cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Rule learning in rats: serial tracking in interleaved patterns

Humans have the ability to chunk together information from nonadjacent serial positions in sequential patterns. For example, human subjects can extrapolate the pattern, A-M-B-N-C-O-D-P-E-..., to find the missing element, Q, by sorting pattern elements into two component interleaved subpatterns: A-B-C-D-E and M-N-O-P-... Two experiments investigated the ability of rats to reorganize pattern elements from nonadjacent serial positions into chunks not presented by the experimenter. Rats learned either a structured or unstructured sequence interleaved with elements of a repeating sequence (experiment 1) or an alternation sequence (experiment 2). In both experiments, rats learned the interleaved subpatterns at different rates. Acquisition rate was correlated with the structural properties of component subpatterns and the nature of the rules required to describe the interleaved subpatterns. The results indicate that rats are sensitive to the organization of nonadjacent elements in serial patterns and that they can detect and sort structural relationships in interleaved patterns.
Temperature and emissivity measurement at 0.65 μ with a solar furnace

Abstract By recent developments in imaging-furnace techniques it is possible to obtain fundamental data on the thermal properties and phase-diagrams of high-melting-point ceramic oxides by a solar furnace. With a heliostat-type solar furnace, temperature and emissivity measurements have been investigated, using a brightness pyrometer designed by our Solar Research Laboratory. Brightness temperature of an opaque body having a specular reflection surface, can be measured by shadowing the marked area of the target surface, rejecting the reflected solar radiation. Spectral reflection is measured after the shadowing mask is removed, and thus the spectral emissivity and true temperature of the specimen can be calculated. In the case of a diffuse-reflection surface, a rotating sector is used to separate the emitted and reflected radiation from the target. The results of freezing-point measurements on HfO 2 , ZrO 2 , and Al 2 O 3 are 3026 ± 20 deg K, 2979 ± 20 deg K, and 2322 ± 15 deg K respectively by the use of specular-reflection method.
Measurement of Thixotropy of Model Food Colloidal Suspensions with Step Change Shear Rate

Abstract An experimental study of the measurement of thixotropy of concentrated monodisperse latex suspensions with the step change in shear rate method was conducted. The size of the latices varied between 125 and 423 nm. The step change in shear rate method gave reproducible results provided that the sample was sheared to an equilibriun stress at a reference shear rate before a step change in shear rate was made. The experimental data from the step change in shear experiments are presented in the form of constant structure curves. The degree of thixotropy was found to be related to latex concentration, size, and surface charge. Thixotropy increased with increases in concentration, size, or surface charge of a monodisperse latex suspension.
Investigation of “shock-induced” and “shock-assisted” chemical reactions in Mo + 2Si powder mixtures

Chemical reactions occurring in Mo + 2Si powder mixtures under “shock-induced” (during the high-pressure shock state) and “shock-assisted” (due to bulk temperature increases subsequent to unloading from the shock state) conditions were investigated using shock recovery experiments performed under a range of loading conditions. Cylindrical implosion geometry experiments showed fully reacted mixed-phase eutectic microstructure (MoSi2 and Mo5Si3) in axial regions and a partially reacted region (containing MoSi2 spherules surrounding molybdenum particles in melted and resolidified silicon matrix) in outer peripheral areas of the compact cross sections. Planar-pressure geometry experiments showed a single-phase MoSi2 microstructure in almost the entire compact. Calculations of the peak shock pressure and maximum mean bulk temperature in the different regions of the compacts and their correlation with the observed microstructures suggest that the formation of the mixed-phase and partially reacted products in the implosion geometry samples is due to “thermally initiated” liquid-liquid or solid-liquid reactions. In contrast, formation of the single-phase product in the planar-pressure geometry experiments is due to solid-state “pressure-initiated” reactions. The “thermally initiated” reactions are a result of large increases in shock-generated bulk temperatures, produced in time scales of thermal equilibration following unloading from the high-pressure state; hence, these are referred to as “shock-assisted” chemical reactions. However, the pressure-initiated reactions occur during the rise to the peak pressure and in time scales of pressure equilibration; hence, these are referred to as “shock-induced” chemical reactions.
Ordered field property for stochastic games when the player who controls transitions changes from state to state

In this paper, we consider a zero-sum stochastic game with finitely many states restricted by the assumption that the probability transitions from a given state are functions of the actions of only one of the players. However, the player who thus controls the transitions in the given state will not be the same in every state. Further, we assume that all payoffs and all transition probabilities specifying the law of motion are rational numbers. We then show that the values of both a β-discounted game, for rational β, and of a Cesaro-average game are in the field of rational numbers. In addition, both games possess optimal stationary strategies which have only rational components. Our results and their proofs form an extension of the results and techniques which were recently developed by Parthasarathy and Raghavan (Ref. 1).
Microstructure development in the directionally solidified Al–4.0 wt% Cu alloy system

