cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fourth sound shock waves in 3HeB

Abstract The relative density of the superfluid component of 3He is expected to be significantly depressed by flow. For this reason the distortion of a finite amplitude fourth sound wave exhibits an unusual amplitude dependence. For waves of sufficiently large initial amplitude, a fully developed shock wave will contain two discontinuities per wavelength. Waves of amplitude twenty times greater than the threshold for this unusual behavior have been reported in the literature.
Sustained efficacy of percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty

To determine whether the immediate efficacy of percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) is sustained, follow-up data were obtained in 183 patients who had undergone PTCA at least 1 year earlier. The duration of follow-up ranged from 1 to 5 years. Subjective clinical information was obtained in each patient and objective functional information, determined by exercise stress testing, was obtained in 91. PTCA was initially successful in 141 patients (79%). Of the 42 patients in whom PTCA was unsuccessful, 26 underwent coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG), while 16 were maintained on medical therapy (MED). When compared to the MED patients at time of follow-up, successful PTCA patients experienced less angina (13% vs 47%; p = 0.003), used less nitroglycerin (25% vs 73%, p = 0.003), were hospitalized less often for chest pain (8% vs 31%; p = 0.02), and subjectively felt their condition had improved (96% vs 20%; p less than 0.001). Furthermore, during exercise testing, the prevalence of angina was reduced (9% vs 43%; p = 0.05), and exercise duration was greater (8.2 minutes vs 5.8 minutes, p = 0.05) among PTCA patients. There were no significant differences in the incidence of subsequent myocardial infarction, mortality, or need for coronary artery bypass surgery. For these variables, no differences were seen between the CABG and PTCA groups. Thus, successful PTCA results in long-term relief of subjective and objective manifestations of myocardial ischemia, superior to that of medical therapy and comparable to CABG.
Previous tonsillectomy as prognostic indicator for success of uvulopalatopharyngoplasty

Factors that determine a successful outcome following uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) are not well defined. This study was undertaken to determine if prior tonsillectomy is predictive of a lower response rate to UPPP. A retrospective review of a cohort undergoing UPPP alone or in combination with nasal septoplasty for OSA was undertaken. Preoperative and postoperative polysomnograms were obtained to evaluate the severity of the OSA. The sample was a consecutive series of 79 patients with OSA. Clinical evaluation was performed by both an otolaryngologist and a pulmo-nologist. Surgical treatment in this group of 79 patients included 52 UPPP and 27 UPPP in patients with prior tonsillectomy. Concurrent septoplasty was undertaken in 17 patients. Criteria for outcome were based on comparison of preoperative and postoperative polysomnograms (i.e., apnea index, respiratory disturbance index change, and lowest saturation). A response to therapy was defined as a reduction in apnea index greater than 50%. A success was defined as apnea index less than 5, reduction of respiratory disturbance index greater than 50%, and nadir saturation greater than 82%. In 79 patients with OSA, 78% responded and 37% reflected therapeutic successes. Patients with history of prior tonsillectomy were less likely to have therapeutic improvement following UPPP. In 52 patients without previous tonsillectomy, 88% responded and 52% had a successful outcome. of those with previous tonsillectomy, 59% responded and 7% had a successful outcome. The status of previous tonsillectomy is an important prognostic indicator in the success of UPPP for the treatment of OSA. We speculate that the presence of palatine tonsils allows the removal of an extra measure of oropharyngeal tissue, thereby improving the likelihood of success for UPPP.
Short-term weight loss in overweight/obese low-income women improves plasma zinc and metabolic syndrome risk factors.

Abstract Metabolic syndrome is a group of disorders involving obesity, insulin resistance, dyslipidemia and hypertension. Obesity is the most crucial risk factor of metabolic syndrome, because it is known to precede other risk factors. Obesity is also associated with disturbances in the metabolism of the trace mineral, zinc. The overall purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of short-term weight loss on plasma zinc and metabolic syndrome risk factors. An 8-week weight loss intervention study was conducted with 90 low-income overweight/obese mothers, whose youngest child was 1–3 years old. Plasma levels of zinc, glucose, insulin, leptin, triglycerides, total, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol were measured and compared at weeks 0 and 8 of the weight loss program. At pre-study, plasma zinc was low in 39% and, within normal values in 46%, of obese/overweight mothers. By the end of intervention, plasma zinc rose by 22% and only 5% of the mothers continued to exhibit low plasma zinc. At post-study, the metabolic syndrome risk factors of waist circumference, HDL cholesterol, and diastolic blood pressure (p
Dependence of the region II field-aligned currents on ionospheric conductivity gradients

Abstract The effect of the ionospheric conductivity distribution on the field-aligned currents in the polar ionosphere is systematically studied. It is shown that the intensity and the location of the Region II field-aligned current in the magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling are critically dependent on the latitudinal gradient of the Pedersen conductivity in the morning and afternoon sectors around the auroral oval. Moreover, the Region II current density is also found to increase as the conductance ratio ΣH/ΣP is reduced by increasing ΣP.
Left Ventricular Dyssynchrony by Three‐Dimensional Echocardiography: Current Understanding and Potential Future Clinical Applications

