cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of metabolites present during growth of Tetrahymena pyriformis on the subsequent secretion of lysosomal hydrolases

Tetrahymena were grown in proteose-peptone medium supplemented with glucose, mannose, fructose, galactose, acetate, succinate, or pyruvate and then washed and resuspended in a non-nutrient salt solution and the amounts of 7 acid hydrolases secreted into the medium in a one hour incubation were measured. Cells that had been grown in the presence of glucose secreted about half the amounts of acid phosphatase, beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase and acid protease as did control cells grown in unsupplemented medium. Pyruvate was about as effective as glucose and both were slightly more effective than acetate or fructose. Succinate had little effect. Similar experiments showed that alpha-mannosidase, beta-fucosidase, and beta-galactosidase are secreted into the salt solution and the secretion is reduced by prior growth of the cells in medium supplemented with glucose or mannose but not galactose. Except for alpha-mannosidase, these reductions in amounts of hydrolase secreted were not accompanied by appreciable changes in intracellular activity, and therefore demonstrate a persistent effect of growth in the presence of certain metabolites on the subsequent secretion of lysosomal hydrolases. Since the inhibition of subsequent secretion depended on both the individual metabolite and the particular hydrolase examined, it appears that the effect of metabolites is not limited to a general inhibition of secretion but may differentially alter some properties of lysosomal subpopulations. A preliminary characterization of the secreted acid protease of Tetrahymena suggests that there may be two acid proteases released, since up to 25% of the activity was not inhibited by high concentrations of pepstatin, leupeptin, or chymostatin.
A quantitative stability and bifurcation analyses of the generalized duffing oscillator with strong nonlinearity

Abstract An analytical approach for the quantitative prediction of stability and bifurcations of approximate periodic solutions of the generalized Duffing oscillator x + δ x + α 1 x + α 2 x 3 = L 0 cos Ωt is presented. This approach is based on an improved harmonic balance method. Four types of Duffing oscillator are considered. Various stability and bifurcation conditions are derived. To verify the procedure, a comparison of the analytical results with numerical solutions is presented. Good agreement is observed. Numerical simulations using the analytically computed stability conditions are employed to expedite the numerical experimentations. Phase portraits for all four kinds of Duffing oscillator are shown. The number of stable and unstable solutions agree exactly with the analytical predictions.
Risk factors for continued opioid use one to two months after surgery for musculoskeletal trauma.

Background: The aim of this study was to determine factors associated with self-reported ongoing use of opioid medication one to two months after operative treatment of musculoskeletal trauma. Methods: Operatively treated patients (n = 145) with musculoskeletal trauma were evaluated one to two months after surgery. Patients indicated if they were taking opioid pain medication and completed several psychological questionnaires: the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, the Pain Catastrophizing Scale, the Pain Anxiety Symptoms Scale, and the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist, civilian version. The Numeric Rating Scale was used to measure pain intensity. Disability was measured with use of the Short Musculoskeletal Function Assessment Questionnaire and injury severity was measured with use of the Abbreviated Injury Scale. Results: Patients who scored higher on the catastrophic thinking, anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder, and depression questionnaires were significantly more likely (p < 0.001) to report taking opioid pain medications one to two months after surgery, regardless of injury severity, fracture site, or treating surgeon. The magnitude of disability as measured by the Short Musculoskeletal Function Assessment score was significantly higher (p < 0.001) in the patients who reported using opioids (40 points) compared with those who reported not using opioids (24 points). A logistic regression model not including pain intensity found that the single best predictor of reported opioid use was catastrophic thinking (odds ratio, 1.12 [95% confidence interval, 1.07 to 1.18]), which explained 23% of the variance (p < 0.001).
Reaction of thoria with zirconium chloride

Abstract The reaction of high-density cylindrical sol-gel thoria pellets with zirconium chloride in KCl-58.5 mole % LiCl and in KCl-40.0 mole % MgCl2 at 560 ° and 650 °C was investigated. After a relatively short period the pellets become covered with an adherent but porous ZrO2 product and thereafter the reaction is controlled by the diffusion of zirconium ions through fused-salt channels in the scale. Reaction rate constants for the initial period and for the diffusion-controlled period were determined. An equation for diffusion through a general cylindrical scale or surface during reaction was derived and employed to calculate the time required for complete reaction. The data show that if a means is provided for preventing the zirconia product from adhering to the surface, relatively large pellets, 0.344 cm long and 0.592cm diam., react completely in 8–38 h in the above temperature range. With an adherent scale the time required is much longer. The rate is significantly more rapid in the KCl-MgCl2 salt. The reaction was not sensitive to the presence of a reducing agent or the stirring rates employed.
Grounding the Postmodern Self

In postmodern discourse, self is displaced as a central presence in experience and reappropriated as yet another personal signifier. This paper describes key postmodern views, then reframes postmod...
AN EXPLORATORY INVESTIGATION INTO THEORETICAL MECHANISMS UNDERLYING REALISTIC JOB PREVIEWS