The effect of convection on microstructure formation is examined experimentally and theoretically for the vertically upwards-directional solidification of Al–4.0 wt% Cu alloys. In this alloy system, the rejected solute is heavier than the solvent so that fluid flow occurs due to the presence of radial gradients in temperature and composition. A numerical model is presented which shows that convection effects cause the composition to vary along the interface such that the composition increases from the center to the periphery of the sample. This composition variation causes the macroscopic interface to become convex, and give rise to a systematic variation in microstructure along the interface. Critical experiments have been carried out to examine planar to cellular (and cellular to dendritic) transition in a given sample due to the increase in concentration along the interface, and the experimental results are analyzed through the measurements of interface composition and thermal gradient. In addition, the variation in local primary spacing with interface composition is also characterized and compared with the results of the numerical model. It is shown that microstructure transitions and microstructural scales can be correlated quantitatively with the theoretical results based on interface composition and on temperature and solute gradients at the interface.
Complete Genome Sequence for the Shellfish Pathogen Vibrio coralliilyticus RE98 Isolated from a Shellfish Hatchery

ABSTRACT Vibrio coralliilyticus is a pathogen of corals and larval shellfish. Publications on strain RE98 list it as a Vibrio tubiashii; however, whole genome sequencing confirms RE98 as V. coralliilyticus containing a total of 6,037,824 bp consisting of two chromosomes (3,420,228 and 1,917,482 bp) and two megaplasmids (380,714 and 319,400 bp).
Risperidone and Exaggerated Hypotension during a Spinal Anesthetic

UNLABELLED Antipsychotic medications are often continued through pregnancy and may have important anesthetic interactions. For example, risperidone is an antipsychotic medication with therapeutic effects mediated by dopaminergic and serotonergic antagonism. However, it also possesses potent alpha-1 adrenergic antagonism. Here we report a case of a parturient with bipolar disease, controlled with lithium and risperidone, undergoing a spinal anesthetic for a cesarean delivery. The parturient developed exaggerated hypotension, refractory to conventional treatment with ephedrine and IV fluids, that eventually responded to large doses of phenylephrine. Risperidone alpha-antagonism should be a consideration for any patient receiving this medication during neuraxial anesthesia. Treatment of significant and refractory hypotension with an alpha-1 agonist such as phenylephrine may be warranted. IMPLICATIONS Parturients receiving neuraxial blocks may be taking antipsychotic medications. Although the therapeutic effects of antipsychotic medications are mediated by dopaminergic and serotonergic antagonism, many possess alpha-adrenergic antagonist properties. We report a case of exaggerated hypotension during a spinal anesthetic for cesarean delivery that may have been a result of the alpha-adrenergic antagonism of risperidone.
The analysis of sediments from the Iowa River

Abstract The silt and clay fraction of bottom sediment was sampled from an eight-mile stretch of the Iowa River, downstream from the Coralville Reservoir. These samples were examined by means of X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy. Six heavy metals, Fe, Mn, Ba, Zr, Sr, and Rb, were found to be present in concentrations greater than 1 ppm. When compared to crustal averages, Sr and Rb were depleted by a factor of 4 and 3 respectively, probably due to preferential solution. Fe and Zr were in concentrations similar to crustal averages. Zr content could be related to content of the mineral zircon in the watershed. Barium was enriched by a factor of 2, probably reflecting a calcareous parent material. Manganese was enriched by a factor of 5 and remains unexplained.
Large format multicolor QWIP focal plane arrays

Mid-wave infrared (MWIR) and long-wave infrared (LWIR) multicolor focal plane array (FPA) cameras are essential for many DoD and NASA applications including Earth and planetary remote sensing. In this paper we summarize our recent development of large format multicolor QWIP FPA that cover MWIR and LWIR bands.
Optimal Crop Rotation of Idaho Potatoes

Idaho’s potato growers face increasing price and production risks as the potato industry undergoes structural change. In response, producers have shortened potato crop rotation to counteract the price risk. A risk-neutral discrete stochastic sequential programming (DSSP) model was developed to analyze the affects of the shortened rotation on expected revenue with incorporated price and production risks. The results support the following conclusions: land constraints due to equipment, labor, and capital efficiency alter optimal rotations; given no land constraints, a whole farm 607.3 ha simulation yields the same results as a per-hectare analysis with Potatoes-Wheat-Wheat-Potatoes being the optimal rotation; and longer rotation cycles generate the highest expected revenue per-hectare. Additional conclusions were that the open market generates higher expected revenue when compared to contracts; producers can counteract some of the loss of expected revenues in the contracted market with lower production risk from longer rotation cycles; Idaho potato producers may not be operating at a risk-neutral level.
Lifschitz tail and Wiener sausage, II

The present paper is a continuation of [23]. We present here two examples of situations, where the method developed in [23] applies. The first example is that of a periodic diffusion (Z) in R”, n >, 1, with generator L = iSia,dj, where a,is a C2, Z”-periodic elliptic matrix. We consider the Wiener sausage W, = U0 c u < I Z, + C, where C is a nonpolar, . . compact subset of R”, for instance, a closed ball or disc in R”. If a denotes the constant matrix of homogenized coefficients of the periodic diffusion (see [ 1 I), we show that
Commentary: The Challenge of Nonexperimental Interventions Studies in Social Work:

The challenging context of social work interventions require that most intervention studies will be derived from nonexperimental research designs. Two evaluation studies in this special issue employed nonrandomized designs to examine the efficacy of two programs—a police crisis intervention team designed to enhance officers’ responses to mental health crisis and a program for pregnant incarcerated women. Each is a laudable effort to examine important intervention outcomes in insular settings. The design and execution problems explicated in both studies are familiar to researchers who venture into such practice arenas. Disappointing outcomes, as in these two studies, can sometimes be attributed to the problems of nonequivalent comparison designs or to unanticipated events. Intervention researchers must also recognize that programs often fail to demonstrate differences and can even result in adverse outcomes.
HUNTERS SYNDROME AND COOLEY'S ANAEMIA IN THE SAME PATIENT Effect of Multiple Transfusions

Summary It has been reported that plasma and leukocyte infusions have a beneficial effect on patients with Hurler's and Hunter's syndromes. A 5-year-old boy with Hunter's syndrome and Coo-ley's anaemia is presented. This boy received a total of 38 transfusions over a 4-year period. The usual clinical manifestations of the Hunter's syndrome were fully developed, and were not, in any obvious way, ameliorated by the transfusions.
Functional polarity in neurons: what can we learn from studying an exception?

Dendrites and axons typically handle very different aspects of neuronal signaling. However, many of the functional distinctions between these two types of processes are absent in neurons with release-competent dendrites. This raises fundamental questions about the molecular mechanisms that promote and permit functional specialization, and suggests that the ‘exceptional’ case of presynaptic dendrites may provide important clues on how neuronal polarity is established. To help stimulate thinking on this new front, we summarize some key aspects of the physiology of dendritic neurotransmitter release, together with recent work on the molecular basis of neuronal polarity.
Rickettsial infections of fish

Piscirickettsia salmonis is the first of the previously unrecognized rickettsial pathogens of fish to be isolated, characterized, and demonstrated to be the etiologic agent of an epizootic disease. However, since the isolation of P. salmonis in 1989, the scope and impact of these pathogens has become increasingly apparent. This growing awareness of the role of the rickettsiae in fish health has led to documentation of rickettsial diseases in diverse species of fish and in disparate geographic locations and aquatic environments. Considerable work remains in order to establish the source, reservoir, and normal mode(s) of transmission of these agents and to devise appropriate methods of disease prevention and control.
Peninsular terrane basement ages recorded by Paleozoic and Paleoproterozoic zircon in gabbro xenoliths and andesite from Redoubt volcano, Alaska

Historically Sactive Redoubt volcano is an Aleutian arc basalt-to-dacite cone constructed upon the Jurassic–Early Tertiary Alaska–Aleutian Range batholith. The batholith intrudes the Peninsular tectonostratigraphic terrane, which is considered to have developed on oceanic basement and to have accreted to North America, possibly in Late Jurassic time. Xenoliths in Redoubt magmas have been thought to be modern cumulate gabbros and fragments of the batholith. However, new sensitive high-resolution ion microprobe (SHRIMP) U-Pb ages for zircon from gabbro xenoliths from a late Pleistocene pyroclastic deposit are dominated by much older, ca. 310 Ma Pennsylvanian and ca. 1865 Ma Paleoproterozoic grains. Zircon age distributions and trace-element concentrations indicate that the ca. 310 Ma zircons date gabbroic intrusive rocks, and the ca. 1865 Ma zircons also are likely from igneous rocks in or beneath Peninsular terrane basement. The trace-element data imply that four of five Cretaceous–Paleocene zircons, and Pennsylvanian low-U, low-Th zircons in one sample, grew from metamorphic or hydrothermal fluids. Textural evidence of xenocrysts and a dominant population of ca. 1865 Ma zircon in juvenile crystal-rich andesite from the same pyroclastic deposit show that this basement has been assimilated by Redoubt magma. Equilibration temperatures and oxygen fugacities indicated by Fe-Ti–oxide minerals in the gabbros and crystal-rich andesite suggest sources near the margins of the Redoubt magmatic system, most likely in the magma accumulation and storage region currently outlined by seismicity and magma petrology at ∼4–10 km below sea level. Additionally, a partially melted gabbro from the 1990 eruption contains zircon with U-Pb ages between ca. 620 Ma and ca. 1705 Ma, as well as one zircon with a U-Th disequilibrium model age of 0 ka. The zircon ages demonstrate that Pennsylvanian, and probably Paleoproterozoic, igneous rocks exist in, or possibly beneath, Peninsular terrane basement. Discovery of Pennsylvanian gabbro similar in age to Skolai arc plutons 500 km to the northeast indicates that the Peninsular terrane, along with the Wrangellia and Alexander terranes, has been part of the Wrangellia composite terrane since at least Pennsylvanian time. Moreover, the zircon data suggest that a Paleoproterozoic continental fragment may be present in the mid-to-upper crust in southern Alaska.
Myocardial ischemia, reperfusion, and infarction in chronically instrumented, intact, conscious, and unrestrained mice

