cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The prevalence of reversible airflow obstruction and/or methacholine hyperreactivity in random adult asthma patients identified by administrative data

Background. Asthma is a chronic inflammatory lung disease. It is commonly diagnosed and treated on the basis of clinical impression, although national guidelines recommend documenting reversible airflow obstruction. Objectives. Determine the frequency of reversible airflow obstruction, and/or methacholine hyperreactivity during 2003 in a well-characterized population with a low-risk asthma diagnosis during 2001. Methods. Of a total population of 7460 low-risk adult (18–64 years) asthma patients (no hospitalizations or emergency department visits; < 3 oral steroid courses; < 12 β-agonist canisters; and < 3 prescibers, all in prior 12 months) cared for by a large health care program, a random sample of 400 was recruited to undergo a diagnostic asthma evaluation. The evaluation included a physical examination, medical record review, questionnaires, allergy testing, spirometry for airflow obstruction and reversibility, and/or methacholine hyperreactivity. Results. Of the 400 randomly selected patients, 106 (2...
Hydrogen evolution and entry in palladium at high current density

Abstract The kinetics of hydrogen evolution and entry into palladium membranes has been studied at high current densities using the electrochemical permeation technique. A two stage permeation transient was observed corresponding to diffusion in the α phase and mixed α + β phase, respectively. At low current densities the hydrogen evolution reaction exhibited a rate determining step of proton discharge followed by absorption of the adsorbed intermediate into the palladium lattice. At high current densities, after conversion of the surface layer to the β phase, a large increase in the recombination flux was observed with a concomitant decrease in the hydrogen entry flux. Since the composition of the entry surface was time dependent at constant charging current, the hydrogen evolution kinetics at the entry surface also exhibited a time dependence.
Coronary venous ethanol infusion for the treatment of refractory ventricular tachycardia.

Radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) is used increasingly to treat drug-refractory ventricular tachycardias (VTs) (1). Although originally limited to endocardial VTs, access to the pericardial space via a nonsurgical subxyphoid technique has allowed RFCA to target epicardial circuits as well (2). Nevertheless, there still exists a subgroup of VTs that remain refractory to RFCA. This includes VTs with a deep intramural origin, either from reentrant or focal mechanisms. Additionally, there are cases where proximity to the coronary vessels limits attempts at aggressive ablation of the VT origin. Finally, the epicardial approach for RFCA may be difficult if not impossible in cases of prior cardiac surgery (3). Transcoronary ethanol ablation (TCEA) has been used as an alternative strategy to effectively treat these difficult-to-ablate VTs (4). Although TCEA is reasonably successful in treating RCFA refractory VTs, there are technical difficulties and potential complications inherent to coronary artery instrumentation such as coronary arterial dissection, thrombosis, and myocardial infarction. Other complications are related to spillage of ethanol to non-targeted myocardium resulting into interventricular conduction blocks, and infarction of non-selected regions (5, 6). Retrograde coronary venous ethanol ablation (RCVEA) can potentially avoid the aforementioned technical difficulties of TCEA. Catheter instrumentation in the coronary veins lacks the risks of arterial damage, and retrograde flow drives spilled ethanol towards the right atrium where it is diluted to non-damaging concentrations. This approach was first described by Wright et al. in dogs (7) but, to our knowledge, has not yet been tested on human subjects. Here, we describe two cases in which RCVEA successfully terminated persistent VTs refractory to multiple RFCA procedures.
Revision total shoulder arthroplasty for painful humeral head replacement with glenoid arthrosis.

Hypothesis After humeral head replacement, revision total shoulder arthroplasty may become necessary for painful glenoid arthrosis. The hypothesis of this study was revision surgery would significantly relieve the patients’ pain. Materials and methods This report retrospectively reviewed the results of revision total shoulder arthroplasty in seventeen patients with a painful humeral head replacement and glenoid arthrosis. The mean time interval to revision was 36.4 months (6-144) and the patients were followed for an average of 56.1 months (24-119). Outcomes were graded with the Neer classification. Results There were 7 (41.2%) excellent, 5 (29.4%) satisfactory, and 5 (29.4%) unsatisfactory results. The visual analogue pain score decreased from 8.8 to 2.4, flexion improved from 73 degrees to 124, abduction from 63 to 115.6, and external rotation from 12.1 to 46.8. In 13 shoulders with sufficient data, the ASES score was 76.8 and the SST 9.5. It was necessary to revise the humeral stem in 12 of the 17 procedures, typically for poor stem position or improved exposure. Conclusion Conversion of humeral head replacement to total shoulder arthroplasty can be accomplished with excellent results, but the surgery is complex and unsatisfactory results are frequent. Level of evidence Level 4; Retrospective case series, no control group.
Characterization of Two Cytosolic Diacylglycerol Kinase Forms

: Two forms of rat brain cytosolic diacylglycerol kinase (EC 2.7.1.107) were separated by heparin-agarose column chromatography. These forms, designated DGK-I and DGK-II, were not interconvertible as determined by rechromatography. DGK-I and DGK-II had respective molecular masses of 88 and 180 kDa, as measured by Sepharose 6B chromatography. Both forms preferred diacylglycerol over monoacylglycerol and were insensitive to R59022. DGK-II, but not DGK-I, was activated by an activator substance prepared from chicken egg yolk. DGK-II was activated by a rat brain cytosolic activator and was exclusively sensitive to 5′-AMP-mediated inactivation. Further studies revealed that these two forms had the following distinct characteristics: (a) substrate specificity, (b) inhibition by heparin, (c) sensitivity to lysine-containing polyamino acids, and (d) responses to different phospholipids. In general, DGK-II was more responsive to various inhibitors and activators, making it a prime candidate for a regulatable enzyme.
Estrogen-mediated effects on cognition and synaptic plasticity: What do estrogen receptor knockout models tell us?

