cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Streamline-based integration of time-lapse seismic and production data into petroleum reservoir models

ABSTRACTWe have developed an efficient approach of petroleum reservoir model calibration that integrates 4D seismic surveys together with well-production data. The approach is particularly well-suited for the calibration of high-resolution reservoir properties (permeability) because the field-scale seismic data are areally dense, whereas the production data are effectively averaged over interwell spacing. The joint calibration procedure is performed using streamline-based sensitivities derived from finite-difference flow simulation. The inverted seismic data (i.e., changes in elastic impedance or fluid saturations) are distributed as a 3D high-resolution grid cell property. The sensitivities of the seismic and production surveillance data to perturbations in absolute permeability at individual grid cells are efficiently computed via semianalytical streamline techniques. We generalize previous formulations of streamline-based seismic inversion to incorporate realistic field situations such as changing boun...
A Proposed Test Battery and Constellations of Specific Behavioral Paradigms to Investigate the Behavioral Phenotypes of Transgenic and Knockout Mice

Behavioral phenotyping of transgenic and knockout mice requires rigorous, formal analyses. Well-characterized paradigms can be chosen from the established behavioral neuroscience literature. This review describes (1) a series of neurological and neuropsychological tests which are effectively used as a first screen for behavioral abnormalities in mutant mice, and (2) a series of specific behavioral paradigms, clustered by category. Included are multiple paradigms for each category, including learning and memory, feeding, analgesia, aggression, anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, and drug abuse models. Examples are given from the experiences of the authors, in applying these experimental designs to transgenic and knockout mice. Extensive references for each behavioral paradigm are provided, to allow new investigators to access the relevant literature on behavioral methodology.
Glucagon-induced small intestinal hypotonia demonstrating bleeding lymphoma.

While a patient was being evaluated for melena, a glucagon-induced hypotonic examination of the small intestine demonstrated a small ulcerated mass in the jejunum. The tubeless hypotonic examination was performed after multiple gastrointestinal series, small intestinal series, barium enemas, and visceral arteriography—including celiac and superior mesenteric arteriograms—failed to identify a bleeding site. Surgical exploration revealed three ulcerated lymphomatous lesions in the jejunum. The lack of side effects, rapidity of onset, and shortness of duration of intravenous glucagon suggest that this type of hypotonic examination of the small intestine may prove useful as an adjunct to the small intestinal series.
Ultra–low-dose Protocol for CT-guided Lung Biopsies

Abstract Purpose Computed tomography (CT) scans are a significant source of radiation to patients. It was hypothesized that technical success and complication rates would not be significantly changed by radically lowering the CT dose during lung biopsies with an ultra–low-dose (ULD) protocol. Materials and Methods A total of 100 consecutive patients aged 11–89 years who underwent biopsies of lung lesions were evaluated. Technical parameters were altered halfway through the study from the standard dose (140 kV localizing/100 kV subsequent guiding scans with auto-mA) to a ULD protocol (100 kV, 7.5 mAs) as part of a quality initiative. ULD studies were evaluated subjectively for image quality on a five-point scale. Patients' body mass indexes, total estimated radiation doses (dose–length product), technical success rates, and complications were compared between the standard-dose and the ULD groups. Results Average radiation dose was reduced from 677.5 mGy·cm for the standard-dose group to 18.3 mGy·cm for the ULD group ( P P = .715). Technical success rates of 92% and 98% were obtained in the ULD and standard dose groups, respectively ( P = .362). Conclusions Radiation dose to the chest during CT-guided percutaneous lung biopsies is reduced greater than 95% versus a standard protocol through the use of a ULD CT protocol without decreasing technical success or patient safety.
The SMC proteins and the coming of age of the chromosome scaffold hypothesis

The mechanism of chromosome condensation is one of the classic mysteries of mitosis. A number of years ago, it was suggested that nonhistone proteins of the chromosome scaffold fraction might help chromosomes to condense, possibly by constructing a framework for the condensed structure. Recent results have shown that topoisomerase II and the SMC proteins, two abundant members of the scaffold fraction, are required for chromosome condensation and segregation during mitosis. Topoisomerase II is a well-characterized enzyme. In contrast, nothing is yet known about the function of the SMC proteins. We summarize evidence suggesting that these proteins may be enzymes whose activity is somehow involved in the establishment and maintenance of mitotic chromosome morphology.
Dominance and social foraging: a laboratory study

