cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Witness to the Early Reception of Bonaventure’s Collationes in Hexaëmeron: Nicholas of Ockham’s Leccio at Oxford (c. 1286) — Introduction and Text

This essay presents a brief introduction to and an edition of Nicholas of Ockham’s Leccio at Oxford, which begins with the biblical verse, O altitudo diviciarum sapiencie et sciencie Dei (Romans 11. 33). This leccio may have been Nicholas’s inaugural sermon as a Master of Theology at Oxford and therefore dates to 1286. Whatever the precise genre of Nicholas’s leccio, the text is also important because much of it copies entire sections of St Bonaventure’s (d. 1274) Collationes in Hexaemeron. Nicholas’s text is therefore a witness to Oxford University practices of the late thirteenth-century and to the late thirteenth-century reception of Bonaventure.
Combustion of alane and aluminum with water for hydrogen and thermal energy generation

Abstract The combustion of alane and aluminum with water in its frozen state has been studied experimentally and theoretically. Both nano and micron-sized particles are considered over a broad range of pressure. The linear burning rate and chemical efficiency are obtained using a constant-pressure strand burner and constant-volume cell, respectively. The effect of replacing nano-Al particles by micron-sized Al and alane particles are examined systematically with the additive mass fraction up to 25%. The equivalence ratio is fixed at 0.943. The pressure dependence of the burning rate follows the power law, r b = aP n , with n ranging from 0.41 to 0.51 for all the materials considered. The burning rate decreases with increasing alane concentration, whereas it remains approximately constant with cases containing only Al particles. The chemical efficiency ranged from 32% to 83%, depending on the mixture composition and pressure. Thermo-chemical analyses are conducted to provide insight into underlying causes of the decreased burning rate of the alanized compositions. A theoretical model is also developed to explore the detailed flame structure and burning properties. Reasonably good agreement is achieved with experimental observations.
Optical Package Design for Silicon Photonic Chips

We evaluated packaging design options of silicon photonics chips with processors for achieving fan-out of the optical signal lines, maintaining mechanical robustness, and signal connection to the external signal paths like the conventional packaging.
Management of Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis

This article outlines several critical areas in the contemporary evaluation and treatment of the adolescent patient who has idiopathic scoliosis. Highlights of the physical examination combined with key radiographic measurements provide a framework for the algorithm of operative versus nonoperative treatment. The basics of the Lenke classification system are presented in a step-by-step outline, and the surgical treatment options based on this classification are summarized. This article provides a core knowledge base to facilitate a more thorough comprehension of adolescent scoliosis and allow readers to understand emerging publications more readily.
Influence of airfoil camber on convected gust interaction noise

This paper investigates the effect of airfoil steady loading on the sound generated by the interaction of an airfoil with a convected disturbance. A previous theory, which included only the incidence angle contribution to the mean loading, is extended to include camber. The theory is based on a linearization of the Euler equations about a nonuniform, 0(1) Mach number subsonic mean flow. The discussion concentrates on the case of a slightly cambered airfoil at small incidence angle, interacting with a gust whose wavelength is short compared to the airfoil chord. The small parameter representing the amount of camber and incidence, and the large parameter representing the ratio of airfoil chord to disturbance wavelength, are utilized in a singular perturbation solution to the governing equations. Acoustic power calculations reveal that the amount of sound generated increases significantly with increased loading. More importantly, it is shown that the radiated acoustic power correlates very well with the strength of the mean flow around the leading edge.
Pesticide induced DNA damage and its repair in cultured human cells.

Summary The effects of pesticides on the induction of unscheduled DNA synthesis in SV-40 transformed human cells (VA-4) in culture with and without metabolic activation by liver microsomes was studied. Results showed that ten of the thirteen compounds examined either directly or upon metabolic activation induced unscheduled DNA synthesis in the human cell system used. The DNA repair kinetics and size of the repaired regions resulting from treatment with four of the chemicals (Carbaryl, Chlordane, Dieldrin and 2.4—D Fluid) were studied by 313 nm photolysis of repaired regions containing bromodeoxyuridine (BUdR). The size of the repaired regions differed between compounds but could generally be classified as either of the X-ray (short) or UV-type (long).
Effect of neurotoxic divalent cations on the activity of the intrinsic nerve ending membrane-associated sialidase of bovine brain.

Exposure to Hg2+ below 10 μM destroys synaptosomal membrane-associated sialidase of bovine brain in situ. Inhibition by Cu2+ occurs only at relatively higher concentrations, and is demonstrable after the synaptosomal nembrane preparation has been presaturated with Cu2+. Pb2+ does not inhibit enzymatic activity. Hg2+ does not exert a significant effect on the free energy of association of monomeric brain gangliosides into aggregates, or on the stability of the aggregate forms, as estimated by ultracentrifugal analysis of the ion-independent moment of ganglioside micelles as a function of concentration. Hg2+ inhibits synaptic membrane sialidase acting both in situ on the native sialocompounds in the membrane, or on exogenous ganglioside. Kinetic analyses of the exogenous activity in membranes exposed to Hg2+ reveal loweredV max values but no substantial change inK m for synaptosomal membrane gangliosides. These findings suggest that the powerful inhibitory effect exerted by Hg2+ on nerve ending membrane sialidase is enzyme directed, not substrate directed. It may be postulated that part of the neurotoxic effect of low levels of Hg2+ stems from an interference with synaptic metabolism by the destruction of membrane-associated sialidase. This enzyme can serve the purpose of modulation of synaptic negative charge density by releasing bound, strongly anionic, sialic acid from highly concentrated sialocompounds in the membrane.
The Composition of the Diffuse Interstellar Medium

