cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Prospects for an invasion: competition between Aedes albopictus and native Aedes triseriatus

Competition between larval populations of the native North American treehole mosquito Aedes triseriatus and Aedes albopictus, recently introduced from Asia to North America, was assessed by comparing per capita growth rate estimates for experimental cohorts of larvae developing under a variety of initial density combinations in fluid obtained from tires or from treeholes. Estimates of carrying capacities and competition coefficients indicate that competition between the two species will result in stable coexistence in treehole communities but local extinction of A. triseriatus in tire habitats.
Preparation of poly(dimethylsiloxane)–polypeptide block copolymers

Block copolymers composed of poly(dimethylsiloxane) segments linked to polypeptide have been synthesized by reacting primary amine-terminated silicone with N-carboxy anhydrides of amino acids. The amine-terminated silicone was prepared by reacting “living” polysilanolate with γ-aminopropyltriethoxysilane. The block copolymers prepared consisted of segments of poly(DL-phenylalanine) or poly(γ-benzyl-L-glutamate). The block copolymers were purified by extraction with solvents which are selective for the homopolymers. Analysis of the products was accomplished by hydrolysis of the polypeptide segments, infrared spectra, gel permeation chromatography, and elemental analysis. The content of the copolymers ranged from 50 to 87% polypeptide.
Behavior of H 2 + and H 2 in strong laser fields simulated by fermion molecular dynamics

In this paper we describe an application of fermion molecular dynamics to the simulation of the behavior of $\mathrm{H}_{2}{}^{+}$ and ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$ immersed in a strong laser field. The laser field consists of a single short pulse of linearly polarized long wavelength radiation; viz., ${t}_{\mathit{\text{pulse}}}\ensuremath{\sim}100\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{fs}$, $\ensuremath{\lambda}=758\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{nm}$, and ${10}^{13}\ensuremath{\leqslant}{I}_{0}l{10}^{14}\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{W}∕{\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$. Results are compared with data from recent laboratory measurements.
Sex differences in antinociceptive and motoric effects of cannabinoids.

Cannabinoids are currently used for the treatment of excessive weight loss and nausea; however, there are very few studies that have examined cannabinoid effects in females of any species. A previous study has shown that there are sex differences in cannabinoid pharmacokinetics in rats, suggesting that there could be sex differences in cannabinoid-induced behaviors. To address this issue, Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol, 11-hydroxy-Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (natural cannabinoids) or (−)-cis-3-[2-hydroxy-4-(1,1-dimethylheptyl)-phenyl]-trans-4-(3-hydroxypropyl)cyclohexanol) (CP55940, a synthetic cannabinoid) was administered i.p. to male and female Sprague-Dawley rats, who were tested on the 50 °C warm water tail withdrawal, paw pressure, catalepsy bar and spontaneous locomotor activity tests at various times post-injection. At the doses tested, all three cannabinoid agonists produced greater effects in females than males in two or more behavioral tests. This study demonstrates that there are sex differences in the behavioral effects of cannabinoids in the rat.
Transluminal penile venoablation for impotence: A progress report

Based on theoretical advantages and successful pilot experiments in dogs, therapeutic transluminal penile venoablation underwent clinical trials in 13 impotent men. Catheter access to the penile venous structures was gained via (1) direct percutaneous puncture of the deep dorsal penile vein, (2) cut-down over the dorsal vein of the penis, or (3) retrograde catheterization of internal or external pudendal veins from a femoral vein. Alternatively, needle access only was gained into (4) the preprostatic plexus or the pudendal vein, (5) the superficial penile vein, or (6) the crura. Once venous access had been gained, selective venography was performed to clarify the relevant anatomy in each case. After catheterization, venoocclusion was produced by embolization with combinations of coils and Gelfoam, followed by sclerosant. Results to date indicate high feasibility of access by a variety of methods, and the safety of transluminal venoablation. Clinical efficacy to date seems only moderate. Eight of 13 patients report subjective improvement in the quality of erections after a mean follow-up period of 5.2±2.4 months. With regard to sexual activity, 2 patients are considered cured, 2 improved sufficiently for sexual intercourse, and 9 were insufficiently improved for intercourse. Of the nine failures, two were considered cures for 3 weeks, but then relapsed for unknown reasons. Two of the 4 patients that regained potency had concomittant unilateral or bilateral pudendal arterial occlusions. Technical modifications for improving results are under continuing investigation.
On the renewal measure for Gaussian sequences

Abstract A form for U ( t ), the expected number of times a Gaussian sequence falls below a level of t , is given in terms of the mean M ( x ) and the variance V 2 ( x ) functions. It is shown that under general conditions U ( t ) ∼ M (−1) ( t ), t → ∞. Moreover, if M and V are regularly varying at infinity functions, then U ( t ) − M (−1) ( t ) is also regularly varying at infinity. A renewal theorem for stationary Gaussian sequences is given, where it is shown that the asymptotic behavior of U ( t ) − t / μ is determined by the asymptotic behavior of V 2 ( t )/ t .
Duodenum inversum mimicking mesenteric artery syndrome.