Analysis of an asymmetric two-player game, in which a dominant forager and a subordinate individual each choose between two patches of food, suggested conditions that might induce solitary or social foraging. To investigate the game's predictive value, pairs of juncos, Junco hyemalis, were exposed to particular combinations of food density and dispersion in an aviary. Estimated feeding rates were taken as payoffs in the patch-use game. Solutions to the game indicated reasonable interpretations of (1) the transition rates between the various states of the system, (2) the amounts of time spent feeding socially and as solitaries, (3) the transition probabilities estimated from the observed sequence of states, and (4) the number of occurrences of each state. Subordinate birds terminated bouts of social foraging significantly more often than dominant birds, but subordinates did so at a slower rate when the game suggested stability for social foraging. Dominat birds followed subordinates and initiated significantly more than half of the bouts of social foraging. In general, the statistical pattern in the sequence of states did not change with variation in the density or degree of clumping of the food, but the amount of time spent feeding in the social states did depend on food availability and feeding rates.
Application of tetramer technology in studies on autoimmune diseases

Autoreactive T cells are thought to play a role in the immunopathogenesis of autoimmune diseases. Analysis of such cells had long been hampered by lack of suitable assays. Recently developed tetramer technology is based on the recognition of specific peptide-MHC complex by T cell receptor and on the increased binding affinity of multimerized peptide-MHC complex. MHC class I and class II tetramers can be used to detect autoreactive CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells, while nonclassical MHC (such as CD1d) tetramer can be used to detect other T cell groups, for example natural killer T cells. Tetramer technologies enable direct quantitation of autoreactive T cells in blood and affected tissues. It is also possible to carry out phenotypic and functional characterization of specific T cells on a single cell basis by using tetramers. Of special interest, in situ tetramer staining has the great potential of analyzing autoreactive T cells in their cellular environments. Utilization of tetramers in studies of autoreactive T cells is expected to generate important information regarding the role of such cells in the underlying mechanisms of autoimmune diseases.
A novel method of applying finite element method to open region problems: Electrostatic case

Finite Element/Finite Difference Techniques for solution of differential form of Maxwell's equation are well known. However, when applied to open region problems, the termination of the mesh at the finite distance from the object generally poses problems. In this work, while utilizing the finite element technique to open region problems, the mesh is terminated close to the object using a truncation condition based on MEI (Measured Equation Invariance) concept. The MEI concept is based on the integral equation solution approach using Green's functions which automatically enforce the radiation condition. Utilizing this novel approach leads to an increased computational efficiency of the finite element method. The major advantages of the present scheme are significant reduction in the number of unknowns yet retaining the sparsity of the generating matrix. Typical numerical results are presented for the solution of Laplace's Equation to illustrate the accuracy of the technique.
Stent-Graft Displacement during TIPS Reintervention.

Stent grafts have become the preferred endoprosthesis for transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunting (TIPS), replacing the uncovered stents that first enabled this procedure to be widely performed. Few complications associated with reintervention on stent-grafts have been reported to date.
Child panic revisited.

Abstract Childhood panic attacks and panic disorder were assessed retrospectively in adult anxiety clinic patients (N = 343) and their adult relatives (N = 560). Only nine (1%) of the 903 subjects were judged to have experienced spontaneous panic attacks before age 13 by clinically trained interviewers. The narrative summaries of these cases were reviewed, and only three of nine provided convincing descriptions of spontaneous panic attacks in childhood. The authors conclude that prepubertal spontaneous panic attacks are rare, and that retrospective assessments of panic phenomena are difficult, even among adequately trained mental health professionals. J. Am. Acad. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry, 1992, 31, 1:112–116.
DO SOURCE-SINK DYNAMICS PROMOTE THE SPREAD OF AN INVASIVE GRASS INTO A NOVEL HABITAT?

Models of source-sink and other spatial patch dynamics have generated a number of ideas and predictions about species range expansion, the evolution of local adaptation, and the factors influencing population persistence, but relatively few empirical studies have applied these ideas due to the difficulty of measuring both patch-specific demography and movement rates. In this study, I used a combination of mark-recapture experiments, model fitting, and demographic approaches to ask how habitat-specific differences in population growth and dispersal affect spread of the invasive grass Aegilops triuncialis into serpentine environments. A. triuncialis germinated at lower rates but exhibited equivalent survival and greater growth in edge (extreme serpentine) than in core populations, even accounting for density differences between habitats. Estimated growth rates (lambda) for four of five edge subpopulations were strongly positive, ranging from lambda = 1.32 to 2.09 without propagule input from adjacent habitat. Local dispersal was best described by an exponential kernel, with a mean dispersal distance about twice as long on the edge (0.24-0.40 m) as in the core (0.18 m). Twenty-five percent of marked spikes in the edge were not relocated within the patch, suggesting greater rates of either seed predation or long-distance dispersal that reduced population growth. These results suggest that A. triuncialis can successfully spread into extreme serpentine habitats without sustained propagule input from adjacent populations. Further, asymmetric dispersal that may be both habitat- and density-dependent could slow growth rates on the edge. This pattern may also increase the importance of harsh edge patches as a source of long-distance dispersers.
Popliteus bypass and popliteofibular ligament reconstructions reduce posterior tibial translations and forces in a posterior cruciate ligament graft.