Left ventricular mechanical dyssynchrony is an important prognostic factor for patients with symptomatic systolic heart failure and has emerged as a therapeutic target for cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). However, approximately one-third of patients fail to improve after CRT based on current guideline recommendations and electrocardiographic criteria. Two-dimensional echocardiography and tissue Doppler-based techniques have shown variable results in assessment of left ventricular (LV) dyssynchrony and have limited value in clinical practice. Three-dimensional echocardiography (3DE) is an appealing novel imaging modality that has been recently used in quantitative evaluation of global and regional LV function. There is accumulating evidence that 3DE measurement of LV systolic dyssynchrony index may potentially play a role in predicting the short- and long-term response to CRT and further improve patient selection for CRT. New developments in 3DE speckle tracking technique and strain analysis may further improve the accuracy of LV mechanical dyssynchrony assessment in this population. In addition, recent studies suggest that mechanical dyssynchrony is present in patients with LV hypertrophy and diastolic heart failure. Three-dimensional echocardiographic assessment of dyssynchrony may aid in diagnosis and in predicting long-term outcome in these patients. We will summarize current understanding of 3DE techniques and parameters in assessment of LV mechanical dyssynchrony in the population of patients with systolic heart failure, LV hypertrophy, and diastolic heart failure. A number of the novel 3DE techniques described in this review are early in their stage of development, and they will continue to evolve and need further testing in large multicenter studies.
A comparison of energy-yielding reactions in the flight muscle of young adult and senescent blowflies.

Abstract 1. 1. Steady-state concentrations of key glycolytic intermediates and other metabolites were measured at rest and in flight muscle of young adult blowflies ( Phormia regina ) and senescent blowflies fed either sugar and water (SW) or sugar, water and milk (SMW). 2. 2. This allowed the identification of rate-limiting steps in, these metabolic pathways and suggested changes at the level of trehalase, triosephosphate dehydrogenase and pyruvate kinase in the senescent SW fly and no change in the senescent SMW fly, compared to the young adult. 3. 3. Small decreases in triosephosphate dehydrogenase and pyruvate kinase activities could be directly demonstrated in enzyme assays of muscle extracts. 4. 4. No age-related changes in mitochondrial function could be demonstrated.
Sensory Innervation of the Gills: O2-Sensitive Chemoreceptors and Mechanoreceptors

Physical characteristics of water (O(2) solubility and capacitance) dictate that cardiovascular and ventilatory performance be controlled primarily by the need for oxygen uptake rather than carbon dioxide excretion, making O(2) receptors more important in fish than in terrestrial vertebrates. An understanding of the anatomy and physiology of mechanoreception and O(2) chemoreception in fishes is important, because water breathing is the primitive template upon which the forces of evolution have modified into the various cardioventilatory modalities we see in extant terrestrial species. Key to these changes are the O(2)-sensitive chemoreceptors and mechanoreceptors, their mechanisms and central pathways.
G Protein-coupled Receptor-mediated Phosphorylation of the Activation Loop of Protein Kinase D DEPENDENCE ON PLASMA MEMBRANE TRANSLOCATION AND PROTEIN KINASE Cϵ

Protein kinase D (PKD) is a serine/threonine protein kinase activated by G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) agonists through an incompletely characterized mechanism that includes its reversible plasma membrane translocation and activation loop phosphorylation via a protein kinase C (PKC)-dependent pathway. To gain a better understanding of the mechanism regulating the activation of PKD in response to GPCR stimulation, we investigated the role of its rapid plasma membrane translocation on its activation loop phosphorylation and identified the endogenous PKC isozyme that mediates that event in vivo. We had found that the activation loop of a PKD mutant, with reduced affinity for diacylglycerol and phorbol esters, was only phosphorylated upon its plasma membrane association. We also found that the activation loop phosphorylation and rapid plasma membrane dissociation of PKD were inhibited either by preventing the plasma membrane translocation of PKCϵ, through abolition of its interaction with receptor for activated C kinase, or by suppressing the expression of PKCϵ via specific small interfering RNAs. Thus, this study demonstrates that the plasma membrane translocation of PKD, in response to GPCR stimulation, is necessary for the PKCϵ-mediated phosphorylation of the activation loop of PKD and that this event requires the translocation of both kinases to the plasma membrane. Based on these and previous results, we propose a model of GPCR-mediated PKD regulation that integrates its changes in distribution, catalytic activity, and multisite phosphorylation.
A boundary element model for near surface contact stresses of rough surfaces

