cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fluid Flow Rapidly Activates G Proteins in Human Endothelial Cells: Involvement of G Proteins in Mechanochemical Signal Transduction

Fluid shear stimulates endothelial cells, with the external hemodynamic forces transduced across the plasma membrane to modulate intracellular events. We report the first direct evidence that identifies specific GTP binding proteins (G proteins) activated within 1 second of flow onset, representing one of the earliest mechanochemical signal transduction events reported to date in shear-stimulated endothelium. A nonhydrolyzable GTP photoreactive analogue, azidoanilido [α-32P]GTP (AAGTP), allowed irreversible labeling of flow-stimulated G proteins, with two protein bands (42 kD and 31 kD) identified in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) subjected to laminar flow (10 dyne/cm2) in a parallel-plate flow chamber. Immunoprecipitation of labeled whole-cell lysates identified the specific G-protein subunits Gαq/α11 and Gαi3/αo as being activated by flow. Endothelial cell membrane vesicles were sheared in a cone-and-plate viscometer, with the 42-kD protein band labeled by AAGTP, but the 31-kD protein a...
Bioinformatics-Based Identification of Candidate Genes from QTLs Associated with Cell Wall Traits in Populus

Quantitative trait locus (QTL) studies are an integral part of plant research and are used to characterize the genetic basis of phenotypic variation observed in structured populations and inform marker-assisted breeding efforts. These QTL intervals can span large physical regions on a chromosome comprising hundreds of genes, thereby hampering candidate gene identification. Genome history, evolution, and expression evidence can be used to narrow the genes in the interval to a smaller list that is manageable for detailed downstream functional genomics characterization. Our primary motivation for the present study was to address the need for a research methodology that identifies candidate genes within a broad QTL interval. Here we present a bioinformatics-based approach for subdividing candidate genes within QTL intervals into alternate groups of high probability candidates. Application of this approach in the context of studying cell wall traits, specifically lignin content and S/G ratios of stem and root in Populus plants, resulted in manageable sets of genes of both known and putative cell wall biosynthetic function. These results provide a roadmap for future experimental work leading to identification of new genes controlling cell wall recalcitrance and, ultimately, in the utility of plant biomass as an energy feedstock.
Three Explanations of Marital Status Differences in Suicide Rates: Social Integration, Marital Status Integration, and the Culture of Suicide

Our first goal is to link empirical measures of three theoretical explanations of marital status differences to the variation in male and female standardized suicide difference coefficients SSDCs in 12 developed countries, circa 1960. We include predictors of Durkheim's social integration hypothesis, Gibbs and Martin's concept of marital status integration, and norms on suicide acceptability. All three are significantly related to variation in male and female SSDCs. The second goal is to examine how our empirical indicators impact age-specific differences in the male minus female SSDC--differences that vary by age in all 12 of our study populations. The strongest predictor of these differences is the male minus female difference in the percent married. Language: en
Geometrical model of multiparticle production in hadron-hadron collisions.

A recently introduced concept of partition temperature in the geometrical model of multiparticle production processes in high-energy hadron-hadron collisions is presented in detail. Extrapolations to ..sqrt..s = 53 GeV, 2 TeV, and 40 TeV are made.
Emerging roles of store-operated Ca2+ entry through STIM and ORAI proteins in immunity, hemostasis and cancer

Store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE) is an important Ca2+ influx pathway, which is defined by the fact that depletion of intracellular Ca2+ stores, mainly the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), triggers the opening of Ca2+ channels in the plasma membrane. The best characterized SOC channel is the Ca2+ release-activated Ca2+ (CRAC) channel, which was first described in cells of the immune system but has since been reported in many different cell types. CRAC channels are multimers of ORAI family proteins, of which ORAI1 is the best characterized. They are activated by stromal interaction molecules (STIM) 1 and 2, which respond to the depletion of intracellular Ca2+ stores with oligomerization and binding to ORAI proteins. The resulting SOCE is critical for the physiological function of many cell types including immune cells and platelets. Recent studies using cell lines, animal models and primary cells from human patients with defects in SOCE have highlighted the importance of this Ca2+ entry mechanism in a variety of pathophysiological processes. This review focuses on the role of SOCE in immunity to infection, allergy, hemostasis and cancer.
Ethnic and Gender Variation in the Dietary Intake of Rural Elders

Abstract This study describes the dietary intake of 130 rural older adults (≥ 70 years) and assesses the differences in intake attributable to age, gender, and ethnicity (African-, European-, and Native American). Intakes of most nutrients were found to be lower than recommended, and the percentage of calories from fat exceeded recommendations. Age was not significantly associated with any of the nutrients. Men had significantly greater nutrient intakes than women with the exception of the African American men. The low caloric intakes, coupled with relatively high fat intakes, may lead to deficiencies of key nutrients, particularly among African American men.
The Impact of Prenatal Diagnosis of Complex Congenital Heart Disease on Neonatal Outcomes