Purpose: To measure the abilities of popliteus tendon (POP) and popliteofibular ligament (PFL) graft reconstructions to limit posterior tibial translations and alter forces in a PCL graft reconstruction after posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) and lateral collateral ligament (LCL) reconstruction. Methods: Fifteen fresh frozen cadaveric knees underwent anterior-posterior (AP) laxity testing with 200 N of applied anterior and posterior tibial force. Forces in the native PCL were recorded during passive extension from 120° to 0° with an applied 100-N posterior tibial force. The popliteus tendon was released at its femoral origin, the PFL and LCL were cut, and the PCL was sectioned, creating a combined grade 3 PCL and posterolateral corner injury. The PCL was reconstructed with a single-bundle inlay graft tensioned to restore intact knee laxity to within 1 mm at 90°, and the LCL was reconstructed with an anatomically placed graft. Testing was repeated with POP and PFL posterolateral reconstructions in addition to the PCL and LCL reconstructions. Results: PCL + LCL grafts alone matched intact knee laxities between 20° and 90° of flexion; mean laxity was 3.5 mm greater than intact at 0° and 2.2 mm greater at 10°. The addition of a POP reconstruction to PCL + LCL reconstructions significantly reduced AP laxities from −2.4 mm (0° flexion) to −1.4 mm (90° flexion). Mean laxities with POP and PFL grafts were not significantly different from the intact knee or from each other. Mean PCL graft forces with the PCL + LCL reconstructions alone were not significantly different than those with the native PCL. Mean PCL graft forces with POP and PFL reconstructions were not significantly different from each other; both means were significantly less than those for the PCL + LCL reconstructions alone at flexion angles greater than 55°. Conclusions: After PCL and LCL reconstruction, the popliteus bypass and popliteofibular ligament reconstructions not only eliminated excessive posterior laxity and returned the knee to a normal laxity profile but also resulted in substantial decreases in PCL graft forces. Clinical Relevance: These results provide further rationale for reconstructing torn posterolateral structures with a grade 3 posterolateral injury in combination with a PCL reconstruction.
Micromechanics-based variational estimates for a higher-order nonlocal constitutive equation and optimal choice of effective moduli for elastic composites

Abstract A generalization of the Hashin–Shtrikman variational formulation to random composites, due to J.R. Willis, is employed to derive micromechanics-based variational estimates for a higher-order nonlocal constitutive equation relating the ensemble averages of stress and strain, for a class of random linear elastic composite materials. We analyze two-phase composites with any isotropic and statistically uniform distribution of phases (which themselves may have arbitrary shape and anisotropy), within a formulation accounting for one- and two-point probabilities, and derive an explicit nonlocal constitutive equation that includes terms up through the fourth gradient of average strain. The analysis is carried out first for an arbitrary comparison medium. Then, a new approach is outlined and applied which employs the nonlocal correction to determine the optimal choice of comparison medium, and hence the optimal effective modulus tensor (as well as the optimal tensor coefficients of the nonlocal terms) for the amount of statistical information employed. The new higher order analysis provides a highly accurate nonlocal constitutive equation, valid down to quite small volume size scales and to rather strong variations of average strain with position. Among several applications illustrated, it permits accurate analytical assessment of the remarkably small predictions derived by Drugan and Willis (1996. Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids 44, 497–524) of the minimum representative volume element (RVE) size needed for accuracy of the standard constant-effective-modulus macroscopic constitutive equation for elastic matrix-inclusion composites that have spherical inclusions/voids. It also affords an analytical assessment of the improved (i.e., reduced) minimum RVE size scale, compared to a standard constant-effective-modulus constitutive equation, to which the leading-order nonlocal constitutive equation derived by Drugan and Willis applies. This improvement is shown to be dramatic in some example cases.
The Colonial State, Migration, and Diasporic Nationhood in Korea

Studies of European colonialism have long documented how colonial states served as incubators of nationhood, yet the literature has limited its analytic scope largely to the encounters and ethnic mixings that took place within the territorial boundaries of colonies. This article examines a hitherto understudied phenomenon, the colonial state's trans-border engagement with its subjects who left the territorial unit of the colony and its impact on the contested development of diasporic nationhood. My empirical focus is the shifting trajectories of the classification struggles over Korean migrants in Manchuria during Japan's occupation of Korea. I identify the tumultuous and uneven development of specific legal, organizational, and bureaucratic infrastructures that helped the colonial state extend its trans-border reach and define and identify these migrants as “its own,” often against suspicion, sabotage, hostility, and resistance on the part of other states, indigenous populations, or migrants themselves. I argue that the colonial state's extensive and intensive transborder engagement provided a critical institutional scaffolding for the imagined community of the Korean nation, which came to be conceived as transcending the geographical boundary of the colony. This article contributes to the comparative studies of empire, migration, diaspora, and nationhood formation by challenging the prevalent sedentary bias of the existing literature, by elucidating the critical infrastructural underpinning of the formation of diasporic nationhood, and by extending the horizon of comparison to the political dynamics and long-term ramifications engendered by the migration of, not only metropolitan settlers, but also colonial subjects, within and beyond the ambit of the empire.
Does FDI Facilitate Domestic Entry? Evidence from the Czech Republic