Background. Duodenum inversum is an often unrecognized anomaly of duodenal rotation/fixation at upper gastrointestinal (UGI) contrast study because the duodenojejunal junction appears normally located. Objective. This anomaly is important to diagnose because it may result in obstructive gastrointestinal symptoms. Conclusion. We describe a case of duodenum inversum mimicking superior mesenteric artery (SMA) syndrome that improved after surgical therapy.
Photogrammetric Analysis Using the Personal Computer

In many cases, photographs of the accident scene taken soon after the event contain visible evidence of road marks and/or debris. By the time the case reaches the accident investigator/reconstructionist, the actual road evidence may no longer exist. Therefore, a two dimensional method of reconstructing evidence found in photographs has been implemented at General Motors and is available in the FotoGram program. FotoGram, a two dimensional photogrammetry software package, is useful in analyzing photographs in the area of accident reconstruction. With proper photographic techniques and care in reference point measurement, the layout of roadway and other surface evidence can be determined with greater accuracy and less time consumption than with conventional hand measurement and calculation.
Synthesis and CO2/CH4 separation performance of Bio-MOF-1 membranes.

Herein we present the preparation of continuous and reproducible Bio-MOF-1 membranes supported on porous stainless steel tubes. These membranes displayed high CO2 permeances for equimolar mixtures of CO2 and CH4. The observed CO2/CH4 selectivities above one indicate that the separation is promoted by competitive adsorption.
Characterization of carbon/nitroazobenzene/titanium molecular electronic junctions with photoelectron and Raman spectroscopy.

Molecular junctions consisting of nitroazobenzene (NAB) chemisorbed to a substrate of pyrolyzed photoresist film (PPF) and a top contact of vapor-deposited titanium were examined with Raman spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The thickness of the NAB layer varied from submonolayer to 4.5 nm, and a thin (1−3 nm) overlayer of Ti was deposited by electron beam deposition. Without Ti, the NAB surface Raman spectrum was sufficiently strong to observe previously unreported modes in the 500−1000-cm-1 region, and the 1000−1700-cm-1 region was sufficiently strong to observe the effects of metal deposition. Upon Ti deposition, the intensities of NAB modes associated with the nitro group decreased significantly, and the XPS indicated formation of a Ti−N bond. For the thicker NAB layers (1.9 and 4.5 nm), the intensities of the NO2 Raman modes partially recovered over a several-day period, but they remain depressed or absent in the submonolayer sample. The results indicate a reaction between conde...
phyloseq: an R package for reproducible interactive analysis and graphics of microbiome census data.

Background The analysis of microbial communities through DNA sequencing brings many challenges: the integration of different types of data with methods from ecology, genetics, phylogenetics, multivariate statistics, visualization and testing. With the increased breadth of experimental designs now being pursued, project-specific statistical analyses are often needed, and these analyses are often difficult (or impossible) for peer researchers to independently reproduce. The vast majority of the requisite tools for performing these analyses reproducibly are already implemented in R and its extensions (packages), but with limited support for high throughput microbiome census data. Results Here we describe a software project, phyloseq, dedicated to the object-oriented representation and analysis of microbiome census data in R. It supports importing data from a variety of common formats, as well as many analysis techniques. These include calibration, filtering, subsetting, agglomeration, multi-table comparisons, diversity analysis, parallelized Fast UniFrac, ordination methods, and production of publication-quality graphics; all in a manner that is easy to document, share, and modify. We show how to apply functions from other R packages to phyloseq-represented data, illustrating the availability of a large number of open source analysis techniques. We discuss the use of phyloseq with tools for reproducible research, a practice common in other fields but still rare in the analysis of highly parallel microbiome census data. We have made available all of the materials necessary to completely reproduce the analysis and figures included in this article, an example of best practices for reproducible research. Conclusions The phyloseq project for R is a new open-source software package, freely available on the web from both GitHub and Bioconductor.
DISSOLUTION OF FIBERS INHALED BY RATS

AbstractThis article provides an analysis and an interpretation of the results of an inhalation study of the durability of several man-made vitreous fiber (MMVF) insulation wool samples in rats. The study was sponsored by the Thermal Insulation Manufacturers Association and was conducted by the Research and Consulting Company in Geneva with fiber size measurements made by Schuller Mountain Technical Center in Denver, CO. In this study, rats were exposed for 5 days to 4 types of airborne, respirable-sized MMVF and to crocidolite asbestos fibers. The MMVF included two compositions of glass wool, and one each of rock and slag wool. After exposure, animals were sacrificed at intervals up to 18 mo, and the number, length, and diameter of a representative sample of fibers in their lungs were measured. These data show that the long fibers (>20 μm) are eliminated from the rats' lungs at a rate that is predicted from the dissolution rate measured in vitro for these fiber compositions. In particular, the long MMVF ...
Use of estimated fractal dimension in model identification for time series

A fractal and its dimension has been a subject of great mathematical interest since the publication of Mandelbrot's manifestoes (1977, 1982). This paper discusses some empirical results indicating the potential usefulness of estimated fractal dimension in testing for white noise. These tests are applied for model identification in time series, and results for previously analyzed data are provided. A method for fractal interpolation of a continuous process from a finite number of observations is discussed, as well as some future research directions.
Some experiments with magnetic playback using Hall-effect sensitive elements