This research explored complex theories about why realistic job previews (RJPs) deter turnover. After designing an RJP booklet about nursing work, we delivered this RJP to 82 newly hired nurses during orientation, while presenting a traditional recruitment brochure to 76 other nurses. Nurses also completed surveys on two occasions, assessing processes commonly thought to translate RJP influence: met expectations; commitment; perceived employer caring; coping efficacy; and value orientation. The RJP lowered voluntary quits: 8.5% of nurses given previews quit versus 17.8% of control nurses (p ≤ .10). Using structural equation methodology (SEM), we compared two integrative formulations portraying different structural networks among mechanisms behind RJP influence. Observed data appeared more consistent with an interdependent than independent mediating process model. In particular, these data suggest that met expectations have direct and indirect effects through other mediators (e.g., organizational concern and coping) on turnover precursors–namely, job satisfaction and organizational commitment.
The Investigation of the Behavior of Microorganisms by Computerized Television

Instrumentation is described which permits, along with simultaneous subjective observation, the rapid recording and quantification of the overt behavior of motile microorganisms under varying conditions. From a chain of standard commercially available units (with the exception of a single especially designed one) there has emerged a totality which provides unique advantages to the student of overt behavior. It consists of a primary optical system through which the organisms are televised, a standard video tape recorder, a unit which we have christened the ``bugwatcher'' that processes the video signal from the tape for quantification of data by a computer, and finally, a digital computer.
Sensitivity of partially purified ice nucleation activity of Fusarium acuminatum SRSF 616.

Factors that affect bacterial ice nucleation, including growth medium, growth phase, nutrient deprivation, and cold-temperature exposure, were investigated in the ice nucleation active (INA) fungus Fusarium acuminatum SRSF 616. Ice nucleation activity remained relatively constant throughout the growth cycle, and the cell-free culture supernatant consistently displayed higher ice nucleation activity than the hyphal pellet. Although nutrient starvation and low-temperature exposure enhance bacterial ice nucleation activity, reducing the concentration of C, N, or P in synthetischer nahrstoffarmer broth (SNB) did not increase fungal ice nucleation activity, nor did exposure to 4°C or 15°C. From the SNB supernatant, selected INA chromatography fractions were obtained that demonstrated increased sensitivity to proteinase K and heat compared with culture supernatant. We propose that partial purification of the fungal ice nuclei resulted in removal of low-molecular-weight stabilizing factors.
Stress Echocardiographic Techniques: An Overview

The choice of upright or supine exercise, pharmacological agents, or atrial pacing for the induction of ischemia depends on the goals and the imaging modality. Dynamic stress echocardiography has improved diagnostic accuracy over and above the stress electrocardiogram. Indications include patients with atypical symptoms, prior nondiagnostic stress electrocardiograms, or baseline electrocardiographic abnormalities. Pharmacological agents coupled with echocardiography do well in the high-risk preoperative patient (e.g., abdominal aneurysmectomy) or in those unable to walk due to orthopedic, neurological, or peripheral vascular disease. When there is uncertainty as to the physiological significance of anatomical (angiographic) stenosis, dynamic stress echocardiography in the ambulatory patient or atrial pacing (or beta-agonist pharmacological stressors) in the catheterization laboratory are useful. The accuracy of stress echocardiography for detection of ischemia in the follow-up of interventional procedures or for postmyocardial infarction risk stratification is superior to standard stress electrocardiography alone.
Inductive regression: overcoming OLS limitations with the general regression neural network

Predicting and modeling relationships between spatially varying phenomena is central to understanding the geography of disease, politics, economics, and land use, for example. The purpose of this article is to introduce the General Regression Neural Network (GRNN) to a general geography audience as a powerful tool to use in place of OLS for function approximation with geographic data. Specifically, GRNN is a simple to use, robust predictor that is capable of modeling non-linear relationships without a pre-determined functional form and avoids four OLS assumptions that are frequently violated when using spatially referenced datasets. In OLS, assumptions about data characteristics are encoded into the predictive model and when the assumptions are violated the regression coefficients are biased. Separating model parameters from assumptions of data structure and distribution allows the GRNN to be partially molded by the characteristics of the data themselves, an inductive prediction. The four frequently violated OLS assumptions that do not affect GRNN are (1) linear functional relationship, (2) data distribution, (3) resilience to outliers, and (4) independence of observations. The reasons why these assumptions cause problems for OLS are reviewed and then reexamined in GRNN context. GRNN operation is described in three parts: probability density function estimation, network structure, and interpretation of results. Finally, the case of maize production in the US Great Plains is presented as an example of the practical use of GRNN in function approximation.
Unique marketing challenges at the frontiers of technology: an integrated perspective

This article highlights several aspects pertaining to the marketing of technology-oriented products and services of which managers need to be aware in order to survive and succeed in competitive markets. The authors present a conceptual framework for the marketing of technology-oriented products encompassing the strategic options available to technology firms, the marketing mix decisions, and market related issues. A review of literature is undertaken to identify the recent and relevant "marketing tool kit". Thirty-four propositions are extracted from extant research to stimulate thinking across functions and disciplines. The article concludes with gaps in the literature and perspectives for future research.
Dosimetric predictors of esophageal toxicity after stereotactic body radiotherapy for central lung tumors.