This study proposes a boundary element based near surface elastic stress prediction model for rough surface point contacts. The contact body is considered as a half space, whose boundary is divided into the rough finite field and the smooth infinite field. The integral kernel singularities in the displacement boundary integral equation are eliminated through coordinate transformation and the approach of rigid body motion. For the integral of the nearly singular stress kernels, a numerical scheme that combines the distance transformation and a subdivision technique is devised to improve the numerical accuracy and efficiency. The computational results are compared to closed-form solutions to assess the model accuracy. Using a three-dimensional sinusoidal roughness profile, the near surface stress concentrations induced by surface asperities are demonstrated. It is shown the exclusion of roughness profile in stress computation leads to significant errors in both the locations and the magnitudes of near surface stress concentrations.
From the Editor: Becoming a Prophet in Our Own Land

The article discusses various reports published within the issue, including book and resource reviews on project management, an article about the teaching and learning process, another about teachi...
Importance sampling for loop-free decoding trees with application to low-density parity-check codes

An importance sampling scheme for the decoding of loop-free decoding trees is proposed. It is shown that this scheme is asymptotically efficient and that, for an arbitrary tree and a given estimation precision, the number of simulation runs needed is inversely proportional to the standard deviation of the channel noise. This work has its application to the decoding of low-density parity-check codes.
Interactive effects of trait and state affect on top-down control of attention

Few studies have investigated how attentional control is affected by transient affective states while taking individual differences in affective traits into consideration. In this study, participants completed a color-word Stroop task immediately after undergoing a positive, neutral or negative affective context manipulation (ACM). Behavioral performance was unaffected by any ACM considered in isolation. For individuals high in trait negative affect (NA), performance was impaired by the negative but not the positive or neutral ACM. Neuroimaging results indicate that activity in primarily top-down control regions of the brain (inferior frontal gyrus and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex) was suppressed in the presence of emotional arousal (both negative and positive ACMs). This effect appears to have been exacerbated or offset by co-occurring activity in other top-down control regions (parietal) and emotion processing regions (orbitofrontal cortex, amygdala and nucleus accumbens) as a function of the valence of state affect (positive or negative) and trait affect (trait NA or trait PA). Neuroimaging results are consistent with behavioral findings. In combination, they indicate both additive and interactive influences of trait and state affect on top-down control of attention.
Global state graph reduction techniques for protocol validation in the EFSM model

In the EFSM (extended finite state machine) model, the behavior of each protocol entity is described as a finite state machine (FSM), and a set of context variables declared for the entity can be accessed during state transitions. One of the most severe difficulties in using reachability analysis for protocol validation in the EFSM model is the global state explosion problem. The problem is caused in part by a wide range of possible values that could be taken on by a context variable. To alleviate the effect of context variables on the global state explosion problem, two global state graph reduction techniques are proposed. In the first reduction technique, the authors define a global state equivalence based on dead variable sets. The global state graph is then generated taking the global state equivalence into consideration. An upper bound for the effect of the first reduction technique on the reduction of the global state graph is shown. A second reduction technique based on a similar reasoning is derived to complement the first reduction technique. >
A multistage interference rejection system for GPS

The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a one-way satellite communication system that is widely used for both civilian and military applications. Because of the relatively low power of the received signals, GPS is highly susceptible to a variety of intentional and unintentional interferers. In this paper we examine a multistage space-time adaptive-processor (STAP) that is used to improve the detection capability of a GPS receiver for a wide range of jamming scenarios. Depending on the type of interference, the stages incorporate structures such as a notch filter, a beamformer and a blind linear interference canceler. Computer simulations are provided to illustrate the performance of the multistage receiver for wideband and narrowband interferers.
Disposition of Cocaine in Fatal Poisoning in Man

A fatal case of intravenous (IV) cocaine administration is presented. Cocaine tissue concentrations (mg/kg) in descending order were: kidney, 26; spleen, 22; brain, 14; heart, 6.1; skeletal muscle, 6.1; lung, 3.4; liver, 1.6; and adipose, 1.0. Body fluid cocaine concentrations (mg/L) were: urine, 39; bile, 10; vitreous humor, 2.4; and blood, 1.8. These results are in excellent agreement with cocaine tissue distribution in the dog following IV administration and limited tissue data in previously reported cocaine fatalities in man.
Test-Driven Component Integration with UML 2.0 Testing and Monitoring Profile

Test-driven development (TDD) is a software development methodology for achieving high reliability. However, the practice of TDD at the integration level is rare. In this paper, we propose a test-driven component integration approach with the support of UML 2.0 Testing and Monitoring Profile (U2TMP) that is also proposed in this paper. In our approach, automated integration-level test cases are specified using U2TMP before writing the glue-code that integrates components. U2TMP enhances UML 2.0 diagrams for specifying how test scenarios should be set up and how the integrated components are expected to interact under these scenarios. Test cases written in U2TMP can be automatically transformed into test artifacts that setup the test environment, generate test stimuli, and monitor the component interactions at runtime. These test cases serve as a guideline for writing the glue-code and a regression test- bed. With this approach, the software developers may produce glue-code of high reliability.
Effects of dietary phytol and phytanic acid in animals