Flux sensitive heads using thin semiconductors have been developed for playback of magnetic recordings. The elements have a frequency response inherently flat from dc to tens of megacycles, so that the main limitations are in the associated head structure. Factors entering into optimum design are discussed, including materials and configurations of semiconductor elements and cores. Experimental results for successful designs are given, and a number of applications are suggested.
On estimating random amplitude-modulated harmonics using higher order spectra

Additive as well as multiplicative noise may occur when acoustic waves propagate through the ocean. Second-order spectral methods fail to retrieve frequencies of such random amplitude modulated harmonic time series, especially when the multiplicative noise is broadband. An existing fourth-order method assumes real Gaussian multiplicative and additive noise. A novel approach is proved herein to impose no constraints on the distribution or the color of the disturbances. It relies on fourth-order special cumulant or moment slices. In particular, the fourth-order moment spectrum is shown to offer computational advantages. Extension to multicomponent models and generalizations to alternative higher order moments are also provided. Simulations corroborate the theoretical results. >
Military and Strategic Policy: An Annotated Bibliography

Series Foreword Preface Introduction Bibliographies and Other Reference Sources on Military and Strategic Policy General and Comparative Studies of Military and Strategic Policy Eisenhower and "The New Look" Kennedy and Johnson: Balanced Forces, Flexible Response and Counterinsurgency Vietnam and its Impact on National Security Nixon and Ford: The Nixon Doctrine and Detente Carter and National Security: Continued Detente, Human Rights, and Rearmament Reagan: Reassertion and Rearmament Author Index Subject Index
PROTEIN SOLUBILITY OF TWO HEXANE-DEFATTED CORN GERM PROTEINS AND SOY PROTEIN 1

Functional properties and protein solubility of two hexane- defatted corn germ protein (CGP) preparations and soybean protein were studied using response surface methodology. Temperature, time of incubation and pH influenced the solubility of both CGP and soybean protein in a model system. CGP processed by a modified method of fat extraction had higher protein solubility than that processed by the conventional fat extraction method. the difference in solubility between two hexane-defatted CGP reflected the specificity and parameters of the processing methods. High protein solubility was obtained for soybean protein. the different protein solubilities of CGP were due to a significantly higher fat content and higher degree of CGP denaturation of the conventional method.
Foreign growth and domestic performance in a small open economy

Abstract In this paper, we develop a small open economy model of trade with endogenous growth induced by human capital accumulation to analyze the effects of foreign growth on the domestic growth performance. Stronger foreign growth has the potential to increase domestic growth through a change in the terms of trade. For this to happen, the domestic attitude toward saving, as indicated by the intertemporal elasticity of substitution, plays a crucial role. For economies with sufficiently thrifty consumers, changes in the terms of trade generate funds for domestic investment, thereby generating enhanced long term growth. If, however, domestic consumers are less prone to thriftiness, foreign growth may lead to lower domestic output growth. This result suggests that foreign growth is not necessarily a substitute for a weak domestic attitude toward saving.
Rare-earth and copper magnetism in RSr2Cu2GaO7

Abstract We report the results of SQUID magnetometer and x-ray diffraction studies of polycrystalline specimens of RSr 2 Cu 2 GaO 7 (R = rare earth element ), a structural analogue of RBa 2 Cu 3 O 7 . The rare-earth magnetism is dominated by Curie-Weiss contributions with effective magnetic moments similar to the Hund's rules free ion values. After correction for core diamagnetism, temperature-independent contributions (e.g., χ 0 = 1.3 × 10 −4 emu/mole for R = Y) are discussed in terms of the T →0 susceptibility of the antiferromagnetically ordered copper moments. A lower rare-earth Neel temperature for R = Gd (compared to GdBa 2 Cu 3 O 7 ) is indicative of weaker rare-earth coupling in the RSr 2 Cu 2 GaO 7 materials.
Thyroid Hormone Regulation of the NADH Shuttles in Liver and Cardiac Mitochondria

Thyroid hormone can potentially regulate the malate/aspartate and alpha-glycerophosphate shuttle pathways in cardiac mitochondria either directly, by altering gene expression, or indirectly, by increasing myocardial workload. The goal of the current study was to determine the influence of thyroid hormone on the NADH shuttles in cardiac and liver mitochondria. Malate/aspartate and alpha-glycerophosphate shuttle capacities were significantly increased in cardiac mitochondria from adult rats treated for 9 days with T3 compared to saline-treated controls. Liver mitochondria demonstrated a significant increase in alpha-glycerophosphate and no change in malate/aspartate shuttle capacity. T3 increased steady-state mRNA levels and activity of mitochondrial alpha-glycerophosphate dehydrogenase in both myocardium and liver. Quantitative immunoblot studies demonstrated a significant increase in aspartate-glutamate carrier levels in T3-treated myocardium suggesting a regulatory role of the aspartate/glutamate carrier in T3-treated hearts. Thyroid hormone effects on the NADH shuttles are tissue-specific. Changes in the NADH shuttles in the presence of thyroid hormone excess occur both directly at the gene level and indirectly as an adaptive response.
The Electronic Properties of a-Si:H Deposited with Hydrogen or Helium Dilution