A plethora of evidence supports a beneficial role of estrogen in the brain. However, while these effects are hypothesized to be driven via the two main forms of estrogen receptors (ERα and ERs), the mechanism through which these receptors mediate estrogen's effects on cognition and plasticity remain unclear. Estrogen receptors are heterogeneously expressed in many cognition sensitive regions of the brain, have the ability to dimerize and heterodimerize, and are localized to both neurons and glia. In addition, while many of the known actions of estrogen through their receptor are mediated via the classical genomic regulatory mechanism of gene transcription, rapid non-genomic action of estrogens are also gaining relevance. These complex events make the mechanistic understanding of estrogen effects challenging. The development of transgenic estrogen receptor knockout mouse models has provided some much needed insight on the role of these receptors in mediating estrogen effects on cognition and synaptic plasticity. This review provides an overview of estrogen receptors in the brain and an update of knowledge gained from transgenic knockout models on cognition and synaptic plasticity.
The Puritan Conscience and Modern Sexuality

Examines the sexual ethics of the Puritans of seventeenth- and eighteenth-century England and discusses the importance of marriage in Puritan morality.
CT imaging of splenic sequestration in sickle cell disease

Pooling of blood in the spleen is a frequent occurrence in children with sickle cell diseases, particularly in the first few years of life, resulting in what is termed “splenic sequestration crisis.” The spectrum of severity in this syndrome is wide, ranging from mild splenomegaly to massive enlargement, circulatory collapse, and even death. The diagnosis is usually clinical, based on the enlargement of the spleen with a drop in hemoglobin level by > 2 g/dl, and it is rare that imaging studies are ordered. However, in the patient who presents to the emergency department with non-specific findings of an acute abdomen, it is important to recognize the appearance of sequestration on imaging studies. We studied seven patients utilizing contrast-enhanced CT scans and found two distinct patterns – multiple, peripheral, non-enhancing low-density areas or large, diffuse areas of low density in the majority of the splenic tissue. Although radiological imaging is not always necessary to diagnose splenic sequestration, in those situations where this diagnosis is not immediately obvious, it makes an important clarifying contribution.
Evolutionary epidemiology of endophenotypes in the bipolar spectrum: Evolved neuropsychologic mechanisms of social rank

Medicine—until quite recently—has disregarded Darwin. However, novel ethologic perspectives of evolutionary epidemiology are beginning to shed light on both proximal and ultimate causes of human behavior in its boundaries with adaptive endophenotypes, disease, and therapeutics. Here we summarize how a Darwinian framework informs new insights concerning the spectrum from mania to depression.
OLED-Based Biosensing Platform with ZnO Nanoparticles for Enzyme Immobilization

ABSTRACT Organic light-emitting diode (OLED)-based sensing platforms are attractive for photoluminescence (PL)-based monitoring of a variety of analytes. Among the promising OL ED attributes for sensing applications is the thin and flexible size and design of the OLED pixel array that is used for PL excitation. To generate a compact, field-deployable sensor, other major sensor components, such as the sensing probe and the photodetector, in addition to the thin excitation source, should be compact. To this end, the OLED-based sensing platform was tested with composite thin biosensing films, where oxidase enzymes were immobilized on ZnO nanoparticles, rather than dissolved in solution, to generate a more compact device. Th e analytes tested, glucose, c holesterol, and lactate, were monitored by following their oxidation reactions in the presence of oxygen and their respective oxidase enzymes. During such reactions, oxygen is consumed and its residual concentration, which is determined by the initial concentration of the above-mentioned analytes, is monitored. The sensors utilized the oxygen-sensitive dye Pt octaethylporphyrin, embedded in polystyrene. The enzymes were sandwiched between two thin ZnO layers, an approach that was found to improve the stability of the sensing probes. Keywords : Organic light-emitting diode, OLED, OLED-based sensors, photoluminescence (PL), ZnO, oxygen sensor, glucose sensor, cholesterol sensor, lactate sensor
Conceptual reactor design for the methanol-to-olefins process on SAPO-34

Starting from a rigorous and comprehensive kinetic model, three types of reactors are investigated as to their performance in MTO; a multi-tubular quasi-isothermal reactor, a multi-bed adiabatic reactor with intermediate heat exchangers, and a bubbling fluidized bed reactor with internal heat exchanger. For each type, extensive simulation led to optimal design and operation, guaranteeing the desired ratio of ethylene to propylene and keeping the deactivation of the catalyst under control. The final selection is a matter of economics and reliability. The availability of kinetic models for MTO on SAPO-34 and on ZSM-5 also allowed a comparison of the yields achieved with those catalysts in a multi-bed adiabatic reactor.
D-Glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase; a comparison with liver aldehyde dehydrogenase.