Feeding of phytol in large doses (2-5% by weight in the diet) led to accumulation of phytanic acid in the mouse, rat, rabbit, and chinchilla, the degree of accumulation depending upon the level of dietary intake. The relative con- centration of phytanic acid, expressed as a percentage of the total fatty acids, was as high as 2040% in liver and 30-40y0 in serum. Phytenic acid, which may be an intermediate in the conversion of phytol to phytanic acid, also accumulated. When phytol was withdrawn from the diet, tissue and serum concentrations of phytanic acid fell rapidly, which indicates the ability of the normal animal to metabolize phytanic acid readily. At high dosages in the diet, phytol inhibited growth and caused death within 1-4 weeks. In the mouse, dietary phytanic acid and dietary phytol fed in equivalent amounts were of comparable toxicity. Accumulation of tissue phytanic acid oc- curred more rapidly when phytanic acid was fed than when phytol was fed in equal amounts. In none of the animals fed either phytol or phytanic acid were there any signs of neurological defects. Histologic exam- ination of rats fed phytol showed some fat accumulation, gly- cogen depletion, and karyokinesis in the liver. There were no pathologic changes in the retina or in the peripheral and central nervous system such as those described in Refsum's disease.
Intrusive Thoughts as Determinants of Distress in Parents of Children With Cancer1

This study investigated the relationship between frequency of intrusive thoughts and susceptibility to reminiscent stimuli and consequent distress in parents of children with cancer and parents with healthy children. Cancer-related words embedded in the Stroop task (e.g., “chemo” printed in green ink), served as the reminiscent stimuli. Results indicated that frequency of intrusive thoughts reported 2 months before the experimental session was positively correlated with evoked thoughts and associated distress among parents with ill children. Intrusive thoughts predicted 11–17% of the variance in evoked thoughts and in elicited distress, whereas other symptoms of chronic stress did not predict evoked thoughts and elicited distress. Cognitive and affective task reactivity by parents of children with cancer were not accompanied by behavioral or physiological reactivity. Future research should examine the extent to which more acute and naturalistic intrusive thoughts elicit reactivity across cognitive, affective, behavioral, and physiological dimensions, and long-term physical and mental health effects associated with chronic intrusive thoughts.
Response, time to progression, and overall survival of patients with stage III lung cancer in a minority-based cohort

7558 Background: Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death. Response and survival of patients (pts) with stage III lung cancer in minority population is not well studied. Methods: 79 pts tre...
Preoptic recess alpha-adrenoceptors control cardiovascular responses to hyperosmolality

The roles of alpha-adrenoceptors in the anteroventral third ventricle (AV3V) and diagonal band of Broca (DBB) in cardiovascular responses to peripheral hypertonicity were investigated in conscious rats. Normal artificial cerebrospinal fluid (aCSF) or aCSF containing phentolamine (alpha1- and alpha2-antagonist), yohimbine (alpha2-antagonist), or prazosin (alpha1-antagonist) was perfused through microdialysis probes in the DBB, AV3V, or lateral ventricle during a 30-min infusion of isotonic (0.17 M; 0.1 or 1.7 ml x kg(-1) x min(-1) i.v.) or hypertonic (2.5 M; 0.1 ml x kg(-1) x min(-1) i.v.) NaCl. Hypertonic infusion increased blood pressure [mean arterial blood pressure (MAP); 17 +/- 2 mmHg] and decreased heart rate (HR; 36 +/- 6 beats/min). Both responses were abolished by AV3V administration of phentolamine or yohimbine, whereas prazosin selectively prevented the bradycardia. Phentolamine in the DBB or lateral ventricle did not alter either response. Stimulation of AV3V alpha1-adrenoceptors (phenylephrine) decreased HR and MAP, whereas alpha2-adrenoceptor stimulation (clonidine) produced bradycardia but increased MAP. Data suggest that alpha-adrenoceptors in the AV3V, but not the DBB, regulate cardiovascular responses to hyperosmolality.
The m-STAR Model as an Approach to Modeled, Dynamic, Endogenous Interdependence in Comparative & International Political Economy

Even casual observation reveals obvious spatial patterns in labor-market outcomes and policies across the developed democracies, and within the European Union particularly. Labor-market policies entail significant cross-border spillovers, so strategic interdependence among developed democracies might explain this. However, these countries also faced common or very similar exogenous-external conditions and internal trends, which would also tend to generate spatial patterns in the domestic responses thereto, even without any interdependence. Likewise, membership in the EU itself presents both a series of common external stimuli and a set of strategic interdependencies in common and individual-country labor-market-relevant actions. Additionally, however, labor-market policies will themselves shape the patterns of economic interchange by which some of the interdependencies arise, and entry into the European Union typically presupposes a certain baseline set of shared national characteristics and orientations, raising the possibility that labor-market policies and the pattern of interdependence via institutional co-membership have common origin. That is, the policies of interest may also shape the patterns of connectivity affecting those outcomes, a complex sort of endogeneity known as selection in the dynamic networks literature. We have discussed elsewhere the severe empirical-methodological challenges in distinguishing the first two of these possible sources of spatial correlation (Galton's Problem). This paper extends those analyses, applying the multiparametric spatiotemporal autoregressive (m-STAR) model as a simple approach to modeling the patterns of interdependence simultaneously with its effects, while recognizing their possible endogeneity (i.e., selection). We do so in an empirical application attempting to disentangle the roles of economic interdependence, correlated external and internal stimuli, and EU membership in shaping labor-market policies in recent years.
Gender bias triggers diverging science interests between women and men: The role of activity interest appraisals

