ppm TCB. This study demonstrated impaired reproductive capacity and decreased egg fertilizing ability in TCB-treated female mice.
Design of tactile sensing systems for dextrous manipulators

Preliminary work aimed at understanding the general issues and tradeoffs governing the design of extended tactile sensing systems is reviewed. General methods for estimating the bandwidths of line-addressed and matrix-addressed systems are presented. The proposed tactile sensing system incorporates four subsystems that permit the high-speed access of tactile data: (1) a transduction scheme; (2) a preprocessing scheme; (3) a multiplexing and transmission subsystem; and (4) tactile data selection techniques. Designs for implementation at each of these levels are presented. The designs emphasize practical necessities such as simplicity, reliability, and economy, along with plans to incorporate a tactile system into the Utah/MIT dextrous hand. >
More overregularizations after all: new data and discussion on Marcus, Pinker, Ullman, Hollander, Rosen & Xu.

Marcus, Pinker, Ullman, Hollander, Rosen & Xu (1992) claim that when the irregular past form of a verb is known, it is immediately known to be the correct form, such that overregularizations only occur as speech errors, not as a genuine grammatical alternative; as a result, they argue, overregularization rates are, when carefully inspected, very low. In the present paper: (1) it is shown that even if overregularizations are a genuine grammatical alternative, overall rates in samples would still be low for most children; (2) careful analysis shows evidence for substantial overregularization periods in three longitudinal subjects ages 2; 5–5; 2 (Abe), 2; 3–5; 2 (Adam) and 2; 3–5; 0 (Sarah); (3) Abe's much higher rates follow from general developments in his past tense acquisition, in ways not consonant with Marcus et al.'s formulations.
Fuzzy model-based body-wide anatomy recognition in medical images

To make Quantitative Radiology a reality in routine radiological practice, computerized automatic anatomy recognition (AAR) becomes essential. Previously, we presented a fuzzy object modeling strategy for AAR. This paper presents several advances in this project including streamlined definition of open-ended anatomic objects, extension to multiple imaging modalities, and demonstration of the same AAR approach on multiple body regions. The AAR approach consists of the following steps: (a) Collecting image data for each population group G and body region B. (b) Delineating in these images the objects in B to be modeled. (c) Building Fuzzy Object Models (FOMs) for B. (d) Recognizing individual objects in a given image of B by using the models. (e) Delineating the recognized objects. (f) Implementing the computationally intensive steps in a graphics processing unit (GPU). Image data are collected for B and G from our existing patient image database. Fuzzy models for the individual objects are built and assembled into a model of B as per a chosen hierarchy of the objects in B. A global recognition strategy is used to determine the pose of the objects within a given image I following the hierarchy. The recognized pose is utilized to delineate the objects, also hierarchically. Based on three body regions tested utilizing both computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance (MR) imagery, recognition accuracy for non-sparse objects has been found to be generally sufficient ( 3 to 11 mm or 2-3 voxels) to yield delineation false positive (FP) and true positive (TP) values of < 5% and ≥ 90%, respectively. The sparse objects require further work to improve their recognition accuracy.
Phosphorylation of the Endogenous Thyrotropin-releasing Hormone Receptor in Pituitary GH3 Cells and Pituitary Tissue Revealed by Phosphosite-specific Antibodies

Abstract To study phosphorylation of the endogenous type I thyrotropin-releasing hormone receptor in the anterior pituitary, we generated phosphosite-specific polyclonal antibodies. The major phosphorylation site of receptor endogenously expressed in pituitary GH3 cells was Thr365 in the receptor tail; distal sites were more phosphorylated in some heterologous models. β-Arrestin 2 reduced thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH)-stimulated inositol phosphate production and accelerated internalization of the wild type receptor but not receptor mutants where the critical phosphosites were mutated to Ala. Phosphorylation peaked within seconds and was maximal at 100 nm TRH. Based on dominant negative kinase and small interfering RNA approaches, phosphorylation was mediated primarily by G protein-coupled receptor kinase 2. Phosphorylated receptor, visualized by immunofluorescence microscopy, was initially at the plasma membrane, and over 5-30 min it moved to intracellular vesicles in GH3 cells. Dephosphorylation was rapid (t½ ∼ 1 min) if agonist was removed while receptor was at the surface. Dephosphorylation was slower (t½ ∼ 4 min) if agonist was withdrawn after receptor had internalized. After agonist removal and dephosphorylation, a second pulse of agonist caused extensive rephosphorylation, particularly if most receptor was still on the plasma membrane. Phosphorylated receptor staining was visible in prolactin- and thyrotropin-producing cells in rat pituitary tissue from untreated rats and much stronger in tissue from animals injected with TRH. Our results show that the TRH receptor can rapidly cycle between a phosphorylated and nonphosphorylated state in response to changing agonist concentrations and that phosphorylation can be used as an indicator of receptor activity in vivo.
Mammary adipocytes bioactivate 25‐hydroxyvitamin D3 and signal via vitamin D3 receptor, modulating mammary epithelial cell growth