Abstract Using d -glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate, d -glyceraldehyde, and acetaldehyde as substrates, crude and crystalline preparations of d -glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase from rabbit muscle have been investigated with respect to requirement for phosphate and arsenate (in acetaldehyde oxidation), pH optimum, rates of reactions, Michaelis constants, and inhibition by tetraethylthiuram disulfide (antabuse). Our crude preparation of d -glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase has a much higher affinity for low concentrations of acetaldehyde than does the crystalline enzyme. Also, the rate of acetaldehyde oxidation as compared to glyceraldehyde oxidation is considerably higher with crude than with crystalline d -glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase. However, most of our data suggest that d -glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase may be the only DPN-linked aldehyde dehydrogenase in rabbit muscle. d -Glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase, especially our crude preparation, has many properties in common with Racker's (10) preparation of liver aldehyde dehydrogeanse. However, Racker's (10) liver aldehyde dehydrogenase, which was somewhat purified, has not been shown to oxidize d -glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate. Investigations by various authors also indicate some other differences between aldehyde dehydrogenase from liver and d -glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase from muscle. A further comparison of the two enzymes is warranted. d -Glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase is strongly inhibited by tetraethylthiuram disulfide. The drug appears to compete with the substrate ( d -glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate, d -glyceraldehyde, acetaldehyde) for the enzyme. The apparent dissociation constant for the enzyme-inhibitor complex is 5 × 10−6, M.
Analysis of H2 storage needs for early market “man-portable” fuel cell applications

Abstract Hydrogen fuel cells can potentially reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the dependence on finite fossil fuel resources. Improvements in the storage of hydrogen are needed for more widespread use of hydrogen fuel cells. To help better understand the hydrogen storage needs in the future, this study analyzes opportunities for the near-term deployment of H2-fueled fuel cells in man-portable power devices and personal electronics. The analysis engaged end users, equipment manufacturers, and technical experts to determine not only the most feasible devices for near-term deployment of hydrogen fuel cells but also the meaningful and realistic requirements for hydrogen storage in these applications. It was found that military personnel power generators, consumer battery rechargers, and specialized laptop computers offer the most potential for the incorporation of fuel cell technology. However, large improvements must be made in energy storage densities for hydrogen fuel cells to compete with batteries or direct methanol fuel cells in order to make fuel cells attractive if an inexpensive and convenient hydrogen supply is not available.
Progestin secretion by the ovary in lactating rats: effect of LH-antiserum, LH and prolactin.

In order to understand the control mechanism of progestin secretion during lactation, progesterone (P) and 20α-hydroxypregn-4- en-3-one (20α-OH-P) were determined in ovarian venous blood collected from rats nursing 2 or 6 pups at various stages of lactation in controls, and rats given LH antiserum, LH and prolactin. Generally, P secretion rate increased gradually to reach a peak on Day 12 of lactation and fell sharply on Day 16. Secretion rate of 20α-OH-P decreased as that of P increased and rose sharply on Day 16. On Day 8, P secretion averaged 13.5 μg/30 min in rats nursing 6 pups and was significantly higher than that in rats nursing 2 pups (7.2 μg/30 min). In rats nursing 6 pups LH antiserum reduced P secretion on Day 8 to the level of 2 pup control group. No difference in P secretion was seen between control and LH antiserum groups on Day 16 when P secretion was extremely low (0.6 μg/30 min). LH antiserum also reduced 20α-OH-P secretion in the 6 pup group on Days 4, 8 and 16. Treatment with LH antise...
Pin-Retained Composite Resin Buildup for Extensively Broken-Down Vital Teeth

A technique for pin-retained composite resin base buildup for extensively broken-down vital teeth has been developed. Illustration of the procedure is based on a clinical case with identification of the various observations pertinent to this approach. Clinical observations made thus far are encouraging.
Surgical margin and Gleason score as predictors of postoperative recurrence in prostate cancer with or without chromosome 8p allelic imbalance.

BACKGROUND Identification of prostate cancer patients at risk for postoperative disease recurrence is an important clinical issue. Existing pathological markers can predict disease recurrence only to a certain extent, and there is a need for more accurate predictors. METHODS Using “counting alleles,” a novel experimental method, we determined allelic status of chromosome 8p in 107 prostatectomy specimens. Statistical analyses examined the association between pathologic predictors (Gleason score, stage, surgical margin, etc.) and cancer recurrence in patients with and without 8p allelic imbalance (8p AI). RESULTS 8p AI cancers were more likely to recur in the presence of a positive surgical margin, whereas recurrence of 8p retaining tumors was associated with the Gleason score, but not with the surgical margin. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that chromosome 8p allelic status affects the predictive value of “traditional” markers of prostate cancer recurrence. If confirmed by larger studies, these results may have important clinical implications. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Discovering Structure in Unstructured I/O