Recent Goddard High Resolution Spectrograph measurements of Si, S, Cr, Mn, Fe, and Zn in interstellar clouds along lines of sight in the Galactic disk and into the lower halo are discussed. The gas-phase abundance of S relative to H in the interstellar clouds appears to be indistinguishable from the solar value. For the other elements, we find well-defined upper limits in the gas-phase abundances at significantly subsolar values. For Fe, Mn, and Cr (and probably Ti), there are no convincing cases in which the relative gas-phase abundances exceed roughly -0.5 dex, i.e., these elements are not seen in interstellar gas with an abundance greater than about one-third solar. For Si, the limit is roughly -0.15 dex, and for Zn a constant abundance of -0.13 dex is found from seven clouds along one halo sight line. These subsolar maximum abundances have two possible interpretations: (1) they indicate the presence of an essentially indestructible component of interstellar dust, which contains about two-thirds of the Ti, Mn, Cr, and Fe and about one-third of the Si (based on solar composition), or (2) they indicate that the true total abundances of these elements are substantially less than in the Sun.
Broadband receiver design on FPGA

In this paper, we present a new receiver architecture, which is motivated by optimum detection of quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) signals in the presence of Tikhonov-distributed residual phase error due to the phase-locked loop (PLL)-aided phase tracking scheme. And a computationally-efficient(C-E) receiver architecture is proposed to reduce the receiver architecture. Performances on AWGN and fading channels are evaluated by bit error rate (BER). The simulations show that BER performances follow those of the optimum receiver over a wide range of signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), while outperforming a standard coherent receiver operating in the presence of residual phase error by more than 2 dB. And by using System Generator, the C-E receiver architecture is implemented on Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) under AWGN channel, which follows the simulation results.
Asymptotic behavior of solutions of Emden-Fowler difference equations with oscillating coefficients

Abstract It is known that if ∑∞j |pj| 0) has a positive solution {yn}, defined for n sufficiently large, such that limn→∞yn = c > 0, while if ∑∞jγ |pj| 0. Here it is shown that these conclusions hold if the series converge (perhaps conditionally) and satisfy secondary conditions which do not imply absolute convergence. Estimates of }yn} and }Δyn} as n → ∞ are also given. Moreover, γ can be any real number other than 0 or 1.
Surface complexation modeling of proton and Cd adsorption onto an algal cell wall.

This study quantifies Cd adsorption onto the cell wall of the algal species Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata by applying a surface complexation approach to model the observed adsorption behavior. We use potentiometric titrations to determine deprotonation constants and site concentrations for the functional groups on the algal cell wall. Adsorption and desorption kinetics experiments illustrate that adsorption of Cd onto the cell wall is rapid and reversible, except under low pH conditions. Adsorption experiments conducted as a function of pH and total Cd concentration yield the stoichiometry and site-specific stability constants for the important Cd−algal surface complexes. We model the acid/base properties of the algal cell wall by invoking four discrete surface functional group types, with pKa values of 3.9 ± 0.3, 5.4 ± 0.1, 7.6 ± 0.3, and 9.6 ± 0.4. The results of the Cd adsorption experiments indicate that the first, third, and fourth sites contribute to Cd adsorption under the experimental conditions...
Drug residues in food animals II. Plasma and tissue kinetics of oxytetracycline in young cross-bred swine

Tissue distribution and elimination kinetics of oxytetracycline in sixteen organs and body fluids were determined in young pigs following intravenous and oral administration. Seventeen non-fasted pigs, 8–10 weeks of age, weight range 16.4–34.5 kg were dosed intravenously at a dose rate of 11 mg/kg bodyweight. An additional seventeen weaning pigs, 12–14 weeks of age, weight range 27.2–36.3 kg were dosed orally at a dose rate of 48–65 mg/kg bodyweight. Oxytetracycline was rapidly distributed (half-life, 6.71 ± 1.13 min) in swine. The mean volume of distribution was 1.26 ± 0.18 l/kg and overall body clearance was 3.82 ± 0.59 ml/kg/min. The elimination half-life of oxytetracycline in pigs was 3.87 ± 0.62 h, which is shorter than has been observed in other domestic animal species. Oxytetracycline became rapidly and efficiently involved in enterohepatic cycling, with as much as 70% of a total intravenous dose being available for reabsorption from the gastrointestinal tract within 1 h after administration. This high degree of enterohepatic recycling prolonged the half-life, and the large amount of drug that entered the enteric tract contributed to the high volumes of distribution and high k12/k21 ratios. The excellent tissue penetration of this drug further contributed to the high volume of distribution and high k12/k21 ratios obtained. Relationships between plasma and tissue depletion for several major edible organs were found to be statistically significant. Blood plasma is proposed as a body fluid for monitoring oxytetracycline tissue residues.
Increasing fish oil levels in commercial diets influences hematological and immunological responses of channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus.