In the United States alone, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) has invested several hundred million dollars in pursuit of myocardial infarct-sparing therapies. However, due largely to methodological limitations, this investment has not produced any notable clinical application or cardioprotective therapy. Among the major methodological limitations is the reliance on animal models that do not mimic the clinical situation. In this context, the limited use of conscious animal models is of major concern. In fact, whenever possible, studies of cardiovascular physiology and pathophysiology should be conducted in conscious, complex models to avoid the complications associated with the use of anesthesia and surgical trauma. The mouse has significant advantages over other experimental models for the investigation of infarct-sparing therapies. The mouse is inexpensive, has a high throughput, and presents the ability of one to create genetically modified models. However, successful infarct-sparing therapies in anesthetized mice or isolated mouse hearts may not be successful in more complex models, including conscious mice. Accordingly, a conscious mouse model of myocardial ischemia and reperfusion has the potential to be of major importance for advancing the concepts and methods that drive the development of infarct-sparing therapies. Therefore, we describe, for the first time, the use of an intact, conscious, and unrestrained mouse model of myocardial ischemia-reperfusion and infarction. The conscious mouse model permits occlusion and reperfusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery in an intact, complex model free of the confounding influences of anesthetics and surgical trauma. This methodology may be adopted for advancing the concepts and ideas that drive cardiovascular research.
Neutronics performance of high-temperature refractory alloy helium-cooled blankets for fusion application

Abstract Among the concepts considered in the advanced power extraction (APEX) study is the helium-cooled refractory metal FW and blanket concept. Refractory metals exhibit high operating temperature and can offer good capability for withstanding high power density operation that is the focus of the APEX study. In this paper, we assess the impact of using various refractory metals on the nuclear heating profiles across the blanket and power multiplication (PM) and on the tritium breeding profiles and tritium breeding ratio (TBR). The refractory metals considered with liquid lithium breeder are W, TZM, and Nb–1Zr. The impact of Li-6 enrichment on these profiles and on TBR and PM is also assessed. Comparison of these nuclear characteristics is also made to other liquid breeder (Flibe and Li–Sn). Because the moderation power of these breeders to neutron energy varies among them, the damage to the structure is different with various structure/breeder combinations. The damage parameters (DPA, helium and hydrogen production) at key locations are also compared with the corresponding values in the thick liquid FW/blanket concept; an innovative design concept under consideration within the APEX study.
Mucin Gene Polymorphisms in Otitis Media Patients

Objectives/Hypothesis. Mucin genes MUC2, MUC5AC, and MUC5B have been identified as major gel-forming mucins in the middle ear (ME). This study compared polymorphisms in MUC2, MUC5AC, and MUC5B genes in otitis media (OM) patients and controls. Study Design. Cross-sectional case-control study. Patients age 6 months to 14 years undergoing routine tympanostomy tube insertion for recurrent otitis media (RecOM) or chronic otitis media with effusion (OME) were compared to control patients with no history of OM undergoing an unrelated procedure. Methods. Genomic DNA extracted from peripheral blood samples was analyzed by Southern blots using gene-specific probes to determine sizes of MUC2 and MUC5AC genes. Polymerase chain reaction was used to determine the size of MUC5B genes. Results. Twenty RecOM patients, 20 OME patients, and 40 control patients were analyzed. There were no statistically significant differences in polymorphism expression identified between groups for MUC2 and MUC5B genes. OME patients were more likely than controls or RecOM patients to carry the longer MUC5AC-b allele. Conclusions. Differences in mucin polymorphisms have been demonstrated in other diseases. In otitis media, OME patients are more likely than controls or RecOM to carry the longer MUC5AC-b allele. MUC5AC is a primary innate defense mechanism for ME epithelium, and alterations in protein structure have the potential to affect that defense and predispose patients to disease. This study demonstrates that the properties of post-transcriptionally modified MUC5AC deserve further study, and specific pathogen-host interactions studies should explore the impact of this polymorphism. Laryngoscope, 2010
The link between dietary sugar intake and cardiovascular disease mortality: an unresolved question.

1.00 (reference), 1.09 (95% CI, 1.05-1.13), 1.23 (1.12-1.34), 1.49 (1.24-1.78), and 2.43 (1.63-3.62; P < .001), respectively. After additional adjustment for sociodemographic, behavioral, and clinical characteristics, HRs were 1.00 (reference), 1.07 (1.02-1.12), 1.18 (1.06-1.31), 1.38 (1.11-1.70), and 2.03 (1.26-3.27; P = .004), respectively. Adjusted HRs were 1.30 (95% CI, 1.09-1.55) and 2.75 (1.40-5.42; P = .004), respectively, comparing participants who consumed 10.0% to 24.9% or 25.0% or more calories from added sugar with those who consumed less than 10.0% of calories from added sugar. These findings were largely consistent across age group, sex, race/ethnicity (except among non-Hispanic blacks), educational attainment, physical activity, health eating index, and body mass index.
The antimicrobial properties of the lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium) fractional components against foodborne pathogens and the conservation of probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus.