Checkpointing is the predominant storage driver in today's petascale supercomputers and is expected to remain as such in tomorrow's exascale supercomputers. Users typically prefer to checkpoint into a shared file yet parallel file systems often perform poorly for shared file writing. A powerful technique to address this problem is to transparently transform shared file writing into many exclusively written as is done in ADIOS and PLFS. Unfortunately, the metadata to reconstruct the fragments into the original file grows with the number of writers. As such, the current approach cannot scale to exaflop supercomputers due to the large overhead of creating and reassembling the metadata. In this paper, we develop and evaluate algorithms by which patterns in the PLFS metadata can be discovered and then used to replace the current metadata. Our evaluation shows that these patterns reduce the size of the metadata by several orders of magnitude, increase the performance of writes by up to 40 percent, and the performance of reads by up to 480 percent. This contribution therefore can allow current checkpointing models to survive the transition from petato exascale.
Yttrium-antimony alloy system☆

Abstract A phase diagram is proposed for the yttrium-antimony system based on thermal, microscopic, chemical and X-ray analyses. An inverted peritectic reaction develops as a result of antimony additions, lowering the 1475° C transformation temperature of yttrium to 1462° C. Eutectic reactions occur at 14.5 at. % antimony and 1220° C, and greater than 99.0 at.% antimony and 629° C. There are four compounds in the system. The compound YSb melts congruently at 2310° C while Y 3 Sb and Y 5 Sb 3 result from peritectic reactions at 1240° and 1690° C. The fourth compound, Y 4 Sb 3 , forms peritectically at 2120° C, but decomposes by a eutectoid reaction at 1660° C.
Raloxifene analog (LY117018 HCL) ameliorates cyclosporin A—Induced osteopenia in oophorectomized rats†

Cyclosporin A (CsA) administered to the oophorectomized (Ox) rat exacerbates the high turnover osteopenia associated with estrogen deficiency. 17β-estradiol replacement therapy prevents this bone loss. The aim of this study was to see whether an estrogen-like compound, Raloxifene analog (LY117018 HCL, Ral) could likewise ameliorate CsA-induced osteopenia in the Ox rat. Sixty 6-month-old Sprague-Dawley rats, divided into five groups, underwent oophorectomy. One group acted as a basal group and the others received either vehicle (group B), CsA 15 mg/kg/day (group C), Ral 3 mg/kg/day (group D), or CsA 15 mg/kg/day and Ral 3 mg/kg/day (group E) for 28 days by gavage. A sixth sham operated group of 12 rats received vehicle only (group A). Rats were weighed and bled on days 0, 14, and 28 for measurement of ionized calcium, glucose, osteocalcin (BGP), 17β-estradiol, and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D 3 (1,25 [OH] 2 D 3 ). Tibiae were removed on day 28 for bone histomorphometry after double tetracycline and calcein labeling. Oophorectomy caused a significant gain in weight in groups B and C which was prevented by Ral in groups D and E. Randomized blood glucose levels and 1,25(OH) 2 D 3 levels were elevated in both CsA-treated groups. Blood ionized calcium levels were lower in vehicle (group B) compared with sham (group A) on day 28. Ox (group B) had significantly higher serum BGP levels compared with sham-operated rats. Serum BGP levels were further elevated in group C compared with vehicle and were lowered in both Ral-treated groups to vehicle levels by day 28. Bone histomorphometry revealed a high turnover osteopenia with increased parameters of bone formation and resorption and loss of cancellous bone volume postoophorectomy (group B). CsA (group C) exacerbated the effects of oophorectomy. Ral (group D) completely prevented the high turnover osteopenia caused by oophorectomy and was able to attenuate substantially the effects of CsA in the Ox rat (group E). Ral therapy ameliorated CsA-induced osteopenia in the Ox rat and might prove a useful agent in preventing bone loss in postmenopausal women receiving CsA.
Fabrication of functional microstructured optical fibers through a selective-filling technique

We develop a method for the fabrication of functional microstructured optical fibers (MOFs) by selectively filling the air holes with liquid phase materials, where we utilize the dependence of filling speed on the size of the air holes. As a demonstration, we construct a hybrid MOF by filling the center hollow core of a triangular lattice photonic crystal fiber with dye-doped curable polymer, and experimentally observe the two-photon fluorescence from the hybrid MOF.
Membrane adenosine triphosphatase activity of vascular smooth muscle.

Abstract Differential centrifugation of rabbit aorta homogenates prepared in 0.25 M sucrose-30 mM histidine provided heavy, intermediate and light fractions. The light (microsomal) fraction was characterized by low cytochrome c oxidase, malate dehydrogenase and NADPH cytochrome c reductase activities and high NADH cytochrome c reductase and adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) activities. Microsomal MgATPase differed from large granule MgATPase in the response to desoxycholate, Triton X-100, chlorpromazine, oligomycin and 2,4-dinitrophenol. The microsomal fraction contained significant amounts of guanosine and inosine triphosphatase activity, inhibited by Triton X-100. Mitochondrial and microsomal adenosine triphosphatase activity was stimulated by sodium hydrosulfite. Thiol inhibitors were without effect on microsomal adenosine triphosphatase activity. No monovalent cation dependence could be demonstrated, even in the presence of azide. These observations are discussed in reference to the membrane localization of microsomal MgATPase, the nature of aortic smooth muscle light microsomal fractions and the significance of such enzyme activity in monovalent cation transport at the smooth muscle membrane.
Review: in adult outpatients, nurse-managed protocols improve hemoglobin A1c levels and blood pressure.