Women leave science fields at greater rates than men, and loss of interest is a key motivator for leaving. Although research widely demonstrates effects of gender bias on other motivational processes, whether gender bias directly affects feelings of interest toward science activities is unknown. We used a false feedback paradigm to manipulate whether women (Study 1) and men (Study 2) participants perceived the reason for feedback as due to pro-male bias. Because activity interest also depends on how students approach and perform the activity, effects of biased feedback on interest appraisals were isolated by introducing gender bias only after the science activity was completed. When the feedback was perceived as due to pro-male bias, women (Study 1) reported lower interest and men (Study 2) reported greater interest in the science activity, and interest, in turn, positively predicted subsequent requests for career information in both studies. Implications for understanding diverging science interests between women and men are discussed.
Structural Framework for Pyridoxal 5'-Phosphate Binding to the Human Glutamate-Oxaloacetate Transaminase Variants

The active form of Vitamin B6, pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP), plays an essential role in the catalytic mechanism for various proteins, including the human glutamate-oxaloacetate transaminase (GOT1), an enzyme in amino acid metabolism. Recent molecular and cellular data showed that E266K, R267H and P300L substitutions in aspartate aminotransferase, the Arabidopsis analog of GOT1, genetically suppress a developmentally arrested Arabidopsis rus1 mutant. Furthermore, exogenously adding PLP can also suppress rus1 mutant and the mass spectrometry analyses suggest that the variants exist as apoproteins. In this work, we assessed the stability of PLP at the GOT1 PLP-binding pocket for all 3 variants and wild-type (WT) using combined 1.2 μs molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The position of PLP in the WT binding site was stabilized by a unique hydrogen bond network, including the phosphate group binding cup, which positions the coenzyme within 3A from K259. In the catalytic mechanism an internal PLP-K259 aldimine is formed by a covalent Schiff base linkage to the e-amino group of K259. For all 3 variants and the WT in the holo form, the MD simulations reproduced the “close-to-open” transition needed for substrate binding. This conformational transition was associated with the rearrangement of the P15-R32 small domain loop providing a substrate access to the R387/R293 binding motif. Nevertheless, amino acid substitutions at positions 266 and 300 significantly reduced the hydrogen bonds occupancy at the PLP-binding site and displaced the cofactor from the conformation observed in the WT. The R267H variant showed less displacement of the PLP but still a much weaker h-bond network as compared to the WT. The weaker affinity of the PLP in the GOT1 variants observed in our simulations provides structural rational for both the apoprotein and the Vitamin B6 in regulating metabolic pathways.
Conceptual Manipulation and Semantic Distinctions in Mandarin Verb Complements: The Contrast between shàng and dào

This study investigates the lexicalization of spatial and aspectual components incorporated in Mandarin verb complements (VCs hereafter) shang ‘up’ and dao ‘arrive’. The verb complement in Mandarin is well-known as the second verbal element in VV construction. Traditionally, V-shang and V-dao are categorized as ‘directional complements’ and ‘phase complements’ respectively (Chao 1968; Li and Thompson 1981). Both VCs shang and dao, originally functioning as a main verb (Gao 1995), are similar to the counterpart ‘up/on/above/over’ and ‘arrive/ reach’ in English; they have various usages, such as in verb phrases, and prepositional phrases, for example. Although there is no doubt that shang and dao are poly-functional, it seems that there is no agreement on to what extent particular uses are related to one another. Most of the previous studies focus on the spatial meanings lexicalized in noun phrases and postpositions; they provide explanations based on a metaphorical approach or cultural values. However, such accounts cannot entirely explain the main function of the post-verbal comple- ments shang and dao in VV construction. In this paper, I explore the subtle distinctions between the satellites shang and dao, and provide an explanatory account for their seemingly diverse functions from a cognitive approach. Moreover, this paper aims to offer another perspective on the conceptual properties of spatial and aspectual notions embodied in these two verb complements, and verify evidence that Mandarin treats five framing events as a single conceptual entity. The organization of this paper is as follows. A brief literature review and the theoretical framework are presented in section 1. In section 2, the data involved the verb complements shang and dao are introduced. In section 3, based on Talmy’s (2000) framework and framing event types, I discuss several examples and account for how aspectual and spatial concepts are explicitly expressed in shang and dao regarding different framing event types. Section 4 shows a summary of findings and conclusion.
Static exercise in anesthetized dogs, a cause of reflex alpha-adrenergic coronary vasoconstriction.