Abstract Background and purpose Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) to central lung tumors can cause esophageal toxicity, but little is known about the incidence or risk factors. We reviewed central lung SBRT patients to identify dosimetric factors predictive of esophageal toxicity. Materials and methods We assessed esophageal toxicity in 125 SBRT patients. Using biological equivalent doses with α / β =10Gy (BED 10 ), dose–volume histogram variables for the esophagus ( D v and V d ) were assessed for correlation with grade ⩾2 acute toxicity. Results Incidence of grade ⩾2 acute toxicity was 12% ( n =15). Highly significant logistic models were generated for D 5cc and D max ( p D 5cc ⩽26.3 BED 10 . At 2years, the probability of complication with BED 10 D 5cc >14.4Gy was 24%, compared to 1.6% if ⩽14.4Gy. Conclusions This novel analysis provides guidelines to predict acute esophageal toxicity in lung SBRT. Dose to the hottest 5cc and D max of the esophagus were the best predictors of toxicity. Converting the BED 10 limits to physical doses, D 5cc to the esophagus should be kept less than 16.8, 18.1 and 19.0Gy for 3, 4, and 5 fractions, respectively, to keep the acute toxicity rate
In vitro enhancement of aniline metabolism by paraoxon

Paraoxon in concentrations from 2 × 10−5 m to 1 × 10−3 m enhanced the in vitro microsomal metabolism of aniline in livers obtained from rats, mice, rabbits, dogs and man. Paraoxon is several thousand times more potent as an enhancing agent than acetone. Enhancement of drug metabolism by acetone is inhibited by SKF 525A, but enhancement of metabolism by paraoxon is relatively unaffected by this agent. Furthermore, the kinetic constants differ, suggesting that the mechanisms by which these agents produce enhancement are different. Hexobarbital and ethylmorphine metabolism were inhibited by paraoxon. Metabolism of paraoxon itself did not appear to play a major role in the mechanism of the enhancement. Short term in vivo pretreatment of mice with paraoxon also resulted in the enhancement of aniline metabolism in vitro.
Alternating minimization algorithm with iteratively reweighted quadratic penalties for compressive transmission tomography

We propose an alternating minimization (AM) algorithm for estimating attenuation functions in x-ray transmission tomography using priors that promote sparsity in the pixel/voxel differences domain. As opposed to standard maximum-a-posteriori (MAP) estimation, we use the automatic relevance determination (ARD) framework. In the ARD approach, sparsity (or compressibility) is promoted by introducing latent variables which serve as the weights of quadratic penalties, with one weight for each pixel/voxel; these weights are then automatically learned from the data. This leads to an algorithm where the quadratic penalty is reweighted in order to effectively promote sparsity. In addition to the usual object estimate, ARD also provides measures of uncertainty (posterior variances) which are used at each iteration to automatically determine the trade-off between data fidelity and the prior, thus potentially circumventing the need for any tuning parameters. We apply the convex decomposition lemma in a novel way and derive a separable surrogate function that leads to a parallel algorithm. We propose an extension of branchless distance-driven forward/back-projections which allows us to considerably speed up the computations associated with the posterior variances. We also study the acceleration of the algorithm using ordered subsets.
Infants' Perception of Causal Chains

Three experiments examined infants' and adults' perception of causal sequences of events. In a causal-chain sequence, the first action causes a second action that then causes a final outcome; in a temporal-chain sequence, the first two actions are independent and the second action causes a final outcome. Infants and adults were shown the same event sequences; infants were tested using a visual habituation paradigm, whereas adults were given a questionnaire. Experiment 1 indicated that 15-month-old infants perceive the primary cause of the final outcome to be the first action in a causal chain but the second action in a temporal chain. Experiment 2 showed that adults interpret the causal sequences in a manner similar to that of 15-month-olds. Finally, Experiment 3 showed that 10-month-old infants do not yet perceive causal sequences in the same manner as 15-month-olds and adults. These results are interpreted in terms of both infants' developing knowledge of causal events and adults' attributions of causal...
Effect of Lithium on Catecholamine-Induced Antidiuresis and Cyclic AMP in Dog Kidneys