Source Citation Shaw RJ, McDuffie JR, Hendrix CC, et al. Effects of nurse-managed protocols in the outpatient management of adults with chronic conditions: a systematic review and meta-analysis. An...
Wavelength modulation derivative reflectivity of Pb1−xSnxTe☆

Abstract Wavelength modulation derivative reflection spectroscopy has been performed on the alloy series Pb 1−x Sn x Te throughout the composition range 0 ⩽ x ⩽ 1 in the spectral range 1.62 to 4.44 eV. Additional derivative structures along with the E 2 and E 3 peaks previously reported in reflectivity were observed. A tentative assignment of the observed structures with band calculations was made.
Assertion guided abstraction: a cooperative optimization for dynamic partial order reduction

We propose a new method for reducing the interleaving space during stateless model checking of multithreaded C/C++ programs. The problem is challenging because of the exponential growth of possible interleavings between threads. We have developed a new method, called assertion guided abstraction, which leverages both static and dynamic program analyses in a cooperative framework to reduce the interleaving space. Unlike existing methods that consider all interleavings of all conflicting memory accesses in a program, our new method relies on a new notion of predicate dependence based on which we can soundly abstract the interleaving space to only those conflicting memory accesses that may cause assertion violations and/or deadlocks. Our experimental evaluation of assertion guided abstraction on open source benchmarks shows that it is capable of achieving a significant reduction, thereby allowing for the verification of programs that were previously too complex for existing algorithms to handle.
ACTH-Releasing Hypothalamic Neurohumor in Peripheral Blood1

Evidence has been obtained for the existence, under certain conditions, of an ACTH-releasing neurohumor in the peripheral circulation of rats. A technique has been developed for its detection in as little as 4 ml of peripheral blood by the ability of this substance to elevate the blood ACTH of the intact rat. This ACTH-releasing neurohumor was demonstrated in the peripheral blood of hypophysectomized rats but not in blood taken from normal rats. The adrenals were not essential for the elaboration of this factor; however, this neurohumoral agent was influenced by the level of circulating corticosteroids, since it could not be detected in the presence of a high steroid level. The site of origin of this substance was investigated by the use of stereotaxic lesion techniques. The ACTHreleasing neurohumor that was demonstrable in the peripheral blood of hypophysectomized rats could not be detected in these animals following placement of a lesion in the hypothalamus. It is concluded that the ACTHreleasing substa...
Developmental plasticity in neural circuits controlling birdsong: sexual differentiation and the neural basis of learning.

In many species of passerine songbirds, males learn their song during defined periods of life. Female song in often reduced or absent, as are the brain regions controlling song. Sexual differences in the brain arise because of the action of sex steroids, which trigger the formation of some neural pathways (especially the pathway from the higher vocal center to the robust nucleus) and prevent the atrophy of others in males. These neural changes occur during periods of developmental song learning and can recur during periods of learning in adult birds. The process of learning is correlated with major increases or decreases in the number of neurons in specific neuronal populations, suggesting that the formation or loss of specific neural pathways regulates the ability to learn. Species differences in sexual differentiation and learning allow informative cross-species comparisons of neural structure and behavior. © 1992 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Location of specific items in a document, without using character recognition techniques

Abstract In many fields of engineering, the scanning of various documents has become an essential input medium to provide digitized information for subsequent processing. A continuing problem, though, is the location of specific items in the document, without resorting to processor-intensive character-recognition techniques. This paper presents an automated system which locates the position of “amount due” in printed bills and checks. It starts by digitizing images. After a digital image has been acquired, a dynamic threshold value is computed, based on the results of an edge-detection algorithm. A binary image is thus obtained, by thresholding the gray scale image. Then the long horizontal and vertical line segments in the image are removed. This is followed by labeling the connected components, extracting features and classifying. Finally, an inference scheme is used to locate the position of “amount due”. An example is used to illustrate the process, which has considerable relevance in the wider fields of manufacturing and computer vision.
Oligodendrocytes: Susceptibility to injury and involvement in neurologic disease.