The antimicrobial properties of lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium) were studied against Escherichia coli O157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella Typhimurium, and Lactobacillus rhamnosus to determine which fractional components have antimicrobial effects and which microorganisms are most susceptible to these antimicrobial properties. Lowbush blueberry extract (F1) was separated using a C-18 Sep-Pak cartridge into monomeric phenolics (F2) and anthocyanins plus proanthocyanidins (F3). Fraction 3 was further separated into anthocyanins (F4) and proanthocyanidins (F5) using a LH-20 Sephadex column. Each fraction was initially screened for antimicrobial properties using agar diffusion assay. Treatments that demonstrated inhibition were further analyzed for inhibition in liquid culture. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) were determined using a two-fold dilution series and viable cell counts taken at 0 and 24 h to examine growth reduction. Fraction 3 demonstrated the lowest MICs/MBCs followed by F1, F2, F4, and F5. L. monocytogenes was the most susceptible to blueberry fraction treatment, followed by E. coli O157:H7, and S. Typhimurium. L. rhamnosus was the least susceptible to each fraction treatment. The results can be applied to the field of preventive medicine, food safety, and enrich the understanding of the health benefits of lowbush blueberries.
THE ANISEIKONIC MATRIX

The matrix optics formalism for astigmatic systems is applied to aniseikonia, and an aniseikonic matrix is defined. The aniseikonic matrix is particularly easy to compute even in the case of obliquely-crossed magnificant meridians between the right and left eyes. The straightforwardness of the matrix formalism as applied to aniseikonia provides a conceptually clearer means of understanding aniseikonic optics.
Mechanisms associated with diazinon resistance in western flower thrips

Abstract Mechanisms of resistance were examined using UMC and KCM western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande), that differed in their susceptibility to diazinon by 14.2 times, with the latter strain being more tolerant. Diazinon penetration, metabolism, and excretion were faster in KCM than in UMC thrips. Metabolism of diazinon in both strains was mainly oxidative, and major metabolites cochromatographed with diazoxon, 2-isopropyl-4-methyl-6-hydroxypyrimidine, and 2-(2′-hydroxy-2′-propyl)-4-methyl-6-hydroxypyrimidine. Carboxylesterase activity in KCM thrips was significantly lower than that in UMC thrips and was 9.6 and 20.4 times less sensitive to diazoxon and eserine, respectively. Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity in KCM and UMC thrips was similar, but that in KCM thrips was 9.6 times less sensitive to diazoxon. Butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) activity in the two strains was similar and was appreciably higher than AChE activity. BuChE activity in KCM thrips was 170 times less sensitive to diazoxon than that in UMC thrips. No interstrain difference in glutathione S-transferase activity was observed with 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene as substrate. Diazinon resistance in western flower thrips was due chiefly to rapid metabolism and insensitive AChE. The role of BuChE, if any, in diazinon resistance is not currently known; however, by serving as an alternate phosphorylation site, it could reduce the level of organophosphate at the AChE target in both strains.
Sudden infant death syndrome in South Australia 1968-97. Part 3: is bed sharing safe for infants?

Objective: To examine the risk of death for bed-sharing infants. Methodology: All unexpected infant deaths occurring in South Australia between 1970 and 1997, occurring after the infant was put to rest and diagnosed by after death scene investigation and autopsy as sudden death infant syndrome, accidental death, or ‘undetermined’ were studied. Results: Accidents were the most likely cause of death for 5% of infants who died in designated infant containers (cots, cradles, etc), 24% of those who were sharing a bed or couch, and 72% of those who were placed alone on a bed or couch. Conclusions: While bed sharing showed an increased risk of dying accidentally, when compared with infants sleeping in designated infant containers, the risk of accidental death in this study was even greater for infants left alone on adult beds or couches.
Do we teach the right algorithm design techniques

Algorithms have come to be recognized as the cornerstone of computing. Surprisingly, there has been little research or discussion of general techniques for designing algorithms. Though several such techniques have been identified, there are serious shortcomings in the existing taxonomy. The paper points out these shortcomings, reevaluates some of the techniques, and proposes a new, hierarchical classification scheme by grouping techniques according to their level of generality. A variety of examples from different areas of computing are used to demonstrate the power and flexibility of the taxonomy being proposed.
Children and the Internet: Developmental Implications of Web Site Preferences Among 8- to 12-Year-Old Children

The Internet is quickly becoming a favored medium for children, but few studies have investigated the content and types of activities children engage with online. The current study uses data collected from a national sample of 442 8- to 12-year-old children to investigate children's Internet content preferences during middle childhood. Results indicate that YouTube and Facebook were the two most favored Web sites. Additionally, there were significant differences by age and gender. Overall, results suggest children's Web site preferences are consistent with emotional, social, and cognitive development encountered in middle childhood.
Effects of atorvastatin versus other statins on fasting and postprandial C-reactive protein and lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 in patients with coronary heart disease versus control subjects.