Patients treated with lithium salt have an inability to concentrate urine, possible due to the inhibition of the antidiuretic effect of vasopressin. Since beta adrenergic stimulation also induces antidiuresis, a possible effect of lithium on the catecholamine-induced antidiuresis was investigated in dog kidneys. The urinary concentrating ability induced by the iv injection of isoproterenol 0.1 μg⁄kg was markedly inhibited in the lithiumtreated animals (plasma lithium 1.13 ± 0.10 mM). The increase of cyclic AMP concentration by 1 μM isoproterenol was also significantly less in the renal medullary slices obtained from the lithium-treated animals than in those obtained from the control animals. These findings suggest that the inability to concentrate urine in the patients treated with lithium salt is probably due to the inhibition of the antidiuretic effect of catecholamine as well as that of vasopressin; and the inhibitory mechanism of lithium on the catecholamine-induced antidiuresis is possibly through th...
The Consequences of an Indo-Pakistani Nuclear War

This essay evaluates the likely consequences of a hypothetical nuclear conflict between India and Pakistan by estimating the civilian casualties that would result from nuclear attacks on targets within the two countries. Why India and Pakistan require nuclear weapons or the political situations that might lead to nuclear war are not addressed, but given the tension between India and Pakistan over Kashmir and the fact that they have fought multiple wars and have had numerous other military engagements since their independence in 1947 provides ample context for investigation. There are a wide variety of nuclear wars that could be fought depending on the countries' targeting goals which themselves will reflect the motivations behind the use of nuclear weapons. For this analysis, the variety of nuclear wars between India and Pakistan are characterized through a number of representative target sets describing city center, strategic military, and transportation and power-grid types of targets. Table 1 summarizes the target sets identified for this analysis. View this table: 1 Target Sets Summary Civilian casualty calculations are performed using an unclassified version of the Fallout Assessment System/Civilian Vulnerability Indicator Code (FAS/CIVIC), a computer code produced by the Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) to evaluate the casualties produced by prompt thermal radiation, blast effects, and radioactive fallout. This code has been widely used by US government agencies to assess civilian causalities in a nuclear war. The FAS/CIVIC computer code was developed at the San Diego offices of SAIC to predict the effects of a nuclear exchange. It has been used extensively within the US defense industrial complex to assess the nuclear capabilities of US systems and those of the Soviet Union/Russia.2 FAS/CIVIC is a flexible program with worldwide data, including populations and target installations, making it ideal for an evaluation of a nuclear conflict between India and Pakistan. The …
Procainamide for rate control of postsurgical junctional tachycardia.

This study was conducted to determine the efficacy of procainamide therapy for rapid rate control of postoperative junctional tachycardia (JT). Postoperative JT is one of the most difficult forms of tachycardia to manage. Reported success with a variety of treatments of JT in infants and children has been inconsistent and limited. Rate control using procainamide was achieved in 17 children having rapid JT (heart rate >200 beats/min) between 1986 and 1997. In the first 5 patients (protocol A), following a loading dose of 3 mg/kg over 20 minutes, a continuous procainamide infusion was initiated at a rate of 20 μg/kg/min. The infusion dose was increased in 10 μg/kg steps every 30 minutes to 40–120 μg/kg/min until the heart rate decreased below the target rate of 180 beats/min. In the other 12 patients (protocol B), after a higher loading dose of 10 mg/kg the infusion rate was increased every 10–15 minutes until the heart rate decreased below the target rate of 180 beats/min. Procainamide decreased JT rates in all patients but the response was significantly faster in protocol B. In the patients treated with protocol A, pretreatment JT rates ranged from 203 to 240 (213 ± 17) beats/min and decreased to 195 ± 10 beats/min at 2 hours (p= ns), 186 ± 8.8 at 4 hours (p < 0.02), and 179 ± 8 at 6 hour postinitiation of PA. In protocol B, pretreatment JT rates ranged from 201 to 240 (218 ± 17) beats/min and decreased to 183 ± 20 beats/min at 2 hours (p < 0.001) and 171 ± 12 at 4 hours after starting the procainamide therapy. The mean duration to decrease JT rates below the target rate of 180 beats/min was 3.2 ± 1.1 hours in protocol B compared to 6.4 ± 3.8 hours in protocol A (p < 0.02). Eight of 12 patients in protocol B achieved rate control below the target rate of 180 beats/min within 4 hours despite remaining on significant inotropic support. The procainamide infusion rates to maintain heart rates below 180 beats/min were 40–120 (68.4 ± 22.1) μg/kg/min. No proarrhythmia, bradycardia, or significant hypotension was observed. In this series procainamide provided safe, effective, and rapid rate control of JT occurring in the immediate postoperative period.
Police contacts and stress among African American college students

Attitudes toward police rarely are studied in investigations of race-related stress among communities of color. African American undergraduates (66 women, 35 men) rated the frequency and stressfulness of 83 general, college-related, race-related, and police-related events. Although respondents described police contacts as stressful, multivariate analyses of variance indicated that mean stress scores for nonpolice items were higher than for police items. Men reported significantly greater stressfulness of police contacts, and women reported slightly greater stressfulness of nonpolice situations. Further analyses confirmed significant differences in police contact stress scores as a function of the type of contacts (benign vs. malignant), gender of respondent (men greater than women), and frequency of contact. Limited differences were observed as a function of immediacy of contact (personal, witnessed, contacts of a loved one, or loved one telling of another person's contact) and individual differences in ethnic identity. No differences were observed as a function of general affective intensity. Results suggest that the stress associated with police contact is specific and distinct from other elements of African American life in this college student sample and thus underscores the need for research on the effects of such stress in less advantaged, community-based populations.
Control techniques for permanent magnet synchronous motor drive