AMPA= : α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid; ATP= : adenosine triphosphate; EAAT= : excitatory amino acid transporters; GABA= : γ-aminobutyric acid; GCI= : glial cytoplasmic inclusion; MS= : multiple sclerosis; MSA= : multiple system atrophy; NG2= : neuron glia 2; NO= : nitric oxide; NOS= : nitric oxide synthase; OPC= : oligodendrocyte progenitor cell; PDGF= : platelet-derived growth factor–α; PVL= : periventricular leukomalacia; TNF= : tumor necrosis factor. Oligodendrocytes are the myelin-producing cells in the CNS and are critical for function and survival of the axons. Oligodendrocytes and their precursors are highly susceptible to excitotoxic damage, oxidative stress, and effects of cytokines. Glutamate and other neurotransmitters triggering calcium (Ca2+) signaling have a major role in both normal oligodendrocyte development and oligodendrocyte injury in white matter disorders such as periventricular leukomalacia (PVL), multiple sclerosis (MS), ischemic stroke, traumatic brain or spinal injury, radiation necrosis, and leukodystrophies. Oligodendrocytes may also have a central role in multiple system atrophy (MSA). These topics have been extensively covered in several excellent reviews1–8 and some of the most salient points are summarized here. Oligodendrocytes originate from progenitor cells that express the NG2 (neuron glia 2) chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan and platelet-derived growth factor–α (PDGF-α) receptor in their cell membrane (figure 1). After migration, oligodendrocyte progenitor cells reach their destination and begin to differentiate; they upregulate expression of myelin proteins, increase the number and complexity of their processes, and begin to form membrane wraps around the axons.1 Figure 1 Structural organization and receptor distribution of oligodendrocytes and oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) Oligodendrocytes originate from progenitor cells that express the neuron glia 2 (NG2) chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan. Oligodendrocytes and their precursors express AMPA (α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid), kainate, and NMDA receptors for glutamate and adenosine triphosphate (ATP)–gated P2 × 7 receptors. AMPA/kainate receptors are predominantly expressed in the cell body and NMDA receptors in the myelinating processes. The AMPA, kainate, and NMDA receptors are permeable to calcium (Ca2+). The NG2+ glia include OPCs that receive excitatory and inhibitory synaptic inputs from myelinated or unmyelinated axons and extend processes to the nodes of Ranvier. Glutamate may also be released from reverse action of the excitatory amino acid transporters (EAAT) unexpressed both in the axons and …
Judges 1:1–36: The Deuteronomistic Reintroduction of the Book of Judges

In its present position within the literary structure of the Book of Judges, Judg 1:1–2:5 stands as an introduction to those events purported to have transpired following the death of Joshua (1:1a). When it is read within the context of the deuteronomistic history as a whole, however, it is apparent that such cannot be the case, since most of the narrated events in Judg 1:3–36 have already been reported in Joshua 14–19. Thus, the present introduction to the Book of Judges appears to be a secondary and somewhat awkward redactional gloss to the deuteronomic account of the era of the Judges in the period after the initial entry into the land recounted in Joshua 2–12. The separation of Judg 1:1–2:5 is based on the investigations of the literary compilation of the predeuteronomic stories of the “deliverers” and the recognition that Judg 2:6–3:6 serves as the original deuteronomic introduction to this period of Israel's history. But despite the assertions of its secondary literary nature and its numerous parallels with Joshua 14–19, Judg 1:1–36 is generally seen as a collection of miscellaneous fragments of varying dates and varying reliability which presents a partial description of the initial occupation of the land. Judg 1:1–36 stands in distinct contrast to the pan-Israelite view presented in Joshua 2–12 and is thus of historical importance for a reconstruction of the period of the settlement. In general, modern scholarship has separated the introductory section of the Book of Judges from the body of the work it serves to inaugurate in its canonical form and has insisted that this introduction has no immediate or contextual connections with the stories that follow it.
On modelling the elasto-viscoplastic response of metals using polycrystal plasticity

A constitutive framework for the elasto-viscoplastic response of metals that utilizes polycrystal plasticity is presented together with a corresponding numerical integration procedure. The single crystal equations are written in an intermediate configuration obtained by elastically unloading the deformed crystal without rotation from the current configuration to a stress-free state. The elastic strains are assumed always to be small. The accompanying numerical integration is implicit and proceeds by decoupling the volumetric and the deviatoric crystal responses. The extended Taylor hypothesis is used to relate the response of individual crystals to that of the polycrystal. Various homogeneous deformations have been simulated using the constitutive model and the integration scheme to compute the stress response and texture development. Aggregates of either face centered cubic (FCC) or hexagonal close-packed (HCP) crystals are subjected to both monotonic and non-monotonic loading histories. Numerical results demonstrate the performance of the model as well as show the stability and accuracy of the integration procedure. The present constitutive model and corresponding numerical procedures can be used to predict elastic effects (e.g. residual stresses) during the large deformation of polycrystalline materials while accounting for texture development and the associated anisotropy.
Temperature effects on neuron-based chemical sensing in well-mixed flow environments