This paper analyzes the impact of FDI on domestic firm entry and firm size distributions in the Czech Republic during 1994–2000. We find that larger foreign presence stimulates the entry of domestic firms within the same industry, indicating the existence of positive horizontal spillovers from FDI. We also find evidence of significant vertical entry spillovers—FDI in downstream (upstream) industries initiates entry in upstream (downstream) sectors. Our results also show that entry spillovers through vertical linkages are stronger than horizontal spillovers and that while service industries benefit from both horizontal and vertical spillovers, manufacturing industries do not experience significant positive entry spillovers of any kind. We also find that country of origin of FDI matters—horizontal spillovers are driven by FDI from the EU countries. The right skewness of the firm size distributions in industries without FDI further emphasizes an important role of FDI presence for overall industry dynamics.
Infrared Microscopy for In Situ Measurement of Protein Secondary Structure during Freezing and Freeze-Drying

A commercially available freeze-dry microscopy stage interfaced with an IR microscope is described as a method of in situ measurement of protein secondary structure in the liquid, frozen and freeze-dried states. Studies using solutions of model proteins demonstrated that spectra collected using the IR microscope have resolution and sensitivity that is comparable to techniques using a conventional infrared spectrometer. Additionally, spectra collected in triplicate on the microscope in the solution, frozen, and freeze-dried states and after reconstitution were shown to be reproducible. The limiting factor when collecting spectra on the infrared microscope appears to be the higher level of water vapor inherently present within the optical path of the microscope used in this study. Results demonstrate that the native secondary structure is perturbed in both the frozen and freeze-dried states, and bands characteristic of structural changes associated with freezing and drying stresses were observed in the Amide I region. Freeze-drying studies conducted in the presence of mannitol and sucrose demonstrated that perturbation to the native state secondary structure after freeze-drying was considerably reduced in the presence of these excipients.
Agent Infrastructure for Distributed Control and Interoperability

We are interested in providing an agent infrastructure for truly distributed control. Requirements include multiple language implementations so that this agent host environment can exist in both real-time controllers and Java-based devices, and the ability to operate with external agent systems. Our first infrastructure, the Autonomous Cooperative System (ACS), accomplished these goals, but presented other issues. Although ACS has been successfully deployed on commercial controllers, new releases of controllers will cause complications in the evolution of the software and adoption of future functionality. We need to establish a formal integration procedure of the agent functionality with the controllers and to transform the underlying system into a fully integrated and open heterogeneous system. This challenge implies changes to the controllers for the creation of the agents and changes that would radically affect the agent core. In this document, we discuss the requirements and results of that transformation.
Where Have All the Toxic Chemicals Gone?a

Many municipal, industrial, domestic and farm water supplies throughout the country are derived from wells tapping shallow aquifers that have a high contamination potential from surface derived sources. Unfortunately, water samples from most of these wells are not analyzed on a regular basis even for bacteria or simple chemical pollutants such as nitrate. Practically none of them are routinely checked for more serious contaminants such as viruses, weed killers, pesticides, trace metals, and an almost countless number of toxic chemical compounds commonly used in our environment and eventually discarded in garbage dumps, waste-burial grounds, or disposal wells. Because of this, the possibility of serious ground-water contamination often is not discovered until a high degree of contamination is present. Microorganisms contained in water may be effectively removed by filtration in a short distance of travel through fine-grained earth materials. However, most toxic chemical compounds are not. Instead, these are carried by precipitation recharge to surficial ground-water reservoirs. After entry such contaminants move downgradient through the aquifer materials, usually at rates of only a few feet per year with little if any dilution, to natural discharge points such as streams, lakes and swamps, or to pumping wells. Ground-water contamination occurrences from nitrate, arsenic, chromate, cadmium, chlorinated hydrocarbons, and a large number of other toxic chemicals are increasing. These show that a serious threat to public health may be imminent unless all surficial and underground disposal sites of toxic chemicals are located, the extent and magnitude of ground-water contamination from each site evaluated, and corrective measures applied where necessary.
Extraction and localization of mesoscopic motor control signals for human ECoG neuroprosthetics.