The coronary blood flow and vascular resistance responses to static hindlimb exercise were studied in 11 anesthetized dogs after β- and combined α- and β-adrenergic blockade to determine if this stress causes coronary vasoconstriction. After β-blockade static exercise increased the blood pressure and double product, but decreased the right and left ventricular (LV) coronary blood flow and increased the coronary vascular resistance. These vascular changes primarily occurred in the epicardial and mid-myocardial but not the endocardial layers of the LV. Following combined α- and β-adrenergic blockade, the systemic hemodynamic and coronary flow and resistance changes were abolished. These data suggest that α-adrenergic mediated coronary vasoconstriction occurs during static hindlimb exercise in dogs.
Molecular phenotype of simian virus 40 large T antigen-induced primitive neuroectodermal tumors in four different lines of transgenic mice.

BACKGROUND We compared the molecular phenotypes of central nervous system tumors arising in four different lines of transgenic mice (TGM) carrying the Simian virus 40 large T antigen driven by different promoters or enhancers. Two of the four lines developed primitive neuroectodermal tumors (PNETs) in the brain stem or pineal gland. A third TGM line developed retinoblastomas (a PNET-like tumor of the retina) as well as PNETs in the mesencephalon, while the fourth TGM developed retinoblastomas and adrenal pheochromocytomas. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN The expression of developmentally regulated polypeptides specific for the neuronal or glial lineage was examined in these PNETs using immunohistochemistry and Western blotting. RESULTS Neoplastic cells in all of the PNETs exhibited neuronal, but no glial specific markers as evidenced by the invariable expression of synaptophysin, but no detectable glial fibrillary acidic protein or myelin basic protein. PNETs with a more differentiated neuronal phenotype expressed multiple neuronal polypeptides. The phenotypic properties of these PNETs closely resembled those found in human brain PNET biopsy samples and cell lines derived therefrom. CONCLUSIONS We conclude that Simian virus 40 T antigen-induced PNETs in TGM exhibit the molecular phenotype of developing neurons or neuronal progenitor cells. Although many factors could influence the phenotype of these experimental PNETs (e.g., promoter, site of integration of the transgene) these PNETs appear to be suitable TGM models of human PNETs of the central nervous system.
Gesture and Communication

Gestures convey both propositional and discourse content, and offer a window onto the process of speaking. This article describes the varieties of gestures, how gestures are organized internally, the functions of the different phases of gestures, how gestures exhibit meanings, how gestures incorporate discourse information, and the role of gesture in social resonance. The aim of the article is to balance a description of the basic empirical facts of speech-synchronized gesture performance with a theoretical perspective from which to regard gestures and see what they offer for understanding the nature of language.
Recent Progress in Laser Ion Acceleration

The first laser ion acceleration experiments have begun with a method based on the TNSA (target normal sheath acceleration) that did not have an adiabatic process of the accelerating structure created by laser. A great deal of efforts have been dedicated to ever increase the adiabatic process of the accelerating structure with the ions since then. This acquiring of adiabaticity may be done by reducing the group velocity of the laser significantly to match that of ions, or to increase the ion velocity as fast as possible in order to match the fast accelerating structure created by laser. The methods of RPA (radiation pressure acceleration) and CAIL (coherent acceleration of ions by laser) belong to the latter. Finally, the recent entry of the single-cycle laser pulse acceleration (SCPA) marks another notch in the progress to make ion acceleration condition even more accessible and the acceleration results far more attractive by eradicating the oscillatory interference effects.
Lacosamide use in children with epilepsy: Retention rate and effect of concomitant sodium channel blockers in a large cohort.

SummaryObjectives To evaluate the effectiveness of lacosamide (LCM) in pediatric patients, using time to treatment failure as the outcome measure, and to assess the impact of concomitant sodium channel blocker (SCB) use on LCM retention. Methods This is a retrospective cohort study of patients <21 years old receiving LCM from 2010 to 2015. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were generated for time to LCM failure, defined as discontinuation of LCM or addition of another antiepileptic therapy. The impact of concomitant use of traditional SCB agents (phenytoin, carbamazepine, oxcarbazepine, and/or lamotrigine) and other factors including age, seizure types, fast drug titration, and prior antiepileptic drug history were evaluated using Cox regression. Results The analysis cohort included 223 patients, of whom 116 were taking one or more SCBs, with median follow-up of 7.4 months (1–53 months). For all patients, the probability of remaining on LCM without addition of another therapy was 44.7% at 12 months and 25.6% at 24 months. Concomitant SCB use was an independent predictor of time to LCM failure (hazard ratio [HR] 1.91, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.38–2.65, p < 0.001).Although treatment emergent adverse effects were reported more often in patients taking SCB (65% vs. 39%, p < 0.001), intolerability was rarely the sole reason cited for LCM discontinuation, and SCB use was strongly associated with LCM failure, even when controlling for presence of treatment emergent adverse effects (adjusted HR 1.99, 95% CI 1.36–2.90, p < 0.001). Significance This study provides observational evidence for treatment persistence of LCM in children, in a large cohort with long-term follow-up, using time to treatment failure as the outcome measure. Concomitant SCB use was a key factor increasing risk of LCM failure, but not due to treatment-emergent adverse effects alone.
Potential for Reducing On-Farm Greenhouse Gas and Ammonia Emissions from Dairy Cows with Prolonged Dietary Tannin Additions