Abstract In this paper, temperature influences on neuronal sensing properties are assessed by application of a model analyte, serotonin or 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), in a well-mixed flow environment. In addition, preliminary data are presented, comparing results is isolated cells with those of whole ganglia preparations. These studies were limited to the 20–32°C temperature range over which the VV1 and VV2 Lymnea stagnalis pond snail neurons have been shown to respond. Results show an increase in maximum firing frequency (FF) and sensitivity with temperature, thus making the operation of a practical sensor at a higher temperature, more attractive. However, the rate of desensitization also increases with temperature and, hence, the analyte must be introduced in short pulses with adequate rise times between them. Lower temperature operation, though less sensitive, may still be of some use in well-stirred geometries where concentrations change slowly. Also, at higher temperatures the FF falls to its baseline value, on initition of a rinse, more rapidly than the concentration drops to a level where we would expect a baseline response, ad this effect is most prominent at 32°C. A study of the change in action potential (AP) character with temperature shows a decrease in half width of the APs at higher temperatures so that if one assumes a corresponding decrease in the afterhyperpolarization period this would help explain the higher FF observed at higher temperatures. The inhibitory effect of 5-HT on isolated VV1 and VV2 neurons leads us to believe that the observed response is caused by synaptic inputs to the VV1 and VV2 cells, and care must be taken to preserve the synaptic network when whole tissue preparations are used for sensing.
EPR in a barium borosilicate glass containing titanium ions

EPR spectra were studied in an equimolar barium borosilicate glass containing 0 to 12 mol% titanium ions. The valence concentration ratio, defined as the ratio of the concentration of the lower valence state transition metal ion Ti3+ to the total concentration of the transition metal ion Ti3+ + Ti4+, was varied between 0.15 and 0.85 at each concentration. The spectra were studied as a function of temperature down to 15 K. A broad asymmetric absorption peak is observed with effectiveg ~ 1.938 at room temperature. This absorption is attributed to a tetragonally distorted octahedral ligand field around Ti3+ ion. Theg value decreases as the temperature decreases, with a distinct transition between 60 and 100 K. Accompanied by this decrease ing is a distinct broadening of the curves with a transition in the same transition range. These and other observations are explained in terms of a lengthening of the spin-lattice relaxation time in this transition range and this transition is analogous to the NMR motional narrowing phenomena in solids. Many observations at low temperatures suggest a non-random distribution of titanium ions in these glasses.
Optimization of Sample Introduction into Constant Temperature Graphite Furnace for Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy

Pulse introduction of a sample into a graphite furnace requires that the sample be heated rapidly enough that the evaporation time is much shorter than the retention time. To achieve that condition, in the graphite cuvette L'vov used an additional power source. In a Mass-mann-type furnace the graphite tube containing the dried sample is heated quickly by a powerful ac current to obtain the desired short evaporation time. The simplest way of sample heating is in a Woodriff constant-temperature furnace. The furnace is kept continuously at high temperature and a graphite crucible containing the dried sample is introduced into the furnace. The crucible is heated by conduction and radiation fast enough that the evaporation time is short compared to the residence time. This technique has been applied to a number of problems.
Diabetes and cardiovascular disease: focus on glucagon-like peptide-1 based therapies

Type 2 diabetes is a well known risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). While glycemic control has consistently been shown to prevent microvascular complications, large randomized trials have not demonstrated the same consistent beneficial effects of intensive glycemic control in improving cardiovascular (CV) outcomes. Thus, optimal glucose control alone is not sufficient to reduce CV risk. Aggressive management of CV risk factors such as blood pressure, lipids, and body weight is also necessary. A growing body of evidence suggests that the recently available glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor (GLP-1R) agonists have beneficial CV effects beyond glucose control. Studies have demonstrated beneficial effects in the myocardium, endothelium, vasculature and various markers of cardiovascular risk such as body weight, blood pressure and dyslipidemia. Despite the growing evidence, large, randomized, blinded clinical trials with hard CV endpoints have not been performed. Most human studies have been small, and have focused on surrogate endpoints. The findings need to be confirmed by prospective, randomized cardiovascular outcomes trials. In this review we examine the GLP-1R agonist data on weight reduction, blood pressure lowering, beneficial changes in dyslipidemia, and improvements in myocardial and endothelial function. The safety as well as potential role of these agents in treatment regimens for type 2 diabetes is also addressed.
Welfare-Enhancing Technological Change and the Growth of Obesity.

The theory explores how technological change can produce obesity as an unintended consequence of economic development, which reduces food prices and the strenuousness of work. The empirical analysis presents a specific example of how food-price declines can improve health and well-being, even in a developed country.
Sound mobility models

Simulation has become an indispensable tool in the construction and evaluation of mobile systems. By using mobility models that describe constituent movement, one can explore large systems, producing repeatable results for comparison between alternatives. Unfortunately, the vast majority of mobility models---including all those in which nodal speed and distance or destination are chosen independently---suffer from decay; average speed decreases until converging to some long-term average. Such decay provides an unsound basis for simulation studies that collect results averaged over time, complicating the experimental process.This paper shows via analysis that such decay is inevitable in a wide variety of mobility models, including the most common in use today. We derive a general framework for describing this decay, and apply it to a number of practical cases. Furthermore, this framework allows us to transform any given mobility model into a stationary one: choose initial speeds from the steady-state distribution, and subsequent speeds from the original. This transformation provides sound models for simulation, eliminating variations in average nodal speed.
The effects of task interruption and information presentation on individual decision making