Prenatal diagnosis of congenital heart disease (CHD) is increasingly common. However, the current impact of prenatal diagnosis on neonatal outcomes is unclear. Between January 2004 and January 2008, a retrospective chart review of infants who underwent surgical repair of CHD before discharge at our institution was conducted. Obstetric and perioperative variables were recorded. Of 439 neonates, 294 (67%) were diagnosed prenatally (PREdx). Infants with PREdx had a lower mean birth weight (3.0 +/- 0.6 vs. 3.1 +/- 0.6 kg, p = 0.002) and gestational age (37.9 +/- 2.1 vs. 38.6 +/- 2.4 wk, p < 0.001) than those with postnatal diagnosis (POSTdx). Severe lesions were more likely to be PREdx: Neonates with single-ventricle (SV) physiology (n = 130 patients [31.2%]) had increased odds of PREdx (n = 113/130, odds ratio [OR] 4.7; 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.7-8.2, p < 0.001). PREdx was associated with decreased preoperative intubation (OR 0.62; 95% CI 0.42-0.95, p = 0.033), administration of antibiotics (OR 0.23; 95% CI 0.15-0.36, p < 0.001), cardiac catheterization (OR 0.54; 95% CI 0.34-0.85, p = 0.01), and emergency surgery (OR 0.18; 95% CI 0.06-0.5, p < 0.001) compared with POSTdx infants. There was no difference in APGAR scores, preoperative pH, day of life of surgery, operative complications, hospital length of stay, or overall mortality in the PREdx versus POSTdx groups, even when controlling for lesion severity. PREdx was not independently associated with neonatal mortality, despite having included more severe cardiac lesions. PREdx was significantly associated with decreased neonatal morbidity in terms of decreased use of preoperative ventilator, administration of antibiotics, cardiac catheterization, and emergency surgery.
Variations in brightness at two retinal locations

Abstract The brightness of foveal flashes was compared to flashes presented 4° temporal to the fovea using two psychophysical procedures, direct magnitude estimation and brightness matching and two levels of adaptation. For both procedures over a wide range of intensities, foveal flashes appeared brighter than parafoveal flashes. However the two procedures did not produce identical results. Changing adaptation level did not affect these findings. The differences in the results due to psychophysical procedure are related to the discrepancies found among previous studies.
The Romans and Ritual Murder

The Roman abhorrence of human sacrifice presented by ancient literary sources stands in contrast to the frequency of rites requiring the death of a human being performed by the Romans during the Republic (509-44 BCE). After examining the ways our sources talk about ritual murder, especially as it was practiced by foreign peoples and subversive or tyrannical elements within Roman society, this discussion turns to the issue of the forms of ritual murder performed by the Romans. Of these various rites, the only one clearly identified by them as human sacrifice, that is, as an offering to the gods of a human life, is the live interment of Gauls and Greeks. Other forms of ritual murder-the burial of unchaste Vestal Virgins and the drowning of hermaphroditic children-were not, in Roman opinion, sacrifice. This distinction made the disposal of Vestal Virgins and hermaphrodites acceptable.
New estimates of asymmetric decomposition of racemic mixtures by natural beta-radiation sources.

Some recent calculations that appeared to invalidate the Vester-Ulbricht hypothesis, which suggests that the chirality of biological molecules originates from the beta-radiolysis of prebiotic racemic mixtures, are reexamined. These calculations apparently showed that the radiolysis-induced chiral polarization can never exceed the chiral polarization produced by statistical fluctuations. It is here shown that several overly restrictive conditions were imposed on these calculations which, when relaxed, allow the radiolysis-induced polarization to exceed that produced by statistical fluctuations, in accordance with the Vester-Ulbricht hypothesis.
High Salinity Permittivity Models for Water Cut Sensing

In high salinity water cut measurements, it is observed that the measurement breaks down as a result of the conductivity signal swamping the capacitive signal. An accurate parameterizable model of high salinity permittivity is required for the development of downhole high salinity water cut meters that will operate in reservoir brine conditions in the 100 000 ppm to 200 000 ppm range. Theoretical models proposed by Stogryn Meissner and Wentz, and Somaraju and Trumpf are compared against high salinity data obtained by Peynman An effective temperature correction accounting for the influence of salinity-induced viscosity variations on permittivity is devised. This improves the fit to the real component of permittivity within the salinity range of interest: the Meissner and Wentz model provides the best fit. Subsequently, additional mechanisms need to be considered to account for the global mismatch between theory and experiment.
Bilateral language: is the left hemisphere still dominant?