Abstract Electrocorticogram (ECoG) recordings for neuroprosthetics provide a mesoscopic level of abstraction of brain function between microwire single neuron recordings and the electroencephalogram (EEG). Single-trial ECoG neural interfaces require appropriate feature extraction and signal processing methods to identify and model in real-time signatures of motor events in spontaneous brain activity. Here, we develop the clinical experimental paradigm and analysis tools to record broadband (1 Hz to 6 kHz) ECoG from patients participating in a reaching and pointing task. Motivated by the significant role of amplitude modulated rate coding in extracellular spike based brain–machine interfaces (BMIs), we develop methods to quantify spatio-temporal intermittent increased ECoG voltages to determine if they provide viable control inputs for ECoG neural interfaces. This study seeks to explore preprocessing modalities that emphasize amplitude modulation across frequencies and channels in the ECoG above the level of noisy background fluctuations in order to derive the commands for complex, continuous control tasks. Preliminary experiments show that it is possible to derive online predictive models and spatially localize the generation of commands in the cortex for motor tasks using amplitude modulated ECoG.
Collaborative User-Centric Lambda-Grid over Wavelength-Routed Network

Emerging lambda-Grid systems employ wavelength-routed network with optical switches to enable dynamic on-demand lightpaths with multi-gigabit rate bandwidth to interconnect shared computing clusters of user domains. User-centric lambda-Grid systems enable user domains to act as distributed connectivity providers of shared wavelength resources; and as distributed network control service providers of brokering shared wavelength resources and of provisioning scheduled lightpaths. To support user-centric lambda-Grid systems, the proposed Dynamic User-centric Switched Optical Network (DUSON) architecture employs an Intelligent Control Service Proxy (ICSP) at each user domain to support wavelength connectivity brokerage and lightpath provisioning/restoration middleware for user applications to control on-demand lightpaths. Furthermore, ICSP employs the proposed Robust Fast Optical Reservation Protocol (RFORP) during lightpath provisioning/restoration to minimize wavelength reservation blocking and delay via localized rerouting and parallel concurrent wavelength reservation processing respectively.
Interactions between ρ and γ2 subunits of the GABA receptor

The gamma-aminobutyric acid type C (GABA(C)) receptor is a ligand-gated chloride channel with distinct physiological and pharmacological properties. Although the exact subunit composition of native GABA(C) receptors has yet to be firmly established, there is general agreement that GABA rho subunits participate in their formation. Recent studies on white perch suggest that certain GABA rho subunits can co-assemble with the GABA(A) receptor gamma2 subunit to form a heteromeric receptor with electrophysiological properties that correspond more closely to the native GABA(C) receptor on retinal neurons than any of the homomeric rho receptors. In the present study we examined the interactions among various perch GABA rho and gamma2 subunits. When co-expressed in Xenopus oocytes, the gamma2 subunit co-immunoprecipitated with Flag-tagged perch rho1A, rho1B, and rho2B subunits, but not with the Flag-tagged perch rho2A subunit. Immunocytochemical studies indicated that the membrane surface expression of the gamma2 subunit was detected only when it was co-expressed with perch rho1A, rho1B, or rho2B subunit, but not with the perch rho2A subunit or when expressed alone. In addition, co-immunoprecipitation of perch rho1B and gamma2 subunits was also detected in protein samples of the teleost retina. Taken together, these findings suggest that a heteromeric rho(gamma2) receptor could represent one form of GABA(C) receptor on retinal neurons.
Recovery of ambulation during inpatient rehabilitation: physical therapist prognosis for children and adolescents with traumatic brain injury.

Background and Purpose. Evidence to guide physical therapist prognosis for recovery of the ability to ambulate in children and adolescents with traumatic brain injury (TBI) is limited. The aim of this study was to delineate a predictive model and determine the value of key demographic and clinical variables in establishing a prognosis for ambulation without the assistance of a device or person over 15.24 m on a flat, level surface following inpatient rehabilitation. Subjects and Methods. For this retrospective study, a consecutive series of 95 children and adolescents with TBI (aged 2–18 years) admitted to an inpatient rehabilitation program was assessed using information from medical records. A multiple logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify predictors for ambulation at the time of discharge from the rehabilitation setting. Results. Fifty-six percent of the children achieved ambulation at discharge. Lower-extremity hypertonicity (measured on physical therapist examination as resistance to passive stretch), brain injury severity, and lower-extremity injury together were predictors of the ability to ambulate. Discussion and Conclusion. Impairment and injury-related variables were important in predicting a minimal level of unassisted ambulation after discharge from inpatient rehabilitation. Awareness of predictors of recovery of the ability to ambulate that are gathered as part of a physical therapist's examination may assist in developing a prognosis for ambulation and in establishment of an appropriate plan of care.
Transforming Growth Factor-β Stimulates Meiotic Maturation of the Rat Oocyte