Growth performance, immune responses and disease resistance were studied in juvenile channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, fed a commercial diet (35.3% crude protein and 5.6% lipid) supplemented with menhaden fish oil at levels of 0, 3, 6, and 9% for 15 wk. Dietary fish oil levels did not significantly influence growth performance of catfish. Fatty acid compositions of whole-body and liver reflected dietary fatty acid composition. No differences were found in hematological values, except that fish fed the 9% fish oil diet had significantly lower hematocrit. The resistance of erythrocytes to hemolysis in hypotonic solutions increased with increasing fish oil levels and the highest resistance was seen with the 9% fish oil diet. Fish fed 6 and 9% added fish oil diets had significantly higher serum protein levels than that of control fish. Serum lysozyme activity of fish fed 3 and 6% added fish oil diet was significantly higher than that of the control. Complement activity and chemotaxis ratio significantly decreased in fish fed diets with 6 or 9% added fish oil. The 3% added fish oil diet, however, had significantly highest natural hemolytic complement activity. Mortality from Edwardsiella ictaluri 14 d postchallenge and antibody titers to E. ictaluridid not differ among treatments.
Characterization of methadone receptor subtypes present in human brain and lung tissues.

Abstract In addition to their use in pain control, opioids can function as regulators of tumor cell growth. We have found that the therapeutic opioid, methadone, significantly inhibits the in vitro and in vivo growth of human lung cancer cells, and this effect appears to be mediated by specific, high affinity, non-conventional opioid binding sites. The present study indicates the existence of multiple subtypes of binding sites mediating the peripheral and central nervous system actions of this drug. Pharmacological and biochemical characterizations of the methadone binding sites expressed in human brain and normal lung tissues indicate that these sites are distinct from each other and from other opioid receptor types present on human and rat brain membranes, as well as those expressed in human lung cancer cells. The identification of distinct methadone receptor types in the different tissues could lead to the development of more selective and less toxic drugs targeted toward the tumor Cells.
Interaction between the Cholecystokinin and Endogenous Cannabinoid Systems in Cued Fear Expression and Extinction Retention

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is thought to develop, in part, from improper inhibition of fear. Accordingly, one of the most effective treatment strategies for PTSD is exposure-based psychotherapy. Ideally, neuroscience would inform adjunct therapies that target the neurotransmitter systems involved in extinction processes. Separate studies have implicated the cholecystokinin (CCK) and endocannabinoid systems in fear; however, there is a high degree of anatomical colocalization between the cannabinoid 1 receptor (Cnr1) and CCK in the basolateral amygdala (BLA), a brain region critical for emotion regulation. Although most research has focused on GABA and GABAergic plasticity as the mechanism by which Cnr1 mediates fear inhibition, we hypothesize that a functional interaction between Cnr1 and CCKB receptor (CCKBR) is critical for fear extinction processes. In this study, systemic pharmacological manipulation of the cannabinoid system modulated cued fear expression in C57BL/6J mice after consolidation of auditory fear conditioning. Knockout of the CCKBR, however, had no effect on fear- or anxiety-like behaviors. Nonetheless, administration of a Cnr1 antagonist increased freezing behavior during a cued fear expression test in wild-type subjects, but had no effect on freezing behavior in CCKBR knockout littermates. In addition, we found that Cnr1-positive fibers form perisomatic clusters around CCKBR-positive cell bodies in the BLA. These CCKBR-positive cells comprise a molecularly heterogenous population of excitatory and inhibitory neurons. These findings provide novel evidence that Cnr1 contributes to cued fear expression via an interaction with the CCK system. Dysfunctional Cnr1–CCKBR interactions might contribute to the etiology of, or result from, fear-related psychiatric disease.
The Role of MIP-1α in Experimental Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis

S. rectivirgula (SR) causes Farmer’s Lung Disease, a classic example of hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP). We utilized a model of experimental hypersensitivity pneumonitis (EHP), antibody to MIP-1α and MIP-1α−/− mice, to test the hypothesis that MIP-1α is essential in the development of EHP. Treatment of C57BI/6 mice with anti-MIP-1α antibody did not change the extent of pulmonary histology abnormalities, BALF cell number or characteristics, or BALF concentration of IL12p40, TNF, IL1α and IL6, after an i.t. challenge with SR. MIP-1α−/− animals responded similarly to wild-type (wt) animals in the extent and nature of pulmonary histologic changes and BALF cell number and type after a single i.t. injection of SR There was a dose-response relationship between the amount of SR and BALF IL12p40, MCP-1 and IL6 in both strains, and MIP-1α in wild-type animals. We next transferred SR cultured spleen cells from SR sensitized mice (both wt and MIP-1α−/−) to naive recipients. Lung histology and BALF characteristics after SR i.t. challenge of the recipients were used to determine if adoptive transfer had occurred. Cultured cells from MIP-1α−/− animals were fully capable of transferring EHP to recipients. There was no difference of BALF TNF, IL6 and IL1α between the strains, but there was more MCP-1 and IL12p40 in the MIP-1α−/− mice than in the control mice. MIP-1α is not necessary for the recruitment of cells into the lung and BALF after i.t. administration of SR, or the development of cells able to adoptively transfer EHP.
The role of perceived control over anxiety in prospective symptom reports across the menstrual cycle