Abstract A 13-year-old left-handed boy with a left fronto-parietal vascular malformation evidenced bilateral symmetrical language representation at intracarotid amytal testing. Surgical resection of the parietal motor and frontal premotor areas (sparing classical perisylvian language regions) for seizure control resulted in an acute aphasia. Language deficits were still apparent 3 months and to a lesser degree 1 year after surgery. This suggests that when language is bilateral and symmetrical, the left hemisphere may still be dominant or both hemispheres may be necessary to sustain full language competence. Explanations for atypical language localization within the left hemisphere are also discussed.
The Mechanism of Hydrocarbon Catalysis on Platinum Crystal Surfaces

In the past several years we have studied the atomic structure of platinum crystal surfaces and the structure of adsorbed hydrocarbons by low-energy electron diffraction and the surface composition by Auger electron spectroscopy. Catalytic reactions of low reaction probability (dehydrocyclization, dehydrogenation) have been studied on one face of a single crystal less than 1 cm2 in area by mass spectrometry at low pressures (∼10-4 Torr) and by gas chromatography at high pressures (∼103 Torr).
Trigger Angle Targeting for Orbital Rendezvous

Orbital rendezvous missions often have a co-elliptic approach phase where a chaser vehicle approaches an object with a near-constant relative altitude and relative velocity. A well known orbital rendezvous technique is to trigger the Terminal Phase Initiation (TPI) maneuver when the apparent elevation of the target reaches some nominal angle. The best elevation trigger angle on which to initiate the final transfer maneuver must balance favorable performance characteristics and desirable operational simplicity. A detailed analysis is given deriving the best trigger angles and showing how these results correlate to past missions and how they could potentially influence future ones.
Pressure-dependent seismic velocities based on effective compliance theory and an asperity deformation model

ABSTRACTSeismic velocities of rocks depend strongly on confining pressure, which is often explained by the fracture compliances changes within the rocks. It is important to have an accurate model describing the relations between confining pressure and seismic velocities for applications such as time-lapse reservoir characterization. We propose a new model to address this problem by combining the existing effective compliance theory with new solutions for the pressure dependence of fracture compliances. Specifically, we assume the fracture contact surface can be represented by a set of elastic hemispheres with radii following power-law distribution, and the pressure dependence of seismic velocities can be expressed through pressure-dependent normal and tangential fracture compliances that are derived from Hertzian contact theory. Joint data fittings of P- and S-wave velocity laboratory data show that our model is accurate. We also implement fluid substitution using our model to explain the similar stress-i...
The Structure of Random Foam

The unique physical properties of solid foams can be attributed to random cellular morphology, which usually forms in the liquid state when gas bubbles become highly concentrated. Key topological and geometric properties that characterize foam microstructure are evaluated from realistic models of soap froth that are simulated with Brakke's Surface Evolver.
Relationship between expression of multiple drug resistance proteins and p53 tumor suppressor gene proteins in human brain astrocytes

Multiple drug resistance occurs when cells fail to respond to chemotherapy. Although it has been established that the drug efflux protein P-glycoprotein protects the brain from xenobiotics, the mechanisms involved in the regulation of expression of multiple drug resistance genes and proteins are not fully understood. Re-entry into the cell cycle and integrity of the p53 signaling pathway have been proposed as triggers of multiple drug resistance expression in tumor cells. Whether this regulation occurs in non-tumor CNS tissue is not known. Since multiple drug resistance overexpression has been reported in glia and blood vessels from epileptic brain, we investigated the level of expression of multidrug resistance protein, multidrug resistance-associated proteins and lung resistance protein in endothelial cells and astrocytes isolated from epileptic patients or studied in situ in surgical tissue samples by double label immunocytochemistry. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analyses revealed that multiple drug resistance, multidrug resistance protein, and lung resistance protein are expressed in these cells. Given that lung resistance proteins have been reported to be preferentially expressed by tumors, we investigated expression of tumor suppressor genes in epileptic cortices. The pro-apoptotic proteins p53 and p21 could not be detected in "epileptic" astrocytes, while endothelial cells from the same samples readily expressed these proteins, as did normal brain astroglia and normal endothelial cells. Other apoptotic markers were also absent in epileptic glia. Our results suggest a possible link between loss of p53 function and expression of multiple drug resistance in non-tumor CNS cells.
Senatorial decision making: II. Prediction

A prediction model for individual voting behavior in the United States Senate is developed. It's predictors are based upon the results of a three-mode factor analysis of 419 roll calls from 1964 through 1969. The model is the multiple logistic and it is tested and validated on 18 roll calls from 1970. The parameter estimation and the validation is conducted through the use of Tukey's Jackknife. Generally, the fit is quite good, despite the fact that the test roll calls were chosen for their difficulty. An especially careful analysis is done on the nomination of G. Harrold Carswell as Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court in which the votes of 94 percent of the voting Senators were correctly predicted.
Betwixt and Between: Tragedies and Memories of the Vietnamese Exodus in Film and Audience

Bolinao 52. Directed and produced by Duc Nguyen; Ken Schneider, editor; color, 56 mins., 2009; in Vietnamese and English, with English subtitles. Distribution: Right Here in My Pocket Productions a...
Nucleotide sequence of a cluster of genes involved in the transformation of Haemophilus influenzae Rd.