In this paper, three significant control methods for permanent magnet synchronous machine are presented.
Education of Young Chinese Migrant Children: Challenges and Prospects

Challenged by the national residency registration system in China, migrant children have always faced obstacles in accessing public education. Recent policy changes, however, have brought hope for these children. This article introduces some international concerns regarding migrant children and provides a close view of Chinese perspectives. Issues relating to access to public education and recommendations for policies and practices are also discussed.
Turbulence Characteristics and Dissipation Estimates in the Coastal Ocean Bottom Boundary Layer from PIV Data

Abstract Turbulence characteristics in the coastal ocean bottom boundary layer are measured using a submersible Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) system with a sample area of 20 × 20 cm2. Measurements are performed in the New York Bight at elevations ranging from 10 cm to about 1.4 m above the seafloor. Recorded data for each elevation consists of 130 s of image pairs recorded at 1 Hz. After processing, the data at each elevation consist of 130 instantaneous spatial velocity distributions within the sample area. The vertical distribution of mean velocity indicates the presence of large-scale shear even at the highest measurement station. The flow also undergoes variations at timescales longer than the present data series. Spatial spectra of the energy and dissipation are calculated from individual vector maps. The data extend well beyond the peak in the dissipation spectrum and demonstrate that the turbulence is clearly anisotropic even in the dissipation range. The vector maps are also patched together to...
Cellular immunotherapy for refractory hematological malignancies

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and other aggressive refractory hematological malignancies unresponsive to upfront therapy remain difficult conditions to treat. Often, the focus of therapy is centered on achieving complete remission of disease in order to proceed with a consolidative stem cell transplant. At issue with this paradigm is the multitude of patients who are unable to achieve complete remission with standard chemotherapeutic options. A major benefit of transplantation is the graft versus tumor effect that follows successful engraftment. However, with this graft versus tumor effect comes the risk of graft versus host disease. Therefore, alternative treatment options that utilize immunotherapy while minimizing toxicity are warranted. Herein, we propose a novel treatment protocol in which haploidentical peripheral blood stem cells are infused into patients with refractory hematological malignancies. The end goal of cellular therapy is not engraftment but instead is the purposeful rejection of donor cells so as to elicit a potent immune reaction that appears to break host tumor tolerance. The trial is a FDA and institutional Rhode Island Hospital/The Miriam Hospital IRB approved Phase I/II study to determine the efficacy and safety of haploidentical peripheral blood cell infusions into patients with refractory hematological malignancies. The primary objective is the overall response rate while secondary objectives will assess the degree and duration of response as well as safety considerations. Patients with refractory acute leukemias and aggressive lymphomas over the age of 18 are eligible. Donors will be selected amongst family members. Full HLA typing of patients and donors will occur as will chimerism assessments. 1-2x108 CD3+ cells/kilogram will be infused on Day 0 without preconditioning. Patients will be monitored for their response to therapy, in particular for the development of a cytokine release syndrome (CRS) that has been previously described. Blood samples will be taken at the onset, during, and following the cessation of CRS so as to study effector cells, cytokine/chemokine release patterns, and extracellular vesicle populations. Initially, six patients will be enrolled on study to determine safety. Provided the treatment is deemed safe, a total of 25 patients will be enrolled to determine efficacy. Cellular Immunotherapy for Refractory Hematological Malignancies provides a novel treatment for patients with relapsed/refractory acute leukemia or aggressive lymphoma. We believe this therapy offers the immunological benefit of bone marrow transplantation without the deleterious effects of myeloablative conditioning regimens and minus the risk of GVHD. Laboratory correlative studies will be performed in conjunction with the clinical trial to determine the underlying mechanism of action. This provides a true bench to bedside approach that should serve to further enrich knowledge of host tumor tolerance and mechanisms by which this may be overcome. NCT01685606 .
Ablation of pituitary pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) cells produces alterations in hypothalamic POMC mRNA levels and midbrain mu opioid receptor binding in a conditional transgenic mouse model