The present investigation tested the role of psychological vulnerabilities to anxiety in reported menstrual symptom severity. Specifically, the current study tested the incremental validity of perceived control over anxiety-related events in predicting menstrual symptom severity, controlling for the effect of anxiety sensitivity, a documented contributor to menstrual distress. It was expected that women with lower perceived control over anxiety-related events would report greater menstrual symptom severity, particularly in the premenstrual phase. A sample of 49 normally menstruating women, aged 18–47 years, each prospectively tracked their menstrual symptoms for one cycle and completed the Anxiety Control Questionnaire (Rapee, Craske, Brown, & Barlow Behav Ther 27:279–293. doi: 10.1016/S0005-7894(96)80018-9 , 1996) in their follicular and premenstrual phases. A mixed model analysis revealed perceived control over anxiety-related events was a more prominent predictor of menstrual symptom severity than anxiety sensitivity, regardless of the current cycle phase. This finding provides preliminary evidence that perceived control over anxiety-related events is associated with the perceived intensity of menstrual symptoms. This finding highlights the role of psychological vulnerabilities in menstrual distress. Future research should examine whether psychological interventions that target cognitive vulnerabilities to anxiety may help reduce severe menstrual distress.
Developing social indicators research on the military in American society

This paper suggest an organizing framework for developing social indicator research of the military and its relationship to larger society. Military activities are divided into seven categories which parallel civilian institutional sectors: (1) economy and labor force, (2) education, (3) crime and deviance, (4) science and technology, (5) health and health care, (6) population and family, and (7) politics and government. In each activity area each of the following three topics is discussed: (1) impacts of civilian social changes on the military, (2) patterns of internal military change, (3) impacts of changes in the military on civilian society. For each topic in each category we briefly review some relevant issues, classifying references by the topics and categories to which they relate.
A performance study of sequential I/O on windows NT TM 4

Large-scale database, data mining, and multimedia applications require large, sequential transfers and have bandwidth as a key requirement. This paper investigates the performance of reading and writing large sequential files using the Windows NTtm 4.0 File System. The study explores the performance of Intel Pentium ProTM based memory and IO subsystems, including the processor bus, the PCI bus, the SCSI bus, the disk controllers, and the disk media in a typical server or high-end desktop system. We provide details of the overhead costs at each level of the system and examine a variety of the available tuning knobs. We show that NTFS out-of-the-box performance is quite good, but overheads for small requests can be quite high. The best performance is achieved by using large requests, bypassing the file system cache, spreading the data across many disks and controllers, and using deep-asynchronous requests. This combination allows us to reach or exceed the half-power point of all the individual hardware components.
Evaluation of Myocardial Abnormalities and Ischemia

Cardiac computed tomography angiography (CCTA) has emerged as a powerful noninvasive technique for anatomic evaluation of the coronary arteries. Multiple studies have demonstrated very good diagnostic accuracy for detection of coronary artery disease, particularly with 64-slice systems. CCTA allows for accurate assessment of myocardial structure, perfusion, and function comparable to established techniques. CCTA has the potential to be a ''one-stop shop'' because it can be used to assess coronary artery anatomy and myocardial structure, perfusion, and function. In this article, established and emerging CCTA techniques for the evaluation of myocardial structure, perfusion, and function are reviewed.
Revision of Raputia Aubl. (Cuspariinae, Rutaceae)

Raputia, based onR. aromatica from French Guiana, comprises 10 species, which range from Venezuela and French Guiana to Amazonian Colombia, Peru, and Brazil. The genus can be recognized by the combination of opposite, 1-or 3-foliolate leaves cauline, circinate inflorescences; quincuncial sepals; and white or green, ± fleshy, 2-lipped corollas. Three new species are described:R. brevipedunculata from French Guiana and Amapa, BrazilR. megalantha from Amazonian Peru and adjacent Brazil; andR. simulans from the upper Amazon basin of Brazil, Colombia, and Peru. Three new combinations are made:R. amazonica, R. szczerbanii, and R. hirsuta, and as a result of the latter,Achuaria becomes a synonym ofRaputia. A key to and descriptions and distribution maps of the species are prowided.
WE-E-BRE-03: Biological Validation of a Novel High-Throughput Irradiator for Predictive Radiation Sensitivity Bioassays

