cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Analysis of kinetics of dihydroethidium fluorescence with superoxide using xanthine oxidase and hypoxanthine assay.

Superoxide (O2−) is an important reactive oxygen species (ROS), and has an essential role in physiology and pathophysiology. An accurate detection of O2− is needed to better understand numerous vascular pathologies. In this study, we performed a mechanistic study by using the xanthine oxidase (XOD)/hypoxanthine (HX) assay for O2− generation and a O2− sensitive fluorescent dye dihydroethidium (DHE) for O2− measurement. To quantify O2− and DHE interactions, we measured fluorescence using a microplate reader. We conducted a detailed reaction kinetic analysis for DHE–O2− interaction to understand the effect of O2− self-dismutation and to quantify DHE–O2− reaction rate. Fluorescence of DHE and 2-hydroethidium (EOH), a product of DHE and O2− interaction, were dependent on reaction conditions. Kinetic analysis resulted in a reaction rate constant of 2.169 ± 0.059 × 103 M−1 s−1 for DHE–O2− reaction that is ~100× slower than the reported value of 2.6 ± 0.6 × 105 M−1 s−1. In addition, the O2− self-dismutation has significant effect on DHE–O2− interaction. A slower reaction rate of DHE with O2− is more reasonable for O2− measurements. In this manner, the DHE is not competing with superoxide dismutase and NO for O2−. Results suggest that an accurate measurement of O2− production rate may be difficult due to competitive interference for many factors; however O2− concentration may be quantified.
A Visualization of the Global Dynamic Tropopause

Abstract A 20–yr loop of the global tropopause, defined in terms of potential vorticity (PV), is constructed using the NCEP–NCAR reanalysis dataset. This method of visualizing observed upper–tropospheric dynamics is useful for studying a wide range of phenomena. Examples are given of the structure of jet streams and planetary–scale tropopause folds, the propagation of a high–amplitude Rossby wave packet partway around a hemisphere, several subtropical wave breaking events, the similarities between exceptional cases of rapid cyclogenesis, favorable regions for cross–equatorial propagation of Rossby waves, the annual cycle of the tropical tropopause, the structure of the Tibetan anticyclone and equatorial easterly jet associated with the Asian monsoon, the meridional structure of the upper branch of the Hadley cell, the interaction of a hurricane and midlatitude trough to form the "perfect storm," and the upper–tropospheric PV changes associated with El Nino and La Nina. Plumes of anticyclonic potential vor...
1020-7 Afterload Dependence of Mitral Regurgitant Volume and Regurgitant Orifice Area by Quantitative Doppler

Quantitation of the severity of mitral regurgitation (MR) is complicated by changes in loading conditions that occur either spontaneously or as a result of therapy. Effective regurgitant orifice area has been proposed as a more fundamental measure of the severity of MR than regurgitant volume. To test the hypothesis that regurgitant orifice area is less dependent on loading conditions than regurgitant volume, we studied the effects of afterload reduction with nitroprusside infusion on regurgitant orifice area and regurgitant volume by quantitative Doppler in 12 patients (age 34 to 77 years) with moderate or severe MR. Etiology of MR was dilated cardiomyopathy in 2, mitral valve prolapse in 7, infective endocarditis in 1, and rheumatic mitral valve disease (without stenosis) in 2. Regurgitant volume was calculated from the stroke volumes (area times velocity-time integral) in the left ventricular outflow tract and mitral annulus. Regurgitant orifice area was calculated as regurgitant volume divided by the velocity-time integral of the MR continuous wave Doppler envelope. MR could not be quantitated in 2 patients with prolapse and markedly eccentric jets due to inadequate alignment of the continuous wave Doppler beam. In the remaining 10 patients, nitroprusside decreased mean regurgitant volume significantly from 138 ± 82 to 116 ± 71 ml (p = 0.0017), while mean regurgitant orifice area remained unchanged (1.1 ± 0.7 vs 1.1 ± 0.7 cm 2 , p = 0.64). Thus in patients with mitral regurgitation, effective regurgitant orifice area is less afterload dependent than regurgitant volume, supporting the use of regurgitant orifice area as a more fundamental gauge of the severity of MR.
UPHILL TRANSPORT INDUCED BY COUNTERFLOW

1. In a membrane transport system containing a mobile carrier with affinities for two substrates a concentration gradient with respect to one of the substrates under certain conditions is able to induce an "uphill" transport (against the concentration gradient) of the other. 2. In a kinetic treatment quantitative conditions for such a "flow-induced uphill transport" and some of its characteristics are derived. 3. Experimentally the uphill transport of labelled glucose induced by a concentration gradient for mannose or unlabelled glucose is demonstrated in the human red cell. 4. It is shown that the flow-induced uphill transport is a feature characteristic for mobile carrier systems only and is not to be expected in systems in which the substrate is bound to a fixed membrane component ("adsorption membrane"), although such a system may yield identical transport kinetics. Also with respect to Ussing's flux ratio the two systems are different, the adsorption membrane meeting Ussing's criterion, the carrier membrane not. 5. It is concluded that the transport system in the human red cells must contain a mobile carrier, identical for glucose and mannose.
Effect of cortisone and thyroxine on acid glycosidases in rat forebrain and cerebellum during early postnatal development.

—l-Thyroxine (200 μg/100 g B.W.) or cortisone-acetate (5 mg/100 g B.W.), administered for 4 consecutive days, affected several lysosomal enzymes in forebrain and cerebellum of rats during various periods of the first month of postnatal development; their effect was age dependent as well as organ specific. Extending thyroxine or cortisone treatment to 7 days (from day 2 to 9) affected enzyme activity more than the 4-day treatment period.
Free Vibration Analysis of Curvilinear-Stiffened Plates and Experimental Validation

In this research, the vibration analysis of plates with curvilinear stiffeners is carried out. The Ritz method is applied while stiffeners are considered as discrete elements. The first-order shear deformation theory is used to represent the plate and stiffener. Chebyshev polynomial functions are used as the basic functions in the Ritz method. The major part of this work is concerned with modeling the curvilinear stiffeners and comparing the results with experimental data. By considering the curvilinear stiffeners, the curvature, the continuous variation in orientation, can be used in controlling different mode shapes in addition to the associated frequencies. It can provide a mechanism to passively control the dynamic response under certain excitations. In the present method, the geometric properties of curvilinear stiffeners can be modified without changing the plate geometric properties. In the developed formulations, both eccentric and concentric stiffeners were studied. Natural frequencies for plates with straight stiffeners were compared with the results available in the literature. A good agreement was seen. A 24 by 28 in. curvilinear-stiffened panel was machined from 2219-T851 aluminum for experimental validation of the Ritz and meshfree method of vibration mode shape predictions. Results were obtained for this panel mounted vertically to a steel clamping bracket using acoustic excitation and a laser vibrometer. Experimental results appear to correlate well with theoretical predictions.
Modeling, Evaluation and Detection of Jamming Attacks in Time-Critical Wireless Applications

Recently, wireless networking for emerging cyber-physical systems, in particular the smart grid, has been drawing increasing attention in that it has broad applications for time-critical message delivery among electronic devices on physical infrastructures. However, the shared nature of wireless channels unavoidably exposes the messages in transit to jamming attacks, which broadcast radio interference to affect the network availability of electronic equipments. An important, yet open research question is how to model and detect jamming attacks in such wireless networks, where communication traffic is more time-critical than that in conventional data-service networks, such as cellular and WiFi networks. In this paper, we aim at modeling and detecting jamming attacks against time-critical wireless networks with applications to the smart grid. In contrast to communication networks where packets-oriented metrics, such as packet loss and throughput are used to measure the network performance, we introduce a new metric, message invalidation ratio, to quantify the performance of time-critical applications. Our modeling approach is inspired by the similarity between the behavior of a jammer who attempts to disrupt the delivery of a time-critical message and the behavior of a gambler who intends to win a gambling game. Therefore, by gambling-based modeling and real-time experiments, we find that there exists a phase transition phenomenon for successful time-critical message delivery under a variety of jamming attacks. That is, as the probability that a packet is jammed increases from 0 to 1, the message invalidation ratio first increases slightly, then increases dramatically to 1. Based on analytical and experimental results, we design the Jamming Attack Detection based on Estimation (JADE) scheme to achieve robust jamming detection, and implement JADE in a wireless network for power substations in the smart grid.
Spin-polarized photoelectron diffraction and valence-band photoemission from MnO(001)

Spin-polarized photoelectron diffraction (SPPD) has previously been proposed as a technique for studying short-range magnetic order in magnetic materials, and the first experimental study of this kind was performed on the ionic antiferromagnetic ${\mathrm{KMnF}}_{3}$ [B. Sinkovic, B. Hermsmeier, and C. S. Fadley, Phys. Rev. Lett. 55, 1227 (1985)]. We present here a much more detailed study of SPPD for the antiferromagnetic transition-metal oxide MnO with a (001) surface orientation. The Mn 3s and Mn 3p multiplets have been studied using both low-energy (192.6 eV) and high-energy (1486.7 eV) x-ray excitation and the intensity ratios I${(}^{5}$S(\ensuremath{\uparrow}))/I${(}^{7}$S(\ensuremath{\downarrow})) and I${(}^{5}$P(\ensuremath{\uparrow}))/I${(}^{7}$P(\ensuremath{\downarrow})) have been measured as a function of both direction and temperature. Data obtained with the lower excitation energy and resulting in kinetic energies of 50\char21{}100 eV show an abrupt change or step in both the I${(}^{5}$S(\ensuremath{\uparrow}))/I${(}^{7}$S(\ensuremath{\downarrow})) and I${(}^{5}$P(\ensuremath{\uparrow}))/I${(}^{7}$P(\ensuremath{\downarrow})) intensity ratios at \ensuremath{\approxeq}530\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}20 K or \ensuremath{\approxeq}4.5 times the N\'eel temperature ${\mathit{T}}_{\mathit{N}}$.
The effect of rattlesnake venom on digestion of prey.

Abstract Rattlesnake venom injected into live mice before they were swallowed by non-venomous snakes speeded the process of digestion. This effect of venom was more pronounced when digestion was tested at 15°C than at 25°C. The proteolytic activity of viperid venom appears to facilitate the entry of a snake's stomach secretions into the prey's body cavity, inhibiting bacterial activity and thereby reducing the risk of prey putrefying before it can be digested. This effect would be particularly valuable for snakes that eat very large prey in relation to their own body size or that normally experience low body temperatures after feeding. Viperid snakes comprise a disproportionately large fraction of the total snake fauna at high altitudes in North America and Africa. Proteolytic venom appears to be one of a group of characters that permit viperid snakes to swallow and digest large prey. A digestive function of venom probably appeared at an early stage in the evolution of vipers.
The durability of the Semmes-Weinstein 5.07 monofilament.

Peripheral neuropathy is a risk factor that predisposes diabetic patients to plantar foot ulcerations and lower extremity amputations. Clinicians have searched for a reliable, cost-effective, and simple method in the identification of diabetic patients who are at increased risk of developing plantar foot ulcers. Currently, many diabetic foot clinics utilize the Semmes-Weinstein 5.07/10 g monofilament in this identification process. Ten 5.07 monofilaments were placed in an Instron Dynamic Testing Instrument and their respective filament forces were measured utilizing a Mettler scale after being subjected to repetitive applications. After 500 cycles were performed, there was an average filament force reduction of 1.2 g. After 1500 cycles, there was still an average reduction of 1.2 g. F-testing and the Duncan test identified a significant difference between filament forces at 0, 500, 1000, and 1500 cycles. These data lead to a conclusion that continual utilization of the nylon filaments may lead to a reduced ability to accurately detect peripheral neuropathy and identify those who are at risk for the development of plantar foot ulcerations.
An analysis of the relationship between various redistributive programs and poverty

This paper utilizes multivariate exogeneity (causality) tests to analyze the relationship between various income policy programs and the poverty rate. The framework we develop allows us to make a distinction between intended poverty reduction objectives and automatic stabilizing behavior. Since we find that the poverty in a given year affects the funding of social programs in later years, we conclude that these programs are primarily acting as automatic stabilizers (i.e., the poverty reduction instruments do not appear to have been implemented with a relentless intent to reduce poverty, a result consistent with Tullock's (1983, 1986) theorem).
Intertemporal substitution, risk aversion and ambiguity aversion*

This paper axiomatizes a form of recursive utility on consumption processes that permits a role for ambiguity as well as risk. The model has two prominent special cases: (i) the recursive model of risk preference due to Kreps and Porteus [18]; and (ii) an intertemporal version of multiple-priors utility due to Epstein and Schneider [8]. The generalization presented here permits a three-way separation of intertemporal substitution, risk aversion and ambiguity aversion.
Efficiency of whole bowel irrigation with and without metoclopramide pretreatment

Whole bowel irrigation (WBI) with a polyethylene glycol electrolyte lavage solution (PEG-ELS) is a gastrointestinal (GI) decontamination procedure used after selected ingestions of toxic substances. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the ability of WBI, with and without metoclopramide pretreatment, to clear the GI tract of foreign bodies using previously established WBI end points, ie, the presence of a clear effluent or the administration of 2 L/h PEG-ELS for 5 hours. Eleven healthy, adult, male volunteers participated in this controlled, two-phase, blinded, crossover study. Ten fluorescent coffee beans were ingested after an overnight fast followed 1 hour later by 10 mg of metoclopramide syrup or an equivalent volume of placebo; 30 minutes later, WBI with PEG-ELS was begun at 2 L/h. All volunteers received 10 L of PEG-ELS during a 5-hour period. No statistically significant difference (P > .05) was found between the two pretreatments. For the metoclopramide group, the mean number of beans passed was equal to 3.8 (+/- 2.5 standard deviation [SD]; 1 to 8 R); the mean number at clear effluent was equal to 2.3. For the placebo group, the mean number of beans passed was equal to 3.5 (+/- 1.9 SD; 2 to 7 R), and the mean number at clear effluent was equal to 2.3. In conclusion, the presence of a clear effluent or the administration of 10 L of PEG-ELS are not valid markers for the termination of WBI if complete elimination of a foreign body is required. Pretreatment with 10 mg of oral metoclopramide does not enhance the efficiency of WBI.
Alcohol Interacts with Genetic Alteration of the Hippo Tumor Suppressor Pathway to Modulate Tissue Growth in Drosophila

Alcohol-mediated cancers represent more than 3.5% of cancer-related deaths, yet how alcohol promotes cancer is a major open question. Using Drosophila, we identified novel interactions between dietary ethanol and loss of tumor suppressor components of the Hippo Pathway. The Hippo Pathway suppresses tumors in flies and mammals by inactivating transcriptional co-activator Yorkie, and the spectrum of cancers associated with impaired Hippo signaling overlaps strikingly with those associated with alcohol. Therefore, our findings may implicate loss of Hippo Pathway tumor suppression in alcohol-mediated cancers. Ethanol enhanced overgrowth from loss of the expanded, hippo, or warts tumor suppressors but, surprisingly, not from over-expressing the yorkie oncogene. We propose that in parallel to Yorkie-dependent overgrowth, impairing Hippo signaling in the presence of alcohol may promote overgrowth via additional alcohol-relevant targets. We also identified interactions between alcohol and Hippo Pathway over-activation. We propose that exceeding certain thresholds of alcohol exposure activates Hippo signaling to maintain proper growth control and prevent alcohol-mediated mis-patterning and tissue overgrowth.
Effects of Delocalized Charge Carriers in Organic Solar Cells: Predicting Nanoscale Device Performance from Morphology

Monte Carlo simulations of charge transport in organic solar cells are performed for ideal and isotropic bulk heterojunction morphologies while altering the delocalization length of charge carriers. Previous device simulations have either treated carriers as point charges or with a highly delocalized mean-field treatment. This new model of charge delocalization leads to weakening of Coulomb interactions and more realistic predicted current and fill factors at moderate delocalization, relative to point charges. It is found that charge delocalization leads to significantly increased likelihood of escaping interface traps. In isotopic two-phase morphologies, increasing the domain sizes leads to slight decreases in predicted device efficiencies. It was previously shown that tortuous pathways in systems with small domain sizes can decrease device performance in thin film systems. However, the diminishing effects of Coulomb interactions with delocalization and efficient separations of excitons by small domains make morphological effects less pronounced. The importance of delocalization, which has largely been ignored in past simulations, as a parameter to consider and optimize when choosing materials for organic solar cells is emphasized.
Nck and Crk mediate distinct VEGF-induced signaling pathways that serve overlapping functions in focal adhesion turnover and integrin activation

We have asked whether the Nck and Crk adaptor proteins play important roles in the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-induced signaling pathways that lead to an enhancement in cell migration. The introduction into human umbilical vein endothelial cells of a dominant-negative inhibitor for either Nck or Crk blocked the recruitment of both endogenous proteins to the KDR VEGF receptor subtype indicating that both proteins are recruited to the same docking site. The Nck and Crk dominant-negatives led to the formation of abnormally large focal adhesion, blocked VEGF-induced integrin activation, and blocked VEGF-induced actin dynamics. The dominant-negatives had no effects on these properties in cells expressing constitutively active Rac1 or RhoA. Since a DN to either Nck or Crk blocks the cellular responses mediated by both proteins, we performed experiments directed at clarifying signaling pathways specifically mediated by each protein. Inhibition of the interaction between Nck with its downstream effector PAK led to abnormally large focal adhesions, but had no effect on integrin activation or cell adhesiveness. Evidence is presented that Crk complexes with C3G in control cells, and VEGF treatment leads to the recruitment of the complex to the cell surface. Inhibition of the C3G downstream effector Rap1 leads to enlarged focal adhesions and blocks VEGF-induced integrin activation. We conclude that Nck and Crk mediate distinct VEGF-induced signaling pathways that serve overlapping functions in cell migration.
Synthesis and characterization of a conjugated copolymer of poly(phenylenevinylene) containing a metalloporphyrin incorporated into the polymer backbone

A chlorine precursor copolymer was synthesized from the monomers 1,4-bis(chloromethyl)-2,5-(dihexyloxy)benzene and the metal complexes [5,15-bis(mesityl)-10,20-bis(4-(chloromethyl)phenyl)porphyrin] in different ratios with potassium tert-butoxide. The precursor copolymers were readily soluble in common organic solvents and were characterized by NMR, IR, UV−vis, elemental analysis, and TGA. A relatively high molecular weight of the precursor copolymer was determined by GPC with a polydispersity of about ∼3. The arylenevinylene copolymer film was formed by thermal conversion and demonstrated higher thermal stability as compared to typical poly(phenylenevinylene)-type polymers. Doping of undrawn films of the copolymer with iodine vapor led to conductivities as high as 2 S cm-1.
Liquid crystals for high-altitude in-flight boundary layer flow visualization

A novel method for visualization of laminar to turbulent boundary layer transition in flight is presented, in which liquid crystal coatings are used to indicate the transition by a change of color (in response to the changes in the wall shear and the temperature). The liquid crystals applied to the wing surfaces were either cholesteric crystals formulated to be active between temperatures of 30 and 100 F or a sample of chiral nematic liquid crystals formulated to be active between -18 and -22 F. Liquid crystal coatings were shown to provide visualization data at flight altitudes and temperatures at which data could not be obtained previously. Flight evaluations were successfully conducted on a T-34C and a Learjet research aircraft at Mach numbers of up to 0.8 and altitudes of up to 50,000 ft. The time response during oscillating sideslip tests was very rapid. In wind tunnel tests, a hysteresislike behavior was observed in the liquid crystal coatings, possibly because of the lower dynamic pressures in wind tunnels as compared to flight.
The shape of inhibitory fields in the human visual system

Five point sources of light were displayed sequentially in a horizontal line, with .45 in. of separation between each point, employing a computer-based cathode-ray tube display system. If a particular display order and appropriate display rate is employed, then the first two points being displayed will not be perceived. By systematically varying the spatial location of these two blanked points relative to the three unblanked points, a start is made towards mapping the shape of visual inhibitory fields in man, and this general technique is related to the work of Hartline and of Ratliff on lateral inhibition and to that of Hubel and Wiesel with receptive fields in the cat and monkey striate cortex.
President's Message Legends and legacies

Pamela H. Mitchell, RN, PhD, FAAN, FAHA is an Associate Dean for Research, School of Nursing; The Elizabeth S. Soule Professor of Health Promotion, School of Nursing; Adjunct Professor, Department of Health Services; SPHCM Director, Center for Health Sciences Interprofessional Education at the University of Washington, Seattle, WA. Corresponding author: Dr. Pamela Mitchell, University of Washington, Box 357265, Seattle, WA 98195-7265. E-mail: pmitch@u.washington.edu
Bladder and urethral function in pelvic organ prolapsed lysyl oxidase like-1 knockout mice.

OBJECTIVES To examine bladder and urethral function in pelvic organ prolapsed lysyl oxidase like-1 (LOXL1) knockout mice. MATERIALS AND METHODS Female parous Loxl1 −/− mice in the stable phase of prolapse, and age-matched wild type (WT) mice (six each) had conscious cystometry, leak-point pressure (LPP) testing, and contractile responses assessed of their bladder muscle strips to KCl, electrical-field stimulation, ATP, and carbachol. RESULTS Loxl1 −/− mice voided more frequently and had lower mean (sem) bladder capacity, at 0.10 (0.01) vs 0.20 (0.01) mL, and voiding pressure, at 25.0 (1.90) vs 36.6 (4.04) cmH2O, respectively, during cystometry than had WT mice. The LPP was not significantly different between WT and Loxl1 −/− mice, at 7.05 (0.81) vs 5.22 (1.23) cmH2O, respectively. There were no significant differences between bladder strips from Loxl1 −/− mice and WT mice in their responsiveness to various stimuli. CONCLUSIONS Loxl1 −/− knockout mice had lower urinary tract dysfunction, most likely due to urethral dysfunction. Loxl1 −/− knockout mice can be used as an animal model for pelvic floor disorders. Further studies are needed to characterize the morphological and molecular alterations of the bladder and urethra.
Localization, anchoring, and functions of protein kinase C isozymes in the heart.

Although protein kinase C (PKC) was identified more than 20 years ago, and is involved in a wide variety of essential cellular processes, assigning specific roles to each PKC isozyme has proved difficult. Results over the last few years have suggested that much of the specificity of activated PKC isozymes is attributed to their subcellular localization bringing them into close proximity to a subset of substrates. Our laboratory has taken advantage of the importance of PKC localization and studied the way in which PKC isozymes are anchored. We have identified PKC anchoring proteins (RACKs or Receptors for Activated C Kinase) and used information about interaction sites between PKC isozymes and their respective RACKs to design peptides which modulate translocation of specific PKC isozymes to the functional site. These isozyme-specific peptides can be delivered into isolated or cultured cells or expressed in transgenic mice to determine the role of specific PKC isozymes in particular functions. Here we will describe the isozymes-specific peptide activators and inhibitors that we have developed and the specific functions of each isozyme in cardiac ventricular tissue.
Building Blocks for Ribozyme Mimics: Conjugates of Terpyridine and Bipyridine with Nucleosides

The incorporation of the 2,2‘:6‘,2‘‘-terpyridyl (terpy) complex of Cu(II) into a deoxyoligonucleotide has led to a functional mimic of ribozymes. The resulting mimic can cleave target RNA in a sequence-directed manner by a hydrolytic mechanism. Here we describe the synthesis and characterization of four modified nucleoside phosphoramidite reagents (7, 10, 14, and 18) that contain pendant 2,2‘-bipyridine or terpy ligands. The ligands are attached either to the nucleobase (7, 10) or to the sugar (14, 18). Nucleobase modification was carried out at the C-5 position of 2‘-deoxyuridine (dU). One route to sugar modification was performed by synthesis of 18, a 1‘-functionalized analog of dU based on 1-[3-deoxy-β-d-psicofuranosyl]uracil. Another route to sugar functionaliztion resulted in 14, a 2‘-O-alkyl derivative of adenosine. These modified nucleosides are building blocks for ribozyme mimics. They are designed to deliver hydrolytically active metal complexes across either the major groove (7, 10) or the minor...
What parents want to know about the storage and use of residual newborn bloodspots

Many state newborn screening programs retain residual newborn screening bloodspots for a variety of purposes including quality assurance, biomedical research, and forensic applications. This project was designed to determine the information that prospective parents want to know about this practice. Eleven focus groups were conducted in four states. Pregnant women and their partners and parents of young children (N = 128) were recruited from the general public. Focus group participants viewed two educational movies on newborn screening and DBS retention and use. Transcripts were analyzed with qualitative methods and the results were synthesized to identify key information items. We identified 14 categories of information from the focus groups that were synthesized into seven items prospective parents want to know about residual DBS. The items included details about storage, potential uses, risks and burdens, safeguards, anonymity, return of results, and parental choice. For those state programs that retain residual dried bloodspots, inclusion of the seven things parents want to know about residual dried bloodspots in educational materials may improve parental understanding, trust, and acceptance of the retention and use of stored bloodspots. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Assessment of public domain forecast products for predicting anomalous RF propagation

For low-elevation path geometries, the radio frequency (RF) propagation environment (atmospheric refraction) can vary dramatically as a result of the weather. Vertical gradients of temperature and humidity are the primary driver of variability. Predicting these vertical gradients accurately using numerical weather prediction (NWP) models is challenging, especially when it comes to predicting the more extreme vertical gradients, or “anomalous” propagation conditions.
Using storytelling to motivate programming

Using the Storytelling Alice programming environment to create computer-animated movies inspires middle school girls' interest in learning to program computers.
Observations on the lipolytic and melanotropic activities of the pineal gland.

An extract of ovine and bovine pineal glands (labeled Precipitate II) has previously been shown to possess lipolytic activity on rabbit adipose tissue. This extract also causes darkening of the frog's skin in vivo and in vitro. Both lipolytic and melanotropic activities are abolished by trypsin and chymotrypsin. Fractionation of ovine pineal Precipitate II by the sequence, chromatography on diethylaminoethyl cellulose → chromatography on carboxymethyl cellulose → gel filtration (repeated once) on Sephadex G-25, concentrated both activities 100- to 1000-fold. Only one component was visible in acrylamide gel electrophoretograms of the final concentrate; its volume of elution from Sephadex G-25 indicated a molecular weight of 1000 to 3500; its lipolytic and melantropic potencies were about 10 to 80% those of adrenocorticotropin. The bovine peptide, prepared in a similar way, was closely similar to or identical with the ovine counterpart in electrophoretic mobility, molecular weight, lipolytic and melanotropic potencies, and amino acid composition.
Sensitivity of Dual-Frequency Rain DSD Retrieval to Particles in Melting Layer for Space-borne Radars

Many dual-frequency DSD retrieval algorithms have been proposed for space-borne radars. A self-consistent backward iterative algorithm, based on non-Rayleigh scattering has been studied recently[1][2][3]. This algorithm is based on a certain DSD model of rain, for which the attenuation caused by the ice or mixed-phase particles should be extracted accurately. Any error in the attenuation correction at one of the two frequencies would affect the accuracy of the DSD retrievals for rain region. This paper examines how the DSD retrieval for rain is affected by the reflectivity correction for attenuation due to the ice or mixed-phase particles in bright band. First, a non-coalescence and non-break up (N-N) model, with an adjustable thickness and the DSD at the bottom of the melting layer is used to generated the reflectivity and specific attenuation profiles. The profiles for varying DSD (Nw from 1000 to 8000, D0 from 1.0 mm to 1.75 mm) are used to derive the alpha and beta coefficients for k- Z relationships for different heights, for a certain thickness of the bright band. Then the k-Z relationships are incorporated in Hitschfeld-Bordan method to evaluate the two way attenuation at the two frequencies. Last, the reflectivities in rain region, considered of the attenuation correction error, are made of use of by the self-consistent backward iterative algorithm [2] to retrieve the DSD. The simulation shows that the accuracy of the attenuation correction for Ka-band, the higher frequency, is crucial for the dual-frequency iterative algorithm to correctly retrieve the DSD. While the attenuation correction error at Ku-band remain negligiblely small, the error at Ka-band could be as large as 0.47 dB, and this error would have been too large for backward iterative method to correctly retrieve the DSD. The method presented in his paper can be used to evaluate any rain DSD retrieval algorithms proposed for GPM.
Multilevel regulation of bacteriophage λ lysogeny by the E. coli himA gene

Previous experiments have shown that the himA gene of E. coli specifies a protein that is required for bacteriophage lambda integration. lambda Forms clear plaques on himA mutants indicating a possible additional defect in the establishment of repression. We have tested the effects of a himA mutation on the establishment and maintenance of lambda repressor (cl) synthesis and on the synthesis of Int protein. The rate of synthesis of cl and Int after infection by lambda is severely reduced in a strain carrying a himA gene deletion. Synthesis of Int or repressor can occur in the himA- strain if the phage carry constitutive promoters for either the int gene or the cl gene. Maintenance of repression is unaffected by himA mutations as judged by repressor-stimulated transcription of PM fused to the lacZ gene. These results indicate that the himA gene participates in the regulation of the promoter sites specific of the establishment of lysogeny: PE for cl synthesis and PI, for Int production. Since the himA gene product is required also for lambda site-specific recombination, it appears that the himA gene regulates lambda lysogeny at several levels. I discuss the significance of this multilevel regulation to lambda development.
Energy transformations and dissipation of nonlinear internal waves over New Jersey's continental shelf

Abstract. The energetics of large amplitude, high-frequency nonlinear internal waves (NLIWs) observed over the New Jersey continental shelf are summarized from ship and mooring data acquired in August 2006. NLIW energy was typically on the order of 105 Jm−1, and the wave dissipative loss was near 50 W m−1. However, wave energies (dissipations) were ~10 (~2) times greater than these values during a particular week-long period. In general, the leading waves in a packet grew in energy across the outer shelf, reached peak values near 40 km inshore of the shelf break, and then lost energy to turbulent mixing. Wave growth was attributed to the bore-like nature of the internal tide, as wave groups that exhibited larger long-term (lasting for a few hours) displacements of the pycnocline offshore typically had greater energy inshore. For ship-observed NLIWs, the average dissipative loss over the region of decay scaled with the peak energy in waves; extending this scaling to mooring data produces estimates of NLIW dissipative loss consistent with those made using the flux divergence of wave energy. The decay time scale of the NLIWs was approximately 12 h corresponding to a length scale of 35 km (O(100) wavelengths). Imposed on these larger scale energetic trends, were short, rapid exchanges associated with wave interactions and shoaling on a localized topographic rise. Both of these events resulted in the onset of shear instabilities and large energy loss to turbulent mixing.
The evolution of echinoderm development is driven by several distinct factors

We analyzed a comparative data base of gene expression, cell fate specification, and morphogenetic movements from several echinoderms to determine why developmental processes do and do not evolve. Mapping this comparative data onto explicit phylogenetic frameworks revealed three distinct evolutionary patterns. First, some evolutionary differences in development correlate well with larval ecology but not with adult morphology. These associations are probably not coincidental because similar developmental changes accompany similar ecological transformations on separate occasions. This suggests that larval ecology has been a potent influence on the evolution of early development in echinoderms. Second, a few changes in early development correlate with transformations in adult morphology. Because most such changes have occurred only once, however, it is difficult to distinguish chance associations from causal relationships. And third, some changes in development have no apparent phenotypic consequences and do not correlate with obvious features of either life history or morphology. This suggests that some evolutionary changes in development may evolve in a neutral or nearly neutral mode. Importantly, these hypotheses make specific predictions that can be tested with further comparative data and by experimental manipulations. Together, our phylogenetic analyses of comparative data suggest that at least three distinct evolutionary mechanisms have shaped early development in echinoderms.
Napoleon's Wars: An International History, 1803–1815 – By Charles Esdaile

Each author of a general study of the Napoleonic era must justify another addition to one of the most voluminously documented periods in Western history. The author, a respected historian of the Pe...
Discrepancies in Describing Pain: Is There Agreement Between Numeric Rating Scale Scores and Pain Reduction Percentage Reported by Patients with Musculoskeletal Pain After Corticosteroid Injection?

Objective Pain intensity is commonly rated on an 11-point Numerical Pain Rating Scale which can be expressed as a calculated percentage pain reduction (CPPR), or by patient-reported percentage pain reduction (PRPPR). We aimed to determine the agreement between CPPR and PRPPR in quantifying musculoskeletal pain improvement at short-term follow-up after a corticosteroid injection. Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting Urban, academic, physical medicine, and rehabilitation outpatient interventional musculoskeletal and spine center. Methods The agreement between CPPR and PRPPR was determined by concordance correlation coefficient (CCC) in subjects who had experienced improvement in musculoskeletal or radicular pain 3 weeks after a first-time injection at our clinic. Subjects who experienced unchanged pain (PRPPR = 0) were compared to CPPR with paired t-test. Results We examined 197 subjects with greater than 3/10 pain who underwent first-time fluoroscopic-guided corticosteroid injections. Ninety-three subjects reported higher PRPPR than CPPR values, and 41 subjects reported higher CPPR values. The CCC between CPPR and PRPPR was 0.44 (95% CI 0.35–0.54), with a precision of 0.54 and an accuracy of 0.81, and 95% limits of agreement ranging between −41% and +73%. Values for CCC, precision, and accuracy were higher for males compared to females and were highest in the youngest age group (18–40) and lowest in the middle age group (41–60). Conclusions PRPPR may not agree with CPPR at 3 week follow-up, as these individuals tend to report a higher estimated percentage improvement compared to the value calculated from their pain scores.
Unboundedness results for fourth order rational difference equations

We present some new results regarding the boundedness character of the kth order rational difference equation When applied to the general fourth order rational difference equation, these results prove the existence of unbounded solutions for 49 special cases of the fourth order rational difference equation, where the boundedness character has not been established yet. This resolves 49 conjectures posed by E. Camouzis and G. Ladas.
A DAG-based algorithm for distributed mutual exclusion

A token-based distributed mutual exclusion algorithm is presented. The algorithm assumes a fully connected, reliable physical network and a directed acyclic graph (DAG) structured logical network. The number of messages required to provide mutual exclusion is dependent upon the logical topology imposed on the nodes. Using the best topology, the algorithm attains comparable performance to a centralized mutual exclusion algorithm; i.e., three messages per critical section entry. The algorithm achieves minimal heavy-load synchronization delay and imposes very little storage overhead. >
A spatial conservation prioritization approach for protecting marine birds given proposed offshore wind energy development