The vitamin D(3) receptor (VDR) is present in all microenvironments of the breast, yet it is hypothesized to signal through the epithelium to regulate hormone induced growth and differentiation. However, the influence or contribution of the other microenvironments within the breast that express VDR, like the breast adipose tissue, are yet to be investigated. We hypothesized that the breast adipocytes express the signaling components necessary to participate in vitamin D(3) synthesis and signaling via VDR, modulating ductal epithelial cell growth and differentiation. We utilized human primary breast adipocytes and VDR wild type (WT) and knockout (KO) mice to address whether breast adipocytes participate in vitamin D(3) -induced growth regulation of the ductal epithelium. We report in this study that breast primary adipocytes express VDR, CYP27B1 (1α-hydroxylase, 1α-OHase), the enzyme that generates the biologically active VDR ligand, 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3) (1,25D(3) ), and CYP24 (24-hydroxylase, 24-OHase), a VDR-1,25D(3) induced target gene. Furthermore, the breast adipocytes participate in bioactivating 25-hydroxyvitamin D(3) (25D(3) ) to the active ligand, 1,25D(3) , and secreting it to the surrounding microenvironment. In support of this concept, we report that purified mammary ductal epithelial fragments (organoids) from VDR KO mice, co-cultured with WT breast adipocytes, were growth inhibited upon treatment with 25D(3) or 1,25D(3) compared to vehicle alone. Collectively, these results demonstrate that breast adipocytes bioactivate 25D(3) to 1,25D(3) , signal via VDR within the adipocytes, and release an inhibitory factor that regulates ductal epithelial cell growth, suggesting that breast adipose tissue contributes to vitamin D(3) -induced growth regulation of ductal epithelium.
Multicriteria versus traditional analysis: Microcomputer techniques

Abstract Multiple-criteria decision making using a microcomputer offers many advantages over techniques commonly used in the social sciences such as regression. For optimizing it is preferable to payoff matrices; decision trees; optimum level, indifference, and functional curves. In addition, the technique is good for prediction and for explanation. This article introduces one version—Policy/Goal Percentaging.
Subversive Infusions: Strategies for the Integration of Information Literacy Across the Curriculum

Abstract Beginning in 2004, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) requires institutions seeking accreditation to develop a Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) to improve student learning. QEP topics may be focused on a single educational initiative or may combine several efforts in order to enhance and assess student learning. While some plans have focused on information literacy specifically, a considerable number of the QEP proposals submitted to SACS between 2007 and 2011 have integrated information literacy learning outcomes as part of another topic. An analysis of the topics and outcomes proposed at 58 institutions offers librarians and information professionals an alternative perspective on the integration of information literacy across the curriculum.
1434 NURSERY ACQUIRED CMV (NACMV) INFECTION IN TRANSFUSED NEONATES

In a prospective study of NACMV infection in a 35 bed neonatal ICU initial results suggested an association between the transfusion of CMV-IgM(+) blood products (BP) and NACMV. During a 14 month period 165 seropositive (S+) neonates and 386 seronegative (S-) neonates were monitored for CMV infection by weekly viral culture (VC). VC(+) infections occurred in 13/165 S+ neonates and 7/386 S- neonates. All 7 S- neonates with NACMV received blood from one or more S+ donors and one or more CMV-IgM(+) donors (X2=7.94 p<0.005). No CMV infections were detected in 79 S- infants who received exclusively S- blood, or in 76 S- infants who received CMV ELISA(+), IFA-IgM(-) blood. During the next 9 months we prospectively evaluated the degree to which transfusion related CMV can be reduced by the exclusive use of CMV-IgM(-) blood. Eighty-one S+ and 117 S- nsonates have been followed. Three of these 81 S+ babies and none of 117 S- neonates, including 64 who were transfused with IgM(-) blood became VC(+). The incidence of CMV infections in S+ neonates (16/246) was approximately 4 fold greater than in S- neonates (7/503). We conclude that the incidence of NACMV in S- neonates can be reduced by interdicting CMV S+ BP. While screening with an IgM-IFA was effective in this study, other assays which detect total antibody are more readily performed and should be considered pending further evaluation of alternative assays for the detection of infectious BP.
Salt Anisotropy: Ultrasonic Lab Experiments and Traveltime Ramifications

Salt plays an important role in the Gulf of Mexico and other areas of the world. In the previous laboratory measurements, it has shown cubic anisotropy on halite (rock salt). For salt formation in the Gulf of Mexico, the deformation and the flow of evaporates could lead to the realignment of constituent crystals which also generates anisotropic aggregates (Raymer et al., 2000). In this paper, we investigate and quantify anisotropy of pure halite. With respect to all polarization in the pure halite, Vp changes from 4.44 to 4.76 km/s and Vs changes from 2.47 to 2.92 km/s. The difference of the one-way travel time caused by this cubic anisotropy for a 1km thick 3D numerical model is up to 0.02s, 0.06s and 0.03s for P wave, SV wave and SH wave, respectively.
A surgeon's obligations when performing new procedures