Dairy cows are responsible for significant emissions of enteric methane (CH4) and produce nitrous oxide (N2O) and ammonia (NH3) gas from manure. As an abatement strategy, we explored the effects of long-term condensed tannin (Quebracho and chestnut extracts) addition to dairy cow diets. Previous studies have demonstrated that tannins in cow diets reduce methane and ammonia efflux, but none have done so over a >1-month time period. A modified stanchion barn equipped with gas analysis instrumentation measured CH4, N2O, and NH3 fluxes into and from the barn, at the onset of the experiment, and 45 and 90 days after feeding groups of lactating dairy cows a control diet or two levels of tannin extract at 0.45 and 1.8 % of dietary dry matter. Few statistical differences among treatments were observed, likely a consequence of high variability and low sample size necessary for conducting a study of this duration. However, on a per-cow basis, low and high tannin diets lowered CH4 emissions by 56 g cow−1 day−1 and by 48 g cow day−1, respectively. Diet tannin additions lowered CH4 (33 %), NH3 (23 %), and N2O (70 %) per unit milk corrected emissions in the high tannin treatment compared to the control at the end of the experiment, without significant loss in milk production. These results suggest that relatively low concentrations of diet tannin additions can reduce ruminant CH4 and gaseous N emissions from manure. The tannin effect observed after 90 days is a starting point for considering tannin additions as a potential long-term strategy for improving the environmental footprint of milk production.
Tradeoff-optimality of D-BLAST

We present coding schemes that achieve the diversity-multiplexing tradeoff for Rayleigh fading channels with one or two receive antennas and arbitrary number of transmit antennas. Codes designed for a parallel channel are the key constituents along with the D-BLAST architecture. We show that the joint ML receiver for D-BLAST outperforms the traditional MMSE with successive cancellation receiver.
The Effects of a Modern Rapid-Transit System on Nearby Residents

During the last 50 years, the United States has increasingly relied on the automobile for local travel. Public transit has been ignored while enormous resources were poured into highway development. With a steady rise in the standard of living, more and more households have been able to afford automobiles. These events have resulted in sprawling land-use patterns outside of older cities and low-density “suburbanlike” environments in newer cities (see Baldassare, 1981). The automobile-oriented metropolitan form is now a permanent part of the landscape. However, more recent circumstances, including the energy crisis (Foley, 1976), have required urban areas to explore alternative modes of transporting people. In this context, serious questions have been raised about the fiscal and social costs of building and operating mass transit systems within the new urban form. These issues are partially addressed by the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) impact study, which was conducted in the San Francisco metropolitan region.
A Pedagogical Analysis of Online Coding Tutorials

Online coding tutorials are increasingly popular among learners, but we still have little knowledge of their quality. To address this gap, we derived several dimensions of pedagogical effectiveness from the learning sciences and education literature and analyzed a large sample of tutorials against these dimensions. We sampled 30 popular and diverse online coding tutorials, and analyzed what and how they taught learners. We found that tutorials largely taught similar content, organized content bottom-up, and provided goal-directed practices with immediate feedback. However, few were tailored to learners' prior coding knowledge and only a few informed learners how to transfer and apply learned knowledge. Based on these results, we discuss strengths and weaknesses of online coding tutorials, opportunities for improvement, and recommend that educators point their students to educational games and interactive tutorials over other tutorial genres.
A Comparison of Program Comprehension Strategies by Blind and Sighted Programmers

Programmers who are blind use a screen reader to speak source code one word at a time, as though the code were text. This process of reading is in stark contrast to sighted programmers, who skim source code rapidly with their eyes. At present, it is not known whether the difference in these processes has effects on the program comprehension gained from reading code. These effects are important because they could reduce both the usefulness of accessibility tools and the generalizability of software engineering studies to persons with low vision. In this paper, we present an empirical study comparing the program comprehension of blind and sighted programmers. We found that both blind and sighted programmers prioritize reading method signatures over other areas of code. Both groups obtained an equal and high degree of comprehension, despite the different reading processes.
Is BMI a valid measure of obesity in postmenopausal women

AbstractObjective:Body mass index (BMI) is a widely used indicator of obesity status in clinical settings and population health research. However, there are concerns about the validity of BMI as a measure of obesity in postmenopausal women. Unlike BMI, which is an indirect measure of obesity and doe
Culture and Palliative Care: Preferences, Communication, Meaning, and Mutual Decision Making

