cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
O4-05-02

Background: Autophagy is involved in the intracellular turnover of proteins and cell organelles and has a key role in regulating cell fate in response to stress. However, it is controversial whether autophagy exerts a pathological or protective role in neurodegenerative diseases, and it is unknown whether defects in the autophagy pathway contribute to neurodegeneration. Objectives: To determine the role of the autophagy protein Beclin 1 in Alzheimer’s Disease. Methods: Beclin 1 downregulation in affected regions of AD brains was identified by microarray analysis, and confirmed by immunoblotting. Beclin 1 deficient transgenic mice (Beclin 1 ) were crossed with mice expressing human amyloid precursor protein (APP) and analyzed for neurodegeneration and amyloid deposition. Beclin 1 expression was knocked down by siRNA in B103/APP neuroblastoma cells and APP metabolism studied. The affect of pharmacological induction of autophagy on APP metabolism in the same cell line was also studied. Results: In a search for genes associated with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) we discovered that expression of Beclin 1, a protein essential for autophagy, is reduced by 50-70% in affected entorhinal and frontal cortex of AD human brains. Heterozygous deletion of the beclin 1 gene decreased neuronal autophagy and promoted neuronal degeneration in normal mice. In transgenic mice that express human APP, a model for AD, genetic reduction of beclin 1 expression resulted in increased accumulation of APP fragments and -amyloid (A ), increased neurodegeneration and increased microgliosis. In addition, reducing Beclin 1 expression in B103/APP neuroblastoma cells by siRNA increased cellular APP, APP-CTF and secreted A levels. In contrast, inducing autophagy in B103/APP cells decreased cellular APP and APP-CTF levels. Conclusions: Beclin 1 deficiency disrupts neuronal autophagy and promotes neurodegeneration and AD-like disease. This work was funded by the John Douglas French Alzheimer’s Foundation and the National Institute of Aging.
The Scars of Occupation: An Eye-Witness Report

Most Americans have not experienced life under enemy military occupation, yet one frequently reads in the American press that the Israeli occupation is relatively liberal and benign, as occupations go. After a month of conversations with Palestinians under Israeli occupation I am inclined to doubt the validity of such assertions. The objective evidence of Israeli intentions in the territories, which can only be described as "creeping" (if not galloping) annexation, is now ubiquitous: the building of settlements, the continuing seizure of land and the manipulation of water resources. The subjective factors, which account for the grim outlook of the Palestinians, are manifested by the sense of powerlessness and degradation that accompanies the checkpoints, the armed patrols, the military bureaucracy and the punishment for alleged resistance or political activity.
Seasonal geophysical monitoring of biogenic gases in a northern peatland: Implications for temporal and spatial variability in free phase gas production rates

[1] A set of high resolution surface ground penetrating radar (GPR) surveys, combined with elevation rod (to monitor surface deformation) and gas flux measurements, were used to investigate in situ biogenic gas dynamics within a northern peatland (Caribou Bog, Maine). Gas production rates were directly estimated from the time series of GPR measurements. Spatial variability in gas production was also investigated by comparing two sites with different geological and ecological attributes, showing differences and/or similarities depending on season. One site characterized by thick highly humified peat deposits (5–6 m), wooded heath vegetation and open pools showed large ebullition events during the summer season, with estimated emissions (based on an assumed range of CH4 concentration) between 100 and 172 g CH4 m−2 during a single event. The other site characterized by thinner less humified peat deposits (2–3 m) and shrub vegetation showed much smaller ebullition events during the same season (between 13 and 23 g CH4 m−2). A consistent period of free-phase gas (FPG) accumulation during the fall and winter, enhanced by the frozen surficial peat acting as a confining layer, was followed by a decrease in FPG after the snow/ice melt that released estimated fluxes between 100 and 200 g CH4 m−2 from both sites. Estimated FPG production rates during periods of biogenic gas accumulation ranged between 0.22 and 2.00 g CH4 m3 d−1 and reflected strong seasonal and spatial variability associated with differences in temperature, peat soil properties, and/or depositional attributes (e.g., stratigraphy). Periods of decreased atmospheric pressure coincided with short-period increases in biogenic gas flux, including a very rapid decrease in FPG content associated with an ebullition event that released an estimated 39 and 67 g CH4 m−2 in less than 3.5 hours. These results provide insights into the spatial and seasonal variability in production and emission of biogenic gases from northern peatlands.
Reactive Species in Viral Pneumonitis: Lessons From Animal Models

Recent evidence suggests that pneumonitis induced by many important human viral pathogens may result from exuberant generation of reactive species by inflammatory cells in response to infection. This review summarizes current evidence from animal model studies regarding the beneficial (antiviral) and harmful (tissue-damaging) effects of reactive species for the host.
Bright green light treatment of depression for older adults [ISRCTN69400161]

Bright white light has been successfully used for the treatment of depression. There is interest in identifying which spectral colors of light are the most efficient in the treatment of depression. It is theorized that green light could decrease the intensity duration of exposure needed. Late Wake Treatment (LWT), sleep deprivation for the last half of one night, is associated with rapid mood improvement which has been sustained by light treatment. Because spectral responsiveness may differ by age, we examined whether green light would provide efficient antidepressant treatment in an elder age group. We contrasted one hour of bright green light (1,200 Lux) and one hour of dim red light placebo (<10 Lux) in a randomized treatment trial with depressed elders. Participants were observed in their homes with mood scales, wrist actigraphy and light monitoring. On the day prior to beginning treatment, the participants self-administered LWT. The protocol was completed by 33 subjects who were 59 to 80 years old. Mood improved on average 23% for all subjects, but there were no significant statistical differences between treatment and placebo groups. There were negligible adverse reactions to the bright green light, which was well tolerated. Bright green light was not shown to have an antidepressant effect in the age group of this study, but a larger trial with brighter green light might be of value.
A Wait-Free Hash Map

In this work we present the first design and implementation of a wait-free hash map. Our multiprocessor data structure allows a large number of threads to concurrently insert, get, and remove information. Wait-freedom means that all threads make progress in a finite amount of time--an attribute that can be critical in real-time environments. This is opposed to the traditional blocking implementations of shared data structures which suffer from the negative impact of deadlock and related correctness and performance issues. We only use atomic operations that are provided by the hardware; therefore, our hash map can be utilized by a variety of data-intensive applications including those within the domains of embedded systems and supercomputers. The challenges of providing this guarantee make the design and implementation of wait-free objects difficult. As such, there are few wait-free data structures described in the literature; in particular, there are no wait-free hash maps. It often becomes necessary to sacrifice performance in order to achieve wait-freedom. However, our experimental evaluation shows that our hash map design is, on average, 7 times faster than a traditional blocking design. Our solution outperforms the best available alternative non-blocking designs in a large majority of cases, typically by a factor of 15 or higher.
The Effect of Human Capital, Socioeconomic, and Labor Market Factors on Wages

Comprehensive wage offer models are developed to measure the direction and size of effects of human capital variables, socioeconomic characteristics, and structural components of the labor market on wages of men and women, con trolling for race and age interaction. Nationally representative data from the Sur vey of Consumer Finances provide work history information. Maximum likelihood estimates are used to correct for sample selection bias. A major contribution is control for interaction of age with other explanatory variables in both the probit and wage offer analyses. Numerous variables significantly increase or decrease the likelihood of white women being wage or salary earners, but not white men or nonwhite women. Factors affecting wages differ by gender, race, and age cohort. In general, higher levels of education and tenure, and presence in the professional, technical, administrative, and managerial occupation group have a positive effect on wages.
Unsupervised Regression with Applications to Nonlinear System Identification

We derive a cost functional for estimating the relationship between high-dimensional observations and the low-dimensional process that generated them with no input-output examples. Limiting our search to invertible observation functions confers numerous benefits, including a compact representation and no suboptimal local minima. Our approximation algorithms for optimizing this cost functional are fast and give diagnostic bounds on the quality of their solution. Our method can be viewed as a manifold learning algorithm that utilizes a prior on the low-dimensional manifold coordinates. The benefits of taking advantage of such priors in manifold learning and searching for the inverse observation functions in system identification are demonstrated empirically by learning to track moving targets from raw measurements in a sensor network setting and in an RFID tracking experiment.
A Fully Functional, Packaged Active Microscaffold System with Fluid Perfusion and Electrical Stimulation/Recording Functionalities for 3-D Neuronal Culture Studies

This paper and presentation, for the first time, demonstrates a fully functional, packaged active microscaffold system with fluid perfusion and electrical stimulation/recording functionalities for 3-D neuronal culture studies. The fluid perfusion capabilities of the active microscaffold serve as an artificial circulatory system to enable 3-D growth and proliferation of re-aggregate neuronal cultures. Increased cell survival on microscaffolds with nutrient perfusion at 14 and 21 days in vitro (DIV) is presented. Additionally, initial characterization of the electrical stimulation/recording functionality of the microscaffold system is presented.
Speech-associated attitudes: Stuttering, voice disordered, articulation disordered, and normal speaking children

Abstract A Dutch version of the Communication Attitude Test (CAT-D) was administered to four groups of children: stutterers, those with voice disorders, those with articulation problems, and those whose speech was considered to be normal. The subjects ranged in age from 7 to 14 years. The speech-associated attitudes of the stuttering and the voice disordered children did not differ to a statistically significant extent. Furthermore, no significant difference was found between the test scores of the children with articulation disorders and their normal speaking peers. However, these latter two subject groups showed significantly fewer negative speech attitudes than did either the stuttering or the voice disordered subjects. The results indicate that the extent of negative speech-associated attitudes depends on the nature of the speech disorder.
Untangling Reading Comprehension Strategy Instruction: Assisting Struggling Readers in the Primary Grades

Although early reading instruction focuses on phonemic awareness and the alphabetic principle, research indicates that reading comprehension strategies can be effectively taught to young students. Peer-reviewed studies that employed experimental or quasi-experimental designs and included children between the ages of five and nine, some of whom had disabilities or were determined to be at-risk for academic failure, were examined. Five categories of reading comprehension strategies (peer learning, self-questioning, story grammar and text structure, story mapping and graphic organizers, and vocabulary development) that have increased the reading comprehension abilities of young students were identified and discussed. Students appeared to be most successful when two or more strategies were combined. Instructional choices teachers might make in light of the current research are discussed.
Iterative estimation of sparse and doubly-selective multi-input multi-output (MIMO) channel

The estimation of doubly-selective channels is challenging since long channel impulse response should be estimated with a fast tracking speed. Provided that a structure of the channel response is sparse, i.e., only a few of channel gains are nonzero, tracking performance of the channel estimator can be improved significantly by avoiding estimation of zero taps. In this paper, we study estimation of fast time-varying channels that have a sparse structure in multi-input multi-output (MIMO) systems. In order to exploit the sparse structure, we parameterize locations of nonzero channel taps using a deterministic binary vector and incorporate it into the state-space form built upon auto-regressive (AR) time-varying channel model. Then, we derive a joint estimate of the binary vector and channel gains based on maximum likelihood (ML) criterion. Expectation maximization (EM) algorithm is derived to find a sparse structure and channel gains iteratively. According to the simulation study performed over MIMO Rician fading channels, the proposed sparse channel estimator outperforms the previous channel estimation schemes, especially when Doppler rate is high.
The renin-angiotensin system: a target of and contributor to dyslipidemias, altered glucose homeostasis, and hypertension of the metabolic syndrome

The renin-angiotensin system (RAS) is an important therapeutic target in the treatment of hypertension. Obesity has emerged as a primary contributor to essential hypertension in the United States a...
Time of Ovulation Relative to Mounting Activity in Dairy Cattle

Time of ovulation was determined for Holstein cows (n = 51) for estruses occurring spontaneously (n = 33) or those induced by PGF2 alpha (n = 86). Ultrasound examination of ovaries was conducted 42 to 49 d postpartum, followed by administration of 25 mg of PGF2 alpha if a corpus luteum was observed. In the absence of a corpus luteum, ovaries were reexamined weekly, and PGF2 alpha was administered upon observation of the presence of a corpus luteum. Onset of estrus was determined by HeatWatch, an electronic pressure-sensing system that recorded each mount associated with estrus. To determine ovulation in relation to first detected mount, ultrasound examinations were conducted at 12, 20, and 24 h after the initial mount and then every 2 h until 40 h. Cows were assigned randomly to receive one of two treatments: 1) the cow received 25 mg of PGF2 alpha 8 to 13 d later or 2) the cow was allowed to cycle spontaneously and then was switched to alternate treatment at a third cycle. The mean estrus period, determined from mounting activity recorded by HeatWatch, consisted of 10.1 mounts over 9.5 h (6.0 mounts were > or = 2 s) for a total 24.1 s of mounting activity. Estrus characteristics were extremely variable and were not different for estruses induced by PGF2 alpha or for those occurring spontaneously. Mean ovulation time relative to first mount was 27.6 +/- 5.4 h and was not different between spontaneous and induced estruses. Knowing the time of ovulation in reference to the first mount of estrus and being able to identify the first mount consistently and accurately with the HeatWatch system allows for accurate timing of AI.
Lazy checkpoint coordination for bounding rollback propagation

The technique of lazy checkpoint coordination, which preserves process autonomy while employing communication-induced checkpoint coordination for bounding rollback propagation is proposed. The notion of laziness is introduced to control the coordination frequency and allow a flexible tradeoff between the cost of checkpoint coordination and the average rollback distance. Worst-case overhead analysis provides a means for estimating the extra checkpoint overhead. Communication trace-driven simulation for several parallel programs is used to evaluate the benefits of the proposed scheme. >
CMOS VLSI Potentiostat for Portable Environmental Sensing Applications

This paper reports an integrated CMOS potentiostat for detection of heavy metal ions in water and other solvents based on electrochemical sensing. The proposed potentiostat features a low-input impedance, high sensitivity, high gain and low power transimpedance amplifier front end, with programmable control of electrode potential, thus facilitating continuous bidirectional measurement of reduction-oxidation (redox) current in a potentiostat for cyclic voltammetry (CV) experiment. For proof of concept, we use the proposed integrated potentiostat to perform CV on a reference ferricyanide (K3Fe(CN)6) using external microelectrodes. Results compared with standard benchtop potentiostat confirm microelectrode behavior with accurate estimate of redox potential with varying redox currents proportional to the ferricyanide concentration.
A circuit technique to improve phase-locked loop charge pump current matching

A transconductor-capacitor (gm-C) circuit is added to the passive loop filter in a charge-pump phase-locked loop (PLL) with digital phase-frequency detector (PFD). The proposed architecture provides an alternative technique for enhancing the performance of the charge pump without high bandwidth active components. The proposed design also increases the order of the loop, enhancing the rejection of low frequency phase noise sources from within the loop.
Identification of functional genetic variation in exome sequence analysis

Recent technological advances have allowed us to study individual genomes at a base-pair resolution and have demonstrated that the average exome harbors more than 15,000 genetic variants. However, our ability to understand the biological significance of the identified variants and to connect these observed variants with phenotypes is limited. The first step in this process is to identify genetic variation that is likely to result in changes to protein structure and function, because detailed studies, either population based or functional, for each of the identified variants are not practicable. Therefore algorithms that yield valid predictions of a variant’s functional significance are needed. Over the past decade, several programs have been developed to predict the probability that an observed sequence variant will have a deleterious effect on protein function. These algorithms range from empirical programs that classify using known biochemical properties to statistical algorithms trained using a variety of data sources, including sequence conservation data, biochemical properties, and functional data. Using data from the pilot3 study of the 1000 Genomes Project available through Genetic Analysis Workshop 17, we compared the results of four programs (SIFT, PolyPhen, MAPP, and VarioWatch) used to predict the functional relevance of variants in 101 genes. Analysis was conducted without knowledge of the simulation model. Agreement between programs was modest ranging from 59.4% to 71.4% and only 3.5% of variants were classified as deleterious and 10.9% as tolerated across all four programs.
Relational Generalizations of Cluster Validity Indices

Numerous computational schemes have arisen over the years that attempt to learn information about objects based upon the similarity or dissimilarity of one object to another. One such scheme, clustering, looks for self-similar groups of objects. To use clustering algorithms, an investigator must often have a priori knowledge of the number of clusters, i.e., c, to search for in the data. Moreover, it is often convenient to have ways to rank the returned results, either for a single value of c, a range of c's different clustering methods, or any combination thereof. However, the task of assessing the quality of the results, so that c may be determined objectively, is currently ill-defined for object-object relationships. To bridge this gap, we generalize three well-known validity indices: the modified Hubert's Gamma, Xie-Beni, and the generalized Dunn's indices, to relational data. In doing so, we develop a framework to convert many other validity indices to a relational form. Numerical examples on 12 datasets (samples from four normal mixtures, four real-world object datasets, and four real-world “pure relational” datasets) using the relational duals of the hard, fuzzy, and possibilistic c-means cluster algorithms are offered to illustrate and evaluate the new indices.
PPARγ activation, by reducing oxidative stress, increases NO bioavailability in coronary arterioles of mice with Type 2 diabetes

We tested the hypothesis that short-term treatment of mice with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) with rosiglitazone (ROSI), an agonist of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ, ameliorates the ...
Stock Market Manipulation - Theory and Evidence

In this paper we present a theory and some empirical evidence on stock price manipulation in the United States. Extending the framework of Allen and Gale (1992), we consider what happens when a manipulator can trade in the presence of other traders who seek out information about the stock's true value. In a market without manipulators, these information seekers unambiguously improve market efficiency by pushing prices up to the level indicated by the informed party's information. In a market with manipulators, the information seekers play a more ambiguous role. More information seekers imply greater competition for shares, making it easier for a manipulator to enter the market and potentially worsening market efficiency. This suggests a strong role for government regulation to discourage manipulation while encouraging greater competition for information. Using a unique dataset, we then provide evidence from SEC actions in cases of stock manipulation. We find that potentially informed parties such as corporate insiders, brokers, underwriters, large shareholders and market makers are likely to be manipulators. More illiquid stocks are more likely to be manipulated and manipulation increases stock volatility. We show that stock prices rise throughout the manipulation period and then fall in the postmanipulation period. Prices and liquidity are higher when the manipulator sells than when the manipulator buys. In addition, at the time the manipulator sells, prices are higher when liquidity is greater and when volatility is greater. These results are consistent with the model and suggest that stock market manipulation may have important impacts on market efficiency.
Why Bother? Because Peer-to-Peer Programs Can Mobilize Young Voters

Many assume that young Americans are apathetic, self-absorbed, and indifferent to civic matters. It is a turned-off generation, we are told. But nothing could be further from the truth. A host of data suggests young Americans give their energy, time, and money to their schools, community, and nation. A recent report by the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE), for example, suggests young Americans volunteer at higher rates than do older Americans (Lopez 2003). The frequency of pitching-in has also increased: In 1990 some 65% of college freshman reported volunteering in high school, and by 2003 that figure had risen to 83%. Rates of volunteer work for those under 25 are now twice as high as for those over 55. Perhaps this is the activist generation.
Life-threatening Cold and Exercise-induced Asthma Potentiated by Administration of Propranolol

We present two patients with acute respiratory failure secondary to cold and exercise-induced asthma. Neither patient had a prior history of asthma, and both had recently been placed on therapy with propranolol for treatment of hypertension. We discuss the postulated mechanism of bronchospasm in these patients. In addition, we urge aggressive searching for any change in respiratory symptoms in patients receiving propranolol.
Ammonia and IMP in different skeletal muscle fibers after exercise in rats

Adenosine 5'-monophosphate (AMP) deamination, estimated from inosine 5'-monophosphate (IMP) accumulation, was studied in the different skeletal muscle fiber types of untrained rats anesthetized with ether immediately after 4 min of treadmill running at 45 or 60 m/min. The adenylosuccinate synthetase-inhibitor hadacidin was administered (200 mg/kg ip) before exercise to block IMP reamination and, therefore, to provide a better assessment of IMP formation. The increases in blood ammonia after exercise (2.5- and 5-fold, respectively) were highly correlated (r = 0.93) with the increases in blood lactate levels (6- and 11-fold). At both speeds, IMP increased in fast-twitch but not in slow-twitch (soleus) muscle. Of the fast muscles, the increase in IMP was greatest (up to 4 mumol/g wet wt) in the white vastus lateralis (fast twitch, glycolytic), intermediate in the plantaris (mixed fibers), and lowest in the red vastus lateralis (fast twitch, oxidative glycolytic). The increases in IMP were coincident with nearly equivalent decreases in ATP. Hadacidin treatment resulted in a greater IMP accumulation after exercise in both fast-twitch types but not in the soleus. The results indicate that fast-twitch muscle fibers, particularly the fast-twitch glycolytic fibers, are the source of the ammonia produced during strenuous exercise.
Plutarch’s Late-Republican Lives: Between The Lines*

A great deal of modern scholarship has been expended on the subject of Plutarch’s sources and on the manner in which he composed his Lives. As a result of the painstaking analyses of the fifty or so cross-references in the Lives, a rough order in which they were probably written can now be descried and this has been a great boon for those who would use the information therein for historical purposes. As regards those Lives dealing with the luminaries of the late Republic, it can be said that the Lucullus and probably the Sertorius were among the first four sets to be written, that the Cicero appeared with the Demosthenes in the fifth set, then came the Sulla, the Brutus, the Caesar, the Pompeius, and subsequently the Crassus, Cato minor, Antony and Marius. (The order of the last four cannot be fixed, nor can the place of the Lives of the Gracchi.) A knowlege of this sequence explains the differences and occasional contradictions between individual Lives by exposing Plutarch’s earlier unfamiliarity with certain traditions and suggesting divergent source traditions which surfaced only when Plutarch was researching a particular character. (This, of course, makes the material even more valuable.)
Tumor-associated angiogenesis: mechanisms, clinical implications, and therapeutic strategies

Compelling data implicate angiogenesis and tumor-associated neovascularization as a central pathogenic step in the process of tumor growth, invasion, and metastasis. These complex processes involve multiple steps and pathways dependent on the local balance between positive and negative regulatory factors, as well as interactions among the tumor, its vasculature, and the surrounding extracellular tissue matrix. A tumor remains in a dormant state, the cellular proliferation rate balanced by the apoptotic rate, unable to grow in size beyond a few millimeters in the absence of the acquired angiogenic phenotype. The mechanism by which tumors switch to the angiogenic phenotype is unknown. Therapeutic agents and strategies are being devised either to interrupt or inhibit one or more of the pathogenic steps involved in the process of tumor neovascularization or to directly target and destroy the tumor vasculature. Therapies affecting an end target or pathway that cannot be circumvented by alternate mechanisms may significantly enhance efficacy and broaden applicability. These approaches may result in small, avascular tumors maintained in a dormant state or, perhaps in combination with cytotoxic therapies, they may potentiate shrinkage of tumors to, and maintain them, in a dormant state. As more powerful antiangiogenic agents are developed, perhaps even these dormant microscopic foci may be eradicated. Antiangiogenesis agents and strategies differ from the usual cancer therapeutic approaches; therefore, investigators must devise new paradigms for the clinical development of agents that may only have a static effect on tumors and require prolonged, chronic administration. Methods to assess the in vivo biologic activity of these compounds in patients are needed. Ultimately, antiangiogenic therapy may provide an additional novel cancer treatment suitable for combination with standard therapies.
Response to Lester Lave

I want to share with you my appreciation of the efforts of the organizers of this conference in bringing us all together to deal with a very important, complex and controversial issue: acid rain.
Comparison of Analytical Methods for the Determination of Uranium in Seawater Using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry

Trace element determinations in seawater by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry are analytically challenging due to the typically very low concentrations of the trace elements and the potential interference of the salt matrix. In this study, we did a comparison for uranium analysis using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) of Sequim Bay seawater samples and three seawater certified reference materials (SLEW-3, CASS-5, and NASS-6) using eight different analytical approaches. The methods evaluated include the following: direct analysis, Fe/Pd reductive precipitation, off-line preconcentration using the actinide specific resin, UTEVA, standard addition calibration, on-line automated dilution using an external calibration with and without matrix matching, and on-line automated preconcentration using the seaFast preconcentration resin. The two methods which produced the most accurate results were the method of standard addition calibration and off-line preconcentration using the UTEV...
Calculations of the Neutron Age in Water and Heavy Water for D-D Sources

Calculations of the age to indium resonance of neutrons from the reaction D(d,n)He/sup 3/ in water and heavy water are performed by the Monte Carlo method. The calculations are designed to simulate experiments. The effect of the duct used to lead the deuteron beam into the medium is investigated. The computations show agreement with experimental results. (auth)
EIGENVALUES FOR THE WILKINS EQUATION

No abstract. 15:021512Nucleus-nucleus collisions at cosmic- ray energies are described by a simple geometrical model. The average multiplicity for different types of reactions is predicted and compared with experimental observation. (auth)
Effect of Hypophysectomy on Electrolyte and Water Metabolism in the Dog.

SummaryStudy of hypophysectomized dogs that manifest (a) atrophic changes in all three cortical layers of the adrenals, (b) severe disturbances in carbohydrate and protein metabolism and (c) reduced renal functions (glomerular filtration rate, renal plasma flow and tubular transfer maxima) reveals that: (1) their ability to excrete an orally administered water load is impaired, (2) their ability to withstand sodium restriction is normal and (3) their renal tubules retain the ability to excrete potassium and the animals are able to handle potassium loads almost as well as the normals.
Kinematic Analysis of 3D Printing Mechanisms

The paper presents a novel technique for the kinematic analysis of a geared mechanism manufactured through 3D printing technology. In the syllabus of the undergraduate 3D Printing course, one of the student projects is to manufacture a spur Norton type gear box which includes a planetary mechanism for engaging its three planets, thus three output velocities for the gear box are obtained. The connected elements (carriers, gears, planets) are fabricated without any involvement of assembly operation. At the prototype stage, a CAD model of the mechanism is created and a search for abilities and limitations of the mechanism are required. The analysis of abilities of motion includes determination of mechanism mobility (DOF). A step by step simple technique is presented for determination of the rank for the matrix of coefficients from the kinematic equations. Thus, the DOF is the difference between the number columns and the rank previously determined. The steps required in the analysis are: numbering of links and joints, graph attached to mechanism, matrix of incidence cycles-nodes in graph, and determination of its rank by using Mathematica commands. For the set of base cycles are automatically generated independent scalar equations. The matrix, denoted velocity matroidal, has the coefficients for the mechanism’s unknown absolute angular velocities-determined based on an analogy to a system of parallel forces from static equilibrium, angular velocities being considered analog to the “forces“. The relations between the input-output links’ absolute angular velocities are determined. The coefficients in the kinematic equations for velocities are written as function of gear ratios. The number of gear teeth can be selected also for the desired input-output speed ratios.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Induction of mammary cancer after in vitro exposure to 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene.

SummaryRat mammary glands which were excised and incubated in a medium containing 7,12-DMBA developed tumors after their reimplantation in the interscapular region of the back. The mammary tumor incidence in the autologously transplanted graft is parallel with the concentration of the carcinogen in the graft. The results indicate that the carcinogenic effect of 7,12-DMBA on the mammary gland is “direct” and not via the host.I thank Dr. Charles King and Mrs. A. Diaz for their technical assistance.
Effects of injection of opaque media for selective angiocardiography in the dog's heart.

Conclusions1. Subendocardial hemorrhage and intracardiac thrombosis are found when catheters remain in the heart for over 45 minutes. 2. No such lesions could be attributed to “high pressure” intracardiac injections of ordinarily used contrast agents. 3. Disturbed pressure relationships probably due to asynchronous ventricular extrasystoles are frequently seen with injection into the heart, superior cava or pulmonary artery. 4. Such electrical, contractile and pressure disturbances were not noted with injection into the inferior cava or aorta.
Machine reading: a Killer app for statistical relational AI

Machine reading aims to automatically extract knowledge from text. It is a long-standing goal of AI and holds the promise of revolutionizing Web search and other fields. In this paper, we analyze the core challenges of machine reading and show that statistical relational AI is particularly well suited to address these challenges. We then propose a unifying approach to machine reading in which statistical relational AI plays a central role. Finally, we demonstrate the promise of this approach by presenting OntoUSP, an end-to-end machine reading system that builds on recent advances in statistical relational AI and greatly outperforms state-of-theart systems in a task of extracting knowledge from biomedical abstracts and answering questions.
Drug prescribing trends in adults with rheumatoid arthritis: a population-based comparative study from 2005 to 2014

The aim of this study was to examine drug prescribing trends for patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) over recent years and compare them to matched non-RA subjects. Retrospective prescription data were examined from 2005 to 2014 in a population-based incidence cohort of patients with RA and comparable non-RA subjects. Drugs for or related to the treatment of RA were excluded. Comparisons between cohorts of percentages of patients with at least one prescription in a specific drug category/class were performed using Poisson regression models adjusted for age and sex. The study included 497 RA (71 % female) and 527 non-RA subjects (70 % female). The overall observed percentage of subjects who were prescribed at least one drug over the 10-year period was somewhat higher among the RA compared to non-RA subjects (relative risk [RR], 1.04; 95 % confidence interval [CI], 0.99, 1.08). Over the study period, both groups demonstrated significant increases in the percentages of patients with at least one prescription (age- and sex-adjusted 7 % increase over 10 years in RA, p < 0.001; 11 % increase in non-RA, p < 0.001). Drugs that were more common among RA than non-RA included gastrointestinal drugs, antimicrobials, calcium metabolism modifiers, thyroid hormone replacement therapy, tricyclic antidepressants, antiasthma/inhaled corticosteroids, proton pump inhibitors, contraceptives, antihypertensives, and some others. Prescription drugs that were less common in RA than non-RA were statins and other antilipemic drugs. Excluding drug prescriptions specifically for treatment of RA, there was a marked overall increase in prescriptions for drugs for both RA and non-RA cohorts over the study period.
Character/actor: the deep matrix

As we move from personation to characterization, it is paramount to dismiss the idea of any firm boundary between these two modes of dramatic figuration. To be sure, what has come to be thought of as “deep” characterization made itself most clearly manifest in early modern drama from the late 1590s onward. Here, as is well known, such characters as Brutus, Rosalind, and Hamlet helped inaugurate fascinating displays of “that within” ( Hamlet , 1.2.85). Such displays accompanied a linguistic and behavioral self-consciousness that would, in the ensuing years, distinguish figures such as Lear, Cleopatra, the Duchess of Malfi, and Beatrice-Joanna, to name only these. To this limited extent, then, personation and characterization may be defined in relation to their respective chronologies, according to which, for a brief period, character emerged as a more comprehending image of subjectivity in the theatre. It was a vulnerable mode of selfhood because the groping for a new depth within was inseparable from presenting a worldly without . Between the two arose a relationship that, wanting precedent as well as precept, was beset by an unexplored, untested measure of both engagement and discrepancy. In such characterization any “secret close” ( Richard III , 1.1.158) design of passion and desire could be made interactive with a rich, imaginary set of public objects and options, challenges, and charges. In this way characterization goes beyond personation in the dramatic fashioning of subjectivity.
Cross-sex versus same-sex experience and relationship satisfaction: addressing diverse social networks among Orthodox Jews

ABSTRACTRomantic experiences in adolescence often predict relationship stability and marital status in adulthood. Religious practice and belief also have been linked to increased marital satisfaction and overall wellbeing. However, certain religions limit cross-sex interaction in areas of education, social and romantic relationships. Although gender segregation has been studied in educational and occupational contexts, no previous research has addressed religious gender segregation and its impact on relationship development, marital satisfaction, and overall wellbeing. The present study addressed the generalisability of data on cross-sex experience derived from normative populations to a religious subculture, outlining predictors for marital satisfaction and wellbeing in an Orthodox Jewish sample. Results showed some similarities between the general population and the Orthodox Jews represented by the study sample. However, some factors illustrated divergent paths and outcomes for this sample. This study d...
Luminance-adaptive smart video storage system

The use of mobile devices is rapidly growing each year due to their portability and convenience. User experience and battery life are both crucial topics in the advancement of these devices. Sensing the light environment of a mobile device and adapting the output of the device accordingly can create positive results for both user experience and battery life. In this paper, we concentrate on different levels of ambient luminance and its influence on the viewing experience of the user. Since the human visual system is less sensitive to video noise at higher levels of ambient luminance, under those conditions we allow more noise to achieve power consumption reduction. Through subjective testing we show that in general our method works well for attaining a good quality of experience to the user. The hardware simulation for our design results in 32.6% power savings.
TCT-447 Real World Generalizability Of Patients Enrolled In Clinical Trials Versus Those Not Enrolled

Clinical trials in the United States tend to enroll racially homogenous cohorts, thereby limiting generalizability. We sought to identify correlates of clinical trial enrollment from a large and racially diverse PCI registry. We conducted a single-center study of patients undergoing PCI between 1/1
Demographic Costs Associated with Differences in Habitat Space Occupancy

Delimiting the habitat characteristics describing the environmental conditions required by a species has become a critical tool for predicting organismal responses to environmental change. Grinnell emphasized the effects of environmental factors on the ability of a population to maintain a positive growth rate, yet few studies have included demographic or reproductive data in analyses of the Grinnellian niche. Identifying differences in habitat exploitation patterns in response to structural variation in the environment presents an incomplete description of the ability of species to adapt to changing habitats if demographic traits are not included. We estimated the vegetation characteristics used by individuals within a population of hooded warblers (Setophaga citrina) across a spatial transect that includes three structurally different forest habitats. We predicted individuals should select similar structural characteristics within each habitat and have similar reproductive success across sample sites. In the two years post burn, adults were present but no young fledged indicating the habitat requirements necessary for reproduction were absent in this habitat. We found significant differences in habitat space occupied by individuals in unaltered and harvested habitats. Nesting habitats used by female warblers differed from available habitat. Fledging success was lower in the harvested habitat 10 to 12 years post-harvest. In the harvested habitat, fledging success was greater on mesic slopes but decreased along a habitat gradient to xeric ridgetops, suggesting compensation in habitat use does not ameliorate fitness costs. In contrast, there was no difference in the number of fledged young along this gradient in the unaltered habitat. Based solely on occupancy data, traditional ecological niche models would incorrectly conclude the environmental characteristics found across the three forested habitats are included in the Grinnellian niche of the hooded warbler. However, examination of demographic and environmental data simultaneously allows differentiation between occupied habitat space and niche space.
N-Myc overexpression increases cisplatin resistance in neuroblastoma via deregulation of mitochondrial dynamics.

N-Myc is a global transcription factor that regulates the expression of genes involved in a number of essential cellular processes including: ribosome biogenesis, cell cycle and apoptosis. Upon deregulation, N-Myc can drive pathologic expression of many of these genes, which ultimately defines its oncogenic potential. Overexpression of N-Myc has been demonstrated to contribute to tumorigenesis, most notably for the pediatric tumor, neuroblastoma. Herein, we provide evidence that deregulated N-Myc alters the expression of proteins involved in mitochondrial dynamics. We found that N-Myc overexpression leads to increased fusion of the mitochondrial reticulum secondary to changes in protein expression due to aberrant transcriptional and post-translational regulation. We believe the structural changes in the mitochondrial network in response to N-Myc amplification in neuroblastoma contributes to two important aspects of tumor development and maintenance—bioenergetic alterations and apoptotic resistance. Specifically, we found that N-Myc overexpressing cells are resistant to programmed cell death in response to exposure to low doses of cisplatin, and demonstrated that this was dependent on increased mitochondrial fusion. We speculate that these changes in mitochondrial structure and function may contribute significantly to the aggressive clinical ph9enotype of N-Myc amplified neuroblastoma.
Structural Stability of Streptococcal Serum Opacity Factor

Streptococcal serum opacity factor (SOF) is a protein that clouds the plasma of multiple mammalian species by disrupting high density lipoprotein (HDL) structure. Intravenous infusion of low dose SOF (4 µg) into mice reduces their plasma cholesterol concentrations ~ 40% in 3 h. Here we investigated the effects of pH, ionic strength, temperature, and denaturation with guanidinium chloride (GdmCl) on SOF stability and its reaction vs HDL. SOF stability was tested by pre-incubation of SOF at various temperatures, pH’s, and GdmCl concentrations and measuring the SOF reaction rate at pH 7.4 and 37 °C. SOF retained activity at temperatures up to 58 °C, at pH 4 to 10, and in 8.5 M GdmCl after being returned to standard buffer conditions. The effects of GdmCl, pH, and ionic strength on the SOF reaction rates were also measured. SOF was inactive at GdmCl ≥ 1 M; SOF was most active at pH 5, near its isoelectric point and at an ionic strength of 3 (in NaCl). These data reveal that SOF is a stable protein and suggest that its activity is determined, in part, by the effects of pH and ionic strength on its overall charge relative to that of its reaction target, HDL.
Electron-Ion, Ion-Ion, and Ion-Neutral Interactions

In my talk, I will present an overview of ongoing work in the area of electron-ion, ion-ion, and ion-neutral reactions. Clearly, this is a very wide field. Rather than trying to cover the whole field, I will focus my discussion on effects which are of importance in high-pressure plasmas, where the “high pressure” regime is defined as that in which collision processes are significantly influenced by third-body effects. In the absence of experimental data on collision processes in high-pressure plasmas, models of such plasmas, for instance, electrical discharge or laser plasmas, often make use of rate coefficients that were obtained in low-pressure experiments. This may be justified in many cases, but the problem deserves some further scrutiny.