Abstract A genetic locus implicated in the development of competence in Haemophilus influenzae Rd has been previously mapped to a 12.8-kb Pst I region of the chromosome [Tomb et al. J. Bacteriol. 171 (1989) 3796–3802]. To define the boundaries of this locus and to identify the gene(s) involved in transformation, additional mini-Tn 10kan mutagenesis was performed and the region containing all mutagenic insertions was sequenced. Three new transformation-deficient (Tfo-) mutants were found, bringing the number of distinct mutations mapped to this region up to eight. The transformation frequency of strains carrying the new insertions was 25- to 10 5 -fold less than wild type. The ends of the mim-Tn 10kan element were used as starting points to sequence a 9.1-kb region. The position of the eight mutagenic insertions was determined and ten putative open reading frames (ORFs) were found. One of the mini-Tn 10kan elements had inserted in an intergenic region while the rest had inserted in six of the ORFs. Based on the phenotypes of the mutant strains and the position of the insertions, we concluded that at least three of the genes should be involved in transformation. In addition, fourteen 9-11-bp uptake signal sequences ( USS ) were found, four of which were part of stem-loop structures and could function as attenuators or terminators of transcription.
Exercise conditioning in children with asthma

A controlled study of 20 children with asthma who participated in a 4-month running program (30 min/day, 3 days/wk), using inhalation of a beta-2 stimulant prior to each running session to prevent exercise-induced asthma, showed significant increases in work tolerance (120.5±45.0 W before, 131.5±43.5 W after, P=0.002) and cardiopulmonary fitness (peak oxygen consumption 37.6±8.6 ml/kg/min before, 43.1±10.5 ml/kg/min after, P
Intradentate colchicine impairs acquisition of a two-way active avoidance response in a Y-maze

Male, Fischer-344 rats received bilateral injections of colchicine (2.0 micrograms/site) into the dorsal and ventral hippocampus to destroy dentate gyrus granule cells. Colchicine impaired the ability of rats to learn a brightness discrimination, active avoidance task in a Y-maze. Acquisition was measured in 120-trial sessions given once weekly for 3 or 4 weeks. In a second experiment, colchicine-treated rats were tested in a modified procedure in which only the tone warning stimulus and a light directional cue were presented; shock was not presented. Colchicine-treated rats showed an enhanced response bias under these conditions, selecting to go to the unlighted arm with a greater frequency than the control rats whenever the tone and light were activated. These data are consistent with other reports indicating that rats with hippocampal lesions are impaired in the acquisition of a simultaneous discrimination if a response bias exists to one of the choices.
Treatment of Functional Dyspepsia.

Functional dyspepsia (FD) is a common reason a patient presents with upper gastrointestinal symptoms for medical care. Although treatment of FD remains expensive, the agents are rarely used in a systematic manner; the majority of treatments are empirical and the results short lived once therapy is ceased. This is partly due to the lack of consistent pathophysiologic markers in FD, so therapy is symptom driven. This review appraises the best evidence on available interventions. A structured scheme for deciding on appropriate therapies is to consider the possible putative pathophysiologic mechanisms. Eradicating Helicobacter pylori, if present, is a first-line strategy. In patients who have symptoms suggesting excessive gastric acid secretion, particularly epigastric pain, antisecretory agents are recommended. Prokinetics may confer benefits on symptoms suggestive of upper gastrointestinal dysmotility, like fullness or early satiety. However, their use is limited due to availability issues. The expanding field of psychologic therapies provides a promising avenue of treatment. Complementary medicines are now widely use and their benefits have been suggested in recent controlled trials. Emerging treatments include cholecystokinin 1 blockers, opioid receptor agonists, and serotonergic agents, although their application in FD is in the preliminary stages.
Comparison of theoretical models for metallic hydrogen

Calculations of the Gibbs free energy of metallic hydrogen were made by the four most common methods and shown to be in good agreement with each other. In addition it is shown that the free-electron correlation energy commonly used in calculations on metallic hydrogen is approximately four times larger than the spread over the Gibbs free energy as calculated by the four methods. Because the free-electron correlation energy expression may be in error by a factor of 2 or 3, it represents the largest source of uncertainty currently facing an ab initio treatment of the metallic hydrogen phase.
Reduction of Radiation During Fluoroscopic Urodynamics: Analysis of Quality Assurance Protocol Limiting Fluoroscopic Images During Fluoroscopic Urodynamic Studies