Palliative care is gaining acceptance across the world. However, even when palliative care resources exist, both the delivery and distribution of services too often are neither equitably nor acceptably provided to diverse population groups. The goal of this study was to illustrate tensions in the delivery of palliative care for diverse patient populations to help clinicians to improve care for all. We begin by defining and differentiating culture, race, and ethnicity, so that these terms-often used interchangeably-are not conflated and are more effectively used in caring for diverse populations. We then present examples from an integrative literature review of recent research on culture and palliative care to illustrate both how and why varied responses to pain and suffering occur in different patterns, focusing on four areas of palliative care: the formation of care preferences, communication patterns, different meanings of suffering, and decision-making processes about care. For each area, we provide international and multiethnic examples of variations that emphasize the need for personalization of care and the avoidance of stereotyping beliefs and practices without considering individual circumstances and life histories. We conclude with recommendations for improving palliative care research and practice with cultural perspectives, emphasizing the need to work in partnerships with patients, their family members, and communities to identify and negotiate culturally meaningful care, promote quality of life, and ensure the highest quality palliative care for all, both domestically and internationally.
Standardized Information Models to Optimize Exchange, Reusability and Comparability of Citizen Science Data. A Specialization Approach

The number of citizen science projects is constantly growing. Local, national, and international platforms feature new projects almost every month, resulting in an endless number of new observations that are constantly gathered and stored in databases. Often, these data sets are only used for the sampling campaign’s objectives, thus leaving a huge potential unused: its reusability in other contexts and its comparability with other data sets. Reusability and comparability require a number of aspects to be fulfilled. This paper describes those aspects and focuses on the citizen science application profile as a standardized information model to ensure syntactic and semantic understanding of citizen science data. Data compliant with this information model can be discovered and accessed through standardized Web interfaces and therefore easily integrated into any data processing environment or compared to any other data set. It is emphasized that the application profile described in this paper is one of two possible solutions that are currently being explored. The second one is briefly addressed and will be documented in detail in future publications.
Elastic, viscoelastic, and strength properties of Marcellus Shale specimens

Abstract Shale gas rocks are characterized as clastic sedimentary rocks, with features such as obvious bedding planes, presence of micro-cracks, and high clay and organic content. These rocks are anisotropic and inhomogeneous, exhibiting a nonlinear response under loading. In order to optimize the required energy for hydraulic fracturing operation and production in shale gas reservoirs, and for constitutive and numerical modeling, it is important to characterize these shale gas rocks. In this study, the hysteresis, elastic-plastic, viscoelastic, and strength properties of Marcellus Shale specimens, retrieved from a deep well located in West Virginia, were evaluated through performing a series of creep, cyclic, and triaxial multi-stage failure tests on these specimens. Both elastic moduli and plastic deformations show significant levels of pressure dependency. Moreover, higher creep compliance and lower Young's modulus values were observed for clay-rich specimens. Both Power-Law and Burgers' models were found to capture the creep response of these specimens reasonably well. The dynamic moduli estimated from the ultrasonic velocity measurements at different stress levels were found to be higher than static moduli estimations. In addition, the changes in the internal micro-structure of the specimens resulted from variations in the stress condition, were found to affect the ultrasonic velocity measurements. The strength properties of the calcite/quartz-rich specimen, using multi-stage triaxial failure test, were estimated through both Mohr-Coulomb and Hoek-Brown failure criteria.
APPLICATION OF US OECD EUTROPHICATION STUDY RESULTS TO DEEP LAKES

ABSTRACT The U.S.A. OECD nutrient load-eutrophication response models have been found to be applicable to Lake Mjosa, a deep Norwegian lake. This lake, as well as other deep lakes, shows the same normalized phosphorus load-planktonic algal chlorophyll relationships as a variety of shallow lakes and impoundments located in the U.S.A. and other parts of the world. The phosphorus load normalizing factor developed by Vollenweider, which includes waterbody mean depth and water residence time, is appropriate for use in relating P load to planktonic algal growth in deep waterbodies. The OECD eutrophication modeling approach can be used to predict the magnitude of eutroohication-related water quality improvement that will result from reducing the phosphorus load to deep, as well as shallower lakes and impoundments.
Bateman's Principles: Original Experiment and Modern Data For and Against

This article presents the history of Angus Bateman’s ideas about sexual selection from 1948 to the present. First, I discuss Bateman’s experiments and explain their significance as a cornerstone for much of the study of behavioral ecology, including sexual selection and the evolution of mating systems. I then present modern evidence, both empirical and theoretical, that supports Bateman’s hypotheses. Likewise, I present modern analyses and critiques, as well as modern data that are inconsistent with Bateman’s ideas. I conclude that some of Bateman’s hypotheses are well supported but that the evidence for others is inconclusive and may apply to some species but not to others.