The effects of atorvastatin (40 mg/day) versus placebo on fasting and postprandial plasma levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A 2 (Lp-PLA2) were examined over 36 weeks in 84 patients who had coronary heart disease and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels >130 mg/dl and compared directly with the effects of fluvastatin, lovastatin, pravastatin, and simvastatin. Results were also compared with those obtained in age- and gender-matched control subjects (n = 84). Feeding increased median hs-CRP levels by 2% in patients (p = NS) and 22% in controls (p
Re-test of Rhinocyllus conicus host specificity, and the prediction of ecological risk in biological control.

Abstract Biological control is proposed as an ecological strategy to manage the threat of invasive plants, especially in natural areas. To pursue this strategy, we need to know that the host specificity criteria used to evaluate ecological risk with deliberate introduction of an exotic insect for biocontrol are sufficient to predict potential impact on native species. Host specificity is defined by adult feeding and oviposition preferences and larval development. One way to evaluate the criteria is to re-examine case histories where ecological effects are recorded, such as that of Rhinocyllus conicus Frolich. This flower head weevil, released in North America in 1968 to control exotic thistles like Musk thistle (Carduus nutans L), is now reducing seed production by multiple native North American thistle species (Cirsium spp.), and local population density of Platte thistle (Cirsium canescens Nutt.). We hypothesized that host specificity of R. conicus has changed since pre-release testing, providing an explanation for the unexpected magnitude of the documented ecological effects. Instead, when we re-tested host specificity of weevils naturalized over 28 generations, we found that host specificity has not changed. Naturalized adults of R. conicus showed strong feeding and oviposition preference for Musk thistle over Platte thistle. In addition, larval development by these weevils was faster and more successful (to larger size) on Musk thistle than on Platte thistle. Thus, our results indicate that a change in host specificity cannot explain the unexpectedly large build-up of R. conicus and significant ecological effect on Platte thistle. We conclude that accurate prediction of the potential level of impact on native host plants in the field requires further ecological information in addition to host specificity.
microRNAs: A Safeguard against Turmoil?

Emerging data suggest that microRNAs (miRNAs) are instrumental in a variety of stress responses in addition to their more recognized role in development. Surprisingly, miRNAs, which normally suppress expression of target transcripts, may become activators of expression during stress. This might be partially explained by new interactions of miRNA/Argonaute complexes with RNA-binding proteins that relocate from different subcellular compartments during stress.
Effects of fluoride on Xenopus embryo development

Fluoride was first associated with fetal malformation shortly after water fluoridation was initiated in the 1940s. Since many chemicals can interact directly with the embryo to cause malformation, the effects of fluoride on embryonic and fetal development were investigated. The effects of sodium fluoride on the development of frog embryos were studied under conditions described by the Frog Embryo Teratogenesis Assay-Xenopus (FETAX), a screening assay for teratogens. The most prominent malformations caused by sodium fluoride are reduction in the head-tail lengths and dysfunction of the neuromuscular system of the tadpoles. The values for LC50, EC50, and minimal concentration to inhibit growth (MCIG) of sodium fluoride met the limits established for a teratogen in frog embryos, showing that sodium fluoride is a direct acting teratogen on developing embryos. Since FETAX has a high degree of success in identifying mammalian teratogens, the observed teratogenic action of sodium fluoride on frog embryos would indicate a strong possibility that sodium fluoride may also act directly on developing mammalian fetuses to cause malformation.
Naturally occurring anti-idiotypic antibodies in myasthenia gravis patients

Aberrant regulation of the immune system can lead to the development of autoimmune diseases such as myasthenia gravis. Autoantibodies against the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (AChR) are found in the serum of myasthenia gravis patients and trigger a reduction of AChR at the muscle endplate resulting in increased muscle fatiguability1. It is possible that the autoimmune response results from altered idiotype anti-idiotype network interactions2,3. Here we have used a monoclonal and-AChR antibody (ACR-24, γ1, κ) in an enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay (ELISA) to measure anti-AChR immunoglobulin in human sera. In this assay, ACR-24 is attached to microtitre plates followed by the addition of solubilized human AChR which is bound by the immobilized ACR-24. However, during the development of this assay, it was observed that certain myasthenic patients appeared to have antibodies which bound to ACR–24 alone. This unexpected finding suggested that we had discovered naturally occurring anti-idiotype antibodies in myasthenie sera.
Antagonism of a zinc metalloprotease using a unique metal-chelating scaffold: tropolones as inhibitors of P. aeruginosa elastase

Tropolone emerged from the screening of a chelator fragment library (CFL) as an inhibitor of the Zn2+-dependent virulence factor, Pseudomonas aeruginosa elastase (LasB). Based on this initial hit, a series of substituted tropolone-based LasB inhibitors was prepared, and a compound displaying potent activity in vitro and in a bacterial swarming assay was identified. Importantly, this inhibitor was found to be specific for LasB over other metalloenzymes, validating the usage of tropolone as a viable scaffold for identifying first-in-class LasB inhibitors.
Vulnerable Plaque Imaging—Current Techniques