We have applied the Drive-Level Capacitance Profiling (DLCP) method to n-i-p a-Si:H diodes to characterize the mid-gap defect densities in the i layer. Our results show that there are no significant changes in the drive-level densities, Nji, in n-i-p diodes and p+-i-m as well as n-i-m Schottky diodes, which indicates that DLCP can directly provide reliable energy distribution and spatial distribution of the mid-gap defects in the n-i-p device. We have found that the ratio of Njj to ND*, the ionized defect density determined by hole onset measurement, is changed with the deposition conditions; it is 3 for standard samples, 2 for helium diluted samples and 6 for hydrogen diluted samples. These results indicate that there may be different defect distributions in these materials, which suggest the ratio of charged (D′) density to the neutral defect (D°) density may be altered when growth conditions are varied.
Imagery improvements in staring infrared imagers by employing subpixel microscan

Imagers based on focal plane arrays (FPAs) risk introducing in-band and out-of-band spurious responses, or aliasing, due to undersampling. IR systems can use microscan (or dither) to reduce aliasing. We describe a generic microscan technique and the benefits of microscanning, including an analysis of and experiments on four-point microscan employed in IR imagers, in which the image is mechanically shifted by 1/2 pixel between fields, in each dimension. Our purpose is to describe the benefits of microscanning for IR systems employing sensitive detectors. Through analysis and experiments on production systems, we show that microscanning is an effective way to improve the resolution of imaging systems. In addition, we present experimental data that shows that this increased resolution results in lower minimum resolvable temperatures (MRTs) than an equivalent nonmicroscanned system; and that this improvement in MRT is accompanied by an increase in detection, recognition, and identification (DRI) range performance in a real-world system. The microscan hardware can also be used to null out residual gimbal jitter in a stabilized imaging system, resulting in a jitter reduction of 35 to 50%. We show that this technique, known as microscan stabilization (MSS), is complementary to microscan, and further increases the imaging system performance.
Effects of plasmid presence on growth and enzyme activity of Escherichia coli DH5α

The effects of recombinant DNA propagation and gene expression on the physiology of the host cell was investigated using a series of copy number mutant plasmids. The plasmids at copy numbers of 30, 57, 115 and 501 per chromosome equivalent encoded constitutive production of the enzyme β-lactamase. Ribose phosphate isomerase activity was relatively unaffected by plasmid presence, and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, fructose 1,6-diphosphate aldolase and fructose 1,6-diphosphatase activities were lower in plasmid-containing cells than in the plasmid-free host strain. Increasing copy number resulted in increased depression of enzyme activity levels. The results indicate that plasmid presence mediates subtle changes in the net expression of host enzymes involved in carbon metabolism. Responses of Escherichia coli DH5α in Evans medium to these plasmids differed substantially from responses of E. coli HB101 in rich medium.
Genetic variation in Drosophila melanogaster for the life-shortening effects of random lighting regimes

A daily random light-dark regime (RLD), in which the onset of the photophase occurred at a random time of the 24-h day, significantly shortened the life span of adult Drosophila melanogaster in 8 out of 23 strains tested. For the eight sensitive strains, the mean percent decrement in LT50 ± SE was 11.2 ± 0.6 d; for ten resistant strains, the mean decrement was 5.1 ± 0.8 d; for the remaining 5 strains, which could not be unambiguously classified as sensitive to RLD, the mean decrement was 8.6 ± 1.1 d. Strains homozygous for whole chromosomes (either X or one of the two large autosomes) exhibited continuous variation for sensitivity to clock shifting. No chromosome accounted for a disproportionate share of the variation, suggesting a multigenic basis for this phenotype. The LT50 in a normal, constant light-dark regime (CLD) ranged from 31.7 d to 65.3 d, with chromosome 2 contributing most heavily to this variation. The correlation between LT50 and percent decrement in LT50 was not significant (r = .23, df = 21, P > .20). In most sensitive strains, RLD and CLD groups did not begin to differ in percent surviving until after .5 of CLD LT50; after this critical point, RLD animals started dying at an increased rate. RLD may be stressful by disrupting temporal organization of physiological processes immediately following phase shifts, during the period marked by transients in observed phase response.
Hydrothermal synthesis of new metastable phases: preparation and intercalation of a new layered titanium phosphate

Abstract We have investigated the formation and reactivity of new metastable phases using mild hydrothermal synthesis. Following the characterization of two new open structure sodium tungsten oxides, we found that by using a small cationic template we were able to synthesize a new layered structure titanium phosphate. Preliminary chemical analysis of this compound indicates that its hydrogen form has the formula TiO(OH)(H 2 PO 4 )·2H 2 O. 31 P MAS-NMR indicates that each phosphorus has two OH groups. This sold acid is readily swelled on reaction with organic amines.
Dynamic Simulation of Particle Packing With Different Size Distributions