Purpose: The large dose-response variation in both tumor and normal cells between individual patients has led to the recent implementation of predictive bioassays of patient-specific radiation sensitivity in order to personalize radiation therapy. This exciting new clinical paradigm has led us to develop a novel high-throughput, variable dose-rate irradiator to accompany these efforts. Here we present the biological validation of this irradiator through the use of human cells as a relative dosimeter assessed by two metrics, DNA double-strand break repair pathway modulation and intercellular reactive oxygen species production. Methods: Immortalized human tonsilar epithelial cells were cultured in 96-well micro titer plates and irradiated in groups of eight wells to absorbed doses of 0, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, and 8 Gy. High-throughput immunofluorescent microscopy was used to detect γH2AX, a DNA double-strand break repair mechanism recruiter. The same analysis was performed with the cells stained with CM-H2DCFDA that produces a fluorescent adduct when exposed to reactive oxygen species during the irradiation cycle. Results: Irradiations of the immortalized human tonsilar epithelial cells at absorbed doses of 0, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, and 8 Gy produced excellent linearity in γH2AX and CM-H2DCFDA with R2 values of 0.9939 and 0.9595 respectively. Single cell gelmore » electrophoresis experimentation for the detection of physical DNA double-strand breaks in ongoing. Conclusions: This work indicates significant potential for our high-throughput variable dose rate irradiator for patient-specific predictive radiation sensitivity bioassays. This irradiator provides a powerful tool by increasing the efficiency and number of assay techniques available to help personalize radiation therapy.« less
Remembered duration: imagery processes and contextual encoding.

Abstract Subjects performed a different kind of imagery task during each of two equal durations. In all four experiments, an imagery task restricting the encoding of varied environmental stimuli was subsequently remembered as being longer in duration than an imagery task requiring the encoding of varied environmental stimuli. Experiments 3 and 4 also investigated the effect of a preceding task on the remembered duration of the imagery tasks. The kind of cognitive processing involved in performing the preceding task caused a relative lengthening of the remembered duration of the imagery task that required a different kind of cognitive processing. These and other findings lead to a rejection of several stimulus-based hypotheses on remembered duration, as well as an explanation in terms of the number of variability of contextual associations. An alternative contextual hypothesis is proposed.
Onset of type i diabetes mellitus, hypothyroidism, and hypogonadism on withdrawal of glucocorticoid therapy and remission on its resumption in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis

A 57-year-old white man manifested adrenal insufficiency, insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus reflected by diabetic ketosis, primary hypothyroidism, and primary hypogonadism on rapid withdrawal of glucocorticoid therapy of several years' duration for rheumatoid arthritis. Resumption and continuation of glucocorticoid therapy for six months resulted in remission of type I diabetes mellitus and hypogonadism, and a euthyroid state was achieved by replacement therapy with L-thyroxine.
Multi-decade Responses of a Tidal Creek System to Nutrient Load Reductions: Mattawoman Creek, Maryland USA

We developed a synthesis using diverse monitoring and modeling data for Mattawoman Creek, Maryland, USA to examine responses of this tidal freshwater tributary of the Potomac River estuary to a sharp reduction in point-source nutrient loading rate. Oligotrophication of these systems is not well understood; questions concerning recovery pathways, threshold responses, and lag times remain to be clarified and eventually generalized for application to other systems. Prior to load reductions Mattawoman Creek was eutrophic with poor water clarity (Secchi depth <0.5 m), no submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV), and large algal stocks (50–100 μg L−1 chlorophyll-a). A substantial modification to a wastewater treatment plant reduced annual average nitrogen (N) loads from 30 to 12 g N m−2 year−1 and phosphorus (P) loads from 3.7 to 1.6 g P m−2 year−1. Load reductions for both N and P were initiated in 1991 and completed by 1995. There was no trend in diffuse N and P loads between 1985 and 2010. Following nutrient load reduction, NO2 + NO3 and chlorophyll-a decreased and Secchi depth and SAV coverage and density increased with initial response lag times of one, four, three, one, and one year, respectively. A preliminary N budget was developed and indicated the following: diffuse sources currently dominate N inputs, estimates of long-term burial and denitrification were not large enough to balance the budget, sediment recycling of NH4 was the single largest term in the budget, SAV uptake of N from sediments and water provided a modest seasonal-scale N sink, and the creek system acted as an N sink for imported Potomac River nitrogen. Finally, using a comparative approach utilizing data from other shallow, low-salinity Chesapeake Bay ecosystems, strong relationships were found between N loading and algal biomass and between algal biomass and water clarity, two key water quality variables used as indices of restoration in Chesapeake Bay.
Chronic psychosocial stress triggers cognitive impairment in a novel at-risk model of Alzheimer's disease.

Abstract Although it is generally accepted that Aβ contributes to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD), other factors that impact the severity and time of onset of the disease are not well known. Aside from genetic factors, environmental factors such as stress may also play a critical role in the manifestation of AD. The present study examined the effect of chronic psychosocial stress in an at-risk, subthreshold Aβ (subAβ) rat model of AD by three approaches: learning and memory tests in the radial arm water maze, electrophysiological recordings of long-term potentiation (LTP) in anesthetized rats, and immunoblot analysis of learning- and memory-related signaling molecules. Chronic psychosocial stress was induced using a rat intruder model. The subAβ rat model of AD was induced by continuous i.c.v. infusion of 160 pmol/day Aβ 1-42 via a 14-day osmotic pump. Behavioral tests and electrophysiological recordings showed that subAβ rats were not significantly different from control rats. However, chronically stressed subAβ rats showed more significant impairment of cognitive functions and early-phase LTP (E-LTP) than that caused by stress alone. Molecular analysis of essential signaling molecules after induction of E-LTP revealed an increase in the levels of p-CaMKII in control as well as subAβ infused rats, but not in stressed or stressed at-risk rats. In addition, compared to unstimulated control, the levels of both total CaMKII and calcineurin were increased in all stimulated animals groups after HFS. These findings suggest that the stress-induced alterations may accelerate the impairment of cognition and synaptic plasticity in individuals “at-risk” for AD.
Characterization of soluble esterases from the thoracic muscle of the American cockroach, Periplaneta Americana.