Interrupted work environments are commonplace in today’s organizations. In addition, organizational work is increasingly performed using some form of computer support. Consequently, there is a need to examine how the design and delivery of information systems can help to mitigate the potentially deleterious effects of interruptions on decision-maker performance. This paper reports the results of two experiments that investigate the influence of interruptions on different types of tasks and the ability of information presentation formats to alleviate them. Interruptions were found to facilitate performance on simple tasks, while inhibiting performance on more complex tasks. Furthermore, there was some evidence that the frequency of interruptions and similarity of the content of the primary and interruption tasks also negatively influenced performance. Finally, interruptions moderated the relationship between information presentation format and specific types of tasks.
Effect of beta-alanine supplementation on the onset of blood lactate accumulation (OBLA) during treadmill running: Pre/post 2 treatment experimental design

Background β-Alanine (βA) has been shown to improve performance during cycling. This study was the first to examine the effects of βA supplementation on the onset of blood lactate accumulation (OBLA) during incremental treadmill running.
Difference in clinical implications of CD4 counts among HIV‐infected homosexual men and injection drug using men and women

While the relationship between CD4 counts and clinical symptoms is well established among homosexual men, the same is not true for injection drug using men and women (IDUM and IDUW). In this paper we investigate whether CD4 counts have the same clinical implications for IDUM and IDUW as for homosexual men. We estimated the CD4 counts at which 50 per cent of the HIV-infected but AIDS-free population has AIDS related complex (ARC) based on three biannually measured CD4 counts. The analyses involve interval, right and left censored threshold data. We took the parametric approach, assuming that the threshold values for ARC arise from a family of distributions that includes symmetric, left or right skewed distributions, in which the logistic and extreme value distributions are embedded as special cases. The resulting estimates of median thresholds of CD4 counts for ARC were 249, 424 and 755 for homosexual men, IDUM, and IDUW, respectively. The results were robust with respect to the assumptions on the underlying distribution.
The Spectrotemporal Filter Mechanism of Auditory Selective Attention

Although we have convincing evidence that attention to auditory stimuli modulates neuronal responses at or before the level of primary auditory cortex (A1), the underlying physiological mechanisms are unknown. We found that attending to rhythmic auditory streams resulted in the entrainment of ongoing oscillatory activity reflecting rhythmic excitability fluctuations in A1. Strikingly, although the rhythm of the entrained oscillations in A1 neuronal ensembles reflected the temporal structure of the attended stream, the phase depended on the attended frequency content. Counter-phase entrainment across differently tuned A1 regions resulted in both the amplification and sharpening of responses at attended time points, in essence acting as a spectrotemporal filter mechanism. Our data suggest that selective attention generates a dynamically evolving model of attended auditory stimulus streams in the form of modulatory subthreshold oscillations across tonotopically organized neuronal ensembles in A1 that enhances the representation of attended stimuli.
The Price Revolution: A Monetary Interpretation

This article presents tests of the role of money in the price revolution (1525–1618). The hypothesis is that American specie drove European prices, and that the mechanism was the quantity theory of money buttressed by the specie-flow mechanism. Specie entered Spain, increasing Spanish prices, and then spread over Western Europe as a result of the Spanish balance-of-payments deficit, enlarging European monetary bases and price levels. Empirical verification is achieved through Granger-causality tests.
Integrated magnetic array for bio-object sensing and manipulation

Magnetic molecular-level interrogation, manipulation, and diagnosis are emerging as lab-on-chip platforms. These platforms entail low-cost, low-power, portable, and high efficiency integrated implementations. We introduce an all-integrated programmable 16×16 magnetic coil array chip for sensing and actuating small single bio-objects or collaboratively manipulating larger ones. The die-size is 1.5×1.5mm2 designed in bulk 0.5μm CMOS technology. The integrated design does not require any external magnetic source. It relies on the Hall effect generated by the smallest permissible vertical coil inductors (in this reported technology, the smallest inductor's planar area is 6μmx6μm). The coil array is selectively and dynamically controlled. Each cell, composed of the coil and its logical control circuitry, can detect small objects in the order of 1μm diameter as well as emit eight programmable magnetic field levels for manipulation. All array sensing and driving components are shared to reduce the overall imprint. Also, they are tuned to work at 900MHz incorporating high-speed serial row/column switching for seamless pseudoparallel operation.
Human Freeze–Dried Dura Mater Allografts as a Periodontal Biological Bandage

Freeze–dried dura mater allografts (FDDMA) were used as a biologic bandage covering periodontal osseous defects which were grafted with autogenous bone particles. Seven consenting adult patients having multiple one–, two–, and wide three–wall periodontal osseous defects participated in the study. Four to 6 weeks following initial preparation, all defects were treated by full thickness flap surgery, debridement of defects, root planing, intramarrow penetration as needed, and autogenous bone grafts that filled the defects. Randomly selected grafted defects in each patient were then covered with FDDMA (experimental) or by the host flap (RF) (control). Periodontal dressing and systemic tetracycline (250 mg q.i.d.) were used for 7 days. Frequent maintenance was performed until re– evaluation at 6 months postsurgically. Soft tissue results showed no significant differences in initial probing pocket depths, recession, or gain of probing attachment. There was a significantly greater amount of probing pocket depth...