A junior member of the vascular surgery faculty has done two robotic abdominal aneurysmectomies. Although he attended a standard 2-day training course conducted by the instrument manufacturer, performed several similar procedures in the animal laboratory, and read all the recent pertinent literature, technical errors resulted in significant morbidity in his first two patients. He proposes to use the technique once again on a hospitalized patient. His troubled chairman has called you for an opinion on whether an ethical question has now arisen. There are no specific credentialling standards for robotic surgery at this institution. Where might we most expect to see an ethical problem in the surgeon's management of the new case?
Evidence-Based Analysis of Formative Assessment

Abstract This study examined evidence for the effectiveness of one approach to formative assessment based on students' anonymous reports of material that was “best learned” and “least learned” at t...
Ensemble kalman filter assimilation of doppler radar data with a compressible nonhydrostatic model : OSS experiments

Abstract A Doppler radar data assimilation system is developed based on an ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) method and tested with simulated radar data from a supercell storm. As a first implementation, it is assumed that the forward models are perfect and that the radar data are sampled at the analysis grid points. A general purpose nonhydrostatic compressible model is used with the inclusion of complex multiclass ice microphysics. New aspects of this study compared to previous work include the demonstration of the ability of the EnKF method to retrieve multiple microphysical species associated with a multiclass ice microphysics scheme, and to accurately retrieve the wind and thermodynamic variables. Also new are the inclusion of reflectivity observations and the determination of the relative role of the radial velocity and reflectivity data as well as their spatial coverage in recovering the full-flow and cloud fields. In general, the system is able to reestablish the model storm extremely well after a num...
Interpolation with minimized curvature

Abstract The cubic spline represents an attempt to produce an interpolant with minimal rootmean-square curvature. The attempt is generally successful when slopes are nearly constant, but when this condition is not met, the cubic spline behavior may be quite poor. We present a remedy for this. Sometimes one is willing to sacrifice smoothness for the ability to specify where one is willing for the interpolant to curve and where one desires the interpolant to be as linear as possible. We offer a tensioned version of our algorithm which allows varying degrees of tension within an internodal interval, resulting in the ability to produce a curve with the desired characteristics.
Towards a Framework for Abstractive Summarization of Multimodal Documents

We propose a framework for generating an abstractive summary from a semantic model of a multimodal document. We discuss the type of model required, the means by which it can be constructed, how the content of the model is rated and selected, and the method of realizing novel sentences for the summary. To this end, we introduce a metric called information density used for gauging the importance of content obtained from text and graphical sources.
The use of the sea fennel as a new spice-colorant in culinary preparations

The sea fennel (Crithmum maritimum L.) is a wild plant from the same family of the parsley and celery, that is used as a fresh ingredient for many food preparations. In this work, some alternative culinary uses for this aromatic plant as a dried ingredient have been proposed. Therefore, two drying technologies were applied with the aim to obtain a new spice-colorant without chemical synthesis. The results are discussed in terms of visual quality, odor and taste of the dehydrated products. Moreover, the effects on the overall sensory properties of some dishes prepared using the two different types of this new spice are reported. The introduction of the dried sea fennel in gastronomy could increase the sensory appeal of some traditional dishes and support the creation of many new recipes. & 2013 AZTI-Tecnalia. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Differential Bundle Functioning Analysis of the Self-Description Questionnaire Self-Concept Scale for Kenyan Female and Male Students Using the MIMIC Model.

Understanding adolescent self-concept is of great concern for educators, mental health professionals, and parents, as research consistently demonstrates that low self-concept is related to a number of problem behaviors and poor outcomes. Thus, accurate measurements of self-concept are key, and the validity of such measurements, including the popular self-description questionnaire (SDQ), rests on the assumption that instruments used in this regard perform similarly for different groups of individuals (e.g., males and females). When this comparability across groups cannot be guaranteed, resultant scores for individuals from different groups are not comparable so that the validity and utility of these scores is called into question. Over the years, a great deal of literature has grown up around the assessment of such comparability in the framework of differential item functioning (DIF) and differential bundle functioning (DBF). The current study uses a novel approach, in the form of the MIMIC model, to ascer...
Circadian wheel‐running behavior in the isopod, Armadillidium vulgare

Pillbugs given access to both a darkened moist refuge and a styrofoam running wheel engaged in locomotor activity on the running wheel a portion of each night. The animals expressed a circadian rhythm of locomotor behavior in constant conditions. The evidence suggests that the locomotor activity rhythms originate endogenously. The circadian behavior of woodlice as well as the adaptive or ecological significance of biological clocks in terrestrial isopods is discussed.