The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is regulated by stress-related excitatory inputs, and various inhibitory and negative-feedback controls by glucocorticoids and opioids, including pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC)-derived peptides. The role of POMC-derived peptides of pituitary origin in the modulation of brain POMC mRNA expression and opioid receptor binding was investigated using a line of transgenic mice that express a fusion gene composed of the pituitary expression-specific promoter region of the POMC gene driving the herpes simplex viral-1 thymidine kinase (TK). Male adult mice were treated with the antiherpes agent ganciclovir that selectively ablates cells expressing TK. Following treatment, POMC mRNA levels, measured by quantitative solution hybridization/RNase protection assays, were decreased by 48% in the pituitary of the TK+/+ mice, reflecting an expected loss of the pituitary corticotrope POMC cells. This treatment also significantly lowered pituitary beta-endorphin immunoreactivity content and plasma concentrations of corticosterone. In contrast, POMC mRNA levels were increased by 79% in the hypothalamus of the TK+/+ mice with pituitary POMC cell ablation. Binding of [(3)H]DAMGO to mu opioid receptors, as measured by quantitative autoradiography, was significantly reduced in several brain regions including the central grey, median raphe and superficial grey layer of the superior colliculus. These regions are innervated by hypothalamic POMC neurones. No significant differences in binding to either kappa or delta opioid receptors were found in the brain regions studied. These results suggest that POMC-derived peptides of pituitary origin may exert a tonic negative-feedback effect on hypothalamic POMC neurones. In turn, the downregulation of central mu opioid receptors in this model may be mediated through a mechanism related to hypothalamic POMC overexpression.
Media consumption across platforms: Identifying user-defined repertoires

New media have made available a wide range of platforms and content choices. However, audiences cope with abundant choices by using more narrowly defined repertoires. Unfortunately, we know little of how users create repertoires across media platforms. This study uses factor analysis to identify user-defined repertoires from data obtained by following 495 users throughout an entire day. Results indicate the presence of four repertoires that are powerfully tied to the rhythms of people's daily lives. These were in turn explained by a combination of factors such as audience availability and individual demographics.
Light and Scanning Electron Microscopy of Exfoliated Bladder Epithelial Cells in Rats Fed N-[ 4-(5-Nitro-2-furyl)-2-thiazolyl]formamide

Urine specimens obtained periodically from weanling male F344 rats fed 0.2% N-[4-(5-nitro-2-furyl)-2-thiazolyl]formamide (FANFT) for 25 weeks followed by control diet for an additional 35 weeks, were examined by light microscopy (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). LM revealed red blood cells and atypical transitional cells in the urine at 25 and 43 weeks, when microinvasive transitional cell carcinoma was present. Malignant transitional cells were seen in the urine by LM at 60 weeks, when muscle invasion was present in histologic sections. However, SEM showed pleomorphic microvilli on exfoliated urothelial cells as early as 10 weeks after the beginning of FANFT administration, and the microvilli became increasingly pleomorphic as the bladder lesions progressed to muscle invasion at 60 weeks. Noninvasive tumors were present in histologic sections of rat bladders examined at the end of 10 weeks of FANFT administration. The numerous microvilli on exfoliated bladder tumor cells were in sharp contrast to the peaked microridges of normal exfoliated superficial cells.
Enhanced network survivability through balanced resource criticality

The authors describe two entropy-based measures that can be used to assess how close a network design comes to being maximally survivable: normalized node entropy (NNE) and normalized link entropy (NLE). Maximum survivability is achieved when the enemy cannot identify critical points of failure and must remove a maximum number of nodes/links before the network becomes disconnected. The normalized node and link entropy measures provide the network designer with an indication of how well individual network resources have been used to produce a highly survivable network structure. For instance, an NNE value of unity occurs in network configurations where all nodes appear equally important to the interconnection structure, such as in a ring or a fully connected network. In contrast, star configurations have NNE values of zero, since the center node can be identified as most critical to maintaining the network's interconnection structure. >
Faculty Learning Communities

Professional development for teaching frequently focuses on methodology and strategy. Information and opportunities to practice techniques are often offered in onetime, interactive workshops. However, one-shot faculty development opportunities are not designed to address a critical element of the faculty role in the learning/teaching dynamic-individual beliefs, experiences, and research regarding learning. Faculty Learning Communities (FLC) is a collaborative initiative at Texas A&M University in which interdisciplinary groups of participants examine learning. The format includes ninety-minute weekly meetings over an academic year, recommended readings on learning, reflective journaling, and individual and collaborative tasks. FLC provides an opportunity to explore learning from multiple perspectives. This process validates what participants know, while supporting the development of a common language and theoretical foundation from which to dialogue. The sustained nature of the interaction provides an increased sense of connectedness and community. Through participation in FLC, faculty members draw ideas, energy and perspective from their exchange that they incorporate into their thinking about, and practice of learning and teaching.
CHEMICAL ACTIVATION PROCESSES IN COMBUSTION KINETICS