Distinct element method is employed to simulate packing of spherical particles with different size distributions: equal-size, bimodal, and Gaussian. During the packing process, particles collide with their neighbors and bounce back and forth. Since the collision is inelastic, dissipative force exits, leading to energy loss in every collision. The interparticle contact force is calculated based on the nonlinear Hertz theory. The packing structures quantified by porosity and the coordination number under different particle size distributions are discussed.
Overland Precipitation Estimation from TRMM Passive Microwave Observations

Procedures for passive microwave precipitation estimation over land are investigated based on a large database of Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) observations. The procedures include components for rain area delineation, convective/stratiform (C/S) rain classification, and estimation of vertically integrated water content or surface rainfall rate. The investigated algorithms include neural network schemes for both the rain area and C/S classification and statistical algorithms for precipitation estimation. The coincident active and passive microwave observations from TRMM, with the active (TRMM precipitation radar) observations providing the reference values for the various precipitation parameters, are used for algorithm calibration and validation. The calibration and validation are based on 1 yr of data over the continental United States and a repetitive sampling strategy that make the results statistically significant. Good agreement is demonstrated with TRMM precipitation radar observations in rain delineation, and it is shown that C/S classification can considerably improve precipitation estimation. It is also shown that better performance may be achieved in estimating vertically integrated hydrometeor contents as compared with rainfall rates.
Time course of coronary vascular endothelial adhesion molecule expression during reperfusion of the ischemic feline myocardium.

The time course of endothelial P-selectin, ICAM-1, and E-selectin expression was studied in a feline model of myocardial ischemia and reperfusion. Cats were subjected to 90 mm of myocardial ischemia followed by 0, 10, 20, 60, 150, or 270 mm of reperfusion. At the end of reperfusion, the coronary vasculature was examined immunohistochemically to localize monoclonal antibod- ies (mAbs) PB1.3, RR1/1, and Cy1787 directed against P- selectin, ICAM-1, and E-selectin, respectively. Immuno- histochemical localization for P-selectin, recognized by mAb PBL3, was maximally expressed 20 mm after reper- fusion in 60 ± 6% of coronary venules (P < 0.05 com- pared to non-reperfused controls), and covered 59 ± 3% of the endothelial cell perimeter of immunostained coro- nary venules. Immunolocalization of mAb PB1.3 gradu- ally declined at 60, 150, and 270 mm of reperfusion. Immuno- histochemical localization of mAb RR1/1 (anti-ICAM-1) in endothelial cells of coronary venules was observed to a modest extent in non-ischemic myocardium and at 10, 20, and 60 mm of reperfusion, but was significantly in- creased following 150 and 270 mm of reperfusion (P < 0.05 compared non-reperfused controls). At 270 mm post-reperfusion, mAb RR1/1 was seen in 50 ± 4% of coronary venules. Endothelial immunolocalization of mAb Cy1787 (anti-E-selectin) was only observed in 13 ± 1 and 14 ± 3% of coronary venules after 150 and 270 mm of reperfusion, respectively, suggesting that pronounced expression of E-selectin does not occur wi- thin 270 mm after reperfusion. These results demonstrate sequential expression of three major endothelial cell ad- herence molecules in situ following myocardial ischemia and reperfusion. The timing of endothelial cell expressed P-selectin and ICAM-1 could coordinate neutrophil trafficking during the early stages of reperfusion. J. Leu- koc. Biol. 57: 45-55; 1995.
Reducing microbial populations on beef tissues : concentration and temperature of lactic acid

Cylindrical samples of beef semitendinosus muscle were dipped in inocula of diluted (1:8) fresh bovine manure or suspensions of Escherichia coli or Salmonella typhimurium. After air drying 15 min, samples were sanitized by dipping in lactic acid(0, 1, 2 or 3%)for 15 s at 25, 40, 55 or 70°C. The most effective treatment was dipping the lean beef muscle in 3% lactic acid solution at 70°C. In general, as the temperature of acid at each concentration was increased from 25 to 70°C, numbers of surviving test organisms were increasingly reduced. Overall, concentration was an insignificant variable at the higher temperatures but became significant as temperature was lowered. Treatment tended to affect aerobes most and E. coli least. Bacterial injury was shown to be a factor to be considered when conducting sanitizing studies.
Embedded DiCAD linear phase shifter for 57–65GHz reconfigurable direct frequency modulation in 90nm CMOS

A digitally controlled artificial dielectric (DiCAD) differential transmission line is designed to perform agile linear phase shift over 100° with thermometer-coded 16step control. It also operates with a 16 gain-step VGA to enable re-configurable and direct-frequency modulation at 60GHz with 2562 states (1.1° angular and 0.0007 magnitude resolutions) and −31dB static EVM for multiple PSK/QAM modulations. The modulator uses 0.33mm2 core area in 90nm CMOS and consumes 10mA at 1V.
Human antibody responses to bacterial antigens: studies of a model conventional antigen and a proposed model B cell superantigen.