Abstract 1. 1. The characterization of the soluble esterases of the American cockroach was undertaken to determine the extent to which biochemical phenetics of the multiple molecular esterase forms may be used at super-specific taxonomic levels. 2. 2. Of the 19 different esterase fractions extracted from the thoracic muscle of the American cockroach, 10 were common to all specimens analyzed, 3 were present in 25–75% of the specimens, and 6 were recorded from fewer than 25%. 3. 3. The carboxylesterases (EC 3.1.1.1) were the most common of the soluble esterases, recorded at a maximum of 11 sites; acyl-hydrolase (EC 3.1.1.8) was found at 3 sites; lipase (EC 3.1.1.3) was consistently isolated at 4 sites; and arylesterase (EC 3.1.1.2) and acetylesterase (EC 3.1.1.6) were each recorded at 1 site; sulfatases were identified at 2 sites and a NaF-sensitive esterase was identified at 1 site. 4. 4. 4 of the esterase fractions had Coomassie Blue-positive fractions of exactly comparable mobility. 5. 5. The esterase appear to be a unique system for the biochemical characterization of individuals, populations or even higher taxa. Of the 19 multiple molecular esterase forms identified, 10 are common to all specimens analyzed and it would appear profitable to pursue investigations as to the value of this enzyme system at super-specific level.
NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL CHANGES IN CHILDREN ASSOCIATED WITH TRICYCLIC ANTIDEPRESSANT THERAPY

We have previously reported significant neuropsychological improvements associated with the pharmacotherapy of small samples of childhood depressives (Brumback, et al, 1980; Staton, et al, 1981). Although there is a small literature describing limited but similar changes in treated adult depressives (Fromm-Auch, 1982a, 1982b; Gibson, 1981; Glass, et al., 1978; Heaton & Crowley, 1981; Henry, et al., 1973; and Savard, et al., 1980), no other studies describe the cognitive effects of antidepressant treatment of children. We now report a summary of findings derived from the study of 75 depressed children treated with tricyclic antidepressants, confirming our earlier findings that highly significant right hemisphere and frontal lobe neuropsychological test improvements are observed on retest of such patients.
Approach for fabricating tissue engineered vascular grafts with stable endothelialization.

A major roadblock in the development of tissue engineered vascular grafts (TEVGs) is achieving construct endothelialization that is stable under physiological stresses. The aim of the current study was to validate an approach for generating a mechanically stable layer of endothelial cells (ECs) in the lumen of TEVGs. To accomplish this goal, a unique method was developed to fabricate a thin EC layer using poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) as an intercellular “cementing” agent. This EC layer was subsequently bonded to the lumen of a tubular scaffold to generate a bi-layered construct. The viability of bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAECs) through the “cementing” process was assessed. “Cemented” EC layer expression of desired phenotypic markers (AcLDL uptake, VE-cadherin, eNOS, PECAM-1) as well as of injury-associated markers (E-selectin, SM22α) was also examined. These studies indicated that the “cementing” process allowed ECs to maintain high viability and expression of mature EC markers while not significantly stimulating primary injury pathways. Finally, the stability of the “cemented” EC layers under abrupt application of high shear pulsatile flow (~11 dyn/cm2, P avg ~ 95 mmHg, ΔP ~ 20 mmHg) was evaluated and compared to that of conventionally “seeded” EC layers. Whereas the “cemented” ECs remained fully intact following 48 h of pulsatile flow, the “seeded” EC layers delaminated after less than 1 h of flow. Furthermore, the ability to extend this approach to degradable PEGDA “cements” permissive of cell elongation was demonstrated. Combined, these results validate an approach for fabricating bi-layered TEVGs with stable endothelialization.
Arylsulphatase activity in human gingival crevicular fluid

Abstract Arylsulphatase activity in fluid collected from non-inflamed ( n = 5), gingivitis ( n = 5) and periodontitis ( n = 5) subjects was assayed. The mean volume activity for each group was: non-in-flamed = 768 ± 165 nm/ml per h; gingivitis = 2431 ± 1118 nm/ml per h; periodontitis = 2860 ± 1839 nm/ml per h. The mean total unit activity for each group was: non-inflamed = 0.326 ± 0.076 nm; gingivitis = 1.394 ± 0.411 nm; and periodontitis = 3.571 ± 1.700 nm. Analysis of fluid from isolated sites in periodontitis suggests that reporting total unit activity (absolute amount of enzyme activity) is more meaningful than reporting volume activity (enzyme concentration) for arylsulphatase activity.
MOS isolation technology