This paper is concerned with the chemical kinetics databases used to simulate the behavior of combustion systems. The individual elements are the rate expressions for the various reactions. At a fundamental level there are only unimolecular and bimolecular reactions. We will be concerned with the former and the proper way to describe these processes. In most databases these are expressed in the Arrhenius or modified Arrhenius form. This may not be correct since the implication is that the molecules are in a Boltzmann distribution. This can only be achieved if there are sufficient collisions to thermalize the reacting molecule. We consider in this presentation the case where two molecular entities form an excited adduct which can then decompose through various channels. The situation is particularly important for cases of the attack of oxygen molecules on a fuel radical during fuel oxidation and for the combination of unsaturated species during PAH/SOOT formation. The proper treatment of such reactions are well understood but has been largely neglected in existing database. We demonstrate the situation for the specific cases of oxygen molecule attack on n-propyl radical and H-atom formation as a consequence of methyl radical addition to benzyl, naphthy and phenathrenyl. The consequence is that all these processes have pressure dependences, For the aromatic compounds it appears that increasing molecular size does not necessarily help to thermalize the molecule. The conclusion is that for these general classes of reaction existing databases do not reflect the actual physical situation.
Inhibiting the Complement System Does Not Reduce Injury in Renal Ischemia Reperfusion

The complex pathogenesis of ischemia reperfusion injury (IRI) includes endothelial expression of adhesion molecules, leukocyte recruitment and activation, reactive oxygen species production, and apoptotic and necrotic cell death. A role for complement in IRI of different organs, including kidney, has been proposed on the basis of results of experiments that used pharmacologic inhibitors as well as animals that were deficient in individual complement proteins. Here, renal IRI in mice was examined. Animals that were deficient in C3 had partial protection from IRI induced by 27.5 min of bilateral renal ischemia, followed by 20 h of reperfusion (blood urea nitrogen [BUN] values, 46.6 +/- 6.9 and 68.4 +/- 7.9 mg/dl in C3 -/- and C3 +/+ mice; n = 7 and 8, respectively; P = 0.033). Given the reduction in IRI in C3 -/- mice, it was investigated, by use of the rodent C3 convertase inhibitor CR1-related gene/protein y-Ig (Crry-Ig), whether exogenous administration of a complement inhibitor could lessen renal injury. Despite the use of Crry-Ig in high doses, there was no significant reduction of injury induced by 20 to 30 min of ischemia followed by up to 30 h of reperfusion. Histologic examination revealed acute tubular necrosis and neutrophilic infiltration, both of which correlated significantly with BUN values (P < 0.001). Of interest, C3 deposition around renal tubules was significantly less in animals with IRI, compared with that in unmanipulated controls (P < 0.001). In Crry-Ig-treated animals, C3 deposition was inversely proportional to BUN values (r = -0.63; P < 0.001), which presumably indicates that severe vascular IRI allowed access of the 160 kD Crry-Ig to the interstitium. Thus, renal IRI in mice may have a partial complement dependence, yet pharmacologic inhibition of the complement system does not seem to be effective, likely because of the presence of other mediator systems that operate in parallel.
The Origins and Consequences of Procedural Fairness

In 1975 John Thibaut and Laurens Walker published their seminal monograph, Procedural Justice: A Psychological Analysis.1 It involved a comparative empirical analysis of third-party procedures used in conflict resolution, such as adjudication, arbitration, and mediation. The research was concerned with a number of aspects of procedures, including fact-finding efficacy, but some of the most interesting findings involved subjective reactions to procedures: disputants (and uninvolved parties) were often as concerned with the fairness of the processes as with the outcome itself. This insight spawned substantial additional research on procedural fairness, in part because it is theoretically interesting but also because it would appear to have significant consequences for the design and implementation of mechanisms of dispute resolution. If disputants do not see procedures as fair, they will not accord them legitimacy, will avoid them if possible, and if forced to use them, will not readily accept the outcomes. Such matters are a major concern in debate about alternative dispute resolution in the legal system and in other settings as well.2 In The Social Psychology of Procedural Justice, Allan Lind and Tom
A Three-time-scale redesign for robust stabilization and performance recovery of nonlinear systems with input uncertainties

In this paper we propose a robust redesign technique which recovers the trajectories of a nominal control design in the presence of input uncertainties. We design two sets of high gain filters - the first to estimate the input uncertainty over a fast time-scale, and the second to force this estimate to converge to the nominal input on an intermediate time- scale. Using singular perturbation theory we prove that the trajectories of the resulting three-time scale redesigned system approach those of the nominal system when the filter gains are increased.
Heart rate, anxiety and performance of residents during a simulated critical clinical encounter: a pilot study