We have investigated the human antibody repertoires that bind to two different classes of bacterial antigens. Immunization with the conventional antigen, type b capsular polysaccharide of Haemophilus influenzae Hib PS, uniformly induces IgA and IgG responses dominated by clones that use heavy chains structurally related to two subsets of VH3 genes, while in a minority of subjects antibodies from the VH1 or VH4 families are co-induced. In contrast, the “alternative binding site” of Staphylococcal Protein A (SPA) represents an unconventional determinant, because; (i) SPA is bound by a large proportion of non-immune IgM, IgA and IgG F(ab')2, (ii) SPA is bound only to Fab from the VH3 family, which can be encoded by at least four different germline genes, (iii) SPA binding is independent of VL usage, (iv) by flow cytometry SPA is bound by > 15% of tonsilar B cells, but not to T cells, (v) In vitro stimulation with an SPA containing mitogen induces the preferentially production of Ig bearing a VH3 marker. Take...
Recalcitrant Supraventricular Tachycardia: Occult Albuterol Toxicity Due to a Factitious Disorder.

Abstract Background We report a case of a factitious disorder presenting with recurrent episodes of supraventricular tachycardia (SVT). Case Report A 26-year-old woman presented with recurrent episodes of SVT. Medical history included SVT, asthma, anxiety, depression, type 2 diabetes, and migraine headaches. The patient had frequent emergency department (ED) visits with complaints of chest pain, palpitations, and heart rates typically between 130 and 150 beats/min. Electrocardiograms revealed sinus tachycardia; laboratory studies were consistently normal except for periodic episodes of hypokalemia. Over the 3 years, the patient had more than 50 visits for health care and underwent multiple diagnostic evaluations, including comprehensive laboratory testing, echocardiography, Holter monitoring, and event monitoring. Given the constellation of clinical features, a plasma albuterol concentration was obtained during an ED visit for SVT, which was 17 ng/mL (reference range for peak plasma concentration after 0.04–0.1-mg inhaler dose = 0.6–1.4 ng/mL). A subsequent ED visit with a similar presentation revealed a plasma albuterol level of 11 ng/mL. The patient adamantly denied using this medication. Due to concerns about a factitious disorder, a multidisciplinary hospital discussion was planned for subsequent interventions; however, the patient was lost to follow-up. Why Should an Emergency Physician Be Aware of This? This is a compelling case report of a factitious disorder and occult albuterol abuse resulting in recalcitrant SVT with numerous ED visits and interventions. Patients with factitious disorders can have multiple visits for emergency care and are challenging to evaluate and treat. Albuterol toxicity can present with pronounced sinus tachycardia, fine tremor, and often with transient hypokalemia.
A New Species of Polylopadium Brennan & Jones, 1961 (Acari: Trombiculidae) from Cricetid Rodents, Peru with Description of a New Character for the Genus and a Key to the Species

peruensis is described as new from specimens collected from Oryzomys yunganus, Proechimys quadruplicatus, and Oryzomys megacephalus taken in Peru. A new character of a nude tactile seta on femur III is noted for the genus and a key to the species of Polylopadium is presented.
Desmosome Mutations in Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy Important Insight but Only Part of the Picture

Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) is not a common disease, but it is a deadly one. A detailed understanding of its pathogenesis could provide insights into fundamental mechanisms pertinent to much more common cardiac conditions associated with sudden death. There are several reasons why this might be so. First, ARVC is the most arrhythmogenic form of heart disease in humans. The rate of appropriate shocks in patients with ARVC and implantable defibrillators far exceeds that rate in patients with other highly arrhythmogenic diseases such as long-QT syndrome or hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (data from the North American ARVC registry). Second, arrhythmias are a cardinal feature of ARVC and typically appear early in the disease before significant structural remodeling of the myocardium and contractile dysfunction develop.1 In this sense, ARVC may be as much akin to the ion channelopathies (arrhythmias in a structurally normal heart) as to other types of cardiomyopathies associated with sudden death, such as idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy or hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in which arrhythmias typically develop in hearts with considerable structural and functional derangements. This does not mean that fibrofatty replacement of the right ventricle plays no role in sudden death. Tissue remodeling in ARVC undoubtedly contributes to arrhythmia substrates, but there is also something about the “unaffected” myocardium that seems to make this such an arrhythmogenic disease. Third, ARVC is a familial disease, usually inherited in an autosomal dominant pattern.2 However, genetic penetrance and disease expression are highly variable. It is not unusual for individuals who carry the same disease-causing mutation to have markedly different clinical manifestations. Even within families, a proband may die suddenly at a young age, whereas first-degree relatives with the same mutation can have a far more benign course.1,2 Knowing the monogenic causes certainly focuses attention on specific genes and provides an entry …
The Italian Renaissance Palace Facade: Facades on Parade: Architecture between Court and City

THE VIA ALESSANDRINA: THE STREET AS STAGE As an ideal model of the well-ordered city, or human society in general, the type of the Caprini facade transcended its own specific location and physical disappearance, enjoying widespread diffusion in Rome and far beyond. It also stimulated, however, innovative and striking cases of a self-conscious, even polemical departure from the example set by Bramante; indeed, such counterdesigns appeared in close proximity to the Palazzo Caprini, in a blatant attempt to upstage it (the metaphor is entirely appropriate). In this chapter I discuss the novel urban “stage” on which the Caprini facade and its rivals made their appearance and which they helped to shape through an architecture of unprecented rhetorical ingenuity and capacity to position a patron in his social or cultural world. The chapter ends with a review of the very different history and topography of a group of Roman palaces frankly indebted to the Caprini facade. In 1499 Pope Alexander VI Borgia commanded the opening of a straight street between the portal of the papal palace of the Vatican and the piazza in front of the Castel S. Angelo (Map 4; Fig. 51). Officially designated as the Via Alessandrina, the street was generally known as the Borgo Nuovo, and was aligned roughly parallel to the existing major route (Borgo Vecchio or Carreria Santa) leading from the city toward St. Peter's basilica.
Using wavelets to synthesize stochastic-based sounds for immersive virtual environments