Tremendous progress has been made over the past 30 years in the management of plaque rupture and acute coronary thrombosis. With the advent of new interventional cardiac techniques and concomitant advances in medical therapy, there has been a steady decline in cardiovascular mortality. Acute coronary syndromes, especially ST elevation myocardial infarction, still occur frequently and are associated with significant morbidity and mortality. As these events typically occur in lesions without severe pre-existing stenosis, interest has increased in identifying these “vulnerable plaques” and ultimately preventing myocardial infarction. Recently, several new invasive and non-invasive modalities have been developed to identify and better characterize vulnerable plaque. This review will cover the pathobiology of vulnerable plaque, current invasive and non-invasive imaging techniques, tissue characterization, and future applications of this exciting technology.
Thermal-hydraulic analysis techniques for axisymmetric pebble bed reactor cores

Abstract A mathematical model for the analysis of coupled thermal-hydraulic problemsin steady-state pebble bed nuclear reactor cores is presented. The bed has been treated macroscopically as a generating, conducting porous medium. The model uses a nonlinear Forchheimer-type relation between the coolant pressure gradient and mass flux, and new coefficients of the viscous and inertial loss terms are presented. The remaining equations in the model make use of continuity and thermal energy balances on the solid and fluid phases. None of the usual simplifying assumptions such as constant properties, constant velocity flow or negligible conduction and/or radiation are used. A computer program based on this model has been constructed; it has been validated by comparing predictions with measured values of previous experiments. Validation of the nonlinear fluid flow model is reported in a companion paper.
Details of the Non-Unitarity Proof for Highest Weight Representations of the Virasoro Algebra

We give an exposition of the details of the proof that all highest weight representations of the Virasoro algebra forc<1 which are not in the discrete series are non-unitary.
Effects of Fluid Flow on Living Vascular Cells

Shear stress produced by a flowing fluid has been found to cause changes in the structure and function of vascular endothelial cells. They tend to become elongated and aligned with the direction of flow. They respond to changes in fluid shear stress (either from low shear to high shear or vice versa) by transiently increasing fluid-phase endocytosis. And they are capable of producing intracellular actin and myosin filaments that are oriented in the flow direction.
TCF7L2 variants are associated with increased proinsulin/insulin ratios but not obesity traits in the Framingham Heart Study

Aims/hypothesis Common variants in the TCF7L2 gene are associated with type 2 diabetes via impaired insulin secretion. One hypothesis is that variation in TCF7L2 impairs insulin processing in the beta cell. In contrast, the association of related TCF7L2 polymorphisms with obesity is controversial in that it has only been shown in cohorts susceptible to ascertainment bias. We reproduced the association of diabetes-associated variants with proinsulin/insulin ratios, and also examined the association of a TCF7L2 haplotype with obesity in the Framingham Heart Study (FHS).
On Gordon's method of solving dual integral equations

1. Dual integral equations of the form where f ( x ) and g ( x ) are given and Ψ( x ) is the unknown, have been increasingly studied in recent years; the first solutions were given for the case g ( x ) ≡ 0 by Titchmarsh [1] (for 0 g ≡ 0, was given by Gordon [3]. He also showed that the problem of solving the general equations (1) and (2) can be reduced to a problem in which g ≡ 0. He did not pursue this idea as far as finding and simplifying the solution of (1) and (2) but this has been done recently (see [4]) and Noble [5] used a similar idea in treating the case f ≡ 0.
Pyelonephritis during pregnancy as a marker for quality of prenatal care.

Providing high quality prenatal care is an important goal, and measuring care quality is one of the first steps in fostering quality improvement. According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and...
An Efficient Probabilistic Packet Marking Scheme for IP Traceback

Denial of Service (DoS) attacks represent a major threat to the availability of Internet services. Identifying the sources of these attacks is considered an important step toward a DoS-free Internet. In this paper, we propose a new scheme, called Distributed Link-List Traceback, which combines the good features of probabilistic packet marking [6] and Hash-based traceback [9]. The main idea used in the scheme is to preserve the marking information at intermediate routers in such a way that it can be collected in an efficient manner. We evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed scheme for various performance metrics through combination of analytical and simulation studies. Our studies show that the proposed scheme requires small number of packets, adjustable amount of memory. At the same time, offers high attack source detection percentage.
Structural Evolution of Highly Crosslinked Polymer Networks

Homopolymerizations of multifunctional monomers produce densely crosslinked polymer networks with structures that are often complex and difficult to characterize. The complexity in the structure arises primarily from the heterogeneous nature of the polymerization such as the formation of microgels. This work presents progress towards developing a better understanding of the highly crosslinked polymer structure through combined experimental and modeling techniques. Electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy was used to examine the concentration and local environment of the radicals, i.e., the fraction of radicals that were trapped and terminate on a long time scale as compared to those which are more mobile and terminate on a shorter time scale. A kinetic gelation simulation was developed to verify the ESR results and provide further information regarding the structural evolution of the network and its heterogeneities.
Toward the 60 gm wireless phone

This paper discusses the complementary relationships among component technology, physical design, energy consumption and battery design in reducing the size of wireless terminals.
ETS-A: a new electrothermal simulator for CMOS VLSI circuits