The effect of transforming growth factor-beta (TGF beta) on meiotic maturation was analyzed in oocytes from immature rats treated with PMSG. TGF beta accelerated the maturation of both follicle-enclosed oocytes and cumulus-oocyte complexes, as measured by an increase in the percentage of oocytes with germinal vesicle breakdown. Concentrations of the growth factor as low as 1 pM (25 pg/ml) increased oocyte maturation by 50% above control values, and 100 pM TGF beta caused a maximal 2-fold rise in the maturation rate. Germinal vesicle breakdown was significantly increased by TGF beta during the first 4 h of incubation, and stimulatory effects were observed as early as 1 h. However, by 8 h over 90% of the oocytes showed maturation in the absence or presence of TGF beta, indicating that the growth factor enhanced the spontaneous rate of oocyte development. TGF beta had no effect in denuded oocytes, demonstrating that the growth factor altered maturation through an action on the surrounding cumulus cells. Oocyte maturation was not accelerated by TGF beta in the presence of inhibitors of germinal vesicle breakdown, such as cAMP and hypoxanthine. Other growth factors, including IGF-I (50 ng/ml) and IGF-II (50 ng/ml), also stimulated oocyte maturation, while platelet-derived growth factor (100 ng/ml) and insulin (1 microgram/ml) had minimal effects on germinal vesicle breakdown. Although epidermal growth factor (EGF; 100 ng/ml) also increased the maturation of oocytes, lower concentrations of TGF beta (1-10 pM) suppressed EGF action by up to 30%. TGF beta, EGF, and insulin-like growth factors had minimal effects on cAMP production by cumulus-oocyte complexes. These results demonstrate that TGF beta and other growth factors are potent in vitro stimulators of oocyte maturation in the rat. Such effects of growth factors in vivo, in the presence of endogenous follicular factors and gonadotropic hormones, may regulate the selection and meiotic maturation of oocytes during follicular development. The rapidity of growth factor action in the oocyte provides a defined model to study signal transduction pathways of growth factors in relationship to their biological activity.
Erratum to: Nutritional vitamin D supplementation and health-related outcomes in hemodialysis patients: a protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis

The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in hemodialysis patients is high. While most hemodialysis patients are treated with activated vitamin D (1,25[OH] 2 D) to prevent renal osteodystrophy, clinical practices of the screening and treatment of 25(OH) 2 D deficiency are highly variable. It is unclear if nutritional vitamin D supplementation with D2 or D3 provides an additional clinical benefit beyond that provided by activated vitamin D treatment in this population.
An 'e-Nudge' electronic reminder system that highlights individuals at raised cardiovascular risk encourages GPs to improve the collection of patient cardiovascular risk factor data.

Commentary on: TA Holt, M Thorogood, F Griffiths, et al.. Automated electronic reminders to facilitate primary cardiovascular disease prevention: randomised controlled trial. Br J Gen Pract2010;60:e137–43.
Earliest Recollections of Self and Others in European American and Taiwanese Young Adults

This study examined the age and content of earliest childhood memories of self and others. European American and Taiwanese participants (N= 111) retrieved their earliest memories in response to the cue words self, mother, family, friend, and surroundings. Memory for mother was from an earlier age than memory for self, and memories for mother, family, and friend were more socially oriented in content than memories for self or surroundings. In addition, in response to all cue words, Euro-Americans recalled memories from an earlier age than did Taiwanese. Euro-Americans also had a greater tendency to report memories of specific events and focused more on their own roles and autonomy than did Taiwanese, who more often described routine events and emphasized the roles of others. These findings have important implications for infantile amnesia and the memory-self interplay.
Molecular tagging velocimetry and thermometry and its application to the wake of a heated circular cylinder

We report improvements to the molecular tagging velocimetry and thermometry (MTV&T) technique for the simultaneous measurement of velocity and temperature fields in fluid flows. A phosphorescent molecule, which can be turned into a long lifetime tracer upon excitation by photons of appropriate wavelength, is used as a tracer for both velocity and temperature measurements. A pulsed laser is used to 'tag' the regions of interest, and those tagged regions are imaged at two successive times within the lifetime of the tracer molecules. The measured Lagrangian displacement of the tagged molecules provides the estimate of the fluid velocity vector. The simultaneous temperature measurement is achieved by taking advantage of the temperature dependence of phosphorescence lifetime, which is estimated from the intensity ratio of the tagged molecules in the two images. In relation to the original molecular tagging thermometry work of Thompson and Maynes (2001 J. Fluid Eng. 123 293–302), the improvements reported here are the use of lifetime imaging as a ratiometric method to enhance the robustness and accuracy of temperature measurements and the extension of the technique to simultaneous whole-field planar mapping of velocity and temperature fields. Compared with other simultaneous velocity and temperature measurement techniques such as combined PIV-LIF (Sakakibara et al 1997 Int. J. Heat Mass Transfer 40 3163–76, Grissino et al 1999 Proc. 3rd Int. Workshop on Particale Image Velocimetry (Santa Barbara, CA, USA, 16–18 September 1999)) and the DPIV/T technique (Park et al 2001 Exp. Fluids 30 327–38), this method accomplishes the same objectives but with a completely molecular-based approach. Because of its molecular nature, issues such as tracking of the flow by the seed particles and the thermal response of the thermal tracer particles are eliminated. In addition, the use of a single molecular tracer and a dual-frame CCD camera provides for a much reduced burden on the instrumentation and experimental set-up. The implementation and application of the new technique are demonstrated by conducting simultaneous velocity and temperature measurements in the wake region of a heated circular cylinder at a Richardson number of 0.36, a value large enough for the buoyancy effects to potentially influence the flow.
Mortality in Individuals With Severe Deficiency of α1-Antitrypsin: Findings From the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Registry