Abstract Local oxidation with self-aligned field threshold implant has become pervasive as the technique for device isolation in Si-gate technology. As NMOS is replaced by CMOS, this LOCOS technology has been adapted, though with difficulty. Primarily because of poor space utilization, alternatives to LOCOS are now being pursued in a number of laboratories. In this paper the goals and limitations of isolation technology are reviewed, and several alternatives examined. Based on this examination, we suggest that in the near future, evolutionary advances in LOCOS will be adequate. In the longer term, the greatest promise is offered by a technique involving etching and refilling trenches in the substrate.
Mouse ascites Golgi mucin expression abnormalities in natural cycle endometrial biopsies predict subsequent in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET) failure in patients with previous IVF-ET failures

We performed a double-blinded retrospective cohort study to determine whether endometrial expression of mouse ascites Golgi mucin in a natural, unmedicated cycle predicts subsequent IVF-ET outcome among women with prior IVF-ET failure and poor pre-embryo quality. We found a statistically significant decrease in clinical pregnancy rate among women with abnormal mouse ascites Golgi expression, a test which was found to have high positive predictive value for failed IVF-ET.
Parallel communication in a large distributed environment

The evolution of MultiRPC, a parallel remote procedure call mechanism implemented in Unix is described. Parallelism is obtained from the concurrency of processing on servers and from the overlapping of retransmissions and timeouts. Each of the parallel calls retains the semantics and functionality of the standard remote procedure calls. The underlying communication medium need not support multicast or broadcast transmissions. An analytic model of the system is derived and validated. The experimental observations demonstrate the feasibility of using MultiRPC to contact up to 100 servers in parallel. >
Comments on Woodward, Making things happen.

Woodward's subtitle is misleading: 'a theory of causal explanation' names just one part of what this excellent book contains. It is also a detailed, illuminating discussion of causation, laws of nature, events, the theory of confirmation, and the nature of good philosophical method ology, to name just the most prominent topics. The level of philosophi cal acuity is uniformly high and Woodward's command of and ability to engage with a wide range of philosophical and scientific material is extremely impressive. A must-read, then and not just for philosophers of science. It is hardly an exaggeration to say that the quality of science education at the college level would improve if every statistics course incorporated chapters 1-3, and 7 as required reading. First, a sketch of the ideas at the heart of Woodward's approach. Suppose you want to understand some system an economy, machine, living organ ism, chemical reactions, what have you. Scientific inquiry will provide such understanding by showing how to describe the interacting parts of the sys tem by means of variables whose values represent different possible states of those parts, and by means of structural equations which capture the relations of immediate dependency between these variables. Here is an illustrative example: a system of interacting 'neurons', con nected by stimulatory (normal arrow) or inhibitory (line with blob at the end) channels. Shading indicates that the neuron fires, and the order of events is left-to-right.
Yield response of dairy cows fed different proportions of alfalfa silage and corn silage

Forty-five multiparous and 29 primiparous cows were used in a complete lactation study to determine milk yield and the potential for improving N utilization by cows fed diets containing different proportions of alfalfa and corn silages. Cows were fed diets with a 50:50 forage to grain ratio. The forage portion of the diet was either all alfalfa silage, two-thirds alfalfa silage and one-third corn silage, or one-third alfalfa silage and two-thirds corn silage (dry matter basis). Treatment diets were fed to 6 ruminally cannulated cows to study dietary effects on ruminal fermentation. Diets were fed as a total mixed ration. Dry matter intake as a percentage of body weight was higher for cows fed the diet containing one-third corn silage. Mean 3.5% fat-corrected milk yield from wk 1 to 36 of lactation was 31.0, 32.9, and 31.8 kg/d for cows fed the alfalfa, one-third corn silage, and two-thirds corn silage treatment diets, respectively. For 305 d of lactation, milk yield for multiparous cows was 9593, 10,170, and 10,024 kg and for primiparous cows was 8124, 8412, and 8168 kg for cows consuming the alfalfa, one-third corn silage, and two-thirds corn silage treatment diets, respectively. Diets containing two-thirds corn silage decreased milk fat content of multiparous cows during early lactation. Ruminal NH3 concentration was lower and N excretion in the environment was reduced by 6 to 15% with the diets containing corn silage. Results suggested that corn silage should constitute one-third to two-thirds of dietary forage dry matter when fed with alfalfa silage to derive maximal benefit.
Open issues in organizing computer systems conferences

The Workshop on Organizing Workshops, Conferences, and Symposia for Computer Systems (WOWCS) was organized to "bring together conference organizers (past, present, and future) and other interested people to discuss the issues they confront." In conjunction with WOWCS, we survey some previous publications that discuss open issues related to organizing computer systems conferences, especially concerning conduct and management of the review process. We also list some topics about which we wish WOWCS had received submissions, but did not; these could be good topics for future articles.
Economic Valuations and Interethnic Fears: Perceptions of Chinese Migration in the Russian Far East

When members of one ethnic group feel threatened by population trends favoring ethnic `others', would perceived economic gains associated with such population change - as in many cases of migration...
Lessons learned from the Ethical, Legal and Social Implications program (ELSI): Planning societal implications research for the National Nanotechnology Program

Abstract This paper considers federal requirements to institute a research program on societal and ethical considerations of nanotechnology, and to integrate the results of this research with nanotechnology research and development. It identifies research selection and assessment criteria derived in part from criticism of the Human Genome Project's Ethical, Legal, and Societal Implications program. This criticism concerns the capacity of bioethics research to influence policy. Since integration of societal research with nanotechnology development is meant to influence the direction of nanotechnology development, an explicit emphasis ought to be placed on the capacity of the new program's societal and ethical research to influence federal nanotechnology development policy.
What parts of the US mainland are climatically suitable for invasive alien pythons spreading from Everglades National Park

The Burmese Python (Python molurus bivittatus) is now well established in southern Florida and spreading northward. The factors likely to limit this spread are unknown, but presumably include climate or are correlated with climate. We compiled monthly rainfall and temperature statistics from 149 stations located near the edge of the python’s native range in Asia (Pakistan east to China and south to Indonesia). The southern and eastern native range limits extend to saltwater, leaving unresolved the species’ climatic tolerances in those areas. The northern and western limits are associated with cold and aridity respectively. We plotted mean monthly rainfall against mean monthly temperature for the 149 native range weather stations to identify the climate conditions inhabited by pythons in their native range, and mapped areas of the coterminous United States with the same climate today and projected for the year 2100. We accounted for both dry-season aestivation and winter hibernation (under two scenarios of hibernation duration). The potential distribution was relatively insensitive to choice of scenario for hibernation duration. US areas climatically matched at present ranged up the coasts and across the south from Delaware to Oregon, and included most of California, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and South and North Carolina. By the year 2100, projected areas of potential suitable climate extend northward beyond the current limit to include parts of the states of Washington, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York. Thus a substantial portion of the mainland US is potentially vulnerable to this ostensibly tropical invader.
The Deep Archaeal Roots of Eukaryotes

The set of conserved eukaryotic protein-coding genes includes distinct subsets one of which appears to be most closely related to and, by inference, derived from archaea, whereas another one appears to be of bacterial, possibly, endosymbiotic origin. The "archaeal" genes of eukaryotes, primarily, encode components of information-processing systems, whereas the "bacterial" genes are predominantly operational. The precise nature of the archaeo-eukaryotic relationship remains uncertain, and it has been variously argued that eukaryotic informational genes evolved from the homologous genes of Euryarchaeota or Crenarchaeota (the major branches of extant archaea) or that the origin of eukaryotes lies outside the known diversity of archaea. We describe a comprehensive set of 355 eukaryotic genes of apparent archaeal origin identified through ortholog detection and phylogenetic analysis. Phylogenetic hypothesis testing using constrained trees, combined with a systematic search for shared derived characters in the form of homologous inserts in conserved proteins, indicate that, for the majority of these genes, the preferred tree topology is one with the eukaryotic branch placed outside the extant diversity of archaea although small subsets of genes show crenarchaeal and euryarchaeal affinities. Thus, the archaeal genes in eukaryotes appear to descend from a distinct, ancient, and otherwise uncharacterized archaeal lineage that acquired some euryarchaeal and crenarchaeal genes via early horizontal gene transfer.
Higher-order aberrations after corneal collagen crosslinking for keratoconus and corneal ectasia.

Purpose To determine changes in higher-order aberrations (HOAs) after corneal collagen crosslinking (CXL). Setting Cornea and refractive surgery practice. Design Prospective randomized controlled clinical trial. Methods Corneal and ocular HOAs were measured and analyzed using the Pentacam device and Ladarwave aberrometer, respectively, at baseline and 12 months after CXL. Results Ninety-six eyes (64 keratoconus, 32 ectasia) of 73 patients had CXL. A fellow-eye control group comprised 42 eyes. The mean preoperative total anterior corneal HOAs, total coma, 3rd-order coma, and vertical coma were 4.68 μm ± 2.33 (SD), 4.40 ± 2.32 μm, 4.36 ± 2.30 μm, and 4.04 ± 2.27 μm, respectively. At 1 year, the mean values decreased significantly to 4.27 ± 2.25 μm, 4.01 ± 2.29 μm, 3.96 ± 2.27 μm, and 3.66 ± 2.22 μm, respectively (all P Conclusion Corneal and ocular HOAs decreased after CXL, suggesting an improvement in corneal shape. Financial Disclosure Dr. Hersh is medical monitor for Avedro, Inc. No author has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned.
Defining and Measuring Engagement and Learning in Science: Conceptual, Theoretical, Methodological, and Analytical Issues

Engagement is one of the most widely misused and overgeneralized constructs found in the educational, learning, instructional, and psychological sciences. The articles in this special issue represent a wide range of traditions and highlight several key conceptual, theoretical, methodological, and analytical issues related to defining and measuring engagement. All the approaches exemplified by the contributors show different ways of conceptualizing and measuring engagement and demonstrate the strengths and weaknesses of each method to significantly augment our current understanding of engagement. Despite the numerous issues raised by the authors of this special issue and in my commentary, I argue that focusing on process data will lead to advances in models, theory, methods, analytical techniques, and ultimately instructional recommendations for learning contexts that effectively engage students.