There are currently no offshore wind energy developments (OWEDs) in North America, although numerous OWEDs have been proposed along the Atlantic Coast. Development pressure has been a catalyst for marine spatial planning (MSP) to identify suitable areas for OWED. However, integrating complex ecological information to guide OWED siting remains a substantial challenge. We developed spatial distribution models of marine birds from aerial surveys that we conducted from 2010 to 2012 throughout a 3800 km 2 area off the coast of Rhode Island. For seven groups of marine birds, we constructed either a density surface model or a presence–absence model that incorporated relevant environmental covariates. We integrated our spatial models, along with uncertainty, using spatial conservation prioritization (SCP) software. This identified sites with high marine bird conservation priority that aided evaluation of proposed OWED sites. We found that shallow nearshore waters had the highest conservation priority overall, but we also detected key offshore areas of high priority. Hypothetical OWEDs placed in conservation priority areas significantly reduced the overall distribution of focal species. Currently proposed OWED sites are located in areas of relatively low conservation priority and so would not substantially reduce the overall distribution of marine birds. This SCP approach when combined with quantitative models of bird distribution given relevant environmental covariates provides a robust framework that satisfies the principles of ecosystem-based MSP. Thus, this combined SCP-distribution modeling framework should be extremely helpful to decision makers as they evaluate proposed siting locations of OWEDs in the context of a dynamic marine system.
Current Public Policy for Information Technology

As described in Chapter 3, the independence of information content from the hardware necessary to store, transmit and transform that information is enabling huge economies of scale in hardware development. This in turn is revolutionizing the role of information in society. Anyone with access to the Internet has access to all but the most tightly guarded information and the ability to disseminate information to everyone else with Internet access. This is radically changing power and property relations in society, and poses real challenges for public policy.
Description of a new genus of spider beetle (Coleoptera: Ptinidae) from South Africa

Pocapharaptinus gen. nov. and eight new species, P. mullerae sp. nov., P. harrisoni sp. nov., P. akotsenorum sp. nov., P. capensis sp. nov., P. soutpanensis sp. nov., P. lachnos sp. nov., P. aboakyer sp. nov., and P. acanthus sp. nov. are described from South Africa. The genus is distinguished by the pronotal surface being densely covered with flocculent, wooly, tan colored setae obscuring the cuticular surface except anteriomedially, where the bare cuticle is variably triangular in shape. All species are illustrated, described, diagnosed and an identification key provided. The biogeography and relationships of this genus to other Ptinidae are also discussed.
Border disease of sheep—Aspects for diagnostic and epidemiologic consideration

Border Disease (BD) is a condition of newborn sheep that results from congenital infection by a non-cytopathic pestivirus, occurring during the first half of gestation. The variations in expression of the virus directly relate to the age of the fetus at the time of infection. There are four distinct disease syndromes: (1) early embryonic death, (2) abortion and stillbirth, (3) birth of lambs with malformations, and (4) birth of small, weak lambs, lacking characteristic clinical signs, but bearing features of immunosuppression. In the newborn, the BD virus may be recovered from all tissues and teratogenic lesions are found in the endocrine, nervous, skeletal, integumentary and immune systems. These effects of virus infection are manifest in the clinical signs characteristic of the disease, such as tremors, ataxia, hairy birthcoat, low birth weight, facial bone malformations, short-boxy stature, and eye abnormahties. The consequences of the BD compromised immune system is an increased susceptibihty to infection, a failure to produce specific antibody to BD virus, and an inability to clear the virus; features characteristic of the immuno-tolerant state.
Flag Varieties, K-Theory, and Harmonic Polynomials

In this chapter we study some further properties of general complex semisimple groups. Most of the results of the result of the chapter play a crucial role in the representation theory of semisimple groups and Lie algebras. We have tried to assemble and give complete proofs for all those results that are, on the one hand, considered “too advanced” to be included in elementry text books on Lie algebras and, on the other hand are regarded as not part of representation theory itself. These latter results are generally assumed as prerequisites–not to be explained–in any advanced book on representation theory.
Charles Evans Hughes and the Blaisdell Decision: A Historical Study of Contract Clause Jurisprudence

In 1934, in the midst of the Depression, the United States Supreme Court, in Home Building & Loan Ass’n v. Blaisdell, upheld the constitutionality of the Minnesota Mortgage Moratorium Act. The Court’s 5-4 decision marked a significant step in the Court’s transformation of its jurisprudence of economic liberty, as a bare majority of the Court, led by Chief Justice Charles Evans Hughes, flexibly interpreted the Contract Clause prohibition of the impairment of contractual obligations to allow a state to modify a mortgage agreement. In so doing, the divided Hughes Court signaled a willingness to adapt the Constitution to changing economic circumstances. Although it would be three more years before a majority of the Court consistently adapted living constitutionalism in support of the laboratories of democracy and the power of government – both state and federal- to regulate private economic affairs in the public interest, Chief Justice Hughes’s Blaisdell opinion was an integral step in the constitutional revolution of the 1930s.This article analyzes the Blaisdell decision from the duel historical perspectives of the nineteenth and early twentieth century Contract Clause jurisprudence and the pragmatic federalism of Charles Evans Hughes. It explains that the Court’s decision to reconcile the Contract Clause prohibition of state laws that impaired contract obligations with the reasonable exercise of state police powers reflected a long line of cases that constrained the scope of the constitutional limitation through the prism of federalism. From this perspective, Chief Justice Hughes crafted a fairly modest opinion that nudged the Court along the path of living constitutionalism yet also heeded Court precedent that recognized the authority of states to modify contract remedies in ways that left intact underlying contract obligations. The article also examines the extent to which Hughes’s judicial statesmanship allowed for significant contributions by Justices Stone and Cardozo in the creation of an important opinion in the evolution of federalism and Supreme Court judicial review.