Objective To evaluate whether the decrease in fluoroscopic images after initiation of a quality assurance (QA) protocol to decrease the amount of fluoroscopy during fluoro urodynamics (FUDS) translates into a significant reduction in radiation. Methods The number of spot films, fluoroscopy time, air kerma, and dose area product from FUDS performed by our division during the 3 months before the conceptualization of the QA protocol were compared with the parameters of FUDS performed by our division 3 months after the initiation of the protocol. To ensure the protocol did not adversely affect the analysis of FUDS, 10 FUDS studies were evaluated by 4 fellowship-trained female urologists who compared the interpretation when only the images per QA protocol were reviewed with that when the additional images were reviewed. Results A total of 54 FUDS studies performed in the 3 months before the conceptualization of the protocol were compared with 43 FUDS studies performed after initiation of the protocol. The mean number of spot films recorded before and after the QA protocol was 11.2 and 5.6, respectively ( P P 2 ( P P Conclusion Our QA protocol significantly decreased the amount of fluoroscopy time, dose area product, and air kerma during each FUDS without changing the diagnosis or treatment recommendations.
Building problem domain ontology from security requirements in regulatory documents

Establishing secure systems assurance based on Certification and Accreditation (C&A) activities, requires effective ways to understand the enforced security requirements, gather relevant evidences, perceive related risks in the operational environment, and reveal their causal relationships with other domain concepts. However, C&A security requirements are expressed in multiple regulatory documents with complex interdependencies at different levels of abstractions that often result in subjective interpretations and non-standard implementations. Their non-functional nature imposes complex constraints on the emergent behavior of software-intensive systems, making them hard to understand, predict, and control. To address these issues, we present novel techniques from software requirements engineering and knowledge engineering for systematically extracting, modeling, and analyzing security requirements and related concepts from multiple C&A-enforced regulatory documents. We employ advanced ontological engineering processes as our primary modeling technique to represent complex and diverse characteristics of C&A security requirements and related domain knowledge. We apply our methodology to build problem domain ontology from regulatory documents enforced by the Department of Defense Information Technology Security Certification and Accreditation Process (DITSCAP).
Older Worker in National Contexts: A Japan-US Comparison

National contexts are crucial determinants of older worker labor force participation. This paper clarifies the main differences between the national contexts surrounding older workers in Japan and the United States. These two countries commonly represent large-scale, industrialized, and mature economies with increasing demographic pressures to prolong the working lives of older adults. Despite the similarities, differences are found between these two national contexts in at least four major areas: (1) the level of demographic pressure to increase older worker labor supply; (2) national labor market institutions affecting employment security in later life; (3) the role of government in promoting older persons’ labor force participation; and (4) the labor force compositions (specifically, the fraction of older workers who are self-employed). Labor force participation rates among older workers are substantially higher for Japan than for the United States. Differences in each of the four areas discussed in this paper help to explain why workers in Japan remain in the labor force longer than do those in the United States.
Does turgor limit growth in tall trees

The gravitational component of water potential contributes a standing 0.01 MPa m - 1 to the xylem tension gradient in plants. In tall trees, this contribution can significantly reduce the water potential near the tree tops. The turgor of cells in buds and leaves is expected to decrease in direct proportion with leaf water potential along a height gradient unless osmotic adjustment occurs. The pressure‐volume technique was used to characterize height-dependent variation in leaf tissue water relations and shoot growth characteristics in young and old Douglas-fir trees to determine the extent to which growth limitation with increasing height may be linked to the influence of the gravitational water potential gradient on leaf turgor. Values of leaf water potential ( Y l ), bulk osmotic potential at full and zero turgor, and other key tissue water relations characteristics were estimated on foliage obtained at 13.5 m near the tops of young (approximately 25-year-old) trees and at 34.7, 44.2 and 55.6 m in the crowns of old-growth (approximately 450year-old) trees during portions of three consecutive growing seasons. The sampling periods coincided with bud swelling, expansion and maturation of new foliage. Vertical gradients of Y l and pressure‐volume analyses indicated that turgor decreased with increasing height, particularly during the late spring when vegetative buds began to swell. Vertical trends in branch elongation, leaf dimensions and leaf mass per area were consistent with increasing turgor limitation on shoot growth with increasing height. During the late spring (May), no osmotic adjustment to compensate for the gravitational gradient of Y l was observed. By July, osmotic adjustment had occurred, but it was not sufficient to fully compensate for the vertical gradient of Y l . In tall trees, the gravitational component of Y Y Y l is superimposed on phenologically driven changes in leaf water relations characteristics, imposing potential constraints on turgor that may be indistinguishable from those associated with soil water deficits.
Task switching and the pied homunculus: where are we being led?

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Contact charge transfer spectra arising from anisole and molecular oxygen cosolubilized in micelles of sodium dodecyl sulfate at elevated pressures

Abstract The absorption of light by collisional complexes of anisole and molecular oxygen cosolubilized in micelles of sodium dodecyl sulfate was determined as a function of oxygen pressure. The intensity of absorption is found to be proportional to anisole concentration and oxygen pressure but independent of the amount of surfactant at concentrations in excess of the critical micelle concentration. A simple model of a micelle, having an interior within which solubilizate molecules are assumed to be distributed homogeneously, is used to interpret these spectral data. The data, when analyzed according to this model using values for oxygen solubility and optical extinction coefficients determined in separate experiments and an assumed spherical micelle geometry, suggest that an interior region approximately 30 A in diameter ( V = 15,000 A 3 ) is available to solubilized molecules within a SDS micelle.
Continuous amperometric monitoring of glucose in a brittle diabetic chimpanzee with a miniature subcutaneous electrode

The performance of an amperometric biosensor, consisting of a subcutaneously implanted miniature (0.29 mm diameter, 5 × 10−4 cm2 mass transporting area), 90 s 10–90% rise/decay time glucose electrode, and an on-the-skin electrocardiogram Ag/AgCl electrode was tested in an unconstrained, naturally diabetic, brittle, type I, insulin-dependent chimpanzee. The chimpanzee was trained to wear on her wrist a small electronic package and to present her heel for capillary blood samples. In five sets of measurements, averaging 5 h each, 82 capillary blood samples were assayed, their concentrations ranging from 35 to 400 mg/dl. The current readings were translated to blood glucose concentration by assaying, at t = 1 h, one blood sample for each implanted sensor. The rms error in the correlation between the sensor-measured glucose concentration and that in capillary blood was 17.2%, 4.9% above the intrinsic 12.3% rms error of the Accu-Chek II reference, through which the illness of the chimpanzee was routinely managed. Linear regression analysis of the data points taken at t>1 h yielded the relationship (Accu-Chek) = 0.98 × (implanted sensor) + 4.2 mg/dl, r2 = 0.94. The capillary blood and the subcutaneous glucose concentrations were statistically indistinguishable when the rate of change was less than 1 mg/(dl⋅min). However, when the rate of decline exceeded 1.8 mg/(dl⋅min) after insulin injection, the subcutaneous glucose concentration was transiently higher.
VSnakes with local affine deformations

An algorithm is introduced for video object tracking and segmentation that automatically detects local deformations of a video object and adjusts the object contour to match the real object boundary without breaking the object into several pieces during tracking. An edge energy change ratio is defined for local deformation detection. The corresponding contour segment is then adjusted to the real object boundary based on a local affine correction. Incorporating this method into VSnakes, our general algorithm for video object tracking, resulted in improved performance.
Recent challenges to the psychiatric diagnostic nosology: a focus on the genetics and genomics of neurodevelopmental disorders

Recent advances in the genetics of neurodevelopmental disorder (NDD) have demonstrated that rare mutations play a role not only in Mendelian syndromes, but in complex, common forms of NDDs as well. Strikingly, both common polymorphisms and rare variations in a single gene or genetic locus have been found to carry risk for conditions previously considered to be clinically and aetiologically distinct. Recent developments in the methods and tools available for studying complex NDDs have led to systematic and reliable genome-wide variant discovery. Both common as well as rare, and structural as well as sequence, genetic variations have been identified as contributing to NDDs. There are multiple examples in which the identical variant had been found to contribute to a wide range of formerly distinct diagnoses, including autism, schizophrenia, epilepsy, intellectual disability and language disorders. These include variations in chromosomal structure at 16p11.2, rare de novo point mutations at the gene SCN2A, and common single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) mapping near loci encoding the genes ITIH3, AS3MT, CACNA1C and CACNB2. These selected examples point to the challenges to current diagnostic approaches. Widely used categorical schema have been adequate to provide an entre into molecular mechanisms of NDDs, but there is a need to develop an alternative, more biologically-relevant nosology. Thus recent advances in gene discovery in the area of NDDs are leading to a re-conceptualization of diagnostic boundaries. Findings suggest that epidemiological samples may provide important new insights into the genetics and diagnosis of NDDs and that other areas of medicine may provide useful models for developing a new diagnostic nosology, one that simultaneously integrates categorical diagnoses, biomarkers and dimensional variables.
Thermal analysis and ionic conductivity of ionic liquid containing composites with different crosslinkers

Conductive polymer composites were synthesized by the polymerization of methylmethacrylate in the presence of ionic liquid solvents. These composites were characterized by attenuated total reflectance infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and dynamic mechanical analysis. AC impedance measurements were performed on these composites as a function of ionic liquid type, ionic liquid concentration, crosslinker density, and molecular weight between crosslinks at various temperatures. 1-Butyl-3-methylimidazolium thiocyanate produced composites with a greater conductivity than 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium trifluoromethanesulfonimide, despite having a higher viscosity. The viscosity of the virgin ionic liquid could not be used to predict the order of ionic conductivity for composites made from these ionic liquids. The effect of crosslink density within the range of 0–0.6 mmol crosslinking agent per gram of monomer was studied. Composites with 25% ionic liquid (w/w) appeared to have an optimum crosslink density for maximum ionic conductivity. In the range of crosslink densities studied, composites with greater ionic liquid concentration exhibited no significant effect of crosslink density on ionic conductivity. This could be due to the fact that the difference in crosslink density did not effectively change the Tg of these composites. The composite with the lowest theoretical molecular weight between crosslinks had the lowest ionic conductivity. This could be due to restriction of ion movement at this molecular weight between crosslinks. The composite with the highest molecular weight between crosslinks had comparable ionic conductivity to an uncrosslinked composite. This study showed that these materials have ionic conductivities practical for advanced energy applications over a wide range of morphologies with dimensional stability. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009
What's Age Got to Do With It? A Case Study Analysis of Power and Gender in Husband-Older Marriages

This qualitative study explores assumptions of family scholars who draw on age heterogamy and marriage-gradient approaches to suggest that marriages between older husbands and much younger wives are likely to be male-dominated, with traditional gender arrangements. Drawing on resource theory and marital power perspectives, we analyze the life histories, psychosocial understandings, and day-to-day arrangements of both partners in eight husband-older marriages to uncover their unique features. We present four cases with distinct dynamics to suggest that future research needs to consider that (a) husbands’ older age does not automatically translate into male dominance and rigid gender arrangements; (b) when combined with additional forms of heterogamy, such as racial status, social class, occupational prestige, and education, age heterogamy is likely to be associated with male dominance; (c) men can experience a shift toward more marital sharing and androgyny upon remarriage to a younger woman; and (d) gende...
Quinoline sorption on Na-montmorillonite; contributions of the protonated and neutral species

Dilute aqueous solutions of quinoline were contacted with Na-montmorillonite to elucidate the sorption process of the neutral and protonated species. Sorption occurs via a combination of ion exchange and molecular adsorption and yields S-type isotherms. Exchange between the quinolinium ion (QH § and Na can be described by means of Vanselow selectivity coefficients and a thermodynamic exchange constant (K~x). Due to the apparent adsorption of the neutral species at high mole fractions (x) of the solid phase, the thermodynamic standard state was defined as 0.5 mole fraction. The selectivity at pH ~4.95 of the QH § species over Na (at XQH+ = 0.5) was determined to be Kv = 340. At pH ->5.5 surface mole fractions of 0.5 could not he obtained without adsorption of the neutral species. This study suggests that at dilute solution concentrations quinoline is sorbed preferentially as the cation even at pHs >> pI~. A critical surface-solution concentration is apparently necessary for adsorption of the neutral species.
Expanding Stakeholder Participation in Upfront System Engineering through Storytelling in Virtual Worlds

Over the last decade, systems engineers have successfully created system modeling languages to communicate with other systems engineers. However, the ability to communicate an evolving system concept and design with stakeholders who are nonengineers remains an elusive goal. In large part, this inability stems from the latter having to understand complex diagrams and equations, and learn new notations employed by systems modeling languages. The problem is further exacerbated by the fact that systems today have to frequently adapt to changing operational and regulatory requirements. Thus, to effectively communicate concepts of operation CONOPS and evolving system design to those outside the engineering discipline requires a different approach. This paper presents an innovative approach that employs technical storytelling methods to contextualize and map systems engineering SE artifacts represented in SysML to virtual worlds within which various storylines can play out. This capability is intended to improve comprehensibility and transparency of CONOPS and system designs when it comes to communicating with the broader stakeholder community. At the heart of this approach is a virtual world enabled by a 3D game engine, and a mapping capability that allows translation of SE artifacts and interdependencies to virtual world entities and interactions. The key idea behind this integrated capability is to allow the broader stakeholder community to collaborate effectively on key decisions during upfront SE. The benefits of this approach are greater stakeholder satisfaction, avoidance of rework, and more responsive system design.
Is the mass an abnormal left atrial appendage

ournal of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Anesthesia, Vol 20, No 1 (February ardiogram demonstrated normal sinus rhythm with STegment elevation. Laboratory analysis revealed a troponin I evel of 0.27 ng/mL and a creatine phosphokinase MB CK-MB) fraction of 4.1 ng/mL. She was immediately transerred to this hospital and taken to the cardiac catheterization aboratory for angiographic studies. Fig 1 demonstrates the isease found at angiography, including 99% occlusion of he left anterior descending coronary artery. Immediate cariac surgical consultation resulted in the patient being taken o the operating room for emergent coronary artery bypass urgery. After induction of general anesthesia, a transesophgeal echocardiographic probe was placed, which revealed evere hypokinesis of the anterior and anteroseptal left venricular walls, as well as a structure revealed on a idesophageal 2-chamber view (Fig 2). Is the mass a left trial appendage full of thrombus?
Geomorphology and Land Management in a Changing Environment

The environment remains a hot academic subject. The research it generates is furthering our understanding of many environmental problems and solutions. Of particular importance is our emerging understanding of relationships between environmental change, land management, and Earth surface processes and landforms. This is the subject of Geomorphology and Land Management in a Changing Environment, a new addition to the British Geomorphologic Research Groups Symposia Series. The editors have compiled 18 chapters that cover a range of topics related to geomorphology, land use, environmental change, and the application of geomorphic principles to solving land management and environmental problems.
A general role for splicing enhancers in exon definition.

Exonic splicing enhancers (ESEs) facilitate exon definition by assisting in the recruitment of splicing factors to the adjacent intron. Here we demonstrate that suboptimal 59 and 39 splice sites are activated independently by ESEs when they are located on different exons. However, when they are situated within a single exon, the same weak 59 and 39 splice sites are activated simultaneously by a single ESE. These findings demonstrate that a single ESE promotes the recognition of both exon/intron junctions within the same step during exon definition. Our results suggest that ESEs recruit a multicomponent complex that minimally contains components of the splicing machinery required for 59 and 39 splice site selection.
A Social Interactional Model of Bereavement Narrative Disclosure

According to recent bereavement research, disclosing the narrative of one’s loss does not per se promote emotional recovery. At the same time, social, personality, and developmental research suggests that telling personal stories is an important means of building identity and relationships throughout adulthood. Drawing on this literature, this review illustrates how bereavement narrative disclosure may be instrumental in addressing psychosocial challenges associated with bereavement (e.g., relationship formation, identity reconstruction, and meaning making). Multiple individual and social factors may affect how successful bereavement narrative disclosure is these challenges. Applying a social interactional model of memory telling, this review examines the influence of the relationship of narrator and listener, their personality characteristics, the content and structure of the narrative, the type of loss, and the time since the loss in facilitating or disrupting the putative goals of bereavement narrative disclosure. The utility of this model for clinicians working with bereaved individuals is also explored.
Projection frameworks for model reduction of weakly nonlinear systems

In this paper we present a generalization of popular linear model reduction methods, such as Lanczos- and Arnoldi-based algorithms based on rational approximation, to systems whose response to interesting external inputs can be described by a few terms in a functional series expansion such as a Volterra series. The approach allows automatic generation of macromodels that include frequency-dependent nonlinear effects.
Interactive and intuitive segmentation of volumetric data: the segmentVIEW system and the Kooshball algorithm

We present two algorithms and a system for segmentation and analysis of three-dimensional medical image data. The Kooshball algorithm operates by recursively projecting uniform distributions of rays from seed points, with gradient filters convolved along the rays to create candidate surface points. This cloud of candidate points is pruned via several transformation and filtering steps, resulting in stacks of 2D contours which are fed into the SegmentVIEW visualization system and processed by an energy-minimizing contour fitting algorithm. The contours are displayed directly on data surfaces, and both the contours and the underlying 3D data can be interactively manipulated by the user; a central goal of the SegmentVIEW system is to integrate the three major methods of volume visualization (ray casting, surface generation and rendering, and sectioning) in a manner so that manipulations are performed directly and intuitively on data, features and objects in a 3D space. Tests with the Kooshball algorithm and the SegmentVIEW system show that complex 3D features can be rapidly segmented, quantified and visualized with a high degree of accuracy regarding feature locations and volumes.
A High Throughput Screening Assay for Fungicidal Compounds against: Cryptococcus neoformans

Cryptococcus neoformans is a pathogenic fungus that causes meningitis worldwide, particularly in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)–infected individuals. Although amphotericin B is the “gold standard” treatment for cryptococcal meningitis, the toxicity and inconvenience of intravenous injection emphasize a need for development of new anticryptocccal drugs. Recent data from humans and animal studies suggested that a nutrient-deprived host environment may exist in cryptococcal meningitis. Thus, a screening assay for identifying fungicidal compounds under nutrient-deprived conditions may provide an alternative strategy to develop new anticryptococcal drugs for this disease. A high-throughput fungicidal assay was developed using a profluorescent dye, alamarBlue, to detect residual metabolic activity of C. neoformans under nutrient-limiting conditions. Screening the Library of Pharmacologically Active Compounds (LOPAC) with this assay identified a potential chemical scaffold, 10058-F4, that exhibited fungicida...
Altered contractile sensitivity of isolated bronchial artery to phenylephrine in ovalbumin-sensitized rabbits

We tested the hypothesis that atopy and/or allergic lung inflammation enhances α1-adrenoceptor-mediated contractions of the bronchial artery. Bronchial arterial resistance vessels were isolated fro...