Stochastic, or nonpitched, sounds fill our real-world environment. Humans almost continuously hear stochastic sounds, such as wind, rain, motor sounds, and different types of impact sounds. Because of their prevalence in real-world environments, it is important to include these types of sounds for realistic virtual environment simulations. This paper describes a synthesis approach that uses wavelets for modeling stochastic-based sounds. Parameterizations of the wavelet models yield a variety of related sounds from a small set of models. The result is dynamic sound models that can change according to changes in the virtual environment. This paper contains a description of the sound synthesis process, several developed models, and the on-going perceptual experiments for validating the sound synthesis veracity. The developed models and results demonstrate proof of the concept and illustrate the potential of this approach.
Clinical Evaluation of Injury and Recovery

New noninvasive techniques are now available for determining the regional function and structural integrity of the central nervous system. Sensory evoked potentials measure conduction through visual, auditory, and somatosensory pathways. Computerized axial tomography gives a high resolution view of brain structure. Positron emission tomography measures local brain metabolism, and nuclear magnetic resonance techniques are used to determine local tissue concentrations of various metabolites. The potential role of these new methods in the clinical evaluation of injury and recovery are discussed.
Muller’s Nobel Prize Lecture: When Ideology Prevailed Over Science

This paper extends and confirms the report of Calabrese (Calabrese, E. J. (2011b). Muller's Nobel Lecture on dose-response for ionizing radiation: Ideology or science? Arch. Toxicol. 85, 1495-1498) that Hermann J. Muller knowingly made deceptive comments in his 1946 Nobel Prize Lecture (Muller, H. J. (1946). Nobel Prize Lecture. Stockholm, Sweden. Available at http://www.nobelprize.org/. Accessed December 12) concerning the dose-response. Supporting a linearity perspective, Muller stated there is "no escape from the conclusion that there is no threshold" while knowing the results of a recent study by Ernst Caspari and Curt Stern contradicted these comments. Recently uncovered private correspondence between Muller and Stern reveals Muller's scientific assessment of the Caspari and Stern manuscript in a letter from Muller to Stern 5 weeks (14 January 1947) after his Nobel Prize Lecture of 12 December 1946. Muller indicated that the manuscript was of acceptable scientific quality; he indicated the manuscript should be published, but the findings needed replication because it significantly challenged the linearity hypothesis. These findings complement the previous letter (12 November 1946 letter from Muller to Stern), which revealed that Muller received the Caspari and Stern manuscript, recognized it as significant, and recommended its replication 5 weeks before his Nobel Prize Lecture. Muller therefore supported this position immediately before and after his Nobel Prize Lecture. Muller's opinions on the Caspari and Stern manuscript therefore had not changed during the time leading up to his Lecture, supporting the premise that his Lecture comments were deceptive. These findings are of historical and practical significance because Muller's comments were a notable contributory factor, changing how risks would be assessed for carcinogens (i.e., changing from a threshold to a linear model) throughout the 20th century to the present.
Neurobiological Mechanisms In Chronic Insomnia

This article grapples with the notion that insomnia can or should be defined in physiologic terms. It is proposed that insomnia is better understood from a neurobiological perspective. A review of the neurobiology of sleep and wakefulness is provided with a special emphasis on the implications for insomnia. Following the review it is suggested that a complete understanding of insomnia will require that the neurobiologic characterization of insomnia be informed by modern cognitive concepts and methods.
Pharmacologic Inhibition of Nedd8 Activation Enzyme Exposes CD4-Induced Epitopes within Env on Cells Expressing HIV-1.