In this paper, we present a method for finding the CMOS VLSI chip temperature profile and the corresponding circuit performance by using a new electrothermal simulator, ETS-A. We use a sequence of procedures: layout extraction with x-y coordinates for individual transistors, fast timing-based power calculation, analytical thermal simulation using integral transform, followed by the electrothermal iterations until convergence. ETS-A takes advantage of the fast timing simulator while preserving the accuracy with use of temperature-dependent region-wise quadratic (RWQ) MOS transistor modeling techniques. The novel mixed 3-D & 1-D thermal simulator implemented in ETS-A efficiently takes into account the chip packaging and the thermal boundary conditions (BCs), which were often ignored in typical thermal simulations. With ETS-A, on-chip temperature profile can be calculated and further applied to guide the temperature-driven module placement as well as chip packaging designs.
Enhanced gradient calculation method for MADCADS

MADCADS (Model and Data-Oriented Computer Aided Design System) is a software package that employs numerical search-based algorithms in order to improve the characteristics of a given controller. The search-based nature of the code requires the calculation of many various gradients with respect to the controller parameters. New mathematical constructs are developed here which lead to more reliable and maintainable code. Specifically, a special representation for the derivative of a certain class of matrix-valued functions with respect to another matrix is presented. Algebraic and operator theoretic concepts are developed including a chain rule operation which is analogous to that used in standard calculus. >
The frequency of missed delirium in patients referred to palliative care in a comprehensive cancer center

Delirium is one of the most common neuropsychiatric complications in advanced cancer patients with a frequency of up to 85 % before death. It is associated with adverse clinical outcomes such as increased morbidity and mortality as well as significant family and patient distress. The aim of our study is to determine at the frequency of missed delirium (MD) and identify factors associated with MD. Seven hundred seventy-one consecutive palliative care inpatient consults from August 1, 2009 to January 31, 2010 were reviewed. Demographics, Memorial Delirium Assessment Scale (MDAS), Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS), primary referral symptom, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG), and physician diagnosis of delirium were collected along with delirium etiology, subtype, and reversibility. Delirium was diagnosed with a MDAS score of ≥7 or by a palliative medicine specialist using Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition Text Revision (DSM-IV TR) Criteria. MD was reported in those patients found to have delirium by the palliative medicine specialists but were referred by the primary team for other reasons besides delirium. Chi-squared test and Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney test were used to examine the difference on measurements among or between different groups. Univariate logistic regression model was applied to assess for associations for MD. Two hundred fifty-two (33 %) had a diagnosis of delirium by the palliative medicine specialist. One hundred fifty-three (61 %) were missed by the primary referring team. Females comprised 53 % (n = 81), white 62 % (n = 95), and pain was the most common referral symptom (n = 77, 50 %). Hypoactive delirium was the most common subtype of delirium in MD (n = 47, 63 %). Opioid-related delirium was the most common etiology of MD (n = 47, 31 %). Patients referred for pain were more likely to have MD (odds ratio (OR) = 2.57, p = 0.0109). Of the 82 patients with delirium that was reversed, 67 % (n = 55) had a diagnosis of MD. Sixty-one percent of patients with a diagnosis of delirium by a palliative care specialist were missed by the primary referring team. Patients with MD were frequently referred for pain. Universal screening of cancer patients for delirium is recommended.
Paper 5: The Development of Centrifugal Gas Compressors for Process Plant Duty

This paper describes the various types of centrifugal compressor used in process plants, and continues to discuss the more important components of these compressors and particular design features which are required to overcome some difficult operational problems. Items of particular interest include a discussion on the latest form of compressor rotor construction, the techniques required for balancing a rotor at full speed, and a detailed analysis of shaft gas seals and problems that can arise with gas seals under certain operating conditions.The paper also describes such special subjects related to process plant compressors as compressor selection and design by utilization of computers, methods of reducing time to produce compressor orders by discrete stockholdings; types of driver and shaft couplings used for these machines, and test facilities employed for centrifugal compressors which can be utilized to reduce commissioning periods at site.
Simulation of Binary Methods for the Microdosimetric Analysis of Cell Survival after Alpha-Particle Irradiation: Ability to Distinguish between Different Models

Abstract Stinchcomb, T. G., Wang, S. J. and Roeske, J. C. Simulation of Binary Methods for the Microdosimetric Analysis of Cell Survival after Alpha-Particle Irradiation: Ability to Distinguish between Different Models. Radiat. Res. 162, 585–591 (2004). Analysis of cell survival after α-particle irradiation must account for the distribution in the amounts of energy deposited in each cell nucleus. Microdosimetric computations are usually used to determine these distributions. Irradiation with microbeams and other modern techniques has made these computations unnecessary for certain cell geometries. These techniques allow the survival of individual cells to be correlated with the amount of radiation delivered to individual cell nuclei. However, to maintain the individuality of data generated for each cell, new methods of analysis are required. In this study, we propose the use of binary methods. Each cell is regarded as a Bernoulli trial with a different probability for success (colony formation). Parameter...