Study objective To clarify the mortality rate and causes of death of individuals with α 1 -antitrypsin (AAT) deficiency, the Death Review Committee (DRC) of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Registry of Individuals with Severe AAT Deficiency reviewed all available medical records regarding the deaths of study subjects during Registry follow-up (up to 7.2 years) Methods Individual determinations by each member of the three-person DRC led to consensus judgments regarding the underlying cause and the immediate and contributing causes of death Results Of the 1,129 Registry subjects, 204 died (18.1%) [approximately 3%/yr]. Record availability permitted detailed review in 120 decedents, and death certificates were available in 56 of the remaining 84 subjects (67%). Emphysema and cirrhosis were the most common underlying causes of death (72% and 10%, respectively), with malignancy and diverticulitis accounting for 3% of deaths each. To assess attributable mortality, standardized mortality ratio analysis was performed and indicated that excess mortality was ascribable entirely to lung and liver disease Conclusions We conclude that severe AAT deficiency poses a significant threat to health, that severe airflow obstruction is a major determinant of mortality, and that liver and lung disease account for the excess mortality in affected individuals. These findings support current efforts to enhance diagnostic recognition and treatment of AAT-deficient individuals
AN ADMITTANCE GLOVE MECHANISM FOR CONTROLLING A MOBILE ROBOT

This paper presents a bidirectional teleoperation admittance haptic glove (RML glove) which can be used to control mobile robots. The glove receives information from the environment and the internal status of the mobile robot, and generates a force feedback to the operator through the wireless module which in return communicates command signals to the robot. This haptic device is a lightweight and portable actuator system that fits on bare hands, and adds a haptic sense of force feedback to all fingers without constraining their natural movement. An embedded lead screw mechanism provides force feedback that ranges from zero up to 35 N for each finger. Based on this force feedback, the operator can feel what the robot feels (e.g., link torque amount and distance to an obstacle) which enables a smoother and safer human-control of the robot. To evaluate the performance of the haptic glove, a master-slave control experiment based on force feedback between the glove and the mobile robot is conducted. The results demonstrate that the proposed admittance glove can augment tele-presence.
Public Health Surveillance for Suspected Smallpox in the United States, 2003–2005: Results of a National Survey

In 2005, a Web-based survey of chief epidemiologists of 50 states, the District of Columbia, 9 large cities, and 8 territories examined the status of US smallpox surveillance after the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists recommended that smallpox be reportable. Of 55 respondents, 95% reported state or territory laws or regulations governing smallpox reporting; 70% of states required laboratories to report variola virus. All respondents could investigate reported suspected patients; 70%-89% would investigate initially by telephone or fax. In 2004, 11 states reported 33 patients suspected of having smallpox. Reports were more likely in states that provided >/=2 educational and training sessions (67% vs. 21%; prevalence odds ratio, 7.60; 95% confidence interval, 1.07-60.45). The goal is a public health surveillance system in which all states, cities, and territories can detect and manage suspected smallpox cases urgently and in which overall surveillance for other infectious diseases is strengthened.
Exogenous kisspeptin administration as a probe of GnRH neuronal function in patients with idiopathic hypogonadotropic hypogonadism.

Context: Idiopathic hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (IHH) results from defective synthesis, secretion, or action of GnRH. Kisspeptin is a potent stimulus for GnRH secretion. Objective: We probed the functional capacity of the GnRH neuronal network in patients with IHH. Participants: Eleven subjects with congenital IHH (9 men and 2 women) and one male subject who underwent reversal of IHH were studied. Six of the twelve subjects had an identified genetic cause of their IHH: KAL1 (n = 1), FGFR1 (n = 3), PROKR2 (n = 1), GNRHR (n = 1). Intervention: Subjects underwent q10 min blood sampling to measure GnRH-induced LH secretion at baseline and in response to intravenous boluses of kisspeptin (0.24 nmol/kg) and GnRH (75 ng/kg) both pre- and post-six days of treatment with exogenous GnRH (25 ng/kg sc every 2 h). Results: All subjects with abiding IHH failed to demonstrate a GnRH-induced LH response to exogenous kisspeptin. In contrast, the subject who achieved reversal of his hypogonadotropism demonstrated a robus...
Further Evaluation of the Children's Hope Scale

Two studies addressed the psychometric properties of the Children's Hope Scale (CHS; Snyder et al., 1997). A sample of 460 high school students was administered the CHS along with measures of life ...
Thermal hydraulic design of a hydride-fueled inverted PWR core

Abstract An inverted PWR core design utilizing U(45%, w/o)ZrH 1.6 fuel (here referred to as U–ZrH 1.6 ) is proposed and its thermal hydraulic performance is compared to that of a standard rod bundle core design also fueled with U–ZrH 1.6 . The inverted design features circular cooling channels surrounded by prisms of fuel. Hence the relative position of coolant and fuel is inverted with respect to the standard rod bundle design. Inverted core designs with and without twisted tape inserts, used to enhance critical heat flux, were analyzed. It was found that higher power and longer cycle length can be concurrently achieved by the inverted core with twisted tape relative to the optimal standard core, provided that higher core pressure drop can be accommodated. The optimal power of the inverted design with twisted tape is 6869 MW t , which is 135% of the optimally powered standard design (5080 MW t —determined herein). Uncertainties in this design regarding fuel and clad dimensions needed to accommodate mechanical loads and fuel swelling are presented. If mechanical and neutronic feasibility of these designs can be confirmed, these thermal assessments imply significant economic advantages for inverted core designs.
Low-Level Wind and Moisture Variations Preceding and Following Hailstorms in Northest Colorado

Abstract The evolution of the mean low-level environmental wind and moisture content at Sterling, Colorado, on days preceding, during and following hail episodes has been determined from National Hail Research Experiment soundings. Results show marked development of shallow easterlies during had days compared to mean westerlies on no-hail days. Southerly wind components increase for thundershower and bag days as early as 24–36 h prior to the event, compared to little change during no-hail periods. Moisture content increases am in concert with increasing southerly and easterly winds. Southerly winds diminish or become northerly during the 12–24 h after the hailfall event. An example of evolving low-level wind and moisture content accompanying a notable hail outbreak–including the Fleming storm–is presented.
Now Hiring! Empirically Testing a Three-Step Intervention to Increase Faculty Gender Diversity in STEM

Workforce homogeneity limits creativity, discovery, and job satisfaction; nonetheless, the vast majority of university faculty in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields are men. We conducted a randomized and controlled three-step faculty search intervention based in self-determination theory aimed at increasing the number of women faculty in STEM at one US university where increasing diversity had historically proved elusive. Results show that the numbers of women candidates considered for and offered tenure-track positions were significantly higher in the intervention groups compared with those in controls. Searches in the intervention were 6.3 times more likely to make an offer to a woman candidate, and women who were made an offer were 5.8 times more likely to accept the offer from an intervention search. Although the focus was on increasing women faculty within STEM, the intervention can be adapted to other scientific and academic communities to advance diversity along any dimension.
Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Activation Inhibits Regenerative Growth

There is considerable literature supporting the conclusion that inappropriate activation of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) alters cellular signaling. We have established previously that fin regeneration is specifically inhibited by 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) in adult zebrafish and have used this in vivo endpoint to evaluate interactions between AHR and growth-controlling pathways. Because there are experimental limitations in studying regeneration in adult animals, we have developed a larval model to evaluate the effect of AHR activation on tissue regeneration. Two-day-old zebrafish regenerate their amputated caudal fins within 3 days. Here, we demonstrate that TCDD specifically blocks regenerative growth in larvae. The AHR pathway in zebrafish is considerably more complex than in mammals, with at least three zebrafish AHR genes (zfAHR1a, zfAHR1b, and zfAHR2) and two ARNT genes (zfARNT1 and zfARNT2). Although it was presumed that the block in regeneration was mediated by AHR activation, it had not been experimentally demonstrated. Using antisense morpholinos and mutant fish lines, we report that zfAHR2 and zfARNT1 are the in vivo dimerization partners that are required for inhibition of regeneration by TCDD. Several pathways including fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signaling are essential for fin regeneration. Even though impaired FGF signaling and TCDD exposure both inhibit fin regeneration, their morphometric response is distinct, suggesting that the mechanisms of impairment are different. With the plethora of molecular and genetic techniques that can be applied to larval-stage embryos, this in vivo regeneration system can be further exploited to understand cross-talk between AHR and other signaling pathways.
The Evidence for Climate Change

The following two graphs have served as icons to raise public consciousness of climate change caused by man’s activities. The first (Fig.1.1) shows the meticulous measurements of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, taken on Mauna Loa in Hawaii, by Charles D. Keeling over 47 years from 1958 to his death in 2005. A continuous increase can be seen from 315 ppm (parts per million) to 380 ppm. The data are precise enough to show the very regular seasonal variations occurring every year.
Theory of Luminescence in the Three-Level System with Extension to the Multistate Problem by Transform Methods

In this paper we briefly address two current issues in resonance Raman theory. One concerns the general question of the “redistribution” of emission that can drastically alter the lineshape of Raman emission even in a simple system, depending on experimental conditions. The other concerns frequency domain transform methods (or their time-domain equivalents,including wave-packet propagation) which apply only to electronically resonant vibrational Raman scattering at a (quasi) adiabatic level and in the absence of any elastic (pure-dephasing) system-bath interactions.