UNLABELLED HIV-1 Vpu decreases the exposure of epitopes within the viral envelope glycoprotein (Env) on the surface of infected cells by downregulating both BST2 and CD4. To test the hypothesis that inhibiting Vpu activity would increase the exposure of these epitopes and sensitize infected cells to antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC), we treated cells with the Nedd8 activation enzyme (NAE) inhibitor MLN4924, which inhibits the cullin1-based ubiquitin ligase complex coopted by Vpu to degrade cellular targets. Treatment of HeLa cells with MLN4924 or expression of a dominant negative mutant of cullin1 inhibited the Vpu-mediated downregulation of CD4 but not the downregulation of BST2. NAE inhibition also increased the surface exposure of CD4-induced epitopes within Env on HEK293 cells containing an inducible HIV genome, on infected CEM T cells, and on infected primary T cells. In contrast, the Vpu-mediated downregulation of BST2 was substantially inhibited by MLN4924 only when T cells were treated with alpha interferon (IFN-α) to induce high levels of BST2 expression. As reported previously, the absence of vpu or nef and even more so the combined absence of these two genes sensitized infected cells to ADCC. However, NAE inhibition affected ADCC minimally. Paradoxically, even in infected, IFN-treated cells in which NAE inhibition substantially rescued the surface level of BST2, the surface level of Env detected with an antibody recognizing a CD4-independent epitope (2G12) was minimally increased. Mutation of the C-terminal Vpu residue W76, which supports the ability of Vpu to stimulate virion release by displacing BST2 from assembly sites on the plasma membrane by a cullin1-independent mechanism, increased the exposure of Env detected by 2G12 on infected T cells. Thus, inhibiting the displacement function of Vpu together with its ability to degrade CD4 and BST2 may be required to sensitize infected cells to ADCC. IMPORTANCE Pathogenic viruses encode gene products that enable evasion of host immune surveillance mechanisms. One such mechanism is antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC), whereby host antibodies bind envelope glycoproteins of the virus that are inserted into the cellular membrane and direct the destruction of infected cells. Targeting pharmacologically the activity of HIV-1 Vpu, which contributes to evasion of ADCC, could potentially sensitize infected cells to this immune surveillance mechanism, an outcome that would have therapeutic implications with respect to the goal of curing HIV-1 infection. The Nedd8 activation enzyme inhibitor MLN4924 blocks the activity of the host ubiquitin ligase that Vpu coopts to direct the degradation of CD4 and BST2. We observed that while MLN4924 partially reverses the activity of Vpu and could become part of a therapeutic approach by virtue of CD4-induced epitope exposure, sufficient Vpu activity as an antagonist of BST2 persists despite this drug to allow escape from ADCC.
Loading and Manipulating Data

We now turn to using R to conduct data analysis. Our first basic steps are simply to load data into R and to clean the data to suit our purposes.
Online detection of abnormal events using incremental coding length

We present an unsupervised approach for abnormal event detection in videos. We propose, given a dictionary of features learned from local spatiotemporal cuboids using the sparse coding objective, the abnormality of an event depends jointly on two factors: the frequency of each feature in reconstructing all events (or, rarity of a feature) and the strength by which it is used in reconstructing the current event (or, the absolute coefficient). The Incremental Coding Length (ICL) of a feature is a measure of its entropy gain. Given a dictionary, the ICL computation does not involve any parameter, is computationally efficient and has been used for saliency detection in images with impressive results. In this paper, the rarity of a dictionary feature is learned online as its average energy, a function of its ICL. The proposed approach is applicable to real world streaming videos. Experiments on three benchmark datasets and evaluations in comparison with a number of mainstream algorithms show that the approach is comparable to the state-of-the-art.
Toward a Neuroscience of Wisdom

The study of wisdom as a psychological construct has increased greatly in the past 30 years, with a more recent interest in the investigation of its neurobiological underpinnings. The neuroscience of wisdom has largely been approached from understanding the neurobiology of the components of wisdom, with little focus on how wisdom is represented as a unified construct, and on how wisdom may develop with life experience. By looking at both psychological and neurobiological accounts of wisdom and its components to date, as well as recent research into how the components of wisdom may be cultivated by certain practices and experience, this chapter contributes to the unification of wisdom as a unique construct that may be cultivated over time for increased positive personal and societal well-being, basing this unification in the overlap of neural networks that underlie the individual components of wisdom.
Electromagnetic Modulation of Biological Processes: ATPase Function and DNA Production by Raji Cancer Cells in vitro

Addition of either ATP or ouabain to the culture medium markedly depressed thymidine incorporation into DNA in Raji cells. The electromagnetic field, pulsating at very low frequency, did not affect DNA synthesis in normal culture media nor did it alter its ouabain-inhibition, but it partially reversed the ATP-inhibition. In spite of the presence of ATP, ouabain prevented stimulation of ATPase and DNA synthesis by the field. Although no mechanism is known for the action of either ATP or the field, the results may be interpreted in light of existing speculations. In the absence of the field, external ATP may go into an ATP pool that either blocks ATPase or feeds adenyl cyclase, which hinders DNA synthesis. In contrast, the electromagnetic field may either turn off adenyl cyclase or simply stimulate the ATP-depressed ATPase.
The coefficient of normal restitution for the Hertzian contact of two rough spheres colliding in a viscous fluid

Abstract We use previous theoretical results for the added mass, history and lubrication forces between two spheres colliding in a fluid with viscosity ν to investigate the effect of viscous dissipation on the coefficient of restitution during contact. We assume that the mechanical interaction is governed by Hertzian mechanical contact of small duration τ and that the minimum approach distance between particles is approximately equal to the height σ of surface micro-asperities. A non-dimensionalization of the equation of motion indicates that the contact dynamics is governed by two parameters – the ratio ϵ of the surface roughness σ and the sphere radius a, and a contact Stokes number defined as Stc = σ2/ντ. An asymptotic solution of the equation of motion in the limit of small ϵ/Stc is used to obtain an explicit expression for the coefficient of restitution during contact and the latter is compared with estimates based on numerical solutions of the non-linear equation of motion.