cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
In vitro response of rat gastrointestinal segments to cholecystokinin and bombesin

Abstract In previous studies of the rat gastrointestinal (GI) tract, we have demonstrated specific binding of cholecystokinin (CCK) to the pylorus and of bombesin (BN) to the gastric fundus, gastric antrum, duodenum, and ileum. We now present the results of an investigation of the in vitro response of the same regions of the rat GI tract to CCK-8 (the active octapeptide of CCK) and BN. Sections of rat fundus, antrum, pylorus, duodenum, and ileum were suspended in a Tyrode buffer and attached to an isometric pressure transducer in a longitudinal orientation. Doseresponse curves to CCK-8 and BN were generated for each tissue. CCK-8 consistently induced a change only in pylorus, while BN induced a response from fundus, antrum and duodenum. With the exception of the lack of ileal response to BN, the regions of the rat GI tract which biologically respond (i.e., contract or relax) to CCK-8 or BN were the same regions in which we have located BN and CCK-8 binding sites. This correlation supports the hypothesis that GI function is modified by specified hormone-receptor interactions with these peptides.
Evaluation of Trigger Points in Young Subjects

Objectives: The aim of study was to evaluate the trigger points [TrPs] in young university students.Methods: University students from both sexes were randomly evaluated and divided in two groups: students with myofascial pain syndrome [MPS] and without MPS as a control group matched with the MPS subjects' characteristics such as age, body mass, and sex. Average pain, fatigue severity on the visual analog scale [0–10 cm], postural abnormalities, morning stiffness, paresthesia, pain, fatigue, and number of TrPs were evaluated.Results: There were 54 subjects in the MPS group and 60 subjects in the control group. The highest postural misalignment in both groups was found in forward head and pectoral muscle shortening. Control group male and female subjects' general evaluation score, fatigue, and number of TrPs were observed to be statistically lower than MPS group's male and female subjects [P < 0.001]. Four TrPs [M: 33.3 percent, F: 36.7 percent] in MPS subjects and one or no TrPs [M: 66.7 percent, F: 70.0 p...
Neuroanatomic and cognitive abnormalities in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in the era of ‘high definition’ neuroimaging

The ongoing release of the Human Connectome Project (HCP) data is a watershed event in clinical neuroscience. By attaining a quantum leap in spatial and temporal resolution within the framework of a twin/sibling design, this open science resource provides the basis for delineating brain-behavior relationships across the neuropsychiatric landscape. Here we focus on attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), which is at least partly continuous across the population, highlighting constructs that have been proposed for ADHD and which are included in the HCP phenotypic battery. We review constructs implicated in ADHD (reward-related processing, inhibition, vigilant attention, reaction time variability, timing and emotional lability) which can be examined in the HCP data and in future 'high definition' clinical datasets.
Use of mid-upper-arm circumference Z scores in nutritional assessment

The generally held notion that mid-upper-arm circumference (MUAC) is age and gender independent for children aged 1-4 years is incorrect. Data from normal well-fed samples show small differences between age and sex which influence the use of unadjusted MUAC under 125 mm as a nutritional indicator. The authors have found that MUAC Z scores which adjust for differences in age and sex are a more useful indicator for comparing the nutritional status of difference groups within Bangladesh. Study results are based upon data from a Dutch reference population. The pattern of undernutrition by MUAC Z score cutoffs among Bangladesh children aged 12-59 months shows female undernutrition to be only marginally worse than that of boys. Unadjusted MUAC under 125 mm however indicates that girls have a higher level of undernutrition than boys. Further a high proportion of children over age 3 years continued to have poor MUAC Z scores even though only a few in this age range are selected by MUAC under 125 mm; the younger children are selected far more often even when the upper age limit is raised. A MUAC Z score cutoff finds younger children to be more often undernourished in all ages 1-4 years and with a substantial proportion of older children remaining undernourished by MUAC under minus 2 z or minus 3 z scores. Since adjusting MUAC for age and sex differences by MUAC Z scores yields a better understanding or the pattern of undernutrition in Bangladesh the same approach may be applied to populations in other developing and developed countries.
The benefit of intraperitoneal chemotherapy for the treatment of colorectal carcinomatosis

The clinical practice of hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemoperfusion (HIPEC) for carcinomatosis has lacked preclinical justification. A standardized mouse model was created to evaluate the independent effects of intraperitoneal chemotherapy. Diffuse colorectal carcinomatosis was generated in mice prior to intraperitoneal lavage with mitomycin C (MMC) at clinically comparable dosing for variable lengths of time. Tumor volumes, MMC tissue concentrations and survival were measured in comparison to saline lavage and intravenous MMC. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a direct correlation between tumor volume, MMC dose and exposure time and survival. Intravenous MMC demonstrated a rapid clearance from the blood, lower peritoneal tissue concentrations, less tumor growth inhibition and decreased survival compared to intraperitoneal administration. Intraperitoneal chemotherapy inhibited tumor growth independent of cytoreduction or hyperthermia, demonstrated improved peritoneal tissue concentration and was associated with increased survival. These data support the clinical utility of the intraperitoneal chemotherapy component of HIPEC.
Properties and stability of oil-in-water emulsions stabilized by fish gelatin

Abstract The influence of molecular weight on the ability of fish gelatin (FG) to form and stabilize oil-in-water emulsions was examined. Low molecular weight fish gelatin (LMW–FG, ∼55 kDa) and high molecular weight fish gelatin (HMW–FG, 120 kDa) were used to prepare 20 wt% corn oil-in-water emulsions (pH 3.0, 10 mM imidazole-acetate buffer). Emulsions with monomodal particle size distributions and small mean droplet diameters ( d 43 ≈0.35 μm for LMW–FG and 0.71 μm for HMW–FG) could be produced at protein concentrations ≥4.0 wt%. However, optical microscopy showed that there was always a small population of large droplets present in the emulsions after homogenization and some oil destabilization (≥2 wt%). The presence of these large droplets was attributed to the relatively low surface activity ( c 1/2 =0.1–0.2 wt%) of fish gelatin compared to globular proteins such as β-lactoglobulin ( c 1/2 =0.004 wt%). Emulsions stabilized by LMW–FG contained a bigger population of large droplets than HMW–FG emulsions, but were more stable to creaming, which was attributed to depletion flocculation. Fish gelatin stabilized emulsions remained moderately stable to droplet aggregation and creaming after they were subjected to changes in holding temperature (30 or 90 °C for 30 min), salt concentration (NaCl≤250 mM) and pH (3–8). This study demonstrates that fish gelatin may have some limited use as a protein emulsifier in oil-in-water emulsions.
Attributes of the large-scale coherent motions in a shear layer

PIV observations in a shear layer have been used to identify and characterize the discrete large-scale coherent motions (LSCMs) in the nominally self-preserving region: x/θo ≈ 450–610, of a shear layer. The LSCMs are given an objective definition wherein their centers are the (swirling flow pattern) nodes of the velocity-vector field as seen by an observer in the Galilean reference frame translating at an appropriately defined reference velocity. The statistical attributes of size, lateral location, and separation between these coherent motions (that exist in a single image) as well as their characteristic vorticity magnitude 〈ωmax〉 are reported.
Chordoma. Evaluation of clinical behavior and treatment modalities

Abstract Chordoma is a malignant tumor derived from the primitive notochord involving the axial skeleton. It usually is a slow growing invasive tumor, silently expanding over a period of years to considerable size before causing symptoms. It is characterized by a long clinical course and local recurrence after surgical resection. In our series there was 1.8:1 male preponderance and an average age of 54.1 years. The most common site was the sacrococcygeal region. We recommend surgical resection of the tumor and postoperative radiation therapy to a total tumor dose of 6000–6500 rad in 6–6.5 weeks. If the tumor is unresectable, we recommend a definitive course of radiation therapy to a total tumor dose of 7000 rad in 7 weeks.
Scattering matrix application

The use of the scattering matrix leads to a formulation of radar reflectivity that is independent of radar polarization, target range, and target rotation about the line of sight. The resulting formulation is applied to the problem of object recognition in free space. Experimental results for right circular cones are presented.
Systems Modelling via Resources and Processes: Philosophy, Calculus, Semantics, and Logic

We describe a programme of research in resource semantics, concurrency theory, bunched logic, and stochastic processes, as applied to mathematical systems modelling. Motivated by a desire for structurally and semantically rigorous discrete event modelling tools, applicable to enterprise-scale as well as component-scale systems, we introduce a new approach to compositional reasoning based on a development of SCCS with an explicit model of resource. Our calculus models the co-evolution of resources and processes with synchronization constrained by the availability of resources. We provide a simple denotational semantics as a parametrization of Abramsky's synchronization trees semantics for SCCS. We also provide a logical characterization, analogous to Hennessy-Milner logic's characterization of bisimulation in CCS, of bisimulation between resource processes which is compositional in the concurrent and local structure of systems. We discuss applications to ideas such as location and access control.
Bile salts and platelet aggregation.

Nachweis, dass der Zusatz von Gallensaure die Aggregation menschlicher Plattchen im Plasma in vitro herbeifuhren kann und dass die Saure selbst in den Plattchen vorhanden sein durfte.
The Financial Crisis of A. D. 33: A Keynesian Depression?

In A.D. 33 a major economic and financial crisis struck the City of Rome, capital of the Roman Empire.' The crisis must have made a tremendous impression on the world at the time; otherwise, the three great historians of the period (Tacitus, Suetonius, and Dio) would not have highlighted it. Ancient writers were not commonly interested in economics. Modern historians, writing of the premodern period, have spent little effort on financial crises. While the historians have written of the seventeenth-century tulip crisis in Holland, the Mississippi Bubble in France, and the South Sea Bubble in England, these are important but rare exceptions. The financial crisis of A.D. 33 is another and very much earlier exception. Here, extensive and surprisingly sophisticated reporting from the time of the crisis has made possible substantial modern analysis. The actual crisis consisted of a sudden shortage of money and a contraction of credit which threatened to bankrupt some of Rome's most respected citizens. In evaluating this crisis, modern analysts have focused much of their work on calculations of the money supply at the time, a logical approach since the crisis had as its proximate cause a money shortage. Lacking direct monetary data, they generally rely on numismatic evidence as provided by records of issuance of coins. Various scholars, among them Tenney Frank, Michael Crawford, Cosmo Rodewald, and Barbara Levick, have suggested different causes for the crisis.2 Although Frank mentions in passing that Augustus spent far less on buildings than the Res Gestae would suggest and that Tiberius was constantly accused of stinginess, he seems to attribute the reduced money supply to an outflow of gold and silver in payments for imports.3 Crawford denies that the money supply in Rome was varied intentionally by the state at any time other than to cure (rather than to cause) the crisis of A.D. 33. Governmental expenditures are to him devoid of any impact on the money supply. He states: "There are no grounds for the old view of the story as evidence for a general currency shortage and its remedy.4 Rodewald has a lengthy discussion on the crisis in which, basing his
Tackling the Monday-Morning Quarterback: Applications of Hindsight Bias in Decision-Making Settings

Extant research has focused largely on what causes hindsight distortion. In contrast, this work examines applied aspects related to the bias in decision-making environments. A conceptual framework is provided and recent real–world examples are presented to outline how decision makers—and those who observe them—show hindsight effects. Then, both negative and positive consequences of the bias are outlined. Strategies are presented to reduce negative effects that occur when decision makers show hindsight distortion. Finally, because it is often not possible to avoid or to correct others' hindsight–tainted evaluations, suggestions for coping with the bias are discussed.
Influences of ion species (Ge+, Sb+, Au2+) on crystallization of amorphous Ge films induced by high energy ion irradiation

Abstract Amorphous Ge films deposited on CaF 2 substrates were irradiated with Ge, Sb and Au ions and their structural changes were examined. Samples during irradiations were kept at a constant temperature about 380°C since a formation of randomly oriented crystals in amorphous matrix was closely related to temperature. It was found that the crystal quality of the epitaxial Ge films became good and the formation of randomly oriented crystals was retarded with increasing ion mass. These results presumably suggested that the crystal quality was correlated with the amount of randomly oriented crystals. Furthermore, it was assumed that the formation of randomly oriented crystals were affected by the single collision cascade whose size was increased with ion mass. From these results, it was concluded that heavy ion irradiation was effective for the enhancement of the epitaxial crystallization and the suppression of the formation of randomly oriented crystals.
Pancreatitis in children: diagnosis and etiology in 57 patients

Pancreatitis in children is uncommon, but can be the cause of significant morbidity. We undertook this study to review recent changes in the management of pediatric pancreatitis. Between 1974 and 1992, 57 cases of pancreatitis in children up to 19 years of age were treated at our institution. The etiologies were quite diverse and included idiopathic, traumatic, drug-related, biliary, congenital, and alcoholic causes. The diagnosis of pancreatitis was made from the clinical presentation and laboratory values in most cases. Serum amylase was elevated in the majority of children. Further diagnostic evaluations included abdominal ultrasound, computed tomography, and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. Pseudocyst development was the most common complication, especially in those cases associated with trauma. In contrast to adults with pancreatitis, who usually respond to nonoperative therapy, only 32 of the 57 children responded to nonoperative treatment. The most common long-term morbidity was recurrent pancreatitis; however, the majority of patients suffered no long-term sequelae of their pancreatitis or its treatment.
E-prescribing: a focused review and new approach to addressing safety in pharmacies and primary care.

Summary E-prescribing, the health information technology (HIT) that enables prescribers to electronically transmit prescriptions to community pharmacies, has been touted as a solution for improving patient safety and overall quality of care. However, the impact of HIT, such as e-prescribing on medication errors in acute care settings, has been widely studied and shows that if poorly designed or implemented, HIT can pose a risk to patient safety by introducing a source of medication errors. Unlike acute care settings, safety issues related to e-prescribing in primary care settings (where e-prescriptions are generated and transmitted) and pharmacies (where e-prescriptions are received) have not received as much attention in the literature. This paper provides a focused review of patient safety issues related to using e-prescribing systems in primary care and pharmacies. In addition, the paper proposes using human factors engineering concepts to study e-prescribing safety in pharmacies and primary care settings to identify safety problems and possible mechanisms for improvement.
Public Health and the Rights of States

When exercising their public health powers, states claim various rights against their subjects and aliens. The paper considers whether public health considerations can help justify some of these rights, and explores some constraints on the justificatory force of public health considerations. I outline two arguments about the moral grounds for states’ rights with regard to public health. The principle of fairness emphasizes that those who benefit from public health measures ought to contribute their fair share in upholding them. Alternatively, states’ rights might be justified by a natural duty of justice to uphold and not to obstruct institutions implementing public health policies. I indicate some reasons for preferring the latter justification. I further argue that the assignment of some rights to states via public health-based justification is undermined on several counts. Domestic political institutions cannot effectively perform some of their functions in protecting public health. Furthermore, transborder public health threats pose collective action problems at the global level. Finally, concerns about human rights work against the assignment of some rights to states. I conclude by arguing that these concerns call for global coordination, and that some rights claimed by states ought instead to be assigned to global institutions.
A flexible likelihood framework for detecting associations with secondary phenotypes in genetic studies using selected samples: application to sequence data.

For most complex trait association studies using next-generation sequencing, in addition to the primary phenotype of interest, many clinically important secondary traits are also available, which can be analyzed to map susceptibility genes. Owing to high sequencing costs, most studies use selected samples, and the sampling mechanisms of these studies can be complicated. When the primary and secondary traits are correlated, analyses of secondary phenotypes can cause spurious associations in selected samples and existing methods are inadequate to adjust for them. To address this problem, a likelihood-based method, MULTI-TRAIT-ASSOCIATION (MTA) was developed. MTA is flexible and can be applied to any study with known sampling mechanisms. It also allows efficient inferences of genetic parameters. To investigate the power of MTA and different study designs, extensive simulations were performed under rigorous population genetic and phenotypic models. It is demonstrated that there are great benefits for analyzing secondary phenotypes in selected samples. In particular, using case–control samples and samples with extreme primary phenotypes can be more powerful than analyzing random samples of equivalent size. One major challenge for sequence-based association studies is that most data sets are not of sufficient size to be adequately powered. By applying MTA, data sets ascertained under distinct mechanisms or targeted at different primary traits can be jointly analyzed to map common phenotypes and greatly increase power. The combined analysis can be performed using freely available data sets from public repositories, for example, dbGaP. In conclusion, MTA will have an important role in dissecting the etiology of complex traits.
Structure of sediments of kaolinite

Abstract In an assembly of clay particles placed in a fluid, each particle is typically subjected to: (1) double-layer repulsive forces; (2) van der Waals attractive forces; and (3) contact mechanical forces. The study presented here concerns an approximate, quantitative analysis of clay suspensions, with considerations to the first two - the physico-chemical forces. Using recent theories to calculate the physico-chemical forces between two clay particles in an approximate model of an assembly, the equilibrium void ratio of a clay suspension is computed. The mechanical forces are ignored in the analysis. The results serve to verify the validity of physico-chemical theories employed and help interpret experimental data more fundamentally in terms of the system variables.
The Relative Importance of Chicken Egg Exterior Structures in Resisting Bacterial Penetration

SUMMARY Three sets of egg shell models were devised and used to measure the mean resistance time of each of the three exterior structures of the egg to penetration by Pseudomonas fluorescens. It was found that the inner shell membrane is the most important barrier, the shell ranks second, and the outer membrane is the least important.
Orbital changes and climate

At the 41,000-period of orbital tilt, summer insolation forces a lagged response in northern ice sheets. This delayed ice signal is rapidly transferred to nearby northern oceans and landmasses by atmospheric dynamics. These ice-driven responses lead to late-phased changes in atmospheric CO2 that provide positive feedback to the ice sheets and also project ‘late’ 41-K forcing across the tropics and the Southern Hemisphere. Responses in austral regions are also influenced by a fast response to summer insolation forcing at high southern latitudes. At the 22,000-year precession period, northern summer insolation again forces a lagged ice-sheet response, but with muted transfers to proximal regions and no subsequent effect on atmospheric CO2. Most 22,000-year greenhouse-gas responses have the ‘early’ phase of July insolation. July forcing of monsoonal and boreal wetlands explains the early CH4 response. The slightly later 22-K CO2 response originates in the southern hemisphere. The early 22-K CH4 and CO2 responses add to insolation forcing of the ice sheets. The dominant 100,000-year response of ice sheets is not externally forced, nor does it result from internal resonance. Internal forcing appears to play at most a minor role. The origin of this signal lies mainly in internal feedbacks (CO2 and ice albedo) that drive the gradual build-up of large ice sheets and then their rapid destruction. Ice melting during terminations is initiated by uniquely coincident forcing from insolation and greenhouse gases at the periods of tilt and precession.
Influence of Water Relations and Temperature on Leaf Movements of Rhododendron Species

Rhododendron maximum L. and R. Catawbiense L. are subcanopy evergreen shrubs of the eastern United States deciduous forest. Field measurements of climate factors and leaf movements of these species indicated a high correlation between leaf temperature and leaf curling; and between leaf water potential and leaf angle. Laboratory experiments were performed to isolate the influence of temperature and cellular water relations on leaf movements. Significant differences were found between the patterns of temperature induction of leaf curling in the two species. Leaves of the species which curled at higher temperatures (R. catawbiense) also froze at higher leaf temperatures. However, in both cases leaf curling occurred at leaf temperatures two to three degrees above the leaf freezing point. Pressure volume curves indicated that cellular turgor loss was associated with a maximum of 45% curling while 100% or more curling occurred in field leaves which still had positive cell turgor. Moisture release curves indicated that 70% curling requires a loss of greater than 60% of symplastic water which corresponds to leaf water potentials far below those experienced in field situations. Conversely, most laboratory induced changes in leaf angle could be related to leaf cell turgor loss.
Acute and chronic effects of losartan (DuP 753) on blood pressure and vascular reactivity in normotensive rats.

The effects of in vivo treatment with the nonpeptide subtype 1 angiotensin II receptor antagonist, losartan, on blood pressure and vascular reactivity in normotensi male Sprague-Dawley rats were studied. Initial acute experiments demonstrated that blood pressure was significantly decreased six hours following a single injection of losartan (10 mg/kg, sc), but returned to control levels by 24 hours post-injection. Pressor responses to angiotensin II (0.1 ug/kg, iv) in these rats were significantly attenuated 2 and 24 hours following losartan injection. For chronic studies, rats were injected once daily for 21 days with either the same dose of losartan or saline vehicle. Blood pressure and pressor responses to angiotensin II were assessed at the end of the 21 day treatment period. A significant decrease in blood pressure was observed in chronic losartan treated rats 6 hours after the last injection on day 21; however, as in the acute studies, blood pressure had returned to control values by 24 hours post-in...
Effect of storage temperatures on the stability of cytokines in cervical mucous.

Cytokines have progressively come to serve as indicators for the presence or severity of a disease. But accurate measurement of cytokine levels can be deterred by lack of proper handling and storage of the samples. In this study, we attempted to measure the effect of snap-freezing and refrigeration at the time of collection on cervical mucous. Luminex analyses of the frozen and refrigerated pairs exhibited no significant differences in levels for 7 out of the 10 cytokines measured simultaneously. The cytokines TNF-α, IFN-γ and IL-1β, were significantly different between the pairs with the refrigerated samples showing higher levels for each of these cytokines. The results suggest that refrigeration of mucous samples immediately after collection would allow for better conservation of the cytokines in cervical mucous.
Selective displacement chromatography in multimodal cation exchange systems

A library of displacer analogues with varying degrees of electrostatic, hydrophobic and hydrogen bonding moieties was evaluated for their ability to enhance the selectivity of multimodal (MM) chromatography under high loading conditions. The library was screened for displacement of model proteins using a robotic liquid handling system and selective batch separations were achieved for proteins that were inseparable with linear gradient chromatography. Trends in protein displacement were identified and displacers with higher hydrophobicity and net charge exhibited improved protein displacements. Proteins that interacted with the resins primarily via electrostatic interactions were more readily displaced than those that possessed a significant hydrophobic contribution to their binding. In addition, multimodal displacers were found to be more selective than single mode electrostatic displacers. Column chromatography studies were also carried out and baseline separations were achieved for model protein pairs using selective displacement. Finally, operation of these columns in the desorption mode resulted in baseline separation of model proteins which were not separable by selective displacement chromatography. This study indicates that the inherent selectivity of MM resins can be augmented by the selectivity of the displacer under non-linear competitive binding conditions, creating new opportunities for protein separations not possible using traditional gradient operations.
Translationally isotropic flat homogeneous manifolds with metric signature (n, 2)

In the following paper we classify the connected flat homogeneous spacesM of metric signature (n, 2) with translationally isotropic associated domain.U ⊃IR s n whereIR s n denotesIRn with the usual flat metric istranslationally isotropic if the set of all translations which leaveU invariant contains its perpendicular space. IfU is the image of the universal cover ofM under the development map thenU is called theassociated domain ofM.
Interfacial Phases on Giant Unilamellar Vesicles

Lipid nanodomains in cell membranes are believed to play a significant role in a number of critical cellular processes (Elson, et al., 2010). These include, for example, replication processes in enveloped viruses such as bird flu and HIV and signaling mechanisms underlying pathological conditions such as cancer. Due to the potential for developing new disease treatments through the control of these membrane rafts, the biophysics underlying their formation has been the subject of intense study, much of this focused on domain formation in giant unilamellar lipid vesicles (GUVs), a simplified model system.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Believing Is Seeing: The Influence of Beliefs and Expectations on Posttenure Review in One State System

This study examines the influence of beliefs and expectations on the first year implementation of posttenure review in one state system. The findings indicate that beliefs and expectations concerning posttenure review's origins, purposes, and usefulness, strongly influenced participants' experience of the process, as well as posttenure review's impact on professional development, performance, and retirement decisions.
System dynamics modeling for community-based water planning: Application to the Middle Rio Grande

The watersheds in which we live are comprised of a complex set of physical and social systems that interact over a range of spatial and temporal scales. These systems are continually evolving in response to changing climatic patterns, land use practices and the increasing intervention of humans. Management of these watersheds benefits from the development and application of models that offer a comprehensive and integrated view of these complex systems and the demands placed upon them. The utility of these models is greatly enhanced if they are developed in a participatory process that incorporates the views and knowledge of relevant stakeholders. System dynamics provides a unique mathematical framework for integrating the physical and social processes important to watershed management, and for providing an interactive interface for engaging the public. We have employed system dynamics modeling to assist in community-based water planning for a three-county region in north-central New Mexico. The planning region is centered on a ~165-km reach of the Rio Grande that includes the greater Albuquerque metropolitan area. The challenge, which is common to other arid/semi-arid environments, is to balance a highly variable water supply among the demands posed by urban development, irrigated agriculture, river/reservoir evaporation and riparian/in-stream uses. A description of the model and the planning process are given along with results and perspectives drawn from both.
GATA factors efficiently direct cardiac fate from embryonic stem cells

The GATA4 transcription factor is implicated in promoting cardiogenesis in combination with other factors, including TBX5, MEF2C and BAF60C. However, when expressed in embryonic stem cells (ESCs), GATA4 was shown to promote endoderm, not cardiac mesoderm. The capacity of related GATA factors to promote cardiogenesis is untested. We found that expression of the highly related gene, Gata5, very efficiently promotes cardiomyocyte fate from murine ESCs. Gata5 directs development of beating sheets of cells that express cardiac troponin T and show a full range of action potential morphologies that are responsive to pharmacological stimulation. We discovered that by removing serum from the culture conditions, GATA4 and GATA6 are each also able to efficiently promote cardiogenesis in ESC derivatives, with some distinctions. Thus, GATA factors can function in ESC derivatives upstream of other cardiac transcription factors to direct the efficient generation of cardiomyocytes.
Measuring embeddedness: Hierarchical scale‐dependent information exchange efficiency of the human brain connectome

This article presents a novel approach for understanding information exchange efficiency and its decay across hierarchies of modularity, from local to global, of the structural human brain connectome. Magnetic resonance imaging techniques have allowed us to study the human brain connectivity as a graph, which can then be analyzed using a graph-theoretical approach. Collectively termed brain connectomics, these sophisticated mathematical techniques have revealed that the brain connectome, like many networks, is highly modular and brain regions can thus be organized into communities or modules. Here, using tractography-informed structural connectomes from 46 normal healthy human subjects, we constructed the hierarchical modularity of the structural connectome using bifurcating dendrograms. Moving from fine to coarse (i.e., local to global) up the connectome's hierarchy, we computed the rate of decay of a new metric that hierarchically preferentially weighs the information exchange between two nodes in the same module. By computing "embeddedness"-the ratio between nodal efficiency and this decay rate, one could thus probe the relative scale-invariant information exchange efficiency of the human brain. Results suggest that regions that exhibit high embeddedness are those that comprise the limbic system, the default mode network, and the subcortical nuclei. This supports the presence of near-decomposability overall yet relative embeddedness in select areas of the brain. The areas we identified as highly embedded are varied in function but are arguably linked in the evolutionary role they play in memory, emotion and behavior.
Paclitaxel induced apoptosis in breast cancer cells requires cell cycle transit but not Cdc2 activity.

Paclitaxel (PTX) is a widely used chemotherapy agent and may cause cell death by apoptosis subsequent to microtubule (MT) disruption. In this paper, we have investigated whether cell cycle transit and or Cdc2 (Cdk1) activity is required for the apoptosis induced by PTX. Cell cycle was analyzed by flow cytometry, Cdc2 was assayed bio chemically. Cdc2 activity was decreased by siRNA and dominant negative (dn) Cdc2 expression. Cells were arrested by chemical or biological inhibitors in a G1or S phase. Apoptosis was measured by DNA fragmentation and examination of nuclei by microscopy. JNK and AKT activations were assessed as well. Cell cycle inhibition was highly effective in decreasing PTX induced apoptosis. MT morphology was not altered by these inhibitors. PTX induced JNK activity or AKT mediated BAD phosphorylation was unaffected by cell cycle inhibitors. Abrogation of Cdc 2 activity was without effect on PTX induced apoptosis. While cell cycle transit is required for PTX induced apoptosis; Cdc2 activity is not required.
APOCS: a rapidly convergent source localization algorithm for sensor networks

This paper addresses the problem of locating an acoustic source using a sensor network in a distributed manner, i.e., without transmitting the full data set to a central point for processing. This problem has been traditionally addressed through the maximum likelihood framework or nonlinear least squares. These methods, even though asymptotically optimal under certain conditions, pose a difficult global optimization problem. It is shown that the associated objective function may have multiple local optima and hence local search methods might stagnate at a sub-optimal solution. In this paper, we treat the problem in its convex feasibility formulation. We propose the aggregated projection onto convex sets (APOCS) method, which, in contrast to the original POCS method, converges to a meaningful limit even when the problem is infeasible without requiring a diminishing step size. Simulation results show convergence to the global optimum with significantly faster convergence rates compared to the previous methods
Communication research and graduate information science programs: a 'hyperdisciplinary' web

The potential role of communication research in a graduate information science curriculum is examined. Emphasis is on whether learning can be organized in a way that leads to a reshaping of the relatedness of the communication and information science disciplines and their methods of inquiry. Implications for graduate programs in information science are examined, including the appropriateness of treating the nature and methodology of communication research in particular courses. Insights and examples are drawn from a pilot study involving faculty in a master of library science degree program. >
Policy Making, Incrementalism, and News Discourse: Gasoline Tax Debates in Eight U.S. States

Gasoline taxes provide a significant source of funding for transportation in the United States but have failed to keep pace with system needs. This article examines the news media discourse surrounding proposed gasoline tax increases in eight states in 2008 and 2009: Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Idaho, Rhode Island, Virginia, and Oregon. Researchers use a frame analysis approach to examine the policy debate in these states. Results indicate that frequently occurring frames promoting gasoline tax increases emphasize the deterioration of the transportation system, funding shortfalls, and job creation. Frames opposing tax increases highlight difficult economic times, more efficient government, and general opposition to new taxes. In three of the four cases where states rejected gas tax increases, significant increases in transportation spending are provided through other revenue sources, an evidence of the shifting in financing transportation from user fees such as gas tax to other sources.
Parental Low Self-Control, Family Environments, and Juvenile Delinquency

Research consistently finds that low self-control is significantly correlated with delinquency. Only recently, however, have researchers started to examine associations between parental low self-control, family environments, and child antisocial behavior. Adding to this emerging area of research, the current study examines associations between parental low self-control, aspects of the family environment, and officially recoded juvenile delinquency among a sample (N = 101) of juveniles processed through a juvenile justice assessment facility located in the Southeastern United States. Furthermore, it considers whether aspects of family environments, particularly family cohesion, family conflict, and parental efficacy, mediate the influence of parental low self-control on delinquency. The results of a series of analyses indicate that parental low self-control is correlated with various aspects of family environments and juvenile delinquency, and that the association between parental low self-control and juvenile delinquency is mediated by family environments. Supplementary analyses also suggest that the association between parental low self-control and the family environment may be reciprocal.
Developing New Courses in the Engineering Technology Curriculum Based on the Program Outcome Result

This paper describes the introduction of two new courses in the area of the project management and ethics used by both Computer and Electronics Engineering Technology programs at Texas Southern University. These introductory courses are offered in the first and second semesters for both programs as part of continuous improvement and curriculum modification. The rationale for creating these courses was to provide students with a better overview of both respective subjects. The main emphasis of this paper is devoted to the process of assessment and curriculum development. It also shows how assessment data were obtained and analyzed. Finally, it demonstrates how the feedbacks from analyzed data were utilized to enhance or modify either course or program's educational objectives and outcomes. In order to establish an efficient assessment method, a two-tier process was developed. The first tier was course-embedded, while the second tier was implemented at the curriculum level. The two-tier process provided a system of on-going evaluation and continuous improvement of the program. Furthermore, a set of assessments instruments were developed to evaluate and modify the program's educational objectives and outcomes on a continuous basis to ensure that students achieved the desired program outcomes. This includes various survey instruments, an outcome- based exit exam, students' works, and the feedback from Program's Industry Advisory Board Committee members. Finally, the curriculum and planning committee, which consists of the faculty members in the program, analyze the data and subsequently made recommendations for course and/or program improvement. These changes were presented to the Industry Advisory Board for concurrence, and thereafter, submitted to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board through the University's Registrar for final approvals.
Evaluation of large-scale CO2 storage on fresh-water sections of aquifers: An example from the Texas Gulf Coast Basin

Abstract Large-scale injections of CO2 into subsurface saline aquifers have been proposed to remediate climate change related to buildup of green house gases in the atmosphere. The pressure buildup caused by such injections may impact a volume of the basin significantly larger than the CO2 plume itself. In areas with hydrological settings similar to the Gulf Coast Basin, the perturbation of the flow-field in deep parts of the basin could result in brines or brackish water being pushed up-dip into unconfined sections of the same formations or into the capture zone of fresh-water wells. The premise of the current study is that the details of multiple-phase flow processes necessary to model the near field evolution of the CO2 plume are not necessary to describe the impact of the pressure anomaly on up-dip aquifers. This paper quantitatively explores conditions under which shallow groundwater would be impacted by up-dip displacement of brines, utilizing an existing carefully calibrated flow model. Modeling an injection of water, arguably equivalent to 50 million tons of CO2/year for 50 years resulted in an average water-table rise of ∼1 m, with minor increase in stream baseflow and larger increase in ground water evapotranspiration, but no significant change in salinity.
Development and implementation cost analysis of telephone- and Internet-based interventions for the maintenance of weight loss

Objectives The Weight Loss Maintenance Trial (WLM) was a multi-center, randomized trial comparing two weight loss maintenance interventions, a personal contact program (PC) with primarily telephone-based monthly contacts, and an Internet-based program (IT), to a self-directed control group, among overweight or obese individuals at high cardiovascular risk. This paper describes implementation costs of both interventions as well as IT development costs.
COSMECA: Application Specific Co-Synthesis of Memory and Communication Architectures for MPSoC

Memory and communication architectures have a significant impact on the cost, performance, and time-to-market of complex multi-processor system-on-chip (MPSoC) designs. The memory architecture dictates most of the data traffic flow in a design, which in turn influences the design of the communication architecture. Thus there is a need to co-synthesize the memory and communication architectures to avoid making sub-optimal design decisions. This is in contrast to traditional platform-based design approaches where memory and communication architectures are synthesized separately. In this paper, we propose an automated application specific co-synthesis methodology for memory and communication architectures (COSMECA) in MPSoC designs. The primary objective is to design a communication architecture having the least number of busses, which satisfies performance and memory area constraints, while the secondary objective is to reduce the memory area cost. Results of applying COSMECA to several industrial strength MPSoC applications from the networking domain indicate a saving of as much as 40% in number of busses and 29% in memory area compared to the traditional approach.
472. Ipsapirone as a serotonergic probe in personality disorder patients

Dysregulation of the central serotonergic (5-HT) system has been associated with personality disorders and with suicidality, impulsive aggression, and irritability utilizing CSF 5-HIM and fenfluramine challenge test, which is not selective for any serotonin receptor subtype as a serotonergic measure. A dose response study of ipsapirone (1PS), a 5-HT-1A agonist, has shown that it is a useful probe of 5-HT1A function in normal subjects when temperature and cortisol are used as response variables. To preliminarily investigate the potential usefulness of IPS as a possible 5-HT-subtype specific probe in personality disorder patients, we did a pilot study evaluating the response to IPS in patients and normal controls (NC). Twenty mg of IPS was administered orally in a placebo-controlled double-blind design to l0 NC and 9 patients with DSM-III-R personality disorder. Temperature, CORT, and prolactin (PRL) levels were measured prior to IPS/placebo administration and at half-hour intervals over the next 3 hours. IPS significantly reduced temperature in all subjects (F[ 1,21 ] ~ 13.3, p < 0.01 ) and increased CORT levels (F[ 1,22] 9.27, p < 0.01). There was no diagnosis by drug interaction in either of the two measures. The temperature response to IPS correlated inversely with PRL response to fenfluramine (r 0.82, p < 0.01 ) and positively with the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (Risk Taking subscale; r 0.86, p < 0.01). Although this sample size was too small to draw any definitive conclusions, temperature and possibly CORT response to IPS and their clinical correlates may be useful measures in future studies of impulsivity in personality disordered patients.
Supplementary knowledge of results

Children learned to respond differentially to four tones when correct responses were indicated by re-sounding the tone and flashing a signal lamp (simple knowledge of results). Correct responses were then made to advance a display counter. With this procedure, rate of response increased, but accuracy decreased. Mild punishment-points subtracted from the count-was then arranged for incorrect responses. Accuracy returned to or above its previous level. Response rate tended to remain above its initial level. These results indicate that when supplementary reinforcers are employed, precise contingencies must be arranged to ensure desired behavior.
Optimized control strategies for wheeled humanoids and mobile manipulators

Optimizing the control of articulated mobile robots leads to emergent behaviors that improve the effectiveness, efficiency and stability of wheeled humanoids and dynamically stable mobile manipulators. Our simulated results show that optimization over the target pose, height and control parameters results in effective strategies for standing, acceleration and deceleration. These strategies improve system performance by orders of magnitude over existing controllers. This paper presents a simple controller for robot motion and an optimization method for choosing its parameters. By using whole-body articulation, we achieve new skills such as standing and unprecedented levels of performance for acceleration and deceleration of the robot base. We describe a new control architecture, present a method for optimization, and illustrate its functionality through two distinct methods of simulation.
Temptation and Seduction in the Technological Milieu.

Jacques Ellul’s work on propaganda provides the basis for this analysis of life in technology. Advertising and the mass media rely on temptation and seduction and create a constant flow of propagan...