Background: High-fidelity patient simulation has been praised for its ability to recreate lifelike training conditions. The degree to which high fidelity simulation elicits acute emotional and physiologic stress among participants – and the influence of acute stress on clinical performance in the simulation setting – remain areas of active exploration. We examined the relationship between residents’ self-reported anxiety and a proxy of physiologic stress (heart rate) as well as their clinical performance in a simulation exam using a validated assessment of non-technical skills, the Ottawa Crisis Resource Management Global Rating Scale (Ottawa GRS). Methods: This was a prospective observational cohort study of emergency medicine residents at a single academic center. Participants managed a simulated clinical encounter. Anxiety was assessed using a pre- and post-simulation survey, and continuous cardiac monitoring was performe do n each participant duringthe scenario. Performance in the simulation scenario was graded by faculty raters using a critical actions checklist and the Ottawa GRS instrument. Results: Data collection occurred during the 2011 academic year. Of 40 eligible residents, 34 were included in the analysis. The median baseline heart rate for participants was 70 beats per minute (IQR: 62 – 78). During the simulation, the median maximum heart rate was 140 beats per minute (IQR: 137 – 151). The median minimum heart rate during simulation was 81 beats per minute (IQR: 72 – 92), and mean heart rate was 117 beats per minute (95% CI: 111 – 123). Pre- and post-simulation anxiety scores were equal (mean 3.3, IQR: 3 to 4). The minimum and maximum Overall Ottawa GRS scores were 2.33 and 6.67, respectively. The median Overall score was 5.63 (IQR: 5.0 to 6.0). Of the candidate predictors of Overall performance in a multivariate logistic regression model, only PGY status showed statistical significance (P = 0.02). Conclusions: Simulation is associated with physiologic stress, and heart rate elevation alone correlates poorly with both perceived stress and performance. Non-technical p erformance in the simulation setting may be more closely tied to one’s level of clinical experience than to perceived or actual stress.
Pd model catalysts: Effect of aging duration on lean redispersion

Abstract An automotive three-way catalyst (TWC) deteriorates as a function of temperature, time and aging environment. While much effort has gone into formulating durable exhaust catalysts, relatively little attention has been paid to controlling the aging environment on the vehicle with techniques currently in use to protect the catalyst and counteract the increasing demands for higher fuel economy (e.g., overfueling to reduce exhaust temperatures). New engine control methods that are designed to minimize aging may be possible that can reduce the extent of catalyst deactivation and provide a lean environment capable of redispersing many of the precious metal particles. To develop improved engine control methods, detailed experimental information is needed to map the response of the catalyst to different aging conditions. In this report, we examine palladium-based model powder catalysts on ceria–zirconia, which were exposed to three different exhaust compositions, lean-only, rich-only and redox, each at 700 °C for three different durations, 20 min, 2 h and 16 h. Residual catalyst activity and metal-support interaction were probed with Water Gas Shift (WGS) reaction and Oxygen Storage Capacity (OSC) measurements. The Pd metal particle size and dispersion were estimated by H2 chemisorption and XRD line broadening. Lean catalyst treatments at 550 °C and 700 °C were applied to determine the effect on Pd size and catalyst activity. An infrared study of CO adsorption onto the catalysts was used to identify whether Pd crystallite facets were covered by the support after exposure to the redox aging environment then again after the lean treatments were applied. The aging temperature and reducing gas environment significantly deteriorated catalytic activity through a combination of metal oxidation state effects and support interactions, while the aging duration was linked to the extent of Pd sintering reversibility through lean treatments. These insights provide a basis to develop engine control and aftertreatment design strategies to avoid severe aging modes and determine how often to actively intervene to regenerate the catalyst.
Human-Assisted RRT for Path Planning in Urban Environments

A human-RRT (Rapidly-exploring Random Tree) collaborative algorithm is presented for path planning in urban environments. The well-known RRT algorithm is modified for efficient planning in cluttered, yet structured urban environments. To engage the expert human knowledge in dynamic replanning of autonomous vehicles, a graphical user interface is developed that enables interaction with the automated RRT planner in real-time. The interface can be used to invoke standard planning attributes such as way areas, space constrains, and waypoints. In addition, the human can draw desired trajectories using the touch interface for the RRT planner to follow. Based on new information and evidence collected by human, state-dependent risk or penalty to grow paths based on an objective function can also be specified using the interface.
Wnt signalling: the case of the 'missing' G-protein.

In this commentary on an article by Koval and Katanaev [Biochem. J. (2011) … In this commentary on an article by Koval and Katanaev [Biochem. J. (2011) …
Time of appearance of antigenic factors on cattle erythrocytes.

SummaryBlood typing of cattle embryos of various ages indicated that the different antigenic factors that comprise a phenogroup (complex of antigenic factors) of the B locus do not develop simultaneously in ontogeny. Further, the same factor develops at different ages depending upon the phenogroup in which it occurs. It is concluded from these results that, in so far as age of development is concerned, the B locus of cattle does not behave as a physiologic unit.
Effects of the Triplo-X Condition on Development in Drosophila melanogaster.:

ConclusionsThe lethal effect of the triplo-X condition is chiefly exerted upon the pupal stage. A few triplo-X zygotes die in the larval period, especially at the stage just before pupation. The onset of pupation of triplo-X larvae is delayed more than 24 hours at 25°C.The author wishes to thank Professors L. C. Dunn and G. W. Beadle for suggestions, and Dr. C. B. Bridges for advice and help in obtaining stocks.
Electrodynamics for nanophotonics

And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness.