cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Development of neural network retrievals of liquid cloud properties from multi-angle polarimetric observations

Abstract We present a neural network (NN) based algorithm for the retrieval of liquid low-level marine stratocumulus cloud microphysical property parameters (cloud optical depth, cloud droplet size effective radius and variance) from airborne multi-angle polarimetric measurements. We establish our retrieval method for the Research Scanning Polarimeter (RSP) airborne instrument, which measures both polarized and total reflectance in the spectral range of 410–2260 nm, scanning along the flight track at ∼150 viewing zenith angles spanning the angular range between −60° and 60°. In this study, we present the development of the algorithm, including the optimization and selection of input parameters and the network architecture. We perform a sensitivity study to test the effect of random and correlated instrument noise on the retrieval performance, and to assess which of the measured radiometric quantities (i.e., total reflectance, polarized reflectance, degree of linear polarization and combinations thereof) are best suited for marine stratocumulus liquid cloud property retrievals using simulated RSP data. Finally, we show the application of this method to airborne observations from the ObseRvations of Aerosols above CLouds and their intEractionS (ORACLES) 2016 field campaign, which primarily encountered low altitude marine clouds. Retrieved cloud optical depth compares favorably (r2 = 0.96) to standard algorithms, but cloud droplet size effective radius less so (r2= 0.45), providing an assessment of the NN approach strengths and limitations. Specifically, the latter seemed to be affected by the cloud macro-structure and the liquid cloud droplet vertical distribution.
Regressive spectral assimilation bias in speech perception

Speech perception presents a parsing problem: construing information from the acoustic input we receive as evidence for the speech sounds we recognize as language. Most work on segmental perception has focused on how listeners use differences between successive speech sounds to solve this problem. Prominent models either assume (a) that listeners attribute acoustics to the sounds whose articulation created them, or (b) that the auditory system exaggerates the changes in the auditory quality of the incoming speech signal. Both approaches predict contrast effects in that listeners will usually judge two successive phones to be distinct from each other. Few studies have examined cases in which listeners hear two sounds in a row as similar, apparently failing to differentiate them. We examine such under-studied cases. In a series of experiments, listeners were faced with ambiguity about the identity of the first of two successive phones. Listeners consistently heard the first sound as spectrally similar to the second sound in a manner suggesting that they construed the transitions between the two as evidence about the identity of the first. In these and previously reported studies, they seemed to default to this construal when the signal was not sufficiently informative for them to do otherwise. These effects go unaccounted for in the two prominent models of speech perception, but they parallel known domain-general effects in perceptual processing, and as such are likely a consequence of the structure of the human auditory system.
Blood Flow Deficits and Cerebrovascular Changes in a Dietary Model of Hyperhomocysteinemia

Elevated homocysteine in the blood, or hyperhomocysteinemia, is a recognized risk factor for multiple causes of dementia including Alzheimer’s disease. While reduction of homocysteine levels can ge...
Protests, Succession Struggles, and Economic Relations

This chapter begins with a discussion of a new wave of anti-American movement in South Korea in 1985. 73 radical students occupied a USIS building in Seoul and demanded that the United States apologize for the Kwangju massacre. The Reagan administration rejected a proposal for using South Korean police and persuaded the students’ peaceful departure from the building. The United States was concerned about the escalation of violent struggles for political succession and of Chun’s extreme repressive measures. It expressed a particularly strong protest to the Chun government in regard to the allegations of torture. Impasse over the question of torture showed a limit to Reagan’s quiet diplomacy. Meanwhile, diplomatic tension between Washington and Seoul was further aggravated by the growing conflicts over bilateral trade. In a larger context of alliance politics, however, both allies managed to reach a compromise for mutually beneficial economic relations.
Measuring the effects of ketamine on mGluR5 using [18F]FPEB and PET:

The metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5) is a promising treatment target for psychiatric disorders due to its modulatory effects on glutamate transmission. Using [11C]ABP688, we previously sh...
A COMPARATIVE STUDY ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PARENTAL ACCEPTANCE-REJECTION, REJECTION SENSITIVITY AND EMPATHY IN YOUNG ADULTS BELONGING TO MILITARY AND CIVILIAN FAMILIES

It is widely acknowledged that parental influence is crucial for the overall development of a child. The key to shaping a child’s personality and behavior is understanding the individual differences in the relationship between a child and his or her parents. The present study was conducted on young adults belonging to military and civilian families between the ages 17-23. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between the three variables, i.e. Parental Acceptance- Rejection (PAR), Rejection sensitivity and Empathy and to analyze the effect of the dimensions of Parental Acceptance-Rejection in the levels of Rejection sensitivity and Empathy respectively among the sample of young adults belonging to military and civilian families. The difference between the dimensions of PAR in father and mother was also studied along with the difference in the levels of the dimensions of Parental Acceptance- Rejection (PAR), Rejection sensitivity and Empathy. The results of the present study showed a correlation between the three variables i.e. the dimensions of Parental Acceptance-Rejection (PAR), Rejection sensitivity and Empathy. It also showed a significant difference among the young adults belonging to military and civilian families in the levels of the dimensions of Parental Acceptance-Rejection, Rejection sensitivity and Empathy.
Improving Fourth Trimester Support via Newborn Medicine In-Home Visits in Cleveland, Ohio

Background There has been increasing awareness that new mothers lack adequate support during the "fourth trimester." In the suburbs of Cleveland, Ohio (metropolitan area of > 2 million people) there are only a few lactation consultants (IBCLCs) who regularly do in-home visits and post-discharge nursing visits are prioritized for the smallest and sickest neonates. Mothers of newborns often need to bring their babies to numerous outpatient pediatric and lactation visits during the first few weeks of life. These frequent trips outside of the home increase stress and interfere with …
Spectroscopy using tunable liquid crystal Fourier filters

Fourier multispectral filtering is an attractive means to acquire an approximation of full spectral signal with very few measurements. In our previous work, we demonstrated this technique using photodetectors fabricated in-house using a single dielectric thin film as a Fabry-Perot sinusoidal filter. The main disadvantage of such filters is the design trade-off between the oscillation amplitude and the purity of the sinusoidal transmission spectrum. In this work we demonstrate a more attractive technique using liquid crystals (LCs). The birefringence response of the LCs naturally lends itself to a nearly perfect sinusoidal transmission function with high contrast, ideally oscillating between a transmission of 0% and 100%. Furthermore, the period of oscillations can be controlled by the applied voltage, making it possible to continuously tune the transmission spectrum and acquire a high resolution spectrum of the target signal. Our design consists of 16 custom photodetectors integrated with individually-addressable LC pixels. The whole system can be integrated onto a single-chip and enable high resolution spectroscopy capability in portable electronics.
Cannabis use disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder: the prevalence of comorbidity in veterans of recent conflicts

Abstract Aims Veterans have high rates of cannabis use, and rates of cannabis use disorder (CUD) are rising among this population. These rising rates are particularly true for veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which is common among veterans of recent conflicts, Operations Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom, and Operation New Dawn (OEF/OIF/OND). Although prior work has documented links between PTSD and cannabis use, a better understanding of the intersection among CUD, PTSD, and other disorders in real-world clinical practice can inform prevention and treatment efforts. This study examined the prevalence and comorbidities of CUD and PTSD in OFE/OIF/OND veterans. Method The study analyzed data from the Veterans Affairs Corporate Data Warehouse (2010–2016) for returning war veterans who were diagnosed with CUD (N = 46,268). The study determined prevalence of PTSD, and examined additional differences in comorbidities. Results The prevalence of a comorbid PTSD diagnosis among OEF/OIF/OND veterans with a CUD diagnosis was 72.3%. Further analysis revealed additional co-occurring disorders. Veterans with a diagnosis of CUD and PTSD were more likely to have a comorbid diagnosis of depression (odds ratio, 1.69; 95% CI, 1.62–1.71), panic disorder (odds ratio; 1.58; 95% CI, 1.43–1.75), alcohol use disorder (odds ratio; 1.30; 95% CI, 1.24–1.35), opioid use disorder (odds ratio; 1.52; 95% CI, 1.43–1.62), and insomnia (odds ratio; 1.74; 95% CI, 1.65–1.84) than veterans without a PTSD diagnosis. Conclusions Findings highlight that the majority of returning war veterans with CUD are highly complex. Our findings substantiate the need for urgent, comprehensive care for veterans with co-occurring CUD and PTSD, including integrated and transdiagnostic treatment approaches.
Assigning the Burden of Proof in Contractual Jury Waiver Challenges: When Can an Employer Take Away an Employee's Right to a Jury Trial?

Employers have long used arbitration agreements to manage the risk associated with the resolution of employment disputes. But as dissatisfaction with arbitration increases, employers are making a tremendous change in their approach to dispute resolution by incorporating jury waivers into their employment agreements as an alternative. These jury waivers are an attractive compromise between arbitration and jury trials because they offer the full procedural protections of the public judicial system at a considerably lower cost than a comparable jury trial. Some courts have invalidated such jury waivers, however, making the enforcement of such waivers uncertain. In order for pre-dispute jury waivers to be used effectively, this uncertainty must be addressed and resolved. In this Article, Chester Chuang surveys the law surrounding the use of pre-dispute jury waivers in employment agreements and traces the inconsistent judicial treatment of such waivers to a disagreement over which party bears the burden of proof when such waivers are challenged in court. Chuang argues that strong public policy considerations support placing the burden of proof on the party seeking to enforce the waiver. Chuang concludes that resolving the burden of proof question in this way will allow such waivers to be used to mitigate risk when appropriate.
Serological response to COVID-19 vaccination in IBD patients receiving biologics

ObjectiveThe impact of medications on COVID-19 vaccine efficacy in IBD patients is unknown, as patients with immunosuppressed states and/or treated with immunosuppressants were excluded from vaccine trials. To address this, we evaluated serological responses to COVID-19 vaccination with the SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) mRNA BNT162b2 (Pfizer-BioNTech) and mRNA-1273 (NIH-Moderna) vaccines in IBD patients enrolled in an ongoing SARS-CoV-2 sero-survey at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City. DesignWe obtained sera from 48 patients who had undergone vaccination with one or two vaccine doses. Sera were tested for SARS-CoV-2 anti-RBD total immunoglobulins and IgG (Siemens COV2T and sCOVG assays), anti-Spike IgG (in-house ELISA), and anti-nucleocapsid antibodies (Roche). ResultsAll IBD patients (15/15) who completed two-dose vaccine schedules achieved seroconversion to high levels. Two IBD patients with history of COVID-19 infections and who were seropositive at baseline seroconverted to high levels after the first dose. Concurrent biologic use was 85% (41/48), including 33% of patients (16) on TNF antagonist monotherapy, 42% (17) on vedolizumab monotherapy, 6% (3) on vedolizumab combination therapy with thiopurine, and 8% (4) ustekinumab; 1 patient was receiving guselkumab for psoriasis. Three patients (6%) were on oral steroids at the time of vaccination. ConclusionIBD patients receiving biologics can seroconvert with robust serological responses after complete Pfizer-BioNTech and NIH-Moderna COVID-19 vaccination. In IBD-patients with previous SARS-CoV-2 seroconversion, a single dose of either vaccine can induce high index values, mirroring findings from the general population.
Percutaneous Dilatational Tracheostomy, Open Surgical Tracheostomy and Management of Tracheostomy Tubes

Both open surgical tracheostomy and percutaneous dilational tracheostomy procedures are used to help facilitate critically ill and injured patients in weaning from mechanical ventilation and are sometimes used to protect an injured or diseased airway. Both open and percutaneous tracheostomy can help improve patient comfort and are safe in appropriate patients. Tracheostomy is a common procedure for critically ill and injured patients. This chapter will review these procedures and discuss the clinical implications of tracheostomy and the management of tracheostomy tubes after placement. We will discuss current recommendations for tracheostomy placement for patients infected with COVID-19.
On the relation between working memory capacity and the antisaccade task.

Eight experiments (N = 2,003) assessed the relation between working memory capacity (WMC) and performance on the antisaccade task. Experiments 1-5 and 7 examined individual differences in aspects of goal management processes occurring during the preparatory delay of the antisaccade task. WMC tended to interact with delay interval suggesting that high WMC individuals better prepared for the upcoming trial by activating the task goal to a higher level than low WMC individuals (although these effects were generally small). Experiments 3a, 4, and 7 further demonstrated that individual differences in the consistency of attention (i.e., lapses of attention) were partially important for the relation between WMC and antisaccade performance. Experiment 5 demonstrated that knowledge of the likelihood of target location increased overall performance, but did not interact with WMC. Experiment 6 manipulated stimulus onset asynchrony and suggested that speed factors are also likely important for the relation between WMC and antisaccade performance. Finally, structural equation models in Experiment 7 suggested that lapses of attention and speed factors partially accounted for the relation between WMC and antisaccade, but WMC still accounted for unique variance in antisaccade. Collectively, the results suggest that multiple factors (goal activation, consistency of attention, and speed factors) contribute to the relation between variation in WMC and performance on the antisaccade task. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).
Determining fleet size and vehicle locations in a distributed medical service network: development and application of a dynamic location expected coverage model

The goal of emergency medical service (EMS) systems is the reduction of mortality and morbidity resulting from acute illness or trauma. The size of the ambulance fleet and the location of ambulances within the service area are two factors within the control of EMS system planners which directly affect the system's response time, and thus contribute to the attainment of this goal. Planners of urban EMS systems seek a design which will meet the national standard of system response within ten minutes to at least ninety-five percent of the demands for service. A statistical analysis of data from 43,640 ambulance calls in Louisville, Kentucky, is conducted. Principal among the findings are: (1) the data do not support the assumption of exponentially distributed service times; and (2) in addition to the previously recognized spatial variation in the demand for EMS, a temporal variation is identified. An EMS simulation model is developed and shown to be a valid abstraction of an actual EMS system. The simulation model is used to evaluate changes in system coverage under alternative dispatch policies. The results suggest that at higher utilizations, a minimum utilization dispatch priority provides greater coverage than a closest available dispatch priority. Although some of the more recent location optimization models have included spatial variation in demand, none has included both spatial and temporal variation. The TIMEXCLP location model, which includes both of these sources of variance in prescribing the fleet size and locations necessary to achieve the 95 percent service standard, is developed. The most recently developed prescriptive model, MEXCLP, and TIMEXCLP are applied to the Louisville, Kentucky, EMS system. Simulated performance of the system under each model's deployment strategy is compared to the system performance projected by each of the models. TIMEXCLP achieves greater accuracy than previous models in forecasting system performance. The dynamic location of ambulances is an additional controllable factor which influences system coverage. TIMEXCLP is the first prescriptive model capable of yielding both static and dynamic deployment strategies. Dynamic deployments are shown to provide greater coverage than static deployments of the same fleet. The EMS simulation model and TIMEXCLP are integrated into an operational decision support system (DSS). The DSS is applied to the Louisville, Kentucky, EMS system. It is shown to provide a process through which the EMS planner can conduct an efficient and effective search for a system design which meets the coverage objective with the minimum expenditure of resources.
Adaptive Antennas and Receivers

HOMOGENEOUS PARTITIONING OF THE SURVEILLANCE VOLUME Introduction, M.M. Weiner A New Approach to Radar Detection Based on the Partitioning and Statistical Characterization of the Surveillance Volume, M.A. Slamani Statistical Analysis of the Nonhomogeneity Detector (for Excluding Nonhomogeneous Samples from a Subdivision), M. Rangaswamy, J.H. Michels, and B.Himed ANew Technique for Univariate Distribution Approximation of Random Data, R.R. Shah Probability Density Distribution Approximation and Goodness-of-Fit Tests of Random Data, A.Ozturk Applications, W.J. Baldygo, C.T. Capraro, G.T. Capraro, D.Ferris, A.D. Keckler, M.A. Slamani, D.L. Stadelman, V. Vannicola, D.D. Weiner, W.W. Weiner, and M.C. Wicks ADAPTIVE ANTENNAS Introduction, M.M. Weiner Adaptive Implementation of Optimum Space -Time Processing, L. Cai and H. Wang A Printed-Circuit Smart Antenna with Hemispherical Coverage for High Data-Rate Wireless Systems, G. Ploussios Applications, E.C. Barile, R.M. Davis, R.L. Fante, T.P. Guella, J.A. Torres, and J.J. Vaccaro ADAPTIVE RECEIVERS Introduction, M.M. Weiner Spherically Invariant Random Processes for Radar Clutter Modeling, Simulation,and Distribution Identification, M. Rangaswamy Weak SignalDetection, P. Chakravarthi A Generalization of Spherically Invariant Random Vectors (SIRVs)with an Application to Reverberation Reduction in a Correlation Sonar, T.J. Barnard Applications, T.J. Barnard, A.D. Keckler,F. Khan, J.H. Michels, M. Rangaswamy, D.L. Stadelman, and D.D. Weiner Appendices Acronyms References Computer Programs available at CRC Press Website Index
High speed coarse-fine laser beam steering module for polarization-multiplexed optical scanner

This paper demonstrates a fully programmable high-speed polarization based scanner. The concept of combined coarse-fine 3-D polarization multiplexed optical scanner (P-MOS) for near continuous optical scanning is elaborated. Basic system theory, architecture and performance results are described.
Analysis of responses to human synthetic adrenomedullin and calcitonin gene-related peptides in the hindlimb vascular bed of the cat.

Vasodilator responses to human adrenomedullin (hADM), a newly discovered hypotensive peptide, human calcitonin gene-related peptide-α (hCGRP-α) and hCGRP-β, which share structural homology with hADM, were compared in the hindlimb vascular bed of the cat under constant flow conditions. Injections of hADM (0.003–1 nmol), hCGRP-α, and hCGRP-β (0.003–0.3 nmol) into the perfusion circuit caused dose-related decreases in hindlimb perfusion pressure. Vasodilator responses to hCGRP-α and hCGRP-β were similar in potency and duration, and the doses of hCGRP-α and hCGRP-β required to reduce hindlimb perfusion pressure 40 mm Hg (ED40 mm Hg) were significantly lower than the ED40 mm Hg for hADM. The duration of the hindlimb vasodilator responses to hCGRP-α and hCGRP-β were significantly longer than the duration of the response to hADM. Amylin, a peptide that shares structural homology with ADM and with CGRP, had no significant effect on hindlimb perfusion pressure when injected in doses up to 1 nmol. Decreases in hindlimb perfusion pressure in response to hADM, hCGRP-α, and hCGRP-β were not altered by L-N5-(1-iminoethyl)-ornithine (L-NIO) in a dose of the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor that decreased the vasodilator response to acetylcholine or by the cyclooxygenase inhibitor, meclofenamate, in a dose that decreased the vasodilator response to archidonic acid. The present data demonstrate that hADM, hCGRP-α, and hCGRP-β have potent, but relatively short-lasting, vasodilator activity, and that vasodilator responses are not dependent on the release of nitric oxide or vasodilator prostaglandins in the hindlimb vascular bed of the cat. (Mol Cell Biochem 176: 5–11, 1997)
The effect of passive immunization against estradiol on the regulatory profile and character of labor in the rat

Treatment of pregnant rats with antiestradiol (A-E2) serum twice a day, starting at 2100 hours on day 19, sharply increased circulating total estradiol (E2) above control values and drastically reduced the biologically active E2 unbound (E2U) to A-E2 in plasma and uterine tissue. This A-E2-induced and--sustained E2U deficiency was not accompanied by similar changes in plasma and tissue progesterone (P), since P decreased similarly in the control and A-E2--treated rats in preparation for parturition. However, in the A-E2 rats the reduction in E2U was accompanied by a small, though significant, decrease in uterine vein prostaglandin F (PGF) during labor. This A-E2--provoked regulatory imbalance significantly altered normal parturition. In comparison with controls, labor in the A-E2 rats was delayed and prolonged by extended intervals between deliveries of individual fetuses of the same litter. The delay in the onset of labor significantly increased the birth weights of the newborn rats. Whether E2U deficiency is directly responsible for the asynchronic myometrial activity that delays and prolongs labor or whether it is mediated by reduced PGF release remains to be determined.
Photodynamic therapy creates fluence rate-dependent gradients in the intratumoral spatial distribution of oxygen.

In photodynamic therapy (PDT), treatment efficacy may be reduced by the presence of pre-existing tumor hypoxia or by oxygen depletion during the therapy. Tumor oxygenation during PDT has been measured with needle electrodes, but the intratumoral distribution of this oxygen is not known. In the present study, the spatial distribution of hypoxia during PDT was quantified using the hypoxia-labeling marker EF3. Mice bearing radiation-induced fibrosarcoma tumors were treated with Photofrin-mediated PDT to a total dose of 135 J/cm2, delivered at a fluence rate of either 75 mW/cm2 or 38 mW/cm2. PDT-created hypoxia at each fluence rate was labeled by exposing tumors to EF3 (52 mg/kg) during the period of illumination. Cryosectioning, immunohistochemistry, and fluorescence microscopy were carried out to quantify EF3 binding as a function of distance to the nearest perfused blood vessels in sections cut from within the superficial (light-adjacent) 600 μm or the deep (light-distant) 600 μm of tumors (5–6 mm in diameter, ∼3 mm in depth). In both superficial and deep sections, PDT at 75 mW/cm2 resulted in the development of significant gradients in tumor hypoxia as a function of distance to a perfused blood vessel. Furthermore, significant hypoxia was detected even in vascular-adjacent tissue. These effects were associated with a significant decrease in the percentage of perfused vessels and a significant increase in the median distance of a cell to the nearest perfused blood vessel. In contrast, during PDT at 38 mW/cm2, sections from deep tumor levels demonstrated only insignificant increases in the rise in hypoxia as a function of distance to a perfused vessel and in the level of hypoxia in vascular-adjacent tissue. No effects on tumor perfusion were detected during PDT at 38 mW/cm2. Overall, these results demonstrate that spatially dependent depletion of oxygen can occur during PDT as a function of the fluence rate and that PDT can create significant hypoxia in even tissue adjacent to perfused blood vessels.
Limits to Human Longevity

Longevity has increased sharply in the past century and it is likely to continue increasing. Historical trends in maximum life expectancy at birth show major improvements since 1760. Life expectancy at age 80 has also improved with an accelerating pace in recent years suggesting we are not approaching a biological limit to the length of life. Anticipating the near future of longevity typically relies on extrapolating either longevity itself or age-specific death rates. The principal alternative to extrapolative methods attempts to model factors affecting mortality and to project those factors into the future. In the more distant future, rather than targeting specific diseases, much research would attempt to arrest the aging process itself either through gene therapy or through medicines that replicate the genes' activities. Stem cell technologies may make it possible to create new body organs to replace defective ones. Although discoveries in laboratories will play an important role in determining the future of longevity, many puzzles remain to be worked out in translating individual behaviors into population-level indexes. Quasi-experimental designs may provide a useful approach to investigate systemic determinants of mortality, with implications for the future of longevity. In addition to projections of longevity for national populations, there would also be projections for major groups within populations. Future projections of longevity are likely also to involve much more consideration of the epidemiology of diseases and their interactions. Finally, an attractive approach to longevity is to base projections on birth cohorts instead of, or in addition to, period-specific data. Keywords: longevity; life expectancy; mortality; health; population
A compressed format for collections of phylogenetic trees and improved consensus performance

Phylogenetic tree searching algorithms often produce thousands of trees which biologists save in Newick format in order to perform further analysis. Unfortunately, Newick is neither space efficient, nor conducive to post-tree analysis such as consensus. We propose a new format for storing phylogenetic trees that significantly reduces storage requirements while continuing to allow the trees to be used as input to post-tree analysis. We implemented mechanisms to read and write such data from and to files, and also implemented a consensus algorithm that is faster by an order of magnitude than standard phylogenetic analysis tools. We demonstrate our results on a collection of data files produced from both maximum parsimony tree searches and Bayesian methods.
Oxidant-induced alterations in glucose and phosphate transport in LLC-PK1 cells: mechanisms of injury

To determine the effects of oxidant injury on specialized functions of proximal tubular epithelial cells, we determined sodium-dependent uptake of glucose ([alpha-14C]methylglucoside) and phosphate (32Pi) in LLC-PK1 cells after exposure to 0-500 microM hydrogen peroxide. Oxidant stress resulted in significant (P < 0.01) inhibition of glucose and phosphate transport. Decreased transport of glucose and phosphate was associated with marked ATP depletion, decreased activity of the sodium pump as determined by 86Rb uptake, direct inhibition of Na(+)-K(+)-adenosinetriphosphatase (Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase) activity, and an increase in intracellular sodium content, whereas intracellular potassium content declined. Decreased glucose and phosphate transport, inhibition of 86Rb uptake and Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase activity, and altered intracellular ion content were prevented by catalase and partially prevented by the membrane-permeable iron chelator phenathroline, whereas the slowly membrane-permeable iron chelator deferoxamine had little or no effect. To determine whether oxidant injury could also inhibit transporter function at the membrane level, plasma membrane vesicles were isolated from LLC-PK1 cells exposed to 500 microM hydrogen peroxide. Such membrane vesicles exhibited decreased sodium-dependent glucose transport, whereas sodium-dependent phosphate transport was not altered. We conclude that oxidant injury results in ATP depletion and inactivation of Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase which leads to disruption of the normal ion gradients sufficient to interfere with glucose and phosphate transport. Glucose transport is also inhibited by disruption of transporter activity within the plasma membrane. These alterations are mediated in part by the intracellular generation of an iron-dependent radical.
Stratigraphy, Structure, and Vertebrate Fossils of the Oligocene Brule Formation, Slim Buttes, Northwestern South Dakota

The Brule Formation at Slim Buttes, Harding County, South Dakota, is composed of 265 ft of Orellan (approximately medial Oligocene) and 175 ft of Whitneyan (approximately late Oligocene) claystone, siltstone, and sandstone beds. The formation is divided into eight lithologic units (A-H). Environmental facies vary from main channel to floodplain to dry plains. Approximately 3500 mammalian fossils were collected stratigraphically and identified. The vertebrate faunal list was increased to 43 genera. The section is as fossiliferous as that of the Big Badlands and has a particularly rich micro-fauna. No evidence for the presence of Manitsha (Rodentia, Ischyromyidae) in Orellan beds was found, and field relations suggest the possibility that the holotype was collected from Chadronian (approximately early Oligocene) or older rather than Orellan sediments as previously believed. The geologic range of the typically Chadronian genus Plesictis (Carnivora, Procyonidae) was extended into the Orellan. Structural complexities in the latest Oligocene or earliest Miocene at Slim Buttes have previously been ascribed to slumping or landsliding of strata into stream-carved valleys or from along escarpment faces. Evidence against such an interpretation includes: (1) a parallel series of uninterrupted horst-graben sequences; (2) consistent southwest tilting during faulting of long (up to 3 miles), narrow, and uncontorted grabens composed of at least 550 ft of sediment; (3) the presence of two dominant joint sets with dips in opposite directions at about 60° from the bedding planes and with strikes parallel to the strike of the bedding; (4) the absence of evidence for a major river in latest Oligocene or earliest Miocene time—a river of sufficient size to carve canyons that allow slumping; (5) the inability of the local Oligocene sediments to act as a cap rock for deep valley walls or escarpments; (6) the presence of occasional transverse faults oriented at approximately 90° to the main fault trend. A more likely explanation is that superficial normal faulting with some rotation of the grabens occurred due to minor translatory movement along one or more low-angled, gravity-controlled detachment faults accompanied by lateral spreading of soft clay from beneath firmer material. The proposed detachment faults arc probably deep in the underlying Ludlow Member of the Fort Union Formation.
Preliminary Measurements of X-Ray and Neutron Emission from Laser-Produced Plasmas

Two Nd-glass laser systems have been assembled for producing high-temperature plasmas. The smaller laser, which gives subnanosecond pulses of about 5 J, has been used primarily for x-ray studies. The spectrum above 2 keV is being explored using Bragg reflection from a cylindrically curved graphite crystal. Line radiation appears to be present in the spectra measured for laser-produced plasmas of lead and gold. Plasma temperatures implied by x-ray transmission measurements are found to vary with absorber thickness. Temperatures of a few tens of keV, inferred from thick-absorber measurements of low-Z plasmas, suggest the operation of anomalous heating mechanisms. A second glass laser system, involving face-pumped disks 14 cm in diameter, is also in use for plasma-heating experiments and has led to the production of D-D neutrons. This system has been used to produce pulses of several tens of joules in a few nanoseconds for recent experiments. A calibrated plastic scin tillator with two photomultipliers is used for neutron detection. Targets of CD2 have produced total yields of more than 104 neutrons. Effective neutron production appears to require laser pulses longer than 2 nsec and to be accompanied by a large reflected pulse.
Immature and Neurally Differentiated Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells Do Not Express a Functional Fas/Fas Ligand System

The potential of pluripotent embryonic stem (ES) cells to develop into functional cells or tissue provides an opportunity in the development of new therapies for many diseases including neurodegenerative disorders. The survival of implanted cells usually requires systemic immunosuppression, however, which severely compromises the host immune system, leading to complications in clinical transplantation. An optimal therapy would therefore be the induction of specific tolerance to the donor cells, while otherwise preserving functional immune responses. Fas ligand (FasL) is expressed in activated lymphocytes as well as cells in "immune-privileged" sites including the central nervous system. Its receptor, Fas, is expressed on various immune-reactive cell types, such as activated natural killer and T cells, monocytes, and polymorphic mononucleocytes, which can undergo apoptosis upon interaction with FasL. To render transplanted cells tolerant to host cellular immune responses, we genetically engineered mouse ES cells to express rat FasL (rFasL). The rFasL-expressing ES cells were analyzed for survival during in vitro neurodifferentiation and after transplantation to the rat brain without further immunosuppression. Although control transfected HEK-293T cells expressed functional rFasL, immature and differentiated mouse ES cells did not express the recombinant rFasL surface protein. Furthermore, there was no evidence for functional endogenous Fas and FasL expression on either ES cells or on neural cells after in vitro differentiation. Moreover, implanted rFasL-engineered ES cells did not survive in the rat brains in the absence of the immunosuppressive agent cyclosporine A. Our results indicate that immature and differentiated mouse ES cells do not express a functional Fas/FasL system. Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest is found at the end of this article.
EXTERNAL NOISE AND FRONT PROPAGATION IN REACTION-TRANSPORT SYSTEMS WITH INERTIA: THE MEAN SPEED OF FISHER WAVES

We review the effect of spatiotemporal noise, white in time and colored in space, on front propagation in systems of reacting and dispersing particles, where the particle motion displays inertia or persistence. We discuss the three main approaches that have been developed to describe transport with inertia, namely hyperbolic reaction-diffusion equations, reaction-Cattaneo systems or reaction-telegraph equations, and reaction random walks. We focus on the mean speed of Fisher waves in these systems and study in particular reaction random walks, which are the most natural generalization of reaction-diffusion equations. Hyperbolic reaction-diffusion equations account for inertia in the transport process in an ad hoc way, whereas the other reaction-transport systems have a proper macroscopic or microscopic foundation. For the former, external noise affects neither the mean wave speed nor the region in parameter space for which Fisher waves exist. For the latter, external noise increases the mean wave speed of Fisher waves and decreases the upper limit for the characteristic time of the transport process, below which propagating fronts exist.
Phosphorylation of calcineurin: Effect on calmodulin binding☆

Abstract The effect of phosphorylation of calcineurin on calmodulin (CaM) binding was examined using a synthetic peptide which contains the CaM-binding domain and the serine phosphorylation site. The peptide, corresponding to residues 391–414 of brain calcineurin A subunit, was rapidly phosphorylated by protein kinase C and Ca 2+ CaM -dependent protein kinase II but not by cAMP-dependent protein kinase. Phosphorylation of peptide 391–414 did not significantly alter the binding of CaM when compared to the non-phosphorylated peptide.
Premature Sampling in Random Walks

Abstract Premature sampling is a plausible modification of the random walk that is regarded as sufficient in allowing the sequential probability ratio test (SPRT) model of choice response time to account for the frequent observation that mean error response latency is smaller than that for correct responses. This paper establishes a mathematical framework for random walks with premature sampling. Four important points are made. First, Wald's Identity and the small steps assumption fail to make the problem tractable in its fullest generality. Second, Laming's (1968) derivation of the important result that premature sampling leads to smaller mean latencies for error responses than correct responses in the SPRT model may be flawed by a tenuous approximation. Third, expressions for response probabilities and mean latencies are derived for the general model on the assumption that premature sampling is not sufficient, by itself, to trigger a response, although it does influence the process. Fourth, the SPRT model with premature sampling does not necessarily imply that when conditioned on a response, mean response time for error responses is smaller than that for correct responses—and counterexamples to this claim are provided.
Carcinoma of prostate metastatic to parotid gland

A rare case of prostate cancer with metastasis to the parotid salivary gland is reported. The prostatic origin of the mass was proven by incisional biopsy and immunohistochemical staining for prostate-specific antigen. Additional studies of the tumor included ultrastructural and quantitative deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) analysis.
Errors in the bisulfite conversion of DNA: modulating inappropriate- and failed-conversion frequencies

Bisulfite treatment can be used to ascertain the methylation states of individual cytosines in DNA. Ideally, bisulfite treatment deaminates unmethylated cytosines to uracils, and leaves 5-methylcytosines unchanged. Two types of bisulfite-conversion error occur: inappropriate conversion of 5-methylcytosine to thymine, and failure to convert unmethylated cytosine to uracil. Conventional bisulfite treatment requires hours of exposure to low-molarity, low-temperature bisulfite ('LowMT') and, sometimes, thermal denaturation. An alternate, high-molarity, high-temperature ('HighMT') protocol has been reported to accelerate conversion and to reduce inappropriate conversion. We used molecular encoding to obtain validated, individual-molecule data on failed- and inappropriate-conversion frequencies for LowMT and HighMT treatments of both single-stranded and hairpin-linked oligonucleotides. After accounting for bisulfite-independent error, we found that: (i) inappropriate-conversion events accrue predominantly on molecules exposed to bisulfite after they have attained complete or near-complete conversion; (ii) the HighMT treatment is preferable because it yields greater homogeneity among sites and among molecules in conversion rates, and thus yields more reliable data; (iii) different durations of bisulfite treatment will yield data appropriate to address different experimental questions; and (iv) conversion errors can be used to assess the validity of methylation data collected without the benefit of molecular encoding.
Psychological aspects of genetic counseling. XIV. Nondirectiveness and counseling skills.

The difficulties some professionals have in achieving nondirective goals is largely due to the inadequate and ineffective application of basic counseling skills. The "new genetics," with its emphas...
Effects of sodium ions on the electrical and pH gradients across the membrane of streptococcus lactis cells

Energized cells of Streptococcus lactis conserve and transduce energy at the plasma membrane in the form of an electrochemical gradient of hydrogen ions (deltap). An increase in energy-consuming processes, such as cation transport, would be expected to result in a change in the steady state deltap. We determined the electrical gradient (deltapsi) from the fluorescence of a membrane potential-sensitive cyanine dye, and the chemical H+ gradient (deltaph) from the distribution of a weak acid. In glycolyzing cells incubated at pH5 the addition of NaCl to 200 mM partially dissipated the deltap by decreasing deltapsi, while the delta pH was constant. The deltap was also determined independently from the accumulation levels of thiomethyl-beta-galactoside. The deltap values decreased in cells fermenting glucose at pH 5 or pH 7 when NaCl was added, while the deltapH values were unaffected; cells fermenting arginine at pH 7 showed similar effects. Thus, these nongrowing cells cannot fully compensate for the energy demand of cation transport.
Normal Glucose Metabolism in Carnivores Overlaps with Diabetes Pathology in Non-Carnivores

Carnivores, such as the dolphin and the domestic cat, have numerous adaptations that befit consumption of diets with high protein and fat content, with little carbohydrate content. Consequently, nutrient metabolism in carnivorous species differs substantially from that of non-carnivores. Important metabolic pathways known to differ between carnivores and non-carnivores are implicated in the development of diabetes and insulin resistance in non-carnivores: 1.) the hepatic glucokinase (GCK) pathway is absent in healthy carnivores yet GCK deficiency may result in diabetes in rodents and humans, 2.) healthy dolphins and cats are prone to periods of fasting hyperglycemia and exhibit insulin resistance, both of which are risk factors for diabetes in non-carnivores. Similarly, carnivores develop naturally-occurring diseases such as hemachromatosis, fatty liver, obesity and diabetes that have strong parallels with the same disorders in humans. Understanding how evolution, environment, diet and domestication may play a role with nutrient metabolism in the dolphin and cat may also be relevant to human diabetes.
Long-Term Follow-Up of R-CHOP With Bevacizumab as Initial Therapy for Mantle Cell Lymphoma: Clinical and Correlative Results

Abstract Background Emerging evidence indicates that MCL has increased angiogenesis within the tumor microenvironment. We initiated a phase II trial to determine if the addition of bevacizumab to the standard R-CHOP regimen could enhance antitumor effects in patients with previously untreated MCL. Patients and Methods Eleven patients with previously untreated MCL received bevacizumab at 15 mg/kg on day 1, and standard CHOP-21 (CHOP given every 21 days per cycle) with rituximab (375 mg/m 2 per cycle) on day 3 of each cycle for a total of 6 cycles. Planned study end points included safety and efficacy assessment, and exploratory analysis of angiogenic profiles. The study was suspended in August of 2010 based on safety findings in DLBCL (diffuse large B-cell lymphoma) of increased cardiovascular events with the regimen. Results Beyond the standard R-CHOP safety profile, Grade 3 left ventricular dysfunction developed in 2 patients (18%), Grade 1/2 hypertension, proteinuria, and bleeding each developed in 1 patient (9%). The overall response rate was 82% with 36% complete response (CR)/complete response unconfirmed (CRu). The median progression-free survival (n = 11) was 18 months (95% confidence interval, 3-not reached), and 3-year overall survival rate was 82%. Correlative studies showed increased vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 1 expression in tumor cells at baseline, and elevated levels of plasma vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) throughout treatment. Conclusion The addition of bevacizumab to the standard R-CHOP regimen did not appear to significantly improve efficacy beyond that observed from previous studies using R-CHOP alone. Therapeutic strategies that provide sustained inhibition on VEGF-related and VEGF-independent targets within the tumor microenvironment might further improve antiangiogenic effects and warrant further exploration in MCL.
Combining explanatory crop models with geospatial data for regional analyses of crop yield using field-scale modeling units

Crop models are used to predict yield and resource requirements as well as to evaluate different climate or management scenarios at a specific site. However, problems involving land use or global climate change encompass larger, more diverse, spatial scales and would benefit from simulating over broader areas using high-resolution, spatially-distributed data. A geospatial interface was developed to combine the explanatory potato crop model SPUDSIM with the geographic information system (GIS) software ArcGIS using the scripting language Python. Multiple geospatial input data layers were incorporated, including weather, soil, management, and land use. Modeling units (MUs) were defined as homogeneous field-scale areas created by the intersection of the input layers. Crop production was simulated for each unique combination of climate, soil, and management for MUs classified as cropland. The outputs (crop yield, water use, and nitrogen uptake) were mapped to show the spatial distribution within each county and aggregated to the county-level over the region of interest. An example was provided for potato production in Maine and illustrates how potential crop yield varies spatially over the state. The geospatial crop model showed evidence of both spatial and temporal variability of crop yield at the county level. The interface was designed to be flexible and easy to apply to applications such as evaluating crop production capacity and response under different scenarios.
Immunological development in infants of allergic parents

Summary Serum immunoglobulins were determined every 4 months from cord blood to age 2 years in ninety-two infants of allergic parents. By 7 months of age, the concentration of IgA was significantly greater in infants who developed atopic dermatitis than those who did not. The IgA was also significantly greater than in matched non-allergic controls. The difference continued to the end of the 2-year study. No significant difference was found in the three groups for levels of IgG and IgM. These findings differ from the results of a previous report